Norwegian Dawn Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Great food. Aqua was our favorite. Our teens had fun at the teen club everyday! Bermuda was spectacular!! We would definitely go there again. Spending three days there was perfect. We were able to really do all the things we had planned without rushing. The only two problems we had was with the beverage service by the pool. It was very busy and they lost my card. I had to wait two hours to receive a new one and that was after I complained to the beverage manager. The other was that we never got credited our $25 dollars on board credit through . On the first day we were told it takes a few days to show and then when we got our bill I asked why it wasn't on and they said that it was too late to inquire and that I would have to deal with when I got home...huh? All in all it was a really great time. Our second on Norwegian and we would definitely sail with them again.

   We loved our balcony stateroom. The food was great. The ship staff was excellent. The musical group Twice as Nice was our favorite entertainment, which we watched 5 nights. Bermuda was beautiful. The two day return at sea was a bit much for us not being big partiers.  First  cruise for us.

We (party of three adults) arrived at the Port of Boston at 11 a.m. and were escorted to the VIP check-in. Karabi, the Concierge greeted us and a few minutes later a butler arrived to escort us to our suite. Suite 9006 (Owners Suite with two balconies) was available and in tip top shape. We were invited to explore the cabin, ship and have lunch at Cagney's until the 3:30 p.m. muster drill.

The service on this ship was excellent, in fact, the best I have experienced on any other NCL ship. Our butler, Juremar took care of our every want/need and delivered our meals, snacks and kept the Lavazza stocked. We had a "hot" breakfast delivered almost everyday.  It was nice sitting on the balcony or in the dining room having breakfast without having to fight the crowds. Edna, our steward was a work horse and she was our vacation hero. My mother misplaced her toothbrush and Edna volunteered to go to port and purchase her a new one. Simple requests like two bathmats were met without any hesitation.  Karabi, the Concierge made our vacation by completing the dream team. She reviewed our dinner schedule and made changes so that we could attend the VIP cocktail, Platinum Latitude and Cruise Critic parties. In addition, on the final day she confirmed our airline reservations, and printed our boarding passes. During the cruise we met another great couple and they were able to join us for dinner at Cagney's with a quick change to our reservation.

Our suite, 9006, Owners Suite with two balconies was beautiful and it provided enough space for three adults. The side balcony had a dining table and four chairs and the front balcony had two padded chaises, a table, and a side chair.  This was our second front facing balcony and only at full sail was it unusable due to wind.  The rest of the time it was great.  Just be aware that there is no privacy due to the Bridge and an upper viewing deck located directly above.  My mother slept like a baby on the pull out sofa in the living room. The stateroom had a full bath and a guest bath with a sink and toilet. The main bath had a walk-in shower, Jacuzzi tub, double sinks and plenty of plush towels.  Off of the bath is a "strange" little walk in closet with two safes. The closet seems like an after thought and it offers very little storage. NOTE to anyone booking this cabin...there is very little storage space so you have to be creative. We were able to close the doors between the bedroom and living area to give everyone privacy. There was a Lavazza coffee maker in the bar area and we thoroughly enjoyed the coffee on demand. The OS comes with three bottles of alcohol and our butler delivered OJ and Tomato Juice to us daily and he kept the refrigerator stocked with soda's, tonic water, limes and lemons.  There were three "older" poor quality televisions and one DVD player. This cabin is not like the OS on the Epic; however, the service more than made up for the lack of technology and WOW.   

Bermuda was beautiful; however, in my opinion not as welcoming as the Caribbean. The people, although polite, were a little reserved. The island had beautiful beaches but we found little else of to keep our interests. On the first day we went to Snorkel Beach. It was very small and due to high winds we were unable to use an umbrella for shade. We did see fish; however, not a huge variety. We had a good time, but I wouldn't do this beach again. I found the service lacking, even disorganized and I had to secure my own chaise lounges despite having booked through the NCL web site.  On the second day in Bermuda we booked a private tour of the island.  During the 5 hour tour we were driven over the entire "hook" of the island and we received a great overview. Ralph, our guide, was thorough and proud of his country and glad to show it off.  We were driven to Hamilton and watched to gossiping wench being punished. Afterward we were returned to the ship.

The ship is showing its age; however, it is still a beautiful vessel. I noticed that NCL needs to pay more attention to upkeep and conduct some general maintenance. Our cabin (9006) had rust on the balconies, minor fraying of the carpets and worn upholstery in the living room. The electronics were outdated and I struggled with trying to find the right time because most of the televisions did not recognize the year 2014.  Regardless, we made it work and we did not let it hamper our wonderful cruise.  

