Carnival Dream--9-18-2010 Review (with pictures)

[valancy1]

Hi everyone,

 

We just returned from a fantastic week aboard Carnival Dream. I will be posting a review; I need to upload my pictures to photobucket and can get started.

 

All in all, this was probably our best cruise. The ship is just stunning.

 

So if you can bear with me, I will get started and put as much information in here for you all to see and experience what we did through pictures.

 

More soon! (If you have any questions about the Dream or the Western Caribbean itinerary, please fire away!)

[CRUISETYPIST]

Can't wait to read your review and see pics. My DH and I were supposed to be on the 9-25-10 (yesterday sailing) but for a variety of reasons we decided to reschedule for 9-24-11 for the Eastern. Do you mind telling me which cabin you were in ????:D However, 2 of my neighbors down the street were actually on the same sailing as you but I haven't seen them yet since they returned home. I think they were in a cove balcony.

[valancy1]

Can't wait to read your review and see pics. My DH and I were supposed to be on the 9-25-10 (yesterday sailing) but for a variety of reasons we decided to reschedule for 9-24-11 for the Eastern. Do you mind telling me which cabin you were in ????:D However, 2 of my neighbors down the street were actually on the same sailing as you but I haven't seen them yet since they returned home. I think they were in a cove balcony.

 

We were in cabins 8423 and 8427--they were adjoining balcony staterooms. :)

 

You are going to love your cruise. Eastern is next for us!

[BUSYGIRL]

Can't wait for your review. DH, DD & I are sailing October 9 and we have a spa balcony. I am looking forward to a little R&R. Anything that we should definitely do onboard?

[Mr&Mrs12510]

I am glad you enjoyed your vacation. My Husband and I are sailing Nov 27th Western Dream for our honeymoon. First Cruisers any tips you may have will be helpful. What type of excursions did you do?:)

[Fancy_Goods]

Did you, by chance, bring home a set of the Fun Times????

[DGP1111]

Welcome back, Debra!!!!!! :) :)

[Ilovepj]

HI,

 

Glad to hear the dream is a great ship. I will be on her in 18 more days. Doing the western like you. I have a cove balcony, and have heard alot of good things about them.

 

What kind of things did they have going on, during the sea days?

 

Looking forward to your pictures.:D

[valancy1]

Did you, by chance, bring home a set of the Fun Times????

 

Yes I did... I don't have a scanner though; I could try and take pictures of them, though??

 

Welcome back, Debra!!!!!! :) :)

 

DON! I couldn't go to an art auction--you weren't there!

 

 

HI,

 

Glad to hear the dream is a great ship. I will be on her in 18 more days. Doing the western like you. I have a cove balcony, and have heard alot of good things about them.

 

What kind of things did they have going on, during the sea days?

 

Looking forward to your pictures.:D

 

The cove balconies seem to be a popular place to stay--everyone I asked about them all gave them 2 thumbs up!

 

During sea days, they have oodles of things to do; I'll try and look at my Fun Times to see all the offerings.

 

I had a really bad internet connection last night, so as soon as I post this, I will be loading my pictures and getting ready to do my review :)

 

More in a bit!

[valancy1]

September 17, 2010

 

Today was the day we've waited 10 months for--our day to leave for our cruise aboard our Carnival Dream!!!

 

We had to connect through Philadelphia and of course there were delays. One of the biggest reasons we NEVER will fly down the day of the cruise! We had to wait 2 hours for our CREW to get there. It wasn't even weather-related in Philly.

 

We got into MCO at about 12 midnight. So glad we booked a room right at the airport. We got into our rooms and went to sleep. Our transportation was coming at 9:30 a.m. so we needed our beauty sleep!

[valancy1]

September 18, 2010 -- CRUISE DAY!

 

Our wakeup call came too soon, but as soon as the fog lifted from our heads and we realized that we were getting on the ship today, we perked right up and got ready to go.

 

I booked a limo to take us to the port. We were all surprised when we saw what drove up at the Fairfield Inn:

 

 

They said they gave us an upgrade. I should say so!

 

 

It was so big my nearly 7-foot-tall husband could lay down in the seat and still have room left over!

