Thomson return to Ex-UK?

Just spotted this on the official Thomson Cruise FB page; possibly just hearsay but it is a member of staff who has posted it. Maybe Thomson are feeling the squeeze with passengers moving to other lines who sail ex-UK?

" Hi Bronwyn Our cruise trading team constantly review itineraries and destinations so they took the decision for the Spirit to be based in Turkey for this summer. However the team might make a decision in the future where we might sail from the UK so please keep an eye on our website. ^Craig"

Just spotted this on the official Thomson Cruise FB page; possibly just hearsay but it is a member of staff who has posted it. Maybe Thomson are feeling the squeeze with passengers moving to other lines who sail ex-UK?

 

 

 

" Hi Bronwyn Our cruise trading team constantly review itineraries and destinations so they took the decision for the Spirit to be based in Turkey for this summer. However the team might make a decision in the future where we might sail from the UK so please keep an eye on our website. ^Craig"

There's definitely something odd and secretive going on with the itineraries for 2016.

Celebration is down to be going from Dubrovnik every week, but then also appears on various Tuesday's in Palma Mallorca.

Dream is on Split's and Dubrovnik's schedule, so it looks to be doing Corfu itineraries. It was down to be in Rome (Italian Flavours itinerary), but this has now gone from their schedules.

Majesty is down weekly for Palma's cruises, this seems to be a definite.

Then Spirit is down in Gibraltar at the end of May. Why would it be so far west at this time? Perhaps going up to doing ex-UK cruises? Or maybe it is Spirit that is down for Palma's various Tuesday calls, but Celebration has been put by accident as the two ships have the same specs? These Palma stops come from Malaga, then to Palma where it leaves at 21:00, suggesting it isn't starting/ending in Palma, then onto Barcelona. Perhaps Spirit is doing Malaga cruises for the summer?

Would make sense to move Spirit elsewhere as I wonder whether Marmaris itineraries are selling that well, can't see the Black Sea being very popular at the moment, and the cruises have become limited since not going to Egypt.

They are being more secretive though this time, not adding ships into schedules, adding them in and then taking them out, or not having the name of the ship but the specs match one of theirs.

Can't find any Thomson ship stopping at any ex-UK port though.

Interesting reading Sailaway. Very strange the way they are doing it - perhaps they are on to you this year!

Interesting reading Sailaway. Very strange the way they are doing it - perhaps they are on to you this year!

I thought Thomsons couldn't do ex UK because of the pollution problems.:confused:

I thought Thomsons couldn't do ex UK because of the pollution problems.:confused:

That's what I thought too.

I thought Thomsons couldn't do ex UK because of the pollution problems.:confused:

maybe they are getting a new ship??:rolleyes::cool::)

maybe they are getting a new ship??:rolleyes::cool::)

Pigs are flying back from San Blas for that one.

maybe they are getting a new ship??:cool::)

:D:D:D That was a joke, wasn't it?:rolleyes:

That was a joke, wasn't it?

ooops! sorry!:o:D ......do you think i might have been expecting a bit too much?? ...just for a minute there?:D:D

That was just an excuse about pollution problems! Both Fred and C&M have much older ships going out of Britain :rolleyes:

Of course Fred and C&M don't have their own airline if you get my drift ;);)

That was just an excuse about pollution problems! Both Fred and C&M have much older ships going out of Britain :rolleyes:

 

Of course Fred and C&M don't have their own airline if you get my drift ;);)

Well I'd definitely be up for it.

I still think Thomsons have the best itineraries.

That was just an excuse about pollution problems! Both Fred and C&M have much older ships going out of Britain :rolleyes:

 

Of course Fred and C&M don't have their own airline if you get my drift ;);)

I would hardly say its an excuse, its a known fact that the cost of having to use ultra low sulphur fuel oil is going to seriously impact on running costs ex uk to up north,i would also imagine newcastle is a fairly costly port to use, just look at the port manpower that seems to be around, luckily thoms have the advantage of their own airline so can relocate easily as and when economic circumstances require it.

