wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #176 Share Posted January 2, 2015 We headed back to the hotel around 9:00 pm. I still had to pack up our suitcases and get some organizing done. We headed to bed around 11:30 pm because we knew that we would have a big day tomorrow....it was time for the cruise but before that happened we had to make a trip to the EMERGENCY ROOM in Kenner, LA. :eek: All day Saturday my dad was itching his arms, legs, chest, back...he was basically itching his whole body. Now my dad has kidney problems and a side effect of kidney disease is severe, persistent itching. He woke me up around 1:30 am and his arms and back were covered in huge welts from the constant itching. I was really scared for him :( but I knew that I had to stay in control of a scary situation. I knew that he wouldn't be able to go on the cruise in the shape he was in so I told him that we were going to the hospital or the airport to go home. He said "I am not going home" so I researched on my phone for the closest hospital...which was about 3 miles from our hotel. We got to the hospital around 2:00 am and waited for what seemed like an eternity. Finally we saw a doctor and they gave him a shot of steroids and a prescription of prednisone. Within 10 minutes of getting the shot the swelling and welts were going away....it was definitely a miracle. We left the airport around 5:30 am and headed back to the hotel to get about an hour of sleep. I was just so thankful that we were going to be able to go on the cruise and that my dad was feeling better. And I know he was feeling better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #177 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Now the start of this cruise was unlike any other that we had been on before because our friends were getting married on embarkation day. And I was in the wedding :) We had to be at the Port of New Orleans by 9:00 am so that the entire wedding group could board together. We were onboard by 10:00 am. We were the first group to board the ship After the morning that I had already had....10:00 am seemed like the perfect time for my first beer :p After a stop at the atrium bar so that my dad could get the bottomless bubbles card we headed to our cabin to drop off our carry-ons and so that I could get ready for the wedding. Even at 10:00 our cabin steward had our cabin ready Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #178 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Our friends got married in Chambers Lounge (it is the conference room on Deck 4 mid-ship). The groom is striking a pose while waiting for his bride Yep that's right I was a Flower Girl in the wedding. And as you can tell by our shirts the wedding theme was skulls and roses. :) The bride loves skulls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #179 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Pam and Danielle. Pam and I are great friends. She is an original Krewe member Our flower girl baskets....aren't they cute Carnival did a beautiful job on the wedding and reception. The reception was a 2-hour open bar in Sam's Piano Bar. Now I am not one for big church weddings. If the time comes for me to get married I will definitely think about doing it on a Carnival ship. Everything was beautiful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #180 Share Posted January 2, 2015 My fellow flower girl....Dana and I were both flower girls. Dana made the flower girl baskets. Everyone loved them Me and my best buddy at the reception Glo had a beautiful dress and Smokey accented the bridesmaids dresses and our flower girl shirts perfectly Me with Glo....I caught the bouquet so you know what that means :p From Left to Right....Sam (he caught the Garter), Smokey (the groom), Me, Glo (the bride), and Dana (my fellow flower girl). The reception ended about 3:30 so we rushed back to our cabins to drop things off and head to the muster drill. The cruise was about to get started Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #181 Share Posted January 2, 2015 We made Muster Station D. We were in the Encore Lounge (upper level). Having the muster drill inside is so much better than herding everyone outside onto the open decks. The Muster Drill was quick and painless.....let the fun begin After the Muster Drill we headed back to our cabin to watch sail-away from our balcony. The Steamboat Natchez was turning around right in front of the Dream It was a chilly sail-away....brrrrrrr It was pretty cool the Steamboat from this angle since we were onboard yesterday Kind of a chilly day for a Canoe Ride. That canoe looked like a speck next to the cruise ship :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #182 Share Posted January 2, 2015 My dad come in to help me un-pack the suitcases so that we could get everything put away We were in cabin 10268....a Port Side Balcony cabin (we were right by the Atrium elevators). It was a great location Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #183 Share Posted January 2, 2015 We were starting to pull away from the dock. I had a friend on the Norwegian Dawn this week so I told her to get pics of the Dream as we pull out of New Orleans and I will get pics for you of the Dawn Beautiful sunset over New Orleans I love this picture I love the New Orleans skyline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #184 Share Posted January 2, 2015 It was definitely the coldest sail-away that we have ever had on a Caribbean cruise. But hey we didn't care we were leaving the cold behind and headed to a tropical climate BRRRRRRRRRR I love this pic of the Steamboat Natchez River Captain coming to meet up with us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #185 Share Posted January 2, 2015 The Riverfront Streetcar line The French Market area Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #186 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Looking Aft....we were a long way up This wouldn't be the deck for you if you were scared of heights After watching us sail-away from New Orleans we decided to get ready for dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #187 Share Posted January 2, 2015 For the first time in all of our cruises we had early dining because we were eating with some friends from our KREWE. I am not a fan of assigned dining. We have had your time dining for our last 5 cruises and I definitely like that better because I like the flexibility to go when you want to The menu from night one. My dad went into this cruise knowing that they would have the Steakhouse Selections option on the menu so on night one there wasn't really anything that appealed to him so he ordered from the Steakhouse Selection option The Steakhouse Selections options We ate in the Scarlet Dining Room which is on decks 3 and 4 aft. Our table was on the Lower Level. The Scarlet Dining Room is very red Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #188 Share Posted January 2, 2015 One of my favorite appetizers....the Chicken Strips. Yeah I know it's not very exciting I ordered the brisket for my entrée but I had a feeling that I would be ordering room service later on :p My dad ordered the 14-oz New York Strip Steak. He said it was the most tender steak that he has ever had. This is really saying something because my dad loves steak. I had a feeling that the Steakhouse Selection option was going to be expensive for me in the dining room.....haha I ordered the banana split from the kiddie menu for dessert After dinner we went to the Welcome Aboard show and then we headed back to our cabin for the night to watch us cruise down the Mississippi River. We had a very busy day that began with a trip to the ER. I was just very happy to be onboard another cruise with my dad and all of our friends. So that is the end of Day # 1 on the cruise. Please stay tuned for more.....the fun is just beginning. On day # 2 will come the introduction of Bam Bam and Bessie...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #189 Share Posted January 2, 2015 OK so day # 2 on the cruise was going to be a busy one. We had our meet and greet today and we were having a KREWE KRAWL tonight after the formal dinner. My dad and I slept in a little today. We left the cabin around 9:00 am. We wandered through the Lido Deck on our way to the Scarlet Dining Room for the Sea Day Brunch. I love these chairs on the Dream. I swear I wish I could fit one in my suitcase cause it would have went home with me. They are so comfy We made it back to the dining room for breakfast. I started out with the fruit I had the steak and eggs for breakfast. It was pretty good But this is the only reason why I come to the Sea Day Brunch. I love the Caramel Cheesecake My dad ordered the banana cream pie. Bananas are a breakfast food....aren't they??? HEHE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liverpoollovely Posted January 2, 2015 #190 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I love your reviews Brianna :) I feel nostalgic reading this review as the Dream was my first Carnival Cruise and I loved it :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #191 Share Posted January 2, 2015 After breakfast we decided to make our way to the shops to check them out. We stopped off at the candy shop first. I wanted to order an occasion cake for the bride and groom to be delivered to the table during dinner As I was waiting to pay for my cake a few other goodies. This crew member, Carmina, says to me "You look familiar. Were you on the Carnival Sunshine last December." I said to her "Yes I was. It was in early December." She remembered my dad and I. I asked her how she remembered me and she said it was from my tattoo on my wrist....WOW. I guess I just have one of those faces that people don't forget. One of my purchases from Cherry on Top. These sour gummy funnels are definitely a guilty pleasure for me onboard I never got a single t-shirt all week on the ship. I guess it's probably cause I have them all from the Dream.....haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinc Posted January 2, 2015 #192 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I am going on the Dream in March, 2015 and can't get enough of your review. We are arriving in NO a day early to explore. We are staying in Metarie so I was wondering with all the exploring you did in NO, was parking a problem? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks for the great review! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #193 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I love your reviews Brianna :) I feel nostalgic reading this review as the Dream was my first Carnival Cruise and I loved it :) Thank You so much. Your first ship always holds a special place in your heart. For me that is the Carnival Valor. People always ask me what is your favorite ship....first I say all of them but yeah the Valor would probably be my favorite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #194 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I am going on the Dream in March, 2015 and can't get enough of your review. We are arriving in NO a day early to explore. We are staying in Metarie so I was wondering with all the exploring you did in NO, was parking a problem? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks for the great review! Metairie is a great place to stay. We usually stay at the Sleep Inn there. We never really had any trouble parking. You better have a driver that is good at parallel parking though. The night we went to Tropical Isle for our pre-cruise meet and greet I told my dad that we should park way up on Canal Street and then take the streetcar down to Bourbon and take a taxi to Tropical Isle. He said let's drive down there first to see if we see a spot. Well there was a spot on a side street right by Tropical Isle. I was driving a Dodge Avenger.....I never thought I would make it in the spot but my dad guided me in. It was perfect. If you find a good spot....Park and then walk it, or use a streetcar, or use a taxi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #195 Share Posted January 2, 2015 We always ask our room steward to take the heavy duvet comforter off the beds and just put on a blanket. The water was so smooth Our friend, Tanya, riding up in the elevator I love the atrium on the Dream....it is so pretty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #196 Share Posted January 2, 2015 There's our newlyweds. My dad and I gave them those shirts for a wedding gift. I had them made with their proposal photo from BC7. Smokey proposed onstage with John Heald's help during last year's Bloggers cruise Our chocolate delight for being Platinum We were in cabin 10268 which was right by the Atrium elevators so I knew that it was a perfect location for a door decoration. I decided to ask all of our Krewe members what was their favorite football teams and then I made a board asking people walking by to write down where they were from and their favorite teams. It was a great idea. The sign boards were both full by day 4 of the cruise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #197 Share Posted January 2, 2015 We had our meet and greet in the Burgandy Lounge on deck 5 aft. It was a perfect location. I had asked John Heald about a week before the cruise for a location that would hold about 90 people. We wanted to be able to have a cash bar. This worked out perfect. We had a Christmas ornament exchange as well as a 50/50 raffle. Half the money went to the raffle winner and half went to St. Judes Children Hospital. We raised $225.00 to go to St. Judes so I would call that a success My dad and Smokey Just a small portion of our KREWE Steve and Maria.....were Santa's naughty little helpers :p from L to R.....Brad, Debbie, Jerry, and Amanda (all members of the KREWE) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinc Posted January 2, 2015 #198 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Thanks so much! My husband thinks he's an expert at parallel parking, so I'll let him drive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #199 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Thanks so much! My husband thinks he's an expert at parallel parking, so I'll let him drive! Yeah good idea. I was driving and my dad was guiding me in. There was a lot of yelling and cursing until I finally got it all straightened out :) ;) :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrigley80 Posted January 2, 2015 Author #200 Share Posted January 2, 2015 More members of our KREWE.....there were about 30 of us on this cruise Linda must be excited with what she received for an ornament Tanya is doing the KREWE dance for me My beautiful ornament that I received from Jerry and Amanda. It changed into about 5 different colors. It is sooooo pretty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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