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Note -this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Kathryn Dailey
Email: kdailey@mindspring.com
Age: 41
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: 2/20/99
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 60
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 60
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 50
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 60
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Mar 1999
Time: 14:20:30
Remote Name: 209.86.9.72
Remote User:
Comments
We enjoyed this cruise very much. Our previous experience had been with Carnival. We chose
not to attend the
entertainment and ship activities and never felt pushed to go. Announcements were at a
minimum and never
intruded into your room unless you had that channel on the TV.
Movement was frequently felt even the sea was calm with only wavelets. The one night that
the sea was 4-8 ft.,
the ship had significant movement.
We were in a mini-suite, which was very nice. We had 2 sliding glass doors onto the
balcony. The bathroom was
roomy. The walk in closet was great.
We took a ship shore excursion in St. Kitts and in St. Lucia. The rest of the time, we
went out on our own. Taxis
were plentiful and cheap and always availble even for return visits.
St. Kitts still had a significant amount of hurricane damage visible. The beaches were not
very clean and had no
services on them.
St. Martin was our favorite port with St. Thomas close behind.
The food in the dining room was always fresh and delicious. There was not as much variety
as we had on the
Carnival ship. I never encountered a crew member with a negative attitude.
Overall, the cruise was a great experience. I would never choose to go on another Carnival
cruise, but I wouldn't
hesitate to go with Princess. We have an August cruise to Alaska planned with Celebrity on
the Galaxy.
Name: Margo Musial
Email: mmusial@eartklink.net
Age: 51
Occupation: Business owner/food distribution
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: February 20, 1999
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 50
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 60
CasinoStaff: 60
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 50
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 100
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Mar 1999
Time: 12:02:21
Remote Name: 1cust115.tnt10.chi5.da.uu.net
Remote User:
Comments
To start from the beginning, the entire experience from the time we arrived in San Juan to
our arrival on the
Dawn Princess was extremely positive. We had no waiting for luggage identification and
there were no long lines
in which to wait. When we entered the ship it was truly magnificent. The atrium is simply
gorgeous and as we
walked around the ship we were in awe of the size of the Dawn Princess. We have been on
two other cruises,
Carnival and NCL, so this was not our first cruise experience.
The cabin was more than sufficient. I was really
glad I didn't upgrade to a balcony, but rather stayed with the outside Deluxe cabin
because it was much larger
than most cabins. The rooms with balconies have that space taken up with the balcony where
we had that
balcony space for additional room space. The closet and drawer space was very adequate and
I am not a light
packer. I bring a minimum of 3 outfits per day and 2 changes per day for my husband and we
had plenty of room
for all our clothes. The food in the dining room was exceptional. Choices were well
balanced between beef,
chicken and seafood. Another very positive experience was the pasta.
I am not usually a pasta lover, however
the pasta selections were great. The pasta dishes were highly seasoned and prepared
perfectly. It was standard
for us to ask our waiter for a sampling of the pasta dish being prepared that night
because we couldn't believe
that they were all so wonderful. Desserts were another good feature. And don't be shy to
ask for two. Sometimes
we just couldn't decide, so our waiter brought us two desserts. The food on the Lido deck
was buffet style and
sometimes offered the same selections as the dining room. One major complaint were the
breakfast sausages.
We are from the midwest where breakfast pork sausage is usually a popular side dish. The
Dawn Princess had
plenty of them, but the color was greenish brown and the flavor was not what we were used
to eating. I can't
really say this was negative because when you consider how many passengers were aboard
from many
countries and all areas of the USA, to find one item that was not to your liking isn't
really enough to complain
about.
Oh, the hotdogs weren't the greatest, but we're used to Kosher Style Chicago Hotdogs
which is a
specialty market. Overall food quality was 100% plus. Entertainment was very good. On
previous cruises, we
always had different shows every night, but on the Dawn Princess the shows ran for two
nights. I'm not saying
this was negative. We rushed and planned to catch both shows- theater and the lounge act
only to find out we
could have saved one show for the following night. Guess it wouldn't hurt to ask how many
performances for
each show. I had read many reviews on this site prior to the cruise and it seemed that a
major complaint were the
elevators. Well, they are slow, but no slower than any other facility like a hotel that
has a full house with several
floors. Let's face it- we were on vacation and should not have been in a hurry so what was
a few minutes waiting
for an elevator.
