Most everything between embarkation and disembarkation was acceptable. Those two areas, though, left much to be desired.
Embarkation
1 out of 5
Horrible! Long, slow lines in windowless lower terminal. When this process was completed, we were instructed to go upstairs where a large group of passengers were waiting for the boarding process to begin. We were given a card with a number on it (group 19) and we waited, and we waited for the boarding to begin. And then we waited, and we waited for our number to be called. My wife and I have been cruising with various lines for some twenty-five years now and have never experienced this type of embarkation experience before.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
No complaints with food and service in the main dining rooms (Venetian and Aqua). However, our experience in La Cucina left a lot to be desired, both in the food and service areas. I ordered the Frutti de Mare. Two quarter sized clams, two very small mussels, two very small shrimp, and a piece of fish. The wait for our meals was extremely long. A photographer, who was very pleasant, came by and took our picture. Quite a bit later he came by again, said hello, and asked if we had enjoyed our meal. “I don’t know”, he was told, “we have not yet been served.” The look on his face said it all. We also had dinner at Cagney’s. The food, though a bit better than La Cucina, but so is McDonald’s, was not worth the price. We were all very surprised to see that the specialty restaurants are now priced ala carte, and not a flat, per person charge. This was the first time that we elected to have the liquor package. Had we not, our dining experience with a two glasses of wine for three of us and one glass for one in our party would have cost somewhere in the vicinity of twice the former flat, per person, rate.
Onboard Activities
1 out of 5
As my wife and I are both in our mid to late seventies, we really did not take part in these activities.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
We enjoyed sitting in any one of the various lounges while listening to the entertainment. We especially enjoyed CHARLIE in Gatsby’s
Children's Programs
2 out of 5
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
For the most part, we had no complaints with any of the service people. The only exception was while dining at La Cucina where we did not see the waiter for long periods of time. However, I really don’t think that the long wait was his fault.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
We had sailed on the Dawn before, and because we enjoyed the smaller ship concept, we were, for the most part, satisfied. The ship, though, is nearly twenty years old now, and in some areas, it is beginning to show its age, but we sort of expected that.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The cabin was about what we had expected, no more, no less.
Ship tip
Don’t pay the extra money for the specialty restaurants. The main dining rooms are free and just as good, if not better.
Why did the ship dock at a different spot than from where we embarked? As we drove to the Port of Miami and parked in the garage closest to our embarkation site, an unexpected shuttle ride, which included an unexpected loading and unloading of luggage process was encountered. This caused at least an hour’s delay in our ride home.
A very long, crowded, and slow walk from the ship to Customs. Every time I sail out of Miami, I promise myself that I will never do it again. I have broken this promise several times, but I do not think that I will this time.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
