Recent Reviews

[Sailaway487]

Just been reading the other site without the 'critic'. The most recent reviews for Thomson Dream haven't been good at all. Complaints about the AI changes (no surprise there), that the ship looks tired and exhausted despite its supposed 'Platinum' refurb, many complaints of food being tasteless and cold and complaints that staff were being rude, unhelpful and very slow service. There was one review comparing a Red Sea Magic cruise from this year to one in 2009, and the difference in standards.

 

One review was by someone who had taken 40 Thomson cruises. Shows to me that cost-cutting is really having a huge effect now, if even regulars are seeing that there beloved cruise line has changed for the worse.

 

I've certainly noticed cost-cutting in the past few years, but it seems that things have now started to go too far. With a lot of repeat customers, that seem to be getting annoyed, things will have to change rather swiftly. Please listen Thomson as I don't want to find another cruise line as I have enjoyed all my cruises with you, but it seems that cost-cutting is now more important...

 

AI debacle, very disappointing 'Platinum' refurb, extra costs, decreasing baggage allowance, poor food quality... Lets hope things will change. :)

[Jim The Scot]

Sailaway

 

Not for one minute saying the reviews are not true but there is lot of trolls on that other site

[geomagot]

Please listen Thomson as I don't want to find another cruise line as I have enjoyed all my cruises with you, but it seems that cost-cutting is now more important...

 

AI debacle, very disappointing 'Platinum' refurb, extra costs, decreasing baggage allowance, poor food quality... Lets hope things will change. :)

 

sadly, I agree with you ....am also (tentatively) looking at other options/cruise lines

 

I too noticed the slow service.....I was hoping it was just me

[Sailaway487]

Sailaway

 

Not for one minute saying the reviews are not true but there is lot of trolls on that other site

 

Very true! I mean we've dealt with enough of them on here! :D

[Sailaway487]

sadly, I agree with you ....am also (tentatively) looking at other options/cruise lines

 

I too noticed the slow service.....I was hoping it was just me

 

Thomson have never been perfect, but neither is any other cruise line. There will always be little niggles here and there, but the standard of the rest of the cruise most certainly outweighs this. It just seems that recently things seem to be changing because of costs, or very hyped improvements have left us with a lot of disappointment.

 

I think the thing I've noticed the most recently that is the most worrying is that it is regulars that have started to feel a little disappointed, something that isn't heard of as much in the Thomson world. :(

[joeholiday2]

The latest reviews on this site are a lot better, except for one:confused:

 

Nice to know that Manny is still waiting on in the Orion, he looked after us so well last time.

[geomagot]

Thomson have never been perfect, but neither is any other cruise line. There will always be little niggles here and there, but the standard of the rest of the cruise most certainly outweighs this. It just seems that recently things seem to be changing because of costs, or very hyped improvements have left us with a lot of disappointment.

 

I think the thing I've noticed the most recently that is the most worrying is that it is regulars that have started to feel a little disappointed, something that isn't heard of as much in the Thomson world. :(

 

yup...i dont expect perfection....i always try to make the most of it...try to not look atthe failings too much...focus on the good things

 

and there are some things that are done well

 

but

 

recently, on the dream, there are becoming more and more little niggling issues that are becoming difficult not focus too much on:(

 

a couple of cruises ago I would have just mentioned the dreadful coffee and the random lifts and left it at that (well....maybe the midnight fire, the exploding steam pipes and leaking sewage....but thats history)

 

the ship is still puttering along: indifferent aircon, random lifts always one out of order, floods, odd smells, the constant soot from the funnel on the lido deck, smoke in the corridors

 

coupled with nothing much being done about the sunbed war

 

the lack of evening entertainment on deck (in the caribbean when evenings are perfect for being outside!?) people sit around reading/knitting/inspecting the insides of their eyelids! for want of nothing else to do

 

the running out of things at the bar, juices, cider, plus other things in the restaurants, crackers, salt sachets.....

 

no decent fruit! in the caribbean.....why? is this? its the land of fruit?....no mangoes, no bananas? just melon melon and more melon

 

the endless greasy instant-whip puddings everyday, the endless flavoured stodgy sponge in custard everyday

 

the lack of atmosphere in the lounges in the evening (medusa is too big, tables are spaced to far apart, it is too well lit and suffers from relentless thru traffic)

 

hosts struggle to engage (people are spread all around the room) there’s no cosy corners or places for groups to get together, you don’t feel you can engage with neighbouring tables, they are across the isle and people are forever trudging on thru on their way anywhere else?

