Dream -just booked for next year - some initial questions!!

[SuzyPaulB]

Hi, we have just booked for next August (so excited already - I know, very sad!) This time we are going with my sister's family, who haven't cruised with Thomson, only P & O, but they are as excited as us! A few questions for those that have been recently - my brother in law is a dark rum drinker and is worried that the drinks package states "cruise choice" under rum, does anyone know if this includes dark rum?

Also, my son will be 14 so part of the teen vibe, does anyone have any experience of this?

Finally, we have booked back to back this time, do they have a two week rotation for the menus?

 

Thank you all in advance, I am sure this will be my favourite hangout for the next 15 months,

Suzy

[kruzseeka]

Hi, we have just booked for next August (so excited already - I know, very sad!) This time we are going with my sister's family, who haven't cruised with Thomson, only P & O, but they are as excited as us! A few questions for those that have been recently - my brother in law is a dark rum drinker and is worried that the drinks package states "cruise choice" under rum, does anyone know if this includes dark rum?

Also, my son will be 14 so part of the teen vibe, does anyone have any experience of this?

Finally, we have booked back to back this time, do they have a two week rotation for the menus?

 

Thank you all in advance, I am sure this will be my favourite hangout for the next 15 months,

Suzy

 

Hi Suzy, :)

 

Well you aren't alone getting excited long before your holiday - so many of us on here do - so join the club! :D

 

Sorry can't help with your rum and teenagers question but yes there is a two week menu - at least they ring the changes so it's not the same dishes week one and week two or the same combinations on the menu. They also have two week's worth of entertainment so you won't be sitting through the same shows each week - although there has been the odd repeat often on the first/change over day but in the main you can look forward to your second week offering you something different from the first.

 

Enjoy your planning. :) We love the Dream - see you have been on her before but hope the family enjoy it too. :)

[Aurionno1]

Hi Suzy. We have also booked the dream for next August, departing on the 9th for 2 weeks. I am very excited too. This site has lots of invaluable advice and tips, there is always someone who can help. What deck are you on? We have booked inside on deck 5. Happy cruising.

[Scarey Mary]

Hi Suzy

I can help you with the rum. We are rum drinkers:):). There is a house dark rum which is ok or you can pay a supplement and get Captain Morgans.

 

Mary

[geomagot]

on the teens, yep they run a teens club in school holidays

 

the teens on board very quickly gravitate together (mostly in the late night disco) and hang about (in the 4 corners of the ship) doing whatever teens do??....the teens club put on movie nights/nintendo tournaments/pyjama parties etc

 

there are hosted deck games during the day, teens lunch etc

 

and I have noticed a lot of older teens like to dress up in the evenings and dine out together in the main dining room.... (well our teens do anyway)

 

hope this helps

[SuzyPaulB]

Hi Suzy. We have also booked the dream for next August, departing on the 9th for 2 weeks. I am very excited too. This site has lots of invaluable advice and tips, there is always someone who can help. What deck are you on? We have booked inside on deck 5. Happy cruising.

 

Hi, we are booked on from 2/8 in outside plus on deck 6. So glad someone else is as excited as us!!

 

Thank you to everyone who has replied. I am so sad have got hubby to get all previous Thomson cruise stuff down so I can reread the daily newspapers!

 

Suzy

[Aurionno1]

That is the sort of thing I do! :) . Looking forward to the Moorish delights as they are all new ports for us. Any tips :)

[SuzyPaulB]

Morning! We have been to Gibralter, Cadiz and Cartegena before. Obviously the rock at Gib, we have picked up taxis outside the port who have done us a deal to the top, (sorry useless at remembering cost) as well as booked tours on board. Would have to say we prefer DIY, you can get dropped into town afterwards or goto the caves. We have diy'ed the other two ports and think they are both wonderful, but didn't arrange to see anything specific. Although we were unable to get into Cartegena once due to "inclement weather!" Much earlier in the year though, I'm sure August will be lovely! Moorish delights is a lovely itinery. We loved the flexibility of fly cruise you lose 3 days each way from Southampton!

