Thomson Dream 6th July 2013. Treasures of the Mediterranean

[GlenLivet]

As a first time cruiser I went with an open mind (particularly after reading some of the Thomson cruise reviews), and have to say both my wife and I thought the cruise and itinerary were both excellent. We also enjoyed a 7 night stay at the Santa Lucia hotel in Palma Nova after the cruise, and the overall holiday represented very good value. Went all inclusive for the cruise (free drinks package on the ship due to booking about 12 months in advance) and hotel.

 

However the price of the drinks on board weren't too bad, so I don't think I would have paid the full price for the drinks package. The whole cruise and stay was very well organised and have to compliment Thomson's staff on how smoothly everything went. Having read about the norovirus issues onboard, I am glad to say neither of us had any problems of this nature, and as far as I am aware there were no incidents during our time on the ship.

 

The ship itself was very clean and the staff were always helpful and friendly.

 

Cabin

 

had an outside plus cabin (7109) on deck 7 which was ideally located (for us), in the middle of the ship. It was very spacious and quiet. However I think a standard cabin would have been quite adequate for our needs. The bed was the most comfortable I have ever had during a holiday.

 

Dining

 

mainly had dinner in the MDR which was very nice. Given the choice we preferred a table for two, but one evening we had to share a table and serving did not start until the table was full. As a result the entire meal took around two hours, as the waiters appeared to overlook us at times. It was not a problem and the other guests were good company.

 

Food was comparable to a 4 star hotel and good quality, but not particularly outstanding in my view. However we enjoyed all our meals and had no complaints.

 

Drinks

 

service was always prompt and the drinks were good quality and had consistent alcohol content in the cocktails etc.

 

Entertainment

 

absolutely brilliant and the performers were very accomplished indeed. Usually went to the first performance and never had any trouble finding a good seat. However after the show was over it was difficult finding a seat in the other entertainment areas, so had to be quick in leaving the theatre.

 

Excursions were all pre-booked online through Thomson and the tickets were delivered to our cabin. Would definitely use this method again.

 

Trapani

 

took the cable car excursion to 'Erice' and found it quite interesting. However felt it was over priced for what was provided. There was quite a bit of walking up steep cobblestone streets and a number of elderly passengers had quite a bit of difficulty keeping up with the tour guide, who walked at the pace of the majority.

 

Sorrento

 

did the 'Amalfi Drive' coach tour and it was absolutely brilliant. Our tour guide Fabrizio was very funny and broke into song every now and then. The Amalfi coast is of course stunning and we had a very enjoyable day. There was a small amount of gentle walking involved but nothing too strenuous.

 

Rome

 

opted for the 'Rome and the Colosseum' trip and it was very good, but as expected a long and tiring day. I also found one tour guide for around 50 passengers meant it was hard to hear everything she was saying. We were glad we experienced Rome but I do not think I would go back again for some time.

 

Calvi

 

went on the 'Corsican Old Village' coach tour and found it very good. During the trip there is a visit to a mountain village which has some steep steps but the views are stunning. Calvi is very picturesque and well worth a stroll around.

 

Palamos

 

did the 'Best of the Costa Brava' excursion and again found it very enjoyable and worth doing. During the trip we had lunch in Tossa De Mar and spent around an hour strolling around the town, which has a nice laid back feel to it.

 

In conclusion I would highly recommend the 'Treasures of the Med' itinerary and felt it represented excellent value. Overall Thomsons provided a very well organised package and the reps were always visible, both during the cruise excursions and at the hotel. The coach drivers were punctual and left and arrived back in good time. I do feel however the company should describe their excursions better in respect of the amount of walking involved for those with mobility difficulties. We are both active and keen walkers, but felt sorry for some of those who were experiencing difficulty in keeping up with the tour groups.

 

Overall we had a great first cruise with Thomson and I suppose the question is would we cruise with them again?

 

Most definitely!

 

:)

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Great review GlenLivet. You're hooked then, like the rest of us :D Bet you are looking at the brochures already :D

 

Glad to hear the norovirus has been conquered :)

 

I'm glad you enjoyed the Thomson trips (mostly;)) but now you are an experienced cruiser, you will be able to save money next time and try some DIY :D Kruzseeka is the expert in all things DIY :D

[GlenLivet]

CRUISIN LINDA

 

Hope you didn't mind me using your excellent review as a template for my first attempt (I have no idea why the text came out black instead of the normal blue!). As for my next trip, I am thinking about the Majesty and Adriatic Explorer for next year.

 

Now I know the set up, I will indeed undertake some independent exploring on my next cruise. Have to say I was happy with the peace of mind provided by the organised excursions though.

[campolady]

Great review - thank you so much.

 

We are doing the same itinerary on 26 October - can´t wait.

 

We too have booked the Amalfi Coast trip - really looking forward to that so lovely tor ead that you enjoyed it. Doing our own DIY trips everywhere else except Rome.

[kruzseeka]

Really pleased you had such a good first experience of cruising. Enjoy your research and planning for the next one. :)

[CRUISIN LINDA]

CRUISIN LINDA

 

Hope you didn't mind me using your excellent review as a template for my first attempt (I have no idea why the text came out black instead of the normal blue!). As for my next trip, I am thinking about the Majesty and Adriatic Explorer for next year.

 

Now I know the set up, I will indeed undertake some independent exploring on my next cruise. Have to say I was happy with the peace of mind provided by the organised excursions though.

Oh thankyou GlenLivet, very kind of you :o

 

I always prefer to read reviews that are broken up with headings and paragraphs. Some reviews are just lines and lines of text and a bit mindboggling :D

 

We usually do one or two trips from the ship. Some places are cheaper to do on your own and some are better done on an official trip. The first time we went to the Caribbean, we had an experienced cruiser with us and she gave us the confidence to get off the ship and do it ourselves, so when we went back we booked a couple of trips and did the rest ourselves. Sometimes, when you go back to a place it is nice to just wander round the town. In Guernsey we did an island tour the first time, then mooched around St Peterport the second :)

 

We did Adriatic on the Spirit and loved it. We also did Canaries on the Majesty and loved that too, So Adriatic and Maj - a perfect combination! Lots of info on here from those who have already done it :)