Did Ernesto affect the Dreams Itinerary?

[theavonb]

Hello, I was away last week so I couldn't follow Ernesto. Can anyone who just came off the Dream tell me if their itinerary changed for the Western cruise and if so where did it end up going? Just curious.

Thankyou

[gjsmth]

Just off the Dream and yes it did. Made it to Cozumel but they dropped Belize, Roatan and Costa Maya for Progresso, Freeport and Nassau. A lot of ticked off folks that felt slighted by going to these ports. Carnival should have made the same decision as the Disney Fantasy did on the Friday night before it left and switched to the Eastern. Nothing like paying top dollar for the Exotic Western and getting the 3-4 day smaller cruise ship stops. I know safety is first but come on Freeport.

 

I'm going to try and write a mini review and thoughts of this past week soon.

[theavonb]

Where is Progresso or what is it? That would have been a crappy change for sure. I hope you were able to enjoy some of your cruise.

[gjsmth]

Where is Progresso or what is it? That would have been a crappy change for sure. I hope you were able to enjoy some of your cruise.

 

Progresso was North of Cozumel and just over the top of Mexico. We enjoy no matter what, but Carnival clearly short changed everyone on this Cruise.

[theavonb]

Look forward to your review. Having never cruised before and going on our 1st in Nov., we are more excited to check out the ship than the ports, so it probably wouldn't have bothered us. But for those that were looking forward to Belize, Roatan and Costa Maya I would have to agree with you that they got short changed.

[4x4TX]

I was wondering about the dream, I was on triump and we docked next to yall both in cozumel and then progresso. We didnt even get off the ship in progresso, been there done that...and then adding in a ton more people to the port made the decision a lot easier to stay on...Im not sure why carnival still goes there really.

 

Anyway we ran into some guys at passion island at cozumel on monday and they said they were going to roatan but when i woke up the next morning they were next to us at the dock so was wondering what they ended up doing.

[Bluewake]

Also just off the Dream today. Having watched the NOAH website myself, I guess I can understand Carnival's decision. At first, it looked like the storm was tracking a bit further north so it was possible it would have stayed far enough north of the Dream while we were in Roatan. But, as the storm grew in size and stayed in a more southern route, it became apparent that there would have been potential danger sticking with the scheduled itinerary. We tried to make the most of the itinerary change by going to the Mayan ruin at Uxmal in Progreso (it was a new port for us) and spent the day at a beach resort in Freeport. Nassau was a day of shopping while dodging the occasional showers. We definitely would have preferred Belize, Costa Maya and Roatan but safety has to come first.

 

Although we aren't complaining about the changed itinerary, we weren't quite as satisfied with our shipboard experience. This was our first time on the Dream and I have to say that we probably wouldn't make it a point to sail on that ship again. Maybe it was just us but we found the layout of the ship's lower decks confusing in that you couldn't always get from one end to the other on the same deck...you had to go up to a higher deck to get through. Also found the "Gathering" (the buffet) really crowded and set up in such a way that that you had to wait in multiple lines at times to get everything. Like many, I enjoy a morning omlette but after waiting in line for the cook, you then had to get into another (usually much longer) line to get bacon and other foods. It was such a pain that we stopped eating in the buffet after the second day. Again with food service, but the dining room staff that took care of our table was very slow. In fact, the tables in our section were among the last ones to be finished in the dining room night after night. On 2 of the nights, we finished only a few minutes before passengers arrived for the next dining seating. Lastly, we felt the shows were very crowded. We got shut out of at least 2 because we didn't get there early enough.

 

Sorry for complaining...don't want anyone to think that these minor inconveniences had a huge impact on our vacation. Things we did enjoy included our Cove Balcony...we loved being that close to the water and it make embarkation and dembarkation a breeze! In fact, I have to say that this may have been one of our easiest cruises in terms of boarding and getting off. And, our cabin steward was very good and when we had questions about our bill or other matters, the staff was very responsive. All in all, what could have been a ruined vacation due to Hurricane Ernesto was still a great time.

[theavonb]

Bluewake, We are going to be in a cove balcony and can't wait to experience it. Hubby has a thing for heights so I thought this would be a good choice for us as first time cruisers in a balcony cabin.

[Bluewake]

Bluewake, We are going to be in a cove balcony and can't wait to experience it. Hubby has a thing for heights so I thought this would be a good choice for us as first time cruisers in a balcony cabin.

