Documenting the dream western caribbean 01/21-28/2012; the money monkey goes cruising

[radrayjax]

A few more views from the Elevator Lobby:

 

Forward view of stairs leading downward:

 

Portside elevators:

 

Portside elevator deck plan plaque:

 

Aft few through the doors to the elevator lobby. The top of the Lido deck sculpture can be seen:

[radrayjax]

From here we will exit to the left (starboard) and head forward along the starboard side of the Spa Deck.

 

Forward view of starboard jogging track, taken forward of the Chef Art Steakhouse:

 

Forward view of the starboard side, overlooking the wider Panorama Deck below:

 

Nighttime forward view of starboard jogging track near the aft corner of the golf course:

 

Forward view of starboard side of golf course and Sun Deck middle structure:

 

Starboard to port view of the golf course:

 

Forward view overlooking part of the Lido Deck pool area:

[radrayjax]

Starboard to port view of the Lido Deck central pool:

 

Forward view of Spa Deck forward starboard area:

 

Forward view of starboard side of Spa, Sun, and Sky Decks:

 

Forward view of starboard side of the Waterworks:

 

Well, that finishes the roundabout of the Spa Deck.

 

TOMORROW: DOCUMENTING THE SHIP CHAPTER 4: THE PANORAMA DECK

[Pennyscandy]

RadRay, loved the photos. The slide photos interest me. Did you or Fran go down the slides? Noticed your photos looking down the slide. I'm thinking of trying it, but don't know if my grandmother body will take it. Thanks for the elevator tips.

[radrayjax]

RadRay, loved the photos. The slide photos interest me. Did you or Fran go down the slides? Noticed your photos looking down the slide. I'm thinking of trying it, but don't know if my grandmother body will take it. Thanks for the elevator tips.

 

Penny, We only used the Thalasso Pool in the Spa. I have mild claustrophobia so I wasn't going down the "rabbit hole." Same reason I wouldn't consider cave tubing in Belize. I would rather go into a cat scan and I need xanax to do that!

 

She used the slide on the Fascination but I guess she felt no need to go on the slides in the Dream. I only went up there to take photos.

[Dallas Bengal]

We’re done with the Spa. We will now reverse course and exit to the rear. From the Relaxation Lounge, go towards port and exit the door that lead to the locker rooms. Now turn left (aft) through the lower lobby of the Spa to the rear exit doors (red arrows below).

 

The reverse path out of the secure area and exiting aft of the Cloud 9 Spa (red arrows):

 

The area behind the spa has another set of men’s and women’s lockers and a small coed sauna. These do not require the spa access key or wrist band to access. They can be reached from the starboard (odd number) stateroom hallway. We’ll go through the elevator lobby and head left to starboard.

 

Forward view of rear exit from the spa:

 

Starboard side forward deck plan plaque:

 

Forward view of starboard side (odd) Spa Staterooms. Note the paneling on the walls:

 

Forward view of approaching cabin 12201, the most forward cabin on deck 12:

 

Close-up cabin 12201:

 

Love that door LOL

[cardplayer]

Hi, I seen a lot of posts with people complaining about how small the pools are, but it doesn't seem from you pictures that many people are using the pools. Did you notice them being orverly crowded??

[Jilldo33]

Love that door LOL

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that door too!

[radrayjax]

Hi, I seen a lot of posts with people complaining about how small the pools are, but it doesn't seem from you pictures that many people are using the pools. Did you notice them being orverly crowded??

 

I didn't hang around the pool, except to watch the ice carving demo on Sunday the 22nd. Since people knew what to expect once they got there, and there are at least 10 hot tubs (not including the Spa Pool), people could disperse. There were MANY loungers on the Panorama (11) and Promenade (5) Decks that went unused.

[radrayjax]

DOCUMENTING THE SHIP CHAPTER 4: THE PANORAMA DECK

 

I HOPE to get through this deck in on night. It is not as complex as the Spa Deck. The Panorama Deck is very apply named; it features some of the widest and highest decking on the ship. The Spa Deck is higher but most of its outer deck areas are much narrower.

 

The front 40% of the panorama deck is taken up with spa cabins. However only the front half of the cabin areas feature the wall paneling similar to the few staterooms on the Spa Deck.

 

Behind the cabin and elevator area is the pool, followed by camp carnival. At the rear of the Panorama deck is the top section of the Gathering: The Pasta Bar. Behind this is an area of more decking overlooking the aft pool.

