Choose a cruise. To relax and for a luxury couple vacation. I couldn’t have chosen a worse trip with TUI. As for food! Dreadful. A massive punch up on board passengers. Staff that didn’t have a clue. Not all inclusive. Entertainment was like a bad red coat holiday. Like a booze cruise Absolutely disgusting. And I complained straight away on board and on returning. Just received an email today. No compensation. And just a sad apology. Shame on you TUI Extremely overpriced 7.5k for the trip. And feel like I have been really ripped off. The sales pitch was so good I thought it was expensive but a real treat. But on return the shop wasn’t as happy to hear about my complaint. And as for the response I am fuming and shocked. If I treated my customers in this fashion. I wouldn’t have a business. Certainly not one that Jane MacDonald has advertised. Read Less

We spent the 2 weeks around New Year on this ship and were very impressed. They did a great job of the Hogmanay Party one of the best I have been to. Great Night. We will be back! Staff on the ship are 5*. I was told that they range from over 45 different countries but whoever did the hiring and training deserves a promotion. So proactive and helpful. Loved the way they take you straight from the bottom of the aircraft steps straight to the ship AND at the end of your trip Immigration is done ON BOARD before breakfast.. Very slick. No Q's at bars NEVER waited for water, bread , meals or drink to be delivered to my dinner table. How they manage to feed all those people in all the different restaurant about the same time was fantastic. Logistically amazing! Everything was so smooth you just take it for granted. Not once did I have to Q and that included going on or off the ship. Spa is nice, they do deals and I thought they were reasonable 3 treatments for £99. Don't ignore the shops on board, for some things they gave me the best prices. Try the bike rides(they have ebikes). We did 2 of the organised trips and thought they were good value, next year we will do more. Coffee in the Coffee Pot was lovely, girl who ran it knew her coffee. Loved the films on the top deck at night and one night when the weather got colder the staff turned up with cosy blankets - without being asked, how nice was that! As I said....we will be back! Read Less

The first and foremost part is what let’s the whole thing down. We were forced to leave our baggage outside the rooms at 2am the night before leaving . I complained and said I wasn’t comfortable and I was told their was no option. My case and my wife’s case turned up in the U.K. missing a £3.5k work MacBook Pro , 400 cigarettes and several items of designer clothes. The security seals were broken and the locks completely gone . After speaking with other cruisers since back they had the exact same issue with security seals tampered with and missing items. When I contacted TUI they weren’t in the slight bit interested and fobbed me off to travel insurance despite me asking for help in trying to track it down. No ownership of the problem whatsoever essentially means I have spent my last penny with TUI and will be telling people to avoid also. All in all the ship has been updated in the public areas but needs renovation in staircases and cabins. The atrium lifts were always filthy. Most staff are pleasant and friendly on the bars and restaurants but the entertainment staff less so (apart from Manuel and Tom) Restaurants are generally good however it’s very chaotic at times and service can be a little all over the place. My 30 year old wife was served a dessert saying “happy 60th Tony” on the plate. The buffet is absolutely atrocious and is school canteen standards, You would easily find a better breakfast in Asda. Alcoholic drinks are good but soft drinks again are atrocious with the syrups not mixed properly due to old machines and poor mixing. Read Less

We researched cruises last year but couldn’t seem to get an “all-in” price so we put cruising on the back burner for another time. This year while looking for an all-inclusive resort we stumbled across the Tui-Marella Discovery 2 Cruise. We read the reviews and purchased our tickets the next day. The cruise was an all inclusive booked through Sunwing, flying fromToronto to board in Montego Bay. This was our first cruise and we loved it! We very much liked the ship. The size was perfect...not too big and not a lot of children. We are in our 50s so we wanted something a little quieter. We loved everything, the ship, our room, the staff, the food, the shows and the drinks. Sasha got to know the drinks we enjoyed and always had a great drink and a smile for us. We upgraded to the deluxe balcony stateroom, and we were not disappointed. The two gentlemen did a great job straightening up our cabin daily, Alma and Nichola (sorry if the spelling isn’t correct)! The staff on board originated from 50 plus countries around the world and worked so hard! Their incredible efforts were applauded at dinner one evening and again at one of the amazing shows. It was a privilege to recognize and thank these wonderful folks! We chose the Exotic Explorer itinerary because we heard about how great snorkelling was in Roatan. We brought our own snorkel gear and snorkelled right from Mahogany Bay (at port.) The snorkeling was excellent, we saw so many tropical fish. We felt the cruise was of great value. There were NO hidden fees at the end of the cruise. We look forward to cruising on the Marella Discovery 2 next year. Leigh and Cathy - Ontario Canada Read Less

