Carnival Dream Cruise Reviews - Reviews

carnival continues to cut corners.  fewer and poor shows.  only place for good service is in dining room and cabin stewart--where tip is expected.  sea day brunch service is bad.  no sugar free ice cream on lido.  has been suggested before.  does carnival care?  ever with platinum status you get no price break.  i have traveled over 100 days on carnival but have never recieved an upgrade. considering other cruise lines.

I was not sure what to expect on the Carnival Dream because we did see some negative reviews about the ship. Those reviews, for us, were unfounded. Service was great. We were lucky to get Faster to the Fun (had to check every single day until there was finally a day when some spots opened and I got in). It is totally worth the price. Getting on/off the ship with F2F is a breeze. Also, having your room ready when you come onboard is great too. We were onboard the ship by 1130/1200 and our room was ready. Our bags were delivered about an hour or two (at most) later. 

While my wife and I did not go to the shows, we did enjoy that there was a lot of live entertainment (singers) in different venues around the ship. That was great! Our daughter (13) enjoyed the shows that she went to and loved the friends she made at Circle C (as well as the trophies and medals that she won for Circle C and other cruise events). Our five year old loved the water slides (especially when we were in Jamaica since we did not go ashore and the slide was there for him to use nearly all alone). 

Steakhouse dining was amazing... as it typically is. Main dining was on par with other cruises. No better or worse. 

We did the "Behind the Fun" tour of the ship on the last sea day. If you have the time to spend (3.5 hours), it is very informative. You also get photos taken of your group and a photo with the captain (included in the price). It was a nice touch. Everyone we met during the tour, the chef, logistics officer, one of the show performers, and the captain, were all great. Spent time to answer all of our questions. 

The Dream is missing some of the dining options that we have seen on other Carnival ships (Guy Fieri's Burgers, Blue Iguana Cantina, etc), but I imagine those will come later. 

The kids said this was their best cruise ever. We will definitely cruise Carnival again. 

Minimal / non-existent adherence to dress code in restaurants, most stringent booze rules I've ever experienced, no quiet havens on the ship (other than own room), exercise equipment in poor state of repair, over 2 hours to disembark at end of cruise. Not a cruise line I would use again (ever).  

Cabin service was good - our steward was available but not intrusive.  Almost everything was available when and where we needed it.  

Room service was pretty decent.  Food quality was fair and delivery was timely. Many options for dessert and sandwiches were free, while pizza, shrimp, and a few others were available for $5 or $6.  

Dinner service in the Scarlet was outstanding - Ida, Mark, and Ansul (sp) were right on time, friendly, polite, and attentive.  The crab cake appetizer was the best I've ever had - anywhere, anytime.  The molten chocolate cake was heavenly. The NY Strip was pretty good, as was the pork chop.  

The buffet was a little disappointing.  Breakfast was okay, but lunch and dinner were mediocre at best - few options and only fair quality. 

Numerous entertainment options were available but we unfortunately only experienced a few.  The Caliente night club had a good variety of music and ample dance space as well as seating. There were various other musical venues with something for everyone.  The Love and Marriage Show was really fun except for one couple that sucked the air out of the room so we left half way through.  The Quest was a lot of fun.  Karaoke was also fun.  The comedy shows were so popular we couldn't get a seat - these should have been held in the theater instead of the Burgundy Lounge to accommodate the larger crowds.  

The cruise director (JASE) came off as a little impatient and a touch rude at times - his attempts to smile and create humor sometimes seemed a little forced.  This was most apparent in the Q&A session near the end of the cruise - his answers at times seem short and vague, as if he was agitated at being asked the same questions over and over.  Granted he has to deal with a great many people that are (I'm sorry, there's no nice way to say this) more than a little dense, but you would think someone in this position should expect and be accustomed to that. 

Leaving and returning to the ship in ports of call was fairly smooth.  Initial embarkation and disembarkation times were terribly long, though, in spite of appearing to be well organized.  This is compared to the other 7+ cruises with 3 different cruise lines.  Once called to disembark on the final day, the line was easily 2 hours long.  Boarding took over an hour.  If you don't like waiting, pay the extra for the "fast pass" ($60/person) to get on and off the ship at all ports including initial/final - worth it!  If you don't do the "fast pass" before hand, find Famous (staff person on board) and ask for the VIP treatment - don't forget to tip him, it's well worth it!  Another tip - dress to impress on final departure day if you want to be treated like royalty.  

The on board photographers were talented, friendly, and available all the time.  Photo quality was excellent but prices were understandably high ($22 for an 8 X 10).  

Most of the casino personnel, and in fact the whole shipboard staff, were pleasant and helpful.  Drink service at the tables was sometimes slow. The slot machines seemed to be paying out at above "normal" rates while the table games were for the most part a financial vacuum cleaner for the patrons (surprise!).  Never have a seen a larger number of blackjack dealers that beat 4 of 6 hands holding a 20 (who loses 4 of 6 times holding a 20?) or beat ALL players at the table 7+ times in a row!  

