Just off the DREAM and our review 4-24-5-1

[dprg644]

Well here is our review of our cruise on the Dream April 24th – May 1st. This was our 3rd Carnival cruise. My disclaimer is that some of this is my opinion and perception so keep that in mind. We were part of the “Dream Team” with Host Randy. Thanks Randy for all your hard work to put together a great fun group cruise.

 

Let's start so with everything packed and the truck (Avalanche) fueled and ready to go we got up at 2:30am to leave at 3:30 for a 2.25 hour drive to the airport after picking up another couple who were going with us. At 3am as I was getting ready to load our suitcases a storm blew in and well the best laid plan sometimes don't work out. With 80-90 MPH winds and what I would call a small tornado I watched as a 4x4 post went through my front windshield of my truck like an arrow and all while the roofs to all my out buildings went by me bouncing off my vehicle and house. I really thought I was in a recreation of the Wizard of Oz. Ok so our cruise was not starting off well but determined we were not going to miss this after booking a year and half prior and the fact that we were going to have a GOOD time no matter what we went to plan B. I pulled the truck under the carport since the windshield was now mostly in the front seat and it was pouring rain. I got the wife’s car out and called the other couple so they would now have to drive since we could not fit everything in one car. We got the airport and after parking I called my brother and son who both live about 2 hours away, one in OKC and the other in Wichita Ks as well as a friend who was going to house watch for us and told them the bad news. Since it was dark and pouring rain I could not access the total damage so they did it for me as well as getting the power back up. Yea lost the power so no lights trying to find everything and probably the worse thing no curling iron for DW. The short story was 2 barns, 2 trees, fencing, my truck and the house roofing were all destroyed. Down but not out, we persevered on.

 

Ok so that is how our cruise started, not so well but let’s get to the cruise part. We flew into Orlando on Friday and had Cocoa Beach Shuttle there to pick all of us and 2 other cruise critic couples up (Debbie & Chuck and Shirley and Dale). If you have to shuttle from the Orlando airport, Cocoa Beach Shuttle did a fine job and I would recommend them. We arrived at the Radisson at the port and the motel was beautiful and the party was already starting as several other cruise critic members were already there. Another nice thing about the Radisson was that they offer a free shuttle around town which we took advantage of as we needed to get some “liquid refreshments” and last minute items before we got on the ship. We also went to Ron Jon’s and Cocoa Beach Surf Company to kill some time and of course do some shopping.

 

Embarkation was very simple and organized. We got to the port around 10:30 and by 11:30 we were eating lunch on the Lido deck. Just prior to eating we went to the excursion desk and booked the “behind the fun tour”. We were able to select the time we wanted i.e. 9am or 9:30 am. We took the 9:30am time slot.

In Nassau we just did shopping and walked around. It is such a short stop and not really worth it to us to do any excursions. In St. Thomas we did Parasailing and had a blast, well I had more a blast than my DW did (lol). The quiet and views from 600’ were simply breath taking. Just a side note you (at least AT&T) could use you cell phone while we were in port as St. Thomas is USVI and therefore you could use your cell phone all day long with no additional charges which was nice since I had to do lots of follow up with the insurance company. We also took the tram up to paradise point for some “bushwhackers” as well as the breathtaking views. We purchased the tram tickets from the ships excursion desk as they were a couple of bucks cheaper and if you did not use them you could bring them back to the excursion desk and they would refund the cost. In St. Maarten we did Sea Trek and of course shopping. We took the water taxi over to town to shop before our excursion and back to the pier and back on the ship so we could change for Sea Trek which was in the afternoon. Another side note is to plan on doing lot’s of walking. There were several other ships docked and the walk from the ship to where the water taxis were is quite a little distance. We both did the Sea Trek and this time DW had a better time than I did. Don’t get me wrong it was fantastic and the fish and views at 21’ were simply breathtaking but I think I am more of an above the water type of guy.