We purchased the Specialty Dining package and ate at Cagney's, La Bistro, La Cucina, and Tappanyaki restaurants.  Cagney's was awesome and the service was great.  Magnolia, our server, was professional, fun and extra special. We had several meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) and we were never disappointed. La Bistro was good and the food was flavorful. La Cucina was a big disappointment. The food was dry and over cooked. By far, the worst Italian that we have eaten on any of NCL's ships. We have sailed on many NCL ships and have always enjoyed the Italian but not on this ship.  Tappanyaki was another disappointment. The "show" was canned, dry and it matched the food. The rice was overcooked and tasteless...mush. The filet was tough and under seasoned. I walked away calling the meal "one note" nothing stood out and everything tasted bland.

One special treat that we purchased was the spa passes. Loved it! It was well worth the money. My wife and I would go each morning for about an hour and just relax without the hassles of fighting to find a chaise by the main pool.  Only draw back was an older gentleman who kept running around telling everyone to "shut up" and stop talking because he was reading a book. This put a damper on anyone who would talk...even with inside voices. 

On the last sea day we did a bridge tour. The officer was thoughtful, insightful and willing to answer everyone's questions. (We took one on The Freedom of the Seas and after searching us with a wand, inspecting our bags, we were escorted in, given a 5 minute tour and then shuffled out.) 

Overall, our experience on the Dawn was excellent and we would sail it again. We were pleasantly surprised by the service and we are grateful to the hard working crew who made our vacation special.  Looking forward to an upcoming sailing on another small ship, the Sun, in January 2015. We have been on several big ships (Epic, Freedom of the Seas) and I am convinced that the personal service goes away with the larger vessels and massive peoples.  We love NCL and trust them with our vacations.

My folks are 80 and 85 and first time cruisers. This cruise suited them to a tee. We had a great experience. THey can not stop raving about it!.  THe Boston port was simple to navigate and getting on the ship was a piece of cake. Very easy for older legs. I thought they might have trouble getting around but not at all. WE enjoyed everything.

Food was good in the standard restaurants and service was impeccable.

THe excursions were also fun. Be warned however, in the Scenic St George excursion, they try so hard to gt everything in, they do not stop for  soda Breaks or a rest along the line!

Booked a room in the middle of the ship that allowed easy access to the main elevators so getting around was easy..THe casino blackjack tournament was fun . I understand however, that the odds at the tables were not in anyones favor.

THe shows were pretty standard except for the Elements which was fantastic. THat said, we went to all of them, enjoyed them.

I would like to see more cooking demonstrations

THe other thing that was crazy was that, in the past you could sign up for a ship tour that did not cost anything..now it is labeled an excursion for 79.00..I do not care about the laundry that much to pay 79.00 to tour the ship.

One last thought, this was a great pool .Deep and a walk in and out entrance that was easy to navigate for older and younger guests..Really appreciated the size and comfort of that pool every day.

We sailed on the Dawn over Labor Day weekend without really realizing that things would be closed in Bermuda for 2 of our 3 port days. With advanced research though we found plenty of attractions open and still plenty to do. We had only ever been on the Norwegian Sky before this trip so this ship was a little bit larger and a few more people so there was a bit of an adjustment period figuring out where everything was but that is to be expected. Everyone on board was very friendly and of course the staff was wonderful. A wheel on my husbands suitcase came off between the pier and our room; the customer service people were extremely helpful and his luggage spent most of the cruise with the maintenance staff as they tried to repair it. They were unable to so we were issued an OBC without any hesitation- was not expecting that at all so it was a pleasant surprise.  Because this ship was larger and the cruise was longer were able to catch more onboard shows all of which were terrific. Would highly recommend the Elements show.  The only "problem" was the lack of seating at the outdoor bars. On the Sky we had practically the same seats at their outdoor bar in the pool area every night - it was more difficult to find seats on the Dawn. Just a minor inconvenience though - just a heads up to get up on deck early if you like to sit at the bar.  All in all it was a great cruise and we didn't want it to end.

The staff, specially the cabin crew were so great and kind, I loved their demeanor and care for their work.  On a daily basis they performed their work with care and attention to their customers.   Also the ship facilities were excellent I felt so safe and secure during the whole trip.