This was our first cruise and being in the service industry we are subjective to service levels relative to overall experience. The cabin size was very adequate and it was serviced daily with impeccablle care and attention - loved the "towel animals" - thank you Reginald our service steward! The various restaurants both included in the package and additional fee ones were excellent. The service team at Gallery 47 Lloyd, Victoria, Aimee, Carolina and Aiyu made the Italian Dinner even more special. Dinner at Hot Stone Restaurant was a unique experience and our server Jacob and his team member Rayse were fabulous. We ate dinner twice at Kora La enjoying two great dinners served by a great service team of Randy, Hoely, Jaydeep and Katut. The live performances on the ship were first class with our favourite being Nashville. We had two refreshment servers that went above and beyond, Sherene and Phillip Rickets. Phillip was the life of the boat from serving drinks to dancing and dancing with guests hence being the most photographed person on the ship - Phillip you truly are and were our star - THANK YOU!! Read Less

This was an all inclusive ship so all drinks/food/tips and the service was incredible. We were especially impressed with how approachable ALL the staff were and they were all great fun . The cruise director was very down to earth and happy to talk to everyone and take part in anything. You could do as much or as little as you wanted on this ship - there were enough sunbeds if you wanted them and a small adult area as well. There were plenty of indoor daytime activities including dance classes/ basic spanish ( good fun ) /indoor bowls /trivia quizzes even an afternoon pantomine The shows were very varied and as for the comedian Phl - he was side splitting hilarious . There is none of the american hard sales patter about booking your next cruise or what to buy or shopping talks etc.. but good value trips . The food was varied and we went to the fanastic surf and turf (payable) which was incredibleand good value . There is no restriction on dining so you turn up and if its busy they give you a buzzer for when your table is ready AND you can choose a table just for your party or share so excellent if you eat with friends sometimes and eat alone others - so flexible . Read Less

Just returned from a 7 day cruise on the Marella Discovery 2. It was without doubt the best value we've had to date. The entertainment staff were close and personal throughout, with the daily shows all having a different theme which was very enjoyable, as the ship is of a medium size, there was no need to book to visit places on board and we very very rarely queued for anything. The food was great and varied, with everything I could see being fresh the ship was clean, but when dirtied by passengers was then quickly cleaned up. For a mid 90's ship it had been modified and brought up to date, and the excursions were as described. The cruise wasn't without it's issues, such as our time in Cuba being shorter than originally stated, and the queue to disembark was longer than anticipated (not TUI fault), but it's how it's dealt with that counts, and it was dealt with very well. I would highly recommend them. Read Less

My partner and I chose Marella Discovery 2 as I had previously been on a smaller cruise (formerly with Thomson) and as it was his first cruise. Also we wanted to do something special/memorable for my 50th birthday. The price was reasonable, and we split 2 cruises over 2 weeks which made the choice of locations more interesting. We also wanted to see different places rather than just spend 14 days on a sunbed, so this seemed ideal for us. We booked the Pride of Panama for the first week and Cuban Fusion for the second week, as suggested by a Tui Rep. Having read varied reviews beforehand, we booked with an open mind, and are so glad we went with our instinct. The Gatwick process with Marella was flawless and we received our cabin number tag in advance. It was fantastic that we didn't have to lug heavy luggage about and it arrived on the ship in good time. The flight was also excellent both ways and arrived in good time (can't beat the Tui Dreamliner wow!). The process at Montego Bay airport, although very busy and slightly confusing with the immigration forms (which were provided by Tui staff) went much better than expected, and we were directed straight to our coaches without delay. The only immigration forms needed are those given to you by Tui staff on the plane (the forms we were given separately by Jamaican staff were not actually required from Jamaica to your first port of call - please check with Tui staff if unclear). The transfer and process for accessing the ship was fine, and everyone appeared to be dealt with quickly and efficiently. On arrival, the ship looked enormous, but when moored next to a newer, sparkly and much larger ship, yes it does look a little old and insignificant in size, but the rest definitely made up for it and we weren't disappointed. The staff were friendly, helpful and reacted well to positive communication. We were saddened to hear some people moaning about having to wait, etc, but hey your on holiday and its not a race! We couldn't fault the staff who bent over backwards to keep everyone well fed, watered, comfortable and entertained. We were amazed by our cabin 7128 at the rear of the ship....wow what a view and a memory we will always treasure. The cabin wasn't sparkling but was extremely comfortable and the bed was lush! I suffer with upper back problems and I slept like a log, sometimes too good and nearly missed breakfast on a few occasions! Yes the Island Buffet and other restaurants were busy, but we compromised happily and patiently and worked our eating times around the much busier periods. The pager system was a brilliant idea for 47 and Gallery 47, which alerted us whilst nipping to the bar before dinner. We really enjoyed the food on offer, and were unable to fault any of the restaurants on-board and the choice was immense. We particularly enjoyed the Kora La Restaurant (Pan Thai) which was superb. The staff were also amazing and helped with our surprise engagement whilst moored in Cuba. This involved the manager, serving staff and also Camilla (Special Events Hostess) all keeping the secret. It was a truly amazing evening and a special memory for us both, and we can't thank them all enough. Also thank you to housekeeping who put up special balloons, a banner and beautiful swans towel art when we returned to our room after a wonderful evening. Bojan was terrific, always polite and helpful throughout our stay, and our room remained immaculate throughout. The entertainment was excellent, and again the staff did everything they could to make our stay enjoyable. The shows were fantastic and varied across the 14 days. There was always something to do even on the days at sea, and we admit to attending the gym only once! However we did enjoy the walk around deck, playing board games, visiting the shops, drinking coffee and even trying the climbing wall and crazy golf! Paul Evans (Entertainment Manager during our cruise) and Captain Chris' announcements were hilarious (our sort of humour and a bit cheesy). We loved listening to them together, a real live double-act to brighten your day! We even held our cabin door open to listen to the morning announcements, as they were most entertaining whilst informative. The trips offered were varied and interesting. We found the app for booking restaurants, spa sessions, trips, etc, extremely useful. We did think the internet costs were expensive and the wifi reception not always great, but to be honest were glad to have a break away from social media for 14 days! Just remember you are on the ocean miles from anything so it may not be perfect! We enjoyed all our booked trips, and despite initially thinking they were expensive, soon realised that by doing your own thing isn't cheap either and wished that we had booked more trips through Marella/Tui. Also you have the knowledge that you are in safer hands and the trips are organised. We felt that we wasted time not knowing what to do, and could have spent our money more wisely i.e, spent 110 dollars on a taxi tour round Costa Rica for 2hrs, etc. It was lovely but we were literally following the Tui Tour. Next time we will research more before visiting, but we really enjoyed all the locations we visited. We particularly enjoyed a chilled Zuana Beach Day (Santa Marta, Colombia), Kayaking in Panama, River Tubing in Jamaica (which was most memorable, chilled and fun!), guided walking tour in Cuba (also old cars and horse and cart trips are available by the port) and Ze-hal (Lagoon in Mexico). Each of the locations brought about something different, and were real eye openers at times! We can honestly say this was one of the best holidays that we have ever had, in addition to the kindness we received on our engagement. We loved MD2, it may not be new, sparkly and not the biggest, but it has a warmth/comfort about it being a smaller ship, and we couldn't fault the hospitality we received on this cruise. It still took us about a week to find everything though! Well done to Marella/Tui and hope to see you again soon for our next adventure. Read Less

