The staff and crew of the Norwegian Dawn single-handedly ruined our honeymoon. when we were able to get off on two out of the three islands, with very little time to spend, we had a wonderful time with the Islanders of Nassau, and swimming in Stirrup cay. I finished all my anxiety medication while on the trip, a day and a half early. The threats, nastiness, lack of help or understanding English at all, the lack of water or hot water throughout the entire trip I just can't say anything but tortured. Sleep deprivation & TORTURE.
Embarkation
2 out of 5
We were able to get on, without fainting or puking (as others were, due to no drinks ready, as we're told they'd be.)
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Unfortunately, we only were able to try out the Buffett (very uncleanly & the food was ok, depending on the time/day,) & Osheehans- Best Food we got On Board Ship! Highly recommend! We were able to utilize Topsiders once, and the volcano Burger was actually great and I'm not even into spicy. Main problem, we went to going to Venetian and they said they were not taking any more guests. I even had a complimentary cake because it was our honeymoon, that I still have in my wallet because I was unable to use it. The restaurants would either be closed, or when they were open we're not accepting more people. Even when we saw empty tables. I didn't get to experience most of what was offered on the ship, had a lot of trouble with staff and crew, as did most of my fellow cruisers.
Topsiders Bar and Grill
3 out of 5
They made some really great drinks, thank you for introducing me to the BBC! I wish I would have tried more of your food, but your volcano Burger was slamming once I took the jalapeno off LOL you guys were open when Bimini was not, & thank you for being cool!
Garden Cafe
1 out of 5
Besides not being able to walk without bumping into somebody, food trays and all, they did not have regular non-alcoholic drinks. until the last day they did not have orange, apple, cranberry so on. I took pictures because I could not believe that all they had was iced tea with no sugar that tasted very weird, kiwi strawberry flavored water, lemonade (which was the most decent and only drinkable thing,) & some sort of mango flavored water drink. Most of the time there was no water to dilute the drinks, I can't even explain how that tastes. it comes out the machine and looks normal, but there is no water at all in it so it is pure sugar of whatever drink you choose. The last day they even had pineapple I was shocked, I had been dying for juice the whole trip! also, it says You must wear a shirt and shoes, the amount of people I saw a bear foot with their feet out was disgusting, and the shirt was not enforced at all. I bet if I try to walk in, or Sean without a shirt it would have caused havoc! But it was so disgusting what I saw people dropping and picking up and putting back on the plates and these were the workers!
O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill
4 out of 5
Best food that we had on the entire Boat! Service wasn't great, the bartender was great when the bar was actually open but the waiters were kind of cranky, to put it nicely. that was the only complaint I had was that I could order food all night, but I could not get anything to drink but water but water was a commodity on this boat! I would highly recommend the Reuben, bangers and mash, shepherd's pie, both types of nachos, Texas BBQ wings I can keep going almost everything had was great, only thing I wouldn't is a chicken Caesar salad and that was from a friend I met on the boat that ordered it did not look good and she agreed it was not LOL this is more an Irish pub with fun food burgers so on I would have eaten there every night if I knew about it from the beginning
Casino Bar
5 out of 5
the bartender at the casino I must say was the best! After one time meeting my husband to you exactly what he would want to drink, and after meeting me he knew what I would like and would offer me some interesting great drinks, and was even able to tell if I just wanted a cold drink non-alcoholic, I swear he was a psychic bartender he was great! Casino bartender I'd have to say was the best bartender on the boat!
Bimini Bar And Grill
4 out of 5
This was THE PLACE 2B! I made a friend of a lifetime, & all us fellow smokers you're able to meet up, therefore we already had something in common LOL! The drinks were good, I did not get to try the food because my breakfast was a drink called BBC LOL! I noticed that it depending on which crew member or staff you got, but there were three that were amazing out of the entire boat oh, and one was at Bimini!
Bliss Ultra Lounge
1 out of 5
on the 18 plus nights, I swear to you there were toddlers! I was on my honeymoon, I don't mind that there was a sweet sixteen going on at the same time but when they start picking up people's leftover drinks, and harassing us for things like marijuana and drugs, I mean what am I supposed to do? I'm not going to ruin their trip and tell their parents, but none of the crew seem to mind that they were picking up cigarettes out of ashtrays and taking people's leftover floaters. there was so much more wrong with bliss, it could have been a great club if they had some good entertainment, & enforced the atmosphere rules.
Onboard Activities
1 out of 5
Pool was closed majority of the time (even during "open hours,") lounges were too packed with under 18 (when it was 18+) so we couldn't get into Bliss to participate in many fun looking cpls events- along with spending 2-8hrs a day dealing with Guest Services & them deactivating our cards 3 times FOR NO REASON.
