I booked a last minute porthole cabin on the deck 4. This cruise jammed five ports into seven days (Halifax, St. John, Portland, Bar Harbor, and Newport, which was canceled due to weather). The Dawn's refurbishment had varied results, but you can't change the architecture and in that regard, the Dawn will always be inferior to the NCL Jewel Class. The decor ranges from mystifying (the artwork in the Venetian) to tacky (the 1970's shopping mall-style atrium).

I would advise anyone booking the Dawn to AVOID DECK 4! I was kept awake for half the week with a rhythmic metallic banging every ten to 12 seconds! Despite reporting it, no solution was found until it seemed to go away on its own - only to be replaced with more random noises. As a single traveler, my beds were pushed together to make one big bed. The only problem is this left little room to safely get into bed on either side due to the built-in desk on the right and the 'stored' bunk on the left, which juts out eight inches into the room. Who looks at this and says "that's okay?" The solution was to push the against the left wall, which was okay for me, but what if a couple were in that room and wanted a double bed? They would have to disturb their partner to get in and out at night!

My bedside tables looked like they were from the original 2002 design and were eroded and chipped at the edges. The shower temperature nob was missing its button and sharp metal edges were exposed. The closet hinge was detached. Again, who looks at all this and says "that's okay?" Deck 4 was once shut down completely for a crew drill. The two tender ports used deck 4 as well, so our corridor was a windy, cold, crowded place for two full days. Don't get me started on the elevators, which were a real trial for even the most patient traveler. Read more