Carnival Dream 2/13/10-2/20/10

[firedisney97]

Back on Saturday night, took me a couple of days to get this written but here is our review of the Eastern Itinerary on the Carnival Dream.

 

Arrival in Orlando: This was one of my few minor complaints of the week. We booked all our air and ground transfers through Carnival – we always have and because we live in the Mountain Time Zone they arrange our flights for the day before sailing and an overnight hotel. When we have flew into Miami or Fort Lauderdale, there has been a Carnival Representative at the airport to give us directions to the transfer buses and give us instructions for the next day. At Orlando there was not a representative in sight at the airport. I had to call the hotel for their shuttle and then ask them when the Carnival shuttle was to come the next morning. Apparently this is the standard procedure for the Orlando cruises but we were not told this before hand and spent some time in confusion with our luggage and 2 kids in tow. Hotel was fine, Carnival put us up in the Orlando Airport Marriott. Beautiful hotel, just wish we had better weather, it was in the high 40’s or low 50’s in Orlando the 12th and 13th so the kids didn’t get to do much outside in Orlando.

Embarkation: Buses picked us and about 200 other people up at the hotel on Saturday morning around 11 (good thing we asked at the desk because all our paperwork said that the transfer bus would be at the hotel around noon) 1 hour ride to the port and very short, quick line through security and check in and on the ship around 1pm. I will say it was rather cold in Orlando though, first time I have boarded a ship in jeans and sweatshirts/jackets

I will preface this with the fact that the weather was not the best cruising weather we have had, but the port days were good. Our 3 sea days were cloudy and very windy for the most part. I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the temperatures, but my 7yo DD wanted to go swimming, so Monday her dad took her down and they were back within a ½ hour due to the cold. We never really got a chance to try the water slides (they were actually closed on Thurs due to high winds)

 

Nassau: Temperature here I know was only around 60 but DD and I had scheduled the Dolphin Encounter at Atlantis so off we went. Actually it turned out to be a good day, since the sun came out. When we got to Atlantis it was around 9-9:15 our turn for the dolphins was at 10:40 and by the time we walked all the way through the facility to the Dolphin Cay, we just hung around on the little beach they have there. We did our encounter (kissing, hugging, high fives and all the stuff the let you do). By the time we were done and got changed it was close to noon. Went to the gift shop to pick some souvenirs and pictures. Very disorganized and the picture booth. I wasn’t sure we were going to get ours and get all the way through the facility and back to make the 1pm bus (last bus to be back on board at 1:30) but we did. Back on board at 1:30ish.

My husband and DS did a mini submersible and really enjoyed it

 

St Thomas: We chose not to book an excursion here, we just wanted to take the kids to the beach for their first time playing on the beach and swimming in the ocean. My DH did some researching and discovered Emerald on the west side of St Thomas. It is a public beach but you have to walk through a Best Western Resort property to get to the beach. It is beautiful and a lot less crowded than some of the other beaches were that day; we were in port with the Oasis of the Seas, P&O Oceania, Emerald Princess, and Norwegian Pearl (if my memory serves me correctly) Weather for the beach was great this day and the kids had a blast. Wanted to take the kids up Paradise Point but it is $21.00 a person to go up now, my 3yo would have been free but would have been $63 for the rest of us and the kids were tired and wanted to go play so we took them back to the ship and they went to Camp Carnival. After dropping them off we met up with the rest of the group we were traveling with and decided the adults were going to go to Paradise Point so we went up and enjoyed the sunset

 

St Martin: Again we were in Port with 5-6 other ships, one of them being Oasis. I really noticed the crowds here. Do to some sunburn we just went downtown and did some shopping here and other wise stayed on ship (kids napped and wanted to go play in Camp Carnival.)

Sea Days (Thurs & Fri): Weather was cool and windy – Kids wanted to play at Camp for the most part, so they did that, DH and I enjoyed the ship. I would rather have enjoyed the sun and a deck chair but with the wind blowing it wasn’t very comfortable doing that. DH and DD played the giant chess game one afternoon. Thursday we did participate in the Behind the Fun tour and if you have a chance to do this on one of the ships go for it! This is one of the most in-depth tours I have ever been on and learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes.

