Name: Jeff Malin
Email: Jmalin@erols.com
Age: 15
Occupation: Student
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Dreamward
SailingDate: June 15, 1996
Itinerary: 7-day Bermuda
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 84
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 93
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 82
DiningRoomService: 92
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets: 88
CabinSteward: 94
ShoreExcVariety: 94
FoodVariety: 86
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 93
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 87
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 98
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 94
Stabilization: 82
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 94
OverallCruiseValue: 94
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 Sep 1996
Time: 19:59:34
Remote Name: 207.96.5.42
Remote User:


Comments

We booked this cruise several months earlier through a local travel agency. We decided to take a bus from our home city to New York, where the cruise left from. The bus was provided free of charge to passangers by NCL. It was from Peter Pan bus lines, and was very new and adequately comfortable for the five-hour drive. There were also several other buses that left from other cities, all around the northeast. We arrived in New York early, and spent about 20 minutes parked along a street, next to the city dump.

Finally, we pulled up to the cruise terminal at around 1:00. An agent of the cruise lines boarded and gave a short introductory welcome talk. She also said that we needed to give $2 per person to a man standing by the door, for several porters standing outside to transport our checked baggage to the ship. As with most cruises, whatever baggage we didn't carry with us would be transported to the ship and not be seen again until it was delivered to outside our cabin on the ship, later that night. Our suitcases and other baggage were already loaded underneath the bus along with everyone else's, when we boarded it, so they had no way of knowing who's bag was whos. This was a fairly obvious scam, but they had to pay the porters something, so they colelcted from the passangers. After we left the busses, we were instructed to either take an elevator or escalator up to the main embarcation hall. There, we were given Bermuda Embarcation cards, which we needed to fill out and show to a staff member when we registered. There was punch served as we waited in line to register. There were several registration desks, so the process went quickly, and the line was less than five minutes. We were latitudes members, because my parents had been on NCL years ago. There was a special Latitudes desk for our check in, but all the lines were pretty much the same.

After we checked in, we proceeded up the gangway to the ship, where the usual welcome photo was taken of us in front of a sign decorated along with with the name of our ship and the cruise. We were instructed to go to our cabin, and then we could go up to the top deck for a buffet lunch. When we arrived at our cabin, our cabin steward, Jaime, introduced himself to us. He was always friendly, greeting us by name every time we passed by in the hallway. He was very attentive and did a good job making up the room every day while we were at breakfeast or at dinner. He also knew when we left for meals and made up the room, even when we didn't remember to put up the "please make up room" sign. Every night there were mints on our pillows, and he left beach towels in the room on days when we were on port. After we left the room, we found out way up to the Sports Bar and Grill, where an ionformal buffet lunch was being served, unfortunately with a very slow-moving line.

The layout of this ship was unique from most other ships, in several ways. There was no grand hall or atrium when you first arrive on board, just a small entranceway in the hallway by the stairway. The ship has two stairwells, fore and aft, with three or four elevators directly opposite from them. Both extend from deck 4, the last passanger deck, up to deck 12. The only deck not accessable by elevator was deck 13, the sky deck, which was only half the length of the ship, and had basketball courts, volleyball, shuffleboard, and some lounge chairs. The elevators were swift, and there was usually not a long wait. One thing to note is that the aft elevators are turned off the first after noon and night, because they are being used by the crew to transport all the passanger's baggage to their cabins. Our baggage was a little bit slow in arriving, but it came about 1/2 hour before dinnertime. That was fine, but if you want your bathing suit for the pool that afternoon, you should pack in in something that you care carrying with you. One unique aspect of the ship is that the main theatre is located not on the aft end of the ship, as in most vessels, but directly in the middle, with enterances on deck ten. It only had one seating level, but the floor was slightly slanted upwards to provide more visability. The ceiling was taller, and extended into deck 11. There were enterances in both the front and rear of the theater. Seating was not done movie-theater style, but rather in long couches and movable, comfortable chairs, with many small glass tables scattered around. The theater extends the full width of the ship, with windows on both sides. It was open most other times to sit in. However, several times the preforming company was having rehersals in the theater, and closed both doors. This was very inconveniant, because the theater is located right in the middle of the deck, which also houses other bars and the casino. To move from the front of that deck to the rear, you had to either go up two floors then come back down, or go down one and come back up. However, they only closed the theater for rehersals and during showtimes, when you usually had to enter from the rear of the theater. Once again, this was an inconveniance, because if you were in the front of the ship, you had to go all the way back to get into the theater. The casino was also located on deck ten, aft. It was fairly small, but usually not too crowded. It had a variety of slot machines, including dollar, quarter, and nickel slots, along with poker and blackjak machines. There were several tables, but only one for each different game. If you are wondering what I was doing in the casino, I may be 15, but I look older. There were signs posted that you must be 18 to gamble, but I do not know how well they are enforced. I know that my sister, who is 12, was asked to leave while she was just watching. I managed to lose $20 through out the cruise, but I was never spoken to by any staff member. There were several bars on the ship. One was directly behind thetheater, which also had seats on both sides, outside the doors.

