Thomson being marketed to Canadians

[geomagot]

I suspect its cheaper because jamaica is not so far for them to fly and they already have a well established holiday market for canadians in jamaica....its their spain or italy

 

also...canadians are more used to getting better value for their dollars than we are here, they are not suffering a credit crunch and recession as we are....canada’s economy is thriving at the moment

 

imo you definitely get more for your buck in canada....we flew there a couple of years ago with canadian affair for £300pp return (air canada gatwick toronto) and rented a 4 bedroom lakeside lodge just outside of toronto a beautiful countryside location and a superb fully fitted lodge with 2 bathrooms 4 bedrooms, balcony, large kitchen, private dock with boat, private hot tub, use of an indoor pool etc etc for £500 per week (you cant rent a caravan in cornwall in summer for that?)

 

we hired a huge chrysler to drive up to northern ontario for about £200 for the week, it was a 600 mile journey petrol was cheap, motels were cheap, food was plentiful and cheap (by our standards here in uk)

 

I absolutely luvved canada:cool:

[Huddersfieldtourist]

I still think there will be a low take up from Canada at least initially.

 

Tui is marketing its products universally more and more so this will arise in other ways. You never know - one day the UK may even get offered Mein Schiff.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Ha ha HT! You jest :D

[Julessmiles]

Mein Schiff cruises are even more expensive than the Thomson ones so maybe they wouldn't get a great take up from the UK

[davecttr]

Mein Schiff cruises are even more expensive than the Thomson ones so maybe they wouldn't get a great take up from the UK

Not much use anyway as i believe they do not have casinos :(

[geomagot]

Not much use anyway as i believe they do not have casinos :(

 

I'm with you on that one dave....no use to me either....gotta have my flutter:cool:

[Len Baker]

Hi, I understand what you are saying but the price comparisons made earlier in the thread did take into account the flights, effectively using cruise only holidays.

 

If there is no credit crunch in affluent Canada then surely prices set by Thomson need not be so competitive when compared to the UK prices. In cash strapped UK surely higher discounts should be offered to entice people to part with their cash. The reverse is happening with Thomson increasing the price of all of its cruises.

 

Some loyal customers on the forum are apparently not so enthusiastic to book with Thomson. Proof of the pudding.

[joeholiday2]

Ha ha HT! You jest :D

 

 

I don't think HT is jesting:eek:

Sailaway mentioned it on his blog last month.

 

If they can sell "our" cruises cheaper to the Canadians why not sell TUI cheaper to us?

 

I have seen one of the Mein schiff's in Corfu at the same time as Majesty so it's feasible.

[geomagot]

what i meant was...cost of living is lower in canada average wages are also lower....housing/general prices are lower.... obviously there are some regional differences as there are here

 

thomsons do have close ties with sunwing....but I suspect tthey have sold a block of cabins to sunwing (as they do with other travel agents here) and it is sunwing who are marketing them at their going rate in canada...probably not thomsons setting the fares (but i expect they have done some kind of deal)

 

would be interesting to see how many unsold cabins (if any?) sunwing hand back to thoms?... that might create some extra cheap availability a couple of weeks before sailing....i'll be watching

 

also I seem to remember louis were heavily marketing the louis crystal (cuba itinerary) in canada last winter....would be interested to hear how well that went?...I expect thoms were watching that with some interest

[djg123]

I can't comment on the price comparison between what we're paying for the Thomson cruise to what the cost is for Brits. I can only compare it to other regional cruise lines here in North America. We were originally looking at a Western Caribbean cruise offered by Royal Caribbean. Cruise was $2300CAD. Flights were $1400CAD for the two of us. We're at $3700CAD without yet paying for gratuity or drinks. After some research, we figured $1200 more for tips and the drink package on the ship. So a grand total of $4900.

 

The Sunwing/Thomson Cruise came out at $4300CAD for the two if us. It's quite comparable to prices of other cruise ships in North America. And RC is considered a more luxurious brand compared to say, Carnival Cruises, which, I am told, is a Thomson Cruise equivalent.