 

Ship: We did enjoy the ship but our opinion is that rather than enlarging the public areas, Carnival added more cabins (=more people) without adding more public space. Sometimes felt very crowded and we had some run ins with some very rude people a couple of times. Met some very friendly, courteous people also, but noticed a lot more that were not very friendly. Ate in the SteakHouse one night and it is very good! Dining room staff and room stewards were all terrific, this was some of the best/friendliest staff and crew that we have experienced! Camp Carnival Staff is absolutely outstanding. I wish we would have made time to go to more of the shows but we did attend Dancin’ in the Streets and if I have to say do not miss this show it is outstanding.

 

John Heald is a good Cruise Director, very funny on stage and I had looked forward to traveling with him so I was glad to not be disappointed

 

Debarkation: Very easy – but very early. We had a 6pm flight out of Orlando so rather than spend the whole day sitting in an airport with a 3yo and a 7yo we chose to take the Kennedy Space Center tour with Airport transfer. If you have never been to the Space Center I highly recommend this tour, especially with the changes that are going to be coming to the Space Program by the end of this year.

In general a very good cruise, minus the weather. However DH and I have decided that we will not cruise this class ship again as it is too many people for us on a cruise. Out of our 3 cruises (all on Carnival, Valor, Miracle & Dream) are favorite ship has been the Valor and I think our next cruise will be back to the Conquest Class ships.

 

I am sure I missed something somewhere, but if you have questions please ask and I will try to answer everything I can.

[dprg644]

Beautiful hotel, just wish we had better weather, it was in the high 40’s or low 50’s in Orlando the 12th and 13th so the kids didn’t get to do much outside in Orlando.

 

This should have been like a heat wave for you :D. Just kidding thanks for your review. Looks like you guys did have a good time and it would have been nicer if the weather cooperated.

[firedisney97]

This should have been like a heat wave for you :D. Just kidding thanks for your review. Looks like you guys did have a good time and it would have been nicer if the weather cooperated.

 

Actually it was warmer that back home and the temperatures would have been great if the da-- wind had ever quit blowing:D

[campdaan]

Great review... Thanks for posting

[cheerleader16]

great review going on the ship in April:D:D:D:D:D

[cruzenagain]

Thursday we did participate in the Behind the Fun tour and if you have a chance to do this on one of the ships go for it! This is one of the most in-depth tours I have ever been on and learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes.

 

Great review!

 

Can you tell me how much the behind the scenes tour was per person? Did they show you back stage or anything to do with the entertainment staff.

 

Thanks for your help! Can't wait until it is our turn to go on the Dream.

[dancing_stan]

Great review, thanks! I was wondering if you could tell me what time you disembarked the ship to leave for the Kennedy Space Center Tour and about what time did you arrive at the airport after the tour?

 

Thanks!

[firedisney97]

Great review!

 

Can you tell me how much the behind the scenes tour was per person? Did they show you back stage or anything to do with the entertainment staff.

 

Thanks for your help! Can't wait until it is our turn to go on the Dream.

 

Behind the Fun tour: We met in the Song Lounge on Thurs at 8:30 am(one of our last 2 sea days) and went literally from the bottom of the ship to the top of the ship and from the front to the back. One of the problems with this tour however is if you are traveling with younger kids, no kids under 13 allowed on the tour and Camp Carnival does not open till 9am, the tour is around 3 1/2 - 4 hours (we were not done until 12:30) and Camp Carnival closes at 12pm. If we had not been traveling with my parents, who took the kids to Camp and picked them up we would not have been able to do this tour.