 

when the band plays, maybe one person will get up and dance under those megawatt lights over the dance floor?

 

when the band has finished there will be a few claps followed by everyone leaving........its no bounty club/liberties

 

bar service daytimes is (virtually) non existent you have to go the bars yourselves and queue for ages, same in medusa in the evenings only a tiny space at the bar to queue up at

 

no waiter service in the casino...if you can get in there at all now that its so small

 

service in the orion slow, waiters overstretched, only 2 wine waiters in the entire restaurant, water isn’t iced, quite often there’s not enough cutlery or they serve you the wrong order, unpolished wine glasses....waiters seemed subdued (or something? I just couldn’t put my finger on it?)

 

the ghaaagh! house wine

 

beer on deck in the daytimes is often warm/flat so are cans of coke...always running out of ice and having to go off for ages mid order to go find some?

 

still no proper buffet lines in the (always busy) nosebag station....I mean lido

 

argo/ocean lounge....i've seen more life in a bucket of tramps vests

 

it really does break my heart to have to say all of this but it sadly is the sad truth....sadly

 

I really hope it doesn’t get any worse.....maybe I was just there at a bad time??

[gizzie4]

yup...i dont expect perfection....i always try to make the most of it...try to not look atthe failings too much...focus on the good things

 

and there are some things that are done well

 

but

 

recently, on the dream, there are becoming more and more little niggling issues that are becoming difficult not focus too much on:(

 

a couple of cruises ago I would have just mentioned the dreadful coffee and the random lifts and left it at that (well....maybe the midnight fire, the exploding steam pipes and leaking sewage....but thats history)

 

the ship is still puttering along: indifferent aircon, random lifts always one out of order, floods, odd smells, the constant soot from the funnel on the lido deck, smoke in the corridors

 

coupled with nothing much being done about the sunbed war

 

the lack of evening entertainment on deck (in the caribbean when evenings are perfect for being outside!?) people sit around reading/knitting/inspecting the insides of their eyelids! for want of nothing else to do

 

the running out of things at the bar, juices, cider, plus other things in the restaurants, crackers, salt sachets.....

 

no decent fruit! in the caribbean.....why? is this? its the land of fruit?....no mangoes, no bananas? just melon melon and more melon

 

the endless greasy instant-whip puddings everyday, the endless flavoured stodgy sponge in custard everyday

 

the lack of atmosphere in the lounges in the evening (medusa is too big, tables are spaced to far apart, it is too well lit and suffers from relentless thru traffic)

 

hosts struggle to engage (people are spread all around the room) there’s no cosy corners or places for groups to get together, you don’t feel you can engage with neighbouring tables, they are across the isle and people are forever trudging on thru on their way anywhere else?

 

when the band plays, maybe one person will get up and dance under those megawatt lights over the dance floor?

 

when the band has finished there will be a few claps followed by everyone leaving........its no bounty club/liberties

 

bar service daytimes is (virtually) non existent you have to go the bars yourselves and queue for ages, same in medusa in the evenings only a tiny space at the bar to queue up at

 

no waiter service in the casino...if you can get in there at all now that its so small

 

service in the orion slow, waiters overstretched, only 2 wine waiters in the entire restaurant, water isn’t iced, quite often there’s not enough cutlery or they serve you the wrong order, unpolished wine glasses....waiters seemed subdued (or something? I just couldn’t put my finger on it?)

 

the ghaaagh! house wine

 

beer on deck in the daytimes is often warm/flat so are cans of coke...always running out of ice and having to go off for ages mid order to go find some?

 

still no proper buffet lines in the (always busy) nosebag station....I mean lido

 

argo/ocean lounge....i've seen more life in a bucket of tramps vests

 

it really does break my heart to have to say all of this but it sadly is the sa we could get pretty bored if there is nothing to do on deck but sit around. :(

[gizzie4]

Dont know what happened there, Geo. Seems it didn't paste my quote, just copied your post. Really enjoyed our time on the Celebration and thought with this being Caribbean, that the atmosphere would be really good. I hope the food isn't cold, i eat most things, but cannot stand lukewarm food.

 

Beginning to wish we hadn't booked it now as it sounds as though this may not be for us.

