Just back from 3/6 Dream Sailing...any ?s

[drsullivan]

My family just returned from the 3/6 Dream Western trip...we stayed in spa cabins on the 11th floor...one balcony and three inside rooms. Party of 8....my college daughter, a single mom with her 2 college sons, my wife and I , and our college son and one of his roommates. Feel free to ask away....we ate in the steakhouse on Monday night...wife's birthday....we snorkeled on our own with a boat tour that I got in downtown Cozumel....got pretty crazy at Senor Frogs....we missed Roatan due to winds....went snorkeling in Belize from another tour in the port....and did the Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya with Native choice....fire away....

[mferris77]

How are the 'hot button' issues people have been talking about with regards to the boat? (strange smell in areas, chair hogs, long lines at the food lines, etc).. did it seem like there were 'too many people'? Any other noteworthy pluses or minuses you recall?

 

Hope you had a good trip! At least you had good weather when you got back. (Well, for Florida... yesterday was pretty crappy.)

[going2cruz]

How are the 'hot button' issues people have been talking about with regards to the boat? (strange smell in areas, chair hogs, long lines at the food lines, etc).. did it seem like there were 'too many people'? Any other noteworthy pluses or minuses you recall?

 

Hope you had a good trip! At least you had good weather when you got back. (Well, for Florida... yesterday was pretty crappy.)

 

My questions too??

[drsullivan]

How are the 'hot button' issues people have been talking about with regards to the boat? (strange smell in areas, chair hogs, long lines at the food lines, etc).. did it seem like there were 'too many people'? Any other noteworthy pluses or minuses you recall?

 

Hope you had a good trip! At least you had good weather when you got back. (Well, for Florida... yesterday was pretty crappy.)

 

 

I did notice some vague smells from time to time...one afternoon, my wife mentioned it and she does not read these boards. Sorta like a 'porta potty' smell...not often, but only occasionally...not bad nor a deal breaker

 

There are definitely chair hog issues. The prime space chairs (serenity deck) get saved early. The problem I see is that a group of people put down towels and one stays there and keeps them saved. I did find that

the 'sea' days were worse and that as the week wore on, people stayed out less due to sunburn issues, etc.

 

There were lines in the buffet areas, but we ate breakfast in the dining room (it was quicker than the buffets....in/out in 20-30") and we timed our lunches to avoid the lines. There are always multiple lines for everything. It is easy to find the shorter ones. I ate at the mongolian wok 3x, the burrito bar, the deli, and had burgers and pizza some as well. We ate in the Crimson Dining room and at the Steak House once.

 

There are a lot of people on board. I never felt that there were too many. They do a good job of keeping everyone moving. The comics were great. We went to all the late 'r' shows and we loved them, but I had college kids:) The main stage show they do is fabulous. John Heald does a good job, but we skipped all the talks, the diamond sales, the art sales, and left early on the talent show (only 3 performers....a 20 something girl who forgot the words, a middle age lady who did a long gospel song that kept going...she still might be singing it, and an 82 yo man from South Carolina who sang another gospel song) We loved the spa and I even used the showers there the whole week...never used the cabin one...felt like my private health club.

 

What else???

[hokalier]

Glad to hear you had a good time! What was the weather like? Was there a lot of movement on the ship? It seems like the Caribbean has been kind of rocky lately. We leave on the 20th with 3 kids and I am so afraid someone is going to get seasick.

 

Thanks a bunch! :)

[drsullivan]

We did take several boxes of wine in our luggage as well as several bottles in our backpacks. Some rum bottles also found there way in our luggage and everything arrived just fine in the rooms. I also took a 24 pack of bottled water, an 18 pack of diet pepsi, an 18 pack of diet mountain dew, and an 8 pack of diet orange crush (all packed in a large duffel bag and left with the porters) and all showed up fine at the room.