Wanted to visit Havana and limited in choice as not a fan of MSC. Liked the Tui dreamliner flights in premium economy. Pleasantly surprised at how good the condition of this older ship was. Great staff and cruise director made it very relaxed . Food was very good and drink package covered most tastes. Only £50 to upgrade if you want top brands. Would definitely book with Tui again as good value for money compared to most of American owned ships . The evening shows were the best on any ship and geared towards a uk audience. Cabins were fine if a bit dated but the dining areas are very good with excellent service throughout. We ate at the 2 specialty restaurants and surf and turf was particularly good. Gym ,steam and sauna are all included You get your cases picked up outside the cabin on the last night ,delivered to the airport and checked through to your destination,great service with all tips included. Read Less

Just back from the Cuban Fusion plus week on the beach in Jamaica. We were first timers and the cruise was much as expected. The food in all restaurants was very good and the endless drinks, particularly Prosecco, was tempting. In fact after a few days with difficulty I managed to keep most alcohol until late afternoon. We went to the Surf and Turf as it was our wedding anniversary and everything, staff, food, table was first class - although as we had already paid for the food, quite expensive at nearly £60. We had a Junior Cabin which was brilliant with sunloungers on the balcony. These were particularly useful on sea days when the decks were rammed with bodies on sunloungers. We were able to to back to the cabin and relax in peace. We found the cabin on deck 8 quite noisy from above with tables and chairs being moved around. If we did it again we would choose a different deck. We were encouraged to have a photo shoot with a complimentary anniversary card. The photos were good but the price £250 for 10 very, very expensive. We only wanted one photo but on principle would not pay £60. We bought one of the other photo outlets with pictures available to see on the screen for £14.95. We toured Havana on foot very easily as the ship was moored right in the centre of town. You can pick up a town map from Reception. It was brilliant. We went back out three times during the day. At Cozumel again we walked around the town. The Museum on the front is a must, plus is has a nice cafe on the top floor overlooking the bay. Well worth it. We took a taxi to the beach in the afternoon he dropped at Carlos and Charlies and we walked down to the beach and then left onto Oceans section which was less crowded. Loungers free for the price of a drink and food available. On the second morning as we were leaving at 2pm, we walked to the orange hotel to the right at the end of the pier and relaxed by their pool all for the price of a drink. On the Caymans, again we went to the museum right by the tender dock and then a taxi to 7 mile beach and back. The cruise was very good and we were glad we had booked a week on the beach at the end to relex. Read Less

