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Dissapointing first cruise!

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jenny wren

jenny wren

Posted
Posted

Quote when I look at the various forum of all the other operators, I see many more "issues" and complaints as a percentage of axtual posts made on Thompsons than I do with the other companies, end quote

 

Sorry to butt in here but I think you will find if you analyze the 'issues' and complaints made against Thomson that they are in the main about the Dream and perhaps Island Escape which have been recent issues. If you go back a year or two things would be different....we have cruised six times with Thomson over the past six years or so and have also cruised P & O, Celebrity, RCI, Princess, Costa, Discovery,......and we have nothing but praise for Thomson cruises....they present an excellent package and seem to be the only cruiseline who get the balance exactly right.....their only 'downside' is the fact that their ships are older and not so flashy. ....BUT they are clean and tidy, their staff are superb, food is excellent, the entertainment is absolutely the best we have experienced at sea....of course I haven't experienced the Dream or Island Escape but have been on Celebration x 2, Spirit x 2, Emerald and Calypso.

 

We have just returned from Celebrity Eclipse and were constantly hearing people singing Thomsons praises....no I don't work for Thomson or any other travel related company !!

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vwgolf

vwgolf

Posted
Posted
The question is, when I look at the various forum of all the other operators, I see many more "issues" and complaints as a percentage of axtual posts made on Thompsons than I do with the other companies, so the question is, whilst the model works for them.............does it work for you and I as the consumer?

 

Given the many thousands of repeat customers (myself included) and listening to the tales from fellow cruisers, I would say that they have their business model spot on.

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jenny wren

jenny wren

Posted
Posted
Hi Jenny, welcome back. Hope you had a good time:) How was the Eclipse?

 

Hi there Linda....we had a wonderful time with flat calm seas for 14 days in the North sea and Baltic..couldnt believe our luck !!

 

The ship is fabulous lovely soft furnishings and decor everywhere,,...cabins are big enough, not that much storage tho', bathroom is spacious with shower doors (no curtain hooray) but tap over sink is fixed so can't splash face with water, nice balcony with reclining chairs.....food good in MDR and buffet, drinks very expensive so didn't buy any!!! You can take 2 bottles of wine on board to drink in cabin (only at embarkation in Southampton) enough sunbeds, we werent impressed with entertainment....no one can beat Thomson...and the CD irritated us with his Me, Me, Me attitude !!!!!

 

It was a first on Celebrity for us and we still think that Thomson gives the best overall package...if Thomson had Celebrity ships that would be a perfect cruise!!!!!!!!!!:D:D

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CRUISIN LINDA

CRUISIN LINDA

Posted
Posted

Thanks Jenny, glad you had a good time:) Thomson entertainment is unbeatable, especially if the CD is Stephen Guy.

 

Someone told me the entertainment was better on Thomson than QE2!

 

Thanks for the tip about the wine:D

 

While you have been away, the reviews of the Dream have improved, so hopefully, once they refurbish her, she will be fine. OH wants to go on her to Caribbean, but because I told a friend who is coming with us about the ship's problems, he is not keen. Fred Olsen have similar itinery. so we shall see what Braemar is like in 3 weeks time and then decide what to do.

There's probably 5 of us going, so trying to get everyone to agree could be a nightmare;)

 

What sort of toiletries and hairdryer do do they have on Eclipse?

(sorry should be asking this on Celebrity site - but it seems to be full of Americans!!)

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jenny wren

jenny wren

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Toiletries in bathroom were small bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body lotion.......when I made a comment on 'comment card' that there was no shower gel some appeared (along with sachets of nescafe which were also lacking...only tea bags with kettle) ...to be fair everything I mentioned on comment card was followed up...but I didn't hand it in until nearly the end of cruise....so if you want anything ask for it early on and they will do their best to get it for you. I did mention that it would have been nice to have a footstool on the balcony and they rang to say if we had asked for one they would have done their best to get us one !!!

 

Hair dryer was fine (although one of those you have to hold the switch down all the time) and powerful...in the dressing table drawer.

 

Gary orient yes Americans are capable of answering simple questions ...tho' they do get a bit funny if you criticise their favourite cruiseline...even if it is constructive criticism. :D

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CRUISIN LINDA

CRUISIN LINDA

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Aren't Americans capable of answering simple questions then?;)

 

Ha ha very funny:D What I meant was, as Jenny had just been on the Eclipse, she could answer my questions better and I don't know if she looks at the Celebrity boards very often;)

 

Thanks Jenny for the reply, I may take my own shower gel as we have no weight limit. The stuff on the Dream looked like fairy liquid:eek:

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Garyorient

Garyorient

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Gary orient yes Americans are capable of answering simple questions ...tho' they do get a bit funny if you criticise their favourite cruiseline...even if it is constructive criticism. :D

 

Totally agree with you Jenny, but if you read some of the apologists on this forum you will see that it is not unique to Americans, nor is it unique to American cruise operators.

 

People seem to take it personally that you are crticising their personal choices, which is patently not the case.

 

I wrote a review on the MSC Poesia following a 2 day crise and posted it on the MSC forum. Well one person absolutely ripped into me, even citing the fact that as I was only on the ship for two days, I really wasn't entitled to an opinion.

 

My belief is fairly clear. Provided you write a balanced report (which this clearly was) and provided you are not actually lying, you can put your own particular perspective on your cruise whatever it might be.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1202884

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  • 1 year later...
daonyx

daonyx

Posted
Posted
Cheek ;)

 

Linda, you will see on the thread "British Attitudes" my thoughts on the agents in this industry that gets us all tarred with the same brush and labelled as dishonest charletains.

 

I know your comments are somewhat tongue in cheek, but fundamentally your cynicism is well founded.

 

 

 

Thats rich coming from a bloke who took our £4000 deposit to secure our flights for a cruise only two weeks before your company went bust! then it turns out that the flights were never booked!

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stevedeccaman

stevedeccaman

Posted
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:confused:

 

Now then, now then what is all this about , the last post was today

the one previous was dated June 2010 ?

:eek:

 

anyone know what is happening ? or we in a time warp or is somebody having a go from days gone bye :cool:

 

Perhaps I will contact confused.com and ask them :D

 

Stevie

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stevedeccaman

stevedeccaman

Posted
Posted

Garyorient

Cool Cruiser Join Date: May 2009

Posts: 988

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I am one of the phone agents you refer to. :rolleyes:

------------------------------------------------------------------

onwards and upwards

 

Stevie :cool:

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daonyx

daonyx

Posted
Posted

You're absolutely right, we got conned out of four thousand pounds by this outfit and because of the way they operated we're struggling to get our money back. ABTA and ATOL are both unwilling to accept the claim even though the paperwork claimed the booking was bonded.

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