Your
Carnival Dream Is About To Come True
June 2008 - It's been the kind of week that
cruise ship aficionados and
those of us who cover the cruise industry dream about. Two major
cruise lines have shared a look at the exciting and novel features
their new vessels will offer and now we have a third. Not the largest
of the new-ship trio,
but certainly not the least, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream will
be the largest “Fun Ship” ever constructed by Carnival Cruise Lines
and an all-new ship class offering a host of on-board innovations
and amenities.
Currently being built at the Fincantieri shipyard in
Monfalcone, Italy, the 3,646-passenger Carnival Dream will usher in
a new era of “Fun Ship” cruising
when it makes its debut in September 2009. With a new
layout, sleek hull, and distinctive profile, Carnival Dream is
designed to deliver the ultimate vacation experience. With even more
space to play, creative interiors by design genius Joe Farcus are
sure to pique the imagination of all guests.
Unique features of the Carnival Dream include a new concept in
entertainment called The Piazza, a stunning indoor/outdoor café and
live music venue; the most elaborate children’s facilities at sea,
including expansive play areas and a huge Carnival WaterWorks aqua
park; “scenic whirlpools” that extend over the ship’s beam; and a
variety of new stateroom categories, including those specifically
catering to families. Carnival Dream will also offer many other
exciting and innovative features that will be announced in the
coming months.
Unique Features & Facilities
Spanning 1,004 feet in length, Carnival Dream is the
largest and longest “Fun Ship” ever constructed and the line has
made maximum use of the vessel’s added size by creating some truly
spectacular on-board facilities and features.
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Promenade, café and scenic whirlpool |
Among the ship’s many highlights is a brand new concept in
entertainment—The
Piazza. If you've sailed on one of the newest Princess ships, the
name might sound familiar, but in Carnival's hands, the ultimate
function is distinctively Carnival's own. Designed as a comfortable
oasis during the day and a bustling entertainment complex at night,
this multi-function indoor/outdoor café and live music venue will
feature a bandstand where a variety of musical genres will be
showcased, along with a large circular dance floor. A massive
floor-to-ceiling curved glass wall will separate the room, creating
comfortable and spacious indoor and outdoor seating areas offering
stunning ocean views. Guests at The Piazza can also enjoy full bar
service, along with an espresso bar offering gelato and a variety of
decadent baked goods, along with high-speed Internet access.
Carnival Dream will also take the traditional cruise-ship promenade
to new heights (and lengths) with a half-mile, open-air promenade
encircling the ship on Promenade Deck 5—a
real departure for Carnival's ships, most of which feature enclosed
promenades.
Aboard Carnival Dream, guests can take a stroll while enjoying
spectacular ocean vistas, read a book, or just take in the sun from
one of the many deck chairs that will line the open deck area.
Along the expansive promenade, four “scenic whirlpools” cantilever
out over the sea providing magnificent sea views. Higher up, Lido
Deck 10 will offer the most elaborate and expansive open-deck area
of any Carnival ship with a tropical, resort-style main pool
complete with a Seaside Theatre LED screen, a Serenity adults-only
retreat, and numerous other features.
Outdoor café and scenic whirlpool |
A wide variety of lounges, bars and nightspots—including
a new dance club with a twist, offering indoor/outdoor access—will
be accessible via an 11-deck-high atrium whose ground level will
offer a cantilevered bandstand atop a massive dance floor. Other
features include an expansive 23,750-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa—Carnival’s
largest and most elaborate health and wellness center to date.
Dreamy New Staterooms
Particular attention was paid to Carnival Dream’s accommodations, as
several innovative new types of staterooms will be introduced. The
line’s first-ever “cove” balcony staterooms—located
closer to the water line—offer
beautiful sea views and exceptional value. What does
“cove”
mean? Think of an enclosed balcony
“within” the hull to keep the sea spray off.
