Norwegian Dawn

The 2002-built Norwegian Dawn cruise ship is NCL's second Dawn-class liner - together with Norwegian Star.

The vessel (IMO number 9195169) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311307000) and registered in Nassau.

History - construction and ownership

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is a subsidiary company of the shipping corporation Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH). NCL was founded in 1966, headquartered in Miami (Florida USA) and publicly traded (NASDAQ) company listed on NYSE (NYC). NCLH's major shareholders are the corporations Apollo Global Management (American), Genting Group (Malaysian) and TPG Capital (American). In 2017, the brand NCL had a worldwide cruise market share 8,7% (passengers) and 8,4% (revenue). NCLH (shipowner) owns the brands NCL, Oceania and RSSC-Regent.

The 2350-passenger ship Norwegian Dawn is the 3rd vessel in the Norwegian fleet to accommodate the line's Freestyle Cruising idea. The "Freestyle" design is not limited to dining but turns around the concept that customers have to choose. The dress code allows guests to wear what they want. In the middle of 2011, the cruise ship was refurbished and 50 more cabins were added, along with a new restaurant, the Brazilian Steakhouse. Some public points were rearranged like the gift shops, the art gallery and the atrium area. The place of the famous Spinnaker Lounge was changed, some public places were renovated. After these changes, 100 more places were added to the ship's capacity.

Generally, Norwegian Dawn is a vessel with a nice and calm atmosphere, planned to give everything to the passengers, plus first-time cruisers, wary of the traditional vacation at sea.

Decks and Cabins

Norwegian Dawn staterooms (1170 total, in 33 grades) include 173x Suites, 364x Balcony, 250x Oceanview and 383x Inside cabins. Most staterooms are sized 140-165 ft2 (13-15 m2). The largest accommodation is the 2-Bedroom Garden Villa (2285 ft2 / 212 m2, with a huge terrace of 3610 ft2 / 335 m2).

The boat has 14 decks, of which 11 are passenger-accessible and 9 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

In addition to the two main dining rooms, Norwegian Dawn features 10 distinct restaurants to choose from. Themes range from steaks and classic French bistro fare to Benihana-style Teppanyaki. Overall, the food is flavorful and even inventive. Service is excellent throughout, though it's not unusual to wait to receive your dessert during the busiest dinner hours (6:30 - 8:30 pm). Meals are cooked to order, so the food passengers receive is hot and fresh. Reservations for Dawn's speciality restaurants can be made only 24 hours in advance, so if you want to try one of the more popular spots, such as Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian-style steakhouse), Cagney's (American steakhouse), or Le Bistro (French), you should book as early as possible.

Follows the complete list of Norwegian Dawn restaurants and food bars. 

• Venetian Restaurant (476-seat aft Dining Room; complimentary; Freestyle dining)
• Aqua Restaurant (314-seat forward Dining Room, complimentary)
• Le Bistro (86-seat French speciality dinner-only restaurant; reservations-only; US$20 cover charge)
• La Cucina (186-seat Italian speciality restaurant; reservations-only, US$15 cover charge; with outdoor seating waterfront area)
• Bamboo (98-seat Asian restaurant; complimentary)
• Sushi Bar (17-seat Bamboo restaurant); Sake Bar (8-seat, inside Bamboo)
• Teppanyaki (18-seat Japanese Hibachi speciality, reservations-only restaurant; US$25; open for Lunch and Dinner; features live cooking demonstrations)
• Moderno Churrascaria (146-seat Brazilian steakhouse; reservations-only; US$20 per person cover charge; with outdoor seating waterfront area)
• Los Lobos Cantina (Mexican)
• Garden Cafe & Kid’s Cafe (426-seat indoor buffet restaurant, complimentary; with a special kids' dedicated area)
• Topsiders Bar & Grill (capacity 248-seat)
• O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill (pub, sports bar)
• Cagney’s Steakhouse (speciality dinner restaurant for prime steaks and gourmet seafood specialities; reservations-only, US$30 cover charge per person and free Kids Menu)
• Bimini Bar & Grill (135-seat outdoor snack bar).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

