My Trans Atlantic

[GM0NJl]

My first time on the Dream, and I must say I like it. It has it's good and bad points, but overall the ship, food, staff were all great.

There was a few problems on deck 5, no water for a while, then brown water out of the taps. There was 2/3 flooded cabins on 5 as well, but they were sorted and guests moved.

 

The show team were a bit of a let down, they put in a lot of effort without pulling anything good together. Just OK.

On rip off is the bridge and engine room tour which priced at £60 per person.

Needless to say I did not do it.

 

A lot has been written about the Caribbean before so I will miss this bit out.

 

As we sailed towards Bermuda the weather Turned a bit colder.

Bermuda itself was wonderful, clean with friendly residents always willing to speak to you.

I booked a Island tour which I found very interesting, finding out a lot about the island and its people.

This is one island I would like to visit again.

On day two of the stay I visited the shops and historic parts of the Dockyard, again a pleasant morning.

 

As we approached Horta the weather got cold, and windy. Went for a scenic tour that was a pure rip off. £26 to go and see a caldera which when we got there it was covered in fog, it was then back down the same road to a hotel for tea and biscuits.

The biscuits were so hard I could not bight them, and the tea/coffee was out of a flask and luke warm.

The next port Pointa Delgada is a bigger Island so once again a scenic tour was taken, up to the top of a mountain to see a lake, but it was covered in fog and very cold. The rest of the tour was alright but nothing special.

Would I visit the Azores again? NO.

 

I have done a TA before and prefer the route across to Madeira, it is warmer.

 

Another report mentions the number of people with colds and chest infection, well I can vouch for the fact that the medical department was a busy place.

 

I was diagnosed with acute pneumonia when I thought it was just a small infection.

 

Sunday 27th. I spent four hours in the centre hooked up to a drip for saline, antibiotics and steroids.

Monday 28th. Two hours in the morning with drips for both antibiotics, steroids, oxygen and nebulizer.

This went on twice a day until The Friday before I left the ship.

If you have good insurance, great if not get a second mortgage.

 

My bill was £2866 which is in the hands of my insurance company hoping they pay up. If not that's the next cruise cancelled.

 

Even with this set back the cruise overall was good. I would do it again if they miss out the Azores.

 

I will try and post a photograph of the medical charges they have posted in the waiting room.

 

Ron

[GM0NJl]

[lovecruise22]

Sorry to hear you were ill Ron. There was a lot of it going around.

 

Totally agree with everything you have said, the engine room your was a rip off, refused to pay £60 for that!

 

We too weren't too fussed on Azores, they were ok but not wow.

 

Hope your feeling better now

[pressy]

Thanks for your review.

Think a few of you feel the same about the Azores

I hope you are feeling better and you was looked after on the ship.

[Little Nell]

Thanks very much for the interesting review.

 

I am sorry to hear you were so ill. I hope you have made a complete recovery.

[AzoresW]

Sorry to hear you were ill Ron. There was a lot of it going around.

 

Totally agree with everything you have said, the engine room your was a rip off, refused to pay £60 for that!

 

We too weren't too fussed on Azores, they were ok but not wow.

 

Hope your feeling better now

 

Sorry but you don´t really know what is the Azores. A little research helps....

[lovecruise22]

Sorry but you don´t really know what is the Azores. A little research helps....

 

 

Don't get what you mean? That is my opinion, I didn't say that they were horrible I just didn't enjoy them as much as done of the other ports

[AzoresW]

Don't get what you mean? That is my opinion, I didn't say that they were horrible I just didn't enjoy them as much as done of the other ports

 

The Azores are considered one of the best destinations in the world. So i am always surprised when someone says that they were ok and not WOW. What surprises me is people taking this excursions to mountains when they know they are foggy and then complain and say that will never visit again, because of a foggy mountain....

 

There are World Unesco places, Stunning scenery, whale watching, amazing products, etc....

 

Did you know that the most beautiful garden in the World is in the Azores ? Did you visit it ?

 

The place that was foggy

 

 

The Garden in Furnas, considered a paradise

 

and whales/dolphins

 

 

and this is only in one Island, in the other 8 you can see things like this

 

 

Nothing WOW...

[lovecruise22]

The Azores are considered one of the best destinations in the world. So i am always surprised when someone says that they were ok and not WOW. What surprises me is people taking this excursions to mountains when they know they are foggy and then complain and say that will never visit again, because of a foggy mountain....

 

There are World Unesco places, Stunning scenery, whale watching, amazing products, etc....

