Very uneven performance by Norwegian Dawn. Much better than expected entertainment, but forget the main dining rooms. Freestyle there meant no style.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Not good, but because they changed quays and they said that screwed up their computers. Waited more than an hour standing in line while they used tablets.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The two main dining rooms were so disorganized as to become obnoxious. After being seated, eating supper was an hour to an hour and a half of mostly tedium, occasionally interrupted by lukewarm food that was probably not much better than if it had been served hot. Main dining room crews didn't relieve the pain - - they mostly stood around talking to each other, not interacting with guests at all, during the 15-30 minutes between when they hauled away dishes from one course and when the next course arrived.
Buffet was better, and for dinner had the same food hot that was on the menu for the main dining rooms that day but served lukewarm there. Much better variety too. But many buffet dishes were cafeteria food no better than is served in college dorms. And bizarrely they always had a soft ice cream machine on that served ice cream soup instead. Didn't matter that we and others complained, so all just kept using bowls if they ate the ice cream soup at all.
We tried one specialty restaurant, La Cucina, and it was excellent. The food was good, and the service excellent. Which is also curious, as the same people rotated as servers/staff between main dining room, specialty restaurants, and buffet. Talked to our servers in La Cucina, who had been our servers in the other facilities, and they said expectations (of their managers?) were different in each.
Best was O'Sheehan's Bar and Grill. They make a great Reuben, the service was fast and technically skillful, and the sandwich worked well with a Guinness.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
It was nice they had the four hot-tubs working. The Dawn's "swimming pool" is tiny, but it was 60 degrees in the afternoon each day anyway. Stuck with the hot-tub, even though they were not overly hot either.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
All shows were very interesting, and some were excellent. We were greatly surprised, having cruised Norwegian before. We went back a second time the same evening to some of the main theater shows.
Children's Programs
Went as a couple only.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
See comments about waiters in the food comments - - most of them most of the time were a real downer. Room steward made up the room, but it was clear the days of the towel animal, or any other such skill, are long over.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
In one sense, Norwegian Dawn should be Dusk. The ship is old, even the refurb is old, and the balcony room was both small and poorly designed. It was clean, however, and so were common areas. The ship is small, and that appeals. But not enough to get around its being so dated in design and function. And the staff mostly appeared to be rookies learning on the job.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
See previous comments. Small and poorly designed (couldn't close the toilet area sliding door when seated on the toilet, because my knees had to be where the sliding door was). Clean though, and the bed was surprisingly comfortable.
Train strike on, plus Norwegian switched quays for the ship. We were lucky to get aboard, and heard many others had to go on to the next stop Portland to embark.
Downtown Dublin is an easy and inexpensive train ride from Dun Laoghaire station just at the end of the ship pier. Dublin never disappoints, and the train is far quicker (and did I say far cheaper) than a shore excursion to get there. Very walkable downtown, many attractions, good shopping, great food and history.
Did an independent Beatles-themed walking tour we arranged before traveling. Nice and interesting place, especially how it has recovered from the 1980s.
Royal Mile is essentially a shopping tourist trap, with the same shops from the same companies repeating every hundred yards or so. Nice sweaters and other "Scottish" goods, but the same in each shop (and woefully overpriced compared to Dublin, Belfast, or even shops in Edinburgh off the Mile). Be sure to walk downhill, from castle to palace, but better yet do your shopping elsewhere and use the time in Edinburgh to see its cultural/historical attractions. Wish we did.
Good review thank you. As someone who lives in Edinburgh I’d agree don’t waste your time here shopping, and certainly not shopping on the Royal Mile, your assessment of the shops there was very accurate too!
I hated this ship. Their new Once A Day cabin cleaning sucks! The worst cabin steward we ever had.
Our 2024 cruise is with Silver Seas. I may have to dress up but I will get a butler to serve us for two weeks.
No service with crappy food on Norwegian!
I complained to Norwegian and the sent me a form letter saying how wonderful they are and it was my fault for not complaining to management while on the ship.
I reported to the pursers desk at 9:00 pm on the very first day. I told them that and they said no record of that is available. How convenient!
I have a five hundred dollar voucher for the next Norwegian cruise. I don’t care if I give up a ten thousand dollar voucher. I am finished with Norwegian!
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