I was a little nervous about booking on the Carnival Dream due to reviews I had read. However, having cruised on the Holiday in 2004 and having really enjoyed it, I thought maybe the critics were being a little harsh so we gave it a whirl.

First, embarktation was easy and quick. However, if you have a mobile phone that has data usage, turn it off before getting in line. I didn't turn off my droid until we reached the room and incurred a $80 charge for data upload.

Dream was a really pretty ship, but crowded is exactly what you can expect. Buffet lines had 10 to 20 minute waits and the wok and pasta bar were practically inaccessible unless you were willing to wait 30 minutes or more. Staff at the buffet lines were not friendly and appeared to be as frustrated with the customers as the customers were with waiting. Read more