Just Back from the Dream 10/29-11/5

[little miss s]

We just got back from our cruise on the Dream. I don't know if word already got around, but we ended up going to Progreso and Veracruz. We were very disappointed in this intinerary change, since we like to snorkel, however, according to the Capt. the weather in Roatan was very bad due to Hurricane Beta, so watcha gonna do? We had excellent weather in Progreso and Veracruz.

 

Veracruz turned out to be a pretty interesting port. We had never been there before. Veracruz is a tourist town for Mexican tourists, so the t-shirts etc... were mostly in Spanish. We went to the town aquarium and did a lot of shopping. Most of the inhabitants did not speak English, however, we did find a few who spoke some. We pulled out all the spanish we knew, and managed to communicate successfully most of the time. We heard that Veracruz may become a regular port and if it does I would go again. I hope they are able to retain there current flavor.

 

I'll write more later.

[sunshine 229]

We just got back from our cruise on the Dream. I don't know if word already got around, but we ended up going to Progreso and Veracruz. We were very disappointed in this intinerary change, since we like to snorkel, however, according to the Capt. the weather in Roatan was very bad due to Hurricane Beta, so watcha gonna do? We had excellent weather in Progreso and Veracruz.

 

Veracruz turned out to be a pretty interesting port. We had never been there before. Veracruz is a tourist town for Mexican tourists, so the t-shirts etc... were mostly in Spanish. We went to the town aquarium and did a lot of shopping. Most of the inhabitants did not speak English, however, we did find a few who spoke some. We pulled out all the spanish we knew, and managed to communicate successfully most of the time. We heard that Veracruz may become a regular port and if it does I would go again. I hope they are able to retain there current flavor.

 

I'll write more later.

 

Thanks for posting, glad you enjoyed Vera Cruz. I'm anxious to read the rest of your review when you have a chance.

[nurseone]

We also just returned and had a great cruise - was very glad we were able to go to Veracruz because unless it does become a port it might have been our only chace to see it. Very interesting town as Little miss s stated. Any one have any questions will try to answer them.

[MicheleLM]

Do you think this will be the norm on the next month or so of cruises? Veracruz & Progresso? I am on the Dream Nov 26th. I can't wait to hear where the SUN went...

Does anyone know if they were successful in getting the engine fixed?

 

Glad you had a great time! I am looking forward to getting away. Any suggestions and or helpful hints will be greatly appreciated!

 

Michele

 

Dream 11/26/05

[cruzingthebriny]

Hello, glad to hear you had a good time. I am also sailing on her 11/26/05.

you mention Vera Cruz and Progesso, did they also scraped Roatan and Belize from your cruise? My friend decided at the last moment to book and they told her the only ports we will be visiting is Roatan and Belize. I guess with all these hurricanes going on, it's anyones guess. Can't wait to hear the rest of your review.

Roberta

[Stanley]

I know bumping is not greatly accepted on the boards but I thought I'd bump this one up for you to be sure you get to see it when you check for responses to your posting. There is at least one more thread that I'm bumping up too. Sorry, Cecilia, I hope you won't mind in this case.

[Don Haynes]

With the Sun starting to tender into Cozumel either this week or next week, more than likely the Dream will to. Without a doubt, Cozumel is the crown jewel of the Mexican Caribbean coast. With the Dream's engine being under repair and will soon be fixed, the Dream should be able to resume her original intinerary soon.

[nurseone]

We went to Veracruz and Progreso due to weather which had nothing to do with the engine problems. I would guess that maybe they went to Belize and Rotan this week.

[little miss s]

No one said a word about the engine problems, but there is no reason to believe that they have suddenly been fixed. I think the Dreams itinerary is still a big question mark. I will definitely be interested to see what the future holds.

[LesAndRon]

Has anyone heard if we have additional port changes since Beta? Also just wondering the price of Beer and Wine aboard the ship. We are sooo excited even with all the port changes and bad reviews that we have been reading. We are going with a party of 14 and will make our own fun!!:)

[Don Haynes]

In the past the Dream has been getting good reviews comparable to most of the other ships of NCL's fleet as far as service and food is concerned. However, the ship did blow an fly rod in one of its engines this summer and because the ship is slower as a result there have been bad reviews on the ship's speed and its inability to maintain its original intinerary. Not helping much is that the Dream last year damaged one of its crankshafts too. So the Dream has had bad luck the last two years. Hopefully after this repair the ship will go a long time before another large mechanical failure resulting in changed intineraries.

