We just returned from our first cruise which we took aboard the Dream. The family that we went with had cruised a couple of times before with Carnival and we all agreed that this ship was just beautiful. Yes it was somewhat crowded but I never felt like I was on a boat with over 4000 other passengers. I also tried to take into account the fact that it is a new ship and the middle of summer which is a high travel time for people with kids.
The food was excellent and our waitstaff was both attentive and knowledgeable. One night we had to sail through a tropical storm. The seas were quite rough and a few of us were not feelig the greatest. Our headwaiter, Marjan told us exactly what to eat to help prevent any sickness and he was absolutely correct. None of us ended up getting sick. He and the rest of the team were wonderful and by the end of the trip it felt like you were leaving family behind when we had to say goodbye to them.
The food at the Gathering and the different specialty bars was excellent as well. The pasta bar was absolutely delicious. It is all made to order with the ingredients that you choose so you do have to wait a few minutes for it but they give you a number and bring it to your table so you don't have to stand in line. I would also recommend the sandwich bar on the Lido deck as their sandwiches are very yummy.
The cabin was small but quite clean and the beds were extremely comfortable. I got better sleep on the cruise than I have had in years. The steward was very friendly and attentive and did a great job with the towel animals.