davecttr Posted February 11, 2010 #1 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I don't understand how they calculate the prices!. Thomson Dream 13 July 7 nights Palma Meditteranean Gems Basic cabin from: Doncaster £936 Manchester £891 Luton £873 No flights from Newcastle unless you book a Deluxe or higher category! I just don't understand the logic of this, is everyone in Newcastle rich or are they trying to filter out Geordies :confused: I booked a 14 nighter in a suite a few days ago and my advice is don't check the prices later, they will be less!. I notice there are still suites and grand suites available so perhaps Dream is not attracting the customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cymro1953 Posted February 11, 2010 #2 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Hi Dave, This doesn't make sense. I could understand it if the flight was the problem, but obviously they've got he cheaper cabins available as they are available from other airports. God knows what they're playing at. Berwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its,only,me Posted February 11, 2010 #3 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Same happened to us at xmas they only had delux cabins from glasgow and the price was rediculous :eek: yet we went from newcastle in an ordinary cabin so there was other cabins available ,but just not from glasgow ,,,,strange :confused: mrs.c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cymro1953 Posted February 11, 2010 #4 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Same happened to us at xmas they only had delux cabins from glasgow and the price was rediculous :eek: yet we went from newcastle in an ordinary cabin so there was other cabins available ,but just not from glasgow ,,,,strange :confused:mrs.c There's no sense to it, if they've got flights available and cabins there should be no connection between the 2. All cabins should be available from all airports. Berwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jojo67 Posted February 11, 2010 #5 Share Posted February 11, 2010 No child prices either on any of the cruises I've tried to price for, even when you state children in the party & it asks for their ages, it then prices in 5 x full price fares! It didn't do this before they changed the website! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROSEBASKETS Posted February 11, 2010 #6 Share Posted February 11, 2010 No child prices either on any of the cruises I've tried to price for, even when you state children in the party & it asks for their ages, it then prices in 5 x full price fares! It didn't do this before they changed the website! Yes, I found that too, and this years Thomson prices for kids are massive compared to previous years, even in term time! Thomsons loss is P&O's gain this year, I've spent my 4K with them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_l Posted February 11, 2010 #7 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Yes, I found that too, and this years Thomson prices for kids are massive compared to previous years, even in term time! Thomsons loss is P&O's gain this year, I've spent my 4K with them! I am starting to agree. You can only push loyalty so far. I am desperate to book this years cruises but it's just not looking possible with Thomson this year. All other lines are looking cheaper. I am going to wait and see if they come down but if not I will be booking elswhere this year. :(:(:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its,only,me Posted February 11, 2010 #8 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Yes, I found that too, and this years Thomson prices for kids are massive compared to previous years, even in term time! Thomsons loss is P&O's gain this year, I've spent my 4K with them! And know doubt that others will do the same :( and who can blame them ,,, mrs.c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_l Posted February 11, 2010 #9 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I don't understand how they calculate the prices!. Thomson Dream 13 July 7 nights Palma Meditteranean Gems Basic cabin from: Doncaster £936 Manchester £891 Luton £873 No flights from Newcastle unless you book a Deluxe or higher category! I just don't understand the logic of this, is everyone in Newcastle rich or are they trying to filter out Geordies :confused: I booked a 14 nighter in a suite a few days ago and my advice is don't check the prices later, they will be less!. I notice there are still suites and grand suites available so perhaps Dream is not attracting the customers. I have often suspected the Thomson website is driven by the amount of enquires it gets. Say they have a lot of people checking the price of a certain cruise, it will push the price up on the basis the a certain percentage of those enquires will become firm bookings at the higher price. Perhaps it is clever enough to know that in previous years folk from newcastle have booked a higher grade of cabin so will only show that higher grade in the hope of selling them. On the other hand, perhaps it is just broke and is just publishing a load of rubbish :D:D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROSEBASKETS Posted February 11, 2010 #10 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I am starting to agree. You can only push loyalty so far. I am desperate to book this years cruises but it's just not looking possible with Thomson this year. All other lines are looking cheaper. I am going to wait and see if they come down but if not I will be booking elswhere this year. :(:(:( Having two children pushes the prices up with Thomson AND the best ships stop child bookings in June and September, which is when I choose to cruise. Thomson have shot themselves in the foot with families. I have cruised 16 times in 8 years and 12 have been with Thomson, not one thanks for your business, discount or upgrade, plus they are now charging the kids the same price as adults for the AI upgrade, which was the final straw. I booked a balcony cabin on Ventura for the same price as Thomson wanted for a standard inside on Destiny and if P&O suits us they will be getting our business from now on! It's a shame because we love Thomson and the kind of clientelle that they attract:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruzseeka Posted February 11, 2010 #11 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Having two children pushes the prices up with Thomson AND the best ships stop child bookings in June and September, which is when I choose to cruise. Thomson have shot themselves in the foot with families. I have cruised 16 times in 8 years and 12 have been with Thomson, not one thanks for your business, discount or upgrade, plus they are now charging the kids the same price as adults for the AI upgrade, which was the final straw. I booked a balcony cabin on Ventura for the same price as Thomson wanted for a standard inside on Destiny and if P&O suits us they will be getting our business from now on! It's a shame because we love Thomson and the kind of clientelle that they attract:) I agree that Thomson seem to be alienating their regular passengers through the uncompetitive prices, absent or poor AI offers and unfathomable variations in pricings. Like you and others on here, we'll be keeping a very close eye on other cruise lines this year. Do let us know about your experience of Ventura - I suspect with your balcony and family-friendly marketing of Ventura that you may find you won't be returning to Thomson!! As you say, with no loyalty scheme and little other incentives perhaps the atmosphere on board Thomson ships will not be enough to attract repeat bookings. It's a shame - but they've got to wake up to the reality! :( Anyway, do have a good one on Ventura. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckyfaye-2008 Posted February 12, 2010 #12 Share Posted February 12, 2010 I have done a cruise to the Med on Ventura, great ship throughly enjoyed it, click on the link, at the end of my signature to view photo's. In 4 weeks time I'm on Thomson Spirit, so will be interesting to compare not the ship, because I realise there is a world of difference between the ships, but the food, the service, the entertainment etc.;) Talking of prices I have a report taken from this forum, of excursions to Israel in April 2008, 10/11 hour excursion £49, now they are £70:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claret and Blue Posted February 12, 2010 #13 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Prices have really shot up. we are going on coral islands next week. 2 adult/2 children AI. Same cruise in 2011 is £1000 more!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruzseeka Posted February 12, 2010 #14 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Seems to be an underlying theme - the wine we usually have on Celebration has just gone up from £13 a bottle to £15.50 - quite a hike over a six month period! :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smiffy1951 Posted February 12, 2010 #15 Share Posted February 12, 2010 We must be in the minority. Our Caribbean cruise on Destiny in March 2011 is costing us less than when we did it in March 2009. We did get a cheap AI upgrade (only £98 each for 2 weeks whereas we paid full price last year) and our TA gave us free seats together worth £50 (not that I think you should pay for that anyway). If Thomson do start doing away with the free or reduced AI packages for early bookings (as they seem to have done for the Dream in the Caribbean) then they will certainly lose a lot more customers. I have priced up an alternative cruise line for the Caribbean and when I take into account drinks and tipping it works out more expensive than Thomson, so I suppose it's swings and roundabouts, itinereries and personal choice. Janet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecttr Posted February 12, 2010 Author #16 Share Posted February 12, 2010 I tried some trial bookings and you can get child rates on various cruises, next Sept on Celebration they are charging £250 per child. Destiny in August the cost goes up to over £500 but only higher grade cabins available and Dream in August you pay a fortune for one child in a outside plus cabin and for 2 kids its two fortunes and a suite or higher :eek: Their website seems to be functioning as intended but there are still the mysteries of why you can't book some cabin categories from certain airports :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruzseeka Posted February 12, 2010 #17 Share Posted February 12, 2010 I have priced up an alternative cruise line for the Caribbean and when I take into account drinks and tipping it works out more expensive than Thomson, so I suppose it's swings and roundabouts, itinereries and personal choice. Janet I agree, Janet - you do have to weigh up the whole package and for us the interesting and port intensive itineraries (we're not keen on lots of sea days) does attract us to Thomson as well as the other positives asssociated with their 'product'. We too got a good deal this year - only paying £24 each more for the same cruise we did last year but with AI included which actually makes it cheaper. But the ones I'm looking at for the future aren't looking very attractively priced - yet. It will be interesting to see whether the prices do come down eventually - not that that's any help to those who have to plan well in advance and have no or little flexibilty of times/dates to go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vwgolf Posted February 12, 2010 #18 Share Posted February 12, 2010 We have always booked Thomson cruises as their child prices are valid for children up to and including 16 which has kept the prices relatively low for our family. But from next year, both of mine will be over 16 and (assuming they wish to continue to holiday with us) this price advantage may no longer be valid. This year could be our last Thomson's cruise :(! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecttr Posted February 12, 2010 Author #19 Share Posted February 12, 2010 The online prices certainly vary from day to day. A suite I booked on Dream on Tuesday was slightly cheaper on Wednesday :( I checked today and now it is over £1200 more expensive! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.