bklsmom

Good ideas so far. I don't mind a buffet for lunch, but maybe not at dinner. I know there are lots of options, just trying to to figure out which places are best to aim at for dinner

Actually for dinner, you don't have a lot of options. Steakhouse or Lido. Pasta Bella is only open for lunch. Lido buffet has been scaled way back at dinner and has much fewer options than years back. The Dream has not had any 2.0 upgrades yet, so all the newer dining options and pay dining options are not available on her yet. Steakhouse is good any night. We usually dine the first night (free bottle of wine) and last night at the Steakhouse. To us, it is worth the price, and beginning and ending our week there is special.

We enjoy the steakhouse every cruise usually 2 times. Always on the first night since you get a free bottle of wine with dinner....and usually on the last night. Only once we didn't care for it, but it has never kept us from going back. I don't care for the deserts they serve, but one Cruise, they brought me the Grand Marnier soufflé, that they had in the MDR, when I mentioned we should have eaten there since I love that desert. It was a lovely surprise. Chefs Table is always a must as well!!!

We've been to Belize 7 times, and first 2 times did excursions through the cruise line, and the last 5 we booked privately. We've done captain your own boat, snorkel at shark ray alley and caye caulker, cave tubing, Altun Ha and river Wallace, and zip lining all privately, we will be in Belize again in April and plan on doing a private excursion to Lamanai ruins. We are never worried about arriving late. If the private tour groups got people back late they would lose a lot of business. We always plan though, just in case and know that we could always fly to the next port of call should we miss the ship....but we don't worry about it. Life is a journey, live it! That's our motto and we are not young people, we are mid 50's empty nesters just wanting to have a fun time!!

We cruised with friends, on the Glory, a couple years ago, and had aft cabins. We did ask our room steward to open the door between our balconys and he did. It does not, however, open fully, to one large balcony. Only the door between them opens. We could go back and forth to our rooms via the balcony rather than the hallway, but our balcony was really no larger.

I have room 6484 booked for the Dream, and it's a L shaped balcony cabin in the back of the ship. there is no couch in this balcony cabin, but the balcony is the length of 2 balcony's. It a standard balcony I think it was 4A, but twice as big balcony. when you come in the door you can't see the bed, the bed is facing the windows so you can lay in bed and watch the ocean. You can look it up on the deck plans. Not too many of this shaped cabin on the dream class ships. We spend lots of time on the balcony and Hubby is looking forward to this balcony because it also has a lounger along with the 2 chairs and table.

category 8A not 4A oops:D

I have room 6484 booked for the Dream, and it's a L shaped balcony cabin in the back of the ship. there is no couch in this balcony cabin, but the balcony is the length of 2 balcony's. It a standard balcony I think it was 4A, but twice as big balcony. when you come in the door you can't see the bed, the bed is facing the windows so you can lay in bed and watch the ocean. You can look it up on the deck plans. Not too many of this shaped cabin on the dream class ships. We spend lots of time on the balcony and Hubby is looking forward to this balcony because it also has a lounger along with the 2 chairs and table.

enjoying your review so far. We have sailed out of tampa 7 times. Love Tampa and sailing under the skyway bridge is a sight in itself.

Do you have a handicapped room? The doors are wider, including bathroom which is flat and no step up, they also have roll in showers with no step up. I booked an inside guarantee once and was put in a handicapped room, it was actually very nice since it was layed out differently and a tad bit more spacious.

I know they are sold out, but I was wondering what the deal was. Can you buy the gift card below face value? Is that why everyone is snagging them?

We have booked this cabin for a spring break cruise! We were in the same large balcony, end cabin above the lounge on the Splendor last spring break. It was my favorite cabin ever! The cabin felt larger to me because it was wider. There would be room for a sofa, but it would block the view of one of the two picture windows. Yes, the bed faces the water. We slept with the drapes open when we wouldn't wake up in port. I also liked the extra space behind the door and the fact that the bathroom is not the first thing you see when you walk in. We had a lounger and two chairs on the balcony. We never heard the lounge, but did attend most of the comedy shows. The cabin was very quiet because it was at the very end of the hall, and no one really came back there unless they had a cabin back there.

Thank you so much for the review of this cabin. I'm excited that we jumped on this large balcony cabin room now. I don't think I'll miss the couch because we really never sat on it....we sit on the balcony, and having that double the length, especially at the price of an 8A balcony is awesome.

We are booked on the Dream for April 2016, and have room 6484. This is different L shaped balcony cabin, that does not have the couch, but the balcony is twice as long as standard balcony. Does anyone know if the cabin feels small? DH loves the idea of a double length balcony, but does it have the loungers or just the standard 2 chairs, like the regular balcony. I also like the idea that the bed faces the window and balcony door so we can lay in bed and look out to the ocean. I was curious as to how small the cabin may feel. I like that this was just an 8A category cabin, and not extended balcony pricing. Also, looks like a club or lounge is below us....hope we don't regret that!