 

Did you know that the most beautiful garden in the World is in the Azores ? Did you visit it ?

 

The place that was foggy

 

 

The Garden in Furnas, considered a paradise

 

and whales/dolphins

 

 

and this is only in one Island, in the other 8 you can see things like this

 

 

Nothing WOW...

 

 

Like I said I'm entitled to my opinion....

[GM0NJl]

Yes, but when you have limited time on the islands,you can only see so much.

Great photos you posted but were they taken on the one day you were in port.

 

The Azores is the destination you have to spend a lot of time in, a few hours does nothing for it

It also helps if you are able bodied.

 

The day we were there it was cold, wind, foggy, I know this is not the fault of the ship, tour guides it is just a fact of life.

Would I go back even after looking at the photos?

NO I would not.

 

Ron

[Huddersfieldtourist]

The Dream will call at the Azores next year on its return to the Med but not going to Bermuda.

 

I guess the Azores could have been seen in a different light by many if the weather had been better and more time was spent there and many places were closed . A number of people were also a bit under the weather healthwise also which did little to encourage enjoyment of the location.

[Pee0305]

We also went on the scenic island tour at £26 each and were so disgusted that we complained bitterly to Destinations. They cancelled the following days tour in Ponta Delgada and refunded that trip but got nothing for the Horta trip. Perhaps they didn't want to risk anyone voicing their opinions again! I know that 5 or 6 couples complained.

The photos show a beautiful island and it would have been lovely to see them like this but first impressions count and I wouldn't be interested in visiting again based on our experience.

We knew that there were quite a few people down in the hospital. Sorry you were one of them Ron. Glad you're on the mend now and hope your insurance pays up.

[kruzseeka]

The Dream will call at the Azores next year on its return to the Med but not going to Bermuda.

 

I guess the Azores could have been seen in a different light by many if the weather had been better and more time was spent there and many places were closed . A number of people were also a bit under the weather healthwise also which did little to encourage enjoyment of the location.

 

 

And there's the rub. Circumstances, weather, health or the actual excursion - all manner of things can affect people's enjoyment of a port of call or even a cruise! Whatever the reasons - they are people's genuine opinions and thoughts on their experience. Others will have been to the Azores at a different time and found those beautiful views and really loved the Islands. I would definitely have enjoyed going to see the views in the pictures but sadly those on this cruise weren't so lucky with the weather.

 

What really gets me quite annoyed sometimes is when some will post that because you haven't enjoyed some aspect of your cruise or have something less positive to say that it is somehow your fault for not having a positive mind set! It's an implied criticism and side-swipe at those who have reported anything negative.

 

I'm sure none of us questioned lovecruise's determination to enjoy her holiday (including her visit to the Azores) - we know she went with a very positive mind-set but that bit just didn't live up to her expectations although she still had a great time. And that's the nature of a review! You say it as you find it. And you can still have a positive mind set even if you were a bit disappointed in some aspect of your cruise.

 

I think we just need to remember that everyone's experiences will differ and opinions will vary according to those experiences. So I think it's important that we respect and accept all shades of opinion. That's the beauty of a forum - you can get a sense of the pluses and minuses of ports of call, ships, food - whatever!!!! ;)

[lovecruise22]

Totally agree, I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy the Azores, they just wernt as pretty as I thought.

 

Problem was we had just come from beautiful Carribean which I love and as you said weather wasn't the best.

 

One thing I will say is I thought all the murals in the harbour in Horta was pretty.

 

Shame dream won't be going back to Bermuda as I thought that was lovely

 

:)

[CRUISIN LINDA]

We went to Ponta Delgada in October 2012 and we thought it was a beautiful island. We only had time for a half day trip as we did not arrive until lunchtime, but we thought the scenery was gorgeous. Perhaps we had better weather, but we loved it.

[kruzseeka]

We went to Ponta Delgada in October 2012 and we thought it was a beautiful island. We only had time for a half day trip as we did not arrive until lunchtime, but we thought the scenery was gorgeous. Perhaps we had better weather, but we loved it.

 

Looks stunning from the photos Linda - I'd love to go but it just goes to show how experiences can vary.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

A few of my pictures of the Azores :)

 

 

 

 

[AzoresW]

Looks stunning from the photos Linda - I'd love to go but it just goes to show how experiences can vary.

 

The problem that i have is someone saying that they would never visit a place again because of a foggy mountain or would only go if they skip theses ports. Is seems that someone assaulted her like happens so often in the Caribbean. This is the same think like visiting Paris, but only the suburbs, eating only fast food and then write a review and say that Paris is awful....