Because the shows fill up quickly, passangers usually arrived a while earlier, and the bar was very busy at that time. There was a small dance floor there, with a piano. In most nights, a man named Arnie Ross was playing on it untill fairly late. He took many requests, and seemed very friendly. Another bar was located on deck 9, in the hallway next to the Four Seasons resturaunt. There were also two bars on deck 11 amd 12, outside, in front of and behind the pool.

The resturants on Dreamward were extremely nice. Instead of the usual one or two huge dining rooms on ships, there were four seperate, small dining rooms. The Four Seasons, the Terraces, and the Sun Terraces were used for all passangers, and you were assigned permenantly to one of them, in either the early seating (6:00 pm) or late seating (8:30 pm) for dinner. The breakfeast and lunch were usually open seating, but there were a few times when you had to go to your asigned resturaunt for lunch, and breakfeast the last day was assigned. Of course, you never had to go there for breakfeast or lunch. The Sports Bar served continental breakfeast and a full lunch every day. Le Bistro is a unique invention on all NCL ships, an alternative dining experiance for dinner. They are open every night on a first-come first-served basis for dinner, from 6 to 11 pm. They served a different menu from the other resturaunts, which all served the same menu, but Le Bistro has a permenant menu, offering different daily specials, which are actually just selections from the regular dinner menu in the other dining rooms, which changes daily. The four dining rooms operate out of one single, centeral kitchen, which means that all the food is consistantly done, no matter which room you eat in. The Four Seasons is the most like a typical ship's dining room, abeit much smaller than the norm. It seats approximately 150 to 200 people, with a large buffet in the center, which is not used for regular dinner service. It is a large, square room, with tables of various sizes, from four to twelve people. The dining room was in the middle of deck 9, but did not run the full width, rather leaving about 20 feet outside for a hallway and the aforementioned bar. The room was seperated from the hall not by walls, but by a clever combination of opaque curtains, columbs, and mirrored glass, which not only let sounds move freely between the two areas, but also made both seem more open and airy. The Terraces is the largest dining room, seating approximately 300 people. It was located on the aft of the ship, with tall glass windows making up te entier back and sides of the room. The front is covered by a huge mural, which competes for attention with the great views of the ocean, and when in port, the outside scenery. This was the largest dining room, but it did not seem to large. The floor is terraced into three sections, about three feet taller than each other, which spreads out the area. The spread of table sizes was the same as the Four Seasons. The Sun Terraces, ocated immeadiately above the Terraces Resturaunt, but completely seperate from it, was where our dinner seating was. Its enterance is on deck 11, and you enter onto the top floor of the dining room. It is divided into three seperate floors, which are terraced and overlook each other. Two stairways on either side lead down the three levels. As in the Terraces, the entire back and sides is glass, but the back half of the roof is also one gigantic glass skylight. During the day when the sun is glarign in, they lower skylights over it to keep the glare out of passanger's faces; at night, they raise them, letting the stars shine in. I feel for the waiters who must carry their trays constintly up two flights of stairs, but the dining room is uniquely and wonderfully disigned. This would be the prime choice for someone who does not like the usual cruise-ship dining experiance. I bealive that your travel agent can request which dining room you would like. The final dining room is Le Bistro, a unique expjeriance which is more like a resturaunt. The menu is different from the other resturaunts, and includes vegitarian selections, along with the pasta fo the day, which is also offered in the other dining rooms. Becase most passangers do not go to Le Bistro more than once, it does not ususlly pay to order an entire bottle of wine, as is required in the other resturaunts. Insteat, wine is available by the glass. The waiters were equally attentive as in the other dining rooms. The resturaunt is first-come first-served, so you will need to arrive early on some nights if you want to get in there. We tried to go two nights. Thr first night we tried to go was the last night in port, Thursday. This was a mistake, becuase it was completely filled up, half an hour after it opened. We wanted to eat early because of Harbor Nights, but it worked out okay, and we ate in the regular dining room later that night. The next night, Friday, we were at sea, and it was completely empty. We had no trouble getting in. Le Bistro also requires that you notify the Maitre'd earlier if you have a party of five or more, because it is set up in tables of two or four, and they will need to re-arrange the tables. The entire resturaunt only seats about 60 or 80 people, so when it fills up, it fills up fast. Once we got in, the resturaunt was very nice. IT is right next to the Four Seasons, and it is seperated from the hallway in the same style, using curtains and mirrors. This is something that you definately want to go to one night, but unless you see several selections you want to order, remember that the menu does not change except for the daily specials.

