Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Just got off the Carnival Dream April 14-21 review

TXBBQDUDE

By TXBBQDUDE,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

 Share

Recommended Posts

TXBBQDUDE

TXBBQDUDE

Posted
Posted (edited)

OK I am calling this a mini review because it will not be as detailed or picture oriented as other reviews that are on going at the time.  I just wanted to share my experience especially for people who like my wife and I were first time Carnival Cruisers.  My wife had only cruised the other main company with the Crown and Anchor so we were a little worried bout booking on Carnival.  We had hear so many negative things about Carnival before we had even taken our first cruise that to be honest it pushed us to the other one.  I am currently working in Louisiana and on a recent trip to New Orleans we saw the Carnival Glory in port so we decided hey lets try to cruise from New Orleans.  Now came the shocker if we wanted to cruise on a 7 day on a newer ship we had to pick the Carnival Dream.  After a little research I booked the trip and said well we will know if we like it or not now because we are booked and it is in less than 6 weeks. 

 

We love New Orleans and booked Saturday night at the Best Western Plus in Harvey Louisiana.  It was about $175 for a night stay plus a week worth of parking.  They provide a Taxi to the port (i am surprised the taxi made it over the bridge it was so old) and you get transportation back to the hotel to pick up your vehicle.  The hotel was nice enough it had a large group of cruisers staying in it and for the most part the kids running around was at a minimal. We wake up get on the taxi very nice driver car was just old and run down.  We are at port right at 11 out time to check in is not until 12:30 we are on the boat in about 30 minutes.  Very easy process I wish I could say the same about getting off the boat.

 

The rest of the Review I am going to do in sections with what we liked the most to the least.  Now these are my opinion and should be taken that way I am by no means the end all expert in cruising but I do know what I like.  

 

Cruise Director Gary this dude was the best he and his entertainment staff were top notch and I would consider a 5 day out of Galveston just to have him again.  He made the Love and Marriage show the best we had ever seen.  My wife was rolling in her seat.  Every thing we went too that he hosted was an absolute blast.  He always had free drink vouchers to hand out at his trivia contests and was just fun to be around.  

 

The food...I don't think I had a bad meal the entire 7 days on the ship.  My wife had one experience with under cooked pasta in the MDR but that was it.  On night one we did the Steakhouse we got a free bottle of wine.  The appetizers were amazing the steaks were good.  In the MDR Frank from Peru and his team were absolutely top notch.  We felt bad the one night we missed because by Day 3 they felt like family.  Guys Burgers are good the pizza is OK did not get to the burrito place but being of a certain Tex-Mex Demographic we are pretty picky with our Mexican food.  I feel Carnival has the other one beat in food and it may not even be close.  Now if Carnival moves to all payed restaurants like other lines this may close the gap but our experience on the Dream in its current configuration is the best food we have had on a cruise ship.

 

The rest of the crew...always felt welcome always from the steward to the waiters.  I would have crew members call out my name when they saw me a breakfast it was a new experience that we really enjoyed.  I felt like the crew took the fun ship saying personally and I enjoyed that.  

 

The Comedy Shows ...  better comedians than you get on other lines because they are legit comedians.  Two problems though you had to show up super early as sometimes the door would close a full 20 plus minutes before the show started because there were no more seats and we had some heavy drinkers on this particular cruise that felt they needed to try to take over the comedy show.  It got so bad on one show that Candice the Comedy Club Director was apologizing as everyone left the show. 

 

The rest of the Shows...Love and Marriage a must see same with Lip Sync Battle the rest were hit or miss.  If you have been on bigger ships with other companies this will be the one area you miss dearly.  We missed the Adult Game Show due to no more seating which is another thing why have the most popular shows in the smaller venue when the main Theater was never full with the production shows?  Oh well we had a good time and it did not effect us having a good time but we would have liked to catch a fe more of the Comedy and other shows and not have to miss our dinner time. 

