New to Carnival - going on the Dream

[rccruiser06]

Hello all! We are new to Carnival and are going on the Dream in January, Eastern Caribbean. Can't wait! We booked balcony cabins 10271, 10273 and 10275 and I have a few questions.

 

1. Will they let you open up the partitions on the balconies?

2. Does anyone have any pictures of any of those rooms?

3. Any tips, tricks or things we should know?

 

We have been on ten RCI cruises and wanted to try something different, so we are going with Carnival this time. I hear the food is better :) and we have to try the chocolate melting cake! Any help is appreciated. These boards are so great! Thanks a bunch!!

[forecruiser]

Yes, you can open the balcony partitions. We had 3 rooms with family members in each and had them opened. It was very nice to travel room to room without going out into the hall. I will tell you that we had a great time, and you will too. We too, love RCCL as you do, and there are several notable differences, but try to go with an open mind and have fun. I was worried with all the bad reviews I read prior to going, but it actually was not that bad. I smelled a bad odor a couple of times, but it did not ruin my trip and it was not all over. We also enjoyed the "Dancing in the Streets" show very much. It was by far the best show we have seen on a cruise ship outside of Disney. Be sure to get there at least 45 minutes early as the theater fills up fast! Fun Force is very entertaining and a great group of guys. Our kids LOVED the waterworks (the adults did too), but did not like Camp Carnival (aged 9 - 11). Our boys said Adventure Ocean is much better. (I did not coach them to say that either). The lido buffet (The Gathering) gets VERY crowded and you will wait in lines. Dining room food was very good. Pools were VERY small and always crowded. Deck parties were fun, but also very crowded.

 

Go and have a good time!

[CRZCRAZY]

In most cases your cabin steward can open the balcony dividers up for you.

[rccruiser06]

Thank you! I appreciate the help. Can't wait to try Carnival Waterworks!

[tandemcruzr]

You'll enjoy the Serenity area. Also check out the Tandoori Grill for lunch, Lido aft, starboard side. There were hardly any lines. At breakfast, it is set up for breakfast buffet. Also, very few people seemed to know about it. :D

[Beyondships]

The Dream is a really nice ship. The food in the main dining room(s) is good but the steakhouse is a nice experience for variety. Also, the Pasta Bar, which is on the second level of the buffet restaurant, is a hidden jewel.

[Socref124]

Hello all! We are new to Carnival and are going on the Dream in January, Eastern Caribbean. Can't wait! We booked balcony cabins 10271, 10273 and 10275 and I have a few questions.

 

1. Will they let you open up the partitions on the balconies?

2. Does anyone have any pictures of any of those rooms?

3. Any tips, tricks or things we should know?

 

We have been on ten RCI cruises and wanted to try something different, so we are going with Carnival this time. I hear the food is better :) and we have to try the chocolate melting cake! Any help is appreciated. These boards are so great! Thanks a bunch!!

 

We will be sailing on the DREAM in Nov and can't wait. Ask your PVP/TA about the partitions on the balconies. Some can be removed and some cannot. We went on our first RCCL cruise last Oct and loved it a lot. We found that CCL and RCCL are more alike than different. Food is a very subjective issue so I will not comment there. The cabins on Carnival seem to be a little bigger and the bedding is more comfortable. We also felt the shows on Carnival were more professionally done (coreographed) sp?. On RCCL, the service seemed to be a lot better and the decor was a little more elegant. Everyone says how Carnival is the fun ships and that there are a lot more partying on Carnival, however, that is not what we experienced. The only time we ever had someone walking around selling shots to us was on the Monarch of the Seas. and we saw as many, if not more, partyiers than on any Carnival ship. I think you will reallly enjoy Carnival at a fraction of the cost of a RCCL cruise. By the way, the Chocolate Melting Cake is to die for if prepared correctly.

[rccruiser06]

Thanks guys! Love the tips. I got a tip on this board before one of my RCI cruises about the egg crates. You could ask for one of the egg crate things to put on your mattress to make it more comfortable. My family and friends thought I was a hero... :) I hear the mattresses on Carnival are way better. I'm so excited. Six months is going to seem like forever!!