Traveler Review: 2 Night Cruise on the Norwegian Dawn

My husband and I took a 2 night cruise from Tampa on the Norwegian Dawn. Here's his review: 

Overall a great cruise. Very pretty ship - most beautiful dining room I have seen on any ship.

Venetian Dining Room, Norwegian Dawn 

Embarkation was fast. Arrived at the port at 11:45 and were on board within an hour. Rooms ready by 1:30.

Service was very SLOW in all dining rooms (ate in Venetian for breakfast, lunch and dinner and once in Aqua for dinner). Might have been due to the nature of the cruise. Didn't east in any specialty restaurants. Food we very good in all restaurants. Highlight were great lobster (broiled but not dry and dead), goat cheese stuffed portobello at lunch and olive tapenade (also for lunch).

We were very impressed with the Spa Area. It's an additional charge so we didn't purchase a pass for such a short cruise, but we likely would for a longer cruise. 

Lap Pool in the Spa, Norwegian Dawn 

Relaxation Area in the Spa, Norwegian Dawn 

Loved the grill at the Bimini bar one deck above the pool. Tasty burgers!!

View from Bimini Bar 

About two hours are departure,  we had a great view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. 

Sunshine Skyway Bridge 

Room service wasn't provided - at least to our cabin - so no feedback on how that worked. A couple travelling with us ordered a pizza to their cabin ($5) and it was the worst pizza they ever had.

We saw "Band on the Run" on the main theater and it was fabulous show. Some very talented singers on board. We missed the opening night show so didn't see the comedian although he hosted "The Quest" on the last night. Karaoke was in the English pub but terrible setup where the person singing was sequestered in a small corner so hard for the crowd to get into it. 

The Spinnaker Lounge hosted several fun games and music including a small band and a male/female singing duo that we saw that were entertaining. 

Bar at Spinnaker Lounge 

First night in the disco the DJ cleared the dance floor with the music he was playing - definitely didn't know his audience. But he must have had a personality transplant by the second night as he played different music and the floor was at capacity until wee hours.

Disembarkation very smooth. We ate breakfast in Venetian and then were off the ship by 9AM. Could have walked off as early as 8AM.

Will definitely sail on NCL again. I like the experience.

Black Friday Cruise Sales on Princess, Norwegian and Disney Cruise Lines

Check out these great Black Friday Sales on Cruises. Email me at tripswithangie@gmail.com to book your vacation! 

Princess Thanksgiving Day Sale  - Big Savings! Free upgrades, Free bottle of wine, and  $25 on board credit for select sailings. 

4 Day West Coast Sailings from Los Angeles from $219 per person for an interior cabin

5 Day Caribbean Getaways from Fort Lauderdale from $299 per person for an interior cabin 

VALID TODAY ONLY! Receive up to $1,000 off escorted tours from Gate 1 Travel. 

Norwegians Wrap It Up Early. Reduced deposit plus up to $250* Onboard credit per stateroom.

Tips for finding a last minute deal!

For those of you chasing a last minute deal to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico, Jamaica, or the Dominican Republic - here's a tip: 

The best deals are available when one of the major vacation companies is trying to fill their charter flights. Charter flight fly from: Austin, Boston, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Hartford, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Lansing, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York JFK, Newport News, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Rockford, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, and St Louis. 

Flight availability is limited and based on the season, but if you can get to one of these cities, you have a great shot at getting a last minute deal. Email  me at tripswithangie@gmail.com for more details or to book a trip this winter.

Book your own vacation!

Some of the perks of using a travel agent are that I do the research for you, make recommendations, and then answer your questions as you prepare to travel. However, some of you like to see all your options and do some research on your own. 

I have found the perfect compromise for all-inclusive vacations! My own Funjet Vacation page! If you book through this page, I will be there to support you as you prepare to travel, but you can research and make decisions on your own time. Click the link below and starting planning your vacation! 

Click here to start planning your vacation!

