We have just returned from the Ancient Affair cruise, departing from Limassol and calling at Alanya, Marmaris, Heraklion and Haifa. We did not have an auspicious start as, upon arrival at Paphos airport, we were left in a queue in the coach park while a TUI member of staff had to locate our driver. We would have been less than impressed if it hadn't just stopped raining. Once on board the coach, the transfer from Paphos to Limassol took around 1 hour. Embarkation was easier than I had anticipated and our cases arrived at our cabin very quickly indeed. The paperwork in our cabin said that the muster drill would take place at 9 p.m. We decided to explore some of the ship and had stopped in the Water's Edge Bar for a quick drink when one of the waiters came over and told us that the drill had started. There was no announcement over the tannoy (or if there was, it wasn't loud enough). We proceeded to our muster station to be confronted with what must have been the most disorganised and polntless drill we have ever experienced. No one demonstrated how to put on a life jacket, there was no demonstration of what the alarm sounded like and what one should do in a real emergency and no one was properly checking who had attended and who hadn't. We might as well not have bothered and I am not sure the shambles we winessed would actually comply with maritime regulations. Since the drill was next to the buffet, we decided to grab something to eat there. The food in the buffet is some of the worst we have had on our 10 or so cruises. However, the experience in the Orion restaurant was much better and the food was very good indeed (although I do think it is a bit cheeky to charge an extra £9.95 if you want a steak). The entertainment on the whole was pretty good, and the all inclusive drinks package more than covered our requirements. The drinks were plentiful, measures generous and no feeling of being limited. New Year's Eve was a great night. The main dining room looked very festive and the food very good. The deck party was fantastic and the atmosphere great. We enjoyed it very much. The only port in which we booked excursions was Haifa (having been changed from Ashdod). We ended up doing the overnight experience and had an absolutely fantastic time. The guide was great, the overnight hotel wonderful and we packed in so much that we felt it well worth the cost. The stand out point on this ship is without doubt the crew who were absolutely lovely and couldn't do enough for you. It was also one of the friendliest cruises we have experienced. Read Less

Not our first cruise but our first time cruising over Christmas, so we were looking forward with great excitement. We booked in November 2018 and paid £1200 each for myself and my wife as this was going to the holy land. although neither of us are religious the history of the area is compelling and would make it a once in a lifetime visit. We have sailed with Marrella/Thomson/TUI on several occasions before and on the Dream twice previous. The ship was showing signs of its age and the decor was also dated with the only changes from the first time we sailed being a few coats of paint. The first let down was at Manchester Airport when we had to check in our own bags. Then when we arrived at the cruise port in Cyprus the checking system was ramshackle with only 2 staff on hand to hand out the welcome packs in what could only be described as a small shed. When we reached the gang way to the ship we were greeted by one fairly bored and disinterested crew member. Our cabin was on deck 7 which was one of the requested decks at time of booking but turned out that cabin we had been allocated was directly under the stage in one of the main bars. The beds were 2 singles and the room decor was again showing signs of the boats age with the toilet not flushing and flooding the bathroom twice in the first 2 days. Several times f the public restrooms had broken sinks or hand dryers out of order for the cruises duration. The staff seemed to be holiday mode this could have been due to the fact the ship was on its final trip due to it going into dry dock after our cruise was finished and all the staff going home after the season. The catering was also poor as no fresh food was loaded onboard all week and as such fresh fruit was scarce. We found out talking to others that they had sold better rooms at a cheaper price but against n no one seemed to have been told prior that the ship was into dry dock for a refit and maybe there would be some disruptions All in all a not so merry Xmas and a let down all round from TUI Read Less

