Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Dawn has ushered in a new age in New York cruising. For the first time ever a cruise ship is making weekly cruises from New York on a year-round basis. And like the city she calls home, the Norwegian Dawn is big, bold, and beautiful.

She boasts priceless masterpieces by some of the world's greatest artists; she offers a remarkable array of dining opportunities, and activities for just about every age and interest, including top-rated entertainment. The Norwegian Dawn is the sister ship of the Norwegian Star and the third ship designed specifically for the line's 'freestyle Cruising,' which features a dress-up or dress-down and eat when-and-where-you-wish dining concept a philosophy that seems to fit in particularly well for a New York kind of ship.

From the moment "Sex And The City" television star Kim Cattrall christened the 92,250-gross-register-ton/2,240-passenger ship, the Norwegian Dawn has fit right in with the neighborhood. Cattrall said she enjoyed her first cruise in one of the ship's two three-bedroom/5,350-square-foot Garden Villas that offer panoramic views of the ocean and come with butler and concierge services. Each features a roof terrace, a Jacuzzi, a totally private sunning area, and an Italian garden with open-air dining. The two villas can be combined for 10,000 square feet of living space.

One of the wonders of sailing from New York City is the dramatic departure--a thrill that's bard to match anywhere else. The sail-away celebration was full of patriotic music as passengers gathered ondeck and by the pool to watch as the ship passed the breathtaking skyline of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.

The next day was a sea day time for exploring and discovering surprises around every corner. Many new ships boast of their art collections, but the Norwegian Dawn alone features four original oil paintings by 19th and 20th century masters Renoir, Matisse, van Gogh, and Monet. These paintings, which hang in the ship's signature Le Bistro restaurant, are on loan from the personal collection of Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, chairman of Star Cruises, NCL's parent company. There is something intimate and powerful about dining with the masters, as the ship likes to promote the experience. The food and service is worthy of the artistic masterpieces (and the chocolate fondue dessert provides a dramatic finale for any chocolate connoisseur).

Elsewhere on the ship are 25 original signed Andy Warhol silkscreens, relegated to the inside, where most ships confine their artworks. But the Norwegian Dawn takes art to another level by featuring dynamic images on her gleaming white hull. Walkers on the Promenade Deck are treated to an ocean view on one side and brightly colored murals along the walls designed to portray the happenings inside.

Indoor activities are primarily concentrated on decks six and seven. The Grand Atrium, with its glass-domed ceiling, is the hub. On the landing of a curved stairway is a performance platform where live bands play. The Dawn Club Casino is along the corridor leading to the Stardust Theater. Designed in a European opera-house style, the elegant 1,150-seat showroom spans decks five through seven.

NCL has long been a leader in offering full-scale Broadway and West End productions, and the Norwegian Dawn continues the tradition with three shows--a "Miami South Beach Rave!" party; a showcase of memorable Broadway standards penned by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber (with whom NCL has an exclusive entertainment agreement); and "Bollywood," a celebration of India's traditional film culture. The latter, with its amazing aerialists dropping down from the ceiling, was truly an extravaganza.

The passenger talent show was quite professional, and by far the best I've seen on any ship. As part of the vessel's "Star Seeker" program, a panel of entertainers judges the performers in the weekly talent show. A video of the winner is sent to NCL headquarters with the possibility of winning a free cruise and performing during that sailing. There's also the further chance of a professional shipboard contract. During the summer there is a "Junior Star Seeker" program for children ages 5 to 17.

It's easy to stay in touch with the ship's 24-hour Internet Cafe. NCL is the first line to provide remote wireless internet access (known as "wi-fi") fleetwide. Guests can surf the internet by the pool or in any of the lounges, meeting rooms, atriums, or foyers.

The Norwegian Dawn offers plenty of opportunities for passengers who wish to work off unwanted pounds. The Sports Deck has basketball, volleyball, and soccer courts. The two-deck fitness and spa center boasts state-of-art cardiovascular workout equipment, aerobic and yoga area, steam and sauna rooms, a jet-current exercise pool, an indoor lap pool, whirlpool, and hydrotherapy pool. The heated lap pool has the distinction of being the longest indoor lap pool on any cruise ship; located aft, with floor-to-ceiling windows, it offers a relaxing perch for watching the sea. The pool is part of the beautiful and serene spa, operated by Hawaii-based Mandara, which is owned by Steiner. Exotic treatments on the spa menu have Hawaiian and other Polynesian influences.

We greeted our first call, Port Canaveral, from the balcony of our comfortable stateroom. Every cabin is finished in rich cherry wood with bright tropical prints on the beds and carpeting. All cabins have refrigerators, tea and coffee makers, and large bathroom units. Some 70 percent of staterooms are outside, and more than 70 percent of these have balconies.

Thirty-six suites, 372 standard staterooms with balconies, and an entire deck of 107 mini-suites with balconies are among the cabins on the 15-deck ship. There are also 20 cabins of various types designed for passengers with disabilities. Most cabins include a sofa bed or pop-up trundle bed giving a third lower bed, and many have a fourth, pulldown berth. The ship also offers a large number of cabins (including suites and minisuites) that can interconnect to create a two-, three-, four-, or five-bedroom area suitable for families or friends traveling together.

It would be hard to find a port with more variety and more passenger-pleasing tours and adventures than Port Canaveral, just about an hour from Orlando, the mecca for all theme-park aficionados. The ship offers tours to Universal Studios, Universal's Islands Of Adventure, SeaWorld, Wet 'N Wild, Kennedy Space Center, and shuttles to Disney's Magic Kingdom theme park and to nearby Cocoa Beach, as well as river cruises and cattle range excursions.

We toured the nearby Kennedy Space Center and Cocoa Beach area. The Space Center's Visitor Complex has recently undergone a $130-million redevelopment. At more than 140,000 acres--over 200 square miles--the massive Kennedy Space Center is six times larger than Manhattan. The Center's remarkable collection of rockets, launch pads, NASA aerospace technology components, and launch-viewing opportunities offers an authenticity and behind-the-scenes access unlike any other space-age destination. Twin IMAX movie screens offer awesome views of space and astronauts at work.

On Wednesday we sailed into Miami for a day of relaxation at Miami Beach. The ship offered a number of activities including scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, kayaking, and boat cruises as well as tours of Miami's famed Art Deco neighborhood and regular shuttles to trendy South Beach.

We spent the day at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort, a particularly good choice for families. The visit includes a poolside cabana that overlooks "Cookie's World," a children's interactive water playland and a half-acre rock-grotto swimming pool, water slide, and river-raft ride. There's a large pool for older children and adults. Miami Beach and a boardwalk are just a few steps away.

The next day was another relaxing one--a daylong visit to Great Stirrup Cay, NCL's private Bahamian isle and the only port requiring tenders. The tender operation was smooth and efficient--no waiting in public rooms for a tender ticket. Snorkeling, swimming, and a barbeque lunch were the day's highlights. Massages were available in a covered area near the beach, and Bahamian women set up their straw work, dresses, and T-shirts for shoppers. Although the beach was crowded, it was possible to find a quiet spot. Parasailing, sailboats, kayaks, rafts, and paddleboats with a sea-bottom viewing panel are also available for rent.