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Just posted this under Thomson Cruises...


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Hi everyone,

We are considering booking a Thomson cruise for July 2015 as a surprise for my parents. We always cruise together as a family (parents + 3 sisters + partners) we haven't had a big holiday like this for a while as we have been busy getting married/having children so we will be traveling as a party of 12 this time (children aged 7 years, 1 year, 10 months & 9 months)!!

We have only cruised with Royal Caribbean before so just want some opinions on the Thomson ones, particularly if any if you have also cruised with Royal Caribbean aswell. The cruise we are looking at is on Island Escape, the Tapas & Tagines cruise from Palma, GIBRALTAR-UK, CADIZ-SPAIN, TANGIER-MOROCCO, ALMERIA-SPAIN, IBIZA TOWN-SPAIN.

Thanks! x

 

Why have Thomson Cruises & Island Cruises have different boards? Are they not the same company??

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When they first started Thompson were somewhat downmarket -- their cruises were on the same lines as their package holidays aimed at a mass market.

 

That is no longer true, at least as far as the Dream and Spirit. Those ships were previously operated by HAL and seemingly their ambience appealed to an older and more discerning market. There is a thread on here which compares Thomson (favourably) to P and O.

 

But they have nowhere near the facilities and activities for youngsters that you would find on the larger Royal Caribbean ships.

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Pre 2008 Island cruises was a two ship joint venture between R.C.I. and First Choice, when that dissolved the Island Escape was transferred to the new First Choice owners TUI travel who continued to sail her under Thomson's using the old company name Island Cruises, sensibly as it already had many loyal customers... So Island cruises is separate but still booked on the same site. The IE is marketed as an informal option...Funnily enough though I think the IE is the only ship wholly owned by Thomson, the others being leased.

Never been on an RCI ship but I am guessing the IE is definitely a more "British" product... More Butlins than Disneyworld. :D

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