While Norwegian Dawn provides the usual fare during days at sea, such as bingo, arts and crafts, art auctions, wellness seminars, the real highlights of entertainment are the nightly shows. The "main event" each evening is held in the Stardust Theater, which features everything - from Broadway-style song-and-dance acts to variety shows. The Stardust Theater spans Decks 5 through 7. It is designed in a European opera house style and is quite comfortable. The Dawn Club Casino is located along the corridor leading to the Stardust and offers the usual games and slot machines. The spa and sports facilities on Norwegian Dawn are open until 11 p.m. most nights, and there is an Internet cafe, as well. The ship has a total of 7 jacuzzis and 3 pools (kids' T-Rex Pool). Entertainment options also include the NCL's FIREWORKS show (on each voyage), "Rock of Ages", "Cirque Dreams", "Illusionarium" (magicians show).

Additional amenities include: Complimentary 24-hr Room-Service, Supervised Kids Program ("NCL Kids"), Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry. NCL Dawn tipping/gratuities are US$12 pp per day. Dawn cruise ship allows onboard weddings.

Follows the complete list of Norwegian Dawn lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Stardust Theatre (1037-seat; features Broadway-style musical productions; two grand-shows per night)
• Aloha Atrium (2-deck midship hub area, hosts the 63-seat Aloha Bar)
• Gatsby’s Champagne Bar; Havana Club (smoking room); Wine Cellar; The Pearly Kings Pub (84-seat English pub); Java Cafe (57-seat coffee & tea bar); Internet Cafe; Star Bar
• Dawn Club Casino
• Spinnaker Lounge (457-seat aft Show Lounge & Nightclub); Bliss (observation)
• The Galleria Shops (tax-duty free shops); Port o’ Call (perfumes & cosmetics boutique); Photo Gallery & Shop
• Mandara Spa (beauty salon, treatment rooms); Lap Pool; Oasis Pool; T- Rex Kid’s Pool; El Dorado Fitness Centre; Jogging Track; Golf Nets; Combined sports court (basketball, volleyball, tennis)
• T- Rex Kid’s Centre; Video Zone.

Itineraries

Norwegian Dawn itinerary program is based on Caribbean roundtrips from USA ports (Tampa Florida and Boston MA) visiting destinations in Bermuda, Western Caribbean and Canada/New England (alternated seasonally).

The ship is also deployed in Europe (Mediterranean and Baltic/UK) with homeporting in Southampton England, Copenhagen Denmark, Stockholm Sweden.

For winter seasons 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, NCL Dawn was deployed in the Red Sea/Africa offering 7-9-10-11-12-day-long itineraries leaving from exotic countries like the UAE (Dubai), Qatar (Doha), Mauritius (Port Louis), South Africa (Cape Town).

NCL Dawn ship was intended to operate under the name "SuperStar Scorpio" with Star Cruises (GHK-owned Asian brand), but it was decided she would be delivered to NCL instead. Dawn is the first NCL ship to carry hull art. Dawn is the first Dawn-Class NCL ship, with only fleetmate-sistership Norwegian Star. The inaugural cruise was on December 7, 2002. The liner was christened in NYC. Vessel's godmother is Kim Cattrall (US actress).

Itineraries 2017-2018 changes

For the 2017-2018 season, NCL Dawn was repositioned from Port NOLA (New Orleans) to Tampa Florida. Next, the ship was homeported in San Juan Puerto Rico (Nov 12, 2017, through Jan 7, 2018) for 7-10-11-day Southern Caribbean roundtrips.