 

Debarkation was not as smooth as embarkation. Since we flew and had a little extra time before our flight we decided to do the “relax” debarkation and placed our luggage out the night before. We had to exchange our number tickets we got for a lower number and went to guest services and they happily exchanged them for a lower number. That morning we went and ate breakfast and waited for our number to be called. Once our number got called we got off the ship and went to where our luggage was supposed to be. After 30-45 minutes we got ours but the couple that sailed with us could not find 2 of their bags. They got 2 but were still missing 2. The way it was explained to us was that they separate the luggage by your debarking number and place it on the carousel when your number is called. They said don’t go down before your number is called as your luggage would not be put out yet and don’t wait long after your number is called because your luggage would be going around and around and would be eventually pulled off and placed in the corner. So with that information we went when our number was called and noticed there was everything from low numbers to the highest numbers (not close to being called yet) already put on the carousel. For some reason the 2 bags the other couple with us were waiting on were not put out until the last numbers were called. Needless to say there was a little scare thinking the bags would not be located before we had to take the shuttle back to Orlando for our return flight. I don’t know what the screw up was but the luggage thing was very chaotic and seemed disorganized as there were numerous people with missing luggage or it was on the wrong carousel. There were 3 different carousels with different debarking numbers placed on the different carousels. However there were numerous mix ups with luggage not being on the correct carousel which added to the confusion.

 

The food was good both in the dining room as well as on the lido deck. We ate at least once at all of the different venues and had late seating in the MDR. The pasta bar I thought was very good and DW liked it also. This was probably our favorite. Now the lines. Yes there were some lines here and there but for me it was not a big deal. I would have to wait at any other restaurant I would have ate at so a line while on a cruise ship with 3600 other people is not unreasonable. They were not unusually long. There were times when it was 15-20 +/- minutes wait and times it only one or two. I did not plan to work around the peak times; I ate when I wanted to and did not worry about it. They could however do better opening up and organizing the buffet line and they closed the pasta bar one day for about 20 minutes while the pasta chefs got caught up. The MDR staff was very good and from the first night called us by our first names and figured out what we liked and did not like. I thought the food was good and would recommend if I remember correct that Tuesday as the day to do the supper club if you going to do it as it was the weakest menu for us.

 

The entertainment we thought was better than usual. Dancing in the streets is a not to miss show in my opinion as well as the magic show. The guys with “fun force” were simply unbelievable and were very personable when we saw them out away from the show. They would always talk to us and spent time telling us how they got started and so forth.

 

The ship and cabin were clean and nice. The ship was beautiful as expected and really did not seem more crowded than the Conquest. Yes at times it was very crowed but you could always find a quite place if you wanted. The layout was what we expected and we were able to get around without much problems. If you go into a cruise with the understanding that there is 3600 plus fellow cruisers and 1400 plus crew and only so much real estate available you come to understand there will be some crowds. Since I mentioned numbers we did talk to a few people while docked who were sailing on the Oais of the Seas. They all said to "save your money" and said that cabins were smaller and the ship was crowded and simply just too big. I do like the “fun hub” layout and the fact that there were computers located in different parts of the ship which made it nice and convenient. Yes the chair hogs were out in numbers and that will never change. Yes getting an elevator was difficult, if not impossible at times, but the way we looked at it was that we needed to take the stairs anyways to work off some of the food we grazed on all week. We did come across the “smell” here and there while walking around the ship but it is not like the whole ship smells and it was hit or miss if you hit “it” or not. It was not something that would ruin a cruise or a reason for someone to cancel their cruise to another ship. Like I said it was hit or miss if you smelled “it” and not a big deal to us and. Geezzz I have smelled worse coming from some of my coworkers.

