- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Carnival Dream
Posted on 5/21/18 at 8:51 pm
Posted on 5/21/18 at 8:51 pm
Just got off the Carnival Dream, 7 day cruise. Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. This was our 4th cruise but the first one we had paid for ourselves. We have won previous through our business for meeting sales goals. Our previous cruises were RC Freedom of the Seas (twice) and Carnival Ectasy or Fantasy can't remember.
Montego Bay: We did horseback riding, tubing and zip lining. First of all, you put your life on the line if you get on the streets of Jamaica!
It's every man for himself there they drive like maniacs! It's a poor arse area and seems pretty dirty. The excursion was good and the guides were funny and kept things entertaining. BUG SPRAY WAS A MUST!!!
Grand Cayman: Most in our group swam with dolphins, I didn't since I had done that before. But we took a small tour around some of the island afterwards and had lunch at Margaritavilles and did some shopping. It was a super clean place and beautiful island. People were great and gracious. I will go back there. It's expensive, their dollar > US dollar. But great place and wish we would have had more time there.
Cozumel: It's Cozumel, many have been. Spent the day at some beach side resort, $30/person for taxi to resort from port and included beach lounge chair and free snorkel gear. Great little place, had restaurant onsite and awesome fish tacos. Bar was affordable. Snorkeling was pretty damn good! Fish everywhere, even if you just walked out off the beach the fish were all around you.
Carnival Dream: Boat layout was kinda off. Things seems like a maze? If you didn't take the stairs you spent 25% of your cruise waiting on elevators, took stairs all week. Lido deck is insane, over crowded and loud. I'm sure some love that shite but I like quiet. Takes forever to get a drink. Boat seemed over crowded compared to my RCI trips. Food at the Guy Fieri burger joint and his BBQ place were pretty damn good. Buffet was poo, except for the Carvery, their Turkey and SW Chicken Wraps were legit. Dinner in dining room was below par but typical of cruise food they're trying to appeal to the masses. I hated the day's at sea, just feels trapped and boring but that wasn't Carnival's fault, I felt the same way on RCI. Leaving out of New Orleans, 1 hour from home was awesome! No flight and home one hour after debarkation. Our RCI's went out of Miami area.
I'm no professional travel critic just thought I'd share my experience to maybe help others.
Montego Bay: We did horseback riding, tubing and zip lining. First of all, you put your life on the line if you get on the streets of Jamaica!
It's every man for himself there they drive like maniacs! It's a poor arse area and seems pretty dirty. The excursion was good and the guides were funny and kept things entertaining. BUG SPRAY WAS A MUST!!! Grand Cayman: Most in our group swam with dolphins, I didn't since I had done that before. But we took a small tour around some of the island afterwards and had lunch at Margaritavilles and did some shopping. It was a super clean place and beautiful island. People were great and gracious. I will go back there. It's expensive, their dollar > US dollar. But great place and wish we would have had more time there.
Cozumel: It's Cozumel, many have been. Spent the day at some beach side resort, $30/person for taxi to resort from port and included beach lounge chair and free snorkel gear. Great little place, had restaurant onsite and awesome fish tacos. Bar was affordable. Snorkeling was pretty damn good! Fish everywhere, even if you just walked out off the beach the fish were all around you.
Carnival Dream: Boat layout was kinda off. Things seems like a maze? If you didn't take the stairs you spent 25% of your cruise waiting on elevators, took stairs all week. Lido deck is insane, over crowded and loud. I'm sure some love that shite but I like quiet. Takes forever to get a drink. Boat seemed over crowded compared to my RCI trips. Food at the Guy Fieri burger joint and his BBQ place were pretty damn good. Buffet was poo, except for the Carvery, their Turkey and SW Chicken Wraps were legit. Dinner in dining room was below par but typical of cruise food they're trying to appeal to the masses. I hated the day's at sea, just feels trapped and boring but that wasn't Carnival's fault, I felt the same way on RCI. Leaving out of New Orleans, 1 hour from home was awesome! No flight and home one hour after debarkation. Our RCI's went out of Miami area.
