Thomson Cruises for Dummies

[Twickenham]

I am pondering taking a Thomson cruise on the Celebration after a group trip to Israel I am taking this November. I, however, have never looked at booking a cruise with a UK-based line before and have some questions regarding both the cruise and the booking process:

 

-In terms of booking, do most book online/directly through Thomson, or with a travel agency? Do you find that you get better deals via either one of these methods? I am used to looking/waiting for deals from the NA-based lines, but not sure what kind of price fluctuation/sales can be expected with Thomson? Note that I will probably be alone for this part of the trip, so the ubiquitous single-supplement will alas be a part of my booking...

 

-I also noted that in the booking process, you specify a category rather than a specific cabin. Again, how does this work? Do you get a cabin assignment with your cruise documentation, or only once on the ship?

 

-In terms of the cruise, what are activities and meals onboard like? I believe the Celebration has open seating in the dining room (which I have experienced on other ships), does it seem to work well? Also, any info on the à la carte restaurant? And the big question (this much I have surmised by scanning this board;)): is the drinks plan worth 49 pounds extra?

 

-Specific to the cruise I'm looking at - Red Sea Magic: when is embarkation time in Sharm El Sheikh? When is departure time, and when is the latest we can embark? And when do we disembark after the cruise? These are important as I have a limited selection of flights between TLV and SSH.

Thank you for any advise you have to give!

[Cymro1953]

Hi,

I'll have a go at a few of them for you.

You'll get a variety of answers for the booking, we tend to book with our local T.A. while others will book online either with Thomson's on their site or an online T.A.

 

If you can get the drinks package for about £100 or less it is worth it, but unless you are big drinkers it is not worth the £169 p.p. they charge for it full price.

 

Beer is £2.90 a pint and cocktails approx £3.20. And no 15% tip added unlike the U.S. cruise lines.

 

If you want to book a specific cabin you can phone up after booking to do it. They have a special number for that.

 

Have a look at the Thread "Eastern Wonders" on here. Kruzseeka has done an excellent job of advice for a 1st time cruiser on the Celebration there which answers many of your questions.

 

Berwyn

[kruzseeka]

I am pondering taking a Thomson cruise on the Celebration after a group trip to Israel I am taking this November. I, however, have never looked at booking a cruise with a UK-based line before and have some questions regarding both the cruise and the booking process:

 

-In terms of booking, do most book online/directly through Thomson, or with a travel agency?

 

Don't know how this would work from the US but we always book via cruisedeals dot co dot uk (run it together!) which is an on-line company and often gives better deals than Thomson's online prices although strangely, it is a TUI company so all part of the same firm! You can't actually go through the booking process on-line though - it's a phone booking - but at internet prices.

Do you find that you get better deals via either one of these methods? I am used to looking/waiting for deals from the NA-based lines, but not sure what kind of price fluctuation/sales can be expected with Thomson?

 

Now this is the million dollar question! Prices fluctuate a great deal. Often there are good offers when the brochures are first launched sometimes with 'sweeteners' like free All Inclusive (drinks package) or good discounts on regional airports. Unlike lots of US cruiselines - once you have booked, that is the price you pay - no up-grades, price matching or similar with Thomson. There are often some excellent last minute deals with Thomson - look at cruisedeals site now and see the price of some of the Pharaohs and Promised Land and Red Sea cruises leaving shortly. But this can be a high risk strategy as they haven't got much left, and might therefore be more expensive. It all depends on whether you can risk missing out - the date/cabin category you want may not be available if left to the last minute - although if you want 'cabin' only there won't be any issues relating to availabilty of flighs from UK airports causing a problem..

 

Note that I will probably be alone for this part of the trip, so the ubiquitous single-supplement will alas be a part of my booking...

 

Sorry, not got any experience of single cabin issues - I'm sure others will help. I think Dave knows a lot about this one.

 

-I also noted that in the booking process, you specify a category rather than a specific cabin. Again, how does this work? Do you get a cabin assignment with your cruise documentation, or only once on the ship?

 

Cabins are allocated on arrival unless you pay to secure a particular cabin (£39) but I would recommend this if you want to have any input as to where your cabin is located.

 

-In terms of the cruise, what are activities and meals onboard like?

 

Entertainment is superb on Thomson - and I trust that would translate to American tastes too. There is a showteam who put on a different show each night and also do late night cabarets and deck parties. There is a classical duo/trio in Explorer's lounge - excellent standard too! In addition there are easy-listening bands/jazz groups playing in other bars to suit most tastes. The entertainment team run quizzes, games and game-shows and there is a programme of other daytime activities like lectures, games, singing workshops etc. It varies but there's plenty going on. Excursions are generally reasonably priced - at least as compared with other cruise lines.

I believe the Celebration has open seating in the dining room (which I have experienced on other ships), does it seem to work well? Also, any info on the à la carte restaurant? And the big question (this much I have surmised by scanning this board;)): is the drinks plan worth 49 pounds extra?

