First Glimpse Editor's Note: In a major step toward completion, Carnival Dream was floated out on November 6 at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. The "float out" is a milestone in the shipbuilding process in which the dry dock the vessel had been resting in is gradually filled with water until the ship floats on its own. For a few photos of the event, visit our message boards. While Carnival continues to focus on improving and maintaining its older vessels -- $250 million has been set aside to revamp its eight Fantasy-class vessels -- and building new ships from old blueprints (Carnival Splendor, launched in July 2008, is a slightly tweaked version of the five other Conquest-class siblings), there are some fresh designs on the way. The 130,000-ton, 3,652-passenger Carnival Dream, the line's largest ship ever, will launch in September of 2009, representing a totally new class for Carnival. A sister ship, Carnival Magic, will debut in June 2011. The ship, currently under construction at Fincantieri's shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, will debut on September 21 and will offer a handful of Europe sailings before crossing the Atlantic. Once Stateside, it will sail a few cruises out of New York before heading "home" to Port Canaveral. Carnival Dream's first homeport cruise will depart on December 5. The ship will be sailing a schedule of seven-night Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises. On the former, ports will include Cozumel, Belize, Costa Maya and Nassau; the latter itinerary consists of stops at Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. Dream is an innovative twist on Carnival's tried-and-true ship designs. Features include: The Piazza, an indoor/outdoor cafe and live music venue that has been inspired -- but is not identical -- by Princess' popular piazzas on its newest models. Outdoor deck spaces will include four overhanging seaview hot tubs, a mid-ship Seaside Theatre and a two-deck mini-golf course. Already recognized as an exceptional choice for families, Carnival ups the ante on Carnival Dream, with the fleet's largest-ever kids' facilities and a WaterWorks aqua park. Kids in all age groups will have more than 19,000 square ft. of dedicated space. Among stateroom options Carnival is introducing some new family-oriented cabins, including several with two bathrooms, and others specially designed to accommodate five guests. A wide variety of lounges, bars and nightspots -- including a new dance club concept offering indoor/outdoor access -- will be accessible via an 11-deck-high atrium whose ground level will offer a cantilevered bandstand atop a massive dance floor. --by Carolyn Spencer Brown, Editor in Chief
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