NCL Dawn refurbishment 2016 review

The list of deckplan changes after the ship's drydock 2016 refurbishment (May 8 to June 3, in Freeport Bahamas) includes:

• Major renovations were made to the ship’s Dawn Club Casino and Stardust Theater (both on Deck 6), Atrium lobby and Photo Gallery (both on Promenade Deck 7), Library (Lido Deck 12), the entire pool deck (Lido Deck 12), Entourage (teens club and video arcade on Deck 13).
• (Deck 6) the restaurants Le Bistro (French) and La Cucina (Italian) switched places. Both were updated with new carpeting, furniture, signage, new decorative lighting.
• (Deck 6) the ship’s main dining rooms (named “The Venetian” and “Aqua”) were extensively refurbished with new carpeting, wood flooring, wall coverings, artwork, ceiling finishes, lighting, signage. Their furniture was reupholstered.
• (Deck 6) Gatsby’s Champagne Bar received new flooring, furniture, artwork, decorative lighting, window treatments, new chandelier.
• (Deck 6) Havana Club (cigar bar) received new furniture, humidor, tile flooring, draperies.
• (Deck 7) Bamboo Asian Restaurant received new carpeting, wood flooring; lighting; furniture (tables, chairs, barstools), updated artwork. The Teppanyaki Room’s size was doubled, more tables were added, its flooring and decor were changed. A divider was built between the Teppanyaki Room and the Bamboo restaurant.
• (Deck 7) The Pearly Kings Pub (84 seats English pub) was replaced by The Cellars (wine bar, a partnership with the Michael Mondavi Family).
• (Deck 7) Spinnaker Lounge was renamed to Bliss Lounge, redesigned and refurbished with new carpeting and furniture.
• (Deck 7) Tides (new boutique jewelry store was added in the atrium lobby. The Ports O’ Call shop was renamed to Tradewinds.
• (Deck 8) The Blue Lagoon buffet restaurant was replaced by O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill. This is a big-sized lounge area with a 24-hour sports bar and pub with complimentary burgers, hotdogs, desserts.
• (Deck 8) To make space for the new O’Sheehan’s, the Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse restaurant) was relocated to deck 13, replacing there the Star Bar (88-seat cocktail bar). Moderno received new furniture, decor, wall coverings, window treatments, themed artwork.
• Mandara Spa (Deck 11) and Pulse Fitness Center (Deck 12) were both redesigned and updated. The Spa received new treatment rooms, barbershop, nail salon, Thermal Suite (with 8 heated loungers), spa pool.
• (Deck 12) the new a-la-carte priced Mexican restaurant was added – Los Lobos Cantina.
• General renovation of all public areas was also done, including new carpeting, all elevators, all public restrooms.
• (Deck 12) Garden Cafe (buffet restaurant) was redesigned and upgraded with new flooring, furniture, decorative lighting, artwork, wall finishes, signage.
• (Deck 13) Cagney’s Steakhouse was redesigned to become more spacious and received new furniture, artwork, decor, carpeting, lighting, wall finishes.
• (Deck 13) added Sugarcane Mojito Bar

All passenger cabins were refurbished with new carpeting, bedding, furniture, flat TVs, draperies, artwork. The Haven Garden Villas (suites on deck 14) received new flooring, bedding, furniture, lighting, ceilings, decor, 42-inch HDTVs. The hull was repainted.

Drydock 2016 was part of NCL's "Norwegian Edge" program for fleetwide upgrades (2-year project budgeted USD 400 million). Each drydock costs around USD 35-40 million.

NCL Dawn refurbishment 2011 review

The list of deckplan changes after the major drydock 2011 refit included:

• (Deck 12) the Cinema was converted to meeting rooms.
• (Deck 8 - new restaurants) Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse), Blue Lagoon (buffet)
• (Deck 7 - venues that were relocated and conversed into passenger rooms) Photo Gallery, Galleria Shops (Tax-Duty-Free), Spinnaker (observation lounge), the old card/conference rooms.
• (Deck 6 changes) “Impressions” (Italian restaurant) was renovated and renamed “La Cucina”.