Suzy

[Aurionno1]

Happy bank holiday! Hope you have got sunshine. Thanks for the reply always good to have other people's ideas. I am sure all of the ports will be good. We have been to the Mediterranean before on the Island escape (x2) always been fantastic. Favourite ones are Rome, proprianna, Toulon, Barcelona and villfranche for Monaco we like F1 . We have never sailed from Southampton, it is a long way from us, in north Yorkshire. :)

[SuzyPaulB]

Hello again, we have lovely weather hope you do too? We love the med and don't mind where we stop although Livorno next year will definately be a trip to Florence as have wanted to go forever! Have a really bad confession to make - in 2011 on the Dream we had such a fantastic time we only got off once - in Corsica - we really needed a restful holiday and we got one with beautiful views!!

Have a fab day,

Suzy

[k8ti]

I can help with the rum. Our friends have just returned and he is a rum drinker. The captain Morgan's was available but he also said the a.i rum was good.

[Julessmiles]

Hi Suzy. We have also booked the dream for next August, departing on the 9th for 2 weeks. I am very excited too. This site has lots of invaluable advice and tips, there is always someone who can help. What deck are you on? We have booked inside on deck 5. Happy cruising.

 

 

Hello Aurionno1 & SuzyPaul

 

We have booked for the Dream too - going 9th August for 2 weeks - there are 4 of us including 2 teens.( My son will also be 14 by then) Not been on the Dream before but have been on the Spirit & Celebration so will be nice to try another ship & also never done Western Med so will all be new to us :).

[Little Nell]

Hello Aurionno1 & SuzyPaul

 

We have booked for the Dream too - going 9th August for 2 weeks - there are 4 of us including 2 teens.( My son will also be 14 by then) Not been on the Dream before but have been on the Spirit & Celebration so will be nice to try another ship & also never done Western Med so will all be new to us :).

 

I didn't realize you were going on the Dream this year, Jules. Have you just booked or have I not been paying attention :confused:

[Julessmiles]

I didn't realize you were going on the Dream this year, Jules. Have you just booked or have I not been paying attention :confused:

 

Going next year Little Nell; doing the Celebration this year first :) We booked it the day the brochures went on sale; got a very good deal thanks to Scarey Mary mentioning which agent she had spoken to. I haven't mentioned it until now so you haven't missed anything lol! x :p

[kruzseeka]

Going next year Little Nell; doing the Celebration this year first :) We booked it the day the brochures went on sale; got a very good deal thanks to Scarey Mary mentioning which agent she had spoken to. I haven't mentioned it until now so you haven't missed anything lol! x :p

 

 

Good for you Jules! :) Lots to look forward to - new ship, new destinations - lots of planning and excitement! Enjoy the anticipation! ;)

[Aurionno1]

Hi julessmiles and everybody else. Glad I aren't the only one to book well in advance:D I love all the planning and getting excited. We are going to Florida this year but I think I am more excited about the cruise next year. One cruise is never enough. :)

[Aurionno1]

Forgot to ask julessmiles, how old will your teen's be? My daughter will turn turn 19 on the day we leave the ship and my and my son will be 17. They say they will come as long as mum and dad offer to pay :eek:

[pjs2003]

Hi all,

 

New to this forum. Booked the Dream for 2014, leaving Palma on 2 Aug for 2 weeks. This will be our first attempt at a cruise, having spent the past 8 or so years enjoying an annual 2 weeks AI holiday in the sun (Cyprus, Tunisia, Egypt etc).

 

The 'in laws' are hardened 'cruisers' and after listening to the stories decided to take the plunge. Already got a 2 week AI hol in Cyprus booked for this summer, so booked a cruise for 2014. Initially looked at booking one of Thomson's 'Island Cruise' ships, as they are AI, however the Travel Agent did us a deal on the Dream and threw in 2 weeks AI drinks package, and she did say the 'Dream' was one of the better ships.