 

 

 

Then, we saw her... in all her HUGEness!

 

 

[valancy1]

 

 

So let me say that this port really has their act together. I don't know if it is that the Western itinerary has us back so early that they can get us all off the ship or if Carnival has done something different in their debarkation, but we got in line (based on the deck we were on) and were seen rather quickly and while we were in line (in the 10 o' clock hour sometime) they annouced they were going to start embarkation! Barry didn't believe me that we would be on the ship when I said... but we were. Our group was called around 11:00 a.m.

 

 

 

 

[valancy1]

 

FINALLY we were walking on the ship!! And the atrium is a sight to behold.

 

 

 

 

 

What would embarkation be without the wonderful Funship Special??

 

 

The ship is beautiful. I have lots of pictures of the ship... more to come!

I also have to say that at 1:30 on the dot, we were allowed in our rooms and 1/2 of our luggage was already there and within 10 minutes, we were given the rest of our luggage...

[valancy1]

More pics of the ship as we wandered around:

 

 

 

 

Our girls didn't know we got balconies... the price was too good to pass up.

 

 

[Yankeegirl]

Great review so far, love all of the pics. I don't have anything booked as of right now but I am needing a cruise fix soon!!!:D

[Cruise4me2]

great pictures so far! keep it coming! we will be on the Dream on Saturday doing Western as well:)

[tiggerman101]

Thank you for doing this. You whole family looks so happy. Glad you had a good time.

[msakmom]

Great review so far! Looking forward to more.

[Meyer2]

I'm enjoying your great review & pictures so far!! Awesome deal on the Limo! Thanks for sharing!

[cruiseguys2009]

I am Livin' and Lovin' your review! We Sail on th eDream in 11 days and a wake up! Best pics of the ship I have seen yet. Thank you Debra, I have read many, many of your pre-cruise posts and love your sense of humor. Looking forward to reading more!

 

JW

[valancy1]

After we boarded the ship and I took some pictures, we went and had lunch on the Lido. The girls did get some food from the Mongolian Wok area (NOTE: They absolutely love spicy food. They said the Szechuan was REALLY hot... so take that into consideration if it applies).

 

We went to muster. We were on the Verandah deck, nearly completely to the back of the ship and our muster station was up on the Crimson. We got to sit at the tables and such and watch the muster. I think it took 15 minutes at most.

 

Then we were ready for sailaway.

 

Unfortunately, I wasn't myself and wasn't feeling great (this had nothing to do with the ship or the food, etc...) so we stayed on our balcony for sailaway. I was disappointed because we were a part of our Roll Call here, and was so looking forward to it but I just couldn't do it. It was nice, though... got some nice shots and the people on the beaches and fishing piers were all waving to us on the starboard side:

 

 

 

 

[Poorplaya]

Debra thanks for the review so far, its great. I have one question, did Carnival give any of you guys a hard time at all reagrding the soda and water you borught on board??????

[valancy1]

As a tradition, I always take pictures of things on the ship for my scrapbook. I use them for borders, and do a "bits and pieces" page of little details on the ship. So these are some of those things... for those of you cruising in the near future, see if you can find these when you get on the ship!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[valancy1]

Debra thanks for the review so far, its great. I have one question, did Carnival give any of you guys a hard time at all reagrding the soda and water you borught on board??????

 

NOT AT ALL! We had to carry it on and they do allow a 12-pack per person and a case of water. It's a pain to carry it around, but I cannot drink the water on the ship, so I need to do this!

 

Also, as a side note, our room steward was wonderful. She told us that we could empty the fridge and use it for our own purposes. We put it on a lower shelf in our cabin and were able to refrigerate our water and soda!

[Poorplaya]

NOT AT ALL! We had to carry it on and they do allow a 12-pack per person and a case of water. It's a pain to carry it around, but I cannot drink the water on the ship, so I need to do this!

 

Wow, RCCL has stopped allowing all bottled water and soda on their cruise ships, period. I think my wife and I need to move back to Carnival. Thanks for the answer Debra, can't wait to hear more on the cruise review. Thanks Pictures are great by the way.