My husband and I and our 2 children (daughter 2 and son 7) sailed on the Dawn as our first family cruise.

Embarkation was not what we expected. We were told that we would be able to enjoy the VIP lounge since we had a Penthouse suite. Well, the VIP's were already on board and that section closed by the time we got to the pier (about 12:30). But, we were able to take advantage of the Lattitudes line since we were both Lattitudes members.

We arrived at our cabin a little under an hour from the time we set foot on the pier. What a surprise when we got to our cabin. The AB Penthouse was a dream! It was very child friendly. I felt comfortable enough not to have to watch my 2 year old daughter's every move. There really wasn't anything she could get into or hurt by (other than opening every drawer and cabinet, which she did frequently). The balcony was very secure. And, short of standing on the chaise lounge and jumping over, the kids were in no danger out there. Cabin amenities: 4 TV's, 2 full bathrooms, master bedroom, small bedroom(I mean SMALL! But, perfect for the kids), living area (very comfy), and dining area. And, storage, storage, storage!!!! There were cabinets and drawers EVERYWHERE! The Jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom was small, but very inviting. I got much use out of it. The shower stall was huge and had a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the ocean. Very, very nice. There are 3 separate phone lines in the cabin. One in the master bedroom, one in the dining area (cordless....I brought this with me everywhere when I wasn't with the kids), and one in the small bedroom. It was interesting how they all worked. If someone called the cabin, all 3 phones rang. But, you could use one phone to call the other. Read more