We flew into Miami and spent 2 days pre-cruise at the Eden Roc Hotel in Miami Beach. It has been recently renovated and we found it to be a very relaxing way to begin our vacation. On Friday morning we walked to South Beach and spent most of the day visiting this area.

Embarkation Day: We took a taxi from the Eden Roc to the Port of Miami arriving at about 11:45. After dropping off our luggage we headed inside the terminal and proceeded with embarkation. The process was quick and smooth and we were on board with our champagne in hand around 12:15. You enter the ship in the lovely promenade area and we felt comfortable and at home on this ship from that moment on. We did not have any carry on luggage so we did not take advantage of the bag check that was offered. We headed to the Venetian one of the main dining rooms where we had a relaxing lunch. After lunch, it was time to drop things off in our cabins. Walking through the halls we couldn't help but notice how the colorful walls and whimsical carpets were a perfect fit for our family Caribbean cruise. We had two inside cabins on the eighth floor towards the aft of the ship. This location worked out perfectly for us. It was close to the dining rooms, pool area and teen club. The cabin was cozy and the storage space was limited but we got creative and it worked out just fine for us. The dark cabin came proved to come in handy throughout the week for afternoon napping. We found the bathroom to be a good size and in good condition. We had two capable and friendly room stewards assigned to our cabins. After a swim, the muster drill and sail-away we came back to our cabin to find our luggage waiting for us. We unpacked as quickly as possible and went to the other main dining room, Aqua, for dinner. Our daughters liked the dim lighting and more modern atmosphere of Aqua compared to the more formal looking Venetian. After dinner we went to the welcome on board show at the Stardust Theater which was a taste of the entertainment that we would be blessed with for the week.

The Ship: The Dawn is a beautiful ship with many lounges, restaurants, a movie theater and small quiet rooms such as the library and card room. Deck 7 has a great walking track with a corked floor. The Venetian restaurant and decks 7 and 12 have great views of the wake of the ship. The pool area and decks 12 and 13 provide areas for both sun and shade seekers. We found the layout of the ship to be quite easy and we thought that although there are other ships that have fancier decor, the Dawn is a practical ship which serves all of her passengers needs competently. Read more