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Carnival Conquest vs Carnival Dream


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We have started planning our family cruise for next March (we take one each spring break). Looking for input on these two options:

 

6 day Conquest out of Port Everglades - Jamaica, GC and Cozumel

 

Or

 

7 day Dream out of Nola - same ports of call

 

We have sailed the Conquest but not on the Dream - the Nola trip is ~ $500 more which isn't necessarrly a deal breaker. Since it is the same ports is the Dream worth the difference?

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We have started planning our family cruise for next March (we take one each spring break). Looking for input on these two options:

 

6 day Conquest out of Port Everglades - Jamaica, GC and Cozumel

 

Or

 

7 day Dream out of Nola - same ports of call

 

We have sailed the Conquest but not on the Dream - the Nola trip is ~ $500 more which isn't necessarrly a deal breaker. Since it is the same ports is the Dream worth the difference?

 

After sailing both, I would pick the Dream. We feel like Carnival hit a homerun with this class of ship. We really like the layout of the Lido main pool area. We also agree the Lanai is a nice touch. Getting around this ship is easy mode and I for one enjoy that.

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I've been on both, and I would say the Dream. The only things Conquest wins on are Guys and Blue Iguana Burrito Bar...and also the EA Sports Bar.

Dream is a nicer, prettier, and better ship. Is it worth $500 more...I dont know.

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We have been on both. The Dream is a beautiful ship and has the Cloud 9 Spa, Lanai, and numerous hot tubs throughout the ship. It is lacking the Alchemy Bar, burrito bar, and Guy's Burgers. We enjoyed both ships but I would probably choose Dream if given the choice. Besides you get to leave out of NOLA, one of my favorite cities.

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To each his own.

 

We've sailed both and love Conquest best. NO MORE SHIPS WITH LANAIS for us. Our Dream cruise at Christmas came with a Sex Ed opp for the 6 year old grandson (whose daddy saw it too and had to hustle him back into their room pretty darn quick). :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

 

When I look down from my balcony I want to see ocean. I do not care to see people having sex in the hot tub on the lanai.

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To each his own.

 

We've sailed both and love Conquest best. NO MORE SHIPS WITH LANAIS for us. Our Dream cruise at Christmas came with a Sex Ed opp for the 6 year old grandson (whose daddy saw it too and had to hustle him back into their room pretty darn quick). :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

 

When I look down from my balcony I want to see ocean. I do not care to see people having sex in the hot tub on the lanai.

 

What did Carnival say after you reported it?

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What did Carnival say after you reported it?

Basically we got a snicker, a shrug and mumbles about did we know who it was.

 

Um, no, Trust me, I was NOT taking names!

 

We were a group of 12 - aged 6 years to 66 years. It made all of us decide never again are we booking a balcony on a "lanai" ship unless it's an aft cabin.

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We have started planning our family cruise for next March (we take one each spring break). Looking for input on these two options:

 

6 day Conquest out of Port Everglades - Jamaica, GC and Cozumel

 

Or

 

7 day Dream out of Nola - same ports of call

 

We have sailed the Conquest but not on the Dream - the Nola trip is ~ $500 more which isn't necessarrly a deal breaker. Since it is the same ports is the Dream worth the difference?

 

IMO, if price diff is not a deal breaker, I would choose the Dream. Nothing against Port Everglades or the Conquest, but 7 days is better than 6 days, and New Orleans is a destination in itself and should be experienced. Maybe you already have been there, so it is not new, but even though I have been there numerous times, I would love to spend a few days pre or post cruise in New Orleans.

 

Also the Dream is a newer and bigger ship with some extras that Conquest does not have. Since you have already been on Conquest, the Dream will be a new experience. I have not been on the Dream, but would love to, and especially out of New Orleans.

 

Whichever you choose, have a great cruise.

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I might be in the minority but I did not enjoy the Dream. I am not sure what it was, it was just not my favorite ship.

 

We sail the Conquest in October and am looking forward to it.

 

I will say New Orleans is a great city, we are looking to go there just for the food.

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Dream is by far my favorite ship. Been on it 3 times with 3 amazing experiences. I do see that the deck 5 lanai is a nuisance for people in balconies above it, as all balconies above deck 5 look down & see the public walkway. BUT, that's why you would book a cove balcony. Those are the best balconies on the ship anyway, even if there were not the deck 5 obstruction. It's great being so close to the water.

 

Dream's advantages over Conquest: the lanai, cove balconies, deluxe OV rooms with 1.5 bathrooms, the Cloud 9 Spa, FAR FAR FAR superior shows in the theater, 2 great waterslides, the pasta bar, the lanai BBQ, a ton more food options late in the evenings (as Conquest will basically have pizza only). Dream does actually have a burrito bar for lunch, and she is actually considered a 2.0 ships, since she got a couple of the new bars and other things.

