The NCL Dream - Worldwide Time Machine

[scubacruiserx2]

 When we first began cruising it was in 1998 . I had been SCUBA diving with some of my Miami - Fire Rescue coworkers to Cozumel that summer just after the Carnival Ecstasy Fire in March of that year . It was an annual trip every summer and we could do 6 dives in the 4 day trip . We needed at least 6 more dives on duty as training dives to maintain currency ( and extra pay ) as Rescue SCUBA divers . I needed it as I was a candidate for a Flight Medic on our Air- Rescue Helicopter .

 The trip to Cozumel was just for fun and I liked it so much that when Carnival repaired the ship , they offered a buy one and get one free cruise to get people  return to the ship . My wife and I and another couple found babysitters for our 3 kids and their 4 kids and we were off on our first cruise in December 1998 to Key West and Cozumel . We stuck with Carnival which we used as our dive boats to Cozumel , Roatan , Grand Cayman and Belize . We first time that we did that Cruise on the ill fated Premier Big Red Boat in a suite because it was affordable and later , even worse - the ill fated Carnival Tropicale .

 

On September 19, 1999, the vessel's engine room caught fire en route from Cozumel to Tampa.^[11] While disabled in the Gulf of Mexico, the ship was nearly struck by Tropical Storm Harvey.^[12] Luckily one of the engines was restarted and the ship was able to get out of the way of the storm before it hit. No crew or guests were injured during the two days the Tropicale spent without propulsion.

Wikipedia

 

Carnival comped the passengers after the fire and moved it to Ft. Lauderdale for a good price with the same ports as the Premier , Cozumel , Roatan , Grand Cayman and Belize . But this time we took our youngest daughter who was home schooled . The worst cruise of our life .

Thus around 2002 we wanted a new ship and a new line so we jumped on the new NCL Sun to try Freestyle Cruising and found a new home . 

 When the NCL Pearl first came out in 2006 we were on one of the first cruises with our 4 year old first grandson . It went to Grand Cayman and Cozumel where we gave up our SCUBA gear to teach him to snorkel with the Rays , play with the turtles and snorkel with us in Cozumel . We almost cried when his future step father shaved his curly long locks off just before the cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

While I liked the challenges of Air Rescue my heart was on the ground with my family , cruising and the regular crew that I worked with on the ground .

 

 

 

 

 

The guy next to me and the other guy in blue were the ACLS Rescue transport team to and from the Port of Miami so anybody from Carnival , NCL or any ships or workers at the POM were our responsibility to care for . The other guys and Lady were the Fire crew and we still helped in the fires but it was always people before property . 85% of our calls were rescue related and the sleepless nights and a busy hurricane season caused me to retire to spend more time with our grandson , Tyler while his mom was in nursing school . Thus we could travel more with him and further to the places we really wanted to cruise to - The Baltic and South America . 🙂😊

Edited October 29, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

Coming up next . A NCL Dream come true . 

 

 

Author: DSC_0107; Source: Flickr URL: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cmakin/269766046/

[complawyer]

im truly sorry but::::: nice pictures, heartwarming story, but is/was there a point/need for this post?

[scubacruiserx2]

 On our NCL Pearl cruise with our grandson we visited the future cruise area as we now had some new freedom to travel . Our daughter was finishing nursing school and Tyler was beginning school. 

 A trip that had peeked our interest was the Baltic cruise in the Fall of 2006 , a year after I retired . We knew nothing about the ship , but the price was right and so we signed on . My wife had been to London where the cruise originated but I had only dreamed of it . We love escaping the hurricane season ( we had 2 direct hits in September of 2004 and Katrina and another direct hit with Wilma in 2005 ) and we wanted to go to places that we had only read about . 

 So with our first trip to the Continent we would visit Denmark , Estonia , Finland , Germany , Sweden and Russia . We would overnight in Copenhagen and St. Petersburg . The trip began in Dover so we spent a couple of extra days and nights in London .

[wolft927]

16 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

Coming up next . A NCL Dream come true . 

 

 

Author: DSC_0107; Source: Flickr URL: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cmakin/269766046/

1st Cruise Ship I ever worked on back in 2003. 

[scubacruiserx2]

6 minutes ago, wolft927 said:

1st Cruise Ship I ever worked on back in 2003. 

 

What type of work did you do ?

[wolft927]

Just now, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

What type of work did you do ?

Started off As Cruise Staff eventually making my way up to Cruise Director.

 

[scubacruiserx2]

5 minutes ago, wolft927 said:

Started off As Cruise Staff eventually making my way up to Cruise Director.

 

 

Congratulations ! Were you on the Baltic in September of 2006 or the Chilean Fjords in November of 2007 ?

