bananatami

On 3/8/2022 at 3:20 PM, Indytraveler83 said:

You can buy one on embarkation day at rh spa if you don't have spa rooms.  I think they around $50/day, so not cheap.

 

 

If you buy the pass, do you have to buy it for the whole length of the cruise, like the Cheers package, or can I just buy a single day?

5 hours ago, nlktx49 said:

I forgot to mention one change, probably the best, is how the muster drill is done now.

 

Instead of everyone having to gather on the deck or in the dining room, waiting for everyone to show up, now you go to your muster station - it's shown on your boarding pass - and do a small drill, about 5 minutes. Very few people as there is no set time to do this, just has to be done before the ship sails.

 

We do it as soon as we board to get it out of the way.

Oh man! That is great!  One thing i DO now remember (and try to forget cause once its done you pretty much forget) is that meeting and just sitting and waiting for everyone to show.  I was dreading that (and trying not to think about it)

Also just the line in general to board.

With so much to see/do/explore, what would you recommend the first series of events be?

Board, go to room to drop luggage/see where it is then:

-Muster drill station?

-????

-???

4 hours ago, TravelGirlinDallas said:

We were on the Dream's first post-lockdown sailing last September. There's a link to my review (with pics) in my signature below. 

 

Something I really enjoyed was sitting on the couches on the middle deck in the Atrium and listening to live music in the evenings. Also, don't miss Seaday Brunch in the MDR on the sea days. Oh, and Pasta Bella is a made-to-order pasta restaurant on the second floor of the buffet. It's really just a section of the upper buffet seating area, and it's hard to tell what it is if you don't know. That's where we had lunch on embarkation day. I recommend giving it a try.

PERFECT thank you so much!!!

22 minutes ago, Indytraveler83 said:

The spas on the Dream class are some of the best in the fleet, and well worth the spa pass for just the heated pool.  My favorite trip on the Dream was when we had spa balconies!

How do you get a spa pass??

I have read some very mixed reviews regarding the Dream.

I had origanally booked on the Magic and an hour after I booked, found out my friend from HS and her family were on this cruise, so I switched. Just hoping i made the better decision.

1 hour ago, famof4togo said:

 

 

I suggest you strongly recommend your 15yr old go to his "club" the first night.  That night no one knows each other and they "cliche" off together quickly....after the first night its harder to meet people etc....I have had to bribe my child with arcade $ to go in the past but he always is glad he went afterwards.  We always require our son joins us for dinner (or we would never see him).

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for this tip.  This will definately help me (him) as he is already a bit socially awkward, so him going first night will hopefully work at him making a friend or 2.

(hes a quiet gamer kid)

19 minutes ago, nlktx49 said:

Steakhouse is never free, $38 per person, only open at night. It's worth the money! The Spa has a tour on the first night where they give away treatments. There's a Sail Away party on the first night on deck 10 when the ship leaves port.

 

So much has changed, just in the last 6 months. I think the biggest change is the HUB. This is an app you download and almost everything is on it. You need to make reservations for dinner and breakfast on it, your daily activities are on it, menus, your account charges, all kinds of info, so be prepared to always have your cell phone with you.

 

Get on Carnival's website and click on "Explore" then click on Dream. Look at the deck plans so you'll know where everything is located. Then go to Onboard Activities, then Dining.  On deck 10, the Lido, try Guy's Burgers, Blue Iguana Cantina for tacos, burritos, and taco salad, and the Deli for Southwestern Chicken Wrap, then the Mongolian Wok for some great stir-fry, and then the regular buffet items.

 

Also check out the info at the very top of the website to get the info you need on vaccinations and testing as well as any restrictions in force. Check out other info such as what you are allowed to bring onboard. Be sure to have your passport, your vaccination card, your test results, and your boarding pass. Mark on your calendar what date you can get your boarding time - if you show up before your time, you have to wait. After your time, no problem.

 

You can get other info on this site under First Time Cruisers, since you basically are one!

 

Everyone's experience on a cruise is different based on what you like to do, but no matter what, I think you and your family will have a great time. Our cruise next month will be our 25th - cruising is our favorite way to get away from it all and relax, and have fun!  Enjoy!!!!

Wow, thank you so much for the information.  Very much appreciated.

My Husband and I just did our first All Inclusive adults only resort in November, and, although he is excited about the cruise, he is a little skeptical. (he was the same before the trip to Jamaica) he hears ONE bad thing and 1 million good things, the one bad sticks with him......

But everyone in person he has talked to said how much they love cruising , so i think hes getting a little more excited.

My son, I'm not sure how hes feeling really.  I know he is nervous to fly (never has) and i showed him a YouTube walk through of the ship to try and amp him up, but he still seems a bit Blah......

1 hour ago, Joe817 said:

If you click on the diamond it will be defined as an Easter cruise, Eastern Caribbean. 

Oh, I clicked and didnt see anything special, but hovering over it, i see it means a Holiday (Christmas, New Years are both diamonds as well)

Thanks .