The top deck of the ship is host to one of the ships two pools; the other pool is located outside, at the end of deck 9. The main pool on the top deck is at the bottom of a set of four terraces, with steps leadign down from deck 12, running along the terraces and down to deck 11, where the pool is. These terraces are about two feet apart, and each level has many lounge chairs layed out on it. At the back of all this is an enclosed ice cream stand, where many different flavors of ice cream, toppings, and frozen yougart are served. The ice cream was always very good, but the one frozen yougart is very bad, more like ice milk and with absolutely no flavor. You're on a cruise, so indulge yourself - stick to the real ice cream. Above the main pool are two hot tubs, one on each side of the ice cream stand. They have awnings over them, and are left open until around 1:00 am. The second pool is located on deck 9, aft. It is outside, directly behind the Terraces and below the Sun Terraces resturaunt. It is almost as big as the main pool. Both pools are very nicely designed, with the pool located inside a section that is surrounded by a ledge, that is about two feet and completely encloses the pool. When they fill the pool, they overfill it slightly, so that the water lies about an inch or two deep beneath the ledge. This is great for sitting by the side of the pool with your feet on the ledge, in the water. The only thing is that when the ship is in motion, the rocking motion surves to turn the pool into a slight wave pool. While the waves are strong, they do make the pool seem more like the ocean. That is in addition to the fact that both pools are filled with salt water. The hot tubs, thankfully, are not. Towels are always available right next to the pool, and pool attendants are always there to help move chairs, serve drinks, and at night, wash down the decks.

On the aft end of the ship, on deck 12, there is the Sports Bar and Grill. This resturaunt, which is fairly small but offers seating both inside and outside, overlooking the aft pool area. For breakfeast, they serve a continental meal, with doughnuts, muffins, croissants, and toast, as well as cereal and fresh fruit, and orange juice to drink. For the lunch buffet, they have a full grill, with hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, french fries, a salad bar, fresh fruits, and desserts. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk, and water are always available there, on a 24 hour basis. The food there is fairly good, with a few exceptions. They operate out of a smaller, seperate kitchen, which is located directly behind the serving line area. Their hamburgers, while being very large, are also loaded with fat and gristle. Rarely was the occasion that I did not bite into one to find large chunks of gristle. The hot dogs, on the other hand, were good, except when they were overcooked and shriveled up. Fries were always good. Their pizza was very creative. Each day, there was a new kind. They pizzas were topped with all sorts of vegitables, including brocolli, carrots, and onions. A few days they had normal pizza, but that was not the norm. These strange pizza concotions were however, in my opinion, very good, although they did not have a tratitional crust, but were simply sliced up peices from a pan. The salad bar was fine, with several toppings and dressings, which always included several bottles of fat-free dressings siting on the salad bar. They also served some kind of already-prepared salad each day, which was usually not too good. The ones that come to mind are the seal legs salad (I.E. imition fish), whose flavor also made its way into the pasta salad whichb was sitting next to it. The other was the oriental; chicken salad, which might have been very good in taste, but the chicken had not been cleaned at all, leaving us to find large chunks and pieces of bone and gristle in it.