New deluxe ocean view staterooms—featuring
a unique, guest-friendly configuration with two bathrooms—will
provide the ultimate in comfort and convenience for guests who can
enjoy their unique spaciousness, particularly families. In addition
to twin beds that convert to a king, ample closet space and elegant
décor, the two-bathroom configuration will include one full bathroom
and a second bathroom featuring a junior tub with shower and sink.
Sweet Dreams for the entire
family |
There are even staterooms that can accommodate five guests—a
rarity in new ship construction and also ideal for families.
Additionally, there will be a wide selection of balcony staterooms
and suites from which to choose—all
offering the best in scenic cruising. Additionally, adjacent to
Carnival Dream’s luxurious Cloud 9 Spa will be 65 spa staterooms and
suites which will offer guests a number of exclusive amenities and
privileges. Those are certain to be popular and we predict they will
book up fast.
All Carnival Dream staterooms will feature the Carnival Comfort Bed
sleep system with plush mattresses, luxurious duvets, and high
quality linens and pillows for sweet dreams.
Families Will Live the Dream
Carnival Dream’s numerous family-friendly amenities
will include separate, purpose-built facilities for the line’s three
distinct children’s programs: “Camp Carnival” for kids ages 2-11,
“Circle C” for 12- to 14-year-olds, and “Club O2″ for teens ages 15
to 17, along with a full schedule of morning-til-night activities
catering to each age group.
Carnival Dream's Carnival WaterWorks |
A hit on board the rejuvenated Fantasy-class vessels and sure to
be enjoyed by guests of all ages will be Carnival WaterWorks, an
expansive aqua park offering exhilarating water slides and various
water spray apparatus. Carnival Dream will also be the first “Fun
Ship” to feature a two-level miniature golf course.
All this, combined with the spacious two-bathroom staterooms and an
attractive and convenient Central Florida homeport in
Port Canaveral will make a cruise aboard Carnival Dream an
exceptional vacation choice for the entire family.
Exciting Inaugural Schedule
Carnival Dream is scheduled to enter service Sept
21, 2009, with an inaugural 12-day Grand Mediterranean cruise from
Rome (Civitavecchia) featuring seven spectacular ports: Naples,
Livorno and Venice (two-day call), Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia;
Messina, Sicily; Monaco; and Barcelona, Spain. Two additional 12-day
Grand Mediterranean cruises will be offered on Oct 3 and Oct 15,
2009.
The ship will then sail on a 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing
departing Rome (Civitavecchia) Oct 27 and arriving New York Nov 12,
2009. Featured ports include Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and
Malaga, Spain; Las Palmas, Canary Islands; and King’s Wharf, Bermuda
(overnight call).
From New York, Carnival Dream will operate two 8-day Bahamas/Florida
cruises departing Nov 15 and 23, 2009. These voyages include a call
at Port Canaveral (in proximity to Orlando-area attractions),
followed by a visit to Nassau and Freeport in The Bahamas.
Showing off her sleek profile with
the kid's spray park and WaterWorks visible
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Year-Round Cruising From Port
Canaveral
Following its New York departures, Carnival Dream will reposition to
Port Canaveral, Florida, where it will launch year-round 7-day
Caribbean cruises beginning Dec 5, 2009. On its new Port
Canaveral-based program, Carnival Dream will depart every Saturday
on alternating weeklong cruises to the Eastern and Western
Caribbean. Eastern Caribbean cruises will call at Nassau; St.
Thomas/St. John, U.S.V.I.; and St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles;
while exotic Western Caribbean voyages will visit Cozumel; Belize;
Costa Maya; and Nassau. Carnival Dream will assume this route from
the Carnival Glory, which will be redeployed to Miami to operate
year-round 7-day Caribbean cruises beginning Oct 3, 2009.
Reservations will be accepted for all of Carnival Dream’s cruises
starting July 1, 2008. A special online preview
showcasing a variety of the exciting features and amenities of
Carnival
Dream is available now at
www.carnival.com/dream.
Dreaming About Dinner
Wait ... we haven't even mentioned FOOD. Carnival
assures us that even more details are forthcoming.