This was our second trip to Bermuda on Norwegian.  We went on the Norwegian Spirit back in 2010 and enjoyed it so much.  The food was very good and the staff was very friendly. It is also very convenient to leave out of Boston.  We also did Norwegian Jewel out of New York to Nassau, Bahamas in 2012 and that ship wasn't as nice as the Spirit either.  I am thinking that the economy has made Norwegian cut back on staff and food selections.  This trip was so different on the Dawn.  Although the ship wasn't as full as when we went in July of 2010 the main dining room, the Venetian, could not seem to handle the amount of people. We had to wait numerous times for dinner and also sometimes 20 minutes between courses.  It was not the staff but the kitchen they were always waiting on.  Every staff person from housekeeping to dining was not as friendly and seemed to be not happy with their jobs.  We always get a balcony room and it was very tight on this trip, especially the bathroom.  The weather in Bermuda was some sun on the first day but then rain the next few days.  We had to leave a day early because of Hurricane Cristobal was coming our way.  So we ended up having 3 sea days on the way back.  All in all it was nice to get away but we are ready for a higher end cruise line with better food and hospitality.

Staff was good. The only issues I had was that the weather was foul. Also my excusion was cancelled and I'm irrate with the vendor in which vacation outlet uses for the excursion. All of the others on the ship who booked through the ship got there money back for cancellation, however I'm still pending my refund.

After having sailed on Princess, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruise Lines, this cruise was rather disappointing.  Glass in the Port of Call shop was not sparkly clean, but foggy;  the beds were in very poor condition in cabin 9182 - I came home with more back pain (excruciating) than I had when I left home!  We did not enjoy the total freestyle dining; it made it much more difficult to mingle with new people.

However, in a positive vein, I will say that the entertainment was very enjoyable, including the music venues, and the food was good, sometimes even terrific.

Bermuda was great, even though the weather prevented us from seeing more of the islands.

This is very convenient from the Boston area,next stop Bermuda. The food was very good. The entertainment was good also. We had an excellent time. We saw dolphins on the way back from Bermuda. That was cool. Bermuda has a lot to do ,from the caves to the beaches.

I loved Bermuda. Cindy, from Vacation Outlet did a super job of making sure all was taken care of before sailing. Norwegian Dawn is a good ship; just a little worn in places. All the staff, from boarding to cruising and dismantling were terrific. Food from the buffet left something th o be desired, the first two days. All was corrected after that.

Relax and let Norwegian entertain you!   The food is great, the entertainment is exceptional and the service of the cruise staff is terrific.  Its so nice to be spoiled and cared for by the staff.  Friendly people who want you to enjoy your cruise and cater to your needs.  Service with a smile.

We have been on Norwegian cruises before, and didn't hesitate to book another cruise.

We do not smoke cigarettes, and that was my only complaint when I went into the Casino to play cards, as they do allow smoking there.  Unfortunately other cruise lines allow smoking in their casinos also.

Our stateroom was beautiful, and our steward was gracious and always taking care of our needs. We did opt for the food upgrade plan, as we enjoyed private dining areas.  The food was A+ and service was terrific.   Would I go again on this cruise?  Yes!

Go have fun!

Norwegian wasn't my fist pick as a cruise line. I had read reviews and articles that claimed that Norwegian was the "budget" cruise line. I found that not to be the case. While the line doesn't have the glitz and the shine of the other ships I've been on, it puts it's money where its mouth is. The room we booked was clean, comfortable and better set up than any of the others I have been in (we had an ocean view cabin.) The bathroom was much better organized and set up than anything I had experienced before. The room itself was a decent size with out being extravagant. We tried the two main dining rooms and both were very good, with great service and very appealing food. The Lido deck Garden Café was well set up with none of the lineups I had experienced in the past on cruises. There was really good food, some that I didn't recognize. The pastry products weren't all that good, in my opinion. Many of the rolls, pastries and even the pizza available in the Garden Café seemed to be from a box and formerly frozen. This wasn't the case for the pastry in the main dinning rooms. It all seemed fresh that day.

The ship had plenty of activities and the cruise director (I'm assuming that he is responsible) deserves recognition for the organizing of these activities. Other cruises I've been on had activities that were disjointed and seemed to be individually planned. On Carnival the DJ's were responsible not only to keep the music going, but to keep the crowd going as well. This never seemed to work well and the dance bars often remained empty. On the Norwegian Dawn the cruise directors staff was present at every activity, engaging the crowd, drawing the people and making one activity flow into another. This resulted in a large crowd at every activity, every bar, every dance floor. It made for a lot of fun in the evenings.

