Built by Fincantieri at its Monfalcone shipyard in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northern Italy, she was floated out on October 24, 2008, and christened by Marcia Gay Harden.

[5] Carnival Dream went into drydock in Freeport, Bahamas in 2017 receiving new carpeting, lighting, and wall coverings and new restaurants.

[15][16] On March 14, 2013, Carnival Dream experienced a back-up generator malfunction while performing regular pre-embarkation testing.

No power outages occurred but Carnival Cruise Line decided to stay docked in port at Philipsburg, Sint Maarten.

[18] Michael Moses Ward, also known as Birdie Africa, the only child survivor of the 1985 MOVE bombing, died in September 2013, at the age of 41.

[20] On December 29, 2018, lifeboat number 28 broke loose from Carnival Dream for unknown reasons and was excessively damaged.

Carnival stated "the ship's command promptly began search and rescue procedures, returned to the area near where the incident occurred and notified the US Coast Guard."