[Cruising Lynne]

16 hours ago, complawyer said:

im truly sorry but::::: nice pictures, heartwarming story, but is/was there a point/need for this post?

For fun!!

[scubacruiserx2]

 Our flight was from PBI to CVG for and overnight to Gatwick on Delta where the NCL bus met us for the ride down to Dover . Away we go past the White Cliffs of Dover .

 

 

 

 

[goldmom]

Enjoying your report.  We were on the Dream for the same itinerary 8/21/07 so looking forward to reliving the trip with you.

[wolft927]

1 hour ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

Congratulations ! Were you on the Baltic in September of 2006 or the Chilean Fjords in November of 2007 ?

No, I worked on the Drram when it was out of New Orleans, and also when it did alaska 

[scubacruiserx2]

1 hour ago, goldmom said:

Enjoying your report.  We were on the Dream for the same itinerary 8/21/07 so looking forward to reliving the trip with you.

 

We were using film back then so some of the quality may be lacking and we are relying on our memories to reconstruct the sequence . The film has no time coding to help us remember so we may need your help to fill in some blanks . We do want to use some newer digital photos of revisits to keep things a bit more current , but you'll probably know the new photos from the old .

[scubacruiserx2]

The Machine

MS Dreamward was a cruise ship owned and operated by Star Cruises.^[9][10] She was built in 1992 by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France as MS Dreamward for traffic with Norwegian Cruise Line. In 1998 she was lengthened at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany and renamed as Norwegian Dream.

 

The lengthening of the ship was eventually carried out in March–May 1998 at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany, where the ship was cut in half and a new 40-metre (131 ft 3 in) midsection was inserted.^{[citation needed]} In addition to the lengthening, the ship's funnel and radar mast were adapted so that they could be folded down, allowing her to pass under the bridges of the Kiel Canal.

 

Dreamward was delivered on 4 November 1992. She was named on 5 December 1992 at Port Everglades, Florida, and started on her first cruise to Bermuda the following day.

 

Wikipedia

 

 Port Everglades is our home Port .

 

Norwegian Dream Overview

The Norwegian Dream cruise ship departs from Seattle WA, and Houston, TX. Throughout the year, she offers ocean cruises to Alaska/British Columbia, Mexican Riviera, and Panama Canal.
 

Check Dates & Prices for cruises to Alaska/British Columbia, Mexican Riviera, and Panama Canal. Norwegian Dream offers a wide array of activities, dining, and entertainment that appeals to guests of all ages. Active passengers find plenty to do, including a 24-hour fitness center and an ambitious shore excursion program that features snorkeling and diving (even in Alaska!), hiking, kayaking and biking. Norwegian Cruise Lines entertainment offerings include three production shows. The Dream was stretched in 1998 with the insertion of a 130-foot midsection. Cabins aren't the largest in the mid-price category but layout is excellent as most come with a small sitting area and picture windows. Don't expect elegance, but take this ship if the price and itinerary are right and the roster of activities seem to fit the bill. If you like an upbeat atmosphere with plenty of onboard activities, along with a wide range of shore excursions and quality entertainment, this ship is a good bet. Cabins There are 15 categories with staterooms featuring two lower beds that convert to queen, small bathroom with shower, hairdryer, cabin-controlled thermostat, duvet, TV, and radio. Inside cabins measure 140 sq. ft.; standard outside cabins are 152 sq. ft; superior deluxe suites are 176 sq. ft. Owner's Suites include a living room, separate bedroom, picture windows, refrigerator, stereo with CD library, tub and shower - those on Sun Deck have balconies. Penthouse suites have a sitting area, refrigerator and balconies. All suite guests enjoy concierge service. Important notes: all cabins on the port side of the ship are non-smoking. Staterooms on Promenade Deck open to the jogging track.

Some people may wish to steer clear of forward cabins on Star Deck and International Deck as guests need to go through a dining room or the show lounge to get to other public areas. Some cabins have fully obstructed views and some with partially obstructed views so choose carefully.

Dining

The food is fine, service is good, but the views are the best -- the three main restaurants all offer panoramic vistas. Tables for two, four, six and eight are featured. Freestyle Cruising is in full swing onboard and dining rooms are open from 5:30pm until midnight but you must be seated by 10pm. The Sun Terraces (234 diners) is the nicest, most intimate restaurant, followed by The Terraces (308 seats). Both have terraced seating and floor-to-ceiling windows opening up to the ship's tiered aft decks. The Four Seasons (452 seats) has great tables next to glass walls on each side. Le Bistro, a reservations-only, 78-seat alternative restaurant, serves Italian fare for an additional fee. There is no official Lido restaurant: the Four Seasons offers buffet breakfast at sea; and the Sports Bar features buffet breakfast, lunch, teatime snacks and fresh popcorn, but it is a very small space for this number of passengers. There is a poolside snack bar/pizzeria, ice cream bar and a small coffee lounge. The lavish Chocoholic buffet is the most popular of the midnight snacks. Room service is available 24 hours.

