Embarkation: After driving through a hellacious rainstorm from Queensbury, NY to Boston, we arrived at the Black Falcon Pier. Parking is a cinch and the ship is relatively close to the garage. The entire process of checking our bags, checking in, and boarding was simple and non-stressful. The folks in Boston have it down.

Stateroom: We had a "framed-in" balcony room, forward on the port side. It was perfect for the two of us. The balcony was very private, the room was plenty large for the two of us and all of our belongings. The bathroom, furniture, fixtures, etc. all seemed to be new and in good order. Plus, our room steward Rodney kept our room in great shape for the entire cruise. (Although it would have been nice to have been greeted by a couple of towel animals!) Needless to say, we enjoyed many sunrises and sunsets from the balcony.

Public Rooms: The Dawn is an attractive ship. Well-decorated and laid out, the ship was clean, and the maintenance guys were always painting, scrapping, etc. Our favorite areas were the Grand Atrium, Havana Room, the promenade. For a large ship, it was never a problem to find a nice quiet spot or cozy corner when we wanted that. The Mandara Spa was amazing. Although the weekly spa pass is $$$, the hot tubs, lap pool, and sauna were great. The relaxation chairs were...relaxing! Read more