 

Conquest's advantages over Dream: Alchemy Bar (whatever that is), slightly better burgers, & breakfast burritos.

 

Dream class isn't a hit with everyone, but it is a much safer bet. I currently have no cruises scheduled, but if I were to book one with Carnival, it would most likely be on the Dream (or the Magic).

Edited by k2excursion
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BUT, that's why you would book a cove balcony. Those are the best balconies on the ship anyway, even if there were not the deck 5 obstruction. It's great being so close to the water.

 

I'm glad someone loves them. Everyone is different but we found them small, closed in, and claustrophobic. Not to mention if the weather is bad you can't use them. A friend who was in one on a rough sailing said the cove was closed or wet a chunk of their cruise.

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I have done both...I have a special place in my heart for the Conquest. As she was our first cruise. It is a great ship. However, I LOVED the dream. I think if you will be traveling with children you might want to go with the dream. There is more for them to do.

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I'm glad someone loves them. Everyone is different but we found them small, closed in, and claustrophobic. Not to mention if the weather is bad you can't use them. A friend who was in one on a rough sailing said the cove was closed or wet a chunk of their cruise.

 

A vast majority of people who have had coves have loved them, and prefer them to regular balconies. There's nothing wrong with not liking them, and it's certainly possible that the OP wouldn't like them, but that does appear to be a significant minority of people. Cove balconies are actually larger than regular balconies: 45 sq.ft. compared to 35. They are within the hull of the ship, which some people don't like, but many people actually prefer that. I think even someone who has clinical claustrophobia would be perfectly fine on it, although they may prefer the regular balconies.

 

Coves are very rarely locked. That is only in especially rough waters, and it doesn't happen very often. It's too bad for your friend that they encountered that, but it is quite rare. But when the seas are that rough, people in coves are not missing out on anything, because the people in the higher balconies are choosing to not go out on their balconies. Almost nobody wants to be out on their balconies when the seas are that rough.

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Spring Break on the Dream was far too crowded to be a relaxing kind of fun! There was actual gridlock in the hallway near Sam's Piano Bar as the end of-/start-of the evening comedy shows. This is just one example of how "over-capacity" (figuring capacity is 2 passengers per cabin) this ship was at Spring Break. Its layout was not designed for the types of crowds it had. During a slower season with far fewer passengers, I imagine the experience would have been far more enjoyable.

 

Yes, NOLA is a great city. Yes, the Dream is a nice ship.

 

However, I really enjoyed my sailing on the Conquest and would happily choose that sailing if I were in your shoes.

Edited by Out of Iowa
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regular balconies: 45 sq.ft. compared to 35

 

That's probably why we thought it felt small. We usually have suites or aft balconies.

 

But when the seas are that rough, people in coves are not missing out on anything, because the people in the higher balconies are choosing to not go out on their balconies. Almost nobody wants to be out on their balconies when the seas are that rough.

 

We sit outside no matter the weather but I do see that others might not.

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The Lanai on the DREAM class is a double-edged sword. True, folks in balconies above can look down onto the Lanai, but the big advantage is that walkers have a complete wrap around promenade deck that encircles the entire ship. The CONQUEST's exterior promenade dead ends fore and aft. The other advantage of the Lanai is its access to the forward observation areas below the bridge on decks 6 and 7. On the CONQUEST, the only way to get to the forward observation areas is to go inside on decks 6 and/or 7 and walk forward through the cabin corridors.

 

My biggest issue with the Lanai is the wall of glass that runs along most of its length - I like to be able to stand at the rail and look down at the sea. The wall of glass makes that impossible.

 

The DREAM's lack of stadium seating is also an advantage (to me at least, I can't stand the tiered decks by the main pool).

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We were on the Dream when it still sailed from Port Canaveral. It was so bad that we've sailed Princess since. I went on the Carnival portion of this site because we were thinking of giving Carnival a second chance and liked the itinerary (and price) of one of their cruises.

 

No complaints about the cabin - we had a cove balcony. Food was nothing special, skimpy portions although I did get seconds. Don't like that the dinning room is only open for brunch when at sea. Impossible to get some fruit at night - don't want pizza at midnight. Buffet lines were long as part was shut done when in port. Tables in the buffet hard to get as they were always dirty - no one to bus them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Cruised on the Conquest to Jam GC Coz 7 days. It was Great, so I can't say anything bad about the conquest, but cruised on the Dream to Key West Freeport Nassau 7 days. As far as the ships, Dream is cleaner/newer and has more shows, bands, live entertainment, more food venues etc. Food was good on both ships but better on the Dream. You also get an extra day. Both ships were great and crews were awesome. As far as itinerary, we enjoyed Jam GC Coz much more than Bahamas, Key west was fun. We are going on the Dream to Bel Rot Coz in May and can't wait!

Ride down the Mississippi River is unique also.

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