Carnival Dream 14 Day Journey Tell All: Part 2

Welcome back to Travel Time Stories. I'm Shannon, your host from Texas, and I'm joined by my fabulous co-host and best friend, Ann. Today we're continuing our review of the 14 day cruise aboard the Carnival Dream. Thanks for tuning in to part two.

 that leads us into our next Segway. After all that island hopping, let's head back on board the ship. And what's life like when you're floating on the big blue for 14 days? Spoiler alert. Wow. It's not all buffets and bingo.

So what was, what did you find sissy that was, unique? As far as activities or entertainment on this ship versus a normal seven day cruise, do you remember? 

Of course they had a few more shows, compared to usual.

I was gonna say, here's a question for you, sissy.

How many times can they show Ferris Bueller's day off on a 14 day cruise? 

Guys, I know that this is a throwback cruise, but Carnival, we don't need to see it six times. And every movie on this ship was old guys, not Ferris Bueller's Day off the proposal. Movie selection was horrendous. Everybody was complaining, not just us, but yeah, you guys should be ashamed of yourselves, really.



The fact that they showed the same movie over and over. 

Mm-hmm. 

I like Ferris Peel's Day Off, but it is not one of my favorites from the eighties. It was a good movie, but it is not one that I like to watch over and over and over. 

There's no movie that I like to watch over and over and over.

I was not happy with movie selection and again, a lot of people were complaining about it. It got to be a joke amongst all the passengers. We'd be walking down the hallway and somebody yell Ferris Bueller's Day offs on again at night. You people talking about it. It was awesome.

Exactly. So the activities that I noticed that they had that were different is they had a lot of cooking classes, which is really cool. 

Yeah. 

 they had, the old school games that they were playing, versus the newer stuff that they do now on the ships. They had ice sculpting, which they used to have back when I first started cruising, and then it went away.

So apparently that's now a throwback. So they had the ice sculpting, they had the fruit carving demonstrations, which, the only time I ever seen that before this cruise was our first cruise sissy on Norwegian. Yes, they had the, that was 

fabulous. They had 

the fruit carving demo, but I have never seen it on any of the carnival cruises, no.

Since then. So I guess that once again is a throwback. Then they had a thing where, you could sign up at the beginning of the cruise. And learn or train with the dancers. And then the last show that they had at the end of the cruise was, with the dancers or the, fun squad. And these guests that had been training over the several days during the 14 day cruise were also in the show as well.

So that was pretty neat. I'd never seen that before. Then they had some educational classes, like photography, social media, different things like that, that you could sign up for and learn different things. And that, that was different. I hadn't seen that before either. 

Yeah, that's true. Those were different.

What's your take on. The vibe, the longer cruise versus the short cruise. 

I noticed that people were more laid back. They weren't rushing to try to do everything, because we all had time and we had sea days. I thought it was a lot more laid back cruise vibe than a week trip.

Everybody's just trying to fit everything into everything and takes you a day or two to learn the ship. And first couple days everyone's confused. I heard a lot of other passengers say they'd been on the dream before too, so there were a lot of repeat dream people, on this cruise. But yeah, I thought the vibe was really nice and chill.

I liked it. 

Yeah, I did too. I didn't feel 

rushed. 

Yeah, me either. I honestly liked the longer cruise. Yeah, I really enjoyed it. I didn't feel rushed. We got to have plenty of downtime, as we talked, just talked about three of the port days, we actually stayed on the ship and did stuff.

So yeah, I really liked that a lot. 

I will tell you on a seven day cruise that they're fabulous, but you are cramming everything into seven days. So every port day you plan something, you get off the ship, you're all day doing whatever, and you really don't have a lot of downtime on those types of trips because you're really just trying to get everything you can into that week.

But on a two week cruise, you're like, oh, I can do that tomorrow. It's okay. 

Yeah, exactly. The dining experiences, there were two things that. We had on this cruise that I haven't seen on previous cruises. One was, every sea day they had tea time. Yeah. We did go to tea time. You wanna tell about our tea time experience sis?

