Carnival Dream Review. August 16th Boarding

[tiffy0428]

Disclaimer: Too many of us are apologizing for having an opinion but I refuse to apologize for not only my opinion but how I feel about how I spend my money and what my expectations are. Trust me when it comes to cruising I don’t have too high of expectations as they service thousands of people. I don’t know about anyone else but I come to cruise critic to get great reviews, and meet people that I may be cruising with. No, all personalities won’t match everyone grammar isn’t the same, and we all joke in different forms. So before you continue on in my review ask yourself; does she really give a d** lol joking. Seriously though I am here to provide a review based off my perception. I have a sense of humor, I am fun and loving, and I come from a multi-cultural travel background and living. So sit back relax and enjoy yourself. I will not entertain negative comments or remarks as it’s a waste of my energy. Chow!

Cruise Critic Stalker makes an attempt to write a review…….Hello all welcome to my Dream World. I’m Tiffany and my co-host (lovely boyfriend) is Ryan. In the past I’ve tried to do two reviews and I was terrible with it. I never even finished but this time around I will. I am 32 my boyfriend is 43. We work at the same job, he’s a History Teacher and I am a Counselor. Well we worked at the same job up until Summer School started and they moved him to another school. That made me sad I like working with him he feeds me lol.

. I will be covering the beginning (booking and review stalking) middle (preparing and getting to NOLA) and the end (the cruise and getting home). Now I am not the best writer, my major in college was Criminal Justice and then Psychology so please bare with me. This review is brought to you by my opinion. Of course I have read many reviews. I so wished GaPearl would have taken a cruise on the Dream, she gives some of the best reviews. For me in reviews I can never get enough pictures of the ship. So I hope that I provide every nook and cranny possible.

I didn’t get as many pictures as I would have liked too, but the ones I do have I will add to the review.

Booking the cruise was pretty easy. I took this same cruise out of NOLA in 2013 on the Conquest. I enjoyed it so much (the ports) that I decided to take it again, and got lucky that it is on a different ship. Every cruise I have gone on, the ships got the 2.0 upgrade after I’ve sailed it. I must do better. My boyfriend never been to New Orleans outside of Mardi Gras so I decided to get him out there two days prior to the cruise. The hotel I choose for the weekend was La Pavillon on Poydras St.

74 days until the cruise I was sitting at work and decided to look up the rooms, well to my surprise I was able to get an upgrade for $10pp from a Deluxe Ocean View to a Balcony room boyyyyyyyy was I excited. I gave them my credit card information and $20 later I was upgraded to cabin 2334 balcony. This is my first balcony and I am super excited. Now this balcony is located Midship right off the elevators. I choose this one because 1. I party hard and I need easy access back to my room 2. There wasn’t a room to the left of ours, well there was but it was a gap and then the room.

Me: Babe I just upgraded us to a Balcony

Ryan: Ok that’s what’s up

Me: Dude when will you get excited

Ryan: I am chill out

He is so calm cool and collective when it comes down to anything whereas me I can’t hold my composure. I planned the whole trip he better show me some excitement.

Here I am 38 days from my cruise. I spend every single day between cruise critic and FB planning different activities. New York has not had the best weather so far. I am looking out of the window now and it’s pouring down raining. Well I guess I will go back to reading GaPearl Magic review. That review is giving me so much life right now.

27 days until I fly out to NOLA, let the pre packing begin. This is where one week I put some things in my bag and the next well I realize it’s not what I want to take. I work summer school for 6 weeks (why I do this to myself IDK) and by the end of the 6th week I be pulling my hair out ready to go. By the way I have not purchased my return flight yet……I know what the heck I am waiting for.

18 days until the cruise and guess who still doesn’t have a return flight. That’s right yours truly. Oh well I guess we will have to see how that ends.

17 days in I finally booked my return flight. Jetblue $169.10 per person BLAH. It’s cool I am happy I finally got that out of the way. Then the next day guess what. That same flight was $133.10 I just threw my hands up.

I am officially two weeks away. This week I am be finishing out my final planning, next week it will grooming of one’s self, and cleaning my home.

3 days until I fly out to New Orleans. I have begun my packing and printed out all my paperwork. I want to call out of work so bad, but being as though I was late 11 times this summer, that doesn’t look like such a good idea.

0 days 8 hours until I fly. It’s finally here, Friday August 14, we had to work and because it was the last day of summer school I was unable to call out. My flight was at 5:55 pm and school let out at 2:45pm however I was not missing my flight no way, so I settled in for leaving work at 1:00pm because we still had to drive home and park the car and wait for our car service which will be at our front door at 3:15PM.

Now Ryan is a procrastinator I have to stay on him like a fly on……..He can procrastinate when he gets on the ship, until then LETS GO LETS GO LETS GO. This trip is exciting because it’s the first long vacation that he and I have ever been on together in the 3 years we’ve been dating.

We both got home from work about 11:30 am. We didn't have a car to drive to the airport because the day before our headgasket went, and we were not about to spend $1,200 before going on a 12 day vacation. I looked around everywhere for last minite pickups. I wanted to do Uber butI figured I save that for coming home since I wouldn't have as much money. I found a nice black car service for $80 to Laguardia from Yonkers, NY

The car service arrived to my house around 2:00pm. I didn't want to risk any other time because New York traffic is unpredictable.

We arrived at LaGuardia Airport (Delta) with so much time to spare. Our luggae was already paid for. Mine weighed 48lbs and Ryans weighed 50lbs. You know that made for an interesting return trip home but that's another story.

The airplane was so small, it had to have been the smallest air craft I've ever flown on.. Two seats on both sides and no first class. After taking a xanax and a shot of vodka ( yes I am scared to fly) my plane ride was smooth sailings.

Itinerary

August 14 – Fly into NOLA

August 15- Fun Day in NOLA

August 16- Embarkation NOLA

August 17- Fun day at sea

August 18- Fun day at sea

August 19- Montego Bay Jamaica

August 20- Cayman Islands

August 21- Cozumel Mexico

August 22- Fun day at sea

August 23- I don’t want to go home

[bellatrix42]

Thanks for doing a detailed review! I will be on the Dream next month and I can't wait so I will be following along.

[Crazyrbbt]

We are going on this cruise in 3 weeks. Can't wait to read your review.

[tiffy0428]

We arrived in Nola about 8pm. Outside were the taxi cabs, and they charge one flat rate of $33 for the first two passengers and $14 pp (if I am not mistaking) for any additional passenger.

It was a short ride down. Ryan was asking a million and one questions about Nola and Katrina, and I was just thinking hmmmm where will I go to get my first bowl of Gumbo. We pulled up to our hotel Le Pavillion 833 Poydras Street. I am so so so happy that I choose this hotel. It was within walking distance but you have to enjoy walking. We were two blocks for Bourbon street, a few blocks from Harrahs, and Riverwalk, and right around all of the great eating establisments.

After checking in and making sure our room was ok, we decided to head out to Canal St. Now the weather in NOLA is very hot, but me being cold all the time, everytime we went to a store I stayed outside because to me it was FREEZING. (after the first day I took a hoodie in my bag so that I could go into the stores). I swear on every street every corner there was a Walgreens, what's up with that?

We walked down Bourbon St. I walked in the middle of the street. I am not to good with crowds, and between the smell and the water bugs I felt like I was about to have a dam breakdown. We went and had some food, took a few shots and headed back to our hotel. Ryan wasn't ready to go in but I had enough for one day.

[mykindaparty]

Saving my place...we use Nola as our home port and love it there!

[americanmama]

Enjoying it! Thanks for posting and keep it coming! :)

[kublaieod]

Love your review style. Something refreshing.

[mabones]

Great so far! Leaving in 88 Days!!!

[tiffy0428]

[meganj]

I'll be on dream Dec. 13! Ready for your review!!

[JB_Scott1981]

We leave on the dream this Sunday!!! We can't wait.

[tiffy0428]

Pictures coming soon. I am doing this at work, I will add the pictures when I get home. If I can get some posted from my phone I will. The above picture is me laying out on the roof by the pool.

 

 

We woke up this am hungry and ready to take on NOLA. Prior to going on this cruise a lovely and when I say lovely, a lovely group of us had gotten well aquainted on our roll call. Some were able to meet up and some of us weren't (me). We got up and went to the gym, I worked out for about 45 minutes while watching this cooking show. After that I used the little shower station they had up there and Ryan and I went for a swim.

 

The rooftop pool was a huge hit for this hotel. The pool isn't that big however, if you love to tan, and love to layout the roof is perfect. Theres a smoking area up there, the jacuzzi sits off to the side in the shade which is great. There are also shaded cabanas with chairs, towels, and pillows. We swam (well I don't know how to swim) and layed out thinking about what to do for the day. After spending two hours in the sun we decided to go and walk around and see what the day life was about.

 

The hotel offers a breakfast buffett, but I wasn't hungry enough to spend what I believe to be $28 per person (don't quote me on that). The staff in the hotel were all very nice. I love the old fashioned theme of the hotel. The bathrooms were very clean I really can't complain. The sizes of the rooms are great for families. I was on the second floor. The noise was minimum, the lobby area was great for hanging out and the pool was on the 9th floor next to the gym.