 

We did buy some run in Cozumel that the boys put in a 'rum runner' and it was noticed and taken. (we had been to senor frogs, so we may have been a little obvious with out balloon hats)

 

We bought some more at Costa Maya...put it in our backpacks...they said to check it...we walked past and on to room...key is to go in when alot of people are

 

I did take a small REI foldable cooler and kept it in the room. I gave my steward 10.00 and he kept it iced down all week. I also gave him 20 more yesterday in addition to the regular gratuities.

[drsullivan]

Glad to hear you had a good time! What was the weather like? Was there a lot of movement on the ship? It seems like the Caribbean has been kind of rocky lately. We leave on the 20th with 3 kids and I am so afraid someone is going to get seasick.

 

Thanks a bunch! :)

 

About 1/2 of my group wore the patches. There was slight movement going out Sunday...hardly anything from Cozumel to Costa Maya....significant movement Thursday night...nothing Friday to the end.

 

My take...alot depends on ship speed...we were 'hauling' from Costa Maya and also crossing the open water in the Yucatan...my daughter did go to bed that night after she took a phenergan because she was a little weak stomached.

[PaulMedik]

We did take several boxes of wine in our luggage as well as several bottles in our backpacks. Some rum bottles also found there way in our luggage and everything arrived just fine in the rooms. I also took a 24 pack of bottled water, an 18 pack of diet pepsi, an 18 pack of diet mountain dew, and an 8 pack of diet orange crush (all packed in a large duffel bag and left with the porters) and all showed up fine at the room.

 

We did buy some run in Cozumel that the boys put in a 'rum runner' and it was noticed and taken. (we had been to senor frogs, so we may have been a little obvious with out balloon hats)

 

We bought some more at Costa Maya...put it in our backpacks...they said to check it...we walked past and on to room...key is to go in when alot of people are

 

I did take a small REI foldable cooler and kept it in the room. I gave my steward 10.00 and he kept it iced down all week. I also gave him 20 more yesterday in addition to the regular gratuities.

 

 

drsullivan,

 

I'm guessing you stayed well hydrated? :)

[drsullivan]

drsullivan,

 

I'm guessing you stayed well hydrated? :)

 

I heard that helps with seasickness:)

I did the packing for the whole group...we did run out of water about midweek....we found that the spa cabins were a long way from supplies...although, I did get water form the spa relaxation room quite often.

And I was traveling with 5 college kids...who were well behaved, but did have fun:)

[vinman13]

Were the collage age kids 21 years old? My son who is in collage and is coming with us. I was wondering if they are going to give him a hard time if he is drinking with me. If your kids were under 21 did they try to purchase onboard and what happened?

[drsullivan]

Were the collage age kids 21 years old? My son who is in collage and is coming with us. I was wondering if they are going to give him a hard time if he is drinking with me. If your kids were under 21 did they try to purchase onboard and what happened?

 

Yes...and no...3 of the boys were over 21 and purchased some, most we brought and they had quite the bar in their room. My daughter is 19 and the other boy is 20. The only ones who bought were over 21, and I don't think they ever asked for anything. My daughter had some wine with my wife and no one seemed to notice. My crew only drunk at night before dinner and then they went with us to dinner, with us to the shows, and then they went to Sam's and Club Caliente until later. They were well-behaved and socially appropriate....if that makes sense. We all got a little loud at the 11pm and 12am comedy clubs...but that is appropriate there:)

 

There was one group that was playing beer pong on the ping pong tables that did get a little loud, but they were not mine and were a little older.

 

In Mexico, 18 is the legal age, so we were all legal in Senor Frogs....

[jules815]

Were the collage age kids 21 years old? My son who is in collage and is coming with us. I was wondering if they are going to give him a hard time if he is drinking with me. If your kids were under 21 did they try to purchase onboard and what happened?

 

I wasn't on Dream, but I was on Destiny last week with my almost 21 year old daughter.