The island of Bermuda was absolutely fabulous, with some of the best beaches I have ever seen. We booked a sail and snorkel tour, which took you out on a catamaran for several hours, including snorkeling. Instead of booking one of the ship's tours, we went into the embarkation building that is immediately outside the ship in Hamilton, and used the free brocures and courtesy phone to book reservations on a private tour through FantaSea diving. We had to take our own ferry over there, but the ferries on the island are easy to use and inexpensive. The actual snorkeling was quite dissapointing, because there was not very much coral or very many fish. However, it was much more than made up by the fantastic time we had on the boat. There were only about ten people on the huge, luxurious catamaran. On the way to where we went to snorkel, they used the motor to get us there. They basically let us decide what we wanted to do, and after we had had enough snorkeling, we raised up the sails to sail back. Lying on the deck of a catamaran under the clear blue sky, that matched the water, with no sound except the wind and the sails and the island music playing in the background, was one of the most relaxing experiances ever. They let one of the passangers steer the boat the entire trip back, which lasted over an hour. There were free drinks and snacks, and the guys sailing the boat were extremely knowlegable about the island, and gave a complete running tour, and answered all of our questions. They are basically there to tailor the trip to everyone's pleasure, and they did an excellent job of it.

All in all, the trip was a fantastic one, probably the best I have ever been on. Make sure to go to Horseshoe bay beach when you are in Hamilton, because it is truly one of the ten most beautiful beaches in the world. If you want to win a photography contest, this is the place to load up on film! Also, the snorkeling at this beach (where you could just rent your own gear and swim out to snorkel) was fantastic. Definately not to be missed! All in all the entire trip was great, and I would go on this ship again in an instant.

Name: Tom Dillon
Email: msmcl.101.tdillo01@eds.com
Age: 51
Occupation: Trainer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Dreamward
SailingDate: Christmas, 1993
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 70
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Dec 1996
Time: 13:57:58
Remote Name: 198.79.10.99
Remote User:


Comments

As this was my first cruise, I had little basis for comparison. However, I was disappointed that NCL reversed our itinerary, placing us in Nassau on Christmas Day, when everything was closed. Other than that, the ports of call were fine. I especially enjoyed St. John, USVI. The main disappointment I had with this beautiful ship was having to go either up or down and change decks to get around the showroom. During rehearsals, for example, it was necessary to change decks to go from the front of the ship to the back. My favorite area of the ship is the lounge overlooking the bow. The exercise room is largely enclosed with little sea view. Yuk. Service was OK, but the cruise director and staff were somewhat crude. I complained to NCL, and they gave me a credit for 25% off a future NCL cruise if used within a year. I'll use it, but not on this ship.

Name: Robert Bernard
Email: rjbbte@flash.net
Age: 30
Occupation: Financial Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Dreamward
SailingDate: November, 1994
Itinerary: Western Carib
FoodDiningRoom: 92
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 96
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 94
CabinAmenities: 96
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 93
ShoreExcVariety: 88
FoodVariety: 92
DeckService: 93
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 87
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 88
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 89
EntertShowLounge: 87
OverallPortsofCall: 93
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 91
CruiseActivities: 93
Casino: 94
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 89
DeckSpace: 91
Stabilization: 87
ShopsOnBoard: 87
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Dec 1996
Time: 14:15:35
Remote Name: 207.181.200.47
Remote User:


Comments

As this was my first and only cruise, my ability to compare to other ships is somewhat limited. I would rate the cabin comforts and the food as the best features of the ship. The shore excursions were very nice but somewhat expensive. The staff made us feel as though we were almost the only ones on board. Overall the experience was first class all the way. (Watch out for the Cancun tender ride- its long and choppy)

Name: Bill Wilson
Email: WWILSON@astm.org
Age: 31
Occupation: Computer Programmer
NumberOfCruises: 13
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Dreamward
SailingDate: 4 May 96
Itinerary: Bermuda
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff: 100
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 99
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 100
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace:
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Feb 1997
Time: 12:52:55
Remote Name: 198.137.232.194
Remote User:

Comments

All I want to convey is that this was one of the BEST vacations in a long time. Being my 14th cruise, I was a little
shocked to see how small the cabin was but everything else was great. Our cabin steward was never seen but the
cabin was always clean. The dining room staff was great. We did request a large table at dinner but we ended up
with a table of 4. This turned out to be OK. The food was good. One night we didn’t like what was on the menu so
he made us up steak and potatoes. This was not a problem. The shows were better than average. Since we were in
Bermuda for four days, they were not allowed to do a lot. We were so impressed with the Dreamward and
Norwegian Cruise Lines, when we returned home we booked one of our 1997 cruises on the Windward going through
the Canal.

