Dawn Princess is a mid-sized ship geared toward Australians with itineraries also in the South Pacific and Hawaii. A multi-million refurbishment in Singapore in 2015 added lots of “first at sea” features. Princess Cruises chose Dawn Princess as the first ship to get the line’s dedicated whisky bar, which brings together 63 different whiskies from around the world. It was also the first Princess ship to offer a beer and wine garden festival, with live music and marquees selling regional drinks. Other changes include a New Zealand Natural Ice Cream parlour, a revamped Lotus Spa and an Italian café called Amuleto inside the buffet, now known as the World Fresh Marketplace.

[fa type=”bed”] Accommodation

Dawn Princess has five types of cabins: insides, outside, balconies, mini-suites and suites. Of the 975 staterooms, 410 have balconies. Most cabins are decorated in a peach and orange blend with hints of blue. All standard cabins come with a small TV, mini-fridge, telephone, desk/vanity, and closet. Dawn Princess has a wide selection of staterooms with private balconies, nearly 70 per cent of all outside cabins. Balcony cabins measure 14 square metres and come with a three-square-metre balcony, which has space for two chairs and a small table. Space inside these cabins may feel tight, particularly if shared with children.

[fa type=”cutlery”] Food

The Venetian and Florentine Dining Rooms are virtually identical dining rooms, differing only in the colour of decor and in the exquisite murals depicting the places they represent. Both rooms contain lovely wood and etched glass panels which create a feeling of intimate dining. Another popular dining venue is the World Fresh, offering a range of cuisines such as Mexican and Asian, and a new Italian café called Amuleto at the back. La Scala Pizzeria, another alternative for lunch or dinner is a lovely slice of Italy with delicious pizza and calzones. Like a true pizzeria, you can even order takeout. The Balcony Grill, overlooking the pool deck, offers hot dogs, burgers, bratwurst, knockwursts and Doner kebabs, and of course, French fries.

[fa type=”ticket”] Activities

Revamped in 2015, the Lotus Spa offers free sauna and steam rooms, as well as a full range of spa treatments and services. Dawn Princess’ fitness facilities are located in a glass-walled health centre at the stern of the ship, offering striking views while you exercise. The gym is equipped with stationary bikes, recumbent bikes, elliptical machines, treadmills and a variety of free weights and resistance machines. The fitness equipment is packed into a small space, and there are only a few small TVs for mid-workout entertainment. An aerobic room across the way houses spinning bikes and stability balls. Personal training is available, along with a variety of classes. Some, such as as abs and stretching classes, are free, while others, like yoga and spinning, incur a fee.

[fa type=”group”] Families

The children’s centre features a cleverly glassed-in splash pool to isolate the sound youngsters from adults in sun lounges. It also has a castle, play house, children’s theatre, TV with videos and computers with children’s software. Shockwaves is the program for eight- to 12-year-olds. Although they share space with the younger cruisers, this age group has activities around the ship, including Jr. CHEF@Sea cooking classes, science projects, pizza and ice-cream parties and sports tournaments. Kids aged 13 to 17 can participate in the teen Remix program. In the teen centre, a large flat-screen TV, dance floor, nonalcoholic bar and a cool jukebox system allow teens to create their own DJ projects under space-age lights.

Verdict

Dawn Princess attracts experienced cruisers who have enjoyed shorter cruises and are now venturing into a longer vacation, as well as those who enjoy an upgraded and high-class experience.

– Cruise Passenger 

“Mid-size ship geared toward Australians.”

– Cruise Critic 

“This mid-size ship has warm decor for mature-age cruisers.”

– Berlitz

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