From the minute we arrived in the airport everything went smoothly up to when we arrived back a week later. Tui staff extremely organised and helpful. Would like to give a special mention to the bartender Philip "beep beep - love is in the air" and Lewis our fantastic cabin house keeper. Nothing was too much for Lewis. Both guys were so accommodating and super friendly. They deserve recognition for all the hard work and politeness they showed us all. Food was perfect for all my family. Great variety. Broadway shows in the evening were not great, we expected so much more. The entertainment team again just our opinion screeched through many of if not all the songs they sang. Many people walked out during each show. (Hate to give a negative comment) regardless it does not warrent a rate reduction in my opinion because you can see they work very hard. We thought it was such a nice touch from Shane to bring many of the team on stage the evening before so we could say thank you to all the wonderful staff. It was emotional. In a lovely way. These guys work so hard to give us the hard earned holiday. We did a few excursions all booked via Tui all went so easy and very reasonable. We would not recommend purchasing WiFi, £40 for one day and signal kept dropping more so than having it. Went to reception twice got no satisfaction. So it really was a waste of money. My daughter had a facial and I had a wash and blow dry in the spa. Both were fantastic, very well priced also. Both lovely ladies that pampered us. We have not knocked any points off for our cruise as overall we enjoyed immensely, thank you to all marella dream. Read Less

We sailed on this ship last year at the same time and it was amazing. So good we booked this year. Sadly it was nothing like last year. Check in etc went smoothly and boarding was great. We had an outside plus cabin on Deck 10. Room was comfortable and cleaned every day. However after 3 days the toilet stopped flushing. This was reported only to find on my return the bathroom had flooded and was under 4 inches of dirty water. This was reported again and sorted in a few hours but the toilet never worked properly after this. The bath and shower also leaked regularly. We were premium all inclusive and paid for this as an extra. This is sooo not worth it. My husband drinks cider but after the first day they ran out of Magners then after day 2 they were out of bulmers cider. He then switched to Corona which was becoming difficult to gt in certain bars and getting a diet coke is impossible. On several occasions the bars and restaurants were understaffed compared with last year sometimes waiting 20 to 30 minutes to get a drink only then to be given the wrong drink. It is also clearly apparent that some staff were being tipped (which is supposed to be included) and then focused more on those passengers. The ship apparently had 400 more people on board this year and you could definitely tell. All the pools were family friendly with up to 20 kids dive bombing into the water with no consideration for others or their own safety. Lots of children everywhere even in the bars at 1am still playing, Plenty of underage teenagers drunk in the Waters Edge every night taking the mickey out of a couple of special needs passengers, with no security to be seen anywhere. I Have nothing against children being on a cruise ship as I work with teenagers and took ours on holiday with us for years but surely there should be an element of control by parents and staff regarding some of the behaviour we witnessed. Booked the hot stone restaurant as this was truly awesome last year. Could only get a table at 18.30 but went anyway . only to discover kids still playing and splashing in the pool next to where you eat, then 2 maintenance men turned up to suck dirty water from the drains whilst people were eating. The smell was horrific. Terrible service when you are paying for this as an extra. We did not pay nor did the the other table behind us. Visited the Orion restaurant and the staff at Donalds station were amazing and worked very hard but they were run off their feet every day to the point we left without waiting for dessert. This was also attributed to a crew member arriving for dinner with his partner. At which point all surrounding diners were ignored and were left waiting for main courses and desserts as all the attention was focused toward the crew member. Appalling as the paying customer should be served first especially as we had waited 30 minutes for our mains and they had had their bread, wine starter and main served to them both whilst we were still waiting for our dinner..This is not their fault and we appreciated all they did for us. Entertainment disappointing when compared to last year, some shows were ok others just rubbish. Band in the Waters Edge but again not as good as last years band who were great and singing and entertained as well. We encountered terrible weather so completely missed one port then got stuck waiting for the tender due to sea swell and a storm. Then 70mph for about 10 hours which caused us to be ill for the day. Great getting us through it though. Excursions we did independently so cant comment. We were so excited for this cruise as last year was top notch, however this has put us off going on a Tui ship ever again. Think Jeremy Kyle at sea everyday for a week and this is what you'll get. Such a disappointment. Poor show. This ship needs to be decommissioned as it is literally falling apart. Read Less

As this was our first cruise, we didn'tknow what to expect, but the holiday exceeded our expectations. The staff were brilliant. Very helpful and polite and nothing was too much trouble. Some parts of the ship did look a little tired but this did not spoil our cruise experience. Our cabin on deck 4 was fine. The bed was really comfortable. The cabin wasnt huge but it was functional. We ate in the Lido and Orion restaurants. We didn't have a bad meal during the week. The food was plentiful - you could eat all day, every day if you wanted. We upgraded to premium all inclusive which was worth the money. We went on the excursion to Florence and Pisa. Well organised but a long day in 40 degree temperatures. In the other ports we stopped at we were able to walk or get a shuttle into the city. We had a tender from the ship into Monaco, and on returning to the ship, the weather had taken a turn. The tender pilot was brilliant and skillful in getting us back in rough sea. Entertainment was great and there was something for everyone. We visited the gym a couple of times which had a lot of equpment for a relatively small ship. The organisation during embarking and disembarking was excellent. Plenty of staff to help. We will definitely be going again. Read Less

we choose this cruise for many many reasons. here is a few, not in any order of preference. 1. we can fly direct from Belfast International Airport to Palma on a Tui flight. 2 the transfer from the flight to the ship is absolutely painless, this is especially helpful as both myself and my wife have severe mobility problems. 3 we knew, from past experiences, the crew and facilities would be perfect for us as a retired couple, absolutley no hassle at all. complete relaxation as soon as we reached our deck 9 cabin (9040) we have no complaints whatsoever about any aspect of the 14 night cruise. The crew were magnificent. Fiendly, down to earth and overflowing with happiness. One guy shone out above the rest. his name is Philip, a young Jamaican. He literally, ran around the ship doing his job as a bar tender. he has this constant set of rhymes. "No card, no charge.......no fear, love is here..........spread the love'. these are accompanied by his hand bell ringing and his cry of "beep. beep" to clear his path. he kept everyone near him in fits of laughter. Every time there was live music on the Sirens pool deck or in the Medusa lounge in the evenings (watch him go at the last night Bandjam)......he gave us a demonstration of an amazing dance routine. It was worth the money just to witness his performance. We say "well done our kid"!! We dined in the evening in the Orion restaurant. We received a really professional, courteous service. The menu was varied but not outstanding. The portions are small but if you include soup/salad as well as a starter you will be fairly well filled. We used both the Lido and the Sirens buffet style restaurants for breakfast and the terrace grill for lunch. No complaints about either although some of hot food in Sirens was not always "piping hot" even the hot water for tea was not boiling hot. The entertainment was excellent. The young show team were brilliant, both as a team but also individuals. Maria, Jake and especially Matt gave us three amazing solo cabaret performances in Tides bar. Muzzic Unlimited were the resident band in the Medusa lounge. We enjoyed their performances particularly Romeo we he sang pieces like "Nessen Dorme and O Sol Mio". However we thought they could have reduced the sound a bit as it was very loud to our ears. We spent our evenings in Tides bar listening to a tremendous duo called "Tointense" or to everyone around, Tom and Maris. We just loved their music and their interaction with each other (the banter) and with the audience. They took time between each set to walk among the guests, chatting to everyone and expressing their appreciation of our presence. They also helped make our cruise the very very best. The amazing evergreen Mr Keith Kerslake shared the time in Tides with Tom and Maris. What more can be said about Keith? He just gets better and better every year. He is such a thoroughly nice guy, an expert pianist who gives his very best performance every time he gets behind the grand piano. He invented the Marella Dream last night "Bandjam". Just a couple of negatives and maybe a word of advice. We were quite shocked and so very disappointed on the crew night (July 19th 2019) to hear the compare (David) make remarks about male genital parts when many children were visibly in the audience. He also thought there was some humour in unhelpful and unnecessary remarks he made, in this age on inclusivity, about private and personal things that happen in a LGBT relationship. He also tried (failed miserably) to make some very antiquated joke about the "Humpty Dumpty" nursery rhyme as well as some other silly thing he picked up second hand from a bygone era. Wisdom and discretion do not seem to be know to him. He is not hard to spot. He eats alone, mostly beside the pool on Sirens deck. The rest of the team seldom are seen in his company except when they share in hosting a game. He is far too old to be involved in this kind of work. He can't sing, he can't dance and his English vocabulary equals a Year 3 primary school child. his two oft repeated expressions....."there you go" and its variant "there you have it". He seems to speak through his nose and has a personality resembling a dead fish including the vacant look on his,now moustached, face.His most outstanding feature is his "beer belly" hanging over his pants. The many ports we visited were full of interest for those who like to explore. They have a few downsides. The ship docks quite far away from the main places of interest and it usually costs around 5 Euros return to make the trip by coach. However these journey are operated and controlled locally and it can be very hard to get a bus/coach back to the ship and can involve a lot of waiting around due to the lack of a reliable timetable. We found the tours to be far too expensive and unsuitable for us due to our limited mobility. We would strongly advise future cruisers on the wonderful "Dream" ship to pack a warmish jacket, cardigan, light sweater for the evenings. The lounges,Tides, Medusa, Explorers and Water's Edge and quite cold with a noticeable cold air conditioning draft prevalent irrespective of where you sit. The bathroom is not large. It has the usual toilet, washbasin and over the bath shower and hair dryer. We found it impossible to get the temperature right with the shower. It either burned or was freezing cold. We asked for it to be fixed but this never happened. In summary. we have been cruising for over 20 years, completing over 40 cruises with Celebrity (the worst ever company...a "never again experience"), P & O. Ocean Village, NCL. Fred Olsen, Star Cruises Etc. Nowadays we don't look anywhere else. We know before we leave, we will not need to pay tips, we will not be paying for refreshments, our account will be in good old United Kingdom Sterling with no "Dollar Inspired add ons" (one of the tricks from the greedy USA owned Cruise companies that seem to have the habit of crashing into things or losing passengers overboard), we will be pampered from the moment we board the plane till we touch down on our return by the fantastice Tui/Marella team. For myself and my wife from July 16th till 30th 2019 we have had the best cruise ever. Well done the Tui/Marella team from our wonderful Karen Crothers and the rest of the staff in our local Tui shop in Newtownards to Captain Alan Macary and his entire crew///abundant thanks....we will return, God willing next year Read Less