Internet Cafe
1 out of 5
I'm still trying to understand what the internet cafe is?I know I was not able to get on the internet, they said it was because we were too far from Port, but I read numerous times that there is service from bow to stern. I don't understand why people pay for Wi-Fi when it does not even work in their own Cafe, and that 99 cents a minute plus a $4 activation fee you guys are smart!
The Oasis Pool
1 out of 5
It could be an awesome pool, if they ever let people in it. It was closed so much that when they did open it, it was standing room only. Forget about trying to get a lounge chair in the pool, because people just leave their towels on them and hold them all day. It really wasn't fair that there wasn't a time limit or something so everybody can get a chance. We do not even get to enter the pool, that is why I am rating it so poorly. some of the times when it was supposed to be open, there was literally a net over it cautioned tape on the ladder, the funniest was when I saw the entire pool empty LOL!
Galleria Shops
2 out of 5
it was cool because they said you can get free charms and stuff, unfortunately I did not get one thing for free I paid $20 LOL I'm glad I was able to get cigarettes, especially since they lied about restocking at Port Canaveral, so I could have gotten them in Florida but because they told me they were restocking my brand I figured why not just get them on the boat, turns out they do not carry Newport 100s on the boat ever. So they told me in about two hundred other people the same line. That is my main beef with the
Casino
2 out of 5
I am 35 & it was my first time ever playing a slot, so for me no matter where I would have been it would have been memorable and great! My husband is an avid poker player, he came in to compete in the tournament (he had been looking forward to it all week waiting to see it on the itinerary,) & honestly your dealers are very very corrupt. Besides the fact they said the blinds go up every hour, which was really every half hour because after every 30 minutes there is a 30-minute break. So, that is not every hour- that is every 30minutes. He was up $300 (buy-in was only $80,) and just had to let it ride b&w watch it Go, we weren't about to get tricked into buying in again when it was only 30 minutes, had he known that he would have played more aggressively, But we are not sour losers- we were glad he got to play. Your dealers though, WOW! The dealer kept dealing in a guy that did not even call "rebuy," ultimately someone above came over and ask the dealer why she keeps dealing him in & WHY DOES HE HAVE CARDS (she had been watching) and she said he called rebuy, although everyone knew he didn't. Again we are not snitches, we are not trying to ruin everyone else's trip seeing as the dawn is doing a great job at that already☹️ it was just very unfair if you were playing at a table, because if a dealer liked you they can deal you in for no money, I've never seen anything like it. There is quite a bit more, I am still recuperating from this trip.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Julie Barr (the comedienne) & Duo the Heartbeat (the Aerialists) made up for ALL THE OTHER ATROCIOUS "musicians/DJs/other entertainers" that I believe we're just staff from the bars/restaurants.
Children's Programs
Because it was my honeymoon, we are both 35 with no children, yet.
Service and Staff
1 out of 5
Service and staff single-handedly ruined our honeymoon. Our personal steward would knock on the door every 3 hours or less, wanting to clean the room. I wondered what he was doing the hour before when he supposedly cleaned it then? We found lipstick on our mugs that we bought, a needle container in the room which disgusting me, smelled pot everyday I believe from the people above us we're blowing it either down the toilet bowl or in event because it would get so strong I was being accused of smoking one time! They didn't even sell the cigarettes I buy s(Newport 100's, but lied and said they would be restocking at Port Canaveral,) so I didn't even have cigarettes until day 3, after my "warning," by mouth & message on the phone. We were harassed every day, including having our key cards turned off 3x. every time something would come up, we would have to deal with it right then and there instead of enjoying our trip. We never even made it into the pool! We couldn't get off the boat at the first Port, the second Port we only ended up having two and a half hours because we spent the rest of the morning with guest services because they did not understand English the woman was Asian. then, we had the same trouble when we got to NASA they wanted more information and I must have given them my credit card at least 20 + x I did not feel safe anymore. LiliBeth really really ruined our trip, along with the emergency alarm which was placed between our pillows. So we could not see it at all, our first time making love and we get a knock on the door that someone needs to come in in person to reset it. When they showed me where it was I took pictures, I can't believe that the staffing Cruise single-handedly ruined my honeymoon.