Pretty excited. I'd never done tea time on the ship before. I'd heard about it, but I'd never gone. So we went to tea time, we get in there, we sit down. Another lady, joins our table and she was there by herself, so really nice. We got to meet somebody and has someone to chat with, but she'd been to tea time lots of times.

She really likes it. So as we're sitting there, we get our tea and everything and we're sitting there and they're bringing around, like little sandwiches, little pastries, cookies, all that stuff. And we were sitting at tables in a room and so we were like. On it next to the outside, the ship wall is here with the windows, and there was a row of table by the windows and we were right next to them.

And it was like everybody came around, did not come that way. So they're passing out all of these goodies, all these tables, but they aren't coming by our whole section over there. And people are really complaining about that. And finally, the lady that was sitting with us said, we didn't know any better.

And she was like, oh no, we are supposed to be getting, you know, when you see them come around with a tray, they're supposed to be stopping at each table. So she said something to them, and they did bring us a few extra things at the end. But by then, it was, that was a hiccup. We did still have a really good time though.

And good conversation. 

Yeah. The tea was really good. I enjoyed the tea a lot. I did 

too. Very much. 

My recommendation to the carnival is to do tea. Like they do tea at the restaurants or hotels where you have all of the sandwiches, pastries, whatnot, on the tiered tray. Yeah.

Yeah. The tiered. It's just set on each table and then people can get them, you know, right. As, as they are. We missed out on a lot of the sandwiches and pastries because they didn't come by our table and give those to us. 

We only got two or three things. Also that will free up your staff guys.

Mm-hmm. That will free up your staff to, you could actually do that with only half the staff and all they have to do is go around and check on people. It'd be so much easier for everybody. 

Yeah, exactly. And a lot less, 

less stressful. A lot of people were really upset that they got left out.

Yep. 

We had a bunch of old upset people in there. 

The other thing that was, different that we got to try out is, now they always have sea day brunch, every time, every cruise. But this time we found out that the steakhouse was having a sea day brunch. Yes. Which normally never happens. We were able to go to the sea day brunch at the steakhouse because, somebody that we had met was nice enough and told us about it.

We went up to the steakhouse and Ann talked to, the mare d or the head waiter and was able to get us on the list for a reservation to go to the sea day brunch. 

It was awesome guys. We had so much fun. 

Yeah. We met, three other people that we had, befriended on the cruise. Yeah. They went to the Sea Day brunch as well, and so we all sat at the table together and really had a great time.

Yeah, we did. Had pretty good food too. Of course. The steakhouse is just my fave anyway, but yeah. 

Yeah, everything was great except for Ann's Philly cheese steak sandwich. Now she's ruined on Philly cheese. 

Yeah. I won't be getting that anymore. That was, oh, I don't know what they did with that. I think two of us got it and both of us, yeah.

Didn't feel so good afterwards, so we think that the onions were bad that were on it. Plus it was super greasy. It was like they soaked the bread in grease or something when they put the meat on it. I don't know. But yeah, it made two of us kind of feel, Ugh. For a while, but I went to a little nappy, little tummy medicine.

I was ready to go. 

Yep, exactly. And it was a great, fun experience. Something we'd never done before. So yeah, it was great. 

I'll definitely do that again if I ever have the chance on another cruise. I don't know if they just do that on the longer ones or this was a special thing because it was a journey cruise.

I don't know 

From what I've found out it, they do it on the longer cruises, but it's not every single long cruise. So it's just hit or miss if they have it or not on the cruise that you're on, gotcha. You just have to kind of keep an eye out it Yeah, keep an eye out or an ear out. If you hear that they're having it or whatever, 

and look for it.

Yeah. 

Yeah. 

I could have missed it, but I didn't really see it on anything either. 

I didn't either. No. Okay. I didn't see it on anything either. I think it's like a quote unquote secret. Gotcha. You have to be in the know to find out about it. 