 

We think the meals are good - although not the emphasis on steaks and lobster which figures a lot on american ships. But the 24 hour self-service restaurant has a good selection of food - and there is what I would describe as waiter-assistance offering tea/coffee at breakfast and water with lunch/dinner. A nice touch in the evening in the Lido restaurant is the table linen and (pretend) candles. They also have themed evenings in here - Indian food, British food, Chinese etc.

The main dining room we feel has a good varied selection of food and we always find plenty to suit. It is open dining which we much prefer. You can sit anywhere in the dining room at any time and there is rarely a queue - perhaps about 19.30 - 20.00 it gets busy and there might be a short delay of a few minutes - but nothing to complain about. We like meeting different people at mealtimes but also tend to go back to the same table (i.e. waiters) each night as we like to build up a relationship with them. I've heard very good reports about the a la carte restaurant - recently we met a couple who went twice in one week they enjoyed it so much. I keep saying we'll try it - but always seem to like what's on in the main dining room so don't bother!

 

I'd say the drinks package at £49 for a week is good value. It includes all soft drinks, cocktails, wine, spirits etc. plus cappuccinos in the bars. There is a surcahrge for some premium drinks - but on the whole there is a very good selection and we certainly don't need to look beyond what's included in the AI menu.

 

 

-Specific to the cruise I'm looking at - Red Sea Magic: when is embarkation time in Sharm El Sheikh?

 

If you book the package with Thomson - i.e. fly out of the UK you embark as soon as you are transferred from the airport. This literaaly means people are arriving throughout the day - certainly from about mid-day. If you are joining at Sharm I guess you can embark at any time really - provided they have got their registration process up and running. If you check the earliest time for a UK flight to arrive, then I reckon you'd be able to embark with them. (But I'm sure Thomson will have a procedure in place for passengers joining the cruise at the port so will be able to tell you if you make an enquiry.)

 

When is departure time, and when is the latest we can embark?

We sailed at about 23.00 - we waited for a late flight to arrive. I think 22.00 is the time they aim for. So provided you're there half an hour before the stated departure time you'll be ok.

And when do we disembark after the cruise?

 

Again, Uk passengers leave at any time during the day depending on flight times - Thomson transfer in relays about 3 hours prior to flight departures. I would imagine you can leave as soon as you want to after docking which I think was about 06.00 (would be worth checking this out!) These are important as I have a limited selection of flights between TLV and SSH.

 

Thank you for any advise you have to give!

 

Hope this helps! It's a great cruise - very tiring with long journeys to see the highlights - but very worthwhile!

[Cymro1953]

I knew you'd be able to sort him out with most of it :D

 

Berwyn

[kruzseeka]

Berwyn - you do pretty well yourself! :D

 

Twickenham - have just noticed you are from Canada - so sorry, I've probably offended you by keep referring to the US! Apologies! :o At least your national pride must be riding high at the moment after some great results in the Olympics - which is more than we can say! (So much for stopping up until the wee small hours to watch the curling!!!!)

[Cymro1953]

Thanks Kruzseeka,

You should have watched the Ice Hockey Instead it was fantastic. Especially the final result.

 

 

Berwyn

[kruzseeka]

Thanks Kruzseeka,

You should have watched the Ice Hockey Instead it was fantastic. Especially the final result.

 

 

Berwyn

 

Did we win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D No, I know we didn't and did hear that it had been a nail-biter! Another victory to Canada I understand. Do you think we'll fare so well as the host nation come 2012? I'd like to hope so - but am not too optimistic - I'll be waving my flag nevertheless! :)

 

Sorry off topic!

[Cymro1953]

Did we win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D No, I know we didn't and did hear that it had been a nail-biter! Another victory to Canada I understand. Do you think we'll fare so well as the host nation come 2012? I'd like to hope so - but am not too optimistic - I'll be waving my flag nevertheless! :)

 

Sorry off topic!

 

The GB team aren't even good enough to qualify unfortunately.

I don't think we'll do as well in summer games this time as I think all our top ones were at their peak last time and have now retired or become professional and moved on.

 

At least we did better than last winter olympics when we only came home with a silver.

Look what the Russians did to their olympic team manager and they got loads of gold medals.:eek: He was lucky they didn't exile him to Siberia.

 

Berwyn

[jocap]

We were staying in a hotel first, and embarked at around 1.15pm.

I'm not sure when we returned to Sharm, but OH was off on a snorkelling trip before 7.15 am.

We had a special AI price of £69, and worked out that it wouldn't have cost much more to have paid as we went, because the prices were so reasonable.-jocap.

[Twickenham]

Thank you everyone for all your answers! While I'm not sure I'll be able to swing this cruise this time around (vacation time), I'm definitely going to keep Thomson on my radar for the future!

Sorry about the curling, but Kevin Martin was a man on a mission at the games (missed gold in 2002 by literally an inch...)