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Carnival Dream 2014 7-Day Bahamas Cruise Review
Day 3    Part 1        June 17, 2014               Key West, Florida                      Arrival:  8:00AM         Departure:  4:00PM
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Overview:   Today was the first port of call of the cruise - Key West, Florida.  I woke up early to walk around the ship and to get to the front of the ship to watch it dock.  However, the weather was not very good on this day.It rained almost all morning.  Today's review is in two parts. Part one of the review will include some morning photos around the ship, Key West photos, and lunch buffet photos.  I have included more lunch photos on today's review than the other parts of the review so far.

     My day started around 5:45am and I quickly got dressed to have time to walk around the ship.  Some of the best pictures around the ship can be taken in the morning before other cruisers are everywhere. My plan was to walk to the front of the ship and watch as the ship approached Key West. Here are some pictures I took while walking around Deck 5 (Promenade) in the early morning:
Carnival Dream Atrium
Looking Down The Carnival Dream's Atrium
Carnival Dream Atrium Lobby
Atrium Lobby
Carnival Dream Atrium Lobby
Atrium Part of Deck 5 (Promenade Deck)
Carnival Dream Cherry on Top
Cherry on Top (Deck 5) - Costs Extra
Carnival Dream Candy Shelves in Cherry on Top
Cherry on Top In The Store - Costs Extra
Carnival Dream Deck 5 Shops
Deck 5 - Fun Shops of Carnival In the Atrium
      I took some stairs in the atrium to go down from Deck 5 to Deck 3.  Deck 3 is the lowest level of the atrium and is home to the Guest Services desk & Shore Excursions desk.  There is a bar in the atrium and many different areas to sit along the edges of the atrium.
Carnival Dream Deck 3 Lobby Seating
Deck 3 Lobby - Bottom Sitting Area
Carnival Dream Tables and Chairs By The Shore Excursions
Tables & Chairs By The Shore Excursions Desk
Carnival Dream Shore Excursions Desk
Shore Excursions Desk
Carnival Dream Atrium Lobby Bar
Atrium Lobby Bar
Carnival Dream Lobby
Atrium Lobby Seats and Bar In Background
         I made my way outside to have a look at Key West in the distance.  There were thunderstorms in the distance and I knew that it would start raining before we could dock.  Here are some pictures I took as the ship was getting close to Key West and before the rain came:
Carnival Dream Front At Sunrise
Front of the Ship At The Sunrise
Sunrise From the Carnival Dream
Sunrise From The Front of The Ship
Carnival Dream Sunrise
Sunrise And Dark Clouds
View of Coastguard Ship From The Dream
Coast Guard Ship
Key West In The Distance
View Of Key West In The Distance
Carnival Dream Front
The rain is coming towards us and we going towards it.
View of A Buoy
Buoy
Carnival Dream Front of the Ship
Front of The Ship - Look The Seaweed In the Water
          The rain came keeping everyone inside.  I was a little disappointed that my plans were changed, so I headed to the lido for breakfast.  Since I had been outside on Deck 5 I walked to the aft stairwell area and took the elevator up to Deck 10. Here are some pictures I took on my way to back of Deck 5:
Carnival Dream Ocean Plaza
Ocean Plaza
Carnival Dream Ocean Plaza and Taste Bar
Ocean Plaza
Carnival Dream Tables and Chairs in the Promenade
Tables, Chairs, and Booths in the Promenade
Carnival Dream Disco
The Onboard Disco - Caliente (On Deck 5 AFT)
Carnival Dream Disco
Chairs in the Carnival Dream's Disco
Omelet, Bacon, and Hash BrownsOmelet, Bacon, and Hash Browns
Breakfast in The Gathering:
       
Once again I ate breakfast in The Gathering.  The continental breakfast lines opened around 6:00am and the general breakfast buffet lines opened around 7:00am. Breakfast was also being served in the Scarlet Dining Room from 7:00am to 9:00am. 
       I had an omelet, bacon, and hash browns.  The omelet lines were long again today, but the omelet was worth the wait.  There are a variety of toppings that you can choose to put in your omelet such as ham, cheese, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, bacon, and other mixed vegetables.  
        The bacon and hash browns were also good.  The bacon was greasy (it always was each day) and it was rationed again. Today I had a server that was very generous and gave me about 5 pieces to start with.  If you are very friendly to the bacon server and want a lot of bacon they will probably be more inclined to give you more.  

Docking Near The Carnival Ecstasy:
         The Carnival Dream docked at a separate pier that was very close to another pier where the Carnival Ecstasy was docked.  The Carnival Ecstasy was the first cruise ship that I ever cruised on and it is responsible for starting my cruise addiction.  I first cruised the Carnival Ecstasy in 2007 and cruised again many more times on the Carnival Ecstasy after that.  The last time I cruised on the Carnival Ecstasy was in June 2011, a few months before the ship got re-positioned from Galveston to Port Canaveral. Since then the ship has been re-positioned from Port Canaveral to Miami, Florida. It was great to see the ship and many memories got brought back from my past cruises. 
Back of the Carnival Ecstasy
Back Area of The Carnival Ecstasy
Carnival Ecstasy
Carnival Ecstasy
Carnival Ecstasy
Carnival Ecstasy
Side View of the Carnival Ecstasy
Side View of the Carnival Ecstasy
Carnival Ecstasy Docked in Key West
Carnival Ecstasy Docked in Key West
Carnival Ecstasy
Carnival Ecstasy
         It was still raining while the ship was docking, but that didn't stop me from going outside.  I stayed under the balconies above the Lanai for some protection from the rain. The rain was no longer pouring, but it was still bad enough that most people were not going ashore.
Carnival Dream Lanai
Wet Deck of the Carnival Dream's Lanai
Carnival Dream Lanai
Wet Deck Chairs & Decking on the Lanai
Carnival Dream Lanai and Carnival Ecstasy in Distance
Lanai and Carnival Ecstasy in the Background
Little Ship Passing By
Little Ship Passing By
Plane Flying Over tHe Carnival Dream
Plane Flying Over The Carnival Dream
View of An Island From The Carnival Dream
View of An Island From The Ship
Key West, Florida
View of Key West In the Rain
Key West, Florida
View of Key West In The Rain
Boats in A Harbor
Boats Docked
Carnival Dream Ocean Plaza Coffee Bar
Ocean Plaza Coffee Bar
Ocean Plaza
Ocean Plaza
Lifeboat Outside Of WindowLifeboat From Cabin Window
Before Going Ashore -  The View From My Cabin's Window:
        When I walked into my stateroom to gather my belongings and prepare to go ashore, I was surprised to see a lifeboat in my window. The crew members were testing out the lifeboat and took it for a test drive in the water.  This was interesting to see and made me hope that I never have to get into a lifeboat during a real emergency. 
        Carnival has made many claims that they prioritize safety and that emergency devices are tested.  This is a real life example of an emergency device getting tested. 

           It was still raining outside, but we made a decision to go ashore and try to see what we could see.  The gangway was located in the middle of the ship and everyone was directed to use the mid-ship elevators to go down to Deck 0.  Here are some pictures I took on my way down:
Carnival Dream Gangway Instruction Sign
Sign Pointing To The Gangway on Deck 0
Carnival Dream Crew Area
Deck 0 - Usually A Crew Area
Carnival Dream Crew Uniforms
Uniform Identification Guide For Crew
Elevators on Deck 0
Elevators on Deck 0
Deck 0 on Carnival Dream
Ashore In Key West, Florida:
         There was no line to get off the ship.  To get off the ship, a security guard scanned each person's card and the shopping desk workers handed out shopping maps.  It was still raining, but it was not pouring anymore.  As the morning progressed the rain slowed down and by the afternoon it completely stopped. This was the only port of call that we did not do a shore excursion.  Our plans were to walk to the Hemingway House and to the Southernmost Tip of the Continental United States.  Here are some pictures that I took after getting off the ship:
Carnival Dream on Pier View of the Side of the Ship
On the Pier - View Of The Side of The Ship
Carnival Dream Back
Back of the Carnival Dream
Carnival Ecstasy Docked in the Distance
Carnival Ecstasy Docked in the Distance
Row of Bikes in Key West
Row of Bikes
A Resort Near the Cruise Dock
Some Resort Near the Cruise Dock
View of Buildings
View of Buildings
          There were many chickens & roosters aimlessly wondering around Key West, Florida.  Since Key West is a part of the United States it has its own post office and gets serviced by the USPS (United States Postal Service).  Throughout the day, I saw many different postal trucks making deliveries around the island.
Rooster in Key West
Rooster in the Street
Key West Florida Mail Service Truck
Mail Truck
Key West Florida Post Office
Post Office in Key West
       The first picture on the row below is of a bunch of tree roots that I found very interesting.  This tree was outside a residential house.  The third picture on the row below is of Mile 0 of the Florida Keys Scenic Highway.  
Tree Roots
Very weird tree roots on this tree
In Key West Florida
Looking around Key West
Mile Zero in Key West
Mile 0 Marker in Key West
Street Intersection
Street Intersection
Tree and Courthouse
Courthouse in the Background
Courthouse Building
Courthouse Building
Crossing The Street in Key West
Crossing the Street
Street in Key West
Street in Key West
      The Ernest Hemingway Home is a popular attraction in Key West that many cruise ship passengers visit. You must pay to go into the house and the yard surrounding the house.  The fence was low and I was able to raise my camera above the fence to get some pictures.  Otherwise you cannot see anything at eye level without paying to enter.  
Hemingway Home Sign
Hemingway Home Sign
Hemingway House
Hemingway House
Hemingway House
Hemingway House
          At this point in the day the weather was starting to change for the better.  The rain had now completely stopped, but there were still dark clouds in the area.  The quality of the pictures are much better when it is not raining and when the sun is out!
Lighthouse Hotel Top
Lighthouse - Part of A Hotel
Lighthouse Hotel
Looking at the Lighthouse
Building
Southernmost Point of the Continental USA:
         One of the most interesting things that I saw in Key West was the Southernmost Point of the Continental USA.  There was a long line of people that wanted to take pictures in this area, but between people I was able to snap a quick picture of the marker.
Key West Southernmost Point of the Continental USA
Southernmost Point of the Continental USA Marker
Looking at the Water
Behind the Marker & Water
      We took Duval Street to head back towards the area where the ship was docked.
Key West Gato House Historical Marker
Gato House Historical Marker & House in Background
Duval Street
Entering Duval Street
Duval Street Stoplight Marker
Duval Street - Streetlight Sign Marker
Key West Alleyway
Looking Down An Alley
Information Desk in Key West
Information Desk in Key West
Key West Duval Street
Duval Street
Duval Street
Walgreens on Duval Street
Key West Fire Truck
Key West Fire Engine
Key West Women's Club
Key West Women's Club Building
Hard Rock Cafe in Key West
Hard Rock Cafe in Key West
Fat Tuesday in Key West
Fat Tuesday in Key West
Key West, Florida
Building in Key West
Building in Key West
Side Street in Key West
Looking Down A Side Street in Key West
Tourist Area
Little Ship With "Mary" on the Back
Key West Monument
Monument
Monument Area
Area Around The Monument
         Here are some pictures that I took around the area where the Carnival Dream was docked:
Rooster and Babies
Rooster and Children
Tropical Tree
Tropical Tree
Front of the Carnival Dream
Front of the Carnival Dream
Area In Front of the Ship
Open Area Near The Front of the Ship
Carnival Dream in the Background
Carnival Dream in the Background
Carnival Dream
Carnival Dream
Water in front of the Key West Aquariam
Water in Front of the Key West Aquarium
Key West Aquarium
Key West Aquarium
Area Outside A Hotel
Area Outside of A Hotel
Carnival Dream With Tree in Front
Tree in Front of the Carnival Dream
A Mall in Key West Entrance
Mall Entrance - Had Free Restrooms Upstairs
Sculptures
Sculptures Outside of the Museum Of Art
Sculpture and Museum of Art
Sculpture and Museum of Art
Key West Museum of Art Sign
Key West Museum of Art & History Sign
Key West, Florida
Getting Back Onboard The Ship:
        There was a very short line to get back onboard the ship. In order to access the pier each guest was asked to show his or her Sail & Sign card to a security guard.  Some guests were asked to show photo identification as well.  The ship advised that all guests over 16 needed photo identification in order to get back onboard. 
Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Dream Docked in Key West
Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Dream
Side View of the Back of the Carnival Dream
Side View of the Back of the Carnival Dream
Side View of the Front of the Carnival Dream
Side View of the Front of the Carnival Dream
Carnival Dream Funnel
Carnival Dream Funnel
Harbor Area By The Ship
Harbor Area By The Ship
Side View of the Ship
Side View of the Ship
      The crew gangway had nobody waiting on it.   During peak passenger times guests would be instructed to use the crew gangway.   Carnival also sets up tents with cups of water for guests that are getting back on-board.  Once on-board the ship Sail & Sign cards had to be scanned by security and all guests had to go through metal detectors. 
Carnival Dream Crew Gangway
Crew Gangway - Nobody Waiting To Board
Carnival Dream Watertent
Tent With Free Water Underneath
Key West, Florida
Looking Back At Key West
Lido Deck Pool Area
Lido Deck Pool Area
Carnival Dream Blue Iguana Tequila Bar
Blue Iguana Tequila Bar
Carnival Dream Redfrog Rum Bar
Redfrog Rum Bar
Lunch:
       I had lunch in The Gathering (Lido Buffet).  The Taste of the Nations buffet line was serving Caribbean food today.   Most of the buffet lines opened around 12:00pm, except for the Pizzeria & Deli.  The Pizzeria is 24 hrs. and the Deli is open from 11:00am - 11:00pm.   I tried the grill and got a hamburger and fries.  Both were very good, but the hamburger was not as good as the Guy's Burger I had on the Carnival Triumph last year.  I also went to the Burrito Bar and only ordered chips & salsa.   
Carnival Dream Hamburger and French Fries
Hamburger and French Fries
Picture
Taste of the Nations - Caribbean
Carnival Dream Burrito Bar Chips & Salsa
Burrito Bar - Chips & Salsa
Carnival Dream Tandoori Food
Carnival Dream Tandoori Food
Carnival Dream Greek Farmer Salad
Greek Farmers Salad in the Buffet
Carnival Dream Desserts
Carnival Dream Desserts
Carnival Dream Dessert Station
Dessert Station Food
Dessert Station Food
Dessert Station Food
Dessert Station Food
Dessert Station Food
Carnival Dream Dessert Station
Dessert Station Food
Dessert Station on the Carnival Dream
Dessert Station Food
Carnival Dream Salad Bar
Salad Bar
Salad Bar
Salad Bar
Carnival Dream Tandoori
Carnival Dream Tandoori
Carnival Dream Tandoori
Tandoori Food
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