I'm no professional travel critic just thought I'd share my experience to maybe help others.
5
Posted on 5/22/18 at 6:44 am to WilsonPickett
I have a few questions for you if that's ok. I will be going on that same cruise this Saturday however I will be leaving out of Galveston. I have never been on a cruise before...just all inclusive and resorts. We are going with friends and so I said ok.
Posted on 5/22/18 at 7:10 am to El Segundo Guy
quote:
I have never been on a cruise before...just all inclusive and resorts.
Temper expectations. I went on several family cruises back in college and always had a good time, went to my first AI on my honeymoon and it's not even comparable.
Posted on 5/22/18 at 7:21 am to CidCock
Oh I have no expectations. The one thing I'm looking forward to is SCUBA diving. I try to go 3-4 times a year. My wife and her friend have been in charge of all of it. The only 2 things I know are that they made reservations at a steakhouse and got some 15 drinks/day package.
Posted on 5/22/18 at 7:30 am to El Segundo Guy
Don't go with the pack.
For instance, on Cozumel you can go to one of a million beach resorts for the day and drink watered down drinks and eat shitty food and hang out with the same people you're on the ship with.
Or, you can walk across the street from the cruise terminal and rent a jeep for the day and head to the southern tip of the island and hang out at a couple of beach bars and drink cheap good drinks and eat authentic food. My favorite is called Freedom in Paradise Bar but there are several down there that are a blast to hang out at. They're not quite as fun as they used to be because there are now bar hop tours that hit these bars but it's still an enjoyable time and way better than the overpriced Carlos and Charlie's or Senor Frogs crowds.
For instance, on Cozumel you can go to one of a million beach resorts for the day and drink watered down drinks and eat shitty food and hang out with the same people you're on the ship with.
Or, you can walk across the street from the cruise terminal and rent a jeep for the day and head to the southern tip of the island and hang out at a couple of beach bars and drink cheap good drinks and eat authentic food. My favorite is called Freedom in Paradise Bar but there are several down there that are a blast to hang out at. They're not quite as fun as they used to be because there are now bar hop tours that hit these bars but it's still an enjoyable time and way better than the overpriced Carlos and Charlie's or Senor Frogs crowds.
Posted on 5/22/18 at 11:18 am to El Segundo Guy
Sure ask away.
This! It wasn't my trip so we went with the flow on the excursions but they were all fun.
quote:
Don't go with the pack.
This! It wasn't my trip so we went with the flow on the excursions but they were all fun.
This post was edited on 5/22/18 at 11:23 am
Posted on 5/22/18 at 12:04 pm to WilsonPickett
Leaving in same cruise out of New Orleans on June 10th. Thanks for the info. How was the casino and bars on the ship? Went on triumph last year and had a ball. Several couples go so maybe that helps
Posted on 5/22/18 at 5:28 pm to Bear88
Several couples does help. This was my son's senior trip so my wife and I were only parents on ship with the seniors. Our other trips we had several couples and it helped with the boat days.
Bars were slow with service but they were overloaded. If you ordered a frozen drink with waiter it came back 1/2 melted. best buy was bucket of beer because it came in bucket of ice so they stayed cold and you had several to drink while you waited for your next bucket!!
Bars were slow with service but they were overloaded. If you ordered a frozen drink with waiter it came back 1/2 melted. best buy was bucket of beer because it came in bucket of ice so they stayed cold and you had several to drink while you waited for your next bucket!!
Posted on 5/23/18 at 1:20 pm to El Segundo Guy
quote:
The only 2 things I know are that they made reservations at a steakhouse and got some 15 drinks/day package.
We Just got back from our third cruise and it was on the Glory out of Miami. The steakhouse was not that good and the drink package is a waste unless you just stay on the boat and hammer drinks all day.
The amount of dope being smoked on the boat was insane. I finally think my wife will take my advice and we will be doing all inclusive from now on. We went to a all inclusive in Aruba a few years ago and that was one of the best trips we've been on.
