1st time Carnival cruiser (DREAM) complete review & pictorial (from a NCL cruiser)

[retiring soon]

HI all!

 

Kim ~ congrats on the good news!:D DS & I did Chankanaab Park after reading about it on Radio's "live from". We got the coupon online & took a taxi over.

Neither of us snorkel but we did enjoy the place with all it had to offer.

 

I'm hoping Carnival Breeze will be in my future too. Luckily Gambee's going in a couple of months so we can get the lowdown from his report.;)

 

I've been on Dawn & that theatre couldn't compare to the spacious one on Dream, it was a nightmare!!

 

Good luck with your studies & thanks again for the great review & pictures.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[Ctrinh225]

My trip to Money Bar is probably my favorite day cruising, or a close second to Antigua. That said- I wouldn't go with a non-swimmer. The currents make it so it isn't easy snorkeling (it isn't hard either...) and the beach isn't much- trucked in sand with some loungers, no beach entry to the water. A non-swimmer probably wouldn't enjoy it there.

 

Thank U! I guess it's Chankanaab then. She can play with kiddies. Lol. Just kidding. But it's soooo hard to find excursions together when I want to snorkel or dive and she's scared of the water..

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[atinys]

That was a FAN-TAB-U-LOUS review...... thanks for sharing your cruise and congrats on the new grand.....

[lostone65]

Kim, Another great review! I had to catch up since I was out of town for a few days. Congrats on the new soon to be member of the family!

 

I had to laugh pretty hard at the poster who suggested you didn't do enough research for this cruise. All I could think about was Kev telling you that you research too much and to just go with the flow! HaHaHa I am sure Kev is rolling around up there laughing with me at the crazy suggestion!

[spencercoop]

Great review!! Thanks for posting. Can't wait for the next one!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Nice job ...

[pcreek]

Great review, Kim -- as always, I thoroughly enjoy reading your reviews. Feels like I was right along with you.

I was especially interested in your comparison w/NCL. We may eventually try another line...but not sure when. We just love NCL so much!

 

" Our next is the Jewel." You will love the Jewel!! We were on it last year and really had a great time!

 

Thanks for the great read (and keeping me from housework a couple of afternoons!! LOL ) Between you and Gambee...not getting any of the extras done around the house this week! :D

[Cinders411]

Sailing on the Dream this fall and really enjoyed your review and all the pics!

[mitsugirly]

HI all!

 

Kim ~ congrats on the good news!:D DS & I did Chankanaab Park after reading about it on Radio's "live from". We got the coupon online & took a taxi over.

Neither of us snorkel but we did enjoy the place with all it had to offer.

 

I'm hoping Carnival Breeze will be in my future too. Luckily Gambee's going in a couple of months so we can get the lowdown from his report.;)

 

I've been on Dawn & that theatre couldn't compare to the spacious one on Dream, it was a nightmare!!

 

Good luck with your studies & thanks again for the great review & pictures.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

 

Thanks for the congrats.

 

Glad you enjoyed Chank. It's just beautiful there and so much to do.

 

I know, I can't wait for Gambee's Breeze review. I know I'll have to book it (for next year) after my Jewel cruise because his reviews just make everything look good. :D

 

I know what you mean about the theater. I'm sure the Dawn is exactly like the Star was since they are sister ships. It was horrid.

 

Thank U! I guess it's Chankanaab then. She can play with kiddies. Lol. Just kidding. But it's soooo hard to find excursions together when I want to snorkel or dive and she's scared of the water..

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

Is she afraid of "any" water? Or just the ocean? Or just water that she can't touch the bottom? Will she go in a pool? Because Chank also has a pool there if she wants to go in and get cooled off. It's over right in front of the buildings and the dolphin swims are in front of that. :)

[mitsugirly]

That was a FAN-TAB-U-LOUS review...... thanks for sharing your cruise and congrats on the new grand.....

 

Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed it. :)

 

Kim, Another great review! I had to catch up since I was out of town for a few days. Congrats on the new soon to be member of the family!

 

I had to laugh pretty hard at the poster who suggested you didn't do enough research for this cruise. All I could think about was Kev telling you that you research too much and to just go with the flow! HaHaHa I am sure Kev is rolling around up there laughing with me at the crazy suggestion!

 

Thanks.

 

I know, Kev was always telling me I put too much in to it...but that's how I am. I bet he is laughing as well. Gosh I miss him. :(

[mitsugirly]

Great review!! Thanks for posting. Can't wait for the next one!

 

Next one coming up in 6 months, 8 days, 10 hours, 11 minutes and 22 seconds. :D Well, a week after that at least.

 

Nice job ...

 

Thanks :)

[mitsugirly]

Great review, Kim -- as always, I thoroughly enjoy reading your reviews. Feels like I was right along with you.