This was my first cruise so I enjoyed every thing on this ship. The comedy shows were my favorite but there is so much to do that I didn't even get to experience everything. The house keeping could use some improvement. I have also told everyone about this ship and how amazing it was. So I would definitely recommend this cruise to others.

I honestly cannot complain about a thing pertaining to this cruise. We had a fabulous time. The ship was always impeccably clean, the staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and there was always something fun going on! I read other reviews that complained about things like no tablecloths on the dining room table or only one room cleaning per day. To those kind of people, it's unfortunate that you let petty things like that take away from your trip! If you want a vacation that's amazing, affordable, and family friendly than this is perfect for you! It's all about perspective! As for me and my family, we'll definitely go again!

The ONLY thing I think they could do differently is have the Endless Bubbles (soda) available at places other than the bars. My kids didn't like standing at the bar for their drinks, at times they saw/heard things they didn't want to! But again, not a trip ruining thing. Just an observation!

The service of the cruise employes was exceptional!  Far exceeded our highest expectations.  Everyone from the housekeeping to the food and beverage servers went above and beyond to assure our trip was a great experience. Plus, the entertainment was incredible!  Really, really enjoyed the comedy club shows. The comedy club director (Can't remember his name, something fun guy?) did an amazing job lining up the best comedy talent in America.  We went to 7 comedy shows and they were all  extraordinary performances.  The other shows on the ship were just as exceptional.  Lots to do and the food was fabulous.  Turns out it was a phenomenal trip.     

I love Carnival, but this boat was not up to the Carnival standard that we are accustomed too. First off, we got a suite, which should come with priority. Well, it took me finding our stateroom service guy and asking him where our luggage was for us to finally get luggage 4 hours after boarding. Our room was supposed to be done when we boarded, and was not. It also was not cleaned well. The closet doors had hand prints among other grime and dirt on them. It did not feel clean. Our stateroom service guy asked us to choose morning or evening for a turn down. We used to get both. With the price of a suite we should get both. Maintenance was in our room 3 times without notifying us. We had to exchange out our beach towels at the pool. The stateroom guy only did it once after he overheard us complaining on the way to exchange them at the pool. The water at dinner at the tea smelled like fish. It was gross. Did not feel like the food or cleanliness of the dishes was up to Carnival standards. Overall,  very disappointing. The boat was full of rust spots and places where the floor was giving way (like on the sports court) . The excursions were great! The waitstaff in the dinning room especially Juliana were great. Otherwise, not up to what we are used to on Carnival.

Medical staff ok but they made a decision with no consultation or options given to take us off the ship via Coast Guard Cutter. Midnight, 75 mile ambulance ride then charged my credit card $2700.00 with NO itemization or details or approximation on charges anticipated. Another one of their revenue enhancement policies along with BLOCKING my global roaming phone when I had bars and could see the cell tower. Worst part is they denied they were doing it with their customer facing folks lying to me (they don't know) but when I challenged their management on it they refunded the full price for the service. Why would they do that? To protect the revenue from the 2000 others who did not challenge it. Like clockwork bars there .at 1 minute to 6 I have roaming, 1 minute past 6 same bars no reception. Blocking a service I pay for to charge $2.00 a MINUTE on cabin phone. Don't use these people under ANY circumstance. They did call to check on health issue but likely only to assess how much they could get away with charging sick customers with no options. NOT GOOD

It took two days before we saw our room steward. The fridge took a day and a half to get cool (which I did not understand since the last people left only hours prior). AC in the room did not work properly and was not fixed until the 5th day.  I tipped room steward to keep ice in the room. he said he could only bring it when he cleaned either 8-10in am or 6-9 in evening. which did we want. Hard to get service except for the casino bar staff. They were amazing. I will NEVER go on a Carnival ship again. bathroom door had a loud creaking noise we reported the second day. finally we sprayed suntan lotion on it. solved problem. they came to fix it the last day. LOL what a joke. We had fun anyway..can not stop us.

The staff on the ship were awesome, they all knew their jobs and did them with smiles. The ship was clean all the time. The food was excellent. The entertainment was great. Even the younger kids had fun dong karaoke. The ports were good.

There were two adults and two children in our group. The ship had activities for everyone. The ship is not terribly large so it was easy to find your way around quickly. The staff was very friendly and especially the dining room staff were excellent. Not always fast but always went out of their way to accommodate the kids special dining requests. Our stateroom comfortably handled all four of us. The steward was not terribly good,just a bit below what I have expected based on previous cruises. Dive In movies were great.