 

 From Miami Beach 411

[scubacruiserx2]

Our first memories ( and photo ) was sailing across the North Sea and stopping to enter the Kiel Canal at Brunsbuttel , Germany . We picked up a band that would play as we sailed under a number of bridges , just barely clearing with it's hinged lid flipped.

 

 

The Kiel Canal (German: Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, literally "North-[to]-East [Baltic] Sea canal", formerly known as the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal) is a 98 km (61 mi) long freshwater canal in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. The canal was finished in 1895, but later widened, and links the North Sea at Brunsbüttel to the Baltic Sea at Kiel-Holtenau. An average of 250 NM (460 km) is saved by using the Kiel Canal instead of going around the Jutland Peninsula. This not only saves time but also avoids storm-prone seas and having to pass through the Danish straits.

The Kiel Canal is the world's most frequented artificial waterway with an annual average of 32,000 ships (90 daily), transporting approximately 100 million tonnes of goods.^[1]

 

 

 

 

Wikipedia

 

If you click on the annotated  wikipedia photos they will enlarge . Number 1 and the last 3 photos .

Edited October 30, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

Next up : Into Germany and Berlin tomorrow .

[scubacruiserx2]

 When we first purchased our cabin on the Dream we were assured that the forward facing cabins had access only to the cabins facing forward in the form of a terrace . Apparently somebody forgot to tell the crew or other passengers and it became a mosh pit outside of our window at the stop to pickup the band .

 It did clear later and we loved the view and the slow pace through the flat and lush German countryside .

 

 

 

We had several races with bicycles and horse drawn carriages that resembled Amish carriages on rocket fuel .

 We did have an amusing viewing outside our forward facing - mirrored window when an amorous couple gave us a little show . But a gentle tap on the window alerted them to the presence of an audience . It was a nice show while it lasted but we stopped it at the PG 13 point .  😲

 

Edited October 31, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

 We had connected with another couple on Cruise Critic to do a private tour in St. Petersburg , despite the warnings from the cruise line . They were from Toronto , and Michael and Lori in turn had booked a private  group of about 20 in Berlin which they allowed us to join . We were the only Goyim in the group but felt accepted and loved . 

[scubacruiserx2]

We made port in Rostock and had to have our passports stamped .

 

 

 

Our bus held about 24 so we had some extra seats so we sat in the back and we we're off for the 3 hour ride to Berlin where we met our guide . The driver spoke limited English .

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

The 1936 Olympic Stadium north of the city

 

 

We spent some time at the Jewish Ghetto where I saw this door poster

 

 

 

The caption of this play was , It was not me , it was Adolph Hitler

 

 

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe also known as the Holocaust Memorial

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_to_the_Murdered_Jews_of_Europe

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

No visit to Berlin would be complete without seeing the Brandenburg Gate

( Mister Gorbachev , tear down this wall )

 

 

Balloon hat optional

 

 

Or the Reichstag Building

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

Lunch in the Biergarten

 

 

 

Der wienerschnitzel 

 

 

 

   Sauerbraten and spaetzle for Mein Frau

 

 

Spargel (White asparagus )

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 After lunch out travel group had requested a trip to the Berlin Jewish Museum . We had asked Michael and Lori in private if they would be offended if we were dropped off at the Checkpoint Charlie Museum instead and they said that it was fine . 

 I still remember as an 11 year old boy seeing the wall go up as protecting its population from "fascist elements conspiring to prevent the will of the people" from building a communist state in the GDR. 

 

  Most vivid in my mind was the so - called Jump to Freedom of guard Konrad Schumann .

 

 

 Thousands of guards , police and civilians followed his actions fleeing the GDR Socialism . There were no photos allowed in the museum . But we took some outside of the museum and Checkpoint Charlie . It was a bit of a circus .

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only this photo was from 2006 on the Dream Baltic cruise .

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkpoint_Charlie_Museum

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

On 10/30/2023 at 1:05 PM, wolft927 said:

No, I worked on the Drram when it was out of New Orleans, and also when it did alaska 

 

Alaska is cool . Where else did it sail ? We really like going to visit the cooler places as we live in the heat and humidity of South Florida . We saw a nice price on the Star to Antarctica but choose Europe and Iceland in the Spring instead .