I'm gonna be in the know and ask on every cruise at steakhouse doing a brunch.

There you go. So speaking of food, I will have to say that this time on the dream compared to I've been on the dream, this was my third time now. Yeah. So the other two times that I have been on the dream, the food has been fabulous. Off the charts, the best ever. This time on the dream for me, the food was subpar.

I was not impressed at all. other than our first night at the Steakhouse and maybe one or two other nights there was something that they had that was really good. But other than that, the food. To me was not good. 

No, it was subpar. It really was. It was like, we know this boat's going into dry docks, so we're just gonna feed you guys, whatever, get it outta the freezer.

I don't know what they were doing, but it was not good at all. 

Yeah, I totally agree. It was not, 

the pizza was fabulous as usual. I really liked their pizza. 

Yeah, the pizza's always good. Yeah. Speaking of surprises, buckle up because we had a few jaw droppers on this cruise. Some funny, some awkward, and one that made us say, wait, what?

Sissy, any funny, awkward stories that, you wanna tell about that happened on this cruise? 

Which one,

How about the drunk man? That almost, smashed you? 

Yeah, there were quite a few. They were doing a pub crawl, so this group, and they were standing around the bar and we were getting ready to go outside and there was a metal post there.

So from where I'm standing, I can't see around the metal post, Shannon's like 10 steps behind me so she can see me, the post and around the post. And apparently there's a guy standing there, and as soon as I walk up towards the post, he literally right in front of me, just falls over like a tree boom. And his head boom bounces off the floor like two or three times.

They got him up and got him to the bar and they gave him water. But yeah, he was so drunk 

that, 

and he, he was great because he is laying there and I'm standing right there, . And he holds his hand up and he goes, what happened? And so I'm trying to get him up and I mean, this is a man, and I'm, like five, two and a half, not a big person.

And so I'm trying to get this big guy up and I can't get him up, 'cause like I just can't. And finally I stop and I look around and all these guys are just watching, everybody's just standing there watching calmly. And I'm like, can I get a couple guys over here to help with this? So then, several guys came over and got him up off the floor.

That's when they went, took him to the bar and got him water. But honestly, I think they should have taken him to medical to get his head looked at because he didn't hit on his back. He did not hit on his butt, he landed on his head and it literally bounced off the tile floor several times hard. So I was a little concerned about that.

But 

you know, they were all really drunk and. I just kept thinking, oh, he's gonna have such a bad headache tomorrow. 

Yep. Exactly. Yeah. Of fact, the next 

day we were like, oh, bet we don't see him around today. 

He's 

in his cabin today. 

Exactly. Yeah. So for all of you who think, just because, there was a lot of older people on this cruise that they don't party, 

Yeah, they do real hard.

Oh, 

they do. They do real hard. They think they're teenagers again or whatever in their twenties. 

And folks, they don't just party. They hog the casino machines. We're talking, they are there at seven in the morning. When we go down at seven for coffee, they're already at their machine. Okay. They're there all day long.

Yeah, if they go eat, I think they have their partner sit at the machine for them so they can go eat and come back and get that machine back. We literally could not, we could not play the casino on this trip very much because it was just jam packed every single day.

And we actually got to recognize who was who on what machine, because it was the same people in the same machines every day. 

Yeah, exactly. 

I don't even know how they were going to the bathroom, honestly. They were there all day long. I saw one guy, his wife would bring him food at the machine.

He would eat while he played? Yeah. Oh, it was pretty stinky in there too. I'm just gonna say. 

Yeah, exactly. Real bad. 

Real bad. Yeah, he's that. 

My funny story is that, we were having mimosas every day, in the mornings or whatever. We would have our mimosas in the mornings and yeah, Ann would go and get the mimosas and bring them back and I'm wondering like, why am I more like messed up than she is and yeah.

I find out that she has been having them make mine a double and so I've been drinking double what she was having. Yeah, 

she was slogging him down too, awesome. 