 

Since the starboard side is a mirror image of the port side, I’m not going to show the starboard cabin hallways or the starboard deck areas next the pool, and in the aft half of the ship.

 

Also, for some reason that escapes me, I neglected to take photos of the starboard deck areas to the side of Camp Carnival and outside the gathering. I also didn’t take photos of the starboard side up the upper area of the Gathering. 5400 photos and I missed those areas! I think part of the problem was that my cabin was on the port side of this deck so most of my photos are port-centric. I DID take photos of the starboard cabin hallway, but it wouldn’t add anything to spend five post on it.

 

The section in red below are the areas that won’t be duplicated.

 

The Panorama Deck:

THE PANORAMA DECK FORWARD SECTION

 

We’re going to start in the forward port side hallway, go forward to the observation deck, then go back inside to the most forward cross hallway that leads to the elevator and stairs to the Spa, then go towards the aft, around the corner to the elevator lobby and atrium, then head to the rear exit to the pool area.

A number of these photos are repeats from the embarkation day, but now you will see them within the context of documenting the SHIP.

Approximate path around the forward area of the Panorama Deck:

 

Panorama Deck forward port side hallway, near cabin 11220:

 

Deck hall art at near cabin 11206 forward:

 

Hallway leading to the forward observation deck:

This is a maintenance room just inside the first exterior door above:

[radrayjax]

The door to the Panorama Deck observation deck:

 

The starboard side of the Navigation Bridge seen from the Panorama Deck Observation deck:

 

The balcony of starboard cabin 11203, seen from the observation deck:

 

Port view of the observation deck:

 

The Panorama Observation Deck is the highest and most forward unimpeded space on the ship. The Sky Deck had a high wind screen and the next two higher decks were taken up by the Cloud 9 Spa forward. This area was almost never used. During the week I only saw a few people up there and most of the time I had it to myself. THIS was my balcony.

 

The bow of the ship as seen from the observation deck:

 

Looking up at the Spa, Sun, and Sky Decks from the observation deck:

[radrayjax]

Bench on the observation deck:

 

Port side of the observation deck:

 

Balcony of cabin 11204 as seen from the observation deck:

 

Port side pilot station of the Navigation Bridge, as seen from the observation deck:

Note the observation window on the floor of the bridge above. We’ll get to it later.

[radrayjax]

Heading back into the ship we go back down short hallway and turn left to starboard toward the door that leads to the spa stairs and “private” glass elevator.

 

Cabin 11202, in the hallway leading to the “private” stairs and elevator:

 

This crew-only door way is opposite (forward) of the spiral stairs and elevator:

 

 

A peek down crew-only stairs – Panorama Deck forward:

Another look at the forward spiral stairs and glass elevator that go to the Spa:

 

Another look at the forward spiral stairs from below:

 

Inside the forward glass elevator, looking forward:

[radrayjax]

Looking upward through the glass ceiling of the forward glass elevator:

 

We’re now reversing course, heading back to the main portside hallway and heading aft to the main elevator bank. The décor changed color near the elevators. The cabins shown in red above did not have the brown carpet or the paneled hallways. These were balcony cabins only so I don’t know that they were “Spa” cabins, but I don’t see why not, other than hallway décor.

 

Aft view of portside hallway, note how the carpet changes color down the way:

 

Room directions wall plate, just aft of the port elevator exit:

 

Portside aft cabins, note the lighter wall and carpet décor. This was the standard for all other decks:

 

Portside interior cleaning closet, occupied by a “friendly”:

 

[radrayjax]

Going around a corner to the starboard, we arrive at the main forward elevator bank.

 

Aft view towards elevator lobby. The entrances to the glass elevators are to the right:

 

Starboard side forward deck plan plaque:

 

Looking aft at the entrances to the glass elevators:

 

Looking to starboard to the entrance to starboard cabin hallway, just in front of the glass elevator:

 

Heading aft and around the glass elevators (see deck plans above) we come to the atrium for some great views.

 

Looking forward into the atrium, to the aft side of the glass elevators:

[radrayjax]

Looking upward to the top of the atrium glass canopy:

Looking down the atrium from the port side:

 

Another angle of the atrium; the Lido Deck Atrium lobby can be seen to the right:

 

Looking forward and down the atrium:

 

Forward view on the starboard side of atrium to door leading to starboard cabin hallway. The wall to the right was seen in the first photo of this post:

 

Aft view of portside exit door to the Waves central pool area:

 

We’re going aft exit to the pool area and continue to the middle and aft sections of the Panorama deck.