Booked this cruise months in advance, all inclusive was a standard but we decided to pay £50 for a premium all inclusive which was well worth it. From the beginning our embarkation was quick and easy, obviously had to queue but nothing unreasonable. We immediately got settled into our cabin on Deck 7, which was a nice size, with two comfortable single beds, a small sofa and table, a desk with chair and mirror, two wardrobes with a full body mirror on one of the doors and a bathroom with toilet and shower. The bathroom includes a hairdryer which is decent but not very powerful. Our rooms got cleaned every day, with towels changed if needed, staff kindly fold up your clothes and make animals out of the towels which was a very nice gesture. There was a great choice of restaurants, breakfast buffet at either Sirens or Lido is the kind you would expect from any all inclusive package holiday, nice but nothing special. Orien restaurant is the only fancy restaurant which is part of the all inclusive package but the a la carte restaurants only cost about £18 for a three course meal. There is food available throughout the whole day at different restaurants, so if you are ever hungry you can eat either from the buffet or the terrace grill. There was even a late night buffet from 11.30 - 1am. Many different activities to get involved in throughout the ship, including the casino, bingo, late night disco, card games or the broadway lounge and even if you don't fancy any of those things you can always listen to the live music at the Tides Bar or Waters Edge. Every single member of staff on the ship was an absolute sweetheart. Ports are very lovely, but don't feel pressured to book your excursions in advance because you get way more options once you are actually on the ship and you end up meeting people which you would like to go on excursions with anyway. Some of the excursions are not worth the money, so make sure you research carefully what they actually provide for you on the excursion and whether you have any alternative cheaper options. Me and my bestfriend went alone, we are both 18, despite everyone saying that it's a holiday for older people and that we were better of going to a villa in somewhere like Greece like the majority of people our age, we chose to come on the cruise anyway and had an absolutely amazing time. You definitely get your money's worth with the drinks package and the bartenders are always so nice and friendly. We never had a boring moment on that ship and got to meet amazing people, we are already looking to book our next one for next year. We highly recommend a cruise with Marella Dream, no matter what age you are. Read Less

the ship is old and tired cabin 6017 noise was like a washing machine filling all night. all the staff are great very friendly and helpful food was ok. entertainment was very good some nights. same songs same time every night. docking points are a bus journey away from port. dress code there is none football tops.shorts and flip flops in buffet restaurants topless sunbathing. its all about sell sell sell spa.servce.photos.dining.shops.excursions. all the staff ask for good reviews. they are all living the dream of working on royal caribbean cruise ships. all in all its a 7 night all inc.booze cruise. and what can i say about the lifts they were probably good in 1986 when new but now they have a mind of their own.go up when you want down and be prepared to wait for an age if you cant do the stairs because of mobility issues. Read Less