I was laughing. Yeah. And then she made us do a video. Talking about, hurricane Melissa and how we're gonna tie ourselves together with our lanyards.

It was great. 

And send it to our kids.

We're not amused, by the way? Not a bit. 

No, they were not. 

No.

So what was your favorite dining experience? You never did say, you know what? Mine is 

my favorite dining experience this time. 

Yeah. 

I think it, my favorite dining was the Steakhouse the first night. Mine too. Yeah, mine too. That's always my favorite. So it's my 

favorite. Yeah. 

And if you go to the steakhouse on the first night, you get a free bottle.

Their house wine. Okay. Right. But if you don't want their house wine, then you get, half off any other bottle of wine on the list. Yes. So we got, what was it? What was the name of it? Sissy? Do you remember?

It was a Moscato 

Di Asti 

Yeah. Moscato. Di Asti. Yeah. 

Yeah. Moscato Di Asti. Fabulous. Oh my God. That was the best wine ever.

It was so whole bottle. Yeah. We had a whole bottle and I'm mad that we didn't get more than one bottle. 

Yeah, me too. Because we could never find it again. Yeah. On the ship. I guess we could have gone up there and bought a bottle. 

Yeah, we probably could have, but it was very good. So yeah, we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Yeah. And then also, we got the chocolate covered strawberries were in our room waiting on us when we got on board, courtesy of Lamkin travel. But then we also had a pastry tray, that was reserved for us and we could order it anytime that we wanted during that 14 days to be delivered to our room fresh.

So we had that delivered on one of our spa days to the room. Yep. And it was freaking amazing. 

It was to die for They went, way above on this? 

Yeah. There were like four or five different pastries and each one of us got, there was two pastries of each and there was like four or five different ones.

And yeah, we had those in our room one night while we were watching a movie that I downloaded on my phone and we ate pastries and watched the movie. 

So one thing that I was super confused about, it came on a really cool, like slate chalk boardy looking cool to tray. So when we got done we put tray in all, outside the door so they could pick it up.

But after we got off the ship, I saw this lady and she had the tray. So apparently they got the pastry tray too. But she literally kept the tray, 

but her tray still had pastries on it. It was still wrapped and still had the pastries on it. Oh, okay. She literally carried the pastries off the ship. Off 

the ship.

Yeah. 

I didn't realize you could do that. 

I didn't either. I think you should check on that.

So yeah, 

that was really weird that 

that was a Wait, what moment. Because yeah, she literally carried the whole pastry tray. The board with all the pastries on it, still wrapped in the cellophane off the ship. 

And guys, a lot of these were pastries that had the pastry cream fillings and stuff, so 

mm-hmm.

I don't know how she planned on keeping those from melting in the Texas heat before she got to where she was going. 

Yeah. I don't know either, but yeah, , she did, she carried hers off the ship, so. Mm-hmm. Yeah, we'll have to check on that for next time. 

Yeah, that was super weird. I did love the tray though.



Yeah, the tray was really nice. 

Yeah, I could that for 

Christmas, so. 

Yeah, me too. Be great with cookies on it. 

So just like that, the adventure had to come to an end, but was getting off the ship as smooth as getting on. Let's talk about Disembarkation. 

Oh, okay. It was a cluster. It absolutely was so disorganized, folks.

It was such a mess. People were just standing waiting everywhere. Yeah. It was, they were not ready. 

It was, yeah. It was utter chaos. 

Yeah. 

Everybody had disembarkation times. You're put in a group with the Disembarkation times. Yeah. However, our cruise director was not coming on and announcing the times for each group to go.

No. There were people standing around in areas they weren't supposed to be in because nobody knew what was going on, where they were supposed to go, what was happening. Yeah. It was total disorganized chaos. And we just so happened to be lucky enough that it wasn't even our disembarkation time yet. We still had I think like an hour and a half, 

an hour and a half to go, 

to go.

