Carnival Dream is a cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. She is the lead ship of her namesake class, which includes Carnival Magic, Carnival Breeze, and Costa Diadema. 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.

Carnival Cruise Line is an international cruise line with headquarters in Doral, Florida. The company is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc. Its logo is a funnel shaped like a whale's tail, with a red, white, and blue color scheme. This trademark funnel design is built onto the line's ships. Carnival is ranked first on the list of largest cruise lines based on passengers carried annually.