[sunshine 229]

I think this is one of the very few cases where the horrible hurricane season was actually an advantage to a cruise ship. From all I've heard the D5ream engine is still not fixed and, if all the other ships were making their scheduled ports, Dream passengers would probable be very unhappy with the itinerary they got. Now, since the hurricanes made so many of the ports unusable, the Dream's changed itinerary does not stand out so much any more.

 

Hopefully for NCL and for those booked on the Dream in the near future, the engine problems will finally be fixed in the next few weeks and, as the ports start coming back on line, Dream will be able to reach sufficient cruising speed to start reaching the available ports too.

[schubes]

Sunshine,

This is what I think, too. It is the only explanation for the Sun's current itinerary (or lack thereof).

[little miss s]

In my effort to follow my mother's advice and "say nothing at all, if I can't say anything nice", I may have left people with the wrong impression. I think it's time to be honest about the Dream.

 

The Dream is old, dingy and in serious need of renovation. The ship was frequently dirty in places where it should not have been. There was some sort of problem with the dishwashing system. Dishes and glassware were frequently set out wet, and silverware was not clean.

 

I didn't like the freestyle cruising. I admit I did like the idea of eating when I wanted to eat, however, we frequently had to wait to be seated. I don't care what anyone says, service has really gone downhill. Sometimes we got good waiters and sometimes we didn't.

 

The female crew person who is in charge of the internet cafe was just plain rude with a capital "R". She was talking on the phone with a friend planning their after hours activities when we came in. After we stood there for several minutes, she finally said she had to go because guests were waiting.

 

This was the single worst cruise ship I have ever been on (ports aside) and this was my 7th cruise. I could go on with more complaints, but I think this gives you a general idea of the problems that this ship has. I don't know what's going on with NCL, but even the Sea which I went on in 1999 and 2000 was at least clean.

 

I'm sure this is going to ilicit all sort of criticism from the NCL supporters out there, but I had to be honest.

[sunshine 229]

Little miss s

Thanks for your comments. I think your mom's advice might work well at a social function, over cocktails or at a dinner party. On a board to discuss cruises I value honesty more than concern over hurting the cruiselines feelings.

 

Your post may illicit criticism but if it does I hope you will not take it personally.

 

I want to hear posters honest opinions good or bad not only what they think they can post without gettings blasted. :)

 

Thanks again. Judging from your original post I think you did make the best you could of the cruise.

[beckmars]

I was so excited when I booked my cruise with NCL on the Dream. I booked it back in June. This will be my 3rd cruise, and my 16 year old son's first.

 

AFTER I booked it, I read, and read, and read about the good, the bad, and the ugly about the Dream. I kept telling myself - at least I will be on vacation.

 

Every time I read a current bad review, I get a little sick to my stomach, hoping that I have not wasted my money. Then the bad reviews stop for a while, and I feel better. I board on 11/12, and now I am now I'm worried again!

 

However, I am glad you are posting your honest opinion. I will be doing the same when I return. I sure hope I have not made an expensive mistake.

[alderaniandad]

Just go with an open mind!! I had the same apprehension after reading the bad reviews here and in other places about the Dream and then once aboard (Alaska - July 2005) was verrry pleasantly surprised at the service and the cleanliness. I think some folks are expecting the glitz and glamour of the newer ships and the Dream is not that way. She appears to be in the era of the traditional liner before the advent of the Vegas style ships. And she can go places the big boys can't. I have noticed reading the boards that some will have a bad moment on board or even before and then it is all downhill from there. Just reading some of the comments on the Seabourn site re: the pirate thing, does give you pause as to what people are thinking. Read some of the other sites and you will read bad stuff on all of them. It is all about personal expectations. Have a great trip!:)

[beckmars]

Thanks - that eases my mind. I fly out in 4 days - so there's no changing things!

[cruiser-dude]

In my effort to follow my mother's advice and "say nothing at all, if I can't say anything nice", I may have left people with the wrong impression. I think it's time to be honest about the Dream.

 

The Dream is old, dingy and in serious need of renovation. The ship was frequently dirty in places where it should not have been. There was some sort of problem with the dishwashing system. Dishes and glassware were frequently set out wet, and silverware was not clean.

 

I didn't like the freestyle cruising. I admit I did like the idea of eating when I wanted to eat, however, we frequently had to wait to be seated. I don't care what anyone says, service has really gone downhill. Sometimes we got good waiters and sometimes we didn't.

