First timer from Aus questions.

[aussie mim]

Hey guys doing our first cruise from US on carnival dream in sept, and as i boo0ked cruise from Australia over phone we dont have any brochures etc only net and cant really get a grasp of dining opts, Is there 2 MDR do you chose which one you go to or are they selected for you,what is the pasta bar and where is it and when is it open, where is the grill when is it open etc and pizza, sushi, deli etc are they all at the buffet or is that seperate and what is this international cuisine i read about, is it part of buffet or sep-erate. What time does the waterslides open, do they have coke zero on board, and when we arrive will they give you a map of ship or can i pick one up somewhere and lastly im booked into deck 6, balcony just above those spas will that be noisy in your opinion, and what time do those side spas close at night is deck 5 a busy deck esp at night. thanks

[T. Advisor King]

Hey guys doing our first cruise from US on carnival dream in sept, and as i boo0ked cruise from Australia over phone we dont have any brochures etc only net and cant really get a grasp of dining opts, Is there 2 MDR do you chose which one you go to or are they selected for you,what is the pasta bar and where is it and when is it open, where is the grill when is it open etc and pizza, sushi, deli etc are they all at the buffet or is that seperate and what is this international cuisine i read about, is it part of buffet or sep-erate. What time does the waterslides open, do they have coke zero on board, and when we arrive will they give you a map of ship or can i pick one up somewhere and lastly im booked into deck 6, balcony just above those spas will that be noisy in your opinion, and what time do those side spas close at night is deck 5 a busy deck esp at night. thanks

 

The dining room is generally selected for you. There is nothing that distinguishes one from the other.

 

The buffet is separate from the other food options you mentioned.

 

I don't know about your other questions, but as for the map, oddly, you get nothing that helps you navigate the ship. They may give you a postcard-size picture when you check in (unless things have changed recently). It is very odd that you won't receive anything on check-in, nor will you find anything in your cabin. I typically receive a more detailed map when I arrive to pitch my tent at a campsite than I do when I board a Carnival ship. I don't know why this is and would definitely put it high on my list of Carnival pet peeves. You should definitely find deck layouts on-line and print them out. Similarly, you'll find nothing in your cabin about the destinations you're visiting. Again this contrasts sharply with what I typically receive when checking into just about any hotel.

[Essiesmom]

They give you a three-fold map of the ship in silhouette, showing where things are o n each deck, but not a real deckplan. Go to http://www.cruisedeckplans.com and print out deck plans.

The pasta bar is part of the buffet, but it in the rear, upstairs. (above the desserts...). It's a great place to go for breakfast, as hardly anyone knows there is good seating there.

Grill and pizza are by the pool. Mongolian Wok is just inside from the pool, in the buffet area. Deli and Tandoor are by the aft pool. All on Lido deck.

The pasta bar is on the Panorama deck, in what the deck plan calls The Gathering.

Ocean Plaza cafe and Wasabi Sushi Bar are on Promenade deck central.

[k2excursion]

Waterslides were typically open from 10:00-6:00 for us, but I heard that they now close at 5:00. Weather or high winds could prevent them from opening or staying open. About your cabin location, it's possible that it could be noisy below your balcony, just to be honest with you so that you'll be prepared. People on the lanai will be directly below your balcony. I've walked the lanai at night, and there weren't too many people out there, except right outside the "Ocean Plaza". I don't know when the hot tubs close. I did see some people in them late in the evening. If these things concern you, you could look into the possibility of paying extra to upgrade, to move up to Deck 7 or 8.