I couldn't help myself

I know I shouldn't, but i couldn't resist having a quick look at the Thomson blog. I also know that the people who answer these queries are just young kids working in a call centre for not much pay, so they aren't really to blame, but how hard is it to give an honest, correct answer, or just admit that you don't know? The first couple of posts I read had these comments -

Lisa-Marie @Thomson says:17/05/2013 at 13:49

Hi Sandy,

We’re sorry to hear you’re concerned with the reports you’ve read about the Dream. We do throughout the year continually review the quality and standards of all our ships and if any problems were reported then our Resort and UK Quality Teams would work closely with the hotel and implement any recommended processes to improve the overall quality. We monitor the results of our Customer Service Questionnaires, the facilities and performance of all ships and hotels on a regular basis. Although we appreciate negative reports on review sites can be concerning, it’s good to remember that these reviews are subjective and what may be one person’s perfect holiday, may not be to someone else. We’ve had no reports of illness on board the Dream but we would encourage any customers with concerns to raise this with the Holiday Advisors on board so that we can investigate.

dam @Thomson says:11/05/2013 at 16:52

Hi Maureen, I’m sorry we’ve not been able to address your comment earlier. Water is not included in the Drink Package for free however cans of soft drinks and juices are. If your parents have a concern regarding the package they would need to approach a member of the crew onboard.

The above was also regarding the Dream. I'm not reading any more. Honest.

I know I shouldn't, but i couldn't resist having a quick look at the Thomson blog.

The above was also regarding the Dream. I'm not reading any more. Honest.

Go on ! You know you want to Grez :rolleyes: Maybe later Eh ?:D

No reports of illness on the Dream :eek::eek::eek:

Do they not read these posts :eek: ROFL

sounds like they may have a loose nut behind the keyboard at thoms towers:D;)

sounds like they may have a loose nut behind the keyboard at thoms towers:D;)

Nut or Nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i do hope reviews get a little more uplifting!:rolleyes:

Nut or Nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i do hope reviews get a little more uplifting!:rolleyes:

So I had another quick look at the blog http://www.thomson.co.uk/blog/2012/11/re-introducing-thomson-celebration/#.UaMqOtKsiSo

Literally within inches of each other on the first page is some wonderfully conflicting advice.

Dan @Thomson says:26/05/2013 at 12:02

Hi Robert, You can take drinks, alcoholic and non alcoholic onboard to consume in your cabin

Lisa-Marie @Thomson says:17/05/2013 at 10:24

Hi JB,

The A-Z section in our brochure states during your flight and on our ships, you can only drink the alcohol that staff serve you.

Just give up guys. Or talk to each other.

So I had another quick look at the blog http://www.thomson.co.uk/blog/2012/11/re-introducing-thomson-celebration/#.UaMqOtKsiSo

Literally within inches of each other on the first page is some wonderfully conflicting advice.

 

Dan @Thomson says:26/05/2013 at 12:02

Hi Robert, You can take drinks, alcoholic and non alcoholic onboard to consume in your cabin

 

Lisa-Marie @Thomson says:17/05/2013 at 10:24

Hi JB,

The A-Z section in our brochure states during your flight and on our ships, you can only drink the alcohol that staff serve you.

 

Just give up guys. Or talk to each other.

Actually grez, to be fair, it is two different questions :)

Robert is asking if he can bring drinks on board to drink in your cabin and JB is asking if you can buy duty free drinks on board to drink in your cabin :)

Recently been on Princess boards and they are saying on there that on the round Britain cruise people were bringing on wine and whisky etc and no one was stopped (which surprised me as I had heard that drink had actually been confiscated and destroyed on a Princess ship :eek:) but that if you buy duty free in the onboard shop, you have to collect it on the last night.

Recently been on Princess boards and they are saying on there that on the round Britain cruise people were bringing on wine and whisky etc and no one was stopped (which surprised me as I had heard that drink had actually been confiscated and destroyed on a Princess ship :eek:) but that if you buy duty free in the onboard shop, you have to collect it on the last night.

We've done three cruises with Princess and only once was booze confiscated at the gangway - a couple of wiseguys brought it on in a large carrier bag "loudly" advertising the name of the onshore duty free shop where it had been purchased.

That was like waving it in front of the security team's faces saying "see what we've got that we shouldn't" to see the reaction.

We've taken plastic spirit bottles onboard in main luggage and once on embarking quayside in China.

Unless you try to take the Mick (as above)the Princess security guys are less than zealous about what might be in your walk on bags.

Recently been on Princess boards and they are saying on there that on the round Britain cruise people were bringing on wine and whisky etc and no one was stopped (which surprised me as I had heard that drink had actually been confiscated and destroyed on a Princess ship :eek:) but that if you buy duty free in the onboard shop, you have to collect it on the last night.

 

We've done three cruises with Princess and only once was booze confiscated at the gangway - a couple of wiseguys brought it on in a large carrier bag "loudly" advertising the name of the onshore duty free shop where it had been purchased.

 

That was like waving it in front of the security team's faces saying "see what we've got that we shouldn't" to see the reaction.

 

We've taken plastic spirit bottles onboard in main luggage and once on embarking quayside in China.

 

Unless you try to take the Mick (as above)the Princess security guys are less than zealous about what might be in your walk on bags.

Hi WCM :)

Our friends have just returned from a Princess cruise around Australia. I'd read where Princess had just started to apply a 'no alcohol taken on board and keeping anything bought in duty free until your last night' policy on a Hawaiian itinerary (I think that was the one). This was as our friends arrived in Sydney. I sent them the link from CC as I know they like to take a bottle of something on board for cabin use and thought I'd best warn them as if they couldn't use it they would either have to carry it home or dispose of it. But I didn't know whether it would be applied to their ship as well - they discovered it did!

Now that may mean it's only being applied on some of their ships - or they may have just changed their policy since you were last on board - but there certainly is some evidence of Princess not necessarily allowing this anymore.

Probably the likes of what you witnessed has scuppered it for the restrained majority! Isn't that always the case? :rolleyes:

Princess have always held duty free purchased on the ship until the last evening onboard.

Relatives of ours were on the Hawaii cruise a few months back and walked on with a bottle at one of their ports.

Maybe it is just applied to certain ships - in which case we've been lucky.

Hi Kruzseeka,

My information was from someone on board last week doing a "live from" the Caribbean Princess round Britain cruise. He said people were buying whisky in Scotland and also bringing on wines and strong liquor and not being stopped :)

So I had another quick look at the blog http://www.thomson.co.uk/blog/2012/11/re-introducing-thomson-celebration/#.UaMqOtKsiSo

Literally within inches of each other on the first page is some wonderfully conflicting advice.

 

Dan @Thomson says:26/05/2013 at 12:02

Hi Robert, You can take drinks, alcoholic and non alcoholic onboard to consume in your cabin

 

Lisa-Marie @Thomson says:17/05/2013 at 10:24

Hi JB,

The A-Z section in our brochure states during your flight and on our ships, you can only drink the alcohol that staff serve you.

 

Just give up guys. Or talk to each other.

Hi Grez,

Thanks for picking this up.

I've just taken a look at the answers you've quoted in your second post and can see, as Cruisin Linda's suggested, that they're correct answers to two slightly different queries. I have however passed your comments onto the team about your first post.

Thanks again,

Lauren

Hi Kruzseeka,

 

My information was from someone on board last week doing a "live from" the Caribbean Princess round Britain cruise. He said people were buying whisky in Scotland and also bringing on wines and strong liquor and not being stopped :)

Clearly they are applying different policies on different ships - sound familiar - we know all about that don't we? :D:D

This is the article I was referring to from CC at the end of March relating to Diamond Princess - our friends were on the Dawn (?) Princess - or at least whichever did the circumnavigation of Oz during April and this policy was being applied on their ship too.

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=5291

Of course they could have reversed it p.d.q. - have we come across that before too??? :rolleyes::D

Clearly they are applying different policies on different ships - sound familiar - we know all about that don't we? :D:D

 

This is the article I was referring to from CC at the end of March relating to Diamond Princess - our friends were on the Dawn (?) Princess - or at least whichever did the circumnavigation of Oz during April and this policy was being applied on their ship too.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=5291

 

Of course they could have reversed it p.d.q. - have we come across that before too??? :rolleyes::D

Yes I remember Dave putting that article on and someone on the Princess boards had obviously seen it as they asked the chap doing the "blog" live from the Caribbbean Princess what the policy was on there. They were going round Britain. Now someone is doing a "live from" the Crown, also out of Southampton and he is also reporting that he took on wine and spirits that he purchased ashore and was not stopped. I think they went through checks on the dock though but were waved through.

Hi Grez,

 

Thanks for picking this up.

 

I've just taken a look at the answers you've quoted in your second post and can see, as Cruisin Linda's suggested, that they're correct answers to two slightly different queries. I have however passed your comments onto the team about your first post.

 

Thanks again,

Lauren

Hi Lauren,

The point I'm making is that the two answers are incompatible though. I appreciate that you are just copy and pasting answers, but if you can only consume alcohol the staff serve you onboard, then how can you take drink onboard to consume in your cabin. Are you saying that the current policy is

a That you can take drink on board, or buy it from duty free and consume in cabin

b Take drink on board for in cabin consumption, but not purchase from duty free for the same

c Purchase from duty free for in cabin consumption, but not bring on board

d not consume anything in cabin unless bought from a bar (ie staff have served it to you)?

I know the answer to the question, I'd be interested to see if you guys do, as you all seem to have different ideas and there is no consistency in answers to the poor people asking.

Hi Lauren,

The point I'm making is that the two answers are incompatible though. I appreciate that you are just copy and pasting answers, but if you can only consume alcohol the staff serve you onboard, then how can you take drink onboard to consume in your cabin. Are you saying that the current policy is

a That you can take drink on board, or buy it from duty free and consume in cabin

b Take drink on board for in cabin consumption, but not purchase from duty free for the same

c Purchase from duty free for in cabin consumption, but not bring on board

d not consume anything in cabin unless bought from a bar (ie staff have served it to you)?

 

I know the answer to the question, I'd be interested to see if you guys do, as you all seem to have different ideas and there is no consistency in answers to the poor people asking.

good post Grez:cool:.....I would also like this issue clarified :confused:

Poor old George Carson is in for a shock when he gets on board the Island Escape and finds there is a £1.50 surcharge for Smirnoff after Thomsons have told him that it is included in the AI!

George Carson Jackie Hayes

i got a question for thomsons! maybe here sum1 will tell me truth!

Are ALL thomson ships AI the same???????

Like · · 22 hours ago

Thomson Holidays Hi George, Is there any part of the all inclusive you're referring to? ^Lisa-Marie

Like · Reply · 22 hours ago

George Carson Jackie Hayes Iv done 12 cruises on thomson in last 6 years on destiny, dream and majesty so i have booked the island escape this time to try but with what iv read we cant get smirnoff on the AI?????

Like · Reply · 22 hours ago via mobile

George Carson Jackie Hayes And also cans of juice?????

Like · Reply · 22 hours ago via mobile

Thomson Holidays Hi George, The most up to date information I have is that Smirnoff is included, but you have to pay for Absolut. ^Leanne

Like · Reply · 21 hours ago

George Carson Jackie Hayes Leanne can i have that in an email plz incase i need it ?

Like · Reply · 21 hours ago via mobile

Thomson Holidays Hi George, The inclusion is subject to change, but you're welcome to take a copy if this post with you. ^Lisa-Marie

Like · Reply · 21 hours ago

George Carson Jackie Hayes Oh i will be taking it with me lisa marie and thomson will hear from me when i return if it isnt same AI x

Like · Reply · 20 hours ago via mobile

Hi Grez,

To clarify about drinks onboard, as the A-Z in our latest brochure states, you can drink the alcohol that staff serve you. That means, that any drinks purchased from the bar or onboard shops can be consumed in your cabins if you so wish.

Unfortunately the team have made a mistake with regards to the All Inclusive on Island Escape, we’ve clarified this now with the customer on Facebook. The information about Smirnoff relates to our drinks package on our Thomson ships. Island Escape’s All Inclusive package includes house spirits, wine, beer and soft drinks along with selected cocktails. Branded drinks usually carry a supplement.

Thanks,

Dan.

Hi Grez,

 

To clarify about drinks onboard, as the A-Z in our latest brochure states, you can drink the alcohol that staff serve you. That means, that any drinks purchased from the bar or onboard shops can be consumed in your cabins if you so wish.

 

Unfortunately the team have made a mistake with regards to the All Inclusive on Island Escape, we’ve clarified this now with the customer on Facebook. The information about Smirnoff relates to our drinks package on our Thomson ships. Island Escape’s All Inclusive package includes house spirits, wine, beer and soft drinks along with selected cocktails. Branded drinks usually carry a supplement.

 

Thanks,

 

Dan.

a mistake??....Thomson ....never :):)

Stevie

Well done, Grez, result :)