How different is a Island Escape cruise to a Thomson cruise?

[Mower Lady]

We've been on 3 Thomson cruises on Spirit, Destiny & Majesty and loved them all. We're going on the Island Escape for the 1st time on 30th October because we really liked the itinerary. I know the dining arrangements are different and there is no formal night, but are the other things I loved about the Thomson cruises also on the Island Escape?

eg:- the singing waiters in the restaurants, the Baked alaska parade, the newsletter every night put under the cabin door, the chocolate on the pillow? Just want to know so I won't be too disappointed.

[geomagot]

Ok so, there is really only one difference, on the Island escape both restaurants are self service buffets, the Island restaurant has tablecloths and the waiters will bring iced water and tea/coffee

 

there’s no baked alaska & no singing waiters (unless one of them is just singing)

 

There is no formal night, really you can wear what you want as casual as you like there is no dress code, some do dress up a little in the evenings and some do dress down

 

everything else is the same, the same wonderful crew, the same friendly ambience, the same great entertainment, and I do believe the captain will host a reception one evening where he will introduce the officer crew in the theatre, but this may only be for returning guests....not sure? Someone will know

 

you will get a newsletter under the door as usual and towel creations, and sometimes chocolates too

 

Personally, for a family holiday, we love the IE

[carolynne15]

hiya we are thinking of booking the island escape next year but am a bit worried the cabins look really small does anyone know what the premier cabin's are like

 

thanks carolynne

[ekco]

I've been on the IE twice and, with respect, I don't agree that you can dress as casual as you like. Although there is no formal night, and therefore no ball gowns, most people do dress up in the evening and only wear casual wear if they are having a quiet night and dining in the Beachcomber. The Oasis restaurant has very nice food, waiter served, for an extra charge. We enjoyed the night we ate in there.

 

There is a reception for returning passengers but to be honest it's not worth the bother, unless you have some time to spare.

 

We didn't have a premier room but had a much better cabin on deck 9 than the next year on deck 8. We had wardrobe doors the first time and a fridge, ice in the ice bucket and a flat screen tv, none of which we got the 2nd time. The only thing we didn't have was a view as there was a large tender outside the window. If you choose a de-luxe cabin on deck 9 I'm pretty sure they are at either end away from the lifeboats. Some have balconies that have been bolted onto the side of the ship as an afterthought and didn't appeal to me for that reason.

 

I would advise booking a cabin mid-ships as we were near the front last year and the ship pitched and rolled a lot more there and also there was a lot of banging and clanging all night that kept us awake. No idea what it was but it sounded like someone was hitting the side of the ship with a sledgehammer.

 

Please post on Island forum for more info.:):)

 

Jan

[Cymro1953]

We have been on I. E. twice and had a great time both times. The 2nd time we took our sons 25 and 21 on their 1st cruise and they loved her.

 

Most of what Jan has said in the post above I would agree with.

We had a balcony cabin twice, but apart from the balcony the cabin was identical inside to our sons who were down in the steerage. The only difference was we had a fridge. Lovely comfortable ship. My work colleague has just come back off her in the Western Med. and had a lovely time.

 

Berwyn

[infoqueen]

Its great just a bit more casual you can dress up or down as you wish i have been on s few and would go back on island escape tomorrow :

[Cymro1953]

Its great just a bit more casual you can dress up or down as you wish i have been on s few and would go back on island escape tomorrow :

 

Yes, I'd tottaly agree. And Ross Roberts the Cruise director is the best and funniest we've ever had on either a British or American cruise ship.

 

Berwyn

[carolynne15]

hiya cymro do you know if the premier cabins on deck 8 have fridges

 

carolynne

[geomagot]

I don't agree that you can dress as casual as you like.

 

I am beginning to notice that there is nothing so emotive as dress codes:(

 

you can dress as casual (or as formal) as you like on Island

 

there is no dress code

 

I agree that many do dress up a bit in the evenings as most people would do at home for night out

 

what I am saying is: You dont have to! If you don’t want to! you can dress how you like and no-one will be bothered, you will not be asked to leave the restaurant if you turn up in shorts & flip flops, whereas you would be on the Thomson ships

 

I have been on several Island cruises, I have seen people in their nightwear & slippers at breakfast (actually, I have seen this on Thomsons too) I have also seen people in dinner suits and ball gowns in the casino

 

On Island, apart from swimwear at the buffet (urgh) it really is whatever you like

 

Agree with the banging and clanging at the front of the ship, kept us awake too.....I wonder what it is??:confused:

[carolynne15]

hiya geomagot

 

is the banging only on the lower decks or the you get it on the upper 1s to

also i have heard a lot of people saying you get a lot of motion movement even if the water is calm did you find that

 

carolynne

[geomagot]

we've been on deck 4 and 5 and could hear the clanging on both decks, it seems to be worse at the front, we once had a balcony cabin on deck 9 which was at the back and couldn’t hear any clanging from there

 

I didn't notice the motion being any worse or better than on any other ship, I guess it depends on the sea conditions

 

IE does have stabilisers

 

I believe you will feel the motion a little more if you are at the front of the ship

[Scarey Mary]

hiya we are thinking of booking the island escape next year but am a bit worried the cabins look really small does anyone know what the premier cabin's are like

 

thanks carolynne

 

We stayed in a premier on deck 8. To put it bluntly it was awful.:( It was a decent size but had really dark old tatty furniture which made the whole cabin very dark especially as we had the curtains closed most of the time as the smokers used to sit at tables right next to the cabin window. You could hear every word they said. We had a double bed which was 2 singles pushed together with a hard wooden slat in the middle and up against a wall making it awkward for getting in and out.

It was 3 years ago it may have been done up since then. I know others on here have been higher up and the cabins were good.

Hope someone else can give you some newer and better info. I would def avoid deck 8 though with it being the promenade deck.

[jenny wren]

We've had deck 6 and 7 midships with beds as singles and slept really well even on a rough night!! we always eat in the Island restaurant for all meals with a couple of treats in the Oasis speciality restaurant (where the waiters sang for us)....shows were excellent and Ross Roberts is the best!! when it was choppy we did think the ship moved about in a different way to others we have been on so we thought it was best to be midships where we didn't feel it much at all.

We have done six Thomson cruises and thoroughly enjoyed IE less formal but not less enjoyable!! Lovely itineraries as well! :)

[ekco]

I am beginning to notice that there is nothing so emotive as dress codes:(

 

I wasn't trying to be 'emotive'. I'm just telling it as I see it.

[carolynne15]

thanks maybe we are better off trying deck 6 or 7 then the reviews are so mixed on this ship dont know what to do we went on the dream in march and liked it but throught we would give island escape a go next year is there any other smoking area's on the ship or only on deck 8

 

carolynne

[davecttr]

I was thinking of trying escape but with the noise issues mentioned plus the deck plans showing single cabins down by the engines I won't bother, maybe try an american line instead.

 

Bring back Ocean Village.;)

[jenny wren]

I think the noise issues are only at the front Dave we never heard a thing midships...not sure where the single cabins are tho'...:)

[Scarey Mary]

I know a lot of people like the Escape but we didn't like it at all :( especially after doing the other ships.

We did the Canaries on it and as well as the cabin issues already mentioned it creaked and groaned all night long and we really felt the motion.

We ate in the dining room with the buffet. The tables were so crammed in if you got on a long table of 8 everyone else had to get up to let you out. The gluten free options were labelled but other things had been dropped into them so was not all that safe for hubby.

On the good side the CD Ross was excellent and so was the entertainment except we didn't like the hard sell all the time for their CD's etc.

When we got home I wrote a long letter to Thomsons just stating how as regular customers we were very disappointed and to my absolute astonishment I got a phone call from Customer Services asking more about our experience. I was then offered £250 towards our next cruise and could take it of the one we had already booked. To say I was amazed is an understatement:).

As I said before this was three years ago things may have improved but we are quite happy to stay with the ships we love and not go on the Escape again.

[davecttr]

I think the noise issues are only at the front Dave we never heard a thing midships...not sure where the single cabins are tho'...:)

Back by the engines.

 

i don't understand why Thomson have single cabins

Example

A couple and a elderly parent want to book

Oh dear, mum is going to be half a ship and two decks down from our cabin

Lets book elsewhere:rolleyes: