2013-03-01 – 2013-03-08
Our First Cruise aboard Norwegian Dawn
Norwegian · Dawn
Roatan, Honduras Belize City, Belize Costa Maya, Mexico Cozumel, Mexico
Read this sailing →SHIP REVIEW
Dawn
Norwegian Dawn was where our cruising story began, on our 2013 honeymoon. It introduced us to island-hopping and the snorkeling that would shape so many later trips. Our memories carry plenty of first-cruise nostalgia, so we treat this as a look back at that voyage rather than a guide to the ship today.
Overall description
Our First Cruise aboard Norwegian Dawn
From what we remember, Norwegian Dawn was in good condition. Nothing about the ship's condition stood out as a problem, and we remember it being a comfortable and enjoyable ship for our first cruise.
Food
Our First Cruise aboard Norwegian Dawn
This was pretty typical Norwegian Cruise Line food—perfectly fine, but food isn't the main reason we choose Norwegian. One meal that does stand out, unfortunately, was the Brazilian steakhouse. We didn't think it was very good at all. With Hellen being Brazilian and our family having plenty of experience with authentic churrascarias, it fell well short of what we expected. I remember thinking that I felt bad for anyone eating there as their first introduction to a Brazilian steakhouse, because a good churrascaria is a completely different experience.
Cabins
Our First Cruise aboard Norwegian Dawn: Tiny Porthole.
Entertainment
Our First Cruise aboard Norwegian Dawn
Looking back, we really didn't take advantage of much of the entertainment on this cruise. At this point in our cruising history, we were much more focused on the destinations and what we were going to do in each port than planning our evenings around shows or activities onboard.
Kids & family activities
Our First Cruise aboard Norwegian Dawn
We didn't participate in any of the family activities on this cruise. This was our honeymoon, long before we started cruising as a family with Ollie, so family programming simply wasn't something we paid attention to at the time. Because of that, we can't really judge what the ship offered for families or kids on this particular sailing.
Service
Our First Cruise aboard Norwegian Dawn
One thing that has remained remarkably consistent across our cruises is the service. We've yet to take a cruise where we felt the service wasn't excellent, and this trip was no exception. The crew took great care of us throughout the week.
Who we think this ship is best for
Readers looking back at an early Norwegian cruise and the beginnings of our family’s travel story. Our 2013 experience is too old to serve as a current booking recommendation.
VOYAGE BY VOYAGE
Our Sailings on This Ship
Each sailing keeps its own scorecard and story.