It’s Monday!
Cruise Ship Monday
Today brings us Norwegian Cruise Line’s Dawn class–Norwegian Dawn (2002) and Norwegian Star (2001).
The ships in this two-ship class both have about a 2,340 passenger-capacity. They are some of the smaller Norwegian Cruise Line ships, meaning they offer several traditional cruise ship amenities like basketball and volleyball, multiple pools and hot tubs, a spa, and a casino, but they do not have some of the more spectacular features found on the newer cruise ships.
The Dawn class ships also offer lots of dining choices. They each have five free dining venues which include two main restaurants, a bar and grill, a casual buffet, and an Asian restaurant. Additionally, there are several specialty restaurants–NCL’s signature French eatery, Le Bistro; the Moderno Churrascaria Brazilian steakhouse; a Japanese Hibachi restaurant, Teppanyaki; and an Italian trattoria, La Cucina. The only difference in the ship’s restaurant choices is Norwegian Dawn offers Los Lobos, the cruise line’s Mexican cantina.
There are a few differences in the Dawn class bars and longest. For example, Norwegian Star has the cruise line’s Spice H20, an adults-only venue that offers a full bar and hot tub, and transforms into an open-air lounge with live entertainment at night. She also has the cruise line’s only Jimmy Buffet-inspired 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar. Norwegian Dawn has a cigar bar and a Michael Mondavi Family Wine Bar, The Cellars.
Each of the ships has a theater, but they do not feature any Broadway musicals. However, the theater does feature various musical performances, and guests will find bands in the various bars and lounges, and a live DJ at the Bliss Ultra Lounge nightclub.
While neither ship has the Haven suite area, they do have some of the largest suites at sea. The suites are three-bedroom, family suites called Garden Villas. The villas offer 6,694 square feet of space–plenty of room for the whole family.
Norwegian Dawn is currently sailing out of Tampa and is on a 7-day round trip Western Caribbean voyage. She will call on Cozumel, Mexico; the cruise line’s private island, Harvest Caye Belize; Roatan, Honduras; and Perfect Day Mexico, Coast Maya before returning to Tampa. She will homeport from Tampa through the end of March 2026.
Norwegian Star is also sailing out of Tampa and is on a 10-day roundtrip Caribbean Aruba Dominican Republic voyage. She will call on Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic; Aruba; Falmouth, Jamaica; Grand Cayman Island, and Cozumel, Mexico before returning to Tampa. She will homeport from Tampa through the beginning of April 2026.