Before I say anything else, I must say how friendly and helpful all the staff we encountered were. They all had a smile and friendly greeting. They made the whole cruise so much more enjoyable and despite anything you may perceive as negative you read below, we had a fabulous time and intend to cruise with Marella/Tui again. We went on the Christmas Day departure cruise to Turkey and Israel but this is a review of the ship not the destinations, having said that we berthed within walking distance of the towns (except in Cyprus) and so had hassle free visits. Basic ship facts that you need to know which unfortunately seem lacking on the Tui website or brochures: The currency on board is £ Sterling. The power sockets in the cabins are 2 pin / 240v so bring adapters. There were 2 USB ports by the bed and 2 in our lounge but don’t know if the other cabins had them. Room service food is chargeable (unlike many other cruise ships we have been on where it is free). Wifi is NOT free, you can get a 7 day pass, limited to a miserly maximum of only 1200 mb overall, for the princely sum of £ 50.00 Not all drinks are included in your basic price but that’s not really an issue as the prices are not expensive. They do not give out any paper deck plans so if you have a brochure with them in at home bring it with you. Having said that most facilities were all in deck 8 or 11 and after the first evening we knew where everything was as we explored everywhere. Room safes which are big enough for iPads or small lap tops are now free. Yes there is a nightly bed turndown service with a chocolate on your pillow. Your onboard ID card does not open your cabin, you have a separate plastic card with holes punched in it. Embarkation was swift but we did get off the transfer coach promptly. We should have had priority check in but I forgot to ask about it and the nobody asked me either. (This is part of the Premiere Service pack) Our cabin: There are only a handful of balcony cabins on this ship, unfortunately we booked too late to get one. We had cabin 7062 which is a suite with a separate bedroom and lounge. A fruit basket, chocolate covered strawberries and 2 bottles of fizz awaited us which was a nice welcome. It had a walk in wardrobe with masses of storage everywhere and more than sufficient cost hangers. If fact there was so much storage I forgot where I had put some things. The irony was that the one place a drawer would have been useful, ie: the bedside table there was not. The bed was made up of two single mattresses but with a double duvet. I liked that there was no profusion of useless cushions which seem to annoyingly appear on many hotel and cruise ship beds nowadays. The lounge area had a couple of hidden fold down berths, so the suite could sleep 4 guests. Two big sofas, a coffee table, a flat screen tv, DVD player and a generous sliding desk area which could double as a dining table for two made the lounge very practical and comfortable. The bathroom actually had a large walk in shower where originally the bath had been. I like relaxing in a bath, so was a little disappointed as our travel agent stated there was a bath with shower over it. There was plenty of hot water and the cosmetics were better than I was expecting. The towels were rather on the small size. 2 x bathrobes but no slippers. The shower water is not heavily chlorinated like on some ships (Cunard for example) so no itchy dry skin. Our steward named Gusti, very unobtrusively, made up our bed and cleaned up the suite almost as if by magic when we were ashore or having breakfast etc. If you wanted to get to bed before midnight this was not a good cabin position as the music and singing from the Medusa bar on the deck above was often excessive. It must have been ear damaging in the bar itself. However on the stroke of midnight silence prevailed apart from the crying baby we could hear through the thin cabin walls. Food: We had dinner in the Orion main restaurant on our first evening. The table layout was good and the way the tableware was presented plus an attractive looking menu choice increased our expectations. Unfortunately although the staff were hard working, service was slow and the food mediocre at best. My partner’s scallop linguine was sweet & virtually inedible. My roast beef although tasty was only lukewarm. To their credit the staff were concerned and in record time produced another main course of salmon to replace the pasta. Breakfast orange juice was better than I was expecting, the toast was wrapped in a napkin in a basket to keep it warm, however coffee took ages to arrive. My eggs benedict were acceptable but again not particularly hot and the portions of bacon and hollandaise sauce minuscule. We didn’t have breakfast there again. Lunch on several other occasions was better but they seem to have a problem getting the main courses out hot and not just warm. Although some of the waiters are really hard working, others need a little more direction and this can only come from better supervision and training. However on New Years’s Eve everything seemed to come together, service food and the table decoration made it a memorable evening. We tried the Hot Stone (extra charge) restaurant one evening. We were really made to feel welcome and special. The novelty here is that you cook the meat yourself on a hot rock bought to your table. I recommend the surf and turf (steak and lobster tail). Marko, Joel and Juliet were a superb team and the food amazing. We promptly booked again. Mistrals (extra charge) restaurant was also very enjoyable and the dessert was made very memorable - but I won’t spoil the surprise. We ate here twice so it must have made a good impression but some of the service could do with a bit more finesse to complete the fine dining experience such as a teapot rather than a cup of hot water and a teabag, not having to order dessert when ordering mains etc and better quality coffee. Kora La, the Asian themed (extra charge) restaurant looked lovely but we didn’t eat there so can’t really say anything. We look forward to trying it next time. The other inclusive restaurants such as The Lido or Sirens were great for breakfast with a view. Explorers Lounge for coffee anytime and alcoholic beverages after 6 pm was friendly and cosy with a piano player too. The staff were lovely and remembered our preferences and cabin number. It was our favourite watering hole. Try the hot chocolate, it really is the best! Premium drinks package: This costs approx £50 per person per week. You get excellent ‘Lavazza’ brand coffee and fabulous hot chocolate at no extra charge in the Explorers Lounge (otherwise approx £1.20 ish) and a better range of alcoholic cocktails, spirits and beers. Plus a bootle of water per day in your cabin. To make it pay you would really need to have at least a couple of these cocktails and coffees a day as the already inclusive range is pretty good anyway. We would not go for it on our next cruise. Premier Service: This really is all about marketing as the benefits are not great yet Tui staff are told to mention it as something special and worthwhile, I think even they are embarrassed about it. Good job they don’t try and make an extra charge for it. Marella brand: It would appear that Tui can’t quite let go and allow Marella be an independent brand. Staff would look a lot smarter in dark blue uniforms than the yucky, not quite sky blue they are currently attired in. Entertainment: There is a fair amount going on each day and the cruise director liked to make a point of telling everyone very loudly on the ship’s public announcement at noon, right after the very quiet (almost a whisper in comparison) daily report from the Bridge. Having said that he really is a great guy when you meet him and impossible not to like. The pianist Keith, is excellent and on New Year’s Eve he surprised with a fabulous singing voice. We sat in only briefly to a couple of the singing acts in the bars and thought they were good and certainly well appreciated by the audiences. We especially liked the duo Tom & Maris, who are unfortunately moving to a different ship. The resident singer and instrumentalists who were in the Medusa bar were far too loud for us to stay for more than a couple of songs. We watched two shows in the Broadway Theatre and were impressed by the energy, talent and professionalism of the show team. The theatre itself is one two levels and they have not sacrificed quality and comfort of the the seating for quantity like some ships. Most of the seats have excellent site lines and are comfortable, some have tables too, just watch out for the odd pillar. Marella really went to town for their New Year party with great music, ice sculpture, party poppers etc and of course lots of complimentary fizz. The only thing missing was the traditional count down. Anyway everyone had an amazing time with no one over doing the drinking etc. Decks: Deck 9 is great for walking around the ship and felt very ocean liner like. The ship has 2 swimming pools both filled with salt water - not heated and some lovely warm jacuzzis. They main pool has a retractable roof which is a fabulous idea. The sun deck and sun bar hidden away near the funnel look very classy and have some great seating plus a couple of hammocks too. Final Bill: This was cheap, detailed and most importantly accurate. No problems. Disembarkation: I was not looking forward to this as usually you need to put your suitcases outside your cabin the night before and vacate your cabins early and our flight was not until early evening. As usual any information about this before the cruise or even until the day before from Tui or the ship was unobtainable. As it happened the ship was going off for a 2 month refit and no more passengers were coming aboard so we could keep our cabin until we departed and all the restaurants were open as usual. I doubt things would always work out so well! Conclusion: Forewarned is to be forearmed they say, so if you know what to expect beforehand you won’t be disappointed. Despite reading several favourable reviews of the ship, I still had doubts but I am very pleased to say my expectations were vastly exceeded. We had a very comfortable, enjoyable, relaxing and even maybe describable as dreamy cruise. It was excellent value for money. The wonderful staff made a huge positive impact on the experience as did all the guests we interacted with. Inclusive drinks helped too, it took away the hassle of having to sign for everything and the concern of a big bar bill - it will be the future of cruising - take note Cunard! As the ship is now having a refit some things may change. We are looking forward to cruising with Marella/Tui again. Read Less

Joined dream on 18 dec looking forward to visiting Bethlehem and Jerusalem for the Christmas period. We were on the ship for two weeks supposedly the whole itinerary since booking in September was changed we were not told about Jerusalem and Bethlehem stop even though the ship had been doing this for the last six weeks until we got on board so that the company did not have to refund us or compensate us for yet another change. Our cabin was absolutely disgusting there was vomit on the floor which had less stains on the carpet the beds were soiled with other peoples bodily fluid the head pillows were further soiled with blood and sweat and absolutely stunk after the first night in the cabin I developed breathing difficulties from the dirty tired air-conditioning. We spoke with guest relations manager and told him we needed to leave the ship due to the breathing difficulties I was experiencing thing on board. We left the cabin that day to return to find everything of our belongings were taken from the cabin the carpet been ripped up a brand-new carpet laid and glued down the fumes from the blue further exasperated my breathing problems but as there are no further cabins on board vacant they are unable to move us the ship further even due to my illness could not get off the ship for six days and even then they wanted me to pay for my own flights home when we had £200 in our on-board spend account. They agreed after speaking to their head office that we should pay for our own flights on our card and they would then refund us are on-board credit in cash we flew back to Cardiff and had to pay for hotel accommodation there before we could do our return journey back to London. The food on board the ship was absolutely diabolical the cheapest nastiest sausages bacon thick with fat or collect together frozen vegetables cheap wines and poor quality food chicken still on the bone , stale sandwiches with curled up edges for afternoon tea sausage rolls served warm with no sausage. Every day the buffet service was an absolute feeding frenzy with very dangerous hot serving trays which are sat into a bath of boiling water when you reach into the serving tray the steam comes out and burns you on your wrist and lower arms. The ship overall condition is poor and tired and dirty the rust inside and out is very apparent and the boat creeks and moans when she’s at sea . The pollution that she puts out is unbelievable and the smell of fumes within the ship is disgraceful. The Christmas decorations on board were absolutely pathetic with a small 3 foot blowup Santer being your main feature outside your restaurant door Christmas trees were about 4 1/2 foot 5 foot tall with old-fashioned tinsel and decorations randomly thrown on the tree the whole affect was cheap and shabby. I can only like in the bars and restaurant to a good old-fashioned working men’s club. The pool area even though it was really not hot enough to sit out but not supervised properly and the only thing they had adults could use with a hot tub there are signs up saying that children were not allowed in the hot tub and supervise yet every single day the hot tub is full of children with no adults in sight now we seem to care or do anything about it the ship was full of children with very little entertainment for them on a daily basis.The pool area even though it was really not hot enough to sit out was not supervised properly and the only thing the advice dogs could use where the hot tub is there are signs up saying that children were not allowed in the hot tub and supervise yet every single day the hot tubs were full of children with no adults in sight now we seem to care or do anything about it the ship was full of children with very little entertainment for them on a daily basis Since returning home I have been confined to bed with a lung infection in both lungs having to take antibiotics and steroids daily and rest this has been contracted through poor air-conditioning and is a ongoing serious issue at this precise moment. The ship did organise a private transfer for us to the airport so we didn’t have to go on the coach with the other passages I do actually think as much as we requested this it was probably in their best interest to do this to stop me spreading any kind of infection to other passengers I might of picked up on board the ship I arrived on the ship on the 18th of December fit and healthy. Staff of the ship are way too good to be subjected to what they have to work with there all cheerful smiley bright personable people and way too good to be on the dream. I’m so sorry that I cannot add photographs to this but writing it on my mobile phone it does not give me the facility to upload the photographs of the disgusting cabin and other little treats around the ship Read Less

