Cruise Spotlight
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Norwegian Dawn vs Norwegian Star
The Norwegian Dawn was built in 2002. It was renovated in 2016. It's 1 year newer than the Star, which was built in 2001 and renovated in 2024.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Dawn is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 965 feet long and 125 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 12-story building. The Dawn and the Star are in the same class, which means they're sister ships. For the most part, they're similar in terms of size and layout; although they may have different features and attractions on board.
Number of Passengers
Norwegian Dawn holds about the same number of passengers as the Star based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Dawn has less space per person compared to the Star.
| Norwegian Dawn | Norwegian Star | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Dawn | Dawn |
| Gross Tonnage | 82,250 | 91,740 |
| Length | 965 | 965 |
| Beam/Width | 125 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 12 | 12 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,340 | 2,348 |
| Crew | 1,032 | 1,031 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 35 | 39 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Dawn has 19 different dining options like Cagney's Steakhouse, Le Bistro French, and Sushi Bar. Of those options, 9 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 9 options have an additional fee.
The Star has 1 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Teppanyaki, Sushi Bar, and Topsiders Bar & Grill. 9 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 8 have an additional fee.
The Norwegian Dawn has about the same number of dining options as the Norwegian Star.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
Restaurants on Norwegian Dawn & Star
| Norwegian Dawn | Norwegian Star | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Atrium Cafe | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Bamboo | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Bimini Grill | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Cagney's Steakhouse | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Ginza | ✗ | ✓ | |
| La Cucina Italian | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Le Bistro French | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Los Lobos | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Main Dining Room | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Moderno Churrascaria | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Sushi Bar | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Teppanyaki | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Topsiders Bar & Grill | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
Bars and Drinks
The Norwegian Dawn has 1 fewer bar than the Norwegian Star.
| Norwegian Dawn | Norwegian Star | |
|---|---|---|
| Atrium Cafe | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bimini Bar & Grill | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bliss Ultra Lounge | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cellars Wine Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Gatsby's Champagne Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Java Cafe | ✓ | ✗ |
| Juice Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| O'Sheehan's Bar & Grill | ✗ | ✓ |
| Proof Whiskey Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sake Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sky High Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spice H2O | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sugarcane Mojito Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Topside Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Dawn and the Star below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Norwegian Dawn has a total of 2 pools and 5 hot tubs. 1 of the pools are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
The Norwegian Star has the same number of pools as the Dawn and the same number of hot tubs.
| Norwegian Dawn | Norwegian Star | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | ||
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 5 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 5 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | ||
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Dawn. Only 60% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Star, 64% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Norwegian Dawn | Norwegian Star | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (free) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian is a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit Norwegian's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Norwegian ship.
| Norwegian | |
|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $109 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | |
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.
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