Have been on 10 Tui cruises in the past, and this cruise is likely to be the last one. The ship is quite old and dated, we knew this as had been on board 3 years ago. The atmosphere on board is good. On arriving in Palma, at the cruise terminal, staff were in short supply, and transfer buses were stacked up waiting to offload passengers. We were the 3rd bus in the queue. It took 1.5 hours to embark the ship. First queue of over 100 people, to obtain labels to attach to your luggage - with only 2 staff members on duty. Labels attached then next long queue to obtain boarding cards and cabin keys - Only 5 members of staff on duty, with an extra desk for passengers who have a disability. Next queue was for the hand luggage scanner. Come on Marella, more staff needed, we had been on the go since 5 am, and could do without such lengthy queues. We prebooked an inside cabin on deck 7, the cabin we had before was booked and we were told the closest cabin was 7070. Cabin small but functional, pillows need replacing. Attempted to go to bed at 11 pm only to find that that we were below the dance floor. The cabin was not sound proofed, could hear the band singing, and dancers sounded like they had boots on. Phoned reception and told that the ship was full! Same again the second evening, complained again to an officer, who wrote a report - no help at all. On the 6th night it was rock n roll night, loud music n dancing right over our heads. Phoned reception, at midnight, and asked someone to come down and listen. Finally got a helpful receptionist, Rose, to do something, and we were given a different cabin on our final night. Not certain why we had 6 nights of being unable to sleep if they had a vacant cabin. In my opinion the quality and choice of food has fallen. Soup usually good. Toast was inedible, due to thin cheap bread. Lunch at Lido - choice of pollock, meat loaf or calves liver at lunch. Have never eaten as many cheese salads. Dinner was hit and miss in Orion, sent back roast beef - which was tough and dry, also chicken breast sent back - again very dry and tasteless. Fresh veg was in short supply, green beans most nights, but did get tinned carrots once. Entertainment was disappointing, and in my opinion it was the poorest we have ever seen. The comedian was very good, but the shows were a let down. It would appear that the entertainment team was made up of dancers, with a lack of stand out singers. The two groups on board were from Indonesia - not the best we have ever heard - they did try hard but sounded quite dated. The saving grace on the ship are the crew, hard working and good humoured, but thin on the ground again. Ports of call, all commercial ports, which you cannot walk through, so have to wait for shuttle buses. Guess Tui find it cheaper to dock in commercial ports. When we arrived at Santa Margherita, we had to use a tender to get ashore. Passengers booking tours get priority, everyone else has to queue up to obtain a ticket with a specific time. This caused mayhem, and many irate passengers. The ship is now all inclusive for every one. The choice of drinks is not as good as in the past. Great Gordon's gin, but you have to pay extra for a can of tonic, or be subjected to flat tonic from an open bottle. Cocktails made from syrup, far too sweet for our taste. If you drink whisky you may strike lucky, as several named brands available, but this is not a drink we like. The house wine is not good, choose wisely - at lunch in the Lido get your wine from the outside bar, as the self service wine indoors was very poor quality. On arrival back into Palma, it was chaos on the dockside. On past cruises luggage has been set out in rows with the coloured tags determining which line your luggage was in. Oh no Tui, you let us down yet again. Luggage was just lined up in no order at all, thousands of suitcases to hunt through to find your case. Have enjoyed many cruises with Tui in the past, but feel that they are now placing profits over the customer experience and will not be using them again. Read Less

2nd time this year on this ship, first time as a couple, this time with friends. Had 2 outside plus cabins on deck 5- right next to stairs and lifts- quite spacious and well looked after by cabin steward. We were a bit worried that we would be bothered with noise but no problems at all. Not the fanciest of ships but, on the whole, fine. Generally claean and tidy. There was an unpleasant smell at times down on deck 4 when getting on and off the ship but other than that no major complaints. We were pleased that the captain changed the itinerary to avoid bad weather - meant we had some good weather to explore places. Staff were generally very friendly and helpful. Excursions were well organised. The quality of the shows in the main theatre were excellent apart from the comedian who was woeful! It was a different comedian to the last trip in February but he, unfortunately, was just as bad as the last one. Marella need to have a look at this. We found the food in the main restaurant and the buffet to be very good- could always fine items we liked. I think the food was better than when we were on the ship in February. We upgraded to the premium drinks package as the basic one didn’t meet our needs. We found the range of drinks on the premium package very good although sometimes staff in the dining room had no idea which wines were on this and tried to give you the basic wines. More training needed here. Weather on this cruise was mixed and one afternoon a film (Bohemium Rhapsody - fantastic) was shown in the main theatre. I would like more of this type of daytime entertainment ( with adavance notice) especially when there is inclement weather. Our main complaint was that we didn’t arrive on board until around 9pm and left around 10am to go home thus really losing a days holiday. This, of course, is nothing to do with the ship but a flight time issue. Overall we had a great holiday and for a fairly good price. If you want a fancier/ newer ship book one of the newer Marella ships or one of the more upmarket ( pricier) cruise lines. Read Less

Fantastic from start to finish excellent week, Captain Steve & all the crew were amazing, they kept us all entertained, waiters & waitresses, chefs, entertainments crew....everyone so friendly, we were on deck 5, 5013, Lewis looked after us during our stay, lovely friendly guy who was always smiling & eager to help. When we left the ship yesterday Captain Steve & a lot of the crew came to shake our hands & say their goodbyes, it was a lovely personal gesture. Ship is spotless, cabins are lovely, food delicious, something for everyone entertainment was brilliant as well, never a dull moment, again...something to suit all ages. Had a couple of choppy nights which wont put me off cruising again, cant wait to book next one. Only downside was no free wifi, they charge £15 per day for it which I think was really bad, most places offer free wifi so we were out of touch with family back home for the week. On the whole it was one of my best holidays ever, thanks to all who made it so good, tours were very good & we got to see some lovely places Read Less