 

She had some drinks with me throughout the cruise, and it never was a problem, as long as you pay for the drinks with your card. I had also ordered a wine package with dinner, and they always offered her a glass of wine when they poured for the table. (This was also the case in the dining room on our last RC cruise.)

[sunlover5]

Crazy question about chair hogs?? Won't be going to serenity area because DH is a big people watcher and likes activity to watch!! I know the Dream does not have the tiered levels and I really don't care if we are right by the pool (rather not be)....so where is there to lay out and enjoy the sun at.?? And yes, I am one to go out in the morning and stay all day!!!:)

[drsullivan]

Crazy question about chair hogs?? Won't be going to serenity area because DH is a big people watcher and likes activity to watch!! I know the Dream does not have the tiered levels and I really don't care if we are right by the pool (rather not be)....so where is there to lay out and enjoy the sun at.?? And yes, I am one to go out in the morning and stay all day!!!:)

 

There is a large area by the main pool and that is the best people watching area. The second level is where a lot of tables are. The third level above the pool is also where a lot of chairs are. Actually, the Serenity deck is some good people watching because people keep walking by to find chairs and to see the ship. But beware, that is also where the weird ones are....we had a 60+ yo man in a very skimpy bikini, large sun hat, and shaved legs who just stood by the rail and smiled....really creepy...they

will put chairs out throughout the day along different decks and put them up at night.

[arman]

My family just returned from the 3/6 Dream Western trip...we stayed in spa cabins on the 11th floor...one balcony and three inside rooms. Party of 8....my college daughter, a single mom with her 2 college sons, my wife and I , and our college son and one of his roommates. Feel free to ask away....we ate in the steakhouse on Monday night...wife's birthday....we snorkeled on our own with a boat tour that I got in downtown Cozumel....got pretty crazy at Senor Frogs....we missed Roatan due to winds....went snorkeling in Belize from another tour in the port....and did the Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya with Native choice....fire away....

 

Hello, here are some questions?

 

How did you like Belize? We have heard pros and cons about the port. Also, do you have any info on the cave tubing?

 

Did you like the Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya?

 

How was the Dream?

We have been on the Splendor and lots of other Carnival Ships, but not the Dream.

 

Thinking about doing the cruise in Sept.

 

 

Thanks

 

Ronnie and Pattie

[them]

Thanks for this info - My family will also be staying in spa balcony cabins on the 11th deck on the April 3rd sailing, so I am very curious about the cabin and the spa:

 

- Was there a hair dryer in the cabin?

- Tub or shower in the bathroom?

- I've read that folks from above can see onto your balcony for some of the spa cabins on the 12th deck. Was this also true on the 11th deck? Or are the 11th deck balconies fully covered?

- I've read that there is a welcome spa ritual when you arrive. Did you take advantage of that? And, if so, what exactly did it entail?

- Any pics of the interior of your cabin or of your balcony that you can share?

- Any problem with noise from above? I've read that some cabins can hear footsteps running to the slides.....

- How were the crowds in the spa? Any peak times that we should avoid?

- Anything else about the spa that I should know? My mom, my sis, my daughter, and I plan on using the thalassotherapy pool and thermal suite a lot, and aren't quite sure what to expect.

 

Sorry for all of the questions - thanks for any info that you can provide!

 

T ania

H enry

E ddie

M aggie

[drsullivan]

Thanks for this info - My family will also be staying in spa balcony cabins on the 11th deck on the April 3rd sailing, so I am very curious about the cabin and the spa:

 

- Was there a hair dryer in the cabin? yes...in the drawer

- Tub or shower in the bathroom? shower...typical cruise shower. I used the spa ones:)

- I've read that folks from above can see onto your balcony for some of the spa cabins on the 12th deck. Was this also true on the 11th deck? Or are the 11th deck balconies fully covered? They are fully covered...I wasn't:)

- I've read that there is a welcome spa ritual when you arrive. Did you take advantage of that? And, if so, what exactly did it entail? There is a spa tour where they give everyone a tour. It is crazy and they are selling all the spa stuff. You only need to take your room key, they give you a VIP card which opens the doors to the thermal suites and the private locker rooms. These have coded lockers where you can put your stuff while you spa. We did not do any treatments as we get massages frequently at home and I could not bring myself to pay what they wanted for a massage. I loved the spa facilities and the 'hot tub' was wild when the boat was rocking.