 

Seem happy so far with what I have read and heard from other 'cruisers', I will be travelling with my Mrs, and 2 sons (who will be 16 and 14). Not sure how the lads will enjoy it as they are used to lots going on with previous holidays and enjoy spending most days in the pool, but they are looking forward to a more 'cultural' holiday, visiting different places and seeing different sites.

 

Providing my youngest can find something to eat (as he is a mega fussy eater it's unreal) it should be a good holiday, at times on holiday he lives on chips and melon!!

 

Is it better to book the excursions on Thomson's website in advance, or book with the locals when you disembark?

 

Regards to all - is it Aug 2014 yet?

 

Paul

[Julessmiles]

Good for you Jules! :) Lots to look forward to - new ship, new destinations - lots of planning and excitement! Enjoy the anticipation! ;)

 

Already started making notes lol! The advantage of booking so far ahead is that we can gather information from all those coming back this year ;)

[Julessmiles]

Forgot to ask julessmiles, how old will your teen's be? My daughter will turn turn 19 on the day we leave the ship and my and my son will be 17. They say they will come as long as mum and dad offer to pay :eek:

 

My daughter will be 17 (almost 18) and my son will be 14 :). All the cruises we have been on have been great for our teens; my daughter (as she is older & more outgoing!) has always met up with other teens onboard & really enjoyed each other's company & had a really sociable time in the evenings with them all.

 

Have you done any of the of the other ships other than the IE?

[Aurionno1]

Thanks little Nell for posting the pics, and same to krus seeka for taking them in the first place. Everything looks great more excited now than ever. In the past on the Island escape, we just booked the excursions when we got on board knowing in advance which ones we wanted. Also went to the on board excursions presentation.

[Julessmiles]

Hi all,

 

New to this forum. Booked the Dream for 2014, leaving Palma on 2 Aug for 2 weeks. This will be our first attempt at a cruise, having spent the past 8 or so years enjoying an annual 2 weeks AI holiday in the sun (Cyprus, Tunisia, Egypt etc).

 

The 'in laws' are hardened 'cruisers' and after listening to the stories decided to take the plunge. Already got a 2 week AI hol in Cyprus booked for this summer, so booked a cruise for 2014. Initially looked at booking one of Thomson's 'Island Cruise' ships, as they are AI, however the Travel Agent did us a deal on the Dream and threw in 2 weeks AI drinks package, and she did say the 'Dream' was one of the better ships.

 

Seem happy so far with what I have read and heard from other 'cruisers', I will be travelling with my Mrs, and 2 sons (who will be 16 and 14). Not sure how the lads will enjoy it as they are used to lots going on with previous holidays and enjoy spending most days in the pool, but they are looking forward to a more 'cultural' holiday, visiting different places and seeing different sites.

 

Providing my youngest can find something to eat (as he is a mega fussy eater it's unreal) it should be a good holiday, at times on holiday he lives on chips and melon!!

 

Is it better to book the excursions on Thomson's website in advance, or book with the locals when you disembark?

 

Regards to all - is it Aug 2014 yet?

 

Paul

 

Your sons will love it, Paul - there is so much to see & do. We do a bit of both -DIY & pre-book trips although I think a lot of the W. Med is very easy to DIY from what I have read already!!

 

My kids will eat anything but there are always burgers & chips etc on the Lido self-service restaurants & in the main dining room, they are very good at looking after you - I'm sure they will find your son something to eat & there is always loads of melon at breakfast on the Thomson cruises lol!

[Aurionno1]

No, we have only been on the IE twice before, always had a fantastic time just fancied a change.

[Julessmiles]

No, we have only been on the IE twice before, always had a fantastic time just fancied a change.

 

Haven't been on the IE but I am sure you will love the Thomson ships - they're great & the formal nights are lovely too and worth doing :)

[Aurionno1]

Don't really know if the formal nights are us. How dressed up do you have to be? Do we need cocktail dress and dinner jackets? :eek: