Carnival Dream

Carnival Dream entered service in 2009 from Fincantieri at Monfalcone as the lead ship of the Dream class. At 128,250 gross tons and 3,646 passengers at double occupancy she was the largest ship Carnival had operated, a title she held until Carnival Magic arrived in 2011. The design decision that defines her is the deck 5 Lanai: a full wraparound outdoor promenade with a jogging track, about sixty outdoor seats and four whirlpools cantilevered over the side. Beneath it, on deck 2, sit the Cove Balconies, recessed into the hull near the waterline. Both were new to Carnival here. In March 2013 her emergency diesel generator failed during routine testing at Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. Main power held, but Carnival kept her alongside, ended the voyage there and flew passengers home. The next departure was cancelled; she resumed service on 23 March.
She handles volume well. Deck 5 is the spine: the Encore Theatre forward, Burgundy Lounge for karaoke, a piano bar, the Caliente nightclub, Ocean Plaza in the middle, and the Alchemy Bar and Bonsai Sushi added in the 2017 refit. Guy's Pig and Anchor smokes barbecue outdoors on the Lanai on sea days. On the Lido, Guy's Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina flank the pools. Deck 12 carries the WaterWorks slides, an eighteen-hole mini golf course and the Cloud 9 Spa. Dream was the first Carnival ship built with an integrated water park, and it still earns its space.
The criticisms are consistent. Cruise Critic's editors rate her 4.5 out of 5 but flag tight spots on decks 4 and 5 that make moving about awkward when she is full. Cabin decor is dated and shows wear, despite drydocks in 2017, 2021 and March 2026. Connecting cabins pass sound, the toilets are loud, and standard cabins carry only two American sockets. She is seventeen years old and reads it.
She suits families, groups and first-time cruisers who want a great deal of ship for a moderate fare. Carnival prices below Royal Caribbean and the crowd differs accordingly: informal, sociable, plenty of children, and drawn largely from the southern United States. If you want quieter design and a more restrained tone, the money buys something different elsewhere. She is currently based at Galveston on six, seven and eight-night Caribbean and Bahamas runs.
Choosing a cabin matters here. The Cove Balconies on deck 2 are the interesting ones. They are larger than a standard balcony at 45 square feet, sheltered by the lifeboats above and private, but they sit low, catch spray in a swell and get little sun. Avoid deck 9 if you sleep late, because those cabins lie directly under the Lido pools and buffet. Deck 11 cabins sit under the deck 12 jogging track and sports park. One correction: Dream carries no cabins on deck 5, so the problem of passers-by walking past your window does not arise on this ship.
Read the deck plan before you book. On this ship it settles most of the argument.