I was especially interested in your comparison w/NCL. We may eventually try another line...but not sure when. We just love NCL so much!

 

" Our next is the Jewel." You will love the Jewel!! We were on it last year and really had a great time!

 

Thanks for the great read (and keeping me from housework a couple of afternoons!! LOL ) Between you and Gambee...not getting any of the extras done around the house this week! :D

 

Aww, so glad you enjoy my reviews. That makes it all worth-while to do.

 

Sorry, about the housework issues...but hey, you gotta have priorities right? :D

 

Sailing on the Dream this fall and really enjoyed your review and all the pics!

 

Thanks and glad you enjoyed it. You will love "Glitzy" because, well, she's glitzy. :p

[jenninlaca]

Good review and great photos. I just wanted to let you know that we also had a horrible experience with Camp Carnival on the Dream. Very similar to what you described. They refused to engage my youngest son - 2.5 at the time - and complained to me that he required too much individual attention. We would be called to come pick him up shortly after dropping him off. This is a child who is in daycare every day and is very low maintenance. Even my older son disliked it. Several of the counselors were exactly as you described. Cold, rude and the last people I ever would have expected to be working with children. They were not welcoming when the kids would check in, said only "go wash your hands ". I could go on and on about this. Just not what we were expecting and it absolutely soured us on the Dream. The rest of the cruise was very nice but Camp Carnival really dampened our experience. If you read many reviews of this ship you will find similar stories. Very sad.

[MikeNKim]

Subbing so I can read this tonight when I am not suppose to be working.....SHHHHHHHH

[nxtdoor]

The pictures you are taking in the water are they with the Cannon or Olypus? Is Mayhogany(sp?) bay and Roatan the same thing?

 

We are on the Dream on June 22nd and I am so behind with excursions and research I'm freaking out. And now thanks to you I might go and buy a new camera! :)

 

Help.

[nxtdoor]

I have enjoyed your review so much!

 

We are going on this same western cruise the end of this month and trying to stay on a budget so

 

If you could only go on 2 of the excursions which ones would you pick?

 

Keep in mind we have never done any of these so is one a must do?

 

I think my other post got lost but where do you keep your money and things when you were cavetubbing?

 

thanks!

[mitsugirly]

Good review and great photos. I just wanted to let you know that we also had a horrible experience with Camp Carnival on the Dream. Very similar to what you described. They refused to engage my youngest son - 2.5 at the time - and complained to me that he required too much individual attention. We would be called to come pick him up shortly after dropping him off. This is a child who is in daycare every day and is very low maintenance. Even my older son disliked it. Several of the counselors were exactly as you described. Cold, rude and the last people I ever would have expected to be working with children. They were not welcoming when the kids would check in, said only "go wash your hands ". I could go on and on about this. Just not what we were expecting and it absolutely soured us on the Dream. The rest of the cruise was very nice but Camp Carnival really dampened our experience. If you read many reviews of this ship you will find similar stories. Very sad.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one, but yet I'm sad that it also happened to you. When were you on the Dream? Recently? I wonder if you had the same crew as we did. I guess I didn't realize that there were other stories out there about the Camp on the Dream as well. :(

 

Subbing so I can read this tonight when I am not suppose to be working.....SHHHHHHHH

 

LOL, I hope you liked it.

[mitsugirly]

The pictures you are taking in the water are they with the Cannon or Olypus? Is Mayhogany(sp?) bay and Roatan the same thing?

 

We are on the Dream on June 22nd and I am so behind with excursions and research I'm freaking out. And now thanks to you I might go and buy a new camera! :)

 

Help.

 

Both the Cannon and the Olympus are under water cameras, so it would depend on whether or not the battery to one ran out and I changed to the other camera. I only have 1 battery for the Olympus and 3 batteries for the Canon (so that I never run out). I usually start with the Olympus camera and then move on to the Canon. So, I would venture to say that a majority of "these" pictures underwater were taken with the Olympus. In my other reviews, most were taken with the Canon. :D If you are going to buy a new camera, I would go for the Olympus just because it has a few more setting options on it than the Canon does (like the tilt shift photos, which I love and the pano shots are a lot easier to do with this camera) and it's also not as bulky as the Canon. I hope that helps. :)

 

Mahogany Bay is just the port where Carnival docks. It's "thier" port and man-made and it's in Roatan. You pull right up to it and you are there. That's why you see the ships there in the pictures.

 

I have enjoyed your review so much!

 

We are going on this same western cruise the end of this month and trying to stay on a budget so

 

If you could only go on 2 of the excursions which ones would you pick?

 

Keep in mind we have never done any of these so is one a must do?

 

I think my other post got lost but where do you keep your money and things when you were cavetubbing?

 

thanks!

 

Hmmm, that's a hard one.