Just returned home after a 14 day holiday sailing around the caribbean on the Discovery 2. This was our first experience of cruising and I can honestly say we are hooked. My husband and I had a fantastic time and could not fault anything. We had an inside cabin which was small but as you only sleep in it this was fine and our cabin girl was very friendly and ensure everything was perfect for us. They clean the room twice daily and ensure you have the next days itinerary and chocolate on your bed the night before . The staff are a credit to this ship and work very hard to ensure every guest has a great time. The dining experience was fantastic with various dining experiences to choose from; buffet service, waiter service and fine dining. The ship has a very friendly, relaxed atmosphere. The all inclusive drinks package was fantastic with all branded drinks. You could dress to impress or just go smart casual which suited us very well. We have been on many holidays but can honestly say that the entertainment was second to none. The young entertainment staff were fantastic and could act, sing and dance. There were was also 2 special guests comedians who made us laugh. As this was our first cruise we did book the majority of our excursions through Tui but could have booked hem independently. Our favourite trips were the Humanitarian tour in Guatamala and the stingray experience in the Cayman Island (albeit that the staff on the boat were not great and did not really understand the importance of health and safety). This cruise was fantastic value for money and we would go back in a heart beat. Well done to all the staff on board and thank you for a great holiday. Read Less

my wife and i booked this cruise and stay as our honeymoon. The staff on the ship were brilliant except for darren tiller the general manager when we spoke to him not even a congratulations from him, the attitude was your paid for the cruise and that was it no customer service to follow.The hotel riu montego bay where we stayed on our second week gave us a bottle of champagne and a nice letter which went a long way ..The cabin was nice but did need paint around window frame and we could have done with toiletries. The elton john singer wouldnt have even got on the x factor, total rubbish .The ship was only doing 16knots to save fuel never mind our cruise going early from ports. Transfer from the airport What a nightmare from start to finish cattle market comes to mind ,endless form filling .no TUI REP OR CRUISE STAFF in sight only local jamacians to herd you to the bus. Cruise port A shed of a place more form filling again why couldnt this be done before we arrive in the country!! Cabins No staff to help you find your cabin, you had to find your own way. Food average! !staff who worked cleaning the cabins were fabulous ,drinks were ok ,entertainment poor,shore excursions totally fantastic . water was extra ,which was a joke as it was supposed to be all inclusive. NEVER AGAIN ,it wasnt a cheap holiday it was £5000 with the trips so not a cheap /honeymoon expected a lot better ,but didnt get it !!! Read Less

Where do I even begin, This year I was fortunate enough to experience the best holiday imaginable. I booked my holiday through TUI for a two week carirbean cruise on the Marella Discovery 2. This was my first ever cruise and the price and itenary were incredible. The whole holiday was seemless from booking, to flying to arriving to resort to embark the ship. TUI and Marella staff were always on hand to help. We were greeted with the smiliest faces at Montego Bay where we were checked in and directed to board the Cruise. That night we were instructed and reassured on all safety procedures and given a guided tour of the cruiseship to find our bearings whilst our suitcases were delivered to our cabins. Everynight we recieved an entertainment planner for the days entertainment and events as well as an update on the days port, local information, weather for the day, currencys used and things to do. The cruise was all inclusive and having stayed in many 5* all inclusive hotels around the world the food and drink on the cruise may as well have been 10*. The variety, standard, presentaion and flavour were fantastic. There were many retsuarants to use and the only problem i faced was trying not too eat too much or picking where to eat. The staff on the cruise were the best team of staff i have ever come accross on my holidays. Everyone was so warm and friendly and really helped to personalise your holiday and go out of their way to make it special. In the mornings you would have a wake up announcement from Captain Chris and the Cruise Director Martyn who would start you day off with a lovely update on the weather outside, the port, when you could get off the cruise and overall a lovely start to the day. When you go on shore there are so many different things to see and do to experience the fantastic culture and sights. We always booked out excurions through TUI on the cruise and everything we did added value to our holiiday experience and was unique and great for getting out of the country what we wanted to see, do and experience. We never faced any issues with our cabin and never struggled for size. The cabin was cleaned twice a day and two sets of towels also. We were always left chocolates at night and the cleaners were lovely, always said hello when passing in the corridors. TV channels were fab, plenty of films and programmes to choose from and we loved that there were Marella channels to keep you posted with excursions. We always tried to tune into Cruise Director TV to find out whats been on and whats upcoming chilst on board. The pool on the cruise was a great size and perfect way to cool off on a hot carribean day. There was never any issues with sunbeds as there was deck 9 and deck 10 to lay out on. The entertainment team will keep you entertained with poolside games and quizzes as well as laying back to onboard bands and and talented voices to sing poolside. Waiter service aorund the pool was an added bonus as you didnt even have to move to get a drink. The entertainments show team, actor hosts and family hosts really made our holiday. They were all so friendly and always smiling and laughing. The level of enterainment on the Cruise is one of the most professional, talanted and sought after I have ever seen. The entertainment lounge and gameshows venue were always full and you could see from just looking around all of the guests were constantly happy and enjoying as much as us. A big shout out to the whole team and we really hope we get to see you on furture cruises. Your an assest to Marella and TUI and the way you interact and are constanly around your guests socialising and entertaining is incredible. we dont have children but even seeing the childcare team around the pool helping with quizzes and interacting around the cruise was also amazing to see. All of the staff want to inteact with the guests and really go out of their way to make their holiday. The cruise also has a jogging track, a virtual reality room, casino, climbing wall, minigolf, outdoor cinema, nighclub, shops and full spa just to name a few extras. I would 100% recommend a cruise on the Marella Discovery 2 for the best holiday you can ask for. Read Less

