Dream 2/17-24 Exceeded Expectations

[shunga]

We'd never cruised on NCL before. Based on the price we paid plus some of the negative reviews posted here, I lowered my expectations for this cruise. Boy was I wrong! With few exceptions, the crew was over-the-top in terms of service. The food, especially in Tratorria, was very good. The problems with the Sports Buffet are well documented in the reviews, but several other options are available. You just need to adjust. The quality of the entertainers in the lounges, the show headliners, the Jean Ann Ryan Company, the crew show, and even the passenger show was very high. The ship design, because of the stretch, isn't straight foreward, but the maintainance is first-class. Progresso as a port has improved over the past two years. Walk down the main street for a taste of non-tourist Mexican commerce. We spent an hour in the St. Francis of Assisi Supermarket. Cavetubing.com showed us a great time in Belize. For the price we paid, this is the best value cruise of the five we've been on.

[Don Haynes]

Despite a dated ship, the Dream's crew is excellent, and I agree the Dream is a great value for the money. Between Progresso, Cozume;, and Belize you do see the Yucatan penninsula Caribbean coast.

[electricron]

Despite a dated ship, the Dream's crew is excellent, and I agree the Dream is a great value for the money.

 

The Dream isn't dated, she is just now getting into her prime.

She was built in 1992, which makes her just 15 years old.

I'll admit many changes have occurred with the design of cruise ships since she was built.

Ships being built today will look just as dated and small 15 years from now.

 

But that doesn't make them poor ships to take a cruise on.

[hotspur]

The food, especially in Tratorria, was very good. The problems with the Sports Buffet are well documented in the reviews, but several other options are available. You just need to adjust.

Nailed that one right on the head. Too many people would rather come here and whine rather than simply "adjust." Makes you want to scratch your head wondering what they were thinking.

 

The Dream is a comfortable ship that offers great value and a fine cruising experience--and I say that having spent 27 nights on her. Trattoria is still our favorite dining room at sea--and that includes Jewel, Galaxy, Maasdam, and R5, among others.

 

Glad you enjoyed her, too, shunga.

[Cosmopolitan]

We'd never cruised on NCL before. Based on the price we paid plus some of the negative reviews posted here, I lowered my expectations for this cruise. Boy was I wrong! With few exceptions, the crew was over-the-top in terms of service. The food, especially in Tratorria, was very good. The problems with the Sports Buffet are well documented in the reviews, but several other options are available. You just need to adjust. The quality of the entertainers in the lounges, the show headliners, the Jean Ann Ryan Company, the crew show, and even the passenger show was very high. The ship design, because of the stretch, isn't straight foreward, but the maintainance is first-class. Progresso as a port has improved over the past two years. Walk down the main street for a taste of non-tourist Mexican commerce. We spent an hour in the St. Francis of Assisi Supermarket. Cavetubing.com showed us a great time in Belize. For the price we paid, this is the best value cruise of the five we've been on.

 

Sounds wonderful. Glad you enjoyed the Dream.

 

Thanks for posting:)

[PRNole47]

Glad to know you enjoyed it!

 

Personally, I like the Dream for all the reasons it doesn't appeal to other folks: At 15 years of age, the ship remains a direct link with the earlier generation of cruise ships that were built for sailing and not for offering a theme park atmosphere. I have sailed it 2x out of Houston and taken a re-po to Dover. Now, I have booked passage (love to say that) for the May 17 Baltic cruise.

 

What I enjoy about it is the lack of theme park attractions that are favored by so many cruisers today. I really don't care for climbing walls, waterfalls, bowling alleys, ferris wheels, luges, and other such attractions designed to make the passenger feel at home (?). I suspect zip lines or roller coasters will be next. I like even less the condo-look that the newer ships adopt. I could care less for balconies.

 

I still enjoy the cruise just for the sailing -- onboard entertaining is a very low priority for me. Even the fallout from the stretching the ship went through doesn't bother me. I usually book a forward cabin on decks 9 or 10 and don't mind the 4 Seasons' location.