And we were standing there waiting, close to where the elevators were. And one of the ladies just was like, come on. And we're like, but it's not our time yet. She's like, it's fine. Come on. And took us, put us on the elevator, sent us down, and we get down there and yeah, they just let us go right on through and off the ship, even though it wasn't even our time yet.

Yeah, that was awesome of her to do that. 

Yeah. So we got lucky in that regard. But yeah, it was a disorganized, chaotic mess. 

Yeah. And she was like, come on. I took off. I was ready. I was like, okay. 

Yeah. They actually, if 

it's my time or not, 

yeah. They actually yelled at Ann to stop running because, we were standing in line after we got down to where you get off the ship at.

We were standing in a line, part of the line moved and Ann didn't notice that it moved, and then when she did, she was just, like not running, like full on running, but like scurrying real quick to try to catch up to where the line was. Yeah, 

I'm old. I don't run. 

And they were, they yelled at her, no, running on the ship, 

so embarrassing.

Like, I'm five.

So 

that was, I wanted to just start out and out running at that point just to show her what running was, but yeah, no, 

so that was great. 

Yeah, it 

was nice. And then when we got off, the ship, going through the security after we got off the ship was a breeze. There was no line. We went right on through.

That was easy. Then we get outside and we were booked on the shuttle to take us back to, from the port in Galveston to the airport here in Houston to Intercontinental. And then my husband was gonna pick us up from the airport. 'cause we literally don't live that far. And so trying to figure out though where our shuttle was gonna be at was a freaking nightmare.

Yeah. Because the description they give you on the ticket for the shuttle doesn't help you at all. No. And then the people that are working in the port weren't really sure. Where exactly our shuttle was gonna be at. 'cause there's 50 different ones. And yeah, so that was a chaotic mess, but we remained calm, we didn't get upset about it, we just chilled.

And when it was close to our time when our shuttle should be coming, thank God for Ann, because you know, I don't see, well, so Ann was able to go and talk to different people and run around and figure out where our shuttle was gonna be at and 

got us 

on the right shuttle. 

But there, their areas are not clearly marked there.

Mm-hmm. I mean, there are numbers on the signs, right as you come out. You come out and you cross the street there at the port and go behind the fence and there's some benches and then covered areas. Those are numbered spots. So that end one is like number 36 right there. To give you an idea. 'cause if your shuttle says, we're gonna pick you up at 34, 35 3 6 39 kind of gives you an idea of where at least something is.

'cause none of the other ones are marked. Seriously. 

Yeah. 

It was crazy. 

Yeah. So that was a mess. And then our shuttle ride from the port back to the airport was, 

it was something else. 

It was not the best, but hey, it got us where we needed to go. It was a ride to go. Yeah, it was a ride. We made it there and then Yeah, Jeff picked us up from the airport and so that was all smooth sailing.

Yeah. 

Yeah. We rattled all the way to the airport. 

Yeah. The bus that we were on for the shuttle was rattled the whole way to the airport. But we made it. That's all that matters. 

That baby needed some screw. It was bad. 

Okay, so let's, before we wrap up here, let's break it down. Your top three pros and cons.

What are your top three, pros, sissy for the ship or the cruise?

Top three pros. So I loved the longer cruise time. I was able to really relax. I didn't stress about having to get off in a week. I hate getting off. I hate disembarkation. That is just like the worst. I didn't stress about anything because I had plenty of time.

I definitely love the longer cruise. I love that we met friends that we keep in touch with to this day. I think we always will. Probably see them on another cruise or so. Everybody just lets everybody know when they're going and if somebody can go, then they hop on that cruise.

So that was awesome. And thanks to you, I saw some good movies, not thanks to Carnival. And I enjoyed, I'm a dessert person, so Yeah. And I don't like to cook that much, so I enjoy just being able to relax, go get food when I want it, go get a drink if I want it, if I want ice cream, I just get it.

So my three pros are number one was, meeting some great people on the cruise. Yeah. I. That was my top favorite. Like I absolutely loved every single person that we met on this cruise. And like you say, same, we're still in contact with them again to keep in contact with them and hopefully be on another ship with them at another time.