Name: Leonard Linch
Email: squiggy@dynanet.com
Age: 51
Occupation: Retail Store Owner
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Dreamward
SailingDate: 1/12/97
Itinerary: W. Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 88
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Feb 1997
Time: 10:02:42
Remote Name: 206.84.40.126
Remote User:

Comments

My overall impression was that the cruise was excellent. Food service and preparation were very good in the main
dining rooms. Le Bistro was an excellent choice for a special evening, and for those coming back late from an off
ship excursion. The buffet for breakfast and lunch at the Sports Bar was lacking variety, and the area was too small
at peak hours. Another buffet for daily lunch at the other poolside would have been nice. Tender service was at its
best good. The long 45 minute trip time to Cancun was a time consuming boat ride which ended up lasting over two
hours round trip if you consider waiting and loading. We didn't go to Grand Stirrup Cay, due to the weather, Freeport
was a diversion liked by some, and it was the only port without having to use a Tender, we actually docked. The
ship was immaculate, the glass and brass were always shining, and one felt guilty about touching and leaving
fingermarks on the surfaces. I will lok foward to booking another cruise on NCL.

Name: Anthony A. Colucci
Email: Ynot@net.66
Age: 64
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Dreamward
SailingDate: 2/23/97
Itinerary: Western Carribean & Mexico
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 91
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 93
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 97
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 70
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 70
OverallCruiseValue: 75
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Mar 1997
Time: 23:50:09
Remote Name: 129.37.246.83
Remote User:


Comments

THE CRUISE WAS WITH A GROUP OF 123 PEOPLE FROM A GOLF & C.C. IN VENICE,FL. THE BUSES TRANSPORTING US TO OUR EMBARCATION POINT IN fORT LAUDERDALE WERE 4 1/2 TO 5 HOURS LATE, THE SHIP HAD TO BE HELD FOR US.

THE QUALITY OF THE FOOD OVERALL WAS BELOW WHAT ONE WOULD EXPECT FROM A GOOD RETAURANT,IT WAS OVERALL TASTELESS AND THE QUALITY OF MUCH OF THE CUTS OF MEAT WAS BELOW AVERAGE. THE PRESENTATION WAS GOOD AND SERVICE GENERALLY GOOD, ALTHOUGH ONE EVENING I ORDERED MUSSELS A LA VONGOLE AND THE WAITER FORGOT THE MUSSELS,BRINGING ONLY THE LINGUINE. tHE SERVICE WAS GENERALLY GOOD ALTHOUGH BECAUSE OF THE OVERCROWDE DINING ROOM THE WAITERS PUSHED OUR CHAIRS AND REACHED ACROSS TO SERVE.

THE TENDER SERVICE WAS TERRIBLE,WITH NATIVES HAWKING WARES ON THE TENDER WHILE WE WERE BEING THROWN ALL ABOUT. THE STABILIZATION WAS POOR AND WE ROCKED AND ROLLED FOR THREE NIGHTS OUT OF THE SEVEN. ONE EVENING,AS THE CAPT. EXPLAINED LATER, SOMETHING BROKE WITH A LOUD NOISE AND THE SHIP STOPPED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR UNTIL IT WAS FIXED

THE PORTS OF CALL WERE AVERAGE, ESPECIALLY IN MEXICO WHERE THE CLERKS IN THE SHOP WERE NOT VERY ACCOMADATING.THE TOURS WERE NOT WORTH THE PRICE BECAUSE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE TOUR DIRECTOR THEY WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND AND NOT REALLY KNOWLEDGEABLE.

THE PRIVATE ISLAND WAS ALSO AN EXCEPTION TO THIS. tHE HIGHLIGHT OF THE CRUISE WAS THE NIGHTCLUB ENTERTAINMENT WHICH HAD GREAT VARIETY AND EXCELLENT QUALITY.DISEMBARKING WAS LENGTHY AND DISORGANIZED WITH WAITING IN AVERY LIMITED SPACE. MY OVERALL OPINION OF NCL IS POOR AND I WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO USE THIS LINE AGAIN.

Name: Bethanne Warrack
Email: warrack@bms.com
Age: 35+
Occupation: chemist
NumberOfCruises: 11
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Dreamward
SailingDate: 12/26/93
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Feb 1997
Time: 08:46:20
Remote Name: 140.176.1.165
Remote User:


Comments

We were disappointed by the New Year's Cruise on the Dreamward. This cruise was our first, and certainly my last cruise, on NCL. Before boarding the ship, the staff in the terminal was extremely disorganized. NCL representatives never seemed to have the correct documentation at their station and were constantly asking other representatives at other stations what to do. We were fortunate when, after standing in line for 20 minutes, a new line was opened and the representative at that station was prepared to handle our documentation in an expedient manner. The lifeboat drill commenced before departure. This was an exercise in disorganization. Passengers attended carrying bottles of beer, in addition to their lifejackets. Public announcements were inaudible. Children were running all over. Crew members did not interfere in the free-for-all or insist on orderly conduct.

The Dreamward had two swimming pools; however, towels were never available at the aft pool. In order to obtain a towel, one had to go to the pool at the top of the ship. Additionally, on days in port, all the towels were taken to the gangway and none were available at either pool. Dress codes were non-existent. On formal evenings, including New Year's Eve, passengers in shorts and T-shirts were in all the public rooms. Additionally, the suggested cruise dress was 2 formal evenings, 2 informal evenings, and 3 casual evenings. There were no informal evenings--only casual and more casual. Smoking policies were not adhered to. Cigar and pipe smokers were found in all areas inside the ship. No smoking signs did not discourage the cigarette smokers in the lounges. Children were supposed to be accompanied by adults in the evening hours, but children were frequently seen wandering the hallways, playing in the stairwells, and sliding down stair railings (alone) well past midnight.

The in-cabin entertainment was supposed to have 3 channels for music, and it did; however, all three played the same selection. This was one 45 minute tape of Christmas music which repeated for the entire 7 days. The evening review shows were inconsistent in content and costuming and sets frequently suggested a low budget production.

Food quality was extremely inconsistent. Luncheon times should have been scheduled around the itinerary. When we arrived in Cozemel, our Dive-In excursion departed at noon and returned at 2:00 PM. The only early lunch available that day was in the dining room, at 11:30. We had to leave before our meal was finished. (The buffet lunch did not begin until noon.) We had requested a large dining table at the second seating. The table was for 6, but the other 4 passengers requested a change to another dining room. Therefore, we found ourselves alone at a large table for 5 of the seven nights. We were never offered either a smaller table or the option to move to another large table. We could have made this request but we really felt that the Maitre D'Hotel should have suggested alternate arrangements. I also observed that the rest rooms opposite the Four Seasons Dining Room were cleaned every evening during the second seating. The smell of disinfectant was overwhelming.

One evening, I had the misfortune of being locked out of my cabin. Reception was supposed to be able to provide a new key. This happened after midnight and Reception closed at 10:00 PM. There was no one around and no information about what to do, only an emergency number. This wasn't really what I considered an emergency so I found a bartender who called the bridge and located a security officer to open my cabin.

The ventilation in the aerobics room was totally inadequate. The room was too small to accommodate the number of participants in the classes On the plus side, our cabin and bathroom were spacious. Dining room service was good, even when the food wasnıt. My husbandıs favorite place on the ship was the Sports Bar. We actually got to watch some New Years football games via satellite. What a shame I canıt think of a few other good things to say.

Name: Kristian Oglaend
Email: Gissgass@aol.com
Age: 35
Occupation: Marketing Director
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: NCL-Dreamward
SailingDate: Nov10-17
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 82
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 88
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 89
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 82
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 88
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 88
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 82
EntertShowLounge: 99
OverallPortsofCall: 88
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 88
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 81
SpaceRatio: 92
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Apr 1997
Time: 15:47:55
Remote Name: 152.163.233.74
Remote User:

Comments

We sailed to the Western Caribbean on NCL's Dreamward in November 1996. Unfortunately we had rough
weather, and could not go to NCL's private island. But Key West was an OK alternative. Despite the weather we
had a great cruise. The ship was in mint condition. Everything was very well organised by NCL. As Europeans, we
had our own embarkation counter, with a very short line. The disembarkation was also excellent organised with a
color coding system. You just relaxed in the lounge until your color was called, and you were out of the ship only
minutes after. The food was not at all bad. The Bistro was in fact excellent. The Sun Terraces dining room was
beuatiful. The food here could have been a bit more exciting though. There were a lot of activities to participate in.
The shows were excellent. The cruise staff did an outstanding job, and alway very friendly and ready to help in any
situation. NCL provided an excellent cruise, much better than a previous experience with Carnival. We have also
experienced Cunards Sea Goddess 1, however I must say NCL's Dreamward provided much better value for the
money. We will surely book a NCL cruise again.

Name: Helen McKay
Email: mckay@itcanada.com
Age: 40's
Occupation: occupational therapist
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Dreamward
SailingDate: March (/97
Itinerary: Grand Cayman,Cancun,Cozumel,private island
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 70
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 70
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 65
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Mar 1997
Time: 20:44:17
Remote Name: 207.216.135.20
Remote User:

Comments

We are a family of 4 with 2 teenage boys, whom we wanted to take on their first cruise. We were all in the same cabin
and not looking forward to that experience. However, we were advised that persons under 21 could not be in a cabin,
without an adult. The air pkg. was also something we dreaded as there was a connecting flight with 2 hours wait in
Atlanta on the way down, and what turned out to be 7hours on the way back. The saving grace was that we learned it
pays to be 'voluntarily bumped' on a U.S. airline as they fly you 1st class and we gained 4 free roundtrip tickets!

The
ship itself was very nicely decorated and easy to get around in. The cabin was naturally cramped [midrange outside
stateroom] with 4 but luckily there was a curtain separation between the pullout couch[onto the floor] and 2 twin beds.
Lots of storage available. Always clean and the staff were very pleasant and no problem arose with lack of English.
Many persons under 20 yrs were aboard due to the March break sailing, so our boys were able to make friends and
enjoy that crowd. The dining rooms were very attractive [4] plus an extra restaurant called Le Bistro which we
unfortunately did not take advantage of-heard many good comments.

The dining room food was varied and of very
good quality-no problem with changing a meal if it was not to someone's liking and even my basic meat and potatoes
son always found something he liked. However, we did note that compared to other cruise lines we've been on [Costa,
Royal Carribean, Regent] the quantities were quite small and it was acutally difficult to get food elsewhere outside the
regular meal hours. The Sports Bar was the only snack place and this consisted of nachos, popcorn, and tiny pizza slices
in a very crowded setting of mainly teenagers. Drinks were expectedly expensive and with thirsty boys, I still can't
understand why pop isn't included-with the U.S. exchange and automatic 15% gratuity, each glass of pop cost about
$1.60Cdn. Machine coffee and tea were the only included beverages, even at dinner.

We must say that the lounge
entertainment was excellent throughout the ship including the Stardust lounge orchestra. The nightly shows were mainly
of the Broadway musical style and extremely well staged but besides a comedian and short magic act, monopolized the
type of entertainment. Theme nights by the pool[Caribbean, country-western, 50's/60's] were entertaining but geared to
the younger crowd and seating was very limited.

The shore excursions were plentiful and varied-the Dive-In program
led by very friendly and competent staff and so popular that lineups were lengthy to sign up and it was the one excursion
type that couldn't be booked from the interactive television program from your cabin. Swimming with the stingrays at
Grand Cayman was costly for 4 but a highlight of the trip. One of the unique features on this cruise was an onboard art
auction with original or limited edition pieces of all types available to suit a wide variety of budgets.

Overall our
experience was a positive one - the Dreamward has a nice itinerary for stops, with a day at the start and end at sea to
take advantage of the ship's amenities, a reasonable size to negotiate, very clean and with excellent staff, and lounge
entertainment. We felt it was the least overall rated cruise ship we've been on however, and a costly vacation for a
family compared to all inclusive resorts we've been to together in the past.

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