Ship Quality
1 out of 5
I think the layout and design are awesome (the placement of the pool, how the fish all swim forward towards the bolt so you know where you're going oh, this could have been an amazing trip if it were for different staff,) Unfortunately the staff does not clean anything. I had a room service tray in front of my door for over 2 days before I decided to take a picture. We also had a coffee ring on the table next to the bed, that was never wiped off I took a picture of the day we left that it was still there. I found hair in my brush (that was not mine,) my husband found a halls coughdrop next to the bed, stuck to the carpet. Lipstick on HIS mug was just another thing we ignored. From day one we learned where you can smoke and where you cannot, we made our spots to smoke the Bimini lounge oh, and the cigar room. We would get sent up to the 14th floor told that's where we can smoke, only to randomly have a crew member tell us there is no smoking allowed when that is a smoking area? This happened a few times, and they would pass other people smoking and not bother them just us. Other times they would bother them and not us. It seemed like the crew made up the rules as they went along, I was assuming that's why you call it freestyle cruising cuz you guys just freestyle what you can do to us and we are stuck on the water with you. I felt so unsafe, I truly thought this was supposed to be a nice cruise and it was paid for in advance there was no reason none of this could have been handled with the staff before we left New York or when we got back especially being as it was pain in advance. There is so much more, I made a list from day one to now but we never caught a break every day to the point where I ran out of my anxiety medication. the best part was when there was no hot water for 5 days, and then no water at all for one extra day so the day we left we had water! I took video of all of this, and it is taking up so much space in my phone I must add it to an SD card oh, how do you all get away with this?
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Honestly, the stateroom was beautiful! We didn't need anything so big, I would have much rather had a smaller room but been left alone and treated with the respect and got help from staff. It was a big room, definitely not a clean room because it had a funny smell under the blankets and was very Sandy feeling. Also, we found used cough drops, receipts, tags from clothing, someone else's excursion passes from the trip before us which I still have on me. We were asked to leave the cabin so many times so they can clean it, we would come back and it would look a little different but then he would ask again within the hour may he clean it. Now this is my first cruise, I thought maybe that's how it works. But I also thought I should have a right to sleep, throughout the whole trip I got less than 6 hours sleep in a week. All due to staff. The size was huge, though I prefer cozy and small. But there were no good mirrors to do makeup and things like that, the cleanliness was horrible but we were very comfortable with the bathroom.
This is where I live, I didn't even realize it would be considered a port but I guess so LOL, I took a taxi from Brooklyn so can't say much but I love to getting to see the intrepid on the way home!
I truly wish we would have had more time to spend on this island! We were planning on disembarking when permitted, but once again found out guest services needed to speak with us. That took until after 11 a.m., (I believed we docked around 9am?) we ended up not getting on a tender boat until after 12 noon, made it to the island right before they shut the buffet down at 3:30. So we were able to eat, run through the straw market, swim in the water for 20 minutes and then run back to the boat that takes us back which was taking a chance because it was the last tender leaving the island at 5:30. A big problem was they shut everything down even drinks and water at 4:30 p.m., this poor woman did not even drink alcohol but just from the sun heat and being dehydrated she was vomiting all over. They had nothing to drink once the place is closed on their Island, not even water?! Then again, the cruise boat didn't have water for days on end so...
I think they should have been more clear to the cruisers that when you get off at the port in Nassau, to be careful. The beach is not close at all, they do not give you directions on Their map to it, (only excursions booked thru NCL.) People run up to you like crazy to get you in their cars, horses, etc & we truly feel blessed because we met amen that doesn't charge anything and hands out cold water. He actually invited us to come with him feeling so bad that we did not get off the boat until so late, and I'll endure for nothing took us around and showed us a great time and make sure we made it back to our boat. He did MORE than the entire Norwegian Cruise line Dawn staff. with a little under four hours to spend in Nassau, we not only got to drive around and see the island we were able to visit his family, go meet some friends and see how he lives/Islanders live, & ALL I kept worrying about was I can't see the bowl anymore they're going to leave us. I would say the two islands were the best part of the trip, and the dawn still managed to ruin that because every time we would get back from an island the red light would be blinking with more threats and bad news. Even though everything we did on our side was correct.
getting on was easy, getting off with disgusting. It seems like the staff was even nasty or once they realize that everyone was getting off and this was the end, I watch them take out complaints from the complaint box where I had left numerous. Once we were all NCL, and going through customs everything was great. How can such a reputable Cruise line put so many people through so much horror? Why did you do this to me, why would you want to go out of your way to ruin my honeymoon?
Been on the Dawn twice and booked again in January for our Honeymoon lol. I make dining room reservations month before we cruise, never an issue at all. Room has never been dirty. I doubt they left these dishes for 2 days as they come through with their carts several times per day. If we are in the room I turn my wheel to do not disturb........never had a knock on my door to clean. Sorry you had a bad experience but seemed like you were spending your cruise time on finding issues.
Wow! It sounds like cruising is definitely not for you. You sound like a real joy to be around. You mentioned anxiety medicine, I’m sure everyone around you needed it.
Had a lousy time on my Dawn cruise in April.... stayed on deck 10.... constant blocked toilets , an electrical fire and my cabin not evacuated, and generally miserable.... I made it a great time....this ship left a lot to be desired ....
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