 

We did the “behind the fun” tour on the second to last sea day. For me it was well worth the cost being able to see everything from the bridge to galley to engine control room and so on. We also got several photos with the Captain on the bridge which was also something you would not be able to get. Would I do it again, well probably not simply because once you have seen the different areas you probably seen them all so to speak. I am sure they are a little different from one ship to another but not that different that would warrant spending the money again. Would I recommend it….oh yea especially if you’re the type that likes looking and visiting these areas of the ship.

This was the first time we had a balcony and it was an aft one. We loved the balcony and the view from the aft of the ship while sailing. It was however kind of weird in that we had 8477 and the other couple had 8475 however their balcony was another 3’ bigger than ours. We had 2 chairs and a table while they had 2 chairs, a lounge chair as well as a table. We had the steward open the connecting door anyways so we had one huge balcony. Now the down side to our balcony was the soot from the ship that blew on the balcony, chairs, railing and so forth. It happened bad while in Port Canaveral, and St. Maarten and once while we were sailing. It was all over and you had to wipe everything down first so as not to get black on your clothing. Just a word of advice is not to wear white or leave your clothing out. This was the only down side to having an aft balcony. Would I get another one….in a heartbeat. The views were well worth it as well as the sound of the water from the back of the ship. Our room steward was great and he did his usual magic knowing when we left for a few minutes and our room was clean. I still don’t know how they do it as we would leave different times but yet he popped in and popped out before we got back. He also kept the balcony washed and clean each morning.

 

Even with the small “issues” we had a great cruise and a fantastic time and we would not hesitate to sail the Dream or any other Carnival ship again. So much so we purchased our future cruise certificates again. For us it is a win-win deal. I truly believe a cruise is what you make it and attitude is 95% of having a good time. We met some other cruise critic members who were great as well as other fellow cruisers. One observation IMHO is that there are a select few who think they are “entitled” or something, cutting in lines, chair hogging, complaining non-stop and so on and probably should find another form of vacation to go on. The weather was perfect, seas were calm, and we ate too much and got too much sun….but that it what cursing is all about and we loved it. The other couple that went with us was their first cruise and now they are hooked. Sorry guys....

I know I did not post any pictures but if someone wants something specific and I have it I will certainly post it so just let me know.

 

If you have questions ask away…..

[mom2girls]

Thanks for posting! :) Did you call AT&T to find out about the charges in St. Thomas? It's nice to know that I can call home without any extra charges to my account.

[Cruise_Dreaming]

Thanks for taking the time to post a review. It is always fun for me to read review and to live vicariously through others.

 

What was your favorite area of the ship and do you have a pic of it? What was your least favorite area?

[dprg644]

Yea I called well emailed T&T and that is what they told me. It was great being able to talk to family but better yet was sending the pic's back! Here is what AT&T emailed back:

Thank you for taking the time to e-mail AT&T regarding using your phone while on a cruise to St. Thomas.

Please note that you need to be aware of several scenarios using your phone outside of the United States.

USEAGE ON CRUISE SHIP

If you are still in the U.S. at the original port of embarkation and final port of debarkation, you will be billed with the regular rates included in your plan. All other usage while on board the ship will be charged at the standard international roaming rate of $2.49 per minute even if you may be in proximity to the US. The cruise ship network is turned on once the ship is at sea. Generally, the cruise ship network will be shut down when it determines that it is within 12 miles of land. It will be turned back on once the network detects that it is no longer near coordinates of a port. While roaming on the cruise ship, your phone will display "AT&T".

Please note: If you do not have an international roaming feature on your account, in addition to international roaming airtime charges, you will be charged any toll that is passed through by the carrier. Consequently, we recommend adding an international roaming feature for all customers who plan to use their AT&T service on cruise ships.

If you send a Text Message while on board the ship you will be billed $0.50 per message. A Multimedia Message while on board the ship will be billed $1.30 per message. Pay-per-use or package rates apply to all text, picture or video messages received while on board the ship. The rate for Wireless Internet while on board the ship is $.0195 per kilobyte transferred.