 

I would NEVER, EVER, pass up Roatan. There's just too many nice places there to go to (like LFK and Maya Key). Roatan is also where they have the zip lining and West Bay that everyone loves. So I would never skip Roatan in a million years. ;) :D

 

Belize-well most people either do cavetubing or go to the Mayan Ruins. We are not really the kind of people that would enjoy the Mayan Ruins, so we have never been. But if you have never done cave tubing, it's the thing to do there and a "different" kind of experience.

 

Costa Maya isn't really one of my favorite ports, but the beauty of Almaplena when we went there in December...was gorgeous (review in my signature)...but it's just a relaxing day, at a beautiful beach, with some snorkeling, with the beautiful crystal blue Caribbean water. Maya Chan is also a fantastic place (also in my signature). They will pamper you to death, but not the beautiful water. So just my opinion, if I had to "pick", Costa Maya I would skip. (Although I would still get off the ship and go in to port. They have some nice picture opportunities, a nice pool to swim in, you can watch the dolphins there, and there's a tower you can climb up to for some fantastic views of the ships in port). So I would make that my "free" day.

 

Cozumel-well we love Cozumel and enjoy going there. Our favorite is Chankanaab for the snorkeling. But it does cost to get in. I have 2 reviews of Chankanaab (because we loved it so much that we went twice in a row). If you love to snorkel, this is your place. They also have a sea lion show, you can swim with the dolphins (which is costly), they have a trail to walk with replica Mayan Ruins, a lagoon with iguanas walking around everywhere, a huge beach (with stairs leading into the water where snorkeling is right at your feet) and a small gentle beach area.

[mitsugirly]

 

I think my other post got lost but where do you keep your money and things when you were cavetubbing?

 

thanks!

 

Sorry, almost forgot to answer this. They will keep everything safely locked up in the van that you came there in. No worries. Anything you might want to take with you, you can. I know the first time we went there was a guy that had a camera, but it wasn't water proof. The guys at cave tubing had a waterproof bag and they put his camera in there. They when we were just floating along and he wanted it, they would give it to him. :)

[Kletina]

is over?? it was the end??? nooooo!!!, please tell us more!! lol, I almost spent my sunday reading you wonderful review and watching your pictures, started to read it today at 11am, 1 hour lunch in between and done it by 5:30pm :) ... ships come and go everyday to the island so is very nice to know how cruisers spent the days when they are not in here lol, thanks a lot for taking the time to do it

[medicalma'am]

BY REASSIGNED - I mean to another area, just NOT the kids club. lol We don't want her around kids at all! Maybe the kitchen, in the fish room, cutting up filets......;)

 

BY PROTEST - I meant a letter to the CEO. Cut and paste to include your experience.

 

They are not blind. We all know they have read this thread. You would think they would choose to respond to you in some way. A letter to them would allow them to do that privately. I would love to know if you get a response.

 

[mitsugirly]

is over?? it was the end??? nooooo!!!, please tell us more!! lol, I almost spent my sunday reading you wonderful review and watching your pictures, started to read it today at 11am, 1 hour lunch in between and done it by 5:30pm :) ... ships come and go everyday to the island so is very nice to know how cruisers spent the days when they are not in here lol, thanks a lot for taking the time to do it

 

LOL...well, I do have some videos that I had planned on adding. But I still have to work on them. ;)

 

I have to say, I'm envious of you living in Cozumel. I would LOVE to live there! Are they hiring nurses there? :D

[mitsugirly]

BY REASSIGNED - I mean to another area' date=' just NOT the kids club. lol We don't want her around kids at all! Maybe the kitchen, in the fish room, cutting up filets......;)

 

BY PROTEST - I meant a letter to the CEO. Cut and paste to include your experience.

 

They are not blind. We all know they have read this thread. You would think they would choose to respond to you in some way. A letter to them would allow them to do that privately. I would love to know if you get a response.

 

[/size']

 

 

Oh ok. Gotcha. I personally wouldn't want someone like her working for me period or representing the name "Carnival" if I was the president of the company. Carnival has enough problems in the press with a bad rap and having nasty employees that work for them doesn't make it any better. :(

[bguppies]

Great review as always....

 

We are leaving Carnival and trying NCL on our next cruise. (so the opposite of you)

Love the harsh honesty in your comparisons between the two lines.

 

Taking your info and pictures from this cruise and trying to read some of your older Western reviews for info on Cozumel, Costa Maya, Roatan and Belize.

 

Your reviews are amazingly informative with the sheer quantity and quality of info and pictures of each ship and port stop.

 

You are truly a credit to these boards and an immense help to hundreds of us trying to plan our cruises.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of the effort and time you put into these reviews.

 

Bill

Edited June 10, 2013 by bguppies

[Georgia Peach 4]

Have you ever been to Paradise Beach in Cozumel? What are your thoughts on Paradise vs. Chankanaab?