Have to buy a new swim suit for this upcoming cruise ... will look when I am in Florida, specifically the stores in and around Cocoa Beach ... would love a James Bond boxer type swim suit ... courtesy of Daniel Craig ... but it's a La Prada and retails in the USA for $200 plus dollars ... and since it's from the 2006 line it would probably be hard to find ... check the pics to see if I found something that fits well and looks good ...

The dream is about to begin ... less than 10 days to go ...

Looking forward to a sea day to swim and relax by the aft pool on the Carnival Dream and enjoy my book purchased for this cruise, The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown ... ahhh relaxing days at sea ...

Stateroom Ammenities on the Carnival Dream ... free continental breakfast everyday ... just tick your choices and hang the order form outside your stateroom door before 5:00 am and voila breakfast is delivered right to your stateroom free of charge ... and if you're too lazy to go to the numerous bars on board then there are beverages available in your stateroom bar fridge ... enjoy!

A new age of air travel ... full body scans ... I say do it and get it over with ... so I can get on my plane and get to my vacation ... just another annoying nuisance becoming all too common these days when travelling ...

UPDATE on the Cove Balcony Staterooms ... a new idea for Carnival and a relatively new idea on cruise ships ... recently I found some pictures of the Carnival Dream Cove staterooms online ... also I've heard through the grapevine the balconies are a little larger so bonus ...

What do you think?

SAIL AWAY - February 6th, 2010 ...

Sail away afternoon has finally arrived. Anticipation is the key word of day as our cruise ship prepares to sail away for the start of our cruise vacation. Whether you are a seasoned or novice cruiser the feelings are much the same. One wonders what awaits as you walk down the gangway after all the embarkation protocols have been addressed.

Not only is the Carnival Dream a new ship to us, but it is a new ship to the Carnival Cruise Corporation. The Carnival Dream is a couple of months into it's inaugural debut Caribbean season. In addition it is the first time my partner and I have sailed out of Port Canaveral, Florida. The Carnival Cruise Corporation has built a brand new cruise terminal gateway for its new series of "dream class" ships, of which the Carnival Dream is the first build.

Once on board we find our way to our assigned stateroom. We have chosen a Cove Balcony stateroom for this cruise. This cabin design is new for Carnival. I have read online it has been introduced on some of the newer Cunard ships and has been well received. No other passenger stateroom on the ship will be closer to the waterline. In fact the staterooms are below the promenade deck, usually the lowest point of access for passengers. It will be interesting to have the sea up close and personal, practically outside our balcony door. Perhaps we will catch a glimpse of a pod of porpoises, or maybe some flying fish, and any other sea life that presents itself.

Our stateroom is located on Deck 2 - Main Deck on the Starboard side AFT-S. Stateroom 24__ specifically. In my next post I will give you our impression of the ship and the Cove Balcony stateroom.

Along the Promenade Deck ...

Today I printed all our "electronic" travel documents ... albeit it's much easier just printing the documents at home, I miss getting the formal packet from the cruise line with all the documents enclosed therein ... especially the one from Holland America in a special cloth double sided wallet or pouch ... it made it seem like you were going on a special trip, a journey or sorts ... oh well time marches on and with it come all the advances of technology ...

Some more pictures of the new Carnival Dream, along the Promenade Deck ... note the jacuzzi suspened out over the side of the ship ... enjoy!

"COUNTDOWN" Twenty days till we leave for our winter cruise on the brand new Carnival Dream. As many of you know I've cruised many times before but this time for some reason I can't wait. Could be that I'm getting older and just can't take these "shitty" Canadian winters. It could also be the anticipation of visiting two new ports in Central America, namely Roatan and Belize. At least we should be guaranteed warm weather. Our cruise February 2009 on the Ruby Princess was a little chilly one day going from Grand Cayman to Jamaica, "burrrrrrr".

In closing we are also sailing out of Port Canaveral which we've never done before. We are flying from Buffalo, NY the day before and staying at the Four Points Sheraton in Cocoa Beach for one night. We will rent a car at Orlando International Airport and drive from the airport to the coast (approximately 42 miles) and then drop the car off at the cruise port on sail away morning.

Hoping to post text and pictures daily as I now have a new netbook that I will be bringing with me to record my thoughts and add my pictures so you all can follow along.

Shortly ... there will be pics from the "actual" cruise posted here ...

"Mahogany Bay"

Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras ... Carnival Corporation has built a wonderful cruise terminal here at an estimated value of $85 million ... there is nothing like it anywhere in the Americas ... premiering is the sky ride which will transport passengers from the cruise dock and shops to the beach area ... similiar to a ski hill quad chair lift but instead of going up a hill it will go over jungle, mangrove, water to a mile long beach ... wow!

It's hard to believe ... 26 days and the dream begins ... I booked this cruise almost a year ago and in less than a month we will be sailing on Carnival's newest build ... the Carnival Dream ... word of mouth to date is that she is spectacular in all ways ... can't wait!