Like many we had flight delays but the transfers were seamless, then the problems started - my son is wheelchair dependent and the cabin we booked in Nov. 2009 was not allocated / not happy. 7 hours after boarding my son`s wheelchair had not been delivered after many enquiries - we found it in reception without any identification! Just imagine your legs being taken away and the £2000 chair you had just bought being abandoned for anyone to claim! Then we found that there were only 2 ways of getting on deck - out of the lido buffet on deck 9 or Sirens on deck 11. Anyone who thinks the food in any of the `restaurants` was good does not know what good food is - some was edible but that is all - the only good food we had was in the airport on leaving!

Stained bedlinen, grey towels, dreadful pool towels, no air con., uncomfortable beds / malfunctioning electrics, / sewage smells (and we were on deck 9), stabilisers not working, (I`ve been on ships in North Sea gales and never felt the swells experienced on `The Dream` in the Caribbbean) entertainment staff constantly telling us how wonderful they were - any one who thinks the entertainment was West End standard has a) not been to the West End b) does not go to the theatre regularly. We have previously cruised with Thomson and have only ever praised standards and staff. The only positive thing to comment on about this cruise, `the exotic caribbean` was the itinerary. Others have mentioned sewage odours!, listing, boiler / sewage malfunctions / engine fires / roped off areas with damaged sunbeds. We found the `Destinations Desk` useless- every enquiry was answered by `we haven`t been here before` - so it was a case of get off the ship/coffin and find out yourself. We have previously cruised with Thomson and never found fault but this was dreadfull.

Thomson should not have taken this crate across the Atlantic after engine failure, they should have given passengers boarding in Barbados the option of joining the cruise, BUT they should not have continued sailing a ship that was no fully functioning - nor should they continue to advertise that they make holidays tailored just for you - our Caribbean cruise certainly was not `just what we expected or wanted.`