Thomson Spirit Not Sailing Next Summer?

[Sailaway487]

Before I start, I have to say this is a VERY weak rumour and I am quite sure is definitely not true but thought I'd just mention it to see if anyone can confirm or deny for definite.

I've had a lot of hits on my blog for the past couple of months now with people searching on Google on the lines of 'Thomson Spirit not sailing in 2013' or 'Thomson Spirit swap for summer 2013' etc. Googled it before and it seems there's a rumour that Spirit will not be sailing next year, and Thomson Celebration will be taking over these itineraries, and then I'd guess a current unknown ship would take over Celebration?

On one website (which I now can't find ) said that someone who came off Spirit was told that Celebration would be taking over its itineraries for 2013.

I wonder though whether this just stems from the fact that someone posted about how the TUI logo had been taken off Spirit when it did its short charter in France last month, as I'm sure Ellacott mentioned it wasn't going to be leaving until at least 2014. In some ways, it would make some sense as it seems Celebration is taking over Spirit in 2014, so whether it is leaving earlier?

Galaxy, do you know if Spirit is still definitely booked in for 2013?

Anyway, thought I'd mention it as it seems to be getting my blog a lot of view. But pretty certain there's no truth in it though.

[whistlerbc]

Louis Cristal?????

[Sailaway487]

Originally Posted by whistlerbc

Louis Cristal?????

Lets hope not! Used to be a ferry (sounds familiar ) Smaller than Spirit by 8,000 GT and is older by three years. But it does carry more passengers.

I do hope that its just a coincidence Louis announcement and this rumour floating about.

[happy v]

Well I personally hope not as I am going to sail on her!
However if the replacement is the Celerbration it won't really make that much difference, will it?

[Sailaway487]

Originally Posted by happy v

Well I personally hope not as I am going to sail on her!
However if the replacement is the Celerbration it won't really make that much difference, will it?

It would probably be an improvement as it would be Platinum, which makes me think it would be very unlikely as they've been advertising the Celebration's Platinum cruises a lot, so I think a swap would be quite ridiculous. Then again...

[happy v]

Originally Posted by Sailaway487

It would probably be an improvement as it would be Platinum, which makes me think it would be very unlikely as they've been advertising the Celebration's Platinum cruises a lot, so I think a swap would be quite ridiculous. Then again...

Yeah, it's not going to happen is it?

[Julessmiles]

Originally Posted by Sailaway487

Before I start, I have to say this is a VERY weak rumour and I am quite sure is definitely not true but thought I'd just mention it to see if anyone can confirm or deny for definite.

I've had a lot of hits on my blog for the past couple of months now with people searching on Google on the lines of 'Thomson Spirit not sailing in 2013' or 'Thomson Spirit swap for summer 2013' etc. Googled it before and it seems there's a rumour that Spirit will not be sailing next year, and Thomson Celebration will be taking over these itineraries, and then I'd guess a current unknown ship would take over Celebration?

On one website (which I now can't find ) said that someone who came off Spirit was told that Celebration would be taking over its itineraries for 2013.

I wonder though whether this just stems from the fact that someone posted about how the TUI logo had been taken off Spirit when it did its short charter in France last month, as I'm sure Ellacott mentioned it wasn't going to be leaving until at least 2014. In some ways, it would make some sense as it seems Celebration is taking over Spirit in 2014, so whether it is leaving earlier?

Galaxy, do you know if Spirit is still definitely booked in for 2013?

Anyway, thought I'd mention it as it seems to be getting my blog a lot of view. But pretty certain there's no truth in it though.

Do you mean 2014? I've read somewhere that the Celebration will be doing Norway & Baltics in 2014 rather than the Spirit - maybe the years have been confused?? Like you say, they have been heavily marketing the Celebration as Platinum so they surely couldn't swap now for people already booked on the Celebration for 2013???

[infoqueen]

Thought the Thomson crew would have commented on this one

[kruzseeka]

Originally Posted by Julessmiles

Do you mean 2014? I've read somewhere that the Celebration will be doing Norway & Baltics in 2014 rather than the Spirit - maybe the years have been confused?? Like you say, they have been heavily marketing the Celebration as Platinum so they surely couldn't swap now for people already booked on the Celebration for 2013???

That might be it - 2014 not 2013. I don't think they would pull the Celebration from its sailings in 2013. Although as happy v says it wouldn't make a lot of difference for those booked on Spirit to get Celebration instead (in fact an improvement with the refurb of Celebration and of course cabin swaps would be easy - not like Destiny/Majesty!) but it would create mega problems regarding what replaces Celebration.

People do book for specific ships and it does cause resentment when changes are made that you might reasonably expect could have been anticipated (and if they are selling cruises on a ship which is planned to be changed).

We were on Celebration sailing out of Corfu when the fiasco with the Greek unions kicked in. We were told that Thomson became aware of the problem just a few weeks before the season started and even considered at that late stage swapping the Celebration for the Spirit which, being a Louis ship (Greek company), didn't present the same problems. (In fact that's what they did the following year - put Spirirt into Corfu). But the person who told us said they didn't do it on the grounds that a lot of people book for a specific ship and it could cause disappointment. (The Destiny/Majesty swap was a different matter since Destiny went back to Louis - for reasons we still don't know - so although that caused some considerable upheaval Destiny was no longer available in the Thomson fleet.) It would be hard to justify swapping Spirit/Celebration unless Spirit is disappearing too but that would be a year before the end of her charter period!

The plot thickens! Keep your ear to the ground sailaway!!!

[Julessmiles]

Originally Posted by kruzseeka

That might be it - 2014 not 2013. I don't think they would pull the Celebration from its sailings in 2013. Although as happy v says it wouldn't make a lot of difference for those booked on Spirit to get Celebration instead (in fact an improvement with the refurb of Celebration and of course cabin swaps would be easy - not like Destiny/Majesty!) but it would create mega problems regarding what replaces Celebration.

I'd quite happily sail on the Spirit again - loved the staff & the ship - but the cabin we've booked on the Celebration is NOT on the Spirit so would be disapointed if we ended up with a different cabin I would also be disapointed as we're looking forward to the refurbs on the Celebration!

[sodafountain]

Not forgetting of course, that Spirit was the ship of choice when replacing the IE back in 2011.

[okavango]

Originally Posted by Sailaway487

In some ways, it would make some sense as it seems Celebration is taking over Spirit in 2014, so whether it is leaving earlier?

nothing sinister in Celebration doing the northern run, its done it before, anyway looks like Spirit is actually scheduled to be busier than normal next year taking over from Celebration for about a month down south, presume thats going to be dock time for routine maintainence and to finish the poshing up job.

[shellsailor]

Hi to sailaway 487, We are booked for Spirit 1st oct 2013. She sails from Harwich down French coast,Portugal,Gibralter then thro' Med to Limasoll. I believe after that, she is due to sail back thro' Med to Teneriffe. Have not heard anything to the contrary yet.
From Shellsailor.