Macaroni Kid is more than just a company, it is a community. A community of moms who support each other, and their local communities. To be honored as the 2016 Publisher of the Year for a community of moms that give of themselves on a daily basis, to be honest, makes me a little emotional. When I learned that as a part of this honor my entire family was going to go on a Norwegian cruise, I was shocked. Moms don’t get vacations - EVER. Even on vacation we’re still moms. At Norwegian Cruise Lines they believe you should vacation your way and they make it easy for everyone, even moms, to truly be on vacation when you are on board one of their ships! On any one of Norwegian Cruise Line's fleet of fifteen world-class ships, you are free to do whatever you want, whenever you want, and we took full advantage of that as we, in true Macaroni Kid fashion, found our family fun around every corner.
Sailing out of Boston made vacationing a breeze! A short drive from our home put us in the Boston Cruiseport, and after a process similar to checking in for and boarding a plane, we boarded the Dawn and were already on a world-class vacation!
Feel Free to Play Your Way
There is no shortage of options for play aboard the Norwegian Dawn and we took full advantage of all of them! We swam in the Oasis Pool and dinosaur themed kids pool, learned to make balloon animals and decorate cupcakes, played shuffleboard, giant chess, and basketball on deck, partied with the cruise director poolside and even took some quiet moments to play cards in the library.
The girls couldn’t get enough of Splash Academy, the onboard kids club, where they made new friends, joined the circus, had an ultimate pillow fight and are still talking about the glow party! As a mom, I was happy that they enjoyed Splash Academy, but what I loved was the peace of mind that came with knowing they were being well cared for. It even gave me a few minutes of downtime to stroll the deck, sit and read a book in the sun or even grab a bite to eat without worrying. The friendly and engaging staff and the safety surrounding pickup and drop off really put this mom’s mind at ease so I could actually feel like I was on vacation!
On top of all of that was the entertainment! Our youngest was enamoured by the singers that performed each evening in the atrium, our Beatles loving oldest sang along with the cover band, and we all loved the evening shows in the Stardust Theater! The Norwegian Production Cast, Thrillusionist David DaVinci and other performers were wonderful! Norwegian Cruise Line knows how to entertain and there is no shortage of options onboard. Another check in the mom is really on vacation category - no need to find things to entertain everyone because it is all provided for you!
Plus, to start or end your day there is also a full service fitness center, and Mandara Spa where a mom can truly take some time to focus on herself, and fulfill the Macaroni Kid mantra to “take care of mama bear”.
Feel Free to Eat Your Way
Norwegian’s belief is that you should be free to vacation your way including what, how and when you eat. As a mom, I am truly on vacation if I don’t have to cook, serve or clean up dinner! The main dining rooms aboard the Dawn offer an elegant setting and nightly chef’s specialties. There is also a buffet with a seemingly unlimited number of options, which is perfect for families with young kids. Plus, there are restaurants that serve everything from burgers and pizza, to Asian Fusion and jumbo crab cakes with truffle fries on board.
My favorite was the tableside guacamole at Los Lobos and my husband’s top pick would be the fajitas at O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill. The kids loved the buffet! Wherever, whatever, and whenever you choose to eat, you won’t be disappointed!
Feel Free to Explore Your Way
Stepping into a full service resort in Boston and stepping out onto a beautiful, subtropical, island a few days later makes traveling so much more civilized than dealing with air travel. The Norwegian crew coordinates excursions in Bermuda with such ease that it takes the guess work out of finding family fun. They take care of finding all of the options, booking, transportation and more, so all you have to do is book your excursion, show up and have fun! On Bermuda you can relax on the beach, snorkel with the fish, swim with the dolphins, sail on a catamaran, learn about local history and so much more! Plus, with three days in port we were able to do and see more at a pace that made sense for our family. Not stressing about getting around the island makes for one happy mama!
Did I mention that the amazing room stewards and hotel staff keep your staterooms clean? So, there’s no cooking, no cleaning, a safe, fun place for my kids to hang while I relax in the spa or with a good book, and family fun around every corner? Now that’s a vacation even a mom can enjoy.
Learn more about Norwegian Cruise Line at www.ncl.com.
Learn more about Norwegian Cruise Line at www.ncl.com.
The writer and her family were hosted as VIP guests aboard the Norwegian Dawn for a 7-day cruise from Boston to Bermuda. No other compensation was received and all opinions are her own.
