A few years ago we took our very first cruise. While we were excited, we didn’t know what to expect. We LOVED the week spent on the Carnival Dream. So much so, Chase wants all future vacations to be on a cruise ship. Thank you Carnival Cruise Lines for our amazing trip.
Camp Ocean And Circle C
This was our favorite thing about the Carnival Dream.
I begged my mom to go everyday. Also, every time she checked me out out to eat or do another activity I couldn’t wait to go back.
Camp Ocean is for ages 2-11 yrs old and is separated by age groups (2-5;6-8;9-11). Also, Each age group has their own activities and schedule. Activities range from parties, to arts and crafts, to educational, to games. Children 2-8 have to be signed in and out by an adult, 9-11 yr olds can sign themselves out with your permission.
For the older crowd there is Circle C for 12-14 yr olds and Club O2 for 15-17 yr olds. Chase also LOVED Circle C. He made friends, played video games, and did other activities such as learning some card games, dance parties, and water slide races.
Mom liked the kid’s clubs on Carnival for selfish reasons. She got to do her thing while we were entertained. However, going in she was worried about entertaining two kids on the ship during sea days. Camp Ocean and Circle C did the entertaining and created the fun!
Food On Our Carnival Cruise
To say Chase is a picky eater is an understatement. He’s beyond picky. Yet on the cruise he gained 8 lbs thanks to 24 hr a day ice cream and pizza. He also fell in love with the apple danishes at breakfast. He also ate more the week we were on the cruise than he has in a year probably! The dining staff was also great with his peanut allergy and my gluten intolerance. I ate well too and had my favorite gluten free chocolate melting cake for dessert every night and hash browns every morning for dinner. Erzerbet who was our hostess on the Dream for the week. She made sure we ate enough and our food was safe.
Our Favorite Carnival Cruise Activities
If I wasn’t at Camp Ocean or eating, I was at the water slides. Chase alternated between the water slides and mini golf. Both provided hours of fun for us. You can find WaterWorks on most Carnival ships. The Dream has 2 big slides, a big set of racers and a play area for little kids.
Seuss At Sea
On our second sea day there was special “Seuss on the Loose” parade through the ship as part of the Seuss at Sea activities. The parade ends in the Encore Lounge where the kids get to go on stage to listen to Cat in the Hat. After storytime Cat in the Hat was available for pictures with guest. There were also Seuss themed activities throughout the week in Camp Ocean.
The week ended with a special Green Eggs and Ham breakfast on the last sea day. Which was wonderful! The Crimson Dining Room became a Dr. Seuss wonderland, even the menu reads like a Dr. Seuss book. During breakfast which actually features green eggs and ham, characters from Dr. Seuss’s beloved stories come alive and walk around the dinning room for pictures and autograph signing. We met Things One and Two, Sam I Am, and Cat in the Hat. The wait staff also does a special dance number. It’s great fun and value at $10 for adults and $8 for children.
Towel Animals
Every night when we would come back to our room after dinner, on our bed would be a surprise. A cute little towel animal and each night it was different. We grew to love them so much we bought the book so we could make them at home. We also had a collection of towel animals around the room by the time our cruise ended. Also on the last port day on the Lido Deck there was a towel animal zoo and on the last sea day a towel animal class.
Exploring other cultures
Not only did we get to visit Roatan, Belize and Cozumel and learn about the areas and cultures there. We also learned a lot from the crew we met by talking to them about their home countries. This helped us gain a lot of respect for those that were 1000’s of miles away from home working so they could have a great vacation. It also taught us about their home countries and what life was like for their families. This is one the best things about traveling, seeing the world beyond our backyard, learning about other cultures, and meeting new friends
So there you have it the six reasons why we would cruise on Carnival Cruise Lines every week if mom would let us!
