Carnival Dream Aug 1st - LIVE REVIEW

[PhillyFan33579]

9 minutes ago, Fballguy said:

Regarding room service...We have a balcony so we wanted to relax each morning with a cup of coffee and watch the sun rise.  As mentioned, on our first morning, room service didn’t arrive.  The hang card was gone from our door so I assumed some prankster swiped it.  It took several calls to room service and an additional 30 minutes (As I was told to wait for a call back that never came), but I was finally told they had no record of our order, which seemed to confirm my suspicions.  I was told they would expedite   a replacement order.  Sure enough, there was a knock at the door about 10 minutes later.  But this waiter had a different story.  He was holding our hang tag in his hand and apologized that our order had been delivered to someone else.  Ok...No problem.  He was breathing heavy so I knew he rushed to fix the error.  After “Andy” left, as we were settling onto the balcony, I hear another knock at the door and open it to find another waiter with another order of our food.  It was now over an hour past the late end of our delivery window and we had double orders of cold toast and bad coffee.  Communication seems to be lacking on this ship.

 

On that note...Is making toast that difficult?  I’d forgive the temperature if the bread was at least somewhat toasted.  It’s not.  They must leave it in for 10 seconds before replacing with the next order.  Cold, rubbery bread.  Such a simple thing to get wrong.  The coffee, depending on where you get it ranges from very bad to terrible. Even the coffee bar and steakhouse serve the same battery acid.

 

Still enjoying reading your reviews. From the overall tone of your posts, I think you would be much happier on a cruise line more upscale than Carnival. 

[Fballguy]

A quick recap...

 

The Good

 

Check In

The Blue Iguana Cantina

Guy’s Burger Joint

Chef’s Art Steakhouse 

High Speed Wifi

Adjoining balconies 

Wine list at Steakhouse

The Cheers Program (not so much for us, but not hard to get your $$$ worth)

 

The Bad

 

The Dining Room (food and service)

The Buffet (quality, variety and cleanliness)

Pools

Room Service

Coffee

Toast

 

Neither Good Nor Bad

 

Room Steward (hardly know he exists)

Parking (while chaotic and disorganized, it didn’t take that long)

Staff (unlike other cruises, haven’t developed any favorites or really gotten to know anyone)

 

 

 

[Saint Greg]

13 hours ago, Fballguy said:

   Fun fact...Went to the coffee bar early this morning to grab coffees and a lite breakfast allowing us to avoid the buffet and/or dining room before heading out to Cozumel.  But, sadly, they don’t sell donuts or pastries in the morning.  They have plenty right now though...at 8:00 PM.

 

When I was on the Dream last year they had free pastries at the coffee shop in the morning. I don’t know what time they put them out...but I took this at 8:14am

 

[Fballguy]

36 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

Still enjoying reading your reviews. From the overall tone of your posts, I think you would be much happier on a cruise line more upscale than Carnival. 

 

Thank you and I agree...and I did know that going in.  Circumstances severely limited our options this time however.  And  having been on Carnival once before, I thought it would be fine.  It wasn’t because of my prior experience, that I never sailed Carnival again, I just wanted to try other lines and find something a little nicer.   In writing these posts, I’m drawing on my memory of that first Carnival cruise for comparison.  The quality of everything seems to have bottomed out compared to 15 years ago.  The service, the food, the very professional (and entertaining) wait staff, the turndown service.  You were treated better in almost every way.  Even on Carnival, back then, you were treated to the “cruising experience”.  Now it feels more like a three hour tour.  A three hour tour.

 

 

[Fballguy]

9 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

When I was on the Dream last year they had free pastries at the coffee shop in the morning. I don’t know what time they put them out...but I took this at 8:14am

 

Never saw anything for free.  While I was there around 7:15 am, so was a line of 20 other people in front of me.  Not sure why they’d wait until 8:00 am to put those out on a port day.  Why not do it when you start serving?  Seems they are missing the rush...maybe that’s their intention.  

[Fballguy]

I think there is a system in place in the dining room, designed to ensure Cheers participants receive no more than two drinks per meal.  Whether it’s beer/wine at dinner or mimosas at breakfast, we’ve been unable to secure a third round...and we did not rush through our meals.  After catching on to the pattern, upon receiving a round, I asked our waiter to check back in 10 minutes.  His response...”If I did that, you’d never get your food”.  Now that’s the cruising experience.

[JaniceB]

Just an FYI, you can go to the steakhouse and get drinks even if you are not eating there.  

[CruisingViper]

1 hour ago, JaniceB said:

Just an FYI, you can go to the steakhouse and get drinks even if you are not eating there.  

yes, the bar there has some higher end wine and liquor that you can't find elsewhere on the ship.

[tkportersat]

On 8/3/2019 at 12:50 PM, Wheels87 said:

Wow, this review really surprises me. I have sailed on the Dream eight times, including three times last year and have never had this bad of an experience. 