Thomson Dream (Cuban Fusion and Mayan Treasures Itinerary) This was meant to be a holiday of a lifetime with my wife and too many things just did not meet the expectation of what we were told by Thomson at the time of booking. So what was a wonderful holiday was marred by a lot of issues that was not handled well by Thomson. We booked a 2 week cruise from Montego Bay, Jamaica to see the west Caribbean stopping off at: Cayman Islands, Cuba, Mexico, Belize and Honduras with a few excursions booked through Thomson as well as with other tour operators. We booked in an outside cabin and everything was as expected decent sized room with a bit a dated decor as this ship is getting a bit older. The problem was when the ship set sail from port, the room vibrated heavily due to the ship's engine that caused rattling of the structure and anything that was not quite secure. When we reported this issue to the reception team, we were notified that no spare rooms available so we had to endure the first week with little sleep due to noise and vibration. The next week when a room was available to move us in to, we were charged a £70 supplementary as it was a room with a larger window! We have mentioned that any other hotel would not charge a change in room if the initial room was unsatisfactory as we could not even get a good nights sleep but Thomson has officially responded that their cabins are subject to noise and vibrations, and this is out of their control therefore no compensation would be offered to guests - very bad customer service and response. Reception staff are quick to be defensive and state their rights, without really understanding the issues you are trying to convey. The dining on board has a variety of food on offer everyday from their waited service in 4 restaurants in the evening to 2 buffet style restaurants as well. The food is acceptable but I would not say outstanding by any measure. We have been to other holidays with Thomson and I would say it's on par with their 3 star all-inclusive resorts. Entertainment offered a good variety of choice throughout the day with trivia quizzes to evening west end style performances with a very energetic team of performers. Excursions are quite expensive booking through Thomson and their strict regulations have lead to a number of excursions being cancelled and guests refunded on the morning of the trip. We had a snorkelling trip cancelled in Cayman Islands due to high waves but when on we got on shore there were more tour operators carrying out the same excursion. We knew a few other excursions was cancelled during our trip due to similar reasons or lack of people booking onto it, so quite a few people on board was not pleased to hear. We did book onto another excursion (not with Thomson) and we almost lost out on $600USD because Thomson changed the itinerary without letting us know. We were due to dock in Belize a day later than expected and only happened to stumble across that information when we spoke to reception team and saw a print out of an updated itinerary on the desk. So watch out if you are booking something not through Thomson, because they will not offer compensation, another complaint that we have logged with them since returning. The ports of call were all beautiful places: Georgetown, Cayman Islands; Havana, Cuba; Cozumel, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Belize City, Belize; Roatan; Honduras. Would definitely go to the places we visited again but never a holiday with Thomson (TUI). Read Less

We chose this cruise as it was a back to back (Cuban Fusion and Mayan Treasures) both of which we loved the itinerary of. The dream is a lovely old girl and stands up to the test of time beautifully. we chose Thomson because of the All-Inclusive nature of the package. It was great to check in our cases at Birmingham and not have to worry about them again, as they'd be delivered to our cabin door. Our cabin was an outside plus (Mid-Ships, Deck 9) and was lovely. plenty of room, for clothes and our cases stored neatly behind the settee. Bed was made up into a double and was one of the most comfortable we'd ever slept in on a holiday. Our housekeeper Cristina looked after us with an excellent service. All the staff were some of the most helpful we've ever come across and are a credit to Thomson, The Dream and her Captain. Food was always a treat and there was something for everyone. We did however really really enjoy the "Kora La" Asian Cuisine restaurant. the food was to die for and of sizable portions too. The entertainment was plentiful, varied and of an excellent standard. our twice daily Captain's update was one of our highlights' as he made his announcements amusing. I could go on and on about our experience aboard the Dream, however I won't. All I'll say is try her yourself. you wont be disappointed !!! Read Less

I have read positive experiences on Thomson Cruises. Now afterwards I can confirm they are correct. Thomson Dream is a great ship, fully renovated but with a beautiful interior and warm personality. The cabins were spacious and comfortable. The staff was in my opinion outstanding. They really love their work and you realize how important service is, in such a competitive Cruise industry. The entertainment on board is first class, fun and really good. The food was very tasty and there were plenty of choices. We did not use the a la carte restaurants because the food in the buffet restaurants was just great. Thomson offers high quality excursions where everything runs smooth. They are totally worth the money. Drinks prices are fair. The only thing we did not like, is the very early checkout when you arrive back from your trip. Also the pool is quite small and is not that inviting. On the other hand. there are so many beds to lay on and sun decks that you don't really need it. But it is good it is there in case you want to cool-off. The boarding and off boarding procedures in Montego Bay are somewhat uncoordinated and a bit confusing. But Thomson tries to help and puts plenty of staff on the ground in case you need to ask. There is so much to do on board. You will never get bored. If I could get another interesting cruise along my preferred dated on the Thomson Dream, I would not hesitate and book again. Me and my wife even miss the ship sometimes and we look on the Cruise Mapper app, where she is currently sailing. Thumbs up, well done and big thank you to the entire staff of the Thomson Dream. It was our first ever cruise and we will go again soon. Read Less

