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What Ship and where are you going Summer 2019?


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Picked up the new brochure today after visiting three different TAs. Staff saying brochures will be phased out all together in about 18 months time.

 

Further cutbacks on regional flights. Most repo cruises only available from Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham.

 

Prices greatly increased for some itineraries.

 

With falling standards and cutbacks over the past few years we would now only book a Marella cruise if it was an absolute bargain price and an itinerary we really wanted to do. Better options out there.

 

Feeling sad as have cruised with Thomson for many, many years. Don't like the way Tui are going.

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That's a shame hope you find a line that suit's we have never tried another line and still enjoy Thomson with all the cut backs so are reluctant to change especially after reading some of the posts on other lines it appears that they all are trying to reduce costs in an ever increasing market.

 

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We have also enjoyed all our Cruises with Thomson even with the very obvious cutbacks over the recent years. The staff are amazing but even they are struggling with staff shortages and feeling the strain. Some we have got to know over the years say it's difficult to try to keep on smiling and are thinking of quitting. So sorry for them.

 

The most important point for us continuing to be loyal to Thomson was that we could fly from our local airport. There's a lot less available from regional airports now. We would have loved to do the Asia cruises but travelling from Scotland to Gatwick, Manchester or Birmingham to join your flight is risky in the winter weather conditions.

 

If a plane load of passengers joining the ship and flying from any airport is delayed the ship will wait but if you are making your own way and are delayed on your way to an airport several hundred miles away and you miss your departure you are responsible. We can't control the weather and even allowing an extra day before your flight doesn't guarantee you will get there in time and the thought of the long journey back after the holiday is just as daunting. We had a bad experience several years ago and almost missed our flight from Manchester for our Caribbean cruise due to heavy snow the day before we travelled.

 

Can I ask has anyone cruised with Cruise and Maritime and what did they think of it compared with Thomson / Tui ?

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Can I ask has anyone cruised with Cruise and Maritime and what did they think of it compared with Thomson / Tui?

 

I haven't cruised with C&M but have friends that have, they are in the Fred Olsen and early Thomson range of ships. Usual things great, like food, ports of call and staff. But their prices have also increased over the years.

 

So worth looking into but I won't sail with them due to no decent balcony cabins and since Marella have their bigger ships with loads more balcony cabin choices, I've booked my next cruise with them.

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Thank you Sauspud.

 

Hoping to do at least one more Tui cruise this year then seriously considering C & M. We have been on F O and found the food, entertainment and service very good. Both sail from regional ports. We don't mind not having a balcony and we are not big drinkers so drinks package not really important. Only thing is we will miss so many members of the crew and entertainers on board Tui ships that we have got to know well over the years.

 

Perhaps Tui cutting back on regional flights is just what we needed to say goodbye Tui Marella and look forward to trying other lines.

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I do see more Scottish people on Fred Olsen than on Marella, and it could be the reason why, lack of regional flights.

How are flights to ports with other airlines and other cruise lines? Is this a common problem for Scotland or is it just TUI doesn't want your business anymore?

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Can I ask has anyone cruised with Cruise and Maritime and what did they think of it compared with Thomson / Tui ?

 

 

We still like Thomson/ Marella best, but have been once with Fred Olsen and twice with Cruise and Maritime. Of the two I preferred C&M- a more relaxed atmosphere on board with some lovely "old fashioned" touches like a gala midnight buffet/ deck party.

Also very good at providing free shuttles where necessary!

 

We found FO a bit "stuffy" with rigid dress codes and mealtimes that were certainly not organised for the convenience of passengers.

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?????= D2 booked our favorite JS[emoji106]

 

 

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Hello

P.C have also booked cabin 8046 on Discovery 2 for our pride of Panama two up from the overhang , your not cruising from So,ton this year or next , if so you could come over and park with the company i work for, you never know we might have that meet up.

 

Howard

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  • 2 weeks later...
I do see more Scottish people on Fred Olsen than on Marella, and it could be the reason why, lack of regional flights.

How are flights to ports with other airlines and other cruise lines? Is this a common problem for Scotland or is it just TUI doesn't want your business anymore?