 

The female crew person who is in charge of the internet cafe was just plain rude with a capital "R". She was talking on the phone with a friend planning their after hours activities when we came in. After we stood there for several minutes, she finally said she had to go because guests were waiting.

 

This was the single worst cruise ship I have ever been on (ports aside) and this was my 7th cruise. I could go on with more complaints, but I think this gives you a general idea of the problems that this ship has. I don't know what's going on with NCL, but even the Sea which I went on in 1999 and 2000 was at least clean.

 

I'm sure this is going to ilicit all sort of criticism from the NCL supporters out there, but I had to be honest.

 

I have been watching this site and have posted 5 times or so in the last few days. I got some opposition just because I asked the same question twice, simply looking for as much info. as I could get from recent cruisers, following the itinerary changes. We go on the Dream 11/19. I was looking for honest statements from folks and really appreciate you. I also appluad your attitude and choices in communication. We are taking our kids on their first cruise. The Dream worked out because of the proximity of the port and the dates coincided with the kids' Thanksgiving break from school. We also felt that NCL would be a better choice of cruise lines. The freestyle cruising also seemed to be a better fit for the family dining times. My little princess won't know the difference, so we will keep happy for her. My teenager already wants the extra ports, beaches, and snorkeling that will be missed by NCL's decision to stay at sea two extra days. As parents, we want the best for our kids (and ourselves, too).

I have a friend who went on the Dream recently and had a great time with his wife. I am aware of the age of the ship, and one or two people being rude doesn't bother me too much. I'm the type of guy that would require attention because I'll walk around the bar, or over to the coffe/tea/water, or stick my head inside the kitchen door, etc. and maybe even fix my own drink if I'm made to wait beyond what is mildly above reason. Then they don't have a choice but to stop and help and then the bad day is theirs - not mine... I would be kind, but I can get my own stuff if they're too busy - and that's why none of us should pre-pay gratuity (my opinion). There's always bad service somewhere - you can find a knucklehead at A Dale Carnegie class... What is concerning me, however, is that there may not be anyone at NCL who is really listening from a passenger-friendly standpoint. You can see the effort of competitors to accomodate the itineraries. NCL has gone so far as to have NO updated information whatsoever via their website or customer service.

And, if my post(s) generate(s) opposition to my comments - we all have our free speech, here. I will definitely be back to share my experience once we return, which I hope to be enjoyable. I won't go "live" while on board because from the moment we leave the house to go, that's family time...

[nurseone]

I didn't experience the same things that little miss s did - we did find a great waiteress (grace) and asked for her every meal - max wait 10 minutes and we had wonderful service thru out. It seemed like everytime I was at the computer the person in charge was not there so can't comment on that. Yes it is an old ship but had no problem with the dishes or glassware - guess we were just in the right place at the right time. This was our 12th cruise and found the crew to be very pleasant, always speaking and I would sail her again - great cruise for the price.

[sondikudi]

My husband and I just got back from our cruise on the Dream, and we just loved it! It was our first cruise, and I was also a little terrified after reading all the negative reviews. We went with an open mind, and we had an absolutely wonderful cruise. We were sad that we didn't make it to Belize and Honduras, but we had a great time in Progreso - we wouldn't have gotten to see Chichen Itza otherwise -- and Veracruz.

 

We had no problems with service. Our room steward, Ayu, was AMAZING! She kept our cabin clean and stocked with ice and we had a different towel animal waiting to greet us every evening. The food was just fine, and the longest we ever had to wait for a table was 10-15 minutes, and even then the hostess always offered to call the other restaurants to check their wait times for us. We didn't notice any problem with the cleanliness of the dishes or the ship. The service was just fine - the only problem we noticed was that sometimes in the Stardust lounge it was hard to order a drink. None of the staff were rude, but I can't say the same for some of the passengers who appeared to take out their anger about missing the ports on the staff.

 

Anyone scheduled to go on the Dream.... just go with an open mind and plan to have a great time! It is a lovely ship.

[alderaniandad]

About NCL listening to passengers ---- I was pleased to have a lengthy conversation with staff officers on both the Dream and Spirit and was pleasantly suprised to learn that staff does indeed read these boards and many corrections have been made aboard based on the comments made here. These boards help staff officers to see things that are beyond their view. With that having been said --- it is still open to whether corporate office in Miami takes the time to read same and make corrections at the corporate headquarters. Biggest problem I have seen since being on these boards is corporate PR. All the mass markets lines seem to have complaints in that regard.

