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We had a wonderful week on the Norwegian Dawn. Our mini-suite was nicely laid out and roomy. We spent some time on our balcony, just reading and relaxing. But we also enjoyed the quiet section around the outdoor pool, where we could read and sunbathe peacefully.
The food was very good. We tried four "extra fee" restaurants, including Cagney's, Le Bistro, Moderno, and Sushi. All were very nice, but I enjoyed Cagney's the best. We also ate dinners at the (no extra fee) Venetian and Aqua. The Venetian was a tad more formal than Aqua, and our fellow diners were quieter and dressed in business-casual attire. The Aqua, where diners are allowed to wear shorts, was louder. The food was good in both restaurants, and we never had more than a 15 minute wait to be seated. We ate at tables for two - and really prefer the "freestyle dining" that sets Norwegian apart from other cruise lines.
The breakfast buffet, at the Garden Cafe, was filled with fresh fruit, tasty pastry, made-to-order omelets, smoked salmon, bagels, and warm and cold cereals. There was adequate seating each time we ate breakfast. On Friday night, the ship had a terrific chocolate buffet at the cafe.
We really enjoyed the Dawn's entertainment. Some of the shows, including the Second City Comedy Group, Greg London's impressions, and the acrobat, were very good. There was a terrific blues band that played at various lounges. Our favorite entertainers were Luca and Elena, Duo Luna. Elena is a fantastic singer, and Luca is a master of the electric guitar. We followed them to every venue where they were playing - as did many other couples. We became Duo Luna "groupies."
Before the trip we arranged for private tours at three ports. This appealed to us more than the large, ship-arranged excursions. They Mayan ruins in Belize and near Costa Maya were amazing.
My only complaint is that the ship charges too much money for internet access. I suspect that other cruise lines do the same. We waited until we got off the ship in Cozumel, and found a cafe with free Wifi.
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