Dream Review 10/09-10/16

[lindsey0221]

I have never posted anything before but I have been reading the boards every day for the last few months. I enjoyed everyone's reviews so much I decided to write my own.

 

My family (Mom, Aunt, Sister, Sisters boyfriend, Nephew, daughter, husband) and I just returned today from the Dream that sailed on 10/9. There were some service issues but overall we had a great time.

 

My husband and I were a little nervous booking the cruise because this would be the first vacation with my 10 month old daughter. She was really good the entire cruise and hardly fussed at all. She loved the constant attention from the staff and by the end of the cruise most knew here by name.

 

Our wait staff in the dining room were outstanding. They really went above and beyond to make sure that we all had a good time.

 

We booked three balcony rooms on the 8th floor and never smelled "the smell" Our rooms were really nice and felt bigger than previous carnival ships. Our room attendant opened all of our balcony dividing doors and we ended up with one very large balcony. This came in really handy because we could travel from one room to another without going into the hallway and making the others get up to answer the door.

 

Here are the service issues that we experienced. Most were pretty minor but I wanted to list everything in case it might help someone else.

 

Our room attendant was really nice but I could tell that they were spread too thin. We had to keep washing our wine glasses out in the sink because they only changed our cups every few days. We didn't have a problem washing them out and already had dish soap and a sponge (for baby bottles) It might have been my fault that they didn't change the glasses very often because I always put the snoozing sign on the door in the morning because I don't see a point in them cleaning my room two times a day. My real complaint came on the second to last day when my daughter had her diaper leak in the middle of the night. The sheet a large yellow stain in the middle of the sheet. The next night we came back into the room and I was about to put the baby to bed and noticed that they did not change her sheet. I saw the room attendant in the hallway and pointed it out. I asked him how often he changed the crib sheets and he gave me a nervous laugh and said that he had not changed it because he thought it was still clean. I told him it was no problem and just asked him to please change the sheet.

 

The second night of the cruise we decided to order room service and used the TV ordering option. It took 1 HR and 45 Min for our food to arrive. I don't know if it was the TV ordering or if they just got slammed with orders at the same time but that was the only time we had a problem. The rest of the cruise the food was delivered in 30-45 min. All of the food on the ship was excellent.

 

One very minor thing that happened was the second morning of the cruise. My husband ordered a soda at the bar and they told him his card was declined and we had to go to guest services. They wouldn't let him have the soda that was already poured and took it away. We went to guest services and waited in a 20 min line and all they needed was to re swipe his credit card because his name on our account was missing his middle initial which shows on his credit card. I think they should have either called us or sent us a message to go to guest services instead of deactivating his card.

 

The biggest problem I had was with Camp Carnival. The first sea day I took my daughter to the open play from 8-10am. I had the option of staying with her or leaving her and paying. I chose to stay with her the first time because I had never left her with strangers or sitters before and was a little nervous. The staff there that morning were great. My daughter was the only kid under two there from 8-9 and they were playing on the floor with her. After that I felt comfortable enough to leave her alone. That night I brought her in at 10pm for the babysitting service. She was sleeping and one of the staff members asked if they could just keep her in her stroller while she slept. I told them that i would prefer her to either sleep on the floor or a pack and play since her stroller didn't fold down and she doesn't wake easily. They said no problem and brought out a pack and play. We went to the adult comedy show and picked her up at 11:45pm. She was still in the pack and play sleeping. Two days later we had another sea day and we dropped her off at 8am to play and my husband and I went to use the water slides. When we picked her back up she was playing on the floor with other kids and cried when we left. That night we decided to drop her off again at 10pm to see the adult comedy show again. This time she was awake so this time we took her out of her stroller and put her down to play with the other kids. About 45 min after dropping her off I started to get a headache so decided that I would pick her back up and go to bed. When I got to the babysitting room my daughter was strapped in her stroller fully awake and leaning forward to look at the other kids. I asked the staff why she was in her stroller. They told me that she was fussy and that was they only way they could get her to stop fussing. I didn't believe her because my daughter loves other kids and would have still been in awe playing with them in the short amount of time we were gone. I also didn't believe that putting her in the stroller made her stop fussing because every time I put her in her stroller she screams. It would have made more since for them to put her in a playpen where she would have still easily seen the other kids and would have been able to move around a little and lay down. They didn't know if I would have been gone for 45 min or until 3am. After I picked her up I went to guest services to complain and she said that she would let the youth director know. The next morning the youth director called me and I told her the story. She said that she talked to the staff and that they told her that they did put my daughter in a playpen and that she didn't like that she they moved her to the stroller. I told the director that when I picked up my daughter there was no playpen set up and since they didn't know how long they would be watching her I don't think they would have set it all up and then put it away. She ended up telling me she would address it with the staff.

 

I know it sounds like a lot of complaints but really we had a great time and can't wait until the next cruise. I think I am going to stick with the smaller ships because I feel like the service is better and there are not as many crowds.

 

Here are a couple of tips that might help someone else out.

 

If you have kids go to the build a bear and build a Freddy instead of the bear. The basic bear is $20 and only comes with a carnival t shirt. The Freddy comes with his own outfit and a really nice hard cover book about Freddy's first cruise and only costs $10. The stuffed Freddy they sell in the gift shop for $10 is only half the size and doesn't come with the book.

 

If you buy pictures ask them everyday what special they are running on the frames. The first picture I bought they asked me if I wanted a frame for an extra $2. The normal price was $12. Another day my sister went and bought a picture and they gave her a different frame for free but when I went a hour later they didn't offer it to me but gave it when I asked if there was a promotion with the pictures. The guy said he forgot but did tell me that they do a different one everyday if you buy a picture.