My wife and I sailed for 2 weeks over Xmas and the New Year. The restaurants and food was excellent. The cabin service and cleanliness of the ship was good. The bar service left a lot to be desired. The first week the drinks were spoilt by adding too much mixer. One night I had a gin and tonic and it was like water. I complained to the bar manager and whilst she was very sorry she failed to resolve the complaint and passengers subsequently ordered a spirit and separate mixer. The second week I had to wait 40 minutes to get a drink. The assistant manager was also very sorry but was equally useless. The cruise was very good but the bar service let the ship down. The entertainment was OK but some of it was very dated. Roy Walker was the special guest and was very limited. The day time activities were poor. Read Less

We joined the Dream 4/1219 in Limassol. The itenarary originally included 2 stops in Egypt, but these were switched to Rhodes and Kusadasi instead. We were a bit disappointed but both the replacement ports were great, so no worries there. TUI had also credited our onboard accounts with 100 pounds each, so that was very welcome compensation. We had a great time every day on the Dream, everyone on the crew were as happy, hardworking and helpful as always. The Medusa lounge team were great fun. David, Charlotte and Kerry ran the quizes, games and those were always good fun. The resident band in Medusa are called Luna, and they were very good. Philip the Jamaican waiter in the medusa has to be the best dancer on the ship. Amazing dance moves, plus a great guy too. He brought a big smile to everyone onboard with his sense of humour and warmth, what a guy.. Beep beep, Spread the love :-) If anyone from TUI reads this review, please reward Philip for the laughs he brings to passengers in the medusa, and also on deck 11 during daytime. We go back onto the Dream for another cruise in March, and can't wait. Read Less

Usually use Cunard, P&O royal Caribbean. Chose this as it was doing Holy Land. Never done all inclusive before but was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. Cleanliness, food, entertainment and service all of a good standard. The jewel in the crown was the staff, nothing too much trouble, everything done with a smile. Impressed by the water stations on each floor to refill water bottles, no need to purchase one use drinking water bottles. Couldn’t fault any of it. Lifts a bit slow found it difficult to get one Good ports of call and the excursions in Israel were hectic but informative Didn’t bother with the drinks upgrade for an extra £50 per person as we found the all inclusive adequate. The food in the main dining room was some of the hottest we have had on any cruise. The full English breakfast was the best my husband had ever had Read Less

We live in Cyprus and thought a cruise from Limassol would be very convenient, avoiding air travel etc. We left our car at the port, which was located next to arrivals/departures and the ship itself. We boarded the ship just after 1pm and were surprised to find out most of the passengers had not departed yet. On other cruises we had to be off the ship by 8am. Marella had a far more flexible arrangement even allowing departing passengers to go on tours in Cyprus. The ship departs at 9pm, no doubt due to the late arrival of flights. The crew were very friendly and accommodating, always saying hello when passing by. Restaurant service varied from buffet style to waiter service in the main and specialty restaurants, which charged extra. The main restaurant on deck 4 offered fine dining for breakfast and dinner with open seating. It was also open for lunch at times. Reservations required at the two specialty restaurants and it is advisable to book in advance. The extra charge was worth it. We upgraded to premium drinks but the all inclusive offers a wide selection. Bar service was excellent with bar staff remembering your requests. Unfortunately smoking was allowed in a number of areas outside on both aft and port. Usually this is confined to one side. Deck 12 at the front, deck 9 aft promenade deck, deck 10 and 8 at the rear. However there weren’t many smokers. The show lounge entertainment was enjoyable but far too loud with some songs. There were a number of passengers with mobility issues who found it difficult to move around particularly when a lift was out of order. We booked two of the shorter excursions in Turkey ports. The guide on the first one was good but we couldn’t hear him at times as our group was too spread out. A lot of standing with little seating. We cancelled the second tour. Tried hop on hop off bus at the Greek island but that was vey disappointing. As it was winter some of the bus routes did not run. In Haifa we went by taxi to the Bali gardens. The taxi at the port offered tour lasting an hour for €50. He’d drove us up to each section avoiding the steep hill, which we found interesting. Glad we didn’t try to walk there. Overall we were very happy and looking forward to booking another Marella Cruise. Read Less