Besides, with all the extra desserts it's not a bad idea to try the stairs for some
exercise. My
biggest complaint was the beverage service in the lounges and the pool areas. We waited as
long as 10 minutes
for a diet coke. When at the pool it was not uncommon to wait an hour or more to be
approached by a waiter.
They may have been short-staffed during our cruise because I find it hard to believe with
the prices they charge
for drinks that they wouldn't really be pushing them. Overall, I would rate this cruise as
the best I have
experienced. It is a more formal ship with older or should I say more mature passengers.
Not as many activities
as a Carnival, but I was looking for a rest from the fast pace of my life, so it was
really great.
Name: Emily Huber
Email: eh3@evansville.edu
Age: 20
Occupation: college student
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: March 6
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService:
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 15 Mar 1999
Time: 20:02:32
Remote Name: 1students327.evansville.edu
Remote User:
Comments
I cruised with my parents and another couple on Dawn Princess. I wanted to write a review
because before leaving
for the cruise, I often visited this website and wondered why noone younger than 30
submitted a review...now I
understand why! Don't get me wrong, the cruise was wonderful, but there seemed to be very
few passengers in my
age group. For anyone planning to have more than two people in a room, I would suggest a
larger cabin (we had
an inside cabin on the 10th floor). With the three of us, our luggage, etc., we found
ourselves often getting in each
other's way. In addition, I had to sleep in a bed near the ceiling that folded down from
the wall--comfortable, but
unhandy. Otherwise, the cabin was fine...you won't spend much time there anyway. I won't
spend much time talking
about food--obviously there is alot of it! There was a wide variety; if a certain dining
area didn't meet your craving,
you could always go to the 24-hour buffet. As far as ports, St. Thomas and St. Maarten
were my personal favorites.
Don't bother buying tours on these islands- shopping seems to be the main attraction, and
taxi drivers will be more
than willing to show you the highlights of the island for much less than a tour package
costs. Orient Beach (on the
French side of St. Maarten) is beautiful. Barbados, St. Kitts and St. Lucia had beautiful
coastal scenery, but bus
tours of the islands were quite long. One bus tour would be sufficient (the interior of
the islands is rather similar). I
would suggest the Land and Sea tour of St. Lucia. Packing: I packed about three times as
much as I would have
needed, but you will too! If you're not sure about packing certain things, go for it...you
see everything. Bring along
all of those dresses, etc. that you've always had just waiting for the right occasion! As
far as formal nights, go all
out. I saw sequins, velvet, long skirts, short dresses, strapless... My father wore a
suit, so I can't comment on the
ship tuxedo rentals, but quite a few men wore tuxes. I had brought along a few long
sleeved shirts and pants, but
didn't wear any of them. You may need something to tie around your shoulders outside at
night if your arms are
bare. Well, those are the highlights of the trip...if you have any specific questions,
feel free to e-mail me! Enjoy
your cruise!
Name: Stephanie Kopala
Email: sweetiepie459@alloymail.com
Age: 15
Occupation: ski instructor
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: 8-16-98
Itinerary: Alaska: Glacier Bay & Inside Passage
FoodDiningRoom: 99
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Mar 1999
Time: 18:38:24
Remote Name: max-1-psf-82.bcn.net
Remote User:
Comments
The Alaska cruise was very well presented. I was accompanied by my mother, grandmother,
aunt and younger
sister, who is 11. We started out trip doing a land tour, which started in Fairbanks. Then
we worked our way down
the state to Mt. McKinley, Ancorage, and then finally Seward. This was a very beautiful
part of the trip with many
excursions, but was a little tiring. This was due to the fact that we were moving around
every other day, but for the
most part, this was a very nice addition to the cruise.
When we boarded the ship in Seward, we were greeted plesently by some of the cruise staff.
We were each given
a cruise card, which is a card with your name on it, and your cabin number, and is also
used as the key to the
cabin. You use this card to pay for anything that you need or want to buy on the ship, and
then at the end, it is
payed for in one large sum. I thought that this was a very good idea, because i didnt have
to carry around my
money all the time.