Toured the galley's and the pastery chefs had breakfast and chocolate dipped strawberries for us first thing in the morning. Went from there to below decks and I can't even remember everything we toured - the storage areas (food and beverage) garbage areas (very surprising things learned here :)). Went to the Engine Control room and the Chief Engineer gave a very indepth talk about what goes on (can't go to the actual Engine room do to noise and safety issues), went to the staff areas (did not get to see a crew cabin as all of them are full on the Carnival Dream and our guide did not want to ask someone to show their personal area, if there had been an empty crew cabin we would have gotten to see one) went to the laundry areas (below deck 0 - below the water line) all the way to the bridge, met and spoke with the captain and the 1st officer, finished in the Chef's Art Steakhouse with Champagne and a survey.

 

Cost was $95.00 per person, make sure you are really able to climb a lot of stairs and we received a plate from the pastry chef in our room later that day (strawberries and another couple of small desserts) we received a sling bag with a Behind the Fun logo, a Behind the Fun hat, wrist band and laynard and received copies of the pictures that were taken on the outside crew deck and on the bridge with the captain (about 9 photos in all) We did see backstage and talked to a couple of the entertainment staff but honestly there is not much to see backstage (not a lot of room)

 

Hope I covered everything for you, let me know if you have any other questions.

[firedisney97]

Great review, thanks! I was wondering if you could tell me what time you disembarked the ship to leave for the Kennedy Space Center Tour and about what time did you arrive at the airport after the tour?

 

Thanks!

 

We received special luggage tags for group #3 and we had to meet in the Encore lounge by 7:30 am. I think we were off the ship by 8 and on the bus not later than 8:30am. The tour group all disembarked together and we were given special stickers to identify us as part of this tour group We arrived at Orlando airport around 3pm (it is about an hour from Kennedy to the airport)

[Suntanz]

I was considering taking my kids to the Kennedy Space Station after the cruise as well. Can you tell me what they show you there? Did the kids enjoy it?

[mississauga]

Very good review! Thanks for sharing!

[ckrcjr]

We are sailing on the Dream this Sat. and can't wait to explore and enjoy her!! Is the notice for the Behind the Fun Tour given in the "fun times" and you sign up once you are onboard? The tour sounds great and would love to take it. Thanks for all the info - and review!

[prose]

Great review Melissa! It was a pleasure meeting you, Eric and the kids. We definitely could have used less wind and slightly warmer temps.

 

We hope to sail with you again.

[cruzenagain]

Behind the Fun tour: We met in the Song Lounge on Thurs at 8:30 am(one of our last 2 sea days) and went literally from the bottom of the ship to the top of the ship and from the front to the back. One of the problems with this tour however is if you are traveling with younger kids, no kids under 13 allowed on the tour and Camp Carnival does not open till 9am, the tour is around 3 1/2 - 4 hours (we were not done until 12:30) and Camp Carnival closes at 12pm. If we had not been traveling with my parents, who took the kids to Camp and picked them up we would not have been able to do this tour.

Toured the galley's and the pastery chefs had breakfast and chocolate dipped strawberries for us first thing in the morning. Went from there to below decks and I can't even remember everything we toured - the storage areas (food and beverage) garbage areas (very surprising things learned here :)). Went to the Engine Control room and the Chief Engineer gave a very indepth talk about what goes on (can't go to the actual Engine room do to noise and safety issues), went to the staff areas (did not get to see a crew cabin as all of them are full on the Carnival Dream and our guide did not want to ask someone to show their personal area, if there had been an empty crew cabin we would have gotten to see one) went to the laundry areas (below deck 0 - below the water line) all the way to the bridge, met and spoke with the captain and the 1st officer, finished in the Chef's Art Steakhouse with Champagne and a survey.

 

Cost was $95.00 per person, make sure you are really able to climb a lot of stairs and we received a plate from the pastry chef in our room later that day (strawberries and another couple of small desserts) we received a sling bag with a Behind the Fun logo, a Behind the Fun hat, wrist band and laynard and received copies of the pictures that were taken on the outside crew deck and on the bridge with the captain (about 9 photos in all) We did see backstage and talked to a couple of the entertainment staff but honestly there is not much to see backstage (not a lot of room)

 

Hope I covered everything for you, let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer questions!

[Heirloom]

Firedisney97,

 

On Behind-The-Fun tour.....are you permitted to take your own photos ?