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Ship Details
Began service:2002
Guest capacity: 2,240
Total staff: 1,100
Length: 965 feet
Passenger decks: 15
CDC
inspection score: 99
Norwegian Dawn Overview
The Norwegian Dawn cruise ship departs from New York,
NY.
Throughout the year, she offers
ocean cruises to Bahamas, Western Caribbean and
Southern, Caribbean .
Check Dates & Prices for cruises
to Bahamas, Western Caribbean and Southern, Caribbean.
Norwegian Dawn, the third ship in the NCL
fleet to be designed to accommodate its Freestyle
Dining concept, is a blend of the best features
of a cruise experience and a land resort. There's the
excitement of a new port most every day and a sense of
camaraderie that comes from traveling with the same group
of people for the whole voyage. And there's a wonderful
atmosphere of casual flexibility. The dining concept allows
you the freedom of choosing when, where and with whom
you dine. The "Freestyle" concept
is not limited to dining, of course, but allows passengers
to make choices. Dress formally on formal night? Or not.
Take in the early musical performance? Or the late show?
The spa's open until 11pm most nights, the fitness center
and Internet cafe are around-the-clock operations. And
disembarkation is the most painless ever -- there's no
out-at-dawn boot.
Ultimately, this is a fun, easy-going, and relaxing ship
that is designed to please a wide variety of travelers
and first-time cruisers.
Cabins
Staterooms, in varying sizes and categories, are
decorated in primary colors. Standard inside and outside
staterooms have the usual twin/queen bed configurations.
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One incentive to upgrade from
inside to outside is the bathroom: in outside cabins, like balcony
staterooms and suites, it's laid out in a three-part design. The shower
(bathtubs for minisuites and beyond) has a sliding glass door as does
the toilet compartment.
Balcony cabins come with a small seating area, with a couch that opens
up to make a twin-sized bed (the main difference between these and
the minisuites, which are simply larger, is that the latter's couch
is a double-sized bed). It's important to note (for those sleeping
on the pull-out) that it's rock hard. Our steward solved that problem
by giving us an extra duvet to put under the sheet.
Storage space is adequate but not generous. Balconies are outfitted
with mesh adjustable chairs and a small table.
There's a variety of in-cabin entertainment on television, including
CNN, TNT, Cartoon Network and ESPN, plus a variety of movies and sitcoms.
One nice touch is in-cabin coffee makers. One oddity (for those bringing
along laptops to plug in) is that, for Americans, the only 220-volt
outlet is by the vanity, not by the table. Ask at ship's reception
for an adapter. There's also an empty mini-fridge.
NCL has made much ado about its two Garden Villas. These are fabulous
and could be worth the $26,000 per villa charge -- particularly if
you split it with a group of friends. Each has a private outdoor garden
area (didn't quite get the use of fake plants) with a whirlpool. Each
also has a private sunbathing deck and steam room.
Dining
Norwegian Dawn has ten restaurants plus a handful of casual
options. Themes range from Benihana-style Teppanyaki to fish-n-chips.
Overall, food and service were good in quality.
It's important to mention that evening dining hours are from
5:30 pm - 11 pm but passengers must be seated by 10:30pm. There's
a reservation desk in the main lobby that's open from 9am. - 5pm and
passengers are permitted to book just one day in advance. Otherwise,
you can call the restaurant directly after 5:30pm. Lastly, Norwegian
Dawn has teamed up with Cooking Light magazine
-- menus in the dining room, as well as offerings on the buffet, feature
lighter fare at lunch and dinner.
Here's a rundown:
Traditionally speaking, the ship's three "main" restaurants
differ mostly in terms of atmosphere. The 472-seat Venetian,
which is the most cruise-like, is smaller than most cruise line dining
rooms, and decorated tastefully with huge murals depicting scenes
of Venice. Because the Venetian is aft, it's overlooked
by huge windows stretching across the entire wall offering incredible
views. There are plenty of tables for two. The 344-seat Aqua
features a more contemporary look and menu. It's also (we think) cruise-dom's
only all-female operated restaurant (including maitre d'). Impressions,
with 236 seats, is the most intimate in size but is otherwise as traditional
as Venetian. Food-wise, menus are nearly identical
at all three restaurants.