 

We've been in regular balconies, oceanview, and inside cabins and I have to say that we may have enjoyed the Cove we had on the Dream more than any of them. I don't know how the Coves compare to other cabins in terms of size but it seemed pretty much to be the same size as other balconies we've had. Being a bit closer to the water created a nice sense of being on the sea...an experience you don't get in a higher cabin. And, since the dining rooms are on deck 3 it was very convenient for meals...no waiting for elevators coming and going. And, for port days, it was even better. Just a quick walk down a couple of flights to the gangway to get off and when returning, instead of standing in the crowd with everyone trying to get into the same elevator, you just walk up to deck 2 and you are "home"! My wife has always insisted we get a cabin on a higher deck but even she is convinced that a Cove on a lower deck is the way to go!

Enjoy your cruise.

[Banditswife]

Bluewake, curious as to what cabin # you had? We're in 2256 on the Dream in Nov. Looking forward to the things you mentioned. Sorry your itin got changed up. Going to Freeport, Nassau & Progresso instead of Costa May, Roatan & Belize had to be very disappointing. Sounds like you had a great attitude about it tho.

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

oops

[Bluewake]

Bluewake, curious as to what cabin # you had? We're in 2256 on the Dream in Nov. Looking forward to the things you mentioned. Sorry your itin got changed up. Going to Freeport, Nassau & Progresso instead of Costa May, Roatan & Belize had to be very disappointing. Sounds like you had a great attitude about it tho.

 

 

Not much we could do about Ernesto. The choices were to get upset and let it ruin our vacation or treat it as an opportunity to try some things we hadn't done before in those ports. We chose the latter. And if they had tried to force the ship through Ernesto, I suspect it would have been a really bumpy ride....no thanks!

 

We were in 2284 and our friends were a few doors away in 2260. If possible, ask for the Crimson dining room (perhaps the passengers in those cabins are always assigned to Crimson, I don't know). As I wrote before, it was a very convenient location for the Crimson. And, the gangway the Dream uses in ports is pretty much right below those cabins on deck 0 and both embarkation and debarkation is from deck 3, almost right above those rooms. So, it's a great location for a lot of things. Of course, you still have to use the elevator to get up to the buffet and pool deck but it isn't as though there is a single time that everyone else is trying to do the same thing so the elevator wait is minimal.

[Banditswife]

Bluewake, thanks. Hubby picked our cabin out for its proximity to the elevators & being below shore excursions should be quiet. Yes, it's best to go with the flow, getting upset wouldn't do anyone any good.

[Jennerizer]

I was on the Dream that week also. Second time in less than a year & I noticed a huge difference between this trip & the previous one (last September). Seemed like they cut back in many ways & there were some nights when hardly any activities were going on besides karoke. Even the deck party was what...like 45 minutes long, if that? Heard from the cruise director that the Dream usually employs 1400 workers, but is now down to 1100. Can definitely tell as the workers seem overworked & not very happy. Thank goodness the comedians were onboard.

 

Bluewake...did you notice how much the ship was rocking on Monday night (on the way to Progreso)? My cabin was on the 9th floor at the very front of the ship. Felt like a rollercoaster for a good 6 or 7 hours straight. Luckily, I like rollercoasters. Very disappointed the hurricane changed our course. Did not enjoy the Bahamas at all.

[CoCoNut Willie]

Seemed like they cut back in many ways & there were some nights when hardly any activities were going on besides karoke. Even the deck party was what...like 45 minutes long, if that? Heard from the cruise director that the Dream usually employs 1400 workers, but is now down to 1100. Can definitely tell as the workers seem overworked & not very happy.

 

This seems to be a recurring theme lately.

[Bluewake]

Bluewake...did you notice how much the ship was rocking on Monday night (on the way to Progreso)? My cabin was on the 9th floor at the very front of the ship. Felt like a rollercoaster for a good 6 or 7 hours straight. Luckily, I like rollercoasters. Very disappointed the hurricane changed our course. Did not enjoy the Bahamas at all.

 

Yes, we definitely felt the rocking and rolling and were glad we were on deck #2! It also confirmed our belief that Carnival did the right thing by changing the itinerary. Can't imagine what it would have been like if we'd been closer to the hurricane. We actually didn't mind Progresso because I'd been wanting to see Uxmal for some time so it worked out. We've been to the Bahamas several times so we were disappointed when we learned we were headed there but we went to hotel beach by Lucaya and ended up having a nicer day in Freeport than we expected. Nassau was sort of a boring day...spent it touring the shops and dodging the raindrops. But all things considered, it was still a nice vacation.