Cruise Only - Am I being stupid?

[campolady]

still have to call them to book a cruise only.... cant book online (or track the price):(

 

Someone on the Thomson Dream FB page has just posted a reply received from Thomson today - they are no longer offering Cruise Only on line so it wasn't just a glitch with the new website.

 

As a long UK phone call from overseas is cost prohibitive, and we cannot go into a Thomson shop, they are going to lose customers.

 

Sad news.

[happy v]

Someone on the Thomson Dream FB page has just posted a reply received from Thomson today - they are no longer offering Cruise Only on line so it wasn't just a glitch with the new website.

 

As a long UK phone call from overseas is cost prohibitive, and we cannot go into a Thomson shop, they are going to lose customers.

 

Sad news.

 

It just doesn't make sense, does it?

 

If they weren't offering it to get customers on their own flights you could understand. But to be available from TA but not the web seems pointless. Definitely a backwards step.

[campolady]

It just doesn't make sense, does it?

 

If they weren't offering it to get customers on their own flights you could understand. But to be available from TA but not the web seems pointless. Definitely a backwards step.

 

Talking of not making sense - I mentioned my annoyance at this news on the 'official' Thomson Cruise FB page and got this reply

 

<<Thomson Cruises Hi Brenda, This isn't something we are aware of, as we have been informed that this is a system glitch due to the new booking system ^Beth>>

 

Who is right????? Talk about the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing!

[Leurbost]

Has anyone been able to book a cruise only since new website went live? If so was it via number provided on Thompson site.

I ask because I have phoned the number several times and all the staff I have spoken to say they do not at this time have the facility to book cruise only.

In other words the phone number is useless.

[GLYNAGP]

All this beggars belief . I have a cruise only already booking for October 2016 on Thomson Spirit which I made on the old website. To now just cut off this potential customer flow is ridiculous. There are thousands ( probably tens of thousands) of British expats that live throughout Europe who are potential Thomson cruise only passengers.

[rookery]

As a long UK phone call from overseas is cost prohibitive, and we cannot go into a Thomson shop, they are going to lose customers.

 

If I was in your position I'd ring a Thomson T/A or Cr##s D##ls and say "I want to book a cruise today and I've got my debit card with me, please will you ring me back"

[GLYNAGP]

If I was in your position I'd ring a Thomson T/A or Cr##s D##ls and say "I want to book a cruise today and I've got my debit card with me, please will you ring me back"

I take your point but if you look a couple of posts up even when you call the reservations centre they don't have the facility to book cruise only.

 

Taking the online facilty away to book cruise only takes the ability for us expats living in the med to monitor prices and book last minute deals

[davecttr]

This looks like a typical Thomson HQ fiasco and we all know they are prone to those :rolleyes:

 

My guess is the cruise only option was left out of the design specification for the new web site so of course the web designers did not include it ;)

 

Was this deliberate? Probably not, just incompetence.

 

It reminds me of the story about the government specification for a new RAF aircraft. The contractors asked if they wanted wings because it was not included in the specification :D

 

Now they will have to pay for a web page redesign.

 

Thinks, the conversation went " we don't need cruise only because we don't cruise from the UK anymore"

[gillhalfpint]

Thinks, the conversation went " we don't need cruise only because we don't cruise from the UK anymore"

 

Now I can easily believe that taking the UK ports off lead to cruise only going off the new site. Really bad planning or complete lack of thought.

[okavango]

This looks like a typical Thomson HQ fiasco and we all know they are prone to those :rolleyes:

 

My guess is the cruise only option was left out of the design specification for the new web site so of course the web designers did not include it ;)

 

Was this deliberate? Probably not, just incompetence.

 

It reminds me of the story about the government specification for a new RAF aircraft. The contractors asked if they wanted wings because it was not included in the specification :D

 

Now they will have to pay for a web page redesign.

 

Thinks, the conversation went " we don't need cruise only because we don't cruise from the UK anymore"

 

probably used the same idiots as CxxxDXXXXX who last year had ex Uk as cruise only or with flights inc

[Jakanne1]

Or after reading comments on here and on FB, the "accountants" at TUI don't want everyone to see what the "cruise only" bit costs, and also prevent people from the UK getting "cruise only" and booking flights on competitive airlines, and getting a cheaper cruise. :D

[Leurbost]

Just a quick update on my no 29 post in the tread, I have now been able to book a two week cruise only using phone number on Thomson site. Partly done off line as docs are to be posted but have ref to manage booking online book excursions etc. Still not as good as previous site but at least cruise only can now be booked.

[campolady]

Just a quick update on my no 29 post in the tread, I have now been able to book a two week cruise only using phone number on Thomson site. Partly done off line as docs are to be posted but have ref to manage booking online book excursions etc. Still not as good as previous site but at least cruise only can now be booked.

but

 

A bit better news Leurbost.

 

We got off the Dream this morning. We completed a form at the 'Future Cruise' desk - couldn't speak to anyone as the desk was never manned - explaining that we live in Spain and asking if we could book Cruise Only through them. Just got a short printed reply saying we need to book via a Thomson Shop when we return to the UK - what part of 'we don't live in the UK' do they not understand!!!

[Ska man]

but

 

A bit better news Leurbost.

 

We got off the Dream this morning. We completed a form at the 'Future Cruise' desk - couldn't speak to anyone as the desk was never manned - explaining that we live in Spain and asking if we could book Cruise Only through them. Just got a short printed reply saying we need to book via a Thomson Shop when we return to the UK - what part of 'we don't live in the UK' do they not understand!!!

 

Hi Brenda do you want me to ask in the scarborough thomson shop if you could book with them if you let me know anytime you want to go . Could they not take your details over the phone while i am in the shop I could ask next week when I go in if you want