Cruise Spotlight
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Norwegian Dawn vs Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas
The Norwegian Dawn was built in 2002. It was renovated in 2016. It's 5 years newer than the Rhapsody of the Seas, which was built in 1997 and renovated in 2025.
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. It's about the same size as the Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas.
Number of Passengers
Norwegian Dawn holds 17% more passengers than the Rhapsody of the Seas 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 Rhapsody of the Seas.
| Norwegian Dawn | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Dawn | Vision |
| Gross Tonnage | 82,250 | 78,491 |
| Length | 965 | 916 |
| Beam/Width | 125 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 12 | 11 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,340 | 1,998 |
| Crew | 1,032 | 765 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.6 |
| 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 thirteen different dining options like Moderno Churrascaria, Teppanyaki, and Cagney's Steakhouse. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other ten options have an additional fee.
The Rhapsody of the Seas has four fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Chef's Table, Izumi Sushi & Hot Rocks, and Giovanni's Table. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Dawn might be a better choice. It has 44% more dining options than the Rhapsody of the Seas.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Rhapsody of the Seas might be a better choice then the Dawn. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Norwegian Dawn | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 13 | 9 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 8 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 10 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 23% | 33% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Norwegian Dawn has 2 more bars than the Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas. The Dawn has 9 bars like Java Cafe, Juice Bar and Sake Bar. On Dawn, you can grab a drink at 7 different bars such as Casino Bar, R Bar and Shall We Dance Lounge.
| Norwegian Dawn | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas |
|---|---|
| •Bimini Bar & Grill • Bliss Ultra Lounge • Cellars Wine Bar • Gatsby's Champagne Bar • Java Cafe • Juice Bar • Sake Bar • Sugarcane Mojito Bar • Topside Bar | •Casino Bar • Pool bar • R Bar • Schooner Bar • Shall We Dance Lounge • Solarium Bar • Viking Crown Lounge |
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. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Dawn and the Rhapsody of the Seas 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 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 Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas has the same number of pools as the Dawn and more hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Rhapsody of the Seas. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
| Norwegian Dawn | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 5 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 5 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 |
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 Rhapsody of the Seas, 62% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Norwegian Dawn | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Climbing Wall | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian and Royal Caribbean are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. 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. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Norwegian Dawn will likely be more expensive than on Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas.
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 compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Norwegian Dawn | Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $18.50 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.50 See drink menus | $8.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 106 Learn more | $77 - $118 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *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.
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
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