Love Cozumel
Carnival Dream Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 2-3 cruises
Reviews: 2
Helpful Votes: 137
7 Night Western Caribbean (New Orleans Roundtrip)
Sail date: February 25, 2018
Ship: Carnival Dream
Cabin type: Oceanview
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 6 years ago
Review summary
We did back to back cruises and enjoyed both. We had cruised with another company previously and I wouldn’t hesitate to say we will cruise Carnival again. In fact we are thinking about a cruise later this year. Excellent value for money.Embarkation
We visited Cozumel, Belize and Honduras (Roatan). Really enjoyed Cozumel - very lively, felt safe, enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Locals were very friendly and helpful. Quite impressed with the way Roatan was set up and how friendly the locals were. Easily the best beach day. Take the chair lift out to the beach. Costs a bit but the view was lovely. Shopping was great at all three locations. Tender in Belize was a pain but trying to get so many people on and off the ship in a short time - what can you expect. Really enjoyed Ben’s show in the piano bar and the special effects and computer graphics, sound and light in the shows in Encore theatre.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
The only reason that I am not giving 5 stars for Food & Drink is the fact that there were lines at some of the venues caused by how great the food was. Guy’s Burgers routinely was lined up because they had the best burgers I have had on any cruise. The BBQ restaurant was routinely the site of lines starting almost a 1/2 hour before it opened. Deservedly so, the food was great. Carnival should have extra help for peak hours, sometimes the barista at the coffee shop was snowed under by the demands of cruisers. The Steakhouse is worth every penny of the little extra you’re going to pay to get a great meal. Be hungry, very,very hungry. Every once in a while ask to join other cruisers for a meal. We did this several times for the sea day brunch and met some really nice people and had really interesting conversations.
Onboard Activities
We were really glad to get the daily list of activities. Lots to do depending on individual interest. We did pools(if you want to do laps go after dinner - pools are open til midnight), piano bar, comedians, movie night under the stars, the theatre shows, watched a number of the entertainers in various spots. Wide range of music and talent. Had a pedicure, the staff at the spa were lovely. Enjoyed the quiet of the adults only Serenity section.
Entertainment
The stage shows were both entertaining and enjoyable. The entertainers were for the most part talented young people, with a few over-reaching their ability. The technical side of the shows I found to be interesting because of a history in amateur theatre. Overall, the musicians on board were outstanding. The young man in the Piano bar,is hugely entertaining. He has a huge catalogue of music that he has the ability to play on request. Everything from 60’s TV theme songs (Green Acres) to heavy metal. Ben was a gem. The Punchline Comedy Club and Derrick Eason were incredibly funny. A must do.
Service and Staff
Great effort was taken and appreciated to address us personally and get to know our preferences for venues we went to regularly. Our room stewards were excellent, always managing to go that extra mile. Magically getting the room done even if we were only gone for a short time. Guest services were very helpful whenever we had a question or issue.
Ship Quality
Ship was very clean; never found a messy public washroom; lots of staff to keep things safe and in order. Layout -we always seemed to be at the wrong end of the ship so lots of walking. Would be helpful if they had “forward” and “aft” signs at each of the elevator banks to reduce confusion about which direction you needed to go in particularly mid ships. Lower score because of design not cleanliness.
Cabin / Stateroom
No balcony, which one of us missed more than the other, but price differential made it worth it. Room had two washroom facilities one with toilet, shower and sink; other with bath and sink. Worked great for us. Bed was very comfortable and room definitely passed the shower test because pressure was good and shower head was adjustable. We were in 1354, and at times found It to be annoyingly noisy.
Ports of call
New Orleans is an amazing city. We were lucky to be able spend some time in town after the cruise. We got a deal on a room at the Westin (great hotel) with some incredible views of the Mississippi. It’s also just off Canal St., and because of that it’s right on the Canal Street trolley lines that can connect you everywhere. Stopped at Ruby Slipper for breakfast. Use an app to pre-book your place in line or it will be a long wait. Food was fantastic. You must visit, the French Market, Frenchman Street, The Garden District, and of course Bourbon Street. For the garden district take a quick tour on the st Charles cable car and then go back for specific parts such as the Audubon park, etc.
Thumbs Up
23
We both thought that Cozumel was a definite highlight of the week. We got away from the tourist areas and went to a marvellous family restaurant just 3 blocks off the Main Street. The people that we met along the way were very helpful and willing to help with advice. We never felt unsafe or insecure. The shopping was certainly lacking in pressure compared with other ports of call. Food was great.
The tender ride to and from Belize City is both annoying and necessary because of the depth of the waters. The cruise port is stuffed with shops that are designed to separate tourists from their cash. I was warned about leaving the port because of harassment and uncertainty about thieves. The bar at the tender port was worth the visit. Ice cold beer, and great music. There is time to strike up an interesting conversation with fellow tender passengers.
Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
Did a beach day at the nearby beach. Lots of lounge chairs and clam shells for shade to rent for a reasonable rate. Lots of staff running around to get food or drinks brought to your chair. There are more expensive and more private options for beach day, but not sure if they would be worth it. Good spot for swimming- no large waves to knock you over. Sandy swimming but some rocks so swim shoes recommended. Chairlift to beach available though it’s only a 15 min walk through a lovely natural forest. View from lift to beach is worth the price.
Disembarkation
We were very lucky as we were on deck one and hence off the boat first. Self assist is definitely the quickest way off the ship. Aside from managing our own luggage, it was a breeze. We were through US Customs in a flash. We answered one question and were waved on. We grabbed a cab and were at our hotel before 8:30AM.