Carnival’s newest ship the MS Carnival Dream debuted in New York in earlier this month as the largest Carnival ship ever constructed at 130,000 tons and carrying 3,646 passengers. 

For me, sailing on a Carnival Cruise Line ship is like entering a comfort zone. True, each of the 22 ships differ in décor and features but not so much that you don’t feel at home. An atrium lobby serves as the focal point for much of the shipboard activities with the usual front desk and services. A buffet restaurant serves some food 24-hours a day in a casual atmosphere in the stern and a complete spa and fitness facility helps work off those calories in the front of the ship.

So the Dream has all the familiar features that we’ve come to expect from Carnival but with some added amenities. And these make quite a difference. Joe Farcus, who has designed the interiors of all the Carnival ships, has opted for a certain simplicity on board. There are lights in the atrium that still change color but now there is less glitz and more contemporary glamour in the overall design.  No large hands serving as bar stools. The effect still conveys a level of excitement but with a more sophisticated feeling.  According to comments from the executives onboard for the naming ceremony this is a design trend that will also be evident on the next ship, the Carnival Magic, due in 2011.

The new Ocean Plaza is a café and entertainment venue that includes a full bar, a coffee bar that serves great cakes and now even ice cream. A bar serving several versions of the mojito and another more traditional bar face onto a large dance floor. On either side of the inside space are large outdoor patios with tables and chairs. It makes for a nice place to hang out in the evening and listen to jazz or salsa with some great groups.

Rather than a single internet café, Carnival has FunHubs located in several places and one is in the Ocean Plaza on Deck 5, it sports stand alone kiosks where guests can access the Carnival Dream portal and on-board social network. The entire ship including the cabins has full Wi-Fi access but on the inaugural cruise I found that performance was spotty or totally lacking.

Also on Deck 5 in the back of the ship is a room that serves as a comedy club at night. It offers several shows a night with early evening routines that are suitable for older kids and later ones for adults.

Carnival has never been known for the promenade decks that cruise lines such as Holland America proudly feature but here on the Dream, there is a full half-mile-long promenade deck complete with whirlpools that extend out over the side of the ship. You can enjoy the view and the experience at the same time. It’s something that will be very popular when the ship begins its year-round Caribbean cruises out of Port Canaveral. But even on this first cruise, there were a few hardy polar enthusiasts braving the rain and chill to soak up an experience.

On the Dream, Carnival’s new Cloud 9 Spa is the largest of any of their ships and offers a complete health and wellness facility that caters not only to fitness buffs but to anyone needing de-stressing. They offer an almost bewildering variety of spa services including something new, a bamboo massage. I’m not a spa person but someone who tried the bamboo treatment raved about it. This is a spa where you could almost spend the entire cruise, especially since there is direct access to the adults-only Serenity area. You can relax in a variety of settings including hammocks and very comfortable lounge furniture. And Carnival has made it complimentary, a nice plus.

On the Dream Carnival has increased the space devoted to the Camp Carnival kid’s program. They have popular programs for different age groups from two to 17. It’s a tribute to their creative talents that the teen room has such a buzz that they occasionally have to kick adults out.

But perhaps the most visible manifestation of Carnival’s commitment to kids is the Carnival WaterWorks which you can’t miss since it is high on the ship. It features a 303-foot-long Twister water slide, the longest of any at sea, something called the Drain Pipe that is better seen than experienced unless you are into real thrills and also an 80 foot long dual-lane racing slide. And for those looking for drier recreation there is a miniature golf course that might have been brought back from the 1950’s complete with really funky shipwreck décor.

Another nod to families are new cabins with "cove balconies" that are closer to the water line and some five-berth, two-bathroom cabins. Regular cabins on the Dream will be familiar to past passengers and while there are inside cabins, most ouside cabins have private balconies.

Passengers on the Dream really seemed to be enjoying themselves. The Deck 5 entertainment venues had a real buzz and while the dining room was full, many families opted to eat in The Gathering, the casual buffet restaurant with pizza and panini sandwiches as well as carved roasts. At lunch the Tandoori ovens produced really authentic Indian food and at anytime of day you can have really good soft ice cream and frozen yoghurt. Carnival’s overall food service remains one of the best bargains at sea.

The Carnival Dream will be based in Port Canaveral, Florida where it will sail on alternating, seven-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. The Western Caribbean voyages include stops in Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; Belize and Costa Maya, Mexico. The Eastern Caribbean itinerary includes Nassau, Bahamas; St. Thomas and St. Maarten.