Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the Carnival Dream

The Carnival Dream is a cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line and is the first ship of the Dream Class vessels. It has a Gross Tonnage of 130,000, has a guest capacity of 3646 with 1367 onboard crew. The Carnival Dream sails out of Galveston, Texas, year-round, mostly making eight-day cruises to the Bahamas. It is the real only choice for an Eastern Caribbean cruise out of Galveston and is a beautiful ship. The Dream has 14 decks above the water level and includes interior, ocean-view, balcony and suite staterooms.

On-board includes many free options. There is the famous Guy's Burgers, Guy's Pig and Anchor BBQ, Pizzeria del Capitano and my favorite, the Blue Iguana grill that serves fast tacos and burritos. The Blue Iguana opens early for breakfast and makes wonderful breakfast burritos. Besides the main dining rooms and the marketplace buffet, there are several additional-charge restaurants. The Steakhouse, Seafood Shack, Bonsai Sushi and The Chef's table.

Onboard activities include two water slides, numerous pools, hot tubs, the Punchliner comedy club, a casino and nightly shows.

The ship has a kids club called Camp Ocean, which is included for children aged two to 11, Circle C for children aged 12 to 14 and Club O2 for children aged 15 to 17.

The have several live shows put on by the "fun squad" like Bingo, the family feud. Dive-in movies, Karaoke and live music all over the ship.

Carnival is famous for their Sail Away party with music and dancing as the ship leaves the port on its way to the next adventure. If you have passed a Carnival Ship as it left port, you know that you can hear the music on the other ships.

I recommend Carnival for all ages to sail however, there are fewer children on board during the school year and longer sailings. Children really enjoy the ship as there is so much to do. Carnival has been working hard to upgrade its image by cracking down on people who over-indulge and those who don't want to behave correctly. I personally believe that food is better on Carnival over Royal Caribbean however, Royal Caribbean has better entertainment and a more relaxed atmosphere for families and older adults.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on cruise travel. In need of further inspiration? Check out Caroline Weilert’s guide, Memorable Family Cruising in the Eastern Caribbean on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas.