Carnival Dream

The 2009-built Carnival Dream cruise ship is one of the Carnival fleet's largest and the first Dream-class vessel, together with Breeze and Magic as well as Costa Diadema.

The vessel (IMO number 9378474) is currently Panama-flagged (MMSI 370490000) and registered in Colon.

History - construction and ownership

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) is a US shipping company, trademarked brand and subsidiary of Carnival Corporation (shipowner). CCL was founded in 1972 as an independent company by Ted Arison (1924-1999, co-founder of NCL Norwegian).

CCL has the Corporation's largest fleet as number of vessels and GT-tonnage (ship sizes/volumes and passenger capacities). In 2023, CCL had ~9% (by revenue) and ~19% (passengers) share of the cruise industry's worldwide market. In 2024, the parent company (Carnival Corporation) had ~51% stake in the US$64+ billion industry.

The 3646-passenger ship Carnival Dream was floated out on October 24, 2008. When first launched, Carnival Dream was the biggest ship operated by Carnival, though she was later surpassed by Carnival Magic and Carnival Breeze, which were delivered in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

The liner features facilities similarly designed on the previous CCL ships while presenting some new features. Significant alterations were made to Deck 5's public areas and the exterior promenade running the boat's entire perimeter. A comedy club and a couple of themed bars were added during the 2012 drydock refurbishment. An interesting fact is that around 20 minutes of the "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" movie was filmed on Carnival Dream.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Dream staterooms (1823 total) include 56 Suites, 841 Balcony, 221 Oceanview and 719 Inside, including 254 connecting, 35 wheelchair-accessible, 61 Spa and 193 Family cabins, in all 34 grades. On Carnival Dream were introduced the fleet's new categories "Deluxe Oceanview", "Cove Balcony" and "Cloud 9 Spa" cabins.

Most staterooms are sized 170-185 ft2 / 16-17 m2. Most cabin balconies are sized 35-45 ft2 / 3-4 m2. Deluxe Oceanviews are with two separate washrooms and advertised as "Family cabins" having max capacity 5 passengers. Cove Balcony (located beneath the lifeboats on Deck 2) have partially enclosed verandas.

The boat has 14 passenger decks of which 9 are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The two formal dining rooms on Carnival Dream are Scarlet (1122 seats) and Crimson (744 seats). Both restaurants are the focal point of dining onboard and feature red decors with Murano glass chandeliers. For those who like laughter with their food, is the Punchliner Comedy Brunch, taking place in the MDR (main dining room) only on sea days. The real foodies who are curious about how the galley feeds so many people, have to check out Chef's Table. For US$75 per person, you'll be able to meet the head chef and tour the galley, as well as dine on a multi-course meal at a private table, while watching the chefs at work.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Dream restaurants and food bars.

• Crimson Restaurant (744-seat forward Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings and “Anytime Dining”)
• Scarlet Restaurant (1122-seat aft Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings, open seating breakfast and lunch; "Seuss At Sea"-themed breakfasts for $5 cover charge)
• Wasabi Bar (sushi bar, complimentary; serves as salad bar during the day)
• The Gathering Lido buffet restaurant (825-seat self-service restaurant with various complimentary takeaway food stations)
• The Chef's Art Steakhouse (108-seat, reservation-only specialty restaurant, serving seafood and prime beef).
• Seafood Shack (added in 2018; open only for lunch and dinner at an additional cost; offers New England clam chowder in a bread bowl, fried buffalo shrimp, steamed lobster, and other options; prices range from around US$5-$12 and orders can be made at the counter).
• Guy's Pig and Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse (added in 2017) is an open-air complimentary BBQ restaurant on Promenade Deck.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The Lanai's outdoor seating areas are one of the best features aboard Carnival Dream. Ocean Plaza is another important venue and meet-and-greet hub, often missing on smaller Carnival ships. It offers a little something for everyone with a specialty coffee bar, dance floor, and bars offering drinks-of-the-day. In 2012 two new bars were added as part of Carnival's Fun Ship 2.0 refurbishment program. BlueIguana Tequila Bar and RedFrog Rum Bar offer tequila and rum-based cocktails, as well as the signature ThirstyFrog Red beer of Carnival.

Carnival Dream is the first Carnival ship to boast (as a newbuild) a water park with multiple slides. Dream also features a wide outdoor promenade with an outdoor cafe and whirlpools in four different places along the outside edge of the deck.