Chose this cruise based on other reviews but very much a mixed bag Cabin was spacious and clean but a little tired and air con not very effective Ship showing its age but kept clean and maintained even during sailing Entertainment is always a personal thing but the positive response from the audience is always a good sign Service was not the best which was a surprise to us, we found waiting times in the main restaurant too long, at one point we gave up waiting for the dessert and left in frustration. Dining was our biggest concern, the quality of food was poor in the MDR and buffets. I need to be gluten free and was not happy with knowledge of the chef when I questioned him about the menu. We encountered undercooked potatoes, carrots, burnt chips and dirty crockery/cutlery all too often. During the second week of the cruise I took ill and suspect I was served a meal with gluten. I don’t normally recommend the drinks upgrade on a cruise but the regular coffee and tea, not to mention the awful wine on tap in the buffets make it a must. The coffee in the coffee shop was excellent but you have to pay each time if you don’t buy the upgrade. Similarly I recommend the 3 speciality restaurants as they provide the quality of food I thought we would get as standard, it’s £49 to visit all 3 of them though. Excursions were not the best as much of the time was spent travelling on a bus and the guides missed out a lot of sights. A number of people complained the guides were walking too fast for them to keep up. Read Less

From start to finish Great cruise .the flight out was on time although with about four planes arriving at Palma at the same time there was some delay at the check in but hay ho the sun was shining the weather for the time of the year was very good with only the occasional shower.although there were more sea days on this cruise we still found plenty to do we dined mainly in the orian for both breakfast and evening dinner where we found a really good selection on the menu at lunch time we ate in sirensthe staff on the dream are excellent especially in the orian restaurant.special thanks to mary-ann.ema.cristan and bikas for the service they gave us.the entertainment was great both in the Broadway and madusa where Philip was a star turn.many times on the dream before but not the last.keep up the good work and see you soon Read Less

A good sized cabin, friendly efficient staff and reasonable food and entertainment ensured that one was able to enjoy the holiday but do not expect luxury at this price point. Overall the cruise was good value for money. But small remediable matters let things down. The premium drinks package had a poor choice of non alcoholic drinks. So there was no non alcoholic wine or beer or premium soft drinks and water still had to be paid for. There was no drinks menu in the rooms so I did not realise I could have better wine with my meal until day 3. WiFi was very expensive starting at £8per hour and generally 3 times as expensive as MSC cruises for instance. Excursions were cancelled which upset a number of guests who wished to visit particular places. The Captains Gala was just a vehicle to sell photographs and was in no way special. The information staff were not knowledgeable and were only interested in flogging excursions. But one can expect too much. For a grand or so each we got plenty but with a little effort and very little extra cost TUI could still do rather better. Read Less

I have to agree with everything the previous review (harringtonH) has said, it was if I had written the review. The ship though a little old was a nice size and the staff were friendly and it was a nice touch for the Captain to see everyone off on their trip each morning. The entertainment was amazing and the guest comedian very funny the dancers and singers (most doing both) were very professional and gave it their all everytime. The drinks were flowing and I agree that the upgrade drinks package was not needed by us, good choice of cocktails and even included my favourite of Baileys. The food was really good and plentiful, as one deck closed to restock another was still serving. We did the restaurant every evening and had lovely meals (even if some were a bit small for my partner but then he could always hit the buffet later if he wanted). We had booked a trip for each day, the first one was cancelled due to going to different port due to bad weather but understandable. The others all went ahead, did Vesuvius which is not for the faint hearted LOL. Loved Corsica and we did the train ride and Medieval village in Spain which was interesting and picturesque. Embarkation and Disembarking were no problem and all information given by helpful staff. The plus cabin on deck 5 with window was a good size only down side noticed smell of diesal when in port maybe because on a lower deck or just because an older ship. Overall I would recommend TUI and this type of cruise to any one, we have done one before which was a bit more WOW factor on the ship but to be honest the food and entertainment were just as good and we felt we got great value for money, Read Less