- Any pics of the interior of your cabin or of your balcony that you can share? I have some...need to see how to load them

- Any problem with noise from above? I've read that some cabins can hear footsteps running to the slides.....yes...we were in 11214 and were under the treadmills. We could here them some. We sleep with a 'white noise machine' which blocks sound well. The spa is supposed to close at 10pm, but we found that employees used it later. One night, I went up the back way and did see some fitness instructors working out at 12am....they stopped shortly afterwards so we did not make a deal of it. We were much more annoyed by the smoking on the balconies below that drifted up!!

- How were the crowds in the spa? Any peak times that we should avoid?

The crowds in the spa were minimal. The workout area stays busy. The spa suites were virtually empty or never more than 3-4 in them. I never had anyone in the locker rooms with me when I showered at night before dinner around 6pm.

- Anything else about the spa that I should know? My mom, my sis, my daughter, and I plan on using the thalassotherapy pool and thermal suite a lot, and aren't quite sure what to expect.

I liked the pool...it is just a big hot tub with aluminum bars to lay on and jets and bubblers. There is a room with the heated loungers that is nice. @ steam rooms and a dry sauna. There are two rain showers in the hall area (you would use them with a swimsuit) and two private showers with jets and a hand held in the private locker rooms. I never used the bathroom in my room. I worked out everyday and at night I would go to the spa and relax for an hour and then wear my robe downstairs and change for dinner.

Sorry for all of the questions - thanks for any info that you can provide!

 

T ania

H enry

E ddie

M aggie

 

Hope that helps

[drsullivan]

Hello, here are some questions?

 

How did you like Belize? We have heard pros and cons about the port. Also, do you have any info on the cave tubing? We took an early tender to the port and bought a snorkel/island tour from a vendor in port. Snorkeling was ok...lots of effort and time to get there. I would probably make that a boat day if we had made Roatan. We did go out in the general market and had fun with the vendors. I was offered a massage by three natives, they all specialized in reflexology:) The best part of Belize was watching the ride out as we had to negotiate all the small islands and reefs for about 2 hours and we followed three other ships out.

 

Did you like the Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya? I had never been to Mayan Ruins before and was very impressed. The ride out was in a small van while the guide talked and the ride back was in a bus that was cool and comfortable. We all slept back. I heard from others that the roads in Costa Maya were much nicer than Belize.

How was the Dream? I like the ship. We were on the Paradise when she was new about 10 years ago. The Dream is big, but we found our way around very well. We liked the comedy clubs. The spa was nice. We had never had a balcony before and it was nice as well.

We have been on the Splendor and lots of other Carnival Ships, but not the Dream.

 

Thinking about doing the cruise in Sept.

 

 

Thanks

 

Ronnie and Pattie

 

Hope that helps

[them]

Thanks very much, that did help a lot!!!!!

[arman]

Hope that helps

 

 

Thanks

It did.

[Akgoalie7]

When were your formal nights and what was the cheapest blackjack minimum you saw?

[drsullivan]

When were your formal nights and what was the cheapest blackjack minimum you saw?

 

They were Monday and Friday night...the sea days, I think....I am

a dress shirt and khaki guy every night....although I did wear a dress shirt and dress shorts a couple nights. I am all about trying to pack light and I work in scrubs everyday, so I only have one suit and it is for funerals and weddings and, as I was attending neither on the ship, it stayed at home:)

 

As far as blackjack, I walked through the casino, but I did not gamble any. I play craps in Vegas, but did not play any on the ship.