New Cruise Review - Norwegian Dawn

[Shari2]

Thank you for the review bpasdar! I'm sorry that you had to go through all that. I would have been terrified with the storm and the "rogue wave." I hope it doesn't stop you from cruising again.

[jtutak]

bpasdar,

Sorry you had such a bad time it must have been a frighting experience for a first timer. I have sailed on NCL many times and love them. Their food is excellent and always are very generous when things go wrong. I just took a cruise on the Celebrity Horizon missed one port & late in another and they did not even offer a free drink, just keep harping it wasn't their fault. I hope you continue cruising, but you have to :cry: realize that you are at the mercy of mother nature and things can and will go wrong.

[jtutak]

bpasdar,

Sorry you had such a bad time it must have been a frighting experience for a first timer. I have sailed on NCL many times and love them. Their food is excellent and always are very generous when things go wrong. I just took a cruise on the Celebrity Horizon missed one port & late in another and they did not even offer a free drink, just keep harping it wasn't their fault. I hope you continue cruising, but you have to :cry: realize that you are at the mercy of mother nature and things can and will go wrong.

[jtutak]

bpasdar,

Sorry you had such a bad time it must have been a frighting experience for a first timer. I have sailed on NCL many times and love them. Their food is excellent and always are very generous when things go wrong. I just took a cruise on the Celebrity Horizon missed one port & late in another and they did not even offer a free drink, just keep harping it wasn't their fault. I hope you continue cruising, but you have to :cry: realize that you are at the mercy of mother nature and things can and will go wrong.

[JohnG]

On April 7th, 3 days before the cruise, the following notice was provided to travel agents:

<<

Existing bookings will not need to be re-scheduled.

Please refer to the attached file for the revised itinerary (changes are in bold).>>>>

The agent is responsible for notifying the customer.

NCL's contract of passage, contained in the ticket/document book and on their website gives them the right to modify the itinerary without notice, and is essentially identical for all cruise lines:

<

In the event of strikes, lockouts, stoppages of labor, riots, weather conditions, mechanical difficulties or any other reason whatsoever, NCL has the right to cancel, advance, postpone or substitute any scheduled sailing or itinerary without prior notice. NCL shall not be responsible for failure to adhere to published arrival and departure times for any of its ports of call. NCL may, but is not obliged to, substitute another vessel for any sailing and cannot be liable for any loss to passengers by reason of such cancellation, advancement, postponement or substitution. Reservations are subject to change or cancellation in the event of a full-ship charter, and in such event, NCL shall refund all passage moneys paid by the passenger.>>>

The Dawn has 10 restaurants, 13 bars and lounges, and yes some of the premium restaurants do charge a service charge. So does every other cruise line for their premium restaurants, usually $20 per person. No one has to use them. Again, failure by the travel agent to properly educate a first time cruiser, not the cruise line's failure. It provided what it advertised.

Another, fairly standard for all cruise lines, quote from the NCL Know before you Go section:

<<

Your cruise fare entitles you to accommodations, meals and entertainment aboard ship. Certain specialty restaurants are available with either nominal cover charges or fixed price menus and à la carte pricing in addition to the standard dining program. Items of a personal nature are not included, such as alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, spa treatments, certain specialty exercise classes, laundry, photographs, casino, ship-to-shore phone, e-mail, Internet, fax and Shore Excursions (including all Dive In™ programs). Government taxes and fees are also not included. >>>

The weather system the Dawn encountered was the same one battering our area in Virginia with 40-60 mph winds. The system was hundreds of miles across and the ship couldn't go around it. The freak wave experience was very unfortunate. Dawn was not the first cruise ship to experience one, although I had not heard before of stateroom windows breaking.

I am sorry he had a bad experience that did not meet his expectations. The fault lies partly in whomever sold him the cruise and did not take into account that he was a first time cruiser and needed educating. Travel agents who don't specialize in cruises and internet call centers are not for first timers. But beyond that, Caveat Emptor. Let the buyer beware. The answers to most of the questions he had are contained on the cruiseline websites. You have to do your homework when you are making an expensive purchase.

Footnote:

We loved our first NCL Freestyle experience in Dec 2003. We never had to wait long in line for a table for two. We ate in one premium restaurant one night. We loved being able to leave the ship leisurely (Freestyle). And many love the fact that formal night is optional in Freestyle. As a result, we have booked NCL Star for Alaska in August and are booking NCL America for our Hawaii trip in summer 2006. NCL 7 day cruises there provide 45 hours in Hawaiian ports, including 2 overnights, instead of the typical 25 hours for other cruiselines which aren't allowed to begin and end in Hawaii. The service problems they experienced with their first US crewed ship, Pride of Aloha, have been resolved and since the first of the year the reviews have been positive. They are taking half of that, now experienced, crew from Pride of Aloha to start up the Pride of America, instead of having to begin with a 100% inexperienced crew like Pride of Aloha.

[JohnG]

On April 7th, 3 days before the cruise, the following notice was provided to travel agents:

<<

Existing bookings will not need to be re-scheduled.

Please refer to the attached file for the revised itinerary (changes are in bold).>>>>

The agent is responsible for notifying the customer.

NCL's contract of passage, contained in the ticket/document book and on their website gives them the right to modify the itinerary without notice, and is essentially identical for all cruise lines:

<

In the event of strikes, lockouts, stoppages of labor, riots, weather conditions, mechanical difficulties or any other reason whatsoever, NCL has the right to cancel, advance, postpone or substitute any scheduled sailing or itinerary without prior notice. NCL shall not be responsible for failure to adhere to published arrival and departure times for any of its ports of call. NCL may, but is not obliged to, substitute another vessel for any sailing and cannot be liable for any loss to passengers by reason of such cancellation, advancement, postponement or substitution. Reservations are subject to change or cancellation in the event of a full-ship charter, and in such event, NCL shall refund all passage moneys paid by the passenger.>>>

The Dawn has 10 restaurants, 13 bars and lounges, and yes some of the premium restaurants do charge a service charge. So does every other cruise line for their premium restaurants, usually $20 per person. No one has to use them. Again, failure by the travel agent to properly educate a first time cruiser, not the cruise line's failure. It provided what it advertised.

Another, fairly standard for all cruise lines, quote from the NCL Know before you Go section:

<<

Your cruise fare entitles you to accommodations, meals and entertainment aboard ship. Certain specialty restaurants are available with either nominal cover charges or fixed price menus and à la carte pricing in addition to the standard dining program. Items of a personal nature are not included, such as alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, spa treatments, certain specialty exercise classes, laundry, photographs, casino, ship-to-shore phone, e-mail, Internet, fax and Shore Excursions (including all Dive In™ programs). Government taxes and fees are also not included. >>>

The weather system the Dawn encountered was the same one battering our area in Virginia with 40-60 mph winds. The system was hundreds of miles across and the ship couldn't go around it. The freak wave experience was very unfortunate. Dawn was not the first cruise ship to experience one, although I had not heard before of stateroom windows breaking.

I am sorry he had a bad experience that did not meet his expectations. The fault lies partly in whomever sold him the cruise and did not take into account that he was a first time cruiser and needed educating. Travel agents who don't specialize in cruises and internet call centers are not for first timers. But beyond that, Caveat Emptor. Let the buyer beware. The answers to most of the questions he had are contained on the cruiseline websites. You have to do your homework when you are making an expensive purchase.

