Just off the Dream this morning -questions welcome

[dprg644]

Did you fly into Orlando? How much did it cost to transport you from the airport to your hotel and how far was your hotel from the port? Sorry for so many questions, I just thought that it would be too much back and forth if I went a day prior.

 

I also was on the same cruise (4-24) and also flew into Orlando. The shuttle was about $13 per person from the airport and $16 per person from the port back to Orlando. The difference I think in price depends on how many are on the shuttle with you. We also used Cocoa Beach Shuttle and as posted prior mention CC and get 10% off. The Radisson at the Port is only mayby a 1 mile at the most. You can see the Dream from the motel.

[David-n-Rita]

I have three questions.

 

Did they tender you to Rotan at Coxin?

Did they have onion ring at hamberger station?

Do you need a credit card for the save?

 

Thanks

 

No Tender at Coxumel or Roatan - only tender port was Belize

NOTE: mainland excursion off of the island of Cozumel need a ferrie (nasty 30 minute rough ride) to the mainland but if you stay right on Cozumel to do things, there is not tender

 

I love onion rings and I did not see onion rings on the station although they did have hot fried onions but I did see the breaded kind while I was there

 

The safe had a you pick it 4 number code that was easy to use qand better than the old scan the card ones

[David-n-Rita]

Thanks for posting this! I'll be Platinum on this cruise, and I was curious as to what time the Platinum cruisers can get off the ship without self debarking.

 

Our letter said to meet down stairs at 7:15am in the middle dining room. We got #1 tags for our luggage (make sure you use those and not the ones given to you by your steward that will have another number besides the number 1 (our cabin had Number 8 tags that we gave back) The # 1 assures that your luggage will go on the priority belt in a separate area from all the others so even if you don't get off at 7:15 am your luggage will be separate from the masses. They were already calling other zones when we got down stairs and they escorted us right off and to the priority luggage area. There were some backup lines we passed but overall everything seemed to be going smoothy

[David-n-Rita]

Our friends have the same cabin on our cruise next month; did you have a sofa?

I was also wondering about tendering in Belize. As Platinum guests, were you able to get off on the first tender? Do they have you go to a lounge at a specific time and get a tender sticker?

Thanks for any guidance you can give!

 

Yes we had a sofa. I have lots of pictures of the cabin (use the link in our signature) I am uploading alot of pictures today of the rest of the cruise on the website. (Not sure if you will be able to access the album while I am adding pictures but if you can't just try back later.

 

Tender - We did not get off in Belize but we have tendered as Platinum guests elsewhere. You have to get to an employee, usually in the theater where they make everyone go. Excursions (Carnival)go first and then they give out tender tickets to the rest. When you arrive with Platinum, they immediately put you on the next tender leaving - They give you the number of the next tender leaving regardless of whether you have an excursion or not. Sometimes it is difficult to get to the employee if there are crowds although they usually make people go to the theater and make them sit down. As you come in they screen for Carnival excursions or Platinum people. Tip: since everyone comes into the theater on the lowest level - go to deck 4 or 5 (which is the upstairs level in the theater and come down the stairs - then make you way to the employee at the door) Works good to get seats too as everyone goes to the entrance on the lower level and the upper levels are empty so you can just enter there and come down the stairs. Also use this to escape the crowds going out - got to the upper level and walk to the middle elevators on that floor and avoid the crowds at the elevators right outside the theater. Always walk the length of the ship on floors with cabins 1,2,5(that is the passageway for everyone) 6,7,8. Then take the empty elevators - use this when you come back on the ship - walk the stairs from deck zero to 1st floor - take that to the middle or back elevator bank and then use the empty elevators while crowds clog the elevator by the front of the ship

[TakeMeAway1001]

Kristen when we got off the Dream on 5/1 self assist started at 6:45am. Unbelievably early and we were told this is the new norm as long as the ship is back in port as scheduled. We loved being able to get on at 11am and if that means getting off earlier I'm all for it :)

 

Thanks Betty :) Hope all is well with you!

[David-n-Rita]

Did they have the normal lunch in the main dining room or was it the brunch they were serving..For a while everyone was talking about the brunch but I haven't heard anything about it lately..loving your mini review and waiting for your full review..thanks

 

I always keep the Daily schedules (Now Funtimes) and here is the schedule for the eating area:

BREAKFAST:

5:30am-10:30am - Continential - The Gathering (the deck 10 buffet area)

7:30am-10:30am - Lido buffet - The Gathering

8:00am - 10:00am - open seating Scarlett dining room

1030am - 12:00noon - Late risers - The Gathering

LUNCH:

11:00am - 11:00pm - Deli - The Gathering

12noon - 1:30pm - open seating Scarlett diningroom

12noon - 2:30pm Lanai Bar-BQ Lanai deck (SEA DAYS ONLY)

12 noon - 2:30pm - Lunch buffet - The Gathering

12:00noon - 2:30pm Mongolian Wok - The Gathering

12noon - 2:30pm - Burrito bar - The gathering

12noon - 2:30pm Pasta Bar - The Gathering

12noon - 2:30pm - Indian Tandoor - The Gathering

12noon - 6:00pm the Grill (hamburgers/fries/hot dogs)

12noon - 2:30pm Grand buffet

 

DINNER

Early and late seating and anytime dining

 

6:00pm - 9:30pm The Gathering

3:00pm-4:00pm Crisson diningroom

5:00pm-8:15pm Wasabi Sushi Bar

11:30pm-1am - Late night snacks - The gathering

 

24 hours a day

Pizza

Coffe Tea, Ice Cream

Room service

 

Note:

There are 2 buffets which people seem to forget. While lines piled up in the buffet by the Mongolian Wok and that dining area, the aft was empty.

I am still uploading to our cruise journal (link below but I took pictures of the sparse lines back there that seemed to be a secret because everyone seemed to forget there was another dining area and a separate buffet being served. At 8-9am on a sea day I have pictures of an empty omelet station that we just walked up to. The other part of the buffet might have lines but the very back buffet was empty. (This did cause us to miss the chocolate buffet which is lunch on the last sea day in the middle buffet (right across from the Mongolian Wok) - it is not advertised and since we avoid this area, we only saw it after we ate. I took pictures of the Mongolian Wok line at 1pm on the last sea day (see the journal) even so the line weren't that bad at all.

NOTE: the journal might be difficult to access today as I am uploading pictures to it so if you can't see the Dream album come back later when it is done

[David-n-Rita]

I see you are going on Magic next year - and so are we. You cruise first so you have to tell us how you like it!:):)

 

We will and we will have the cruise journal as well. The Spendor is first in Sept.

[C Cruise Dude]

I have three questions.

 

Did they tender you to Rotan at Coxin?

Did they have onion ring at hamberger station?

Do you need a credit card for the save?

 

Thanks

 

I was on the Dream on April 24th and they had onion rings, nacho chips and sauce, sauteed onions, cole slaw and sauerkraut. I don't know what you mean by "credit card for the save?" :)

[David-n-Rita]

I am just curious, why do you love sailing out of Port Canaveral. I am going to be booking the Dream for October 30th and the fact that the port was 60 miles away from the airport is putting a little damper on it for me. So please, make me feel better about it!

 

I agree as it was one of the reasons we never sailed out of Canaveral before. We wanted the Dream so we tried it.

 

After you submit your review it takes awhile to publish it and I did cover it. I will recap for you. We flew into Orlando (2 days early-we don't trust the airlines and we like to get our bearings)and rented a car from thrify which is right at the airport (all the companies are there, just different counters) We booked through thrifty online and it is $118.00 for two days rental with drop off in Port Canaveral the day of the cruise) Just note when you book, the quoted price and the bottom line for the car rental due to frees and taxes (remember Florida has no state income tax for residents so that is added to all the tourist things) The actual rental was $39.00/day before all those taxes so what you are quoted is not the bottom line. We took a chance and booked a "Wild Card car" basically at least mid size and a leftover. We were pleasantly surprised with a brand new Grand Caravan. It took about 35 minutes to drive from the airport to the Canaveral area. We booked at Radisson at the Port (highly recommended) We booked a 2 room suite with Jacuzzi at $143.00/night direct with the hotel. There were cheaper rooms in the $90/night category) See my link below for pictures. All the hotels seemed to be on the one road and there were plenty of eating places, liquor stores, and grocery store right there. I do think renting a car is the way to go. It would be more expensive to get around as everything was spaced far apart. The beach is also right there. We dropped the car off at Thrisft which is right by the hotel and their shuttle took us to the port which you can see from the Radisson. When we got off the ship we opted for the shuttle from Carnival (purchase online before the cruise or you can also purchase when you are on the cruise from the excursions desk) It was $35.00/person and a luxury bus that left frequently as alot of people use the transfer to get back to the airport. NOTE: some people also flew into Melborne, FL and the shuttle also went there. You might want to check the airline prices to that airport as well.