You can find out more information, including cruise ships where service will be available at http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/international-roaming.jsp#cruise-ships.

NOTE: When you are roaming internationally and your phone is turned on, even if you do not answer the call, you are charged for one minute at the international roaming rate.

US VIRGIN ISLANDS

While in the US Virgin Islands you will not be charge for international roaming or long distance because this area is a protectorate of the United States. St. Thomas is a part of the US Virgin Islands and there will be no international roaming or long distance. You calls would use the anytime minutes, nights and weekends, and mobile to mobile minutes just as for calls while in the United States. The calls will be billed according to the time zone that you are in. You iPhone will use data from the unlimited data package

 

Thanks for posting! :) Did you call AT&T to find out about the charges in St. Thomas? It's nice to know that I can call home without any extra charges to my account.

[mom2girls]

Yea I called well emailed T&T and that is what they told me. It was great being able to talk to family but better yet was sending the pic's back! Here is what AT&T emailed back:

Thank you for taking the time to e-mail AT&T regarding using your phone while on a cruise to St. Thomas.

Please note that you need to be aware of several scenarios using your phone outside of the United States.

 

USEAGE ON CRUISE SHIP

 

If you are still in the U.S. at the original port of embarkation and final port of debarkation, you will be billed with the regular rates included in your plan. All other usage while on board the ship will be charged at the standard international roaming rate of $2.49 per minute even if you may be in proximity to the US. The cruise ship network is turned on once the ship is at sea. Generally, the cruise ship network will be shut down when it determines that it is within 12 miles of land. It will be turned back on once the network detects that it is no longer near coordinates of a port. While roaming on the cruise ship, your phone will display "AT&T".

 

Please note: If you do not have an international roaming feature on your account, in addition to international roaming airtime charges, you will be charged any toll that is passed through by the carrier. Consequently, we recommend adding an international roaming feature for all customers who plan to use their AT&T service on cruise ships.

 

If you send a Text Message while on board the ship you will be billed $0.50 per message. A Multimedia Message while on board the ship will be billed $1.30 per message. Pay-per-use or package rates apply to all text, picture or video messages received while on board the ship. The rate for Wireless Internet while on board the ship is $.0195 per kilobyte transferred.

 

You can find out more information, including cruise ships where service will be available at http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/international-roaming.jsp#cruise-ships.

 

NOTE: When you are roaming internationally and your phone is turned on, even if you do not answer the call, you are charged for one minute at the international roaming rate.

 

 

US VIRGIN ISLANDS

 

While in the US Virgin Islands you will not be charge for international roaming or long distance because this area is a protectorate of the United States. St. Thomas is a part of the US Virgin Islands and there will be no international roaming or long distance. You calls would use the anytime minutes, nights and weekends, and mobile to mobile minutes just as for calls while in the United States. The calls will be billed according to the time zone that you are in. You iPhone will use data from the unlimited data package

Thank you so much for posting this! :D I really do LOVE cruisecritic!

[dprg644]

Really to be honest I did not have a “favorite” location as I enjoyed all of it depending on what we were doing at the time. I guess my balcony was my favorite if I had to pick one place since it was always “open and not crowded” and quite. I guess for me the least favorite place would have to be the buffet on the lido deck when it was packed with people and no where to sit. I’ll try to post some pic’s as soon as I can get them uploaded to photo bucket.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post a review. It is always fun for me to read review and to live vicariously through others.

 

What was your favorite area of the ship and do you have a pic of it? What was your least favorite area?

[bookworm82]

Thanks so much for the review...I just love reading these while waiting on my cruise...Did you happen to keep copies of the Capers for the Eastern itinerary? I would love to see them..I sail on June 5...and can't wait!!

