Cruise Countdown - 6 Days - Getting to know the Carnival Dream - Food, food, and more food, oh and let's not forget ice cream

The Carnival Dream has two main restaurants – Scarlet and Crimson – with sweeping staircases, sparkling chandeliers and fabrics in their namesake colors. One or the other offers an open seating breakfast and lunch daily with both open nightly for dinner service. Passengers are assigned a table for traditional early seating at 6 p.m. or late seating at 8:15 p.m. We chose a table for two at early dining.  Red is definitely the predominant color in Scarlet, one of the two main dining rooms on the Carnival Dream. Scarlet features some tables with window views.  Crimson Restaurant is the other of the two main dining rooms on the Carnival Dream. The Crimson Restaurant seats 828 guests.  Guests dining in the Scarlet or Crimson Dining Room for dinner have their choice of six different appetizers and soups, two salads, and six entrees each night. Also, Carnival Classics selections include steak, grilled chicken, and pasta dishes. The dessert menu offers six different selections, including my personal favorite, the "Warm Chocolate Melting Cake".   For those seeking more health-conscious cuisine, the dining room menus feature Spa Carnival Fare selections that are lower in calories, cholesterol, sodium, and fat content. Vegetarian and children's menus are available as well.

Of course, there are a multitude of other food options on the Dream. Seems like there is always delicious food being served somewhere on the ship. The ship’s lido buffet, the Gathering, is especially popular, particularly for breakfast and lunch. The buffet here is cafeteria style, choose what you want. The Dream has a nice option for late risers, breakfast in the Gathering from 10:30 until noon.

Scattered around the ship are free food spots such as the Mongolian Wok, Burrito Bar, Tandoori Oven, Cajun Taste and a Pasta Bar where the dishes are made to order. On an order form, you check off what pasta, sauce and toppings you want and a waiter brings the hot dish to your table. The Gathering has plenty of tables and booths, including some very nice ones with amazing ocean views. Or you can dine outside at one of the deck tables where you can see and hear the ocean scenes.

For a pre-dinner appetizer, stop by Wasabi on Deck 5 for free sushi. Again, it is prepared fresh and the presentation is tops. Another option is room service – free. Absolutely no charge for whatever is ordered or for the delivery. Room service at hotels or ships often can run up a hefty bill quite easily so this is a thoughtful and convenient Dream feature. Available around the clock, room service isn’t skimpy on choices either – Reuben sandwiches, thin sliced beef and brie, vegetable sticks and bleu cheese dip, mozzarella and roasted vegetables on herb focaccia, chicken fajita, shrimp salad, hot pastrami, tuna salad, broiled salmon filet, potato salad, BLT sandwiches and more. Room service desserts include cheesecake, chocolate cake, crème caramel, yogurt and fresh fruit salad.

Free continental in-cabin breakfast can be ordered by hanging a filled-out card on your doorknob by 5 a.m. For snacks, the top decks offer deli sandwiches, burgers, hotdogs, fruit, salads and a  24-hour pizza shop. An ice cream machine also seems to get a lot of use.

 

Carnival Dream - Scarlet Restaurant

 

 

 

 

 

Carnival Dream Crimson Restaurant

 

 

 

 

Carnival Dream Chef's Art Restaurant

 

 

Carnival Dream - The Gathering Lido Deck Buffet Restaurant

The Gathering is a two-level casual eatery on the Carnival Dream. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers a selection of international favorites.  New on the Carnival Dream is a pasta bar where guests have their choice of pasta, sauce, and ingredients to create a custom-made dish and enjoy tradional Italian favorites such as Portobello ravioli and pasta carbonara. The Gathering also houses a 24-hour pizzeria with seven kinds of pies and calzone, Caesar salad, and garlic bread.

The most popular area in The Gathering on our short cruise was the Mongolian wok, which offers custom-made stir-fries with passengers choice of vegetables, noodles, and sauces. It was delicious, but the line took about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Other foods available in The Gathering include "Taste of the Nations", a different international cuisine each day; a New York-style deli; a tandoori oven with Indian-style chicken, fish, and meatballs; along with traditional bread, chutneys, and relishes; and a grill serving hot dogs, hamburgers, and grilled chicken sandwiches.

The Gathering also features a 35-item salad bar, 24-hour frozen yogurt, low-calorie dressings, and sugar-free desserts for those seeking healthier alternatives.

 

 

Carnival Dream Pasta Bar

The Pasta Bar is one of the food court dining venues in The Gathering. Passengers place their order, receive a number, and wait for their pasta.

 

 

Carnival Dream Deli

This New York-style deli is one of the food court dining venues in The Gathering on the Carnival Dream cruise ship.

 

Carnival Dream Indian Tandoor Restaurant

The Indian Tandoor Restaurant is one of the Lido Restaurants at the Gathering. It was very popular on our short Carnival Dream cruise to nowhere.

 

 

 

Carnival Dream - Wasabi Sushi Bar

The Wasabi Sushi Bar is open in the late afternoon (5 pm to 8:15 pm), and is found on the Promenade Deck 5. It serves fresh sushi at no extra charge.   The Wasabi Sushi Bar was very popular on our short cruise on the Carnival Dream. The line moves quickly because the sushi chefs only prepare three different pieces and everyone is served the same thing on their small plates.

 

 

Carnival Dream Plaza Cafe in the Ocean Plaza

The Plaza Cafe is a patisserie serving lattes, cappuccinos, espresso and other specialty coffees, along with sweets (cakes, pies, and cookies) and milkshakes.