 

The ship...The dream is a large boat and it is very nice but we did miss the so called "Wow" factor of the other line.  (let me say we are going to book both lines again before i am called a elitist)  I wont get too much into this because it was such a good trip but a few of the things that the ship does right are the Lido deck and the Serenity deck.  Deck 5 is a nightmare you can smell the casino pretty much on the entire deck.  It felt strange walking through the Crimson dining room while the staff was working to get through the Deck.  I never thought I would miss the "Mall Feeling" of the other line but I felt it was just an easier way to get around.  Now after about 4 days getting around was no issue at all but you still had to go through some strange places.  Last thing and maybe I am just picky but why have booths in the MDR?  they are uncomfortable and you are holding hands with the party next to you basically.  

 

The room virtually no difference in cruise lines they all have a pretty standard room.

 

Ports ehhh we loved the Grand Cayman could care less if we ever see Jamaica again and who has not had too much Tequila in Cozumel before.  We need to really start cruising further east as we have done the ports multiple times already. 

 

It was a rowdy crowd on some night but on most nights you did not notice it.  The later you stayed up the more you noticed it and for some odd reason on Cozumel night.  I am no lush either I enjoyed my drinks  

 

Lots of kids so the push every button on the elevator monster was in full effect.  But for the most part all the kids were well behaved except for that 18-19 year old hanging out in the smoking area asking every woman that passes by how are you doing crew.  Hey we were all that age once. 

 

I have all of the fun times and will post them soon.  I will also try to answer any questions if you have them.  As I stated there are plenty of reviews on this page about the dream right now that have all the pictures so I will spare us of that.  I am ugly anyway so that will help you guys.  I hope people do not find this biased as I posted way more positive than negative and the next cruise will probably be on the Breeze or the Magic.  I could go with either line for a cruise will probably pick the Fun when the kids are with us and The Crown when it is Mommy and Daddy time.  It was a great cruise I really wish I could merge both lines to make the perfect line for everyone.     

 

P.S. I am that guy that hates flip flops and cut off jeans in the MDR but I realize this is peoples vacations so I went with it.  I am not asking for suits but jeans and a polo would not kill you backwards hat guy.  Damn I think i just turned into my dad.....                                         

Edited by TXBBQDUDE
  • Like 6
  • Thanks 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JasperCruiser

JasperCruiser

Posted
Posted

Thanks for taking time to write your review. We cruise on the dream in two weeks and have a similar background... this is our first Carnival cruise and all of our others were on royal. I too like the mall concept on their bigger ships I can’t wait to try the food on the Dream.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TXBBQDUDE

TXBBQDUDE

Posted
  • Author
Posted
6 minutes ago, JasperCruiser said:

Thanks for taking time to write your review. We cruise on the dream in two weeks and have a similar background... this is our first Carnival cruise and all of our others were on royal. I too like the mall concept on their bigger ships I can’t wait to try the food on the Dream.

 

I think that is the last cruise out of New Orleans correct?  You will like the Carnival Hub app too it is free and reminds you when shows you want to see are starting.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tiger0613

Tiger0613

Posted
Posted
15 minutes ago, TXBBQDUDE said:

 

I think that is the last cruise out of New Orleans correct?  You will like the Carnival Hub app too it is free and reminds you when shows you want to see are starting.  

4/28 is the last one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JaniceB

JaniceB

Posted
Posted

Very nice review.  I have sailed on the Dream and a "mall" ship.  My DH did not like the mall concept, he dislikes shopping, LOL!  We loved the Dream but did miss some of the things that are on the Breeze.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TXBBQDUDE

TXBBQDUDE

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 4/23/2019 at 10:32 AM, RICKnVICK said:

Thanks for your review!  I am cruising on the Dream on May 23rd out of Galveston for a 50th birthday!  There are 7 couples, and none of us have sailed on her.  We are super excited!

 

Vicki

 

You will be getting the ship off on my Birthday wish I was with y'all 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
TXBBQDUDE

TXBBQDUDE

Posted
  • Author
Posted
18 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

Thank you, good review.  We haven't sailed the Dream, yet.  We were on her sister ship, the Magic last year and loved it.  We are booked on another Dream class,  the Breeze this fall.  These are my favorite class. 

 

Looking at both the Breeze and the Magic for March 2020 also looking at The AOS but leaning Carnival because I think my kids would like it better.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail on Sun Princess®
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...