The cabin and restaurant staff were exceptional. They did their job, were polite, helpful and professional. I would like to also point out that we weren't constantly being remained to "remember" the staff with our pocket book. The last few cruises I've been on were pretty steady with requests for more tips than the standard daily rate.

The entertainment onboard was exceptional in many ways. There was a Caribbean rock band on the main pool deck that was exceptional. A duo in the atrium that held a crowd of over 100 people daily, another band that played classic music and was very entertaining. The theatre shows were ok, but the final "Elements" show was very well choreographed, and exceptional. There was also a comedian that we thoroughly enjoyed.

One thing we both noticed on this cruise was how smooth the ship sailed, even in 15 foot seas. I have been on 8 cruises and many rocked and bobbed. A couple times there were people ill from the motion of the ship. The Dawn never seemed to even move with the waves. We heard noise off and on, but never felt we needed to get our "sea legs" as the ship was level and calm throughout the voyage.

For a trip to a place like Bermuda, where the cost can be prohibitive for many people, this is a great way to visit.

Given the experiences onboard the Norwegian Dawn to Bermuda we have a new appreciation for NCL and would definitely book with Norwegian again. Our experience with was outstanding and we would definitely call them again as well to do the booking for us.

SM

This venue is great!! It was a good vacation for our party of 12 [6 adults and 6 kids] as there was lots to do with or without everyone involved.  There were some bummers though.  The Norwegian Dawn is a floating relic and it's amenities are small for fully booked cruisings. Both the travel agent and cruise line leave you ill prepared and uninformed as to how things work and it can take some time to get your bearings. There is an abundance of food but its not the 5 star gourmet chef prepared items you expect. Don't eat in the dining rooms as service can take up to 3 hours from start to finish. And make sure to sell a kidney before boarding as everything that is not included costs a fortune! Bring a case of water, the weather is HOT and you need to stay hydrated, bottles on the ship are aroung $4 apiece!! There are shows but they are not the broadway productions you expect, the casino is expensive, the professional photos are outrageously priced, Bingo is ridiculously priced and alcoholic beverages lack the alcohol. The island of Bermuda is BEAUTIFUL but the lack of information regarding transportation, beaches and other things to enjoy is limited to luring you to the tourist traps. We only hit rough weather on one day and it only lasted about 8 hours, make sure you have Dramamine, even if you don't normally get motion sickness you may need it!! We had a good time but didn't think that everything was as awesome and amazing as the travel agent explained to us. Looking forward to our next adventure aboard a newer, bigger ocean liner!

The  Cruise was great, I have no complaints. However, some in our group felt the rooms were small. Plenty of food. I would pay extra for "special dinning rooms" as the food in the two main dinning rooms were basically the same. Service was outstanding.

Norwegian Dawn was a great cruise to Bermuda.  The room we had was a family room and had plenty of space plus a balcony.  The staff could not do enough for us and there was always something to do.  Our cruise director seemed to always be working to keep us happy and busy.  The food was great and we really had no complaints at all.

The ship looks old. Light bulbs out, not replaced. Ship not cleaned. Stateroom  old. Ash tray in the bathroom? yuck!! Room steward was great!!

Cooling controls not working properly. Only one 120 volt, American power outlet available. The outlet in the bathroom did not work. All other outlets European, you need an adapter.

Food was so, so.

Main pool although sea water, was not clean. Little children allowed in the pool instead of staying in their children's pool play area. No attendant to police the area.

I would recommend this to anyone in New England that wanted a getaway and didn't want to fly. This was a great cruise. The food was great,  the entertainment was great, the cruise staff was excellent.  All around a great cruise.

This was my first experience with a cruise and I was overwhelmed by the courteous staff, excellent food, drinks and entertainment!   It was one of the best times of my life and I look forward to doing it again.   I highly recommend taking advantage of some shore excursions as they are well worth it!   The cave experience was amazing and the snorkeling is breath taking! 

We recently cruised the Dawn from Boston to Bermuda. We have been on many cruises and it was the itinerary not the cruise line that we liked. The ship is not well staffed in my opinion. The waiter at dinner in the main dining rooms also gets your drinks from the bar and it slows down the service. Our food was excellent. Every meal in the Venetian was outstanding!!! We did not care for the layout or the service in the Aqua. The buffet foods are very limited. We enjoyed breakfast in our suite each morning while in Bermuda. We really enjoyed doing business with vacation outlet ( Sharon ) and I would not hesitate to book another trip with her!