Footnote:

We loved our first NCL Freestyle experience in Dec 2003. We never had to wait long in line for a table for two. We ate in one premium restaurant one night. We loved being able to leave the ship leisurely (Freestyle). And many love the fact that formal night is optional in Freestyle. As a result, we have booked NCL Star for Alaska in August and are booking NCL America for our Hawaii trip in summer 2006. NCL 7 day cruises there provide 45 hours in Hawaiian ports, including 2 overnights, instead of the typical 25 hours for other cruiselines which aren't allowed to begin and end in Hawaii. The service problems they experienced with their first US crewed ship, Pride of Aloha, have been resolved and since the first of the year the reviews have been positive. They are taking half of that, now experienced, crew from Pride of Aloha to start up the Pride of America, instead of having to begin with a 100% inexperienced crew like Pride of Aloha.

[JohnG]

On April 7th, 3 days before the cruise, the following notice was provided to travel agents:

<<

Existing bookings will not need to be re-scheduled.

Please refer to the attached file for the revised itinerary (changes are in bold).>>>>

The agent is responsible for notifying the customer.

NCL's contract of passage, contained in the ticket/document book and on their website gives them the right to modify the itinerary without notice, and is essentially identical for all cruise lines:

<

In the event of strikes, lockouts, stoppages of labor, riots, weather conditions, mechanical difficulties or any other reason whatsoever, NCL has the right to cancel, advance, postpone or substitute any scheduled sailing or itinerary without prior notice. NCL shall not be responsible for failure to adhere to published arrival and departure times for any of its ports of call. NCL may, but is not obliged to, substitute another vessel for any sailing and cannot be liable for any loss to passengers by reason of such cancellation, advancement, postponement or substitution. Reservations are subject to change or cancellation in the event of a full-ship charter, and in such event, NCL shall refund all passage moneys paid by the passenger.>>>

The Dawn has 10 restaurants, 13 bars and lounges, and yes some of the premium restaurants do charge a service charge. So does every other cruise line for their premium restaurants, usually $20 per person. No one has to use them. Again, failure by the travel agent to properly educate a first time cruiser, not the cruise line's failure. It provided what it advertised.

Another, fairly standard for all cruise lines, quote from the NCL Know before you Go section:

<<

Your cruise fare entitles you to accommodations, meals and entertainment aboard ship. Certain specialty restaurants are available with either nominal cover charges or fixed price menus and à la carte pricing in addition to the standard dining program. Items of a personal nature are not included, such as alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, spa treatments, certain specialty exercise classes, laundry, photographs, casino, ship-to-shore phone, e-mail, Internet, fax and Shore Excursions (including all Dive In™ programs). Government taxes and fees are also not included. >>>

The weather system the Dawn encountered was the same one battering our area in Virginia with 40-60 mph winds. The system was hundreds of miles across and the ship couldn't go around it. The freak wave experience was very unfortunate. Dawn was not the first cruise ship to experience one, although I had not heard before of stateroom windows breaking.

I am sorry he had a bad experience that did not meet his expectations. The fault lies partly in whomever sold him the cruise and did not take into account that he was a first time cruiser and needed educating. Travel agents who don't specialize in cruises and internet call centers are not for first timers. But beyond that, Caveat Emptor. Let the buyer beware. The answers to most of the questions he had are contained on the cruiseline websites. You have to do your homework when you are making an expensive purchase.

Footnote:

We loved our first NCL Freestyle experience in Dec 2003. We never had to wait long in line for a table for two. We ate in one premium restaurant one night. We loved being able to leave the ship leisurely (Freestyle). And many love the fact that formal night is optional in Freestyle. As a result, we have booked NCL Star for Alaska in August and are booking NCL America for our Hawaii trip in summer 2006. NCL 7 day cruises there provide 45 hours in Hawaiian ports, including 2 overnights, instead of the typical 25 hours for other cruiselines which aren't allowed to begin and end in Hawaii. The service problems they experienced with their first US crewed ship, Pride of Aloha, have been resolved and since the first of the year the reviews have been positive. They are taking half of that, now experienced, crew from Pride of Aloha to start up the Pride of America, instead of having to begin with a 100% inexperienced crew like Pride of Aloha.