Hot Deals from Chicago O'Hare

 7 nights at RIU Bambu in Punta Cana including round trip airfare departing in January from $1,298.49 per person.

RIU Bambu

  7 nights at the all inclusive resort RIU Guanacaste in January 2014 for $1,598.19 per person. Save up to $2,352 per couple. 

RIU Guanacaste

Email me at tripswithangie@gmail.com to reserve your spot! 

Thinking about Europe? You have options!

One advantage working with a travel agent brings is that you can get a full picture of all your options. Recently, a client approached me about planning a trip to Europe to celebrate her daughter's graduation from college. Here was my response: 

How exciting! You have so many options when it comes to visiting Europe. 

If you want to visit several countries and really make every second count, I recommend an escorted tour. You won't have to worry about any of the details. You'll get to see all the headline attractions in each country with your own personal tour guide. An itinerary could look something like this: 

Another option to see several cities is cruising. The benefit here is that you only unpack once and you have a home base to come back to every night. Plus since meals are all included, it can be a great value. 

Luxury cruise lines like Azamara cruises stay late in port or even overnight so you can really make the most of your time in Europe. 

Mass market cruise lines like Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, or Norwegian offer great itineraries around the Mediterranean. 

River Cruise Lines are smaller and allow you to visit the smaller towns along the major rivers in Europe to get a great sense of local culture. 

If you want to go it alone, many of the major airlines have packages available that combine flights and hotel. 

If you plan to stay in one place for the whole time, renting an apartment through a website like airbnb.com may be a great option. 

With so many options, it just makes sense to have a travel professional guide you through the process of choosing the best option for you and your family. 

International Deals

Explore the world on one of these great tours: 

Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey

$1499* 13 Day Escorted Tour of Turkey Including Flights
Explore Istanbul, the famed city of Troy, breathtaking Cappadocia & more

$1699* 13 Day Kaleidoscope of Morocco Including Flights
Rabat, Fez, Erfoud, Ouarzazate, Marrakesh & Casablanca

$2499* 15 Day Tour of China with Chengdu, 3 Day Yangtze River Cruise & Air
The Great Wall, Xian's Terracotta Army, Chengdu Panda Research Center, Shanghai and more

$699 6 Day South Florida Escorted Tour with Key West
Highlighting Miami, Everglades National Park & Islamorada

$2399* 10 Day 3 Country Tour (Germany, Switzerland & Austria) with Air
Mainz, Heidelberg, Lucerne, Innsbruck, Salzburg & Munich all in one amazing tour

$2799* 7 Day Galapagos Islands & Ecuador Tour with Airfare
Guayaquil & Quito plus Galapagos Islands of Santa Cruz, Seymour & Plaza

$2399* 9 Day Iceland Adventure Including Airfare
Escorted tour offering breathtaking landscapes & unique culture. May - Sep departures

$1149* 8 Day Venice, Florence & Rome Including Airfare & Rail Tickets
Two nights each in three of Italy's most captivating cities

$2199* 12 Day Tour of Albania, Montenegro, Croatia & Slovenia with Flights
Discover the Adriatic gems of Tirana, Kolasin, Dubrovnik, Split, Plitvice Lakes & Bled

$1999* 10 Day Tour of Britain (England & Scotland) Including Airfare
Experience London, Stonehenge, Bath, Bristol, Liverpool, Edinburgh & York

$2499 14 Nights: 7 Day Tour of Italy w/ 7 Night Western Med Cruise
Venice, Florence & Rome plus Livorno, Cannes (France), Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona & Naples

$4299* Small Group Tour: 12 Day Illustrious France Including Air
Two nights each in Toulouse, Sarlat (Dordogne Valley), Loire Valley, Normandy & Paris


Also - Last Call:  The 2014 Early Booking Discount 2-FOR-1 cruise plus up to 2-FOR-1 air on Viking River Cruise Lines ends this Thursday October 31st.