So sad that you were left with bad feelings of Cozumel. It's one of our favorite ports. We've even flown there to spend a week long vacation. Funny how so many people have different opinions of the same places, because we dislike Grand Cayman, because it's so expensive. Lots of research would have maybe helped you have a better time. Most ports, its best to research, and know ahead of time, what will be the best beach for you. Like others have suggested, never ask a cab driver to take you where they suggest would be best....they will take you where they have friends and get a bonus for bringing people. I do hope you give Cozumel another try, and maybe you can learn to LOVE this place and it's beautiful people.

We are booked in cabin 6484 on the Dream. This cabin has a different layout, smaller cabin, no couch. the bed is situated to be looking out the glass window/door to the Ocean. the balcony looks to be a double balcony, extra long. We are excited about this big balcony, as we spend all day on sea days on our balcony, room service breakfast out there, and wine before dinner there. Does anyone know if we will have a lounger out there, since there is plenty of room for one. Anyone ever have this or similar cabin with pro/cons to this room layout and extra balcony. I'm surprised that is was a standard balcony cabin in price and not a extended balcony category pricing.

Last time we cruise in January was out of Tampa, and it ended up being one of the coldest days on record for Tampa. It was a mere 25 that morning.....brrrrr we were frozen. Embarkation was cold, muster drill was done inside because of the cold temps. It was so cold that whole week when we were in Grand Cayman, they locals there were in coats, although it was warm to us, not hot but warmer, and not at all swimming weather. In Cozumel, our day at Nachi was no fun, it was cloudy and cool, I used my towel as a blanket to lay on the beach in a lounger..... Seas were rough and turbulent the entire trip from the deep cold front. We decided then that we would never sail again in January. That was the coldest of our January sailings, it can be hit or miss in January.

someone just posted all the menu's and I sure hope its on the Dream come April 2016 for my cruise. YUM;)

It's been several years since we have cruised, and I notice a lot of new things and some changes. I have not seen it mentioned anywhere, so I'm going to ask....We use to always book the steakhouse for the first night, because you got a free bottle of wine with booking first night. Does anyone know if you still get this, with the steakhouse booking for the first night? We love to start and end our week eating at the Steakhouse...but the free wine on the first was always nice.

Great topic...

Scrimp: 1. before cruise lodging, we find the cheapest room we can, its only for sleeping after a long drive to the port. 2. Parking, always find much cheaper parking than directly at the port, but always read reviews. 3. ship sponsored excursions, we go on our own or book something private. 4. alcohol, don't drink on board that saves us a ton! 5. never use on board spa, usually get a nice massage in port for incredible price. 6. never get the ship photos

splurge: 1. Has to be a balcony, having cruised many times, all on board activities, been there done that. we enjoy our time together on sea day watching the ocean pass us by on our private balcony. 2. We have to start and finish our cruise with the Steak House. It's so worth it to us. 3. Everyone should experience the Captains Table at least once....AMAZING 4. Specialty coffee bar at least once a day.

conch fritters are delish at the Wet Lizard in Belize. Get in there and order them early, they get packed and it can get very slow. Belize has great chicken and beans cooked in coconut milk, but I LOVE the cashew wine in Belize. Always bring a bottle or 2 home.

We are heading there on an uncoming cruise and I have myself sold on Nachi Cocum. However, I have two kids aged 12 and 9. I'm wondering if Paradise Beach would be the better bet. It isn't too crazy of a crowd at PB, is it? I want fun, relaxation -- but not a lot of out of control drunks.

The kids would enjoy Paradise...but you would enjoy Nachi. I've been to both, and the crowds and noise of PB is not my idea of relaxing. I've now been to Nachi 3 times and I always look forward to going back. We were there last month and it was chilly, but spent a nice day in the hot tub at the bar. Will be back to Nachi in May, and looking forward to the warmer beach day this time. My DH spent the day in a hammock on the beach, eating and drinking.

I like to collect something handmade from each Island...To make sure it is authentic and not "made in China", I only but a handcraft that I see being made. Wood carvings from, Belize, Roatan, Nassau...Hand woven tablecloth from Cozumel (a tour guide took us to his mothers house, and she was making them and had many beautiful ones, I gave her 10.00 more than the 10.00 she asked for, gorgeous) Piniata from Costa Maya, A hand painted feather called a "friendship feather" framed from San Juan, among my favorite hand made Island things to date. But my best souvenior is a new piece of Jewelry my husband buys me on each cruise. Last year I got my John Henry Alexandrite ring, my birthstone that I've been craving forever!! In December Guy Harvey was in his store in Grand Cayman, and he was signing autographs on anything you bought, so I thought I would surprise my husband with a few things hand signed by Guy. (I shop in GC, he vegitates at the beach) Including a lovely painting of a map of GC. My husband loved them when he opened them Christmas day, along with the pictures I took of guy hand signing them. (we are huge fans of Guy Harvey sealife paintings) I bet he will think about going to the beach next time we are in GC.

I HAVE IMAGINATION,DESTINY,pins looking for jubilee pins

Ahhh someone else from the Jubilee, I loved that ship!! I asked about a year ago, and they didn't have pins of the Jubilee...They started doing the pins the year after they got rid of the Jubilee. I would have loved one from her too.