[radrayjax]

PANORAMA DECK MIDDLE AND AFT SECTIONS:

 

We’re going to retrace our steps on the first day, going aft around the pool, into Camp Carnival (for tots and babies), which is behind the large screen, back down the port exterior areas of the Panorama Deck, to the rear decks overlooking the aft Lido Pool area, and finally ending up on the second floor of the Gathering, the Pasta Bar.

 

Approximate path around the middle and aft areas of the Panorama Deck:

 

First view of the central pool area upon exiting the Atrium lobby:

 

If it doesn’t look busy in some of the photos below, well, I took the next three at about a 3:45 on Monday the 23rd, which was a port day (Cozumel).

 

Aft and portside view of the central Waves Pool area:

 

Aft view of the central Waves Pool area from the Panorama Deck:

 

Aft and starboard view of the central Waves Pool area from the Panorama Deck:

 

Closer Aft view of the DJ stand and entrance to the Camp Carnival lobby to the rear of the Waves Pool area:

[BC Gal Ann]

All I can about your pictures is WOW.....

Your review is amazing and is going to be so helpful for anyone going on the Dream. Thank you so much. :)

[DetroitMike1]

Aft view of portside hallway, note how the carpet changes color down the way:

 

We will be on one of these balconies in about 84 hours (but who's counting :D )... Thanks for all you have done so far!

[radrayjax]

Portside forward corner ping pong table on the Panorama Deck. The stairs leading up to the Spa Deck can just be made out on the right:

 

Starboard view of the rear pool area, flowers hanging from the Panorama Deck:

 

Starboard view pool area, from the portside of the Panorama Deck:

 

Recycle bins are located on in many areas around the pool on multiple decks:

 

Forward view of the Lido Waves Pool area:

 

Forward view of the Lido Deck starboard corner bar in Waves Pool area:

[radrayjax]

Starboard view of the DJ/Band area:

Starboard and forward view loungers behind the DJ stand and entrance to the Camp Carnival lobby:

 

Forward view of the central pool area and slides, from below the large screen:

 

ADDENDUM: View from forward, starboard corner stairs on the Panorama Deck, leading to the Lido Deck central pool area:

[radrayjax]

We’re now going into Camp Carnival.

 

Aft view of entrance to Camp Carnival, behind the DJ stand:

 

Camp Carnival front desk:

 

Starboard entrance to Camp Carnival:

 

Forward and starboard “office area” in Camp Carnival:

 

Starboard play area in Camp Carnival:

 

Forward wall in the starboard play area of Camp Carnival:

[radrayjax]

We’re now going to exit Camp Carnival to port (left) and make another left to go aft.

 

Portside whirl pool, just aft of the central pool area:

 

Whirlpool rules:

 

Forward view of the port side whirlpool:

 

Aft view of the Panorama portside deck:

 

Forward view of the Panorama portside deck, taken at about parallel to the funnel:

 

Closer view of the shower seen above:

[radrayjax]

We’ve now reached the aft section of the Panorama Deck, overlooking the Lido Deck aft pool area.

 

Starboard view of the Lido Deck Aft Pool area. Note the overhanging Panorama deck above left:

 

Starboard and forward view of the Lido Deck Aft Pool area showing the entrance to the rear of the aft elevator lobby and the upper level of the Gathering:

 

Aft view of the Lido Deck Aft Pool area:

 

Forward view of the back of the Spa and Sun Decks overlooking the Lido Deck Aft Pool area:

[radrayjax]

We now enter the aft elevator lobby and look backwards:

 

Aft view of the Lido Deck Aft Pool area seen through the aft elevator lobby doors:

 

Somehow I DIDN'T get photos of the actual elevators back there, but they look the same as on the deck above!

 

Finally, back in the upper section of the Gathering, the Pasta Bar.

 

Forward view of the Gathering Pasta Bar:

 

Forward and downward view of the Lido Deck Gathering Burrito Bar, from the portside of the Pasta Bar. This bar is also used for making omelet’s in the morning:

 

Well, I’m managed to catch up [sort of] and knock off a deck in one LOOONG day!

 

TOMORROW, BACK TO DOCUMENTING THE TRIP: DAY THREE, JANUARY 23: COZUMEL!