My first cruise on the Dream was fantastic. It was my first cruise and I was slightly uncertain of what to expect; my best experiences in the Caribbean had always taken place far from the cruise ship ports and in my past travels i had avoided the cruisers at all costs. I saw it as a less authentic experience of what the island had to offer and felt I got a better experience off the beaten path and have discovered some amazing less touristy beaches. But it was a family trip and I am not one to turn down a trip to the islands so I packed my bags and embarked upon the Carnival Dream.
Being my first cruise, my boyfriend, whom I will call MR, wanted to make sure it was a good experience and we started by securing a room with a balcony. On the Dream there are multiple options for a balcony. They have extended balconies (many of which I believe are on the Cloud 9 Spa level), regular balconies, and cove balconies. MR's parents had stayed in an extended balcony in the past and although they didn't dislike it, they didn't want to stay in one again. The cove balconies are low and very close to the water which to us was a downside but if have a fear of heights it might work for you. I have been told that they are very small and more like a narrow step out than a true balcony. Also, they can be closed during rough seas and you might not be able to access them. We opted for a regular balcony.
Next choice was the deck. We chose the Panorama deck and loved it. It was one level up from the Lido deck so we had easy access to the action but felt able to escape the noise and crowd. We stayed in 11256 which was right by the elevators but we were bot at all bothered by outside noise. The view from the balcony was amazing and it was a relaxing escape. When we woke up in Nassau we were facing the island but another ship was obstructing our view. Upon arrival in St. Thomas and St. Maartin we were also facing the island and woke up to amazing views. We have chosen to stay on the same floor for our trip in December.
The food was good and what you would expect for a basic all inclusive vacation. If you are a foodie, don't expect to be blown away, but overall the food was good. In the back of the ship we discovered an Indian food station and ate there for most tot our lunches because the food was fantastic and there was never a line. Dinners were pleasant as we selected the 'late' dining time in the Crimson Dining Room. Our server was friendly and the entertainment was fun.
During the day it was pretty difficult to find a good lounge chair on the main lido deck and by the pool. If you were open to a chair on a deck without a pool you could find some quiet spots on more secluded decks. The serenity deck was a relaxing escape from the lido deck but chairs can also be hard to come by, however, not impossible.
More to come.