Yeah, 

great people. Yeah. And number two was great ports. I loved every single port that we went to. Me too. Me too, was a great itinerary. The best itinerary we've had. And then number three was the blue blanket,

oh, I forgot about that. 

The blue blanket makes all the difference. 

I'm gonna just tell you like it's I have a water protective mattress cover on my mattress.

I have grand babies, so you know, they get up on the bed and stuff anyway, but over that, I have a pad. It goes under your mattress topper and then, all the sheets and stuff go on. But on the cruise ship, your sheet is literally on top of that plastic thing. And I get hot. I cannot sleep on it.

I'm not comfortable. So partly into the cruise, somebody mentioned the blue blanket and we were like, what's a blue blanket? Go ahead, sissy. Tell them.

So the blue blanket is amazing. It's basically like a throw blanket, it's like the same one I have at home that I use when I'm sitting in my, recliner watching tv, that I have over my feet or whatever. What do you call that material? Sissy like 

velure, that real soft microfiber.

Yeah. 

Wonderfully soft 

stuff. Yeah. If you ask your cabin steward, for a blue blanket, they will bring you one to use, during the cruise. And it is amazing. It's a game changer.

And here's the tip. You don't unmake your bed and get under the sheets and that, fluffy thing you don't do that.

You lay on top of that and cover up with a blue blankie. 

Mm-hmm. And 

then you don't sweat from laying on that stupid plastic mattress cover 

Exactly. That 

crinkles every time you move, when you lay on it. 

Yep. Exactly. 

Wake you up. So yeah, after we got the blue blanket, I slept like a baby. Oh, so nice. I'll never knock the blue blanket.

Yeah, I'll ask for that every time now. 

Yeah. 

So what are your three cons for this cruise?

Food was not super great. The last time we were on the dream, we loved the food. Mm-hmm. And yeah, it was not great. And I felt like they didn't care that much, you know what I mean? 

Mm-hmm.

That was a con. , Having to do my laundry. That was okay. That was only a couple hours out of a day.



Hey, at least nobody saw your underwear like mine. 

That is true. So Shannon's in there drying her clothes. Right. Some little cute guy in there. And she opens the dryer to see if her clothes are dry. And what pops out? Yeah, her underwear. Not any underwear either. She's got these cute undies that she bought

they've got skulls on 'em. 

Yeah. If that 

tells you anything. And those are the ones that popped out. Of course she gets super embarrassed. I personally could have cared less if it were mine, but she gets all embarrassed, comes back, tells me about it. Then she goes back to get her laundry.

Guess who was in there? Same guy. She had to look at him again.

That's great. 

Oh, another con was the casino thing. 

Yeah. 

The smell and the fact that they literally camped on the machines all day long. 

Yeah, exactly. My, three cons were, number one was the food. Number two was the casino being packed and we couldn't get in there to really have any casino time. Right.

And my number three was the disembarkation process because that was a friggin nightmare. The total nightmare. 

It was the worst that I've ever had on a cruise. 

Yep. Exactly. Yeah, I agree. Well this cruise was one for the books. Whether you're a seasoned cruiser or planning your next voyage, we hope our stories help you navigate your next adventure.

Guys, if you've cruised the Carnival Dream or you've been to any of the ports that we've discussed, give us a shout out. We'd love to hear your stories. 

That's a wrap for our 14 day journey. Links to all the places that we mentioned, will be in the show notes below. So if you wanna get more information on any of those places, just click on the link.

Thanks for joining us on travel Time stories. Remember to subscribe to our channel so you don't miss on any future episodes. Give us a like or a thumbs up. Leave a review. It really helps us out and share this episode with your friends. If you would like to be a guest on the show, send us an email at lamkintravel@gmail.com or join our Facebook community facebook.com/traveltimestorieswithShannon.

It's been great being here tonight, guys. Until next time, keep making memories for life.