Beautiful ship, wonderful employees and very clean surroundings. This was our second trip in the Dawn and we were really happy. The embarkation was a breeze, as we went on at 3:30 PM and the lines were short. The debarkation was also a breeze, as we kept our luggage and walked it off ourselves. Food is a matter of taste (no pun intended) and after hearing both good and bad reviews, we found the food was good. The ports were all nice. Ocho Rios and Roatan were the drawbacks, only because the vendors want you to buy something, and they are everywhere. Other than that, we had a good time at all. Cozumel was devastated, but I rented a scooter and did the island, stopping at various beaches and enjoying the snorkeling. Stopped at the Mayan Ruins on Center Road. We did not use any of the ships tours, as we can do everything ourselves with the help of the many local cab drivers. You can rent a driver and a car for the day for about $80. They know all of the sights. You will save money.

For the downside. Most cruise lines nickle and dime you to death. The Dawn quarters and dollars you to death. Drinks are $8 per. Even their special is no special. Carnival charges $4 for their drink specials, Beers are around $4.50 each. Soda for the trip is about $60 unlimited. Bingo is between $20 and $40 per session. Every seminar they run is a sales pitch to buy one of their products. You will get nothing else out of it. There was a singer who sold his disc at $30 a pop. I sat down to a game of Texas Hold em and the dealer took an astounding 10% from each pot, I guess that is why the Hold em table was empty for most of the trip.

We really love this ship and the cleanliness of it, and we will probably go on it again. We love the freestyle dining and the fact we did not have to dress up if we did not want to. Entertainment was top notch. Read more