We have cruised with Marella approximately ten times and sadly have to say this will be our last, the cabin was kept spotlessly clean but the smell on some decks was ghastly, I presume sanitation problems. The food was ok, we didn’t have a drinks package but at least Marella allow you to take alcohol on board as the house wine is absolutely vile. The best thing about this ship is the entertainment, the game shows and quizzes are good fun and the west end style shows in the broadway show lounge are of an excellent standard. All the entertainment team work especially hard. Not very keen on the resident band partly due to the ridiculously high volume in the medusa lounge. A special mention should go to Haizel (waitress) in the orion restaurant, the drinks manager who was very courteous and on the ball and David, Rachael and Holly (entertainment hosts). Read Less

I’ve been on it before, not so cheap and cheerful, this time the quality of the food and entertainment has seriously gone down, I’m a vegetarian, last time the food was good, a nice variety of dishes, this time the same vegetables in just different sauces, lacklustre. Entertainment, the spots were a lot shorter with the resident bands, more breaks and 12am finishes were creeping earlier as the week went on, the whole ship gave the impression that as it was about to change itinerary nobody had to make an effort. Part of our company was my 82 year old Mother in Law, who inadvertently left the plastic cabin key in her luggage, we discovered when we got home, TUI took 280 pounds off her credit card for it! Also, watch your bill, my 12 year old son bought a day on the WIFI, they took nearly 400 pounds for internet. Never again Read Less

1st cruise thought small and friendly. Also because of ports of call. The 1st thing when embarking was the smell found out it was the sanitation the smell was especially strong down on deck 5/6. Food in self-service very poor at times inedible seating area in self-service very dirty. Orion restaurant food slightly better. Only clean area onboard is deck 8 where reception bars and theatre one day there was a man in a white head to foot suit fumigating a cabin close to ours. Daytime activities poor day at sea was tooth whitening seminar??? 1 of several weird things on the activities list. watch out when settling bill reception will try over charge. 2 ladies questioned there's and we're told the items on bill must be from previous cruise?? Never go on Tui cruise again put us off cruise's. Very poor response and customer service from Tui in general. Read Less

I wanted a smaller ship as I was travelling on my own. Having read previous reviews, most of which were positive, I decided to book it. The whole of the holiday was perfect from start to finish. I had a single cabin (1023) which was roomy and clean with modern decor. Plenty of drawers and wardrobe space. The entertainment, food, service and cleanliness of the ship was faultless. Comments with regard to ship being old are certainly true but it did not deter from the holiday itself. All the bars, dining rooms and communal areas were modern and tastefully decorated. I have travelled many times on several cruise lines in the past and I can honestly say, that I was not disappointed in any of the experiences on the Marella Dream. I would like to say a special thank you to the member of staff that certainly made my holiday memorable. A young 24 year old - Calum James Smith - with the title of social host. He was wonderful with shall I say the elderly ladies of the ship. Thank you for a lovely, relaxing holiday. Read Less

Chose this cruise as had sailed with TUI years ago. Customer Service had ignored my request for a cabin midships (due to disability). I was put in cabin 6001 as far forward as could have been possible. This was as far from lifts as was possible so l advised unsuitable on dockside, at Customer Relations onboard and was advised no other cabin available. First night the sea was rough, my husband got his foot stuck between the bed and furniture and went flying. (Not enough room between bed and furniture to walk). We had to hold onto the bed with pitching and tossing, the ceiling creaked with every wave and a door at the bow creaked groaned and slammed for hours. I got customer services down at 12.30am to listen to the creaking and next day customer service moved us. The ship is now very old and tired, the self service meals rely upon people using utensils (rather than being served by staff from behind glass partitions as they were many years ago) and the other customers must have had trouble knowing what serving with utensils rather than fingers actually meant! The entertainment was ok...not my cup of tea and staff onboard were wonderful considering the conditions they have to work under. Would l go again...no....not even if you paid me. Read Less

We have just returned from a 8 day cruise on a Tui cruise ship “Marella Dream” visiting the Canary Islands. The ship was very tired and desperately in need of an update and refurbishment. There is no centre point like a atrium. The lifts are useless, small and very very slow….. quite often going straight pass your floor or so full with people you had to wait ages. Often we went up and down like a yo-yo as it went nearly up to the top where we wanted to go but then back down again! Our cabin again needed an update, beds were comfy though, and our cabin Steward Angelito who was very efficient and charming, kept it very clean. One issue was WiFi and internet. Most ships give free WiFi somewhere on board but not here!!! We could have paid for it but it was expensive, so was unable to make outside contact unless you found a café off shore, which was difficult. Another major issue was the shower as it was so difficult to adjust the hot water and it was extremely hot, changing even as you shower……. Very very dangerous!!!!!! On a positive note the staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was good in both the self service and main restaurant, we didn’t try the speciality restaurants. Also the entertainment was the best we have had in all the other cruise lines we have been on……. Both in the theatre, the lounge and deck area. The trips organised by the ship were extremely expensive and not good value! All in all for the price paid for this cruise it was ok, but we would NOT recommend this trip on this particular ship. Read Less