Hi, we were two of about 25 Canadians aboard this UK oriented cruise ship. We met and made friends with some great people. The ship was very efficiently run and our only real complaint was the winds but that was not a slight to the efforts of the crew. A very welcoming atmosphere. The entertainers in the Broadway Show Lounge were top notch for every performance even when the ship was rocking with the windy weather. I would suggest that the regular bar band chat and communicate more with the audience when performing rather than just clone classic pop hits. They seemed rather stiff and award although musicality was strong. The staff were extremely cheerful even under demanding circumstances with the rough seas. We particularly enjoyed Cartegena , Colombia with its mix of modern and colonial charm. Its unfortunate that the cruise ships on this itinerary have to dock at strictly cargo ports. The constant hum of shipyard noise was irritating to say the least and having a huge crane directly overhead in one pool area at one port was a huge visual distraction. Again Thomson is not to blame for these facilities. Overall a wonderful vacation experience for travellers with an adventurous spirit. Cheers, Thomson , Captain Harris , crew and fellow cruisers. Read Less

This was a cruise anticipated to get our new year off to a great star but New Year's Eve on board was rather flat. There was the opportunity to celebrate two but nothing happened or was scheduled in the intinerary of events on the night to acknowledge Big Ben striking in the UK earlier than Caribbean time ...some cruises seize the opportunity to celebrate both...Midnight arrived on board and with the Cruise director prompting us all to look at the funnel something BIG was anticipated but nothing mareialised other than a few balloons and poppers and a glass of fizzy plonk...this was an opportunity missed by the cruise director and his team to do something spectacular as other ships do. The Broadway Theatre hosts evening shows and the singers and dancers are the best on board...they are very good. Red Syndicate are not the best whilst Two Intense are much better. David Morgan the ships Steel Drummer has had better days and suggestion was that he ended up on the Dream as being the best of what was left. His songs are repetitive and he is a clock watcher... The cruise was not without its share of adverse weather, often arriving at short notice but nothing was in place to entertain passengers unable to take advantage of glorious sunshine and now housed indoors. Ample opportunity existed for a daytime dance/disco in the waters edge...maybe a beach party theme...Carribbean shirts and all that...something to get the party started so to speak...no...entertainment was lacking and the teams leader lacked imagination and creativity on these occasions. Same with sail always..they were flat too. These opinions were shared by many and not expressed in isolation. Those who had been on the Dream before felt the previous Director was better at creating the party atmosphere this cruise lacked. Accommodation was good. Housekeeping was of a high standard, towels changed on demand. Staff very friendly. Food was ok but has been better during a previous cruise on this ship. The Orion restaurant was very good and again staff attentive to detail. The Lido and Sirens restaurants are the buffet ones and selection was ok, nothing spectacular and presentation very basic. Waiter service in the public areas and entertainment venues is extremely slow. The waiters appear to take several orders at once, return to the bar with their orders and then you wait for all drinks to be prepared before they return to your table. This practice is preferred on board in favour of you visiting the bar to get your own drinks. I can appreciate the need to observe safety especially when the ship is rocking and many carrying glasses so this is something Thomsons need remain conscious of and ensure sufficient resources are available to prepare and distribute drinks in a much shorter time. Reception is another area that was often criticised. These staff have been selected for their ability to say No and to defend the many issues presented by the on board internet access and its excessive costs. Using this facility is very expensive and you need to ensure you fully understand its operation or be prepared for an inflated charge should you not log off correctly or its failure be apportioned to yourself. One cannot assume the Caribbean is where the sunshines continuously! This is not the case and it was confirmed during our cruise. Rain is essential to the beautiful scenery around you but downpours do occur so be prepared...some of lengthy durations too..Weather conditions quickly change and sailing time can encounter rough seas as was the case towards the end of our cruise. It deteriorated soon after leaving Havana and followed us back to Montrgo Bay via Cozomel where the sea was so rough excursions returning to the ship via a ferry needed to transfer back to the ship via a side access. The swell was such that the ferry was bobbing up and down excessively and transfer carried huge risks. It also delayed our departure by a couple of hours at least. The first Three stops on our cruise saw us drop into Roatan, Honduras, Belize and then Costa Maya where each port was like a shopping mall and the major stores existed at each. Unfortunately the ships Port shopping guide was given time to host presentations specific to items one could purchase on our travels and promoting the stores that carried Thomson recommendations! Something the port shopping Advisor omitted from his presentation is the fact purchases in Mexican governed countries benefit from a shopping and tourism money back initiative! An initiative that has been in place for some time that sees just short of 9% ....yes 9%... of total monetary spend on jewellery, diamonds and watches returned to your account within 60 days of purchase! ...so my advice is make your purchase in COZOMEL...not Roatan...not Belize...COZOMEL also has other outlets than those Thomsons promote that sell watch brands like Rolex and RADO too in addition to those available in Diamonds International... I am of the view we all want to save money and it's better in our pocket than theirs..my only thought as to why this initiative escapes reference during presentations is that it would compromise sales at ports where this initiative does not exist. Check it out...it's a GOVERNMENT initiative...and not something outlets subsidise. You stand to save a lot of money or lose it depending on place of purchase but ultimately it's your call. If you have any questions you think I may be able to help you with then please don't hesitate to ask. Read Less

