I should start by saying this was our first ever cruise, in fact we had never considered going on a cruise at all until we visited the travel agent to book a quick week away. Not being able to decide where to go the agent suggested we might like a cruise. Twenty minutes later we were booked on the Tompson Dream for a Colourful Coasts cruise around the Canary Islands. For reference my wife and I are 42 and 48, normal everyday people.

Later at home we gave things a little more considered thought than we had in the travel agents and I must confess I started to have concerns. Would it be too formal for us? Would it be a bit "low class" being Tompsons and not RCI/Cunard etc? Would we even like it? -- Well read on and find out.

The cruise was from Tenerife, then onto Gran Canary, Puerto de la Cruz, Madiera, Morroco, Lanzarote and finally back to Tenerife. Read more