 

I first sailed NCL back in 1974, when it was called Norwegian Caribbean Lines, on their MS Starward. NCL only had 3 ships then, and Carnival had just begun cruising with their 2 "Fun Ships." I sailed on all 3 NCL ships while an undergraduate in college during the mid-1970s, but then had a long stretch when I didn't cruise at all, until the 1990s when I started cruising again. I imagine my earlier experiences with cruising in the mid- and late-70s biased me to prefer cruising styles from that era.

[hotspur]

Personally, I like the Dream for all the reasons it doesn't appeal to other folks: At 15 years of age, the ship remains a direct link with the earlier generation of cruise ships that were built for sailing and not for offering a theme park atmosphere. I have sailed it 2x out of Houston and taken a re-po to Dover. Now, I have booked passage (love to say that) for the May 17 Baltic cruise.

 

What I enjoy about it is the lack of theme park attractions that are favored by so many cruisers today. I really don't care for climbing walls, waterfalls, bowling alleys, ferris wheels, luges, and other such attractions designed to make the passenger feel at home (?). I suspect zip lines or roller coasters will be next. I like even less the condo-look that the newer ships adopt. I could care less for balconies.

Couldn't have said it better PRNole47.

 

The only advantage I can see to NCL's newer megaships is the wider choice in dining venues. If I want phony, imitative surroundings (think Tsar's Palace, for example) I can go to Disneyland. Or if i want to see a real Tsar's Palace, I'll go to St. Petersburg. I like it when a ship feels like a ship, not a Las Vegas casino pretending to be Paris, Venice, a pyramid or, worst of all, King Arthur's castle.

 

When we sailed into Gibraltar this past October, the beautiful, old Saga Rose was heading out to sea. I couldn't take my eyes off her. See here:

 

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Saga.html#anchor140132

 

Be sure to scroll down the page above and note the amazing photo of Dream in the Kiel Canal. I envy you your May cruise on her, PRNole47. Have a wonderful time.

[robhawk]

Just got back from the Dream and had a fabulous time. The ship is in great shape.

If one does a little homework, you know about the small shortcomings of this ship. Most complaints you hear are the people who complain about everything.

Stayed on Deck 10 forward and thought going around the Stardust would be a huge deal. No big deal, just a few extra steps and got to meet even more people and friendly crew.

The only down side is that our flight got cancelled and had to spend 2 extra days in Houston. Well I'm sitting be the pool in 72 degree temps so even that isn't so bad.

Will give my review when back in the cold of Massachusetts.

 

Rob:)

[aprildream]

Thanks for the positive thoughts. I am so glad the Dream still seems like a ship instead of a Vegas hotel. I am so excited now for my B2B trips on the Dream I can hardly wait.:D

[Warmer Climes]

We also really enjoyed our cruise on the Dream. Our only other cruise was last January on RCL Explorer and my husband and I preferred the smaller size of the Dream and the more focus on the water in the seating all over the ship. We had two class CC cabins on Deck 9 as opposed to a balcony on the Explorer, and again, we preferred the Dream set up. The seating area is by the large window and we loved sitting and watching the water go by.

 

With a megaship there are certainly advantages but with the smaller number of passengers on the Dream you see people you are acquainted with much more often and it is friendlier. My daughter (8 y.o.) preferred the Dream also, even though the kids program seems to an adult to be more basic. But again, she liked it because she saw her new friends around the ship and said that on the Explorer she never ran into anyone she knew. Our teenaged son and his cousin had a great time, too, although they wouldn't do any organized teen activities. They made friends and away they went.

 

I advise anyone who reads these boards to go to you roll call for your cruise and attend the meet and greet. You will get your cruise off to a good start and meet some great people right at the beginning.

 

Barb

 

PS- Hi Rob! Lucky you to get stuck in Houston instead of BWI like we did. We finally got home at 5:00 this morning after our plane was delayed forever. We enjoyed meeting you and your family. I am already studying cruises for next winter!