Worst ship I have ever been on....which is why our family took a few years off from cruising.  Needless to say, we are trying it again in January. Hopefully it will be a better experience leaving out of Galveston.  Fingers crossed!

[libbykt]

I’m on the ship now, stealing the WiFi from my husband while he naps. I’m not a super experienced cruiser but have been on a few. I think if you are open minded then it will be fine.

 

I agree that the dining room food is just ok. I know it was mentioned but I was surprised to see that much of the food is literally the same  as in the buffet, albeit with better presentation and better bread. It’s fine. It’s free dinner. But yes, the backup near the elevator is real. And for those that have read about Buttergate at the buffet, it’s real too. Even my 13 year old son was grossed out by the crock of butter at the buffet and skipped it.

 

We aren’t really group activity people so have spent most of the time finding a quiet spot to read or have a drink while my son roams the ship with his new friends. The $5 chat feature on the HUB app is so worth it. We can check in with him and he can find his buddies too. The only place I’ve not had signal is on the Serenity Deck.

 

Blue Iguana pork tacos are the best.

 

I wish the casino did a better job keeping smokers off the non-smoking machines. And keeping them more separated. That’s just me. 

 

Steward and assistant are super friendly.

 

So far it’s been about what we expected. Not amazing, not terrible. Our son is having a great time and that’s most important to us. 

 

 

 

 

[Saint Greg]

9 hours ago, tkportersat said:

Worst ship I have ever been on....which is why our family took a few years off from cruising.  Needless to say, we are trying it again in January. Hopefully it will be a better experience leaving out of Galveston.  Fingers crossed!

 

If it’s the worst ship you’ve ever been on I don’t understand why you would book it again.

[tkportersat]

13 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

If it’s the worst ship you’ve ever been on I don’t understand why you would book it again.

I mean, I am willing to give it another shot and hope some things have improved.  There are a few variables....We booked this cruise as it coincides with my Birthday, father and uncles death anniversaries.  I was trying for a 4 day and was able to take 3 work days off vs 5 on RC.  My husband is staying home with our son so I can take this trip with my mom and aunt.  Also, last time we cruised the Dream it was Spring Break and out of New Orleans - this time it is January out of Galveston.  They have also added the Blue Iguana, Pig and Guys since I sailed on her last so additional food choices and I can avoid the buffet.  I'm going in with a fairly open mind but also realistic expectations 🙂  

[CruisingViper]

That surprising to hear about the Dream. The Breeze was one of my favorite ships. I wonder what the difference is? Just older and more run down? The port of call? The crew?

 

Also tips on the dinner backup, 1) go grab a drink at a bar or something and show up 10 mins late; no line. 2) go down a floor below at the mid of the ship and walk up the stairs at the rear and you won't have to deal with crowded elevators.

[Fballguy]

On 8/6/2019 at 9:50 AM, CruisingViper said:

yes, the bar there has some higher end wine and liquor that you can't find elsewhere on the ship.

Yes...It's definitely the best food and alcohol on the ship.  Also, the bottled water there is from Italy...Acqua Panna...It's fantastic.  Way better than the water in the dining room or the bottled water in the state room which both taste like they came out of an old garden hose.  We went back to the steakhouse just to get bottles for the room.

[mojavetex]

On 8/7/2019 at 8:59 AM, CruisingViper said:

That surprising to hear about the Dream. The Breeze was one of my favorite ships. I wonder what the difference is? Just older and more run down? The port of call? The crew?

 

Also tips on the dinner backup, 1) go grab a drink at a bar or something and show up 10 mins late; no line. 2) go down a floor below at the mid of the ship and walk up the stairs at the rear and you won't have to deal with crowded elevators.

The Breeze is my favorite ship. We are booked on the Dream for the first time the end of September. I have higher expectations than have been expressed here.  Greatly looking forward to cruising any ship and I don’t think the Dream will disappoint. 

[Fballguy]

13 hours ago, mojavetex said:

The Breeze is my favorite ship. We are booked on the Dream for the first time the end of September. I have higher expectations than have been expressed here.  Greatly looking forward to cruising any ship and I don’t think the Dream will disappoint. 

 

All depends on what your expectations are.   If you don't expect much, you won't be disappointed.

[sanmarcosman]

14 hours ago, mojavetex said:

I have higher expectations than have been expressed here.  Greatly looking forward to cruising any ship and I don’t think the Dream will disappoint. 

I hope you have a better experience than ours was in mid-February aboard Dream. As for us we are moving on and looking forward to our sailing aboard the Panorama in February next. By waiting 5 weeks after her inaugural sailing we're expecting the crew to have gelled and settled into a happy ship. 

Edited August 10, 2019 by sanmarcosman

[mexicobob]

We were on The dream 3 years ago and had a great time.  Was everything perfect? No.  Would go back again in a heartbeat. The majority of people on the ship will be having a great time.