 

loved the entertainment on deck on the Celebration, was lovely to sit outside on a warm evening and be entertained. Didn't realise they don't do much on the Dream, guess we didn't do our homework. :(

[gizzie4]

I hope that Thomson take note of these bad points, such a shame when there are so many nice things about it. A lot of/ these things could be put right with the minimum of effort!

[skioncruises]

I hope that Thomson take note of these bad points, such a shame when there are so many nice things about it. A lot of/ these things could be put right with the minimum of effort!

 

Totally agree gizzie4. We're booked to do Atlantic Explorer (27 nights:eek:) on Dream in April 2014. Also have two booked for June and September. If June holiday proves to be a disaster the other two will be cancelled. After almost 25 years of cruising with Thomson we will take our custom elsewhere.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

yup...i dont expect perfection....i always try to make the most of it...try to not look atthe failings too much...focus on the good things

 

and there are some things that are done well

 

but

 

recently, on the dream, there are becoming more and more little niggling issues that are becoming difficult not focus too much on:(

 

a couple of cruises ago I would have just mentioned the dreadful coffee and the random lifts and left it at that (well....maybe the midnight fire, the exploding steam pipes and leaking sewage....but thats history)

 

the ship is still puttering along: indifferent aircon, random lifts always one out of order, floods, odd smells, the constant soot from the funnel on the lido deck, smoke in the corridors

 

coupled with nothing much being done about the sunbed war

 

the lack of evening entertainment on deck (in the caribbean when evenings are perfect for being outside!?) people sit around reading/knitting/inspecting the insides of their eyelids! for want of nothing else to do

 

the running out of things at the bar, juices, cider, plus other things in the restaurants, crackers, salt sachets.....

 

no decent fruit! in the caribbean.....why? is this? its the land of fruit?....no mangoes, no bananas? just melon melon and more melon

 

the endless greasy instant-whip puddings everyday, the endless flavoured stodgy sponge in custard everyday

 

the lack of atmosphere in the lounges in the evening (medusa is too big, tables are spaced to far apart, it is too well lit and suffers from relentless thru traffic)

 

hosts struggle to engage (people are spread all around the room) there’s no cosy corners or places for groups to get together, you don’t feel you can engage with neighbouring tables, they are across the isle and people are forever trudging on thru on their way anywhere else?

 

when the band plays, maybe one person will get up and dance under those megawatt lights over the dance floor?

 

when the band has finished there will be a few claps followed by everyone leaving........its no bounty club/liberties

 

bar service daytimes is (virtually) non existent you have to go the bars yourselves and queue for ages, same in medusa in the evenings only a tiny space at the bar to queue up at

 

no waiter service in the casino...if you can get in there at all now that its so small

 

service in the orion slow, waiters overstretched, only 2 wine waiters in the entire restaurant, water isn’t iced, quite often there’s not enough cutlery or they serve you the wrong order, unpolished wine glasses....waiters seemed subdued (or something? I just couldn’t put my finger on it?)

 

the ghaaagh! house wine

 

beer on deck in the daytimes is often warm/flat so are cans of coke...always running out of ice and having to go off for ages mid order to go find some?

 

still no proper buffet lines in the (always busy) nosebag station....I mean lido

 

argo/ocean lounge....i've seen more life in a bucket of tramps vests

 

it really does break my heart to have to say all of this but it sadly is the sad truth....sadly

 

I really hope it doesn’t get any worse.....maybe I was just there at a bad time??

But, you did go back for another week after Christmas didn't you? So couldn't have been that bad then? :rolleyes::D

[CRUISIN LINDA]

 

Beginning to wish we hadn't booked it now as it sounds as though this may not be for us.

 

loved the entertainment on deck on the Celebration, was lovely to sit outside on a warm evening and be entertained. Didn't realise they don't do much on the Dream, guess we didn't do our homework. :(

Don't worry, everyone has different views on holidays. We are off on the Majesty on Friday. Very mixed views, but we like to make our own mind up. We are also booked on the Dream in April (3rd time) so again, we shall see when we get there.

 

I think we are all very privileged to be able to go on these holidays. I'm sure, as a child holidaying at Hayling Island every year in old wartime huts, I never could have imagined the places I would visit in later life :)

[Dreamgirl1957]

Crumbs, does not sound good.

 

I'm afraid we are not in the bracket where the price of a cruise is easily found. We have to save and save for ours. Count down to it for a year ( or eighteen months in this case)

I will be so very disappointed if things on the Dream are as bad as most of those reviews say they are.