The following official YouTube video reviews Carnival's Dream-class vessels (Breeze, Dream, and Magic) as facilities and onboard amenities.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Dream lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Encore! Theatre (1400-seat show lounge for a live show and music productions; features the “Playlist Productions” live musical mixes and “Hasbro Game Shows")
• Dream Atrium (11-deck high midship open floor area, featuring Dream Lobby Bar with piano and dance floor)
• Cherry on Top (candy shop; offers branded gear, special occasions gifts, tuxedo rentals)
• Rendezvous Lounge (a 23-seat club with bar)
• FunHub (24-hour Internet computers room; free Intranet offered for information on onboard programs, menus and scheduled events)
• Circle C (complimentary kids' club and lounge area with video games, parties, movies, planned activities)
• Club O2 (teens only lounge with movies, karaoke, video games, themed parties); Warehouse Video Video Games Arcade
• Jackpot Casino (484-seat, with slot machines and gaming tables; features gambling tournaments and complimentary classes)
• FunHub (with Internet/Intranet computers)
• The Lanai (60-seat promenade with Lanai Bar-BQ Bar and four cantilevered Whirlpools; Power Walking/Jogging Track)
• Ocean Plaza (270-seat lounge with Plaza Cafe)
• Caliente Disco and Nightclub; Sam’s Bar; Burgundy Lounge (hosts the Punchliners Comedy Club); Song Lounge and Bar
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar (for Mexican drinks)
• RedFrog Pub (120-seat, with indoor and outdoor seating, games, live music, international beers selection and Thirstyfrog/RedFrog beer)
• Sunset Pool area; Waves Pool area
• Camp Carnival (complimentary kids play area)
• Cloud 9 Spa (Thermal Suite, Oriental Steam Bath, Aroma Steam Bath, Steam Rooms, Sauna, Lacanium, Thalassotherapy pool)
• Carnival WaterWorks (kids pool play area with Twister water-slide and AquaPark)
• Seaside Theatre (with a huge LED screen for movies, sports events, concerts, with a stage for live performances)
• City Sports Park (featuring outdoor relaxation area, 18-hole mini golf course, Ping-Pong Tables, multisport court and Sports Bar)
• Serenity (adults only relaxation area and Serenity Bar).

Itineraries

Carnival Dream cruise itinerary program is based on departures from New Orleans LA to Eastern and Western Caribbean. Feature port destinations include Cozumel Mexico, Nassau Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, Roatan, Grand Cayman (George Town).

The Fincantieri Monfalcone-built Carnival Dream was one of the biggest stars in the movie "Alvin and the Chipmunks - Chipwrecked" (2011). Dream is Carnival's first vessel of the DREAM-class, and at the time the biggest-ever built in Italy (until 2016 when was launched Carnival Vista). Sisterships from this series are Breeze and Magic, and also Costa Diadema.

Carnival Dream drydock 2021

In 2021 (July-August) Carnival Dream was drydocked at Chantier Naval de Marseille (CNdM Shipyard in Marseille France) for mainly general maintenance works.

During the drydock, the liner's old hull design (white hull, with a red line running its entire length) was replaced with the new trademarked livery (red-white-blue) introduced on Mardi Gras.

Carnival Dream refurbishment 2017 review

The list of deckplan changes after the 2017 drydock refurbishment (January 30 - February 11) in Freeport Bahamas included:

(Promenade Deck 5) "Guy's Pig & Anchor Barbeque Smokehouse" is a complimentary, open-air complimentary restaurant located on the Lanai Promenade. The Smokehouse is designed by Guy Fieri (Food Network). Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse's menu features BBQ favorites, like pork butt, blue ribbon chicken, sliced smoked beef, smoked Andouille sausage, Guy Fieri's traditional sides and gourmet burgers, a variety of BBQ sauces, hot sauce bar. Signature menu items are named Mac Daddy Mac'n Cheese, Old Skool Potato Salad, Scratch-Made Slaw, Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey, Molasses Baked Beans with Bacon and Burnt Ends.

(Lido Deck 10 / portside, replacing the "Pizzeria" poolside bar) BlueIguana Cantina is a complimentary poolside Mexican cuisine eatery. Among the specialties are fresh-made burritos and tacos on homemade tortillas, salsa bar, a huge selection of toppings.

(Lido Deck 10 / starboard, replacing the "Grille" poolside bar) Guy's Burger Joint is a complimentary poolside premium burger bar.

(Promenade Deck 5) Alchemy Bar is the Carnival's "cocktail pharmacy"-themed lounge with professional mixologists (dressed in lab coats) "prescribing" traditional and exotic (moniker) concoctions from a variety of liquors and ingredients.

(Promenade Deck 5) Bonsai Sushi is a premium sushi restaurant offering sushi, sashimi, bento "ships", plus popular Japanese beers, sakes, cocktails.

(Lido Deck 10) Pizzeria del Capitano offers 5 different varieties of hand-tossed pizzas - Margherita, Quattro Formaggio, mushroom, prosciutto, pepperoni. It is complimentary, and open 24 hours a day. All pizzas are traditionally oven-baked.

The ship's drydock in June 2021 (at Chantier Naval de Marseille shipyard in Marseille France) included mainly general maintenance works as well as repainting of the hull.