[tiffy0428]

It was about noon when we got dressed and headed out the hotel. We walked passed mamas (mothers) not sure the proper name. The line was way long, too long. So we went left and started off on Canal street. Now living in New York you have to know I see homeless people (for lack of words) but the ones in NOLA are gangsta. They sit in front of establishments, they will walk with you down the street, they had no problem with trying to get you to give them money, or even ask if you wanted drugs. It didn't bother me I don't scare that easy. I just thought it was funny. We stopped in Harrahs. I was wearing a T-shirt that said " Made in the 80's" so the lady carded me. She was shocked to see that I was 32. We walked around harrahs, I played a few games ( didn't win) we looked in their little night club and headed out to the riverwalk.

The last time I was in NOLA was in 2012, so here I am walking over to the Riverwalk looking for the "food court" . I walked through the mall and when I got up to the food court I said to myself wow this is nice and bright and clean. I was saying to Ryan this is not where I ate before I don't want this food I want what I had before. Long story short I did not know they did the foodcourt over. I ended up eating this AMAZING taco bowl man oh man it was the bomb. com.............

[tiffy0428]

 

[WiCruiseDreamer]

The restaurant is called Mothers, and there is always a long, long line.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

[tiffy0428]

This was the very small aircraft that we we were on 8-14

 

 

Hallway in the hotel

 

 

Harrahs outside

 

[djvickers]

We are on the Dream next April and we have also booked le Pavillon. We booked it because some in our party love the haunted aspect of this hotel and I have friends who stayed there earlier this year. The hotel looked amazing! Glad to know it was easy to get around NOLA from there. Can't wait for more of your review!

[tiffy0428]

Some views from the roof of the hotel

 

 

 

One of the rooftop cabanas

 

 

I was walking down the street and this girl says omg we have top take a picture....

 

 

And it happened three more times. Once with a dress , and two more shirts. Dammit Zara you can't be popular

[tiffy0428]

We are on the Dream next April and we have also booked le Pavillon. We booked it because some in our party love the haunted aspect of this hotel and I have friends who stayed there earlier this year. The hotel looked amazing! Glad to know it was easy to get around NOLA from there. Can't wait for more of your review!

 

I saw some spooky things. Like once I was trying to get in my room and the dope across from me was making a knocking sound but there was no one there.

[tiffy0428]

 

 

 

[tiffy0428]

After spending Friday night and all day Saturday in New Orleans, it was finally time to go see my home for the week. Since a lot of us were meeting for a meet and greet, I decided to wear my shirt.

 

 

I was up , dressed, and out the door at 10:30 am. Me being all excited and "pressed" as some would say I thought we could walk to the dock..,.. Boy was I wrong. It was hot and my luggage felt so heavy. By the time I got by the restaurant mother's I was begging for a cab.

 

The cab coated us $7 per person for like 4 blocks. Oh well I didn't care I was about to be on a cruise ship. I got to the terminal about 11:00 am. There was no longer in site. I walked inside, I showed my boarding pass, I got my sail and sign card, and I was on the ship. I never waited in any line. It was the fastest embark I've ever done EVER. When I first walked on I was excited of how clean and nice she looked. It was still pretty quiet. The rooms were definitely not ready until about 1-1:30. Didn't really have any luggage to carry around so I'm glad I didn't get faster to the fun. Unless that thing could allow for me to skip buffet lines, I don't see any use to it.

[tiffy0428]

I'm apologize , I really don't have many pictures of the ship. I didn't walk around it much , and when I was walking I never seem to have my camera.

 

The Atrium is really nice

 

 

Oh wait before I continue, everyone I know that smuggled on alcohol it made it through. I had two small cans of those lima-rita things and they actually made it through.

 

It rained during sail away boo boo

 

 

 

Looking off into Nola

 

I watched them being the sniffing dog around

 

 

Standing in line going to guest services

 

[tiffy0428]

I spent this whole day laying out in the sun. I went to the lido for breakfast in the lines were worse than the DMV, worse than three grocery store on the first of the month, and worse than just worse lol. Idk maybe it was me but they always moved slow, the lines and the elevators. At brunch I had salmon it was ok. I didn't care for the eggs they were powdered eggs. So I got full off mamosa , oh well I was on vacation. At brunch I met some amazing ppl. We talked and talked and talked and talked.

 

After eating I went to the upper decks to lay out because that's the only space you could find chairs. Here are some pictures of the ship on the first day.

[tiffy0428]

Ryan first day

 

All these pictures are from the first day

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2015 by tiffy0428
duplicates

[tiffy0428]