5th time on the Dream and have watched her deteriate over the years. Staff are lovely, but the food not as good as it used to be. The entertainment not as polished as in the past but the technology is excellent. Our cabin was 5209. It was at the rear (aft). The noise level was horrendous, we seemed to be above the engines and for everyone on the last quarter of this corridor it was the same. It went on all night of course so no sleep! We were like zombies. I recorded it and it sounds like the floor and roof and walls are giving way. A gentleman next to us who had complained numerous times and asked to be moved was told by 2 letters the cabin was adequate. ( he had not only paid a single supplement but also for an outside cabin) the poor guys outlook was into a storage area with gas cylinders up against his window and a grill beyond which made his view so narrow it was a waste of time. He was bery distressed, like us he had been before in October and enjoyed it so much that he booked again. In the past I would have rated this ship and her cruises a 10 but these cabins are only fit for storage. Obviously, the answer is to pay yet another supplement to choose your cabin but again I understand from other passengers these are also limited. A ruined holiday ...we needed another one to get over this ! So mich for loyalty, shame on you TUI/ Marella Read Less

The cruise was taken with friends one of whom was to celebrate their 60th birthday during the 7 day cruise. No problems at airport or transfer but disappointed that on this cruise we had to deal with our own luggage. Slight mix up on room allocation due to being given wrong room number belonging to another couple with very similar names. Rectified before boarding boat and luggage arrived at right room. Our outside cabin on level 6 was plenty big enough for two, plenty of storage and kept clean by very attentive crew member. Food: Self service Sirens and Lido were okay, but sometimes over busy. Didn't seem as much choice as previous cruises. Orion waiter service was generally better, although two incidents of less professional service by one waiter who rushed us on Captains night but allowed others different service and then on final night a wine waiter who was busy doing other tasks rather than keeping our glasses full. Food in Mistrals pretty decent apart from Captains night when it was pretty dire. Also ate one night in Mistrals for the birthday celebration meal. Excellent service and good value. We were all inclusive and upgraded our drinks package. We thought this offered us wider variety and good value for money. Bar staff were excellent and only on a couple of times did we experience any delays in being served. All the music entertainment was pretty good. Not all to my individual taste but pretty good all the same. The shows in the Broadway Lounge were really good, including the guest comedian. The ship is old, but clean and well looked after. Sun beds can be difficult to find on sea days. Overall we would go on the Dream again but on a different route. Madeira was superb but the Canaries hold nothing new for use. Read Less

I booked this trip with my friend two months before departure, paid 800 pounds each, all inclusive package was not included though. My experience on board the Marella Dream was very nice. I enjoyed every single day, ports of call are quite interesting, sunny, good food, not too expensive, incredible fish! trust me!. The Marella Cruise is a very old vessel but STAFF is a perfect 10, so polite, so friendly, so amazing. What I loved the most about the entertainment on board was the BROADWAY LOUNGE shows, OH M.Y G.O.D ~ it was beyond espectacular. Those guys are extremely talented, their singing, dancing, acting was brilliant. Highly recommend it. Also loved the comedy show by Peter Piper. Food on board was okay, some meats were like dry, and desserts (cakes and stuff) were not wow but who wants to add extra calories anyways... There were lots of healthy options, no complaints. Honestly, time on board was beautiful but next time I would just choose a LARGER, NEWER cruise. Marella Dream is an old vessel and maybe this is its last year in service, who knows. I have good memories. Depending on how much you pay, GO FOR IT! Read Less

Booked the cruise as a package through the Tui website two weeks before we sailed. The ship is old and dated, but was clean. There was a lack of space to sit inside the ship that did not have music blaring out through the speakers. It would have been nice to have somewhere to sit and read other than in our cabin. Apart from deck nine all the outside space also has music blaring out. It was near impossible to get a sunbed in the sun. passengers were putting their towels on them when we first came into port sometime as early as 7.30am. At one stage when my husband and I were looking for somewhere to sit we counted 34 sunbeds reserved, we photographed them and an hour later went back and they were still empty of passengers just covered in towels. We made a member of staff aware on more than one occasion but nothing was ever done. On the open deck there was also a problem with people smoking outside the designated smoking areas. On one occasion a female passenger lying by the pool smoking and another time a gentleman smoking using his mug as the ash tray. This was unfair for non smoking passengers. We raised our concern with staff at the time but nothing was done about it as it was still happening on the day of our departure. We paid extra for an outside cabin on deck seven, spacious, a shower over a bath and a comfortable bed. The only downsize was the noise from the Broadway show lounge. Our cabin steward was amazing. The food was very pork orientated. When my husband had some chicken it was not cooked, still blood inside when cut into it. Sometimes the self service restaurant would run out of plates or cutlery and marmalade and was served with the cream tea as they had run out of jam. The restaurants also ran out of hand jel and the soap dispensers were found empty in the public toilets on more than one occasion. There were not enough lifts on the ship and I was repulsed when I came across a lady cutting her husbands toe nails on the sun deck leaving the nail clippings to blow in the wind! We did not book any shore excursions due to the cost, we organised our own. In Agadir the crew were not allowed of the ship and we were warned that it was too dangerous to walk through the port so we got a taxi into the town. I asked why a coach was not organised to transfer passengers to be told that when they had the taxi drivers blockaded the port. Why doe Tui go to this port, well its because it is the destination that it makes the most money on shore excursions. Profit comes before passenger safety. This was my fourth cruise but if it had been my first it would have been my last. Why is the ship called the Dream, because passengers on it dream of being on another ship. Read Less