[cruiser-dude]

About NCL listening to passengers ---- I was pleased to have a lengthy conversation with staff officers on both the Dream and Spirit and was pleasantly suprised to learn that staff does indeed read these boards and many corrections have been made aboard based on the comments made here. These boards help staff officers to see things that are beyond their view. With that having been said --- it is still open to whether corporate office in Miami takes the time to read same and make corrections at the corporate headquarters. Biggest problem I have seen since being on these boards is corporate PR. All the mass markets lines seem to have complaints in that regard.

 

Thanks. It would be cool to be able to talk to these folks, as you have been able to. I think you are "spot on" in regards to Miami corporate, but I do believe that others in mass market are WAY beyond this! To be brief, let's just explore a couple of relevant examples of what competition does/is doing and is therefore a reasonable expectation of what NCL should consider for their passengers:

carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templates/port_cancellation_policy.aspx

And

carnival.com/CMS/static_templates/weather_update.aspx

I am sure this will evoke copies of NCL's contractual agreement with their passengers. Please don't do that folks - - We are all well aware of the contract, and none of us is suggesting that they are breaching anything. I think we all know that, contractually, we do not have a leg to stand on with NCL. They can do what they want, change what they want, sail or not sail to any port, etc. (That's what adds a little fuel to some folk's fires...) What we are saying is that their decisions are not what we want, and are not consistent with competition crusing in the same area. NCL is not even showing the revised itineraries on their website, and I will watch to see if the December cruise itineraries are changed, when, etc. I hope that we will see passenger-friendly decisions and actions for ALL upcoming cruises, present and future. To the listening staff officers - we do not want an additional 2 days at sea. Consider allowing us an option to take our booking to a different sailing with NCL. Even if it is just for cruises that haven't filled 2-4 weeks before sailing. You still have the money spent with your cruise line, and have happy folks eager to return to you. I learned a long time ago in my business that it not about the "when" or the "how" - it's ALL about having the customer spend money with you, be happy, and return again and again... That's how you also making your living, travel agents...

[electricron]

And I could find many posts at the Carnival forum, if I chose to, of Carnival not meeting those goals. Cruisers are not happy with the tiny compensation Carnival gives.

 

What does Carnival do upon a port cancellation/itinerary change?

 

Port Cancellation Policy

If Carnival Cruise Lines ("Carnival") has adequate notice prior to sailing that a vessel will deviate from the published itinerary, it will promptly upon making the itinerary change notify passengers of the change through their travel agents or directly, in the case of a direct booking ("the Notice"). The Notice shall offer passengers an opportunity to cancel their booking without penalty within 24 hours of the delivery of the Notice. Carnival shall not be liable to guests for any charges, fees or expenses paid or owed to third parties (such as air travel booked by a guest directly with an airline) in connection with a cancelled booking or substituted port. In the event a passenger does not cancel his or her cruise on a timely basis, no additional compensation for the itinerary change will be offered to the passenger at a later time.

In the event the itinerary change becomes necessary while the ship is at sea or when notice prior to sailing is not feasible, Carnival shall attempt to substitute an alternative port. Carnival shall promptly provide written notice of the itinerary change to the passengers as well as announcing the change in the Carnival Capers and via the public address system. No compensation shall be provided to passengers when an alternative port is offered.

If safety, scheduling or other concerns prevent the ship from calling on an alternative port, Carnival shall promptly provide written notice of the elimination of the scheduled port to the passengers as well as announcing the change in the Carnival Capers and via the public address system. The written notice shall also offer a shipboard credit of $20.00 (U.S.D.) per person to be reflected on the sail and sign account.

Nothing herein shall affect the passenger's ability to exercise the Vacation Guarantee on sailings where it applies.

 

NCL usually gives more than $20 per person. NCL offers some compensation even when it finds alternative ports. NCL also gives potential passengers more than a day when changing the port of depature. For example, upon changing the Sun's homeport from New Orleans to Houston, then to Miami, NCL gave over three full weeks for its customers to cancel. Carnival, according to this website, will gve just one day.

 

So, what Carnival is promising is already less than what NCL delivers.

[vette]

Cruiser Dude,

 

I will be on the 11/19 cruise also. We have a roll call going if you would like to join us. I know you are disappointed at having the extra sea day, but I really enjoy them. We cruise to relax and unwind from a hectic, stressful schedule. The days at sea are just the perfect remedy. Roatan and Belize are great stops, but the sea days are my unwinding days. So, not everyone is unhappy with the new schedule. I will miss Cozumel, though. I am so sorry for what has happened to their beautiful little island.

 

Vette