Some of Norwegian Dawn's boutique restaurants, where advance
reservations are highly recommended, have per-person surcharges, some
don't. Of the latter, our dinner at Salsa, the Tex-Mex
eatery was a stand-out. The restaurant also offers tapas and house-made
sangria. Less successful was La Trattoria, the ship's
Italian restaurant. The 24-hour Blue Lagoon is a
fast-food joint and frequently packed. It is one of the few restaurants
to have outdoor seating.
There are three specialty restaurants that charge a service fee but
offer the best food and service onboard. Le Bistro
($15.00) features a French menu, mostly traditional fare. Desserts
also are wonderful. One highlight of this restaurant is its collection
of four Impressionist masterpieces --Van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir and
Monet.
Cagney's Steakhouse ($20) is a Morton's-like establishment
featuring Angus beef, lamb, and seafood -- with sides, like rice,
mashed potatoes and creamed spinach, served family style. Bamboo
($12.50) is a combination of Thai, Japanese and Chinese. There's a
sake bar, a Teppanyaki room (a'la Benihana and a la carte) and a sushi
bar which features an "all you can eat for $10" deal.
Ultra casual options: One of the highlights of our cruise was the
daily cookouts held poolside. Featuring all sorts of the usual barbecue
fare -- from burgers to ribs to corn on the cob, the cookouts were
held at lunchtime on sea days and during the early dinner seating
on port days. The Garden Cafe is the buffet area,
featuring the usual breakfast choices. At lunchtime, one end features
delicious vegetarian Indian offerings. Another casual choice is the
Bimini Grill where, during lunch hours, the grill
cooked up burgers, hot dogs and fries.
There's 24-hour room service from a relatively limited menu. Sprinkles,
tucked between two ends of the Topsiders' Bar (poolside)
offers free ice cream.
Entertainment
While Norwegian Dawn offers
the usual fare during the day (sea days) -- bingo, art auctions, arts
& crafts -- there is also an emphasis on lifestyle-improvement
topics, particularly concerning health and wellness.
But the highlight of Dawn's entertainment offerings has to
be each evening's "main event," held in the Stardust
Theater. The ship features a variety of bands, playing everything
from classical to Latino to torch songs. Most of Norwegian Dawn's
nine bars offer some kind of entertainment. Favorites included the
Salsa Bar for margaritas, the Pearly Kings
Pub for offbeat British beers, and the Bimini Bar,
way up on Deck 14, for gorgeous views and wonderful
tropical frozen drinks.
Fitness & Recreation
Norwegian Dawn offers a wide range of fitness and
recreation services. The El Dorado Spa and Beauty
Center offer up-to-date fitness equipment and a glass-paneled
room for classes in yoga, stretching, aerobics and Pilates. Yoga and
Pilates are among those that come with a $5 surcharge.
The spa itself is beautiful and serene. Operated by Hawaii-based Mandara
(which is owned by Steiner), the treatments are a bit more exotic,
with Hawaiian and Polynesian influences. Guests purchasing a treatment
are permitted to use a relaxation room with padded wicker loungers.
Mens' and womens' locker rooms feature a sauna and a steamroom.
The best part is the spa's indoor lap-pool (it's an adequate size
for swimmers who want exercise). The only problem is passengers occasionally
missed the concept of lap swimming and treated it as an alternative
to the main pool. There's also a whirlpool and a hydro-pool. Another
neat feature found in the spa is the juice bar, with all sorts of
healthful drinks; all require an extra charge.
In the main pool area there's a plunge pool and a regular pool, plus
two whirlpools. There's another whirlpool tucked away on Deck
13 that's hard to find. There's also a bandstand for entertainment.
Chaise lounges and tables are set up in amphitheater mode so you can
eat and sunbathe.
Sports activities include a jogging track (strangely narrow, walkers
are better off on the wider wrap-around promenade on Deck
7). There are golf driving nets, shuffleboard, a man-sized
chess board, volleyball/basketball courts, paddle tennis and horseshoes.
Public Areas
Indoor activities on Norwegian Dawn are primarily
concentrated on Decks 6 and 7. The Grand
Atrium, with its glass-domed ceiling, is the hub. Here you'll
find passenger-service counters, a boutique with fabulous glassware,
and the Java Cafe. Circling around a balcony a deck
above is La Salsa and its bar.
Beyond the boutique on Deck 6, you'll find the rest
of the shops. Unlike some ships where the shopping area is supposed
to represent a mall, this Galleria is laid out like
an elegant duty-free shop. There are areas for jewelry, cosmetics
and perfumes, stylish casual-wear (Tommy Bahama is a mainstay), and
souvenirs.
The Dawn Club Casino -- located along the corridor
leading to the Stardust Theater, offers the usual
slot machines and games. The Internet Cafe has 17
terminals; NCL also offers wireless access. Passengers can bring their
own laptops or rent one. Rates at the cafe itself are the standard
75 cents per minute. Packages are available (100 minutes for $55,
250 minutes for $100); there's a $3.95 activation fee. Wireless fees
vary. A wireless card rental costs $10 a day and then there are time
packages (250 minutes for $100, 100 minutes for $55 and 33 minutes
for $25). To rent a laptop, be prepared to pay $35 a day.
Another series of indoor activity rooms is located on Deck
12. There you'll find the library, a game room with lots
of card tables, a cinema, and a really pretty writing room with comfy
couches that overlook the sea.
Kids
The children's facilities on
Norwegian Dawn are some of the best in the fleet -- and truly
make this a ship that's ideal for families.
The main center of action is the T-Rex, which
includes a play gym, movie theater, computer center and even a Snoozes
sleeping area for late night sleep-overs. Adjacent, there's a T-Rex
kids' pool,complete with downsized lounge chairs, a water slide, and
a whirlpool.
Kids under two sail for non commissionable fares and taxes. Over two,
children pay a child's rate, which varies. Kids under 3 aren't required
to tip. For those ages 3 - 12, suggested gratuities are $5 per child
per day; 13 and up $10 per day. "Kid's Crew"
is divided into three age groups. Junior Sailors
(2 - 5), First Mates and Navigators
(6 - 12), and Teens (13 - 17). Games are organized on NCL's Great
Stirrup Cay.
Only group sitting is available; evenings from 10pm - 1am; in port
from 9 am - 5pm. Cost is $5 per child per hour; the second child is
$3. Port sitting for parents whose children are "on beepers"
-- meaning they still wear diapers or Pull-Ups -- is not available
(company policy) as the beepers do not work on land. NCL also has
developed a fleet-wide discipline policy. The four-step set of rules
includes warning, time-out, suspension and dismissal stages.
For teens, there's a video arcade and a disco-styled teen club.
For all ages (under 18) there are daily planned activities though
no shore excursion offerings.
Expert Norwegian Dawn reviews are edited by Michelle, and provided by Ian and Cruise Critic.com,
an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can
help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation.
Check Dates & Prices
for cruises to Bahamas, Western Caribbean
and Southern, Caribbean .
Norwegian Dawn cruise reviews
Cruise
Ship Inspection Report
All passenger cruise ships arriving at US ports are subject to unannounced
CDC inspection. Norwegian Dawn
Score: 99
Cruise
Critic: Norwegian Dawn
The Cruise Critic gives NCL's Norwegian Dawn a 4-ribbon rating.
Web links
NCL
Cruises
Request a brochure, or find a travel agent who represents Norwegian
Cruise Line at the company's official Web site.
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