 

If you are planning to go to the adult comedy show then I would recommend going to the pg show before because most people stayed for both and the adult show fills up quickly.

 

A good thing to know if you have teenagers is that carnival does not flag the minors cards and will let them off the ship without a parent. While I was waiting at guest services I could help but over hear the lady next to me telling her story to the guest service lady. She said that herself, husband, 16 year old daughter and her daughters friend went on a excursion in St Martin and they got back to the ship early. Her and her husband went to the room to rest before dinner and her daughter and her daughters friend said they were going to the camp carnival program for teens. Some how they found out that the two 16 year old girls got back off the boat to buy more souvenirs. The mom was asking guest services how two minors were aloud off the boat without a parent and if they have something that flags the person swiping the card that the person is a minor. The guest service lady told her no and asked her if she wanted to talk to security. I didn't hear what happened after that.

 

I will try and add pictures in the next few days.

[shelby101]

I think parents are responsible for their kids no matter what age they are not Carnival

[Forchunut1]

Thanks for the review! I'll be on the Dream in a few months and I enjoy hearing everyone's experiences.

 

A good thing to know if you have teenagers is that carnival does not flag the minors cards and will let them off the ship without a parent. While I was waiting at guest services I could help but over hear the lady next to me telling her story to the guest service lady. She said that herself, husband, 16 year old daughter and her daughters friend went on a excursion in St Martin and they got back to the ship early. Her and her husband went to the room to rest before dinner and her daughter and her daughters friend said they were going to the camp carnival program for teens. Some how they found out that the two 16 year old girls got back off the boat to buy more souvenirs. The mom was asking guest services how two minors were aloud off the boat without a parent and if they have something that flags the person swiping the card that the person is a minor. The guest service lady told her no and asked her if she wanted to talk to security. I didn't hear what happened after that.

 

Wow! I would have been upset too! Carnival is getting so strict about other things (wine allowed but only in carry on or it will be confiscated, etc.) but not about minors leaving the ship.

 

Sure, parents are responsible for their kids, but we all know how teenagers can be. And, all it takes is something happening to one child for there to be a lawsuit to be filed.

[Planner48]

Glad you had a good time but I would like to hear some ore about what you liked about the cruise.

[lindsey0221]

Hi Planner 48,

Besides the few issues I mentioned, everything else was perfect. The staff in the dinning room did a great job. After the first day they all knew my daughters name and went out of their way to play with her. Our head waitress even danced with her. I thought the food was outstanding and really liked the deli and pasta bar.

The activities on the boat were fun and we were never board. The cooking demonstration was good and we even got a printout of the recipes. The Shows were really good. My favorite was "Dancing in the street." The comedians were really funny.

I really had a good time at waterworks and liked the slides. I would say that 99 percent of the staff really went out of there way to make sure all of the guests were happy.

Considering that the ship had 4000 guests I thought Carnival did a great job getting everyone on and off. We didn't have very long lines for anything.

I would defiantly go on the ship again but maybe without bringing my stroller into camp carnival :)

[Naomi John]

I

The biggest problem I had was with Camp Carnival. The first sea day I took my daughter to the open play from 8-10am. I had the option of staying with her or leaving her and paying. I chose to stay with her the first time because I had never left her with strangers or sitters before and was a little nervous. The staff there that morning were great. My daughter was the only kid under two there from 8-9 and they were playing on the floor with her. After that I felt comfortable enough to leave her alone. That night I brought her in at 10pm for the babysitting service. She was sleeping and one of the staff members asked if they could just keep her in her stroller while she slept. I told them that i would prefer her to either sleep on the floor or a pack and play since her stroller didn't fold down and she doesn't wake easily. They said no problem and brought out a pack and play. We went to the adult comedy show and picked her up at 11:45pm. She was still in the pack and play sleeping. Two days later we had another sea day and we dropped her off at 8am to play and my husband and I went to use the water slides. When we picked her back up she was playing on the floor with other kids and cried when we left. That night we decided to drop her off again at 10pm to see the adult comedy show again. This time she was awake so this time we took her out of her stroller and put her down to play with the other kids. About 45 min after dropping her off I started to get a headache so decided that I would pick her back up and go to bed. When I got to the babysitting room my daughter was strapped in her stroller fully awake and leaning forward to look at the other kids. I asked the staff why she was in her stroller. They told me that she was fussy and that was they only way they could get her to stop fussing. I didn't believe her because my daughter loves other kids and would have still been in awe playing with them in the short amount of time we were gone. I also didn't believe that putting her in the stroller made her stop fussing because every time I put her in her stroller she screams. It would have made more since for them to put her in a playpen where she would have still easily seen the other kids and would have been able to move around a little and lay down. They didn't know if I would have been gone for 45 min or until 3am. After I picked her up I went to guest services to complain and she said that she would let the youth director know. The next morning the youth director called me and I told her the story. She said that she talked to the staff and that they told her that they did put my daughter in a playpen and that she didn't like that she they moved her to the stroller. I told the director that when I picked up my daughter there was no playpen set up and since they didn't know how long they would be watching her I don't think they would have set it all up and then put it away. She ended up telling me she would address it with the staff.

 

I am first a little shocked. I thought Camp Carnival was for 2+. Second, your concerns should not be taken lightly and I would write a letter. The director's excuse was poor. My DD was 6 her first crusie and 8 on her 5th, so I had a somewhat positive attitude toward Camp Carnival, but then again it maybe the Camp vs the babysitting.

 

All I can say is you have every right to be somewhat annoyed by the experience.