Was a little nervous about cruising, also after reading some of the reviews, however we needn't have worried. As this was our first cruise we had nothing to compare it with but highly recommend this ship to anyone. Flew from Manchester to Palma to do the Western Mediterranean. Check in at Manchester was just like any other flight. At Palma you are directed to the transfer coaches and given an information leaflet (good to read on the coach). Takes around 20 minutes to the port. Once at the Port you are given an envelope with luggage tags with your cabin number on and boarding cards. Your suitcases are then ready for you to tag up. You don't see your cases again until they are brought to your cabin. At the port you queue to get a photo taken,and to leave your debit/credit card details. You are welcomed onboard and directed to your cabin. Cases arrived very quickly, before we went to explore the ship. As everyone has mentioned, all staff are amazing, polite and attentive, cannot do enough for you. Drinks are free flowing, don't bother with the upgrade package, there is plenty to choose from just on the all inclusive. Food was amazing at every meal. Cannot fault it. We tended to have breakfast and evening dinner at the Orion Restaurant on Deck 4. Waiter service all meals. You are made to feel very special. Dinner you can choose to sit with other passengers if you wish. We did both, and it was a lot of fun. We also used the buffets on Deck 9 & 11. Was going to try the 3 restaurants that you can pay extra (it isn't expensive), however we found the food excellent without going to these restaurants.(there is a package, bookable by reception for around £49 per person to include all 3 if you like). Entertainment is fantastic, the staff all work very hard and long hours. There is so much going on, you need to organise yourself a little timetable. Something for everyone.Our 'day at sea' was poor weather, but plenty of things to keep you amused all day/evening. The Theatre normally has an 8.30pm & 10.30pm show, we went every evening as they were so good. You need to take your seat around 15 minutes before as it does get busy. Entrances on Deck 8 & 9. Help yourself to drinks at the tables as you enter the Theatre. Waiters also come round once inside asking if you want more. Most things are on Deck 8, such as the lounges, reception, excursion booking, shops. Photographers will take your photo each evening on Deck 8 by the Madusa Lounge (if you don't want this just say so), and also when you get off at each port. Available to buy from the studio on Deck 8 by reception. We viewed ours a few days into the cruise. TIP - DON'T BUY THEM AT THIS TIME. £14.95 each. They will try to sell you the package for around £200 as they do take a lot. We waited until our very last evening. Chose 4 we really liked and made them an offer (accepted, as any money to them is better none). The swimming pools are small but adequate and sunbeds close together. We went onto the very top sundeck where there is more space, you get more sun, and can still hear the daytime entertainment and look over the rails to see what is going on. When it is your last day, you are given information in your cabin, about leaving your suitcases outside your cabin before you go to bed, they are collected by crew while you are sleeping, you see them again all lined up at the Port ready for you to claim. TIP - as you can have 10kg hand luggage, pack enough for at least one day - swimwear, day clothes, evening outfit, and miniature toiletries.... just incase. Pool Towels are provided in your cabin. TIP - as any extras you may have are added to your cabin number, ask for a 'print out' from reception part way through your cruise, so you can keep an eye on it. TIP - if you are prone to motion sickness seabands, the seasickness tablets & 'Gin Gins' hard boiled ginger sweets from Holland & Barrett help a lot. I booked 3 excursions online prior to the cruise, and booked another couple whilst onboard. If you are confident or have been before, you can easily do things yourself. I just knew that i would be the one to get lost and miss the boat. They won't wait for you, however with the excursions you are sure to be back in good time. TRIPS: PALERMO Scicily. Were due to go to Trapani, but due to the weather had to change Port. A lovely short excursion around some of the sights. NAPLES. Were due to be in Sorrento, but again due to weather had to change Port. We had already pre booked to go to Versuvius and Pompeii, all trips went ahead as normal & as we were a little closer we actually got a small refund. Loved this trip, but please note the walk up the volcano is steep & hard going on the legs or if you are unfit like me. Pompeii is amazing would have loved to spend more time there. ROME. We did Rome in a Day. A lot of walking as expected but fantastic to see the main sights, was very fast paced. Our local guide there did walk a little too fast for people to keep up & appreciate what she was saying. It was mentioned to her, so after lunch she went at a more manageable & enjoyable pace. CORSICA. Probably my most favourite place. Very green and beautiful. We visited the tortoise sanctuary. I got bitten...not by a tortoise but by some insect on my legs. Perhaps a good idea to use mozzie spray dependent on time of year. Most of the signage is in French, but doesn't stop you enjoying it. Once back at the Port we had a little stroll around the town & market and had a drink at the harbour. Was very busy, but probably due to an enormous cruise liner coming in similar time to us. PALERMOS. Sadly for some guests the Barcelona trips were unable to go ahead. I had already pre booked The Best of Costa Brava trip. To be honest this was a bit disappointing. It was quite a drive on the coach, but nothing really to look at along the way. Stopped in Lloret de Mar to visit a garden. The garden itself is lovely and overlooks the sea, however it has a steep climb up to it, even with a handrail. Some of our elderly passengers had to stay at the bottom. There are quite a number of steps to climb in the garden too. We then went on to Tossa del Mar, this was a nicer town, a few shops and bars/restaurants. You can visit a castle, but please be warned again it is quite a climb and uneven cobbles. I wish I had done the trip with the little train and medieval village instead. Have a fantastic trip everyone, you will love it Read Less

It was going to southern Spain and Gibraltar, wanted some warm weather and relaxation. Got cabin 5084, and got 7 days engine vibe, I was ok and eventually found that using my noise cancelling headphones so was my partner.... The food, crew and facilities were good, and the explorer lounge served the best coffee I have had afloat. The spoiler was the amount of smoking areas, apart from the lido on 9 the outside areas of the whole ship was smoking. You were constantly affected by the smell of cigarette smoke. As the back of the boat had multiple smoking areas you couldn't even sit and relax and take in a sail away. The entertainment was ok, not great but ok, very much local rep standard. Don't think I will be sailing marella again as the dream has soured me a bit mainly due to the poor smoking policy. I guess I'm not the target audience.... Read Less

We chose this ship because it’s a small friendly ship this was our 4th time and it’s still a good as the first time we booked. The ship is kept spotlessly clean it is an old ship but staff are incredible. The food both in the lido and Orion was lovely always hot and well presented, also there is a hot stones which you do have to pay a supplement for but it was amazing. We stay in an inside cabin on deck seven our cabin was kept spotless by Suaib he was always smiling and so polite a big thank you to him. The show team in the Broadway show lounge were really good. There are lots of different bars to suite every age waiters remember your name after one day amazing. We spent a lot of time in the waters edge as you can sit on deck and waiters come out and serve you. Thanks to Pluto and Carlos who worked really hard. There is lots going on all day games quizzes and music if you want it big thank you to Shayne the cruise director Rachael and David for always having time for a chat and making us all so welcome. Also Aaron who was with us the first week. Also as we were leaving Captain Steve was on the port saying goodbye to every person leaving the ship. Thank you all on the morrella dream for a fantastic holiday Read Less

The Marella dream is a very old ship and it shows and there a lot better more modem ships out there so it dose seem very basis there’s a lot of vibration and juddering when at sea and all sorts of creeks at night which is a bit alarming of your not used to it However value for money you can’t knock it the crew keep the boat spotless clean and could not do enough for you , the food was only ok at best but the was know shortage Morning noon and night as so with the drinks tui do a upgrade drinks package at £50 pp/pw but it’s really isn’t worth it you’d have to be a boarder lone alcoholic to make it worth while to get your money back entertainment was a bit hit and miss but overall not The thing with tui is what pay includes everything there are no extras so no need to spend anymore if you. Choose I’ve been on much better ships which cost a lot but this is extremely good value for money Read Less

Great food,fantastic entertainment ,but above all wonderful staff ! From the captain to the man cleaning brass fittings with a toothbrush , they all had a smile and time for the passengers nothing was too much trouble.We were concerned about some of the negative reviews but after a week of being made to feel special we wonder what some people expect.The Dream may be old but full of character,cabins are clean and comfortable,dining in the waiter served restaurants five star ! The service we received was second to none and equal to five star hotels we have stayed in recently but the shows are excellent and equal to any theatre show I have paid a fortune for and were the highlight of our cruise , the entertainment team deserve a big pat on the back. We booked shore excursions before we left but perhaps should have booked on ship but that's with hindsight,most were good but im sure our Barcelona guide tried to lose as many passengers from the trip before returning to the ship , So to sum up a very enjoyable cruise,lots of plus points and cant wait to go again. Don't be put off by the negative reviews,as a passenger just leaving when we arrived said "You are gonna love it" Read Less

First cruise and loved every moment from when we got on until when we got off. Taken straight from airport to boat. All boarding and check in straight forward. Cabin was larger than expected. Everything you need - lots of storage and very clean.Lots of choices for meals. Had both buffet and waiter service, all great, lots of choice and always food available somewhere on the ship. Lots of bars to chose from. Always good service and drinks are branded. Did not see the point of upgrading to Premium the stand ones are fine. The staff are amazing and work so hard and always have a smile for you. All shore excursions went well and were well organised. We did three Tui organised ones but next time I would not do so many as they can be long days. The boat is a little older than some others but you only notice this in a few places, mostly it has been updated and kept very clean. For me I preferred a smaller boat to the newer super ships with 5000 people on them.Leaving the boat was again very well organised and same with our onward transfer to a hotel for a week. 100% would book again - great value for money. Read Less

Our Second year on the Dream, I was a little worried about some of the previous reviews , all I can say is they must be quite fussy. First of all this is a 95% British ship, and you certainly see a complete cross section of British society, so expect a fair share of tattoos ( and that's just the ladies) there were more children this year , but also good to see more disabled on bored , I would have never recommended a cruise to someone with mobility issues but they were fine, so that's good to see. enough people have mentioned how hard the crew work and of course they do , the food was excellent, and the entertainment also top drawer, the comedian ( always a risk) was great and you could hardly get a seat in the Broadway lounge for his second show. Top Tip, if you are in a port where you aren't going on an excursion ( we only went on 2) then I recommend hitting the pool area straight after breakfast, most people head ashore straight away and you therefore get the pool , and hot tubs , to yourselves. It gets very busy in the afternoon . However there are quiet areas to go to ( deck 7 aft, you will get a lounger anytime ) also since Tui made the holiday " Proper" inclusive getting a drink is not an issue, they have Beer & wine carts where you can more or less help yourself. So in summery you are getting 7 days cruising , fully inclusive for under £1000, come on whats not to like.... Read Less

