A few years ago we took our very first cruise. While we were excited, we didn’t know what to expect. We LOVED the week spent on the Carnival Dream. So much so, Chase wants all future vacations to be on a cruise ship. Thank you Carnival Cruise Lines for our amazing trip.
Travel was compensated by Carnival Cruise Lines, all opinions are 100% our own.
Camp Carnival aka Camp Ocean And Circle C
This was our favorite thing about the Carnival Dream.
I LOVED Camp Carnival, now Camp Ocean on certain ships. I begged my mom to go everyday. Also, every time she checked me out out to eat or do another activity I couldn’t wait to go back.
Camp Carnival is for ages 2-11 yrs old and is separated by age groups (2-5;6-8;9-11). Also, Each age group has their own activities and schedule. Activities range from parties, to arts and crafts, to educational, to games. Children 2-8 have to be signed in and out by an adult, 9-11 yr olds can sign themselves out with your permission.
For the older crowd there is Circle C for 12-14 yr olds and Club O2 for 15-17yr olds. Chase also LOVED Circle C. He made friends, played video games, and did other activities such as learning some card games, dance parties, and water slide races.
Mom liked the kid’s clubs on Carnival for selfish reasons. She got to do her thing while we were entertained. However, going in she was worried about entertaining two kids on the ship during sea days. Camp Carnival and Circle C did the entertaining and created the fun!
Food On Our Carnival Cruise
To say Chase is a picky eater is an understatement. He’s beyond picky. Yet on the cruise he gained 8lbs thanks to 24 hr a day ice cream and pizza. He also fell in love with the apple danishes at breakfast. He also ate more the week we were on the cruise than he has in a year probably! The dining staff was also great with his peanut allergy and my gluten intolerance. I ate well too and had my favorite gluten free chocolate melting cake for dessert every night and hash browns every morning for dinner. Erzerbet who was our hostess on the Dream for the week. She made sure we ate enough and our food was safe.
Our Favorite Carnival Cruise Activities
If I wasn’t at Camp Carnival or eating, she was at the water slides. Chase alternated between the water slides and mini golf. Both provided hours of fun for us. You can find Water Works on most Carnival ships. The Dream has 2 big slides, a big set of racers and a play area for little kids.
Seuss At Sea
New to the Carnival Live is the Seuss at Sea program. On our second sea day there was special “Seuss on the Loose” parade through the ship. The parade ends in the Encore Lounge where the kids get to go on stage to listen to Cat in the Hat. After storytime Cat in the Hat was available for pictures with guest. There were also Seuss themed activities through out the week in Camp Carnival.
The week ended with a special Green Eggs and Ham breakfast on the last sea day. Which was wonderful! The Crimson Dining Room became a Dr. Seuss wonderland, even the menu reads like a Dr. Seuss book. During breakfast which actually features green eggs and ham, characters from Dr. Seuss’s beloved stories come alive and walk around the dinning room for pictures and autograph signing. We met Things One and Two, Sam I Am, and Cat in the Hat. The wait staff also does a special dance number. It’s great fun and value at only $5 a person!
Towel Animals
Every night when we would come back to our room after dinner, on our bed would be a surprise. A cute little towel animal and each night it was different. We grew to love them so much we bought the book so we could make them at home.We also had a collection of towel animals around the room by the time our cruise ended. Also on the last port day on the Lido Deck there was a towel animal zoo and on the last sea day a towel animal class.
Exploring other cultures
Not only did we get to visit Roatan, Belize and Cozumel and learn about the areas and cultures there. We also learned a lot from the crew we met by talking to them about their home countries. This helped us gain a lot of respect for those that were 1000’s of miles away from home working so they could have a great vacation. It also taught us about their home countries and what life was like for their families. This is one the best things about traveling, seeing the world beyond our backyard, learning about other cultures, and meeting new friends
So there you have it the six reasons why we would cruise on Carnival Cruise Lines every week if mom would let us!
If you want to go on your own Carnival Cruise, contact our mom. You can email her at Cara@magicaldestinationstravel.com or you can fill out the form below!
That looks like a blast! I’d love to take a cruise.
I want my husband and I to go on a cruise, hopefully next year, then we want to do a family cruise too. I haven’t started researching, but I will definitely check into Carnival since there are so many kid friendly options!
I really love how superbly they handle dietary restrictions without making you feel like you have any. What a great time you had!
I’ve cruised Carnival twice, but both were pre-kids when I was just a kid. I’d love to go back with my kids when they are a little older. The food is definitely at top of my list of reasons why!
The towel animals are iconic cruise companions! We looked forward to seeing ours also. There are so many things to love about cruising with Carnival, that I can see why your kids loved it.
Oh wow! What a time of their lives, huh? I have never been on a cruise, but want to go on one really bad! It would be so much fun!
Wow, that looks amazing! We went on a Disney Cruise last December and my kids have been asking when we are going back. I wondered about Carnival, now I am going to be checking them out for our next trip!
There really is a ton for kids to do! I’d love to bring my kids on one some day.
We haven’t ever taken a cruise, but I would love to one day! Learning about other cultures would be the main reason I took a cruise.
What fun! Cruising has something for everyone. I love the Dr. Suess theme, looks like a perfect vacation.
What an awesome kids, i am sure my kids would love this. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Such beautiful places! My kids were too young for the kids club when went on a cruise, but it’s a great option for other families. The food is always a big plus when cruising. 🙂
Oh wow what a beautiful cruise! I can’t wait to take our family on one one day. I’m such a people person, i know I would enjoy talking to all the crew to get to know everyone and unknown facts about their homes.
This looks amazing, I want to go on a cruise so bad.
What an awesome trip! We took Carnival for our last cruise – we too had a blast. There is so much to do on those cruise ships!
I would love to take my kids on a cruise! I have a feeling they would be good with just the food and water slides! Those look amazingly fun.
Looks like a lot of fun. I have to admit those deserts look amazing!
I have been on a cruise, but never really thought about how fun it would be for KIDS!! Looks like loads of fun, sun and amazing food!
What fun!! I have yet to go on a cruise. Those desserts look amazing!! Looks like you all had a blast!
I’ve never been on a cruise or a ship that moved on water (only those that are anchored and won’t ever move like museums) however I have always dreamed of cruise ships. One day I’d love to go on a cruise for a week with all my kids and it is stories like this that seal it even more. My only problem is the cost as I have 5 kids. Looks like ya’ll had a blast, interesting to hear that they cater to food allergies and pickiness. I’d love to see my 11 yr old gain some weight like that.