Thomson vs Fred Olsen

[sagalout1954]

Anyone used both?

 

First 'proper' cruise on Thomson Emerald last year was pretty good, food, cabin service, organisation, entertainment, embarkation and disembarkation - on the whole no complaints whatsoever.

 

Booked a Fred Olsen cruise this year (through Thomson who unfortunately had nothing similar of their own or I'd happily have chosen them again). Can I expect a similar, decent, all round experience with FO (Braemar)?

 

Not much activity on the FO site, read elsewhere that guests average about 70 so maybe they aren't computer literate! Could be an advantage to have a load of oldies on board, won't be so 'nimble' at grabbing a sunbed! :)

 

Anyone got any knowledge.............

[levkas]

Just returned from colouful coast cruise on Thomson celebration. Met a couple in Gran Canaria who were on FO, they like us were late fortys early fiftys. They said the average age on board was about seventyfive, two had been airlifted off by helicopter and they had had to return to port once to have anther cruiser taken to hospital.

Apart from that their only complaint was that every night was a formal night.

So hope fully all of the older cruisers have been and gone and you'll have a great time. Enjoy.

[sagalout1954]

Thanks Levkas - looks like we'll have to 'mind the zimmer frames' when charging about the ship. I had hoped the elderly age range was a joke but it appears not!

[Travelling Brummie]

Just returned from a 14 day FO Carribean Cruise on the Braemar, our previous cruises having been Thompson Spirit and Emerald. The Braemar compares with the Spirit, though don't mention this to a dedicated FO cruiser, they are very loyal to the line.

Sun beds are snapped up and reserved during breakfast, despite instructions to the passengers not to especially on sea days despite the (slightly) older age range.

Every night is not a formal night, we had three formal nights and three themed nights, the dress code for the main restaurants is usually smart casual, no flip flops or beachware and slightly more relaxed in the Palms cafe.

[scareyness]

I am just about to finalise a cruise with Thomson Celebration, our first with them. Our first cruise was with FO. I was the youngest on the ship (43 at the time and hubbie 59!). We have since cruises with P&O. Having read so many stories of lager louts or 'chavs' on cruises I would chose a FO cruise anytime just to avoid this!!

 

Our experience of FO was excellent, not formal nights every night I think 3 a week. We loved the older style ship. But we found a lot of the older passengers to be extremely rude!!!!

[monas queen]

I far prefer FO to Thomson. Formal nights are usually about 3 to a fortnight, others being a mix between casual and informal, with the odd "themed" night thrown in. The clientele is on the older side, but we have found (in general) that the type of people who go with the company are often the fitter oldies - (very few zimmer frames), and they usually have a good quality of repartee. We have been regular travellers with them for many years (and only just retired-ish!). I do not recall a lot of rude oldies on any of their cruises - that must have been an unfortunate one-off.

 

We don't go for the entertainment, though it always seems to go down quite well on FO, while Thomson was aimed at the younger element, and tended to be more like Pontins afloat.

 

I did not like the self-service restaurant on Celebration - it was like a scrum, with people eating as they went along the servery, picking food off the displays with their fingers, and the seating was cramped.

 

Hope your trip actually gets somewhere ;-)

[sagalout1954]

Thanks for replies. FO have just advised me (on the FO area of cruisecritic) that we must lug along our own towels for use ashore - blimey, 2 star service or what. Hasn't filled me with confidence I have to say. :eek:

In Oct we used Thomsons pool towels ashore - no probs.

[scareyness]

We were allowed to take our towels ashore whilst on FO cruise. Replaced everyday too!