 

Darla

[TakeMeAway1001]

Wow what a way to start a cruise, I am so sorry you had to deal with that but glad to hear no one was hurt. Thanks for posting a review :)

[hoop4321]

glad to hear that you had a great time.:) Thank you for posting your email back from AT&T. I have read about it in other's posts, but it is reassuring to see that it came from AT&T. I am sorry about your truck and other properties, and most of all for having to deal with the insurance company during your cruise. I hope everything is sorted out easily.

[Time2CruiseAgain]

Thanks for the review!! We board the Dream in 12 days!!!! Our shuttle leaves for the port at 10:30 and it is very encouraging to know that around that time that you were able to get on the Behind the Fun tour - my husband and I want to do that!

[dprg644]

I think you will really like it. The shore excursion desk opens up at 11:30 but we got there about 11:15 and she was just setting up so we got signed up.

 

Thanks for the review!! We board the Dream in 12 days!!!! Our shuttle leaves for the port at 10:30 and it is very encouraging to know that around that time that you were able to get on the Behind the Fun tour - my husband and I want to do that!

[dprg644]

I did keep them all. I'll try to get them scanned in tomorrow and see how I can post them. If I can't post them I'll let you know and try to email them to you.

 

 

Thanks so much for the review...I just love reading these while waiting on my cruise...Did you happen to keep copies of the Capers for the Eastern itinerary? I would love to see them..I sail on June 5...and can't wait!!

 

Darla

[Bob and Linda]

Thanks for taking time to do the review. My wife and I enjoyed it. We'll be sailing on the Dream in January. Sorry about all your property damage.

[linda stupke]

We are sailing on Dream in Jan and have the same room as you and my SIL and BIL have 8475. I guess they got the better balcony!! It is their first time sailing too. I hope the soot problem isn't too bad. We had aft cabins once on a Royal Carib ship and the soot was minor. We have 2 other couples going with us, one has the wrap balcony and the other is next to us so we are hoping we can open all the balconies and enjoy one big one! Do the balconies open all the way back or is there more like a doorway to each? If you have photos of the rooms and balconies, would you email them to me? Thanks. mlstupke@juno.com

[dprg644]

We are sailing on Dream in Jan and have the same room as you and my SIL and BIL have 8475. I guess they got the better balcony!! It is their first time sailing too. I hope the soot problem isn't too bad. We had aft cabins once on a Royal Carib ship and the soot was minor. We have 2 other couples going with us, one has the wrap balcony and the other is next to us so we are hoping we can open all the balconies and enjoy one big one! Do the balconies open all the way back or is there more like a doorway to each? If you have photos of the rooms and balconies, would you email them to me? Thanks. mlstupke@juno.com

 

Don't let the soot issue worry you, just understand it or can be there and clean a little before you use the chairs. My wife wore a white sun dress and when she got up she looked like a dalmatian. The door that opens is just a doorway so most of the divider is still there. When you open the door it just allows you to walk between the two balconies. You'll like the room as it is between two "room" floors so no other noise but the sweet sound of the water. It is close to the Lido deck and try to get the Scarlet dining room as it is located aft. It was weird becasue the 2 rooms were the same price but the other room's balcony was in fact bigger. Here is a couple of pic's of the soot on the floor. Just picture it being on the chairs the same and it will give you an idea what I am talking about. I did not really take any pictures of the balcony itself but I will check DW's camera as she took more photos than I did.

Enjoy your cruise.

[dprg644]

We are sailing on Dream in Jan and have the same room as you and my SIL and BIL have 8475. I guess they got the better balcony!! It is their first time sailing too. I hope the soot problem isn't too bad. We had aft cabins once on a Royal Carib ship and the soot was minor. We have 2 other couples going with us, one has the wrap balcony and the other is next to us so we are hoping we can open all the balconies and enjoy one big one! Do the balconies open all the way back or is there more like a doorway to each? If you have photos of the rooms and balconies, would you email them to me? Thanks. mlstupke@juno.com

 

 

Here is one of the room...

[dprg644]

Here is another shot looking between the two balconies. As you can see it is really a doorway.