Ship was well kept although a little tired. Staff were lovely, friendly and efficient. Aldrin, the cabin steward did an excellent job of keeping the cabin spic and span. The cabin was spacious. Food was reasonalble- very good on the formal night. Went to the Asian restaurant one night where the food was very good with impeccable service. Basic drinks package was very disappointing - had changed considerably since our last Marella cruise 7 months ego- much less choice! Red wine was undrinkable, according to my husband who is not especially fussy about wine. Also the majority of cocktails on the basic package were rum based which isn’t my preference. As said previously the basic package on The Discovery last year was so much better. Service at the various bars was excellent. Shows in the theatre were quite good as were the resident band who played a variety of music. Seemed to be an over dependence on quizzes in the other lounge. The casino and The Watersedge disco was good. Felt there was little to do on the sea day- I usually enjoy the plays that are put on by the entertainment team - not on this cruise- also no guest speakers/ enrichment activities- maybe due to only being a 7 day cruise with one sea day but there was a play on our last 7 day cruise 7 months ago. The guest comedian was extremely disappointing - we saw him a few years ago on another Thomson cruise and his show was EXACTLY the same- same jokes and routines. I can’t believe he is being paid to churn out the same material year after year - shocking! However, overall we enjoyed our holiday. Read Less

We are fairly recent cruisers and wanted a winter sun break and booked this cruise in January on line. The weather was superb and we were told by the crew the best they have had for several years. We flew from East Midlands to Tenerife and arrangements at departure, on arrival, coaching to Santa Cruz and boarding Marella Dream went like clockwork. The ship is old but is modern in appearance with good quality furnishings and the staff very friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble from our room steward to the bar and restaurant staff. Corridors and lift space are a little narrow and not as spacious as more modern ships. The variety of lounges and drinking and dining options were first class as was the food and drinks. We like to be on our own for dinner and for six nights we were served by Jennifer and April who looked after us very well. The Marella Dream Show team and their shows in the Broadway Show Lounge were excellent. Some very good singers and dancers however the comedian Alan Wilkins material was older than us and we are in our 70's. The resident band were again very good with such a wide range of music on offer. Our only disappointment was the lack of space for sunbathing when we had such good weather. We were birthed in walking distance of six of the places we visited which is brilliant. There were lots of excursions and trips arranged which people we spoke to enjoyed. Leaving the cruise was also faultless, colour coded luggage and well organised. Our only disappointment was East Midlands Border Control on the return. It took about 30 minutes to process us which is not acceptable. A superb restful and enjoyable cruise. Thank you TUI. Read Less

Have been on a similar cruise with the Thomson Spirit a number of years ago, my wife and I fancied doing it again as all ports don't require tender and are close to facilities. Pros:- 1) The ships entertainment team is FANTASTIC ! The shows are west end quality. 2) The food is excellent both in the buffets and the Orion restaurant. 3) The cruise is fairly good value for money. Cons:- 1) The ship is a little tired and has no central atrium so difficult sometimes to find your way around. 2) The training of reception staff could be improved (except Vic who was brilliant). For example, we found an overcharge of 87 euro's one evening on our account. We had been charged for a spa treatment not taken. After speaking to someone on reception, we were asked to return the next day when it would be resolved. We had to go back the next day, be escorted to the Spa, where the problem was resolved. However, we feel that 1 stop should have been enough. We should just have been informed the next day that it had been corrected. The worst issue though was with the laundry package. We booked a bag of wash and fold for 14.95 and it clearly states returned on the same day. When we returned to our cabin late in the evening our laundry was not returned. I telephoned reception just to advise that it had not been returned (not because I needed it returned) and was told by a staff member that it was not returned the same day as I had not booked same day service on the other side of the form. I tried to advise that this was a separate service, but he was insistent. I was made to feel as though I was stupid, so decided to go to reception and show him the form. He compounded the issue by stating that as well as the 14.95, I also had to pay each of the individual item prices on the other side of the form. I was furious at his condescending and patronizing manner in trying to explain something that was clearly incorrect. It was at this point that another member of reveption staff intervened and told him he was wrong and found that my laundry had been inadvertently left in a locker and it was back in our room within 30 mins. Better training of staff definitely required here. 3) 8am check out is unreasonable. Especially when you have to leave your luggage outside your room the night before. Reduce the room services from twice a day to once a day freeing up housekeeping staff and let us check out a little later. 9am would be a little more civilized. 4) And finally, please fix the air-conditioning in the Orion restaurant. It was stifling all week. Read Less

We have only been on three previous cruises, all on small ships with quite personal service so this one at 1,500 passengers was big for us ! Our ports of call in the Canaries and Madeira were all fascinating, we thought that the excursions were overpriced and after finding that the handouts from the ship were not very helpful or accurate we headed for the tourist information offices at the places we visited. There was good information about the ports on-line but we used on-shore wi-fi and roaming Vodafone after a message that we would be charged £2.88 per minute for all calls, texts, and data on "Vodafone Marine" ! Our cabin, 1004, was quite good with a settee and table as well as TV and tea and coffee facilities and a good size window, a bit obscured by lifeboat access equipment. We had a problem with the safe which two visits from crew could not sort out, Dennis, an officer from reception was the second to try, we were pleased that the safe locked itself and refused to open until he put his override code in twice. He confirmed to us that it was faulty. I made a third visit to reception to complain and they refunded my money but were unable to provide a replacement safe for us or alternative safe storage for our valuables, apparently there is no safe at reception ! Our only option was to find a hiding place in the cabin. Please note there is no forseeable solution to this problem as replacement safes are apparently not available ! On our fifth day I was up early with diarrhoea and vomiting, I called reception as required and was visited by a doctor and nurse. They confirmed from my symptoms that it was not viral and therefore probably something that I had eaten so I could either stay in the cabin on immodium for 24 hours or visit the ships hospital for treatment which would see me well again in a couple of hours, I opted for the latter and had extensive blood tests and intravenous drugs, the treatment worked and I called back in the evening to check that all my obs. were normal. Excellent service but a tad dear at £1,400 plus ! Interesting to note that the previous day had been a "sea day" so it was most probably something that I had eaten on the ship. We unfortunately missed Lanzarote on my sick day. On the positive side, the crew were polite and helpful to a man ( or person I suppose I should say). The highlight of the cruise was the entertainment team, they worked non stop and were really professional and talented. The food was all pretty good ranging from canteen type buffets in various locations, made to order pancakes, omelettes and pizzas, a proper sit down restaurant with good service and "pay extra" speciality restaurants. We were on a full board but not " all inclusive " basis so we paid for the "wine package" which at about £14 per bottle compared to UK restaurant prices. Drinks at the bar were similar to pub prices. We enjoyed a lot of the cruise but there were things that let it down, there was no hot water on one evening and for the hour before the captains reception the whole ship was without any running water, the Captain did apologise and excused the smelly guests ! I registered all my complaints on-board and filled in the questionnaire on our return but there has been no offer of apology or compensation, in fact no response at all ! Read Less

Well having read previous reviews we booked this last minute cruise with some trepidation. However, we were pleasantly surprised to spend a weeks break from the dreary, cold English weather on a lovely ship, (yes, it's old) but the staff on board are fantastic. There was a great selection of food every day and the Marella show team (a group of 10 singers/dancers) were amazing. Every night we were treated to a fabulous show in the Broadway lounge. On 2 nights there was a visiting comedian and also a very professional opera duo. The entertainments team worked tirelessly to keep us all amused and the resident bands were also very hard working. The pools could do with updating and yes, the ship did creak a little when we hit some adverse weather conditions! Our cabin was an outside plus cabin on deck 7 and was quite spacious and the bed was very comfortable. The bathroom could do with an upgrade, but that said there was no shortage of hot water and the shower which was set above a bath worked very efficiently. Don't be put off by the negative comments. We honestly would describe our experience as very enjoyable and value for money. Read Less

We booked this cruis Edith high expectations as we have been on previous Tui cruises. Embarkation was quick and easy and staff were pleasant and helpful. Our cabin was clean and plenty big enough for us. Our luggage was delivered quickly. Onboard the restaurants both the self service and table service were good and the food was presented nicely and it was tasty and plentiful. Staff were excellent. The evening shows were good although drinks service was slow at times. The shore excursion to Agadir was awful. The market we went to was dirty and really didn’t feel safe. My friend & I have been on lots of cruises but specifically chose this one as we had never been to La Palma & it was the one place we really wanted to explore!! The captain decided we were not stopping there and blamed the weather although other cruise ships did dock there. We also concluded that some flights to the boat had been delayed and felt this had impacted on his decision!! We then had to spend 2 days at sea instead of the 1 stated in the itinerary!! We felt this was unacceptable and complained. We were told we would not be receiving any compensation at all!!! I do not think this is a satisfactory conclusion as this was no fault of the passengers and left a lot of us upset as it was disappointing and 2 days at sea was not what I wanted or indeed what I had signed up for!!!! Read Less