Marella Dream Review

Editor's note: Marella Dream was retired in October 2020 and is no longer part of the Marella fleet.

The 1,533-passenger, 54,763-tonne Marella Dream joined the Marella (then Thomson) fleet in 2010 and is one of the line's oldest ships -- alongside Celebration -- at 34 years old.

For the most part the ship feels elegant, with a traditional ambiance. This is especially true on Deck 8 where most of the ship's public spaces can be found and on the Promenade Deck, where teak doors and brass-rimmed portholes create a timeless look rarely found on new ships of today. 

During a November 2018 dry dock the ship received a minor refresh, with new upholstery in some of the bars, water dispensers added to all decks with cabins, new sun loungers on Deck 11, and USB ports fitted in The Coffee Port.

Look out for the ship's phenomenal artwork, which can prove a real talking point over dinner. Most pieces were inherited from Holland America Line, thanks to Dream's spell sailing as HAL's Westerdam during the 1990s. 

The crew is a highlight onboard. They build a wonderful rapport with passengers, particularly in the ship's restaurants, where crew and passengers share life stories and memories of past sailings.

The fact that gratuities are included in the price of the cruise fare makes no difference to the level of service delivered, either, which is consistently very good. The ship offers fantastic value for money and moved all-inclusive, with drinks included from May 2019 (though passengers can pay extra for more premium brands).

Despite a 2017 name change from Thomson to Marella, the tour operator is still very much the trusted go-to brand for package holidays for British holidaymakers. While Marella's newer ships might shake off that cheap and cheerful package holiday image, that picture is still very much true of the line's classic ships, Dream and Celebration. Dream's loyal passengers -- almost all repeat guests -- love this about the experience and it's why they continue to sail on the ageing ship.

If you're looking for an action-packed ship bursting with fun and modern activities -- the kind found on new-build megaships -- Dream isn't for you, but if you appreciate a more traditional style of cruising, with your home comforts -- PG Tips and HP sauce, chicken curry and fish and chips -- readily available, you're probably going to enjoy this ship.