My favorite part of the cruise was the relaxation, however, the cleanliness of the vessel was far below my expectations. The room service menu was an absolute joke and from all accounts some of their policies changed for the worse. They allowed kids in the adult pool with no consequences. I had a much nicer time on royal Caribbean. Let me clarify since folks had a question: yes it was the serenity area whirpools.....LOL....I'm still tripping some of you got mad...the world me live in ...smh

I had a really great time cruising on the Carnival Dream.   The staff and service was wonderful.  I can't hardly wait until next year.     The burgers and fries were excellent.

This was my third cruise, second with Carnival so I had an understanding of what to expect going in.  The Port of NOLA is easy to navigate as it is right on the Mississippi River and is attached to the mall/shopping area.   If you are not a diamond or platinum member is suggest purchasing "faster to the fun".  It allows you to board ahead of general boarding and your cabin is ready once you get on the boat.   Staff was friendly but didn't have that "over the top" service you expect on a cruise.   They were not bad by any means, but those who have cruised before will understand what I mean.   Lot of families on this trip with younger children which I expected with Carnival.  Other cruise lines like Royal Carribean have a more mature customer base and the shows are based on that as well.  Most of the entertainment on the Dream was family oriented which for families is great but not so much for a couple without kids in there 40s.  Another big difference in cruise lines is the quality of food.  I feel that Royal Carribean has much better food and availability of food when you want it.  Carnival closes there buffet and will not open it early, not even minutes when there is already a line waiting.   Ports were nice, Mahogany Bay was beautiful, no excursion needed just enjoy the beach.  Belize was interesting and long.   I took up the Myan ruins tour with lunch.  The excursion starts off with a 2 hours bus ride on primitave roads so when you finally reach the ruins it feels like you have gone rounds with an MMA fighter.  Then you walk uphill for about a half mile to finally reach your destination.  The tour guides were Myan descendants which made for a really insightful tour.   Lunch was very tasty and served at a stop on their way back to the boat.   Another 2 hour ride and we made it back to the Dream.   If you want to see and learn all about Belize, this is a good trip for you.  You are literally 2 miles from Guatamala border and see many towns.   Last port was Cozumel and my excursion was the private beach with chef and waitstaff at my neck and call.  This was amazing.   That's all I can say about it.  The staff, food, location was all unbelievable and it made you feel like you were on another planet.   After 5 hours of being pampered we returned to the boat and had one final day at sea.  I can tell you by the 6th day everyone onboard was pretty much done being there.  The constant bombardment of other people always in your bubble wears on everyone.  Debarking the boat was a joke too.   Again, faster to the fun allowed us to get off the boat before the gen pop but with people not paying attention, not following instructions, and flat out being rude, leaving the boat was a major drill.  Overall I would say if you have a family and this vacation is within your means to take it.   If you are a couple and want a more mature vacation I would go with another cruise line.

The cruise ship was great! The banquet dining is the best we've been on (including other carnival cruises and even better than NCL), but the buffet left much to be desired (NCL's buffet was 5X better).

The ship has a great layout with plenty of commons areas. If you get a balcony, avoid deck 6 if you want privacy, as the rest of the passengers common deck is deck 5 and they can see right into your balcony. It didn't bother us, but I just want to give you a heads up.

As for the ports, if I do it again I would do an excursion in Hondurus. The Island is beautiful, but hard to see from the port on foot (there is a free beach with no waves, if that's your thing). I'd also do an excursion in Mexico. I think Belize has plenty to do right off the port, and all within walking distance. I wish the port days weren't three in a row. By the third day, we were ready to be back on the ship.

Good luck and have a blast!

We enjoyed this beautiful ship, the Carnival Dream.  The people were friendly and the service generally pretty good.  We were regular cruisers a decade ago and considering starting again since our family has grown.  The one thing that we noticed that was significantly different from previous cruises was the dining experience.  It's not as good as it used to be on several levels.  The service staff were fine but fewer servers so the service was not as good or prompt.  The food was not at the same level either.  Entertainment was lacking a little and even though it's not expected at dinner time, definitely not as entertaining years ago.  We understand cost concerns on the cruise ship's part so maybe that's just the sign of the times.  I would still recommend cruising for the fun atmosphere, vacation convenience, and variety of activities, etc.

Enjoyed the cruising at sea and visiting other countries.  There needed to be some way to get to the excursions that did not involve so much walking.  It was very exhausting to get from the gang plank in Roatan to the site of the buses for out excursion.  It was very nice to be greeted by men on bicycles to take us to our destination in Cozumel.

Overall enjoyed it.  Key Lime Pie is delicious!  Staff is friendly and helpful.  Loved trying all the different foods you had available.  I believe I gained five pounds while on this cruise.

This was our second cruise on the dream, we didn't like the changes that carnival has made with the cabin being cleaned or turn down service. We didn't see the cabin Steward until the last two days. The cabin was dirty when we checked into the room. We called but nothing was done. On the third day we had a chemical smell that filled the room and we called and they came to verify that there was a smell, later the brought fans to clear the smell out of the room. The food was good and the entertainment but the changes in the cabin service was not good,