GOQ

Looking at the plans that would be deck 9 which seems to show that a walk is interrupted by the Lido Bar and Grill. Assume I will need to walk: Deck - through Lido Bar - Lido Deck - through Lido Grill - Deck.

Thanks, got the picture, shall have fun.

As a widower I suppose the reason I keep returning to Thomson/Marella is because it is familiar, comfortable, most cruises are from my local airport (or Gatwick), it’s a package so I just have to get to the airport then relax.  And, when it works, they introduce solo travelers to each other, so it’s not quite so lonely.

However it’s not perfect, sometimes the food is off, the service can be bad and problems occur.

But until I can gain a bit more confidence and try a different cruise line every 4 months, I can’t complain too much.

When on a cruise I like to get up early and walk a mile around the deck before breakfast. Both  Discovery 2 and Explorer have running/walking tracks on the top deck. I can’t tell from the plans of the Dream if there is any way to walk in circuits on the Dream without climbing stairs.

I will be doing my first Marella Dream cruise next month, so any advice appreciated.

I am looking forward to the Casablanca visit on the Spirit of Iberia cruise next year. Any advice.

Yes I did think about that after I had posted the message. They would have to transport the casks, store them and, as you say, the problem of the moving ship.

Still if it's more than just a few cans of OSH it might be worth it.

I have seen it reported in several places, including the CC review, that Explorer 2 will be serving Craft Beers (assume real ales, cask beer). 

I might guess that if true these would be "Extra" i.e. Premium AI. 

Can anyone confirm this, I am booked on the Explorer 2 this July so would upgrade for "Real Beer"

Sorry, don't be put off by that comment, I did enjoy the Explorer cruise.

In the past couple of years I have cruised on  Majesty x2, Discovery x3 and for me they were a better experience than Explorer. However Explorer is a new (Marella) ship with new inexperienced staff, some were bumbling around a bit. It is a nice ship but the food and service needs a bit of improvement, hopefully it will improve. Another point, for me entirely subjective, Explorer was a bit too big and impersonal I preferred Discovery 2. My next cruise is on Dream a smaller older ship. I have booked another on Explorer, just for the itinerary, so if it were that bad I would not be cruising on it again. Please don't be put off by my comment, just subjective. 

Added, A nice touch,which the other don't have, is a proper Cinema.

I have booked this cruise for July. If no one else reports back then I will post a comment/review in July.  Hope the Explorer 2 is better than the Explorer.

Never been to Italy before so will definitely be booking the Rome tour.

It's a bit the same from Cardiff, only 3 or 4 flights to the Caribbean over the winter months and the Canaries of course. However it's easy for me to get to Gatwick.

Dream has cruises from March 2020 in the western Med/Portugal from Cardiff, so that is another option for me in the winter months, so have booked Spirit of Iberia for April 2020. Do you have that same option ?

I have been on 6 Marella cruises in the past 2 years so am familiar with the online booking system and do notice prices can change from week to week.

I decided to book a cruise on the Explorer to the Canaries next Jan/Feb so searched for a single cabin over that 4 week period. As you know the search returns the lowest price, usually

for an inside cabin, then you need to select the cruise date and choose options to find the outside cabin supplement.

Besides a variation in the outside cabin price from week to week the search returned an outside supplement on consecutive weeks of +£72, +£0,+£78,+£82, so cost goes sideways as well. Decided on the £0 date. So I went back next day to book, finding the inside cost £5 lower and the outside supplement now +£5, so same price. I booked the cruise then received the email receipt to find I had been charged for the outside cabin but allocated an inside cabin.

I phoned Marella, the response was pretty quick and the lady quite efficient. In that 10 minutes the outside cabin price had dropped £20, so she allocated me the outside cabin at that lower price.

Seems a bit of a lottery what price you might pay.