Not a good ship been on many thomsons and enjoyed them the pluses entertainment good and our cabin 7077 we feel lucky as many had to move because of flooding and were moved to cabin someone had just moved from kept blaming passengers but adults only hard to believe as been going on for years..Used buffet as have to eat little and often food cold most of the time.public toilets mostly closed due to flooding had to go back to cabin.sunbeds reserved early not enough to go round.had trouble getting a seat in lounges at night not enough seating,had trouble getting served were training up new crew as most of experianced ones got off at Cadiz to go on new ship.The beer was disgusting john smiths most sent back.Had booked same trip for wifes 65 next year but cant face the same experiance paid £500 deposit and asked for this back but been refused just want your money and not prepared to listen or come to a comprimise . Read Less

We chose this cruise because we wanted to spend a week in the Caribbean following it, we thoroughly enjoyed our time on the Thomson Dream, it may be an old ship but it was kept immaculate from the cabins and the restaurants and bars down to the decks, staff couldn't do enough for us, the food was lovely, both at the buffet and the Orion restaurant where we ate some nights, service was very good, only service throughout the ship that was poor was the Medusa Bar for some reason. The nightly Broadway shows were very good and there was plenty of choice on the all inclusive for Cocktails and Martinis. The cabins , (we had an outside cabin on deck 7) were spacious enough for 2 of us , plenty of wardrobe/shelf space and ladies, not 1 but 2 full length mirrors ! in addition to a dressing table with good lighting and a hairdryer that worked well, the beds also were really comfortable. We were on the Mayan Treasures Itinerary, where we visited Honduras, Roatan being the best by far, the beach there is gorgeous and the chair lift lovely if you don't mind heights ! We did the Dolphin encounter, what a beautiful little island where they live and very well looked after, not like some places where these poor creatures are kept in tiny pens. The coach journey to the island was interesting too, passing through all the local villages, and our guide was very informative. Costa Maya in Mexico was a small but very nice location with a lovely pool in the centre and nice shops ,however be prepared to barter if buying ! I can't understand some of these negative reviews on here for the Thomson Dream, it was fabulous and I would definitely cruise with Thomson again, my only problem is saving for the next one ! Read Less

We had a brilliant time; Flight to Jamaica was delayed slightly, boarding the ship delayed due to RTA. Went to Honduras and Mexico, it was amazing to wake up at these paradise locations. We did a number of excursions, visit to see and learn about dolphins and touch them in natural surroundings at the Marine institute; Do not do the swimming with dolphins as they are kept in dreadful, small areas, not to be encouraged!!!!Visited Mayan Ruins, that was a day visit and well worth it, the guide was incredibly informative and gave out so much information. Staff were friendly and couldn't do enough to help out with anything that you might need. Staff were also trustworthy, you do have a safe which is great for money etc. Our cabin was on deck 9, outside plus, lots of room, they tidy rooms more than necessary I think. Dining at the 'The Orion' was always pretty good, and I am very fussy about food, as I cook from scratch at home. The 'Lido' was great for breakfast, we don't like a lot of cooked breakfast but there was plenty of melon and many other fruits, bread, cheeses and meats, cereal and much more. Entertainment is always good, although a lot of people didn't like the comedian, we missed him so.......... Ports were great. We met a lovely couple who were celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary, they were from Jamaica, spent time dining together and playing cards in the shade on deck in the 30 degree sunshine. Read Less

We don't like the huge ships. Coming from a small town, 3000 people is more than our cities population. My husband loves to sail. Star Flyer holds 170 passengers. We love the Carribean. Food was excellent. We found some of the passengers a little stuffy. One British guy was upset I was dancing barefoot on deck after dinner. We did meet a nice little group of friends we enjoyed the entire trip. Already booked for Thailand on the Clipper 2018. Hint...girls..long summer dresses work. Shorts and full,bathing suits for afternoon. Plenty of storage and hooks for drying clothes in the cabin. Bring conditioner. Food was European, a cheese platter was offered as a dinner course every night. Wine is 15.00 for a decent bottle. Everyone ordered a bottle of wine for dinner, and it would last a couple nights. No gaudy entertainment, just dancing on the deck and watching the sails flap in the wind. There were days when we had to power by engine...but we always left port with sails raised. Read Less