 

Think Thomsons really need to take note of all the reviews both on this site and the others.

 

Geomagot seems to have summed it all up brilliantly and sadly highlighted many issues needing attention, and needing it NOW , NOT IN WEEKS OR MONTHS when there are hundreds or more disgruntled customers all fleeing to P&O and Fred Olsen.

 

PLEASE THOMSONS read these posts and don't just take note take action.

 

I hope the people at the" top" FE included are reading all this and not just "the team " ( no offence meant ) as i said on another similar thread, the people who have some clout should be reading these posts and doing something quick before the complaints come streaming in as they surely will.

 

Think of the thousands of new and past customers who have booked because of the big Platinum fanfare, they are expecting something they will not get. This coupled with all the other issues will make for some very unhappy cruisers! :(

 

Thomsons have the chance to put this right early on, sharpen things up, listen to the paying customers and act on what they think is lacking or not working.

 

Things as simple to looking at the lighting /atmosphere is the Medusa lounge, the service in the restaurants, the puddings etc etc are all things so easy to fix. If these simple things are put right then maybe the " not so full on " makeover will be forgiven when everything else is first rate.;)

[topsey130]

I'm getting a little jittery now about The Dream, we enjoyed our cruise on her even though there were one or two elements that neede a little attention, but thourght this upgrade would resolve them and make further improvements, seems not to be the case.

 

I think I will have to ride the storm on this one and hope that it does improve, as our October cruise will be with my daughter and Grandosn No. 1 and Grandson No. 2 who will be just touching 6 months on date of sailing (if he arrives on time) I have had a look at P & O to see if we should cut our losses and rebook with them but they only accept Children over 6 months. Will trawl round the others to see what age restrictions they have. Need a back up plan just in case:)

 

I hope the problem is not fleet wide as there are lots of itineraries I would like to do with Thomson but not at any cost.

[Dreamgirl1957]

I'm getting a little jittery now about The Dream, we enjoyed our cruise on her even though there were one or two elements that neede a little attention, but thourght this upgrade would resolve them and make further improvements, seems not to be the case.

 

I think I will have to ride the storm on this one and hope that it does improve, as our October cruise will be with my daughter and Grandosn No. 1 and Grandson No. 2 who will be just touching 6 months on date of sailing (if he arrives on time) I have had a look at P & O to see if we should cut our losses and rebook with them but they only accept Children over 6 months. Will trawl round the others to see what age restrictions they have. Need a back up plan just in case:)

 

I hope the problem is not fleet wide as there are lots of itineraries I would like to do with Thomson but not at any cost.

 

Quite agree Topsey , we were awake into the small hours mulling over the same thing. ( Poor DH as he has to be up at 5 for work !)

 

If Thomsons were the cheaper option you would forgive slow service and the many other issues too numerous to mention that are being reported back on by reviewers on the many sites and posts on here but it is not the cheap option any more.

 

There are two or three P&O and Fred Olsen's we could do around the same date we are booked on the Dream that are currently working out cheaper (much cheaper in one case!) or about the same for 12 night approx (one is a 14 night cruise) as opposed to our Cruise & Stay with Thomsons so all sounding very appealing! To be frank we spend so long saving and looking forward to one cruise a year / eighteen months it needs to be good.

We are easy going people, we do not look for things to complain about at all and like true brits make the most of things when they are not 100%.

However......

the fact is that now Thomsons know about all these pionts that are being raised that could easily take the shine off your holiday and if they choose to do nothing about them it says a lot and we like many will vote with our wallets and move on.

This will only be our 4th cruise so still new to all this but once we start to dip our toe in and try the other brands ( we have once already) will we and all the others that are not happy come back .....:confused:

 

I havnt looked further than that at the moment but will over the next few weeks.

We will wait it out a little longer but would like to know Thomsons are sorting this lot out before i pay my final balance!

All such a shame as up until these last couple of weeks we have been so looking forward to it but the niggles and worries are growing the more i read :(

[barnowl1950]

Don't worry, everyone has different views on holidays. We are off on the Majesty on Friday. Very mixed views, but we like to make our own mind up. We are also booked on the Dream in April (3rd time) so again, we shall see when we get there.

