Thomson Celebration Newbie - 3 Questions Can you help?

We are new to Thomson Cruising we normally cruise from Florida - it will be our first time on a Thomson Ship.

I am looking for any advice on 3 questions about the Thomson Celebration. We are booked on 7 days Canaries Cruise 28 December for 7 nights- has anyone been on this cruise?

We have chosen cabin on deck 4 inside cabin No 346. Had anyone stayed in this cabin and are there any issues with noise etc.

On departure day we arrive in Las Palmas early in the morning but our flight home is not until 8pm. We have been told that we can stay on the ship until transfer time and that they will look after our luggage for us, will there be any bars open to purchase drinks/snacks? Had anyone done this or would we be better booking a trip and then going to the airport?

Thanking you in advance for any information offered.:)

First Time Thomson Cruiser

We are new to Thomson Cruising we normally cruise from Florida - it will be our first time on a Thomson Ship.

 

I am looking for any advice on 3 questions about the Thomson Celebration. We are booked on 7 days Canaries Cruise 28 December for 7 nights- has anyone been on this cruise?

 

We have chosen cabin on deck 4 inside cabin No 346. Had anyone stayed in this cabin and are there any issues with noise etc.

 

On departure day we arrive in Las Palmas early in the morning but our flight home is not until 8pm. We have been told that we can stay on the ship until transfer time and that they will look after our luggage for us, will there be any bars open to purchase drinks/snacks? Had anyone done this or would we be better booking a trip and then going to the airport?

 

Thanking you in advance for any information offered.:)

 

First Time Thomson Cruiser

My parents came with us on a cruise last year & they were in the cabin next door to yours; great location & very quiet - good choice there! They are roomy, too. We have also done the Canary Cruise but we went in April, not December.

The ship runs 'as normal' all day - if you have a drinks package you will be able to have drinks all day; if not you can still have drinks & they will be charged. You an use all the ship's facilities all day or you can also book a cabin for your own use (at a charge) until a few hours before you leave where you can keep your hand luggage etc; your suitcases will have already been collected the night before - apt about 2am.

As Jules says - also you can come and go off the ship as you wish. You might like to have your hand luggage in the secure storage (but keep essentials and valuables with you) and go off the ship for the morning, come back and have lunch, relax - whatever. It's up to you. As long as you are there at the time you are told for the transfer to the airport, you can do just what you want - all food and amenities available to you all day including complimentary cabin use for about 20 mins (you have to book in at reception but will be given info on that) or you can pay for the use of a cabin all day.

The last day on a cruise ship can be a bit dull if you have a late flight. My experience is that you cannot buy drinks or anything else on the day of departure. I would say the best thing to do is go off for the day. We were in the Canaries on the Thomson Majesty in May and Thomson came up with one interesting idea. They put on an excursion on which you loaded all your luggage onto the coach and when the excursion was over you were dropped at the airport. It worked pretty well.

The last day on a cruise ship can be a bit dull if you have a late flight. My experience is that you cannot buy drinks or anything else on the day of departure..

Mixed feedback here - we booked & paid for a day cabin one cruise when we had later flights & ate & drank what we wanted all day.......!! Last year when we were on the Celebration, we left fairly early but our cards were registered until we left the ship & we could charge anything to our account still.....

Can´t speak for the celebration but we had a late departure off the Dream last year and were able to eat in any restaurant and use our A.I. drinks package all day.

We actually enjoyed staying on board as the ship was quiet and, after getting off at every port, we had a really relaxing day.

Yes I agree. I was waiting for someone else to post to confirm that your card was active until you finally departed the ship as this is my understanding too.

I believe they say that your card account will be charged upto a certain time before you leave (as settlement of your spending to that point) then any spending after that time from your credit/debit card will appear on your statement as a separate charge.

If you are paying in cash it does say in the Cruise News (Dream, Feb) that you can settle your account from 9am until an hour before departure on the day you leave - so perhaps if you are paying in cash you can't purchase anything after your final payment - or at least for the last hour on board as I guess your ship's card won't permit that once you've finally settled up. But if you don't go to pay until near to you leaving the ship you should have no issues with your card still being active for chargeable expenses. However as far as I'm aware with that possible restriction, you can use your card until you leave the ship.

Can´t speak for the celebration but we had a late departure off the Dream last year and were able to eat in any restaurant and use our A.I. drinks package all day.

 

We actually enjoyed staying on board as the ship was quiet and, after getting off at every port, we had a really relaxing day.

Agree with you there - we like changeover day on a B2B cruise for the same reasons; the ship has a different atmosphere, the pools are quiet & you can always get a sunbed!!! That is the beauty of booking a day cabin if you are staying onboard on your last day; you can use the pools then shower & change at your leisure without having to pre-book a short time slot of the courtesy cabins!

last day on the dream

courtesy cabins are only available until 3pm you cannot book them....go to reception where they will give you a list of cabin numbers that you can use, you can use them for 20 minutes

they have a security store where you can leave your hand luggage (usually the disco)

if flights are (significantly) delayed they will extend the 3pm deadline

after that you have to use the public toilets (tip: deck 10 gym...never anyone in there)

you can continue to charge to your ship account until you leave the ship....if you are on ai this will continue until you leave....tip....dont save up your wifi minutes for the last day...it wont work (they cancel it) and they wont refund you for unused minutes

late checkout cabins can be booked (at a charge) they will try (if they can) to arrange that you will get your own cabin...I dont know at what time you need to vacate them, or what they charge?

if you want to use pool towels they will supply them at reception you will have to sign them out if you dont take them back they will charge you £10 per towel

last day on the dream

 

late checkout cabins can be booked (at a charge) they will try (if they can) to arrange that you will get your own cabin...I dont know at what time you need to vacate them, or what they charge?

 

We did a post in Febuary about late checkout cabins, if it helps anyone ...

Here's a link to that thread ;) LATE CHECKOUT CABINS :)