Firstly I will say, as I have travelled on NCL ships I was comparing. The first night I was so deflated at being on such an old ship. It really is run down and dated. Although the cabins are modern and comfortable. The 2nd day, after I had slept and got my bearings, things did get better. We had a major bathroom problem but it was promptly rectified. This happened 3 times during our stay, but every time it was mended, while we were not in the cabin, so not much of a distress. By the 2nd night we had learned the names of some of the staff in the Lido bar area and the trip was getting more bearable. A special thanks to Romnel who made our cruise special. What a lovely man and he works with such professionalism while being friendly, attentive, and service was always with a smile. Most of the Lido staff were good and efficient also, so we tended to drink and eat at that end of the boat. The Orion restaurant was lovely for a change of meal, and Rouman was a credit to the staff. AS for the entertainment, we loved David Morgan every night. His choice of music really kept the guests wanting more. The food onboard is lovely with variation. The ship also have buy one get one free drinks which was great as we sampled different cocktails and beers etc. I had the pleasure of talking to the captain one night and reflected my pleasure at the staff, and how the ship was run. He was a very nice man to talk to and welcomed the positive feedback. All in all, by the time we were docking to leave the ship, I didn't want to leave. I was enjoying it so much. And the smaller ship was a lot better than the more luxurious but larger ships of NCL. On negative notes, I have 2 gripes. The heating/aircon in the cabin was either on which was far far too cold. Or it was off so was stifling. My other gripe was how much was charged to eat in all but 2 restaurants.. When booking the cruise and you look at what restaurants are onboard, you automatically assume its all included. Not a charge. ..... NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS AT ALL. But I will still cruise this ship again due to the staff. Read Less

We booked only 2 weeks before our cruise, itinerary was not what it should have been, when asking about this the receptionist told us we had no right to complain that our contract we had with Thompson we would have to abide with this even though we weren't told about these changes and that we had documentation with us. I asked this very rude women for any other options we may have,her answer was yes book your own flight home we were not happy also that we had been ill with noro virus for 4 days she said how did we know it was this virus, I said because the doctor had told us and confined us to our cabin, we had a letter shoved under the cabin door telling us it was going around the ship, she said she was told the ships swabs from other passengers had not come back so it could have not been this. Her attitude stinks and needs to learn some customer service training. Apart from this unprofessional receptionist who had short blonde hair we actually enjoyed it. the crew are fantastic and the food was excellent. The ship itself was in very good condition for its age and always kept very clean. We found also tha when we docked into different Islands its was very easy and quick to leave the ship. We found also the buffet restaurants very well run and had a great selection and varitey and the food was always hot. Excursions we found to be very expensive if you booked with Thompson so we used to use the independent guides when we left the ship and found we could pay less than half the price for the same excursion. I would sail on the same ship again because we feel it was value for money. Read Less

The Good Flight on the new Dreamliner was perfect! Free food and drink and lots of leg room. Great facilities meant the 9 hour flight passed quickly and with comfort. The ship was very clean throughout and the crew went out of their way to make everything near perfect and to make you feel welcome. The staff always smiled asking if everything was OK and if something was amiss they fixed it. They all worked very hard to keep everything organised and tidy. The officers were polite and the activities and entertainment staff performances were excellent. Passengers were well cared for at all times. Ourselves and most people we spoke to were very impressed with the efforts of the crew. We tipped in recognition of this despite tips already being included in the package. There was a good selection of foods available. The restaurants were well organised and clean. The waiting staff attentive. There were plenty of sanitising units scattered about the ship for people to use to avoid contamination. The Bad At the airport in Jamaica hundreds of people waited for ages for immigration paperwork to be completed in long queues without any air conditioning inside a narrow corridor which meant some passengers were near passing out. The ship was overcrowded. There were no sun loungers available after 10 am. Passengers scuffled for lifts, seats in the bars/theatre and many tempers flared as a result. Health and Safety on board ship was a concern. Slippery surfaces on the gangways, pool areas, showers, decks and bar areas. We saw many passengers with broken arms. One woman had been burned by a gob of soot that had landed on her sun lounger from the ship's funnel. I suffered a bad tummy in the middle of the first week despite the fact I had not eaten anything off the ship. Smoking was allowed on some of the deck areas which some passengers flouted even smoking inside the ship when no one was looking, risking the health and safety of other passengers as the smoke was hard to avoid even outside. I saw dimps discarded inappropriately, a fire hazard. Many passengers ignored the sanitising units therefore I feel it would have been wiser for all food to be dispensed by staff members instead of the tongues placed for public use at the buffet areas. Bar staff carried trays stacked high with crockery above their heads and even climbed down the spiral staircases from the top deck with stacked trays risking the safety of passengers below. Ice creams for purchase were taken out of the freezers and conveyed about the ship for sale in inadequate containers which failed to keep them cool enough. I returned an ice cream that had gone bad and was told I could only replace it for one the same, I was not offered my money back. Shower heads were old and warn, a breeding ground for bugs and towels, sheets and pillows were stained. The beds were hard and uncomfortable. The toilet flushing system on the ship failed regularly. There was often a bad smell in the cabin corridor areas. The cooked food was never hot only warm at best, overcooked and tasteless and this was the case even in the service restaurant. There were many passengers suffering from a bad cough, some being treated for pneumonia with antibiotic drips. We heard from various passengers that up to 5 people had died during the trip and one passenger had to be taken to hospital. We also came down with a very bad cough towards the end of the trip ourselves. To Sum Up Overall we enjoyed the cruise but not to the extent that I would book to sail on Thomson cruises again. I could not help but feel a cramped holiday camp style atmosphere about this cruise as some health and safety aspects were seriously lacking. Read Less