 

I think we are all very privileged to be able to go on these holidays. I'm sure, as a child holidaying at Hayling Island every year in old wartime huts, I never could have imagined the places I would visit in later life :)

 

Hi Linda,

My first experience of travelling was a day trip by coach to Blackpool age 16 in the 60s, before that our family visited the zoo 6 miles away once a year. Made up for it since have travelled extensively - but only one cruise+a Nile cruise - also IE in 11 weeks. Our parents never even imagined going to another country (other than my fathers years in war) it wasn't the way of life for most people.

 

Have a really lovely holiday next week :)

 

Carole

[geomagot]

Beginning to wish we hadn't booked it now as it sounds as though this may not be for us.

 

They are little niggles really gizzie....dont let me put you off:o

 

there is still much to like about the dream, we were there at new year and it was sailing at capacity.....the little failings just started to add up a bit (in my head)

 

it was still enjoyable overall....we just had to try a little bit harder than usual to make the most of it

[Jim The Scot]

Geomagot seems to have summed it all up brilliantly ;)

 

Only in there opinion Dreamgirl

 

If I had taken heed of the reviews prior to my first cruise on the Dream some three years ago I would have cancelled.I didn`t and glad I didn`t and now on my fourth.If you look for faults/negatives you`ll find them like you will on most holidays. Go with an open mind and enjoy.

 

Maybe I`m more easily pleased than geo

 

As someone on here has said before,take the best review and worst review and it`ll be somwhere in between

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Only in there opinion Dreamgirl

 

If I had taken heed of the reviews prior to my first cruise on the Dream some three years ago I would have cancelled.I didn`t and glad I didn`t and now on my fourth.If you look for faults/negatives you`ll find them like you will on most holidays. Go with an open mind and enjoy.

 

Maybe I`m more easily pleased than geo

 

As someone on here has said before,take the best review and worst review and it`ll be somwhere in between

 

Well said Jim! I'm on her in April, so will give a review when I get back:)

[geomagot]

sorry....same for Dreamgirl & Topsey

 

dont let me put you off

 

there is still lots to enjoy

 

they are small things really on their own nothing serious...I think we were there at a bad time...ship was full....crew were clearly struggling with demand...seemed overstretched....some were quite surly? (overworked probably?) they kept running out of things

 

it was a series of niggles that you could easily disregard if they came one at a time

 

don’t forget…I had family in tow so everything was magnified X 5

 

dont worry, go and enjoy

[Julessmiles]

Well said Jim! I'm on her in April, so will give a review when I get back:)

 

And isn't Kruzseeka on her now - we will certainly get some feedback from her when she returns :)

[sodafountain]

sorry....same for Dreamgirl & Topsey

 

dont let me put you off

 

there is still lots to enjoy

 

they are small things really on their own nothing serious...I think we were there at a bad time...ship was full....crew were clearly struggling with demand...seemed overstretched....some were quite surly? (overworked probably?) they kept running out of things

 

it was a series of niggles that you could easily disregard if they came one at a time

 

don’t forget…I had family in tow so everything was magnified X 5

 

dont worry, go and enjoy

 

Although, to play Devils Advocate, the reviews were (and still are) bad, including yours, so saying go ahead, you'll enjoy it, what if they don't, i don't think you, or ony of us, can make that decision for them?

 

At the end of the day, wherever i go, i read reviews, and as said, i ignore the best and worst ones. I will also count up how many good/bad there are in the first say 20 reviews, and good has to be about 80% over bad, or i just won't go.

 

I know it's all opinion, but i like to make a judgement based on others opinions, as at the end of the day, if you are only having 1 major holiday, you want to give yourself the best chance of it being right.

[Marieswede]

I haven't got a cruise booked at the moment but all this negativity puts me off a bit. On the other hand I don't know if there is a better alternative? I wouldn't go back on Princess so the other American cruise lines puts me off as well. I want as few sea days as possible as well.

I like the Thomsons itinerary's and we had the best of times on the Dream last year. Confused now....

[Dreamgirl1957]

Only in there opinion Dreamgirl

 

If I had taken heed of the reviews prior to my first cruise on the Dream some three years ago I would have cancelled.I didn`t and glad I didn`t and now on my fourth.If you look for faults/negatives you`ll find them like you will on most holidays. Go with an open mind and enjoy.

 

Maybe I`m more easily pleased than geo

 

As someone on here has said before,take the best review and worst review and it`ll be somwhere in between

 

Thanks Jim, sorry if i sounded like a real moaner. Lets hope its all ok , been so looking forward to it :)