Posted on 5/24/18 at 9:16 am to WilsonPickett
quote:
Dinner in dining room was below par but typical of cruise food they're trying to appeal to the masses.
A word of advice for the future. If you dont see something appealing for dinner, you can tell them you want a steak every single night if you want. You can also get multiple appetizers and main entree’s if you want. Theres been many nights I ate a steak and lobster or steak and shrimp. Hell Ive eaten two steaks some nights.
Also, as far as excursions go, yes RC may seem a little less crowded, but the same exact excursions are quite a bit more for RC compared to Carnival. We just happened to be on a Carnival ship that was basically cruising the same path as RC and after getting on a bus and talking with a couple on RC, we learned that they paid alot more for the same exact excursion.
In my opinion, cruises are all what you make of them. I like the fact I can go to multiple islands for a day or two and not have to take the chance of spending a good amount of money and not really liking it. If we like the island, then we plan a weeks vacation there in the future.
Posted on 5/26/18 at 10:21 am to JOHNN
My bad. I'm going on the Carnival Freedom out of Galveston not the Dream. Shows you how much I had to do with this trip.
I guess our plans are to horseback ride in Jamaica and hang out. At Grand Cayman we will be scuba diving and at Cozumel, we will be renting a Jeep and going to the southern SE part of the island (I've dove there a handful of times).
To the poster that said that the drink package isn't that great, thanks for the input. However. I will drink all of it and more. Hell, I'm 3 drinks in at a beach bar at 10 am just waiting to head to the boat.
I guess our plans are to horseback ride in Jamaica and hang out. At Grand Cayman we will be scuba diving and at Cozumel, we will be renting a Jeep and going to the southern SE part of the island (I've dove there a handful of times).
To the poster that said that the drink package isn't that great, thanks for the input. However. I will drink all of it and more. Hell, I'm 3 drinks in at a beach bar at 10 am just waiting to head to the boat.
Posted on 5/26/18 at 9:30 pm to El Segundo Guy
Just a heads up if you are going to Jamaica it's a real sh$t hole don't venture alone I recommend not getting off boat
Posted on 5/26/18 at 10:53 pm to CrazyClown
Definitely plan an excursion for Montego Bay. Not having an excursion planned in MoBay leaves you at the mercy of the hustlers trying to find unsuspecting first timers. I've done ziplining out of that port before through a private guide I found on Trip Advisor. It was amazing. Look into spending the extra $ for a day pass to the Secrets resort next door to the pier (if your group is all adults). Both days I've spent in Jamaica were great, but plan, plan, plan for that port.
One excursion you might want to consider in Cozumel is a trip to the Mayan ruins at Tulum.
You can find a ton of great private excursions in Grand Cayman on Trip Advisor as well.
When searching for "Things to Do" for a port on Trip Advisor, make sure to pick only 5 star rated outfits. Also read the reviews to see if they regularly accommodate cruise ship passengers. I've found some wonderful excursions through TA.
One excursion you might want to consider in Cozumel is a trip to the Mayan ruins at Tulum.
You can find a ton of great private excursions in Grand Cayman on Trip Advisor as well.
When searching for "Things to Do" for a port on Trip Advisor, make sure to pick only 5 star rated outfits. Also read the reviews to see if they regularly accommodate cruise ship passengers. I've found some wonderful excursions through TA.
Posted on 5/27/18 at 12:03 pm to WilsonPickett
On the way back to SC from Tampa. We were on the Carnival Miracle and did Cozumel, Belize, Roatan and Grand Cayman. I enjoyed Belize. We went past the tourist terminal and into Belize City. Their national museum was great and we had a great lunch at a roadside stand called The Boar House. XCaret at Playa del Carmen was good too, but there's only so much you can do there in 4-5 hours.
This post was edited on 5/27/18 at 12:05 pm
Posted on 5/27/18 at 2:41 pm to WilsonPickett
quote:
Cozumel, many have been. Spent the day at some beach side resort
Do you happen to recall the name?
Page 1 of 1
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News