 

 

Been making enquiries. Tui had so many complaints about using Alba Star out of Glasgow that they are no longer using them. Result is they have only one plane from Glasgow hence the reason for afternoon departures for cruises. This plane would be flying early in the day to a resort then returning to Glasgow to fly passengers out to the ship. If the first flight of the day is delayed either on the way out or on the way back to Glasgow this means a very late arrival on the ship for passengers.

 

Some cruise destinations last year originally had early morning flights when first booked and these were later changed to afternoon flights near to the departure date.

 

Arriving late on the ship means you have to attend the safety drill for late arrivals, miss the sailaway deck party and the first day of your holiday has gone.

 

So even if your cruise next year has an early flight it's quite possible that it could change after you have booked leaving you with what is in effect really just a six day holiday.

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Could you not go down to London for a day out, catch a show, go shopping, see the sights and then fly from Gatwick the next day?

 

Just an idea.

 

I did something similar when leaving from Newcastle, I spent a day and a night in Newcastle before the cruise, then if delay's with transport (went by train), you have a day to catch up. If no delays then it is a nice relaxing start to the cruise.

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Was so impressed with our first cruise with Marella. Pride of Panama and Cuban Fusion on the 27th of last month that we have booked Adriatic Splendours and Mediterranean Gems departing 31st July 2019. Can't wait !!! We will be on Explorer 2

Edited by focus60
Forgot the ship!
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Was so impressed with our first cruise with Marella. Pride of Panama and Cuban Fusion on the 27th of last month that we have booked Adriatic Splendours and Mediterranean Gems departing 31st July 2019. Can't wait !!! We will be on Explorer 2

 

Very nice.

Little tip, when in Toulon, if the excursion is available or you go on your own, visit Cassis. It's the most picturesque french fishing village in the whole of Europe.

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Could you not go down to London for a day out, catch a show, go shopping, see the sights and then fly from Gatwick the next day?

 

Just an idea.

 

I did something similar when leaving from Newcastle, I spent a day and a night in Newcastle before the cruise, then if delay's with transport (went by train), you have a day to catch up. If no delays then it is a nice relaxing start to the cruise.

 

 

Thanks for the suggestion SausPud. We used to live near London and have seen all the sights many times. We have also travelled down to Gatwick, Heathrow, Stanstead and Manchester in the past for long haul flights to holiday destinations with several airlines.

 

We have cruised with Thomson for years but it's only recently that they have cut the availability from some regional airports. Never had a problem before.

 

We feel that if everyone starts to travel down south for flights Tui may cut back even more using the excuse that there is not enough demand from Scottish airports. Every flight we have been on over the years has been full from Glasgow so the demand is there. It's just about Tui cutting costs.

 

I notice in the new brochure that Naples will be a home port next year for one of the ships. Jet2 have also opened up a new route from Glasgow to Naples, so a cruise only and a separate flight is a possibility. But to be quite honest Tui Marella are not that great now so it's no big deal for us if we don't use them again.

 

Fred Olsen have an offer at the moment " Free Drinks and Tips Paid " Would certainly book with Fred again. Great food and entertainment and local departures.

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We have just booked to go on the Adriatic Explorer on 12 July 2019 on the Discovery with one week prior to that in Corfu staying at the Mayor Verde Grande Resort. This will be our 20th anniversary so we are leaving the children behind!!! We have been on 3 cruises in the past all in the Caribbean and on Royal Caribbean so this will be a bit of a change for us but we are super excited. Looking forward to Kotor, Montenegro and Dubrovnik. Any tips or suggestions gratefully appreciated!!

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We have just booked to go on the Adriatic Explorer on 12 July 2019 on the Discovery with one week prior to that in Corfu staying at the Mayor Verde Grande Resort. This will be our 20th anniversary so we are leaving the children behind!!! We have been on 3 cruises in the past all in the Caribbean and on Royal Caribbean so this will be a bit of a change for us but we are super excited. Looking forward to Kotor, Montenegro and Dubrovnik. Any tips or suggestions gratefully appreciated!!

 

If you are not up early to dock into Kotor, Montenegro, make sure you catch the views when you sail out in the evening. This is a very pretty port and better than Bar, which is getting overbuilt like Spain in the 1970s.

 

With Dubrovnik, the cable car gets cancelled a lot due to high winds, but if it is not windy, deffo go as the views are amazing.

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