This was myself and wife 15th cruise all with Marella and the 4th time on the Dream as it was !! Our favourite ship in the fleet. I’ll keep the review practical many frequent Marbella cruise travellers hopefully get the key points. The positives are its an older ship but has some great venues and bars which makes the personnel touches better than the bigger ships and it proved no different from our previous sailings. The services from the bars and restaurant staff were excellent. The professional entertainment was excellent although some of the best act were too late in the evening. We read on an informative letter in our cabin on arrival that they listen to the cruise feedback reviews. They had decided they would let children use the adult pools which I’m not sure was thought through. We like the lido pool on deck 9 it has a children’s pool but they all used the adult pool. Not supervised by staff and parents and just basic chaos all week. Jumping,pushing,shoving,inflatables the size of a person. Water guns the size of cannons firing all over the deck. We are not stick in the muds we have 3 children who don’t behave in this fashion. Three times we complained to reception and all we got back was they are the same throughout the ship. Ruined the holiday and experience. The sail away party the life and sole of these cruises was ruined by the life safety drill taking place at 10.00 in the evening which is unheard off. The food which was always the stalwart of the Dream has gone backwards!! Repetitive basis offering and the sweet selection was really poor. The Cruise Director spent more time trying to sell upgrades than actually information around the entertainment. The 2 hour flight delay coming and 5 hour delay going back didn’t help either. This is our 2nd Marella cruise this year which hasn’t come anywhere near expectations with delays and standards going backwards.one of the biggest frustrations is trying to get your voice heard. The Tui App on the ship is loaded with questions they want to hear rather than anything they don’t. The questionnaire they send you is just as frustrating and if you criticising too much will not let you complete. Prices going up and standards going down. Read Less

This is our 3rd cruise with Tui. 2 on the Celebration and our first on the Marella Dream. Personally I much prefer a smaller more personalised cruise. I am a people person, but even I get overwhelmed by the enormity of some ships!! What makes cruising so special is that the vast majority of the staff cannot be faulted. They work hard, are well managed and nothing is too much trouble. Every need you have is treated as important and dealt with without question. Staffs manners are impeccable and you are greeted with a warm smile any time day or night. We spent most of our evenings in Tides, and to our delight Maris and Thomas (Too Intense) had moved from the Celebration to the Dream!! We were not disappointed, what talent!! These wonderful people made our evenings. To see them in Siren's during the day was an added bonus. Not a note out of tune, interaction with the audience both as a professional and as new found friends. The care and love these guys have for the whole team in Tides makes the atmosphere spectacular. Special thanks to Ihim (who can also sing very well) for looking after us each night with a smile and a memory of drinks we like which blew my mind!! Top marks for Orion restaurant, and the daily buffet. Sorrento and Corsica for us were the best stops, sadly disappointed with Scisily as we found the area, rather dirty and uninspiring. I refuse to end on a negative, THANK YOU to all the Marella Dream staff for making our holiday so special. We will definitely be seeing you again. Read Less

Th valve of money is incredible, 5 start cruise for the money your paying. This is my 4th time on the dream and I’ve already booked my 5th time. Always the best service and such caring staff. We eat in the sit down restaurant every night and the food was impeccable every night and had something for everything and if someone part of our group didn’t like something on the menu the staff tried to get something for us, even when we didn’t ask for it! The shore excursions are really factual and some of the experiences I’ve ever had. The tour companies which Marella use all the staff are very good and passionate at there job. The ship is well set out and has plenty of areas for everyone and everything. At night it has so much different entertainment it honestly has something for everyone. The shows are well made and well played out, the entrainment staff are really good and the shows are to. Read Less

Ship was really tired. Toilets smelly. Kept getting blocked. As we are over 4ft tall using the shower was a nightmare. No control over passengers hitting their kids and arguing amongst themselves. Large families kicking off. Drunk, and I mean plastered, men threatening to get their bits out in front of everybody. Security were a joke. Taken to see Captain Alan on more than one occasion but nothing done. Entertainment was a bit Hi Di Hi. There was one singer who was exceptional who worked in the bars. The shows were dreadful. On the plus side our cabin was clean and the person looking after it was so good. The bar staff were great. Food in the fine dining restaurant was superb. The crew could not do enough for you. Enjoyed Sorrento and Rome particularly. Easy with suitcases and getting on and off. A lot of money for a very old ship. Have tried to complain a bit but Tui don’t acknowledge anything for at least 28 days which shows how many complaints they must have. Read Less

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

The transfers from start to finish, were smooth.We even were allowed to move cabin and stay on later on the last day, to save us having to wait at the airport for hours for our flight.This cost £35 per person and was well worth it. This was the best cruise I have been on.I liked that it was much smaller ship and that it was older.The staff are lovely and can't do enough for you.The food was good and plenty of choice.The cabin was spotless and the lad that did for us, Lewis, deserves a special mention, for being so good at his job and going out of his way to help us when ever he could. The ship was clean and tidy and as it's an older ship yes some of the toilets could have a bit of a whiff about them at times.However given the amount of people they serve I think that can be expected , on a whole though they to were spotless and clean. I really enjoyed it, and hope to go again next year. Read Less