I would hardly say its an excuse, its a known fact that the cost of having to use ultra low sulphur fuel oil is going to seriously impact on running costs ex uk to up north,i would also imagine newcastle is a fairly costly port to use, just look at the port manpower that seems to be around, luckily thoms have the advantage of their own airline so can relocate easily as and when economic circumstances require it.

So how come Fred and C&M are still sailing exUK then?

People we spoke to on the Spirit last year were of the same opinion as me.

Anyone who believes what big business ( or the government :rolleyes:) tells us must be deluded ;)

i wish they would relocate to thailand or dubai

there was so much promise when their dreamliners were delivered ... so many new route promises? ...but the only new destination i have noticed is costa rica and their cruise ship seems to be struggling to get into that area (they could never use it as a home port)

the new mobay itineraries (with the 2 sea days) hasnt turned out as good as i had hoped for and the prices dont reflect the extra sea day(s) (& overnights)

celebration caribbean prices for next winter seem to have been bumped up? (compared to dreams prices for the same itineraries)

no more fiords, no more red sea

too much emphasis on cruise & stay (so their itineraries have to stick to areas where they have resort contacts in place)

a lot of regular thoms cruisers dont want to be doing the same itineraries each year

other than dubrovnik we are struggling to find something we want to do/somewhere to go on thoms in summer?.... shame to say it, but, its not looking good for thoms?? our thoughts are turning to fred & princess

i wish they would relocate to thailand or dubai

 

there was so much promise when their dreamliners were delivered ... so many new route promises? ...but the only new destination i have noticed is costa rica and their cruise ship seems to be struggling to get into that area (they could never use it as a home port)

 

the new mobay itineraries (with the 2 sea days) hasnt turned out as good as i had hoped for and the prices dont reflect the extra sea day(s) (& overnights)

 

celebration caribbean prices for next winter seem to have been bumped up? (compared to dreams prices for the same itineraries)

 

no more fiords, no more Red Sea

 

too much emphasis on cruise & stay (so their itineraries have to stick to areas where they have resort contacts in place)

 

a lot of regular thoms cruisers dont want to be doing the same itineraries each year

 

other than dubrovnik we are struggling to find something we want to do/somewhere to go on thoms in summer?.... shame to say it, but, its not looking good for thoms?? our thoughts are turning to fred & princess

DH and I have turned to Fred for an ex UK cruise (Newcastle) to the Baltic as he did not want to travel to Southhampton.

But to fly to the Med., Thomson turned out to be the only choice to get a cabin with 3 single beds and it certainly is not cheap but we are flying from our local airport so that saves the extra expense and inconvenience of having to fly from somewhere like Gatwick or even Manchester. PS I am doing nearly the same itinerary as 18 months ago but it is a very good one. :)

Before I ever went on a cruise, some friends and I did a day visit to the Spirit at Port of Tyne. That would be June 2012. The Area Thomson Manager told us that Thomson would not be sailing from the UK after the 2013 season. She was only one year out!

So how come Fred and C&M are still sailing exUK then?

 

People we spoke to on the Spirit last year were of the same opinion as me.

 

Anyone who believes what big business ( or the government :rolleyes:) tells us must be deluded ;)

Obviously it fits Fred's and CM current buisness model, remember thoms have had a break from uk before so its only a repeat of the cycle,so until the big boss stands up and makes a public announcment that thoms will NEVER sail from uk again its not the end.

i take what the thomson facebook page say with a pinch of salt, seen them answer quesions to people like this over the past few months

told me no balconys on the spirit

they are cruising from baltic this year (no)

yes you can take an travel iron (no)

no kettles on ships (yes)

no four bed balcony cabins (yes majesty)

their ships will all be too old to sail in the med within the next 5 years

cm and fred sail uk as they own their ships and are willing to spend money on them, thomson are not going to spend lot on ships they lease

I really doubt thomson will be back to the uk, unless pigs do fly and they buy/ lease a new ship

i take what the thomson facebook page say with a pinