<p>In a traditional maritime handover ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, earlier today, Carnival Cruise Lines officially took delivery of its newest and largest ship, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream.</p>
<p>Following the ceremony, Carnival Dream departed for Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, for its inaugural cruise, a 12-day Grand Mediterranean voyage departing Sept. 21 &ndash; the first of three voyages within the region.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>
<p>The ship will then sail a trans-Atlantic crossing from Rome to New York followed by a special two-day cruise and two eight-day Caribbean voyages from the Big Apple.&nbsp; Carnival Dream will then reposition to Port Canaveral, Fla., for a special one-time nine-day voyage Dec. 3 before launching year-round seven-day Caribbean service Dec. 12.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;With some truly unique spaces and amazing entertainment options, Carnival Dream is dramatically different from any other ship we&rsquo;ve introduced and ushers in an exciting new era in &ldquo;Fun Ship&rdquo; cruising,&rdquo; said Gerry Cahill, Carnival&rsquo;s president and CEO.&nbsp; &ldquo;Value is&nbsp; more important than ever and the Carnival Dream &ndash; with its unique public spaces and exciting on-board innovations &ndash; provides the type of quality, affordable vacation experiences that today&rsquo;s consumers are seeking,&rdquo; he added.</p>
<p>Representing a new class of vessel for the line, the 3,646-passenger Carnival Dream offers a host of innovations, including Ocean Plaza, a stunning indoor/outdoor caf&eacute; and live music venue; The Lanai, an outdoor area featuring a wrap-around promenade and cantilevered whirlpools that are suspended over the ship&rsquo;s side; a host of new accommodation categories, including two-bath, five-berth staterooms that appeal to families and cove balcony cabins located closer to the water line; a sprawling Carnival WaterWorks aqua park featuring the longest water slide at sea; and a 23,750-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa, the largest in the fleet.</p>
<p>Exciting new entertainment choices, including a comedy club offering 24 performances per voyage and outdoor laser shows on Lido Deck, are also featured.&nbsp; Also new is the &ldquo;Fun Hub,&rdquo; a comprehensive intranet portal and the first shipboard social network that provides a variety of helpful information on the vessel and allows guests to interact and connect with their fellow passengers on board.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dining options include two formal restaurants with extensive menus and wine lists nightly, an expansive Lido-area eatery featuring a 24-hour pizzeria, Indian tandoori and new Italian pasta bar, an elegant steakhouse serving USDA prime dry-aged beef, a sushi bar, a patisserie and complimentary 24-hour stateroom service.&nbsp;</p>
<p>A host of bars, lounges, nightspots and live music venues &ndash; all bearing the unmistakable design stamp of Carnival&rsquo;s renowned interior architect Joe Farcus &ndash; are also featured.</p>