The ship was very beautiful, very well kept. The most spectacular thing about the ship was
the food. The Horizen
Court had evrything to choose from at anytime of the day. You could even get a midnight
snack. The dining room
we ate in was the Venetian Dining Room. It was more than I ever expected. Our waiters,
Jose and Zanu, were more
than adequate. My whole party thought that dinner was the best part of the trip. When i
walked into the room, a
smile would be on my face, because i knew i was in for a fun filled dinner. The food was
delicious, and if there was
an item that didn't suit your taste buds, the waiters were more than happy to bring you
something else.
One of the best programs on the ship was the health and fitness, and the spa. Every
morning, I would get up,and
run a mile on deck 7. Then we would all go and work out, and take some of the many aerobic
and stretch classes
that were offered. The instructor was very nice, and we were rewarded with cruise bucks,
which could be spent on
cruisersise merchandise in one of the shops. Then I went to get a facial. This was a very
nice experience, although
I would have liked it to be a little bit more relaxing. My other relatives got massages,
and they said they were a very
nice experience.
The ports of call that were on the itinerary were Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. These
were very nice little towns
and cities, but there was not much to do exept shopping. In Juneau, we took an excursion.
It was river rafting near
the Mendenhall Glacier, and it was very exiting, although it was very cold. We didnt take
any other exursions other
than that. What i do recommend is that you try to find an excursion that is private and
away from the cruise line,
because they can sometimes be a little expensive.
The whole trip was beautiful, and I recommend this to anyone. It was the best vacation I
ever went on, and Princess
fullfilled my expectations in a cruise line.
Name: Sharon and Molly DiRago
Email: fempolitix@aol.com
Age: 53 and 23
Occupation: social worker and student
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: January 9, 1999
Itinerary: Classic Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 93
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 75
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Apr 1999
Time: 16:16:00
Remote Name: spider-th032.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise and we were favorably impressed with almost all aspects of the
Dawn Princess. This ship is
truly magnificent, large but still intimate. The atrium area in the center of the ship is
elegant and full of activity. We
also enjoyed the tranquillity of the library and reading on the promenade deck. But the
best part of the cruising
experience was the cuisine. We really hadn’t expected such sophisticated,
well-prepared meals. Of course, this
was only in the dining room. The buffets, although good, were not up to the same
standards. Incidentally, the
service in the dining room was also excellent, attentive, but not overly so. My 20
year-old brother especially
enjoyed the all-night pizza place, as he frequented it at midnight almost every night!
Except for the first day, we
were in port every day, which provided for a lot of sight seeing and shopping. However, we
wouldn’t mind being at
sea for two or even three days for we regret not participating in many of the activities
on-board. We (at least the
younger members of the family) were somewhat disappointed in the evening activities, which
were geared towards
older passengers. The Island Night, consisting of Caribbean music and festivities, was fun
and we would have liked
something similar to this on other nights. Overall, the cruise was amazing, and Princess
has made us look forward
enthusiastically to our next cruise.
Name: Nadine Cohen
Email: nadine.cohen@compaq.com
Age: 44
Occupation: Project Manager
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Dawn
SailingDate: March 20th - March 27th
Itinerary: Southern Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 50
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: N/A
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon: 75
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities: 85
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 06 Apr 1999
Time: 14:26:13
Remote Name: www-relay1.das-x.dec.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was our 2nd cruise, we first cruised with Celebrity on the Century ship. We liked it
very much. The Dawn
Princess is a beautiful vessel. 2 weeks before we left for our cruise our travel agent
called to tell us that we were
upgraded to a stateroom with a balcony. Since this was complimentary, needless to say we
were very excited since
we normally would just get an outside cabin with a window.
When we got into San Juan we got right on the bus and brought over to the pier to board
our wonderful week on
the Dawn Princess. It took all of 8 minutes to get onto the ship. This was handled very
smoothly. We went right to
our room to check it out. We were a little disappointed - it was smaller than we
anticipated. The stateroom we had
on the Century was much roomier and more draws and places to put your clothes, however the
view from the
balcony at all times was worth it. We thoroughly enjoyed having the balcony. Our luggage
arrived about 1 hour
later.
We traveled with some friends who were never on a cruise, so we all just walked around to
get to know the ship.