[AzoresW]

A few of my pictures of the Azores :)

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, the weather is always a very important factor. But some research is always needed....

 

I'am glad you enjoyed

 

I bet the majority of people don´t know that the Azores have the only tea plantation in Europe

 

There are so many things to do and see...That's why the major cruise lines stop here, even in the Winter and are adding more cruise calls, especially in the summer....

[GM0NJl]

The Azores no longer have the only tea plantation in Europe, Scotland has its own plantation in Perthshire.

 

I did my research before I visited the islands, tea plantation, pineapples, calderas, flowers, but ones perception of a place is always coloured by lots of factors.

Time of year, weather during visit, length of time to explore, choices of tours offered.

Places can be liked or disliked for different reasons, that does not mean the are bad or ugly, not all places suit every body.

 

Ron

[GM0NJl]

Medical charges

[happy v]

As stated everyones perceptions are different, we stayed in both of the ports and had beautiful weather and would love to go back and see more of the Islands. However given their position this should be on summer cruises and not in november as last year. BUT including them on the crossings is essential if you want to go whale watching. We saw Blue and Fin whales, the two largest animals on the planet, along with a host of dolphins. My husband thought he had died and gone to heaven.:rolleyes::D

[GM0NJl]

Medical centre prices.

[Ashby]

We also loved the Azores. The welcome we received when we docked in Horta with local foods and wine to sample was lovely. We enjoyed our walk around the town and over to a small bay near the old whaling station and sampled a type of latte and a portugese custard pie. We thougt the hand painted pictures on the wall of the marina were great. In the evening the couple in a cabin along from us stayed on deck until sunset and saw Whales ahead of the Ship. On research we realised that the mountains in the Azores were subject to cloud and booked the 7hour trip that included lots of villages,gardens,tea plantations,hot springs (where our lunch was cooked and then served by waitered service in a posh hotel) and amazing coastal scenery.We even walked through a village where the locals had carpeted the street with flowers for a holy day. The locals said the best time to visit was June so would fit a summer cruise better.We would love to try island hopping as some point. We really enjoyed all the ports of call but both my husband and I went down with the dreaded chest infection and this limited our ability to explore as we felt dreadful. (My husband is on his second dose of anti-bio's and can still hardly walk.)We felt really fortunate to visit Bermuda - it was beautiful and with such lovely beaches and scenery didn't care that the shops were closed! Not sure whether we will cruise with Thomson again - got tired of cold food in the Lido/Sirens and bland food in the MDR. Also the games shows etc were the same as last September (Celebration) and the previous September (Spirit) - all felt a bit lack lustre. The singers in the bars were great though and the waiting staff etc were brillant.

[AzoresW]

We also loved the Azores. The welcome we received when we docked in Horta with local foods and wine to sample was lovely. We enjoyed our walk around the town and over to a small bay near the old whaling station and sampled a type of latte and a portugese custard pie. We thougt the hand painted pictures on the wall of the marina were great. In the evening the couple in a cabin along from us stayed on deck until sunset and saw Whales ahead of the Ship. On research we realised that the mountains in the Azores were subject to cloud and booked the 7hour trip that included lots of villages,gardens,tea plantations,hot springs (where our lunch was cooked and then served by waitered service in a posh hotel) and amazing coastal scenery.We even walked through a village where the locals had carpeted the street with flowers for a holy day. The locals said the best time to visit was June so would fit a summer cruise better.We would love to try island hopping as some point. We really enjoyed all the ports of call but both my husband and I went down with the dreaded chest infection and this limited our ability to explore as we felt dreadful. (My husband is on his second dose of anti-bio's and can still hardly walk.)We felt really fortunate to visit Bermuda - it was beautiful and with such lovely beaches and scenery didn't care that the shops were closed! Not sure whether we will cruise with Thomson again - got tired of cold food in the Lido/Sirens and bland food in the MDR. Also the games shows etc were the same as last September (Celebration) and the previous September (Spirit) - all felt a bit lack lustre. The singers in the bars were great though and the waiting staff etc were brillant.

 

You choose the best excursion to do in S.Miguel. July and August are really the best months to visit.

 

In terms of whales, this was happening very close to Horta around the same time the Thomson Dream docked...

 

 

There are some cruises lines that now stop here in the summer. The majority make calls between September and May.

 

A couple months ago i suggested that Thomson should considered making some Lisbon/Azores/Madeira cruises in the summer.

Edited May 8, 2014 by AzoresW