[poundcake09]

Your pictures are awesome! I'm not even sailing on the Dream and your site is soo well done. I am doing the Destiny and saw your photos of that. Applause for your abilities it's great:). Keep up the great work...

[David-n-Rita]

Your pictures are awesome! I'm not even sailing on the Dream and your site is soo well done. I am doing the Destiny and saw your photos of that. Applause for your abilities it's great:). Keep up the great work...

 

I enjoy doing them and SmugMug is pretty good. I previously did these on Webshots but they kept "losing" the pictures and they only had a slideshow that had limited amounts of characters to use for the pictures. SmugMug allows the Journal with unlimited amounts you can write about the picture so it is nicer for reviews with pictures. I have yet to figure out how to add pictures to CC posts so the link serves the pictures. Happy cruising and see you around CC or maybe even on a ship

[UpstateCruizer]

Did you fly into Orlando? How much did it cost to transport you from the airport to your hotel and how far was your hotel from the port? Sorry for so many questions, I just thought that it would be too much back and forth if I went a day prior.

 

Cocoa Beach shuttle charged us $68total after tax for the private van for the 3 of us from the airport to the hotel. The hotel is about 5 minutes from the port so there is no need to go back to the airport. The hotel we stayed at offers free shuttle service to the hotel in the morning. When we got off the ship we were approached by a Travelynx shuttle wanting $25 pp to go to the airport in a van with another family. I told the guy I was waiting for a Cocoa Beach shuttle. He really wanted our business and offered us the shuttle for $15pp and we'd leave right then. Since we were nervous about getting to the airport and had no idea when the rest of the Cocoa Beach shuttle riders were going to show up we took him up on it.

[chachi]

Thanks for posting your review. It is always nice to read a positive review of the Dream.

[geovet]

Thanks for the info C cruise dude and D & R. I was asking about the safe. Mistake in spelling. Glad to hear about the O rings. Hope they have them next week.

[MotherofTrips]

Cocoa Beach shuttle charged us $68total after tax for the private van for the 3 of us from the airport to the hotel. The hotel is about 5 minutes from the port so there is no need to go back to the airport. The hotel we stayed at offers free shuttle service to the hotel in the morning. When we got off the ship we were approached by a Travelynx shuttle wanting $25 pp to go to the airport in a van with another family. I told the guy I was waiting for a Cocoa Beach shuttle. He really wanted our business and offered us the shuttle for $15pp and we'd leave right then. Since we were nervous about getting to the airport and had no idea when the rest of the Cocoa Beach shuttle riders were going to show up we took him up on it.

 

Thank you for answering all of my questions! How long did it take to get from the airport to your hotel?

[cruiselover 43]

:)

I enjoy doing them and SmugMug is pretty good. I previously did these on Webshots but they kept "losing" the pictures and they only had a slideshow that had limited amounts of characters to use for the pictures. SmugMug allows the Journal with unlimited amounts you can write about the picture so it is nicer for reviews with pictures. I have yet to figure out how to add pictures to CC posts so the link serves the pictures. Happy cruising and see you around CC or maybe even on a ship

 

Nice pics & review Thanks!!!!:)

[David-n-Rita]

Thank you for answering all of my questions! How long did it take to get from the airport to your hotel?

 

It takes about 30 minutes to drive from the airport to the hotel area by the Port.

[momofmatt]

I didn't know that you could bring on 2 bottles of wine. Is that something new? Could you bring on 1 bottle of liquor? Where can I fine the alotment on what you could bring on. I will be going on DREAM in July and would like all the information that I can get. Thanks for the information you already gave. I am looking forward to the pictures.

[David-n-Rita]

I didn't know that you could bring on 2 bottles of wine. Is that something new? Could you bring on 1 bottle of liquor? Where can I fine the alotment on what you could bring on. I will be going on DREAM in July and would like all the information that I can get. Thanks for the information you already gave. I am looking forward to the pictures.

 

You can bring 1 - 750ml bottle of wine per person over the age of 21. They charge a corking fee in the dining room of you have them open it. Our solution is to put it in glasses in our room and walk into the dining room with it. It must be in your carryon and not in the checked luggage. You can also bring a 12 pack of some non alcoholic beverage (soda) but no liquor. You can sneak liquor in rum runners but not liquor bottles hidden in your luggage. We are smart enough not to admit to doing this and there are plenty of threads on this on CC. My crystal ball says that you can do this on the Dream in Port Canaveral if you don't go overboard..small amounts of liquor did get through in rum runners hidden in locked luggage.....but we admit to nothing:p

[wednesday]

Wow your photo review is fantastic so far! Thanks for taking the time to put it together, it is so user friendly. We are sailing on the dream June 12th, I can't wait :D

[TennesseeMates]

Love your review and your pics they are the best I've seen of the Dream:o. We are on the Dream in Sept with an aft room with wrap balcony. Never had an aft before, we like looking down and seeing the water but the way it appears you can't do that because of the walk around deck where people can walk, did that take away from the balcony view? Also wondering if rooms are any bigger, is there a sofa? We will be on the Upper deck and now wondering about the noise from the activity on the deck under us? Thanks in advance for any info.

[David-n-Rita]

Love your review and your pics they are the best I've seen of the Dream:o. We are on the Dream in Sept with an aft room with wrap balcony. Never had an aft before, we like looking down and seeing the water but the way it appears you can't do that because of the walk around deck where people can walk, did that take away from the balcony view? Also wondering if rooms are any bigger, is there a sofa? We will be on the Upper deck and now wondering about the noise from the activity on the deck under us? Thanks in advance for any info.

 

Wrap arounds are nice and yes it is odd to see the walkway below instead of just ocean. Most of the time there was no one back there, but the mid side cabins had it bad I think and I did take pictures of this in the review. We were on the 7th deck and could see the water out the back fine (you can see this in several of the pictures) You will be a little lower and closer to the deck but it is still about 8 feet up from where people are walking so it is isn't like they can peer into you room although at night I usually sit out in my nightgown on other cruises and can't be see (except by the fish) but this time I made sure I had a robe on just in case.

ANOTHER ISSUE - You might have problems on deck 6 with the activity below you. Most seasoned cruisers avoid deck right above late night party areas. (not too bad being above the diningroom as the late night seating is usually done by 10pm) You problem and I just checked the FUNTIMES schedules to make sure - you are right over the Burgundy lounge (it is completely across the aft of the ship on deck five and the piano bar is next to it on one side and the Song lounge is on the other side. (depending on which side your aft wrap is on, you will have the Burgundy Lounge and either the Piano bar or the Song lounge directly under you) Both are late night noise havens. Piano bar has entertainment well past midnight and the Burgundy and Song lounges run Karaoke until 1 or 2 in the morning and the other nights have the late night comedy club past midnight. This would be a nightmare for us as we go to bed fairly early. If you are night owl people and will be up that late anyway, there is not problem and these areas are empty in the morning so if quiet in the morning is desirable, this cabin will probably be OK for you. If you go to be early you floors will thumping well past midnight. If you get the change to go up a deck I would take it. (It's usually good to be on a deck with cabins above and below you for the least amount of noise.) - which is why we were on the 7th deck

[TennesseeMates]

Thanks for your quick reply. We are night owls usually not in bed until 1 or 2 am. We were concerned about the path below mainly. We had thought of upgrading to a side balcony on empress but realized with this new prom. deck the way it is that any where on the ship a balcony room will loook down onto it. Is that not correct? Thats what we gathered from your pictures. Thank you we will take your suggestions into consideration.

[David-n-Rita]

Thanks for your quick reply. We are night owls usually not in bed until 1 or 2 am. We were concerned about the path below mainly. We had thought of upgrading to a side balcony on empress but realized with this new prom. deck the way it is that any where on the ship a balcony room will loook down onto it. Is that not correct? Thats what we gathered from your pictures. Thank you we will take your suggestions into consideration.

 

The side balconies on the ships while they are under way are very windy. That is why we like the aft because the ship blocks the wind. If you are night people, you will have no problem at all, in fact these areas are quieter in the morning if you are late sleepers. You will love the wrap cabins, and they do usually have a couch in them but they are of different configurations so you actually have to find someone that actually had that cabin to post it. We found the afts on the Dream to actually be longer in length as was the balcony outward.

[rick and carrie]

Did they have the normal lunch in the main dining room or was it the brunch they were serving..For a while everyone was talking about the brunch but I haven't heard anything about it lately..loving your mini review and waiting for your full review..thanks

 

Lunch in Main Dining Room on sea days only.