Grez

Am I being a bit thick? Where does it mention Panama canal, and how could they do a Panama Canal transit if all itineraries start and end in Jamaica - it would bankrupt them! They are also unlikely to do a repositioning cruise via the Panama Canal as its going the wrong way.

Can't work this out.:confused:

A recessed balcony sounds both horrible and pointless. I think they will also be a bit noisy in the location they are putting them. As mentioned above, I would much rather see a pub or even coffee bar take its place.

Can't find anything yet. No ship has been booked into Northern Europe as of yet and Majesty and Celebration have appeared at the end of April and both seem to be going eastwards to the Med. Could be no Spirit and no ex-UK for 2015, but will keep an eye out to see if any Thomson ship appears in any Norwegian schedule.

I assume you are keeping a look out for Costa Classica as well? Stranger things have happened!

Spirit was also used as a hotel for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Looking good for Winter 14 sailings -

The Island Escape still belongs to TUI Travel and should anything change, we’d look to contact all affected passengers as soon as possible. Our summer 2014 programme is on sale, and our winter 2014 goes on sale soon as the ship remains popular with our customers. ^Adam

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-24268733

Presumably then the Cruise Deals call centre is shutting? If so a real shame as until recently they used to give a great price on cruises, with excellent customer service. Then they started being less competitive, unable to beat the web price and customers getting put through to random stores more often.

If this is the end for Cruise Deals in its current incarnation sad to say I will not be using them again. I've read to many horror stories from people who have had the misfortune to be routed through to a shop.

so guys...I'm booked on dream (thumbup)

 

after all that work i've booked direct online....none of the ta's (i spoke to) were really playing ball much...(probably because I always book basic and then add on later....unless they offer me an upgrade cheap...which they didnt?)

 

it is interesting that thoms shops will match the online price for a £20 fee (allegedly because...online bookers are coming into the shops to have various errors sorted?)

 

surely this should be the other way around? why should those that book in store have to pay for the online bookers errors?

 

I've triple checked everything....I hope:confused:

 

they should make the in store booking £20 cheaper than online in the first place....so that if you do book online and need some error sorted you have already contributed the fee to cover the shops costs? (probably wouldn’t look good for thoms online presence?....but you would have thought that thoms would want people to use their shops?)

 

anyway...I'm a happy bunny....I can relax now (apart from the relentless counting of the days/hours/minutes):(:);)

I know Geo, I can't understand it either. Especially when stores usually refuse to rectify mistakes that online bookers make (due to their 'systems' not recognising the booking made online), and in addition Thomson charge £50 to amend bookings anyway?

Also, what sort of shopkeeper turns away footfall? You would think they would be glad that anybody who had an issue came into their store. Firstly they could win customers by offering excellent customer service, which would make people think twice before booking online in future, and secondly every time someone walks through that door it is an opportunity to sell them something extra, like an upgrade, airport parking, insurance, currency or even another holiday.

Short sited and outdated. They will ultimately go the way of the dinosaur with their current policies.

As far as I am aware the £20 to price match has been in operation for a while, but it is discretionary. At the end of the day, as thomsonfirsttimer says, if they want your business they will not charge you. If they don't want your business there will be plenty that do.

I notice there is now a 'soft drinks by the glass' option - thats new - which means they must have the draught sodas on board now and this is what your 'free' mixer will be with your spirits - hopefully that means they have diet versions as Im not paying for my diet drink just because i cant have sugar and theres no other option available - I predict massive complaints if they DONT have a sugar free drink that is available on AI.

Thats not what it means. It means you don't get the full can.

Its like charades this! I imagine the company you are all trying to guess has the sound a sheep makes, followed by the teacher in charge of a school.

RR - someone's asking a question on the Thomson Cruise Facebook site about the Island Escape AI - are you able to pop over & answer please? :confused: ;)

I'm not sure anyone can really answer that until she starts sailing this year, I would expect there to have been some changes over the winter.

Whoops should have been £2942 ;)

If it was £1942 I'd have paid for all of us!

Been following the price difference for the Alleged sailing of the Island Escape next July 2013 for 2 weeks same dates flights (airport) etc ...what a difference in prices.

 

08/12/12 = £3068

10/1212 = £3122

12/12/12/ = £1942

19/12/12 = £3220

 

 

When I booked now unbooked 2 months back it was a lot less than that :confused:

 

 

 

:eek:

They have to pay for IE's replacement somehow.

P.S £1942?

If anyone is interested in comparing the new Thomson AI list with the TUI bar list, you can download the pdf at http://tuicruises.com/kreuzfahrten-mein-schiff/alles-inklusive/

Which begs the question why can't I download a bar list off Thomson's website?

Jules, I'm thinking that its not draught mixers that you will be getting, rather whichever half flat bottle or can they have open at the time. However, despite repeated requests on this board, Thomson have failed to answer one way or the other about drinks by the glass.

If my name was Fred I would be reasonably confident of attracting a few new customers from one of my rivals next year. ;)

I don't expect things like Malt Whiskys, Fine Cognacs etc to be included in an AI package, but the amount of supplements on bog standard drinks is frankly insulting to anyone who has paid for it.

This time last year I wouldn't haven thought twice about paying full price for AI. Now I would not even consider it. When you compare this to the drinks packages now introduced on virtually all of Thomson's competitors in the last year it really shows what poor value it is. One of Thomson's USP's has been lost.

Just seen on the Q+A section on the other well known cruise site someone asking for info about IE being sold to a Japanese consortium. If this is the case it would explain the rumour about Thomson bringing Destiny back next year, presumably to replace IE.

This is me just putting 2 and2 together though, probably not true!

Why? My manager seems to fancy this one! Thought we would do Athens using the HOHO bus and treat us to a gondola in Venice. Change of plan needed?:eek:

Hi, as Berwyn says some people think its going to be just the 2 of them, but it will be at least 6 in a boat. As others have mentioned there are lots of gondolas in Venice, so you could always just get one when you are off the ship if you wanted. It is very expensive however.

I know this will have been asked before, but; is it cheaper to book excursions before you go, or on board? Doing the Aegean/Adriatic trip 31st August and fancy a gondola ride!

The gondola ride may not be what you expect. Do a bit of research before booking that one.

Interesting to see that you say the deck drill wasn't done until the 2nd day? I thought that had all changed & it was done before leaving port? Was it due to bad weather perhaps? (but then more of a chance for the ship to be in trouble lol so would have been better to do on the first day??!!) Just noticed this is an old review - doh!!!!

 

Good to read your review - we must go back on that itinerary one day - I loved the Adriatic!

Jules, the thread started in October, hence the safety drill on day 2.