 

There are so many factors that go into determining prices of holidays for the different markets around the world. I wouldn't fault Thomson for trying to be competitive in the North American market.

 

On a side note, anyone ever see the Chichen Itza ruins? The ship is docked for 12 hours in Mexico (one of the reasons we chose this cruise) so will give us enough time for the 11 hour day trip to see the ruins.

 

Looking forward to learning some British colloquial language.

 

Cheers from Toronto.

[happy v]

Hi djg123. welcome to the forum.

We have been to Chichen Itza, and I think it's definitely worth doing.

 

With regards to thomson in Canada, the second cruise we did was with Airtours, a long time ago;), and we had Canadians on board then and some Americans. It all worked out very well. I must admit before this trip I didn't know there were so many ways to serve a fried egg.:rolleyes::o:D

[jem16]

we hired a huge chrysler to drive up to northern ontario for about £200 for the week, it was a 600 mile journey petrol was cheap, motels were cheap, food was plentiful and cheap (by our standards here in uk)

 

I absolutely luvved canada:cool:

 

I think prices depend on where in Canada you actually are. In Toronto itself restaurant prices are very similar to here and in fact many are more expensive. In general I would say their prices are more on a par with London but like London the salaries are also higher.

 

As for house prices, both rental and bought, it's dearer than in Glasgow for example. However you get a much bigger house for the money with huge basements being standard.

[Julessmiles]

I can't comment on the price comparison between what we're paying for the Thomson cruise to what the cost is for Brits. I can only compare it to other regional cruise lines here in North America. We were originally looking at a Western Caribbean cruise offered by Royal Caribbean. Cruise was $2300CAD. Flights were $1400CAD for the two of us. We're at $3700CAD without yet paying for gratuity or drinks. After some research, we figured $1200 more for tips and the drink package on the ship. So a grand total of $4900.

 

The Sunwing/Thomson Cruise came out at $4300CAD for the two if us. It's quite comparable to prices of other cruise ships in North America. And RC is considered a more luxurious brand compared to say, Carnival Cruises, which, I am told, is a Thomson Cruise equivalent.

 

There are so many factors that go into determining prices of holidays for the different markets around the world. I wouldn't fault Thomson for trying to be competitive in the North American market.

 

On a side note, anyone ever see the Chichen Itza ruins? The ship is docked for 12 hours in Mexico (one of the reasons we chose this cruise) so will give us enough time for the 11 hour day trip to see the ruins.

 

Looking forward to learning some British colloquial language.

 

Cheers from Toronto.

 

 

I hope they are not selling the Thomson ships as luxury. Luxury they are not but what they don't have in luxury they make up for with their great entertainment & lovely staff - that is what has always made the Thomson cruises for us.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

I'll start you off then, dig123. We call staterooms, cabins :D:D

Edited June 9, 2014 by CRUISIN LINDA

[geomagot]

I think prices depend on where in Canada you actually are. In Toronto itself restaurant prices are very similar to here and in fact many are more expensive. In general I would say their prices are more on a par with London but like London the salaries are also higher.

 

As for house prices, both rental and bought, it's dearer than in Glasgow for example. However you get a much bigger house for the money with huge basements being standard.

 

ahh yes but in canada most houses (by our standards) are huge and mostly detached with outside space, loft, basement, garage, fireplaces etc even in the towns...whereas the average town house here in uk is in a terrace or semi detached (duplex) ie small with hardly any outside space, no garage maybe just a short shared driveway

 

in the canadian countryside an average house would come with at least an acre of land and a long driveway maybe with some outbuildings...equivalent to what we here would call a farmhouse and cost millions (at least they do around here)

 

I cant comment on house prices in glasgow? (would be interested to know tho) but around here £200k would only buy you an average 3 bedroom semi (i am guessing that would be about an average price for most provincial towns here in uk)...in an northern ontario town you could buy 3 or 4 detached bungalows for that

 

its the dream for many in Uk to be able to afford a detached house

[geomagot]

I'll start you off then, dig123. We call staterooms, cabins :D:D

 

home fries = sliced fried sauteed potatoes....lovely

 

double double = strong coffee

 

half & half, 2% = full fat, semi skimmed

 

kraft dinner = instant pasta

 

...I'm starving...brb;):)

[jem16]

I cant comment on house prices in glasgow? (would be interested to know tho) but around here £200k would only buy you an average 3 bedroom semi (i am guessing that would be about an average price for most provincial towns here in uk)...

 

There's so may districts in Glasgow with many different "average" prices. In the better areas it would cost around £280k for a 3 bedroom semi. Other areas of Glasgow you would get it for around £160k or less.

 

in an northern ontario town you could buy 3 or 4 detached bungalows for that

 

I was talking about the GTA though. My son is buying there just now - he went to look at one over the weekend in Whitby - East Lakeside area of the GTA. 3 bedroom detached with basement, double garage and pool in the back yard was 450,000CAD which is about £250,000 approximately.

Edited June 10, 2014 by jem16

[geomagot]

£250,000 :eek: for a detached house in toronto commuter belt area.... with basement double garage & pool!....get me over there :cool:

 

a place like that would cost literally millions here in my area....and i live in the rural west country sticks....nowhere near a city...in london you are looking at a couple of million for a one bed apartment (but then wages are considerably higher in london)

[djg123]

There's so may districts in Glasgow with many different "average" prices. In the better areas it would cost around £280k for a 3 bedroom semi. Other areas of Glasgow you would get it for around £160k or less.

 

 

 

I was talking about the GTA though. My son is buying there just now - he went to look at one over the weekend in Whitby - East Lakeside area of the GTA. 3 bedroom detached with basement, double garage and pool in the back yard was 450,000CAD which is about £250,000 approximately.

 

Although many people would argue with me, Whitby is not the Greater Toronto Area. It's a 45 minute drive into the city core from Whitby. If you're doing it during rush hour, it could take you an hour thirty. If one wanted to live in the city, a house can cost around $800,000 CAD. Or this semi detached which just sold for over a million.

 

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/real-estate/riverdale-semi-goes-for-more-than-250000-over-asking/article19133429/?service=mobile

 

Most young people who wish to get into the house market need to move far out of the city core.

 

After writing all of this, I wonder to myself why I'm discussing the Toronto housing market in a cruise forum.

[djg123]

home fries = sliced fried sauteed potatoes....lovely

 

double double = strong coffee

 

half & half, 2% = full fat, semi skimmed

 

kraft dinner = instant pasta

 

...I'm starving...brb;):)

 

LOL, my granny was from Manchester. I'm originally from South Africa. Grew up on cooking my mom learned from hers. Very British.

 

a double double here is coffee with two cream and two sugar.

[geomagot]

I really enjoyed spending time meeting people and chatting when I was in canada...I truly was enamoured with the canadian way of life....just interested to learn more (sorry for hijacking this forum cruise guys):o

 

really looking forward to meeting canadian cruisers on my cuba/jamaica cruise this winter

 

hope you have a good time on dream, the crew will look after you like and gold :cool: ...and you'll find we brits will be welcoming and generous (once you get to know us) ;):)

[geomagot]

oh!...nearly forgot ...enjoy that free ai :cool::) .........grrrr! ;):D

[djg123]

oh!...nearly forgot ...enjoy that free ai :cool::) .........grrrr! ;):D

 

I'll "buy" you a drink.

[geomagot]

I'll "buy" you a drink.

 

hurrah!!...I'll be waiting with my empty glass:p:) ;)

[CRUISIN LINDA]

I'll "buy" you a drink.

 

hurrah!!...I'll be waiting with my empty glass:p:) ;)

Tut tut geo, not allowed as you know :D:D:D