We did of cause mosey onto the Lido deck for our first buffet lunch. There was plenty to
choose from and we
enjoyed it. The pasta was very good. The deserts were also good. However, they should have
more of a variety of
deserts. It seemed like everything tasted the same. Don't get me wrong the food was good,
however the food was
better on the Century ship. We then decided we were going to go and have our first
cocktail. I was totally surprised
when I ordered my first drink a Medatarrian (Kalhua, Amaratto, orange juice and pineapple
juice) that the cost for
this one drink was $8.91. Probably because there were 2 liquors in the drink. Tip was also
included. Needless to
say most of the time I stuck to the drink of the day or a beer. We sat at the Windjammer
bar overlooking the pool
and just enjoyed the scenery and all the people.
We went back to the room unpacked and met our room Steward Alfonso, who was a delight. We
then started
getting ready for our late seating dinner (8:30 PM). We headed for the Floritine Dining
Room….. we were seated at
table 81 with 2 couples from New Jersey who were very entertaining. We enjoyed them very
much. The only thing
that really was unfortunate was that our waiter Mateo & Hugo were so slow. We were the
last table most evenings
to get out of the dining room. People at other tables were eating dessert and we were just
getting our main dishes.
It really didn't bother us too much because the dinners were not that great. We found
ourselves just picking at what
we ordered. We enjoyed the buffet better.
The first night we went to the show and saw a Las Vegas singer. He was actually very good.
After the show we had
to go and check out the casino. We stayed for a while, paid our dues and headed to the
Disco where we danced
the night away. I don't know how we were still awake since this was our first day and we
had gotten up at 3:00 in the
morning to catch our plane at 7:00. I can't remember what time it was that we went to
sleep, but I know we were up
24 hours so it was pretty late.
It was good that the next day we spent at sea where we were able to relax around the pool
and just read, enjoy the
company, have a few drinks and unwind.
The next day we were in Barbados, where we went on a Catamaran Snorkel ing trip in the
morning. That was a lot
of fun. After that we took a cab into downtown which was disappointing. We shopped for a
little while, then took a
cab back and headed for an outside bar where we spent the next 2 hours drinking Rum
Punches. We had a lot of
laughs.
The next day we were in St. Lucia, where we took a Jeep Safari excursion. That was a
blast, we loved St. Lucia,
they took you through the mountains where we saw beautiful banana plantations, we stopped
along the side of the
road where we had fresh coconut and fresh bananas (they were real sweet), and of cause Rum
Punch. We then
went to a sugar cane factory, which was pretty neat. There they also served Rum Punch. We
then left there and we
went into town where they served you coconut hot pastries that were great. We stopped also
along the ride to do
some shopping with the local natives. Oh and I can't forget about the waterfall, and
swimming hole. That was really
refreshing. This was a great excursion, I would recommend it immensely.
The next day we were in St. Martin. We did another ½ day Catamaran Snorkeling excursion,
which was really nice.
We then walked into down and went to the Everything Cool eatery right on the beach for
lunch. Oh we were able to
purchase beers right on the street for $1.00 and drink them while you were walking in the
street. We then went
shopping. We found the jewelry prices to be very good and you were able to barter with
them. We had fun.
The next day we were in St. Kitts where we went on yet another Catamaran Snorkeling trip,
however this one was
for a full day. We sailed across to another island called Nevis beach which was really
nice. We snorkeled there and
then the crew members made us a delicious lunch which included barbecue chicken, hot dog,
coconut salad with
raisins in it and more Rum Punch :). This was a fun full sun day for us.
The last day we were at port was St. Thomas. Since we had already done 4 excursions we
decided that we were
going to do this island on our own. We got a cab and went to Meghan Beach which is one of
the top 10 beaches in
the world. It was really nice. We stayed there for a couple hours and then decided to take
a cab back to town
where we went shopping, There is so much shopping in St. Thomas. So many alley ways and
shops to go into. We
bought plenty of perfume and liquor which were good buys.
Most nights we just went to the casino and had fun there or went to one of the clubs. All
in all we had a great time,
however I feel next time we won't go too 5 islands. That's a lot of islands to go to in 1
week. We felt the only day we
relaxed was the 1 day at sea. We were constantly on the go. I enjoyed the Celebrity cruise
line better food wise.
Our next cruise will probably be the Panama Canal, haven't figured out which cruise line
yet, but it will most likely
be either Royal Carribean or Holland America. Enjoy and if you have any questions relative
to the Princess Dawn
I'd be more than happy to respond. I can be reached at nadine.cohen@compaq.com.
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