Hello Cruise fam.

I will be heading out for my 3rd ever cruise in April on the Dream (first was in 1993, i was 10- on a cruise line that is no longer in business since the 90s- I don't remember much.....; 2nd was in 2004, I was 21-on Carnival Destiny- now the Sunshine I believe don't remember much 😆🤪 )

I have read a few tips/tricks/advice other places and for whatever reason did not write any down.

I think i read somewhere that lunch is free in the steakhouse on debarkation? (or something like that)

And something about not missing a tour/gathering of some sort, as they give away a lot of prizes on night one or 2?   Anyone know what that is?

Any other tips for a seemlingly new cruiser (My son and Husband have never cruised either.  Son is 15)

Thank you all in advance!!

Oh- Ports of calls if you want to input on those as well------  Costa Maya, Cozumel, Belize City

❤️Tami

On 2/19/2022 at 7:52 PM, TomCruise48 said:

According to CruiseMapper, the Dream is finishing an 8-day itinerary that began on 2/12 and is currently in route to Galveston.

 

https://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Carnival-Dream-680

Curious, what does the diamonds next to some dates mean?  I looked for a key and couldnt figure it out.

34 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

You are taking your fiance (or is it fiancee) on her (or is it his?) first cruise, and you are sure "...anything would wow him..". (your 15 year old son).  Why aren't you thinking about what might be the best first cruise for your fiance?

 

What the hell are you thinking?  Your 15 year old son will be largely out of the picture in six or seven years -- how long do you expect to be with your fiance?

This is more of a vacation for my son.   My fiance and I just came back from q 6 day all inclusive trip to Jamaica.  Which is why I'm looking for my son to have the time of his life. 

As great as that ship looks, it doesn't seem to be very budget friendly.  

Looking for "expert" opinions on best cruise for a 15 year old boy. 

I came to you guys back in 2004 and you were all so great so here I am again! 

This will be my 3rd cruise (once when I was 10, then 21 on Carnival- so I have a sailer number if that would help)

Looking at some of the options, royal carribean seems to have a lot of options he would really enjoy, especially the putt putting.  But have read lots of mixed reviews on RC vs CC.

This will be our first real family vacation, so I'm sure anything would wow him. 

This would also be my fiance first cruise. 

We are pretty easy going and laid back.  Just want something that has a lot of cool things for the 15 y/o boy.

Looking for 3-4 days.  (Prefer mid April but know that may be more expensive due to spring break/peak time) 

Whatcha got?? 

TIA. 

...

CARNIVAL DESTINY~

Wow!! thanks for the info, I actually just found all the info we received from our cruise, folders with the menu's itenerarys and that stuff. I had so much fun on that cruise and so did my family. that was my only cruise ever and again, I was 10 and I'm going on my second on June 6th with my boyfriend.

CARNIVAL DESTINY~

When I was 10 or 11 (10 years ago) I went on a cruise with my family called American Family Adventure, and from what I can remember I had the time of my life. (I remember the huge crush I had on our waiter) Ohe theme night we had was a superhero night and my waiter was superman! Has anyone ever heard of this cruise line? From what my mom told me a few years ago is that they went out of business. What do they do with cruise ships that go out of business anyway?>

CARNIVAL DESTINY~

Anyone have any good stories of how you surprised someone by giving them a gift of a cruise? I came up with a cute way and thought I would share to give some people some ideas.

I'm 21 and my bf is 22, we just celebrated our 2 year anniversary and for our anniversary I gave him the great gift of a cruise for the 2 of us. He took me to dinner and from there I blindfolded him and drove his car to a nearby beach (we live on lake Erie) there is one spot that has a waterfall. I parked the car and took his had and guided him down a flight of stairs that ends on a small concreate platform. I layed a blanket down, took a tap light (candles would have blown out) 2 champaign glasses and my walkman that had mini speakers playing Ella Fitzgerald's "Isn't it romantic" I took the blindfold off and presented him is gift. The way I "wrapped" the card that said we were going on a cruise was, I put it in a blue bottle with a cork (got it at a craft store) and placed it inside a childs sand buket filled with sand. On top of the sand was an assortment of seashells that were also placed thruout the sand. also a wooden palm tree and sail boat that I hand painted. He had to dig thru the sand and find the seashells. on each seashell I had pained a letter and color coded them (Blue letters, orange letters and so on) The blue letters spelled out ARUBA the orange BARBADOS so he then had to unscramble them. at the very bottom of the bucket I had a seashell that had the map of the itenerary that I cut from the carnival book and glued on the shell. I helped him with the unscrabling and also sifting thru the sand. I figured this was a very original way to present a gift of a cruise other than in an envalope.

also, with the hand painted palm tree, I painted one for myself as well, I'm going to go to Michaels and get a wooden craft picture from, glue the palm tree to it and put a picture of us from the cruise.

Sorry this was such a long post, I would love to hear other stories

CARNIVAL DESTINY~