Waiter Dining on IE

[campolady]

We are about to go on our second Thomson cruise on the ´Dream´ - a ship we really loved last year.

 

Looking at rising prices for next year we may consider the IE as it seems great value. However, eating in the Orion restaurant each evening was one of the highlights of our first cruise and something we are looking forward to again this month.

 

Can someone tell me how much the supplement is to eat in the Waiter Dining Room on IE and can you book it for more than one night at a time?

 

Also, if anyone has been on both the IE and Dream how did you find they compared food + entertainment wise?

 

Many thanks.

[MallorcaChap]

Hi campolady,

 

The Oasis Restaurant on the island escape has a cover charge of £14.99 per person up to 9pm after which it reduces quite a lot, and there are usually 5 for the price of 4 deals available. I can heartily recommend it - the food is fantastic.

Can't comment on the Dream as we have not been on it yet, but can say that the entertainment on the Escape is fabulous.

[ekco]

We've been on both and much preferred the Dream, mainly because on our last cruise on the IE we found it impossible to get a seat in the shows without getting in 40 minutes before the start or any of the bars on any night. The ship was very overcrowded in our view. I seem to remember we had a deal for the Oasis where we got a free bottle of wine, we enjoyed the food in there and the atmosphere was a lot less frantic than at the buffet. If you have got a good deal then I would spend some of the savings in the Oasis. Don't get a cabin near the front of the ship as it is very noisy and the ship pitches and rolls a lot more than midships. That apart the IE is definitely the friendliest ship we've been on, staff wise. They seem a lot happier in their work than on other ships. The cabins are a downgrade on the Dream but adequate, better on the higher decks. We had a nice cabin on deck 9 but a lot have restricted views on there so beware.):)

 

Jan

[campolady]

Thank you both - thats really helpful.

[ekco]

Enjoy your holiday. If it's the same entertainment manager on the Dream as we had, his name escapes me, then you'll get some good shows. He was Scottish and they did a fantastic Les Miserable and The Lion King. It was about 18 months ago in the Caribbean. Almost as good was the team on FO's Bamoral we were recently on, someone said that they were from the same company which would be right as the show themes were similar. The shows on the IE were always good and the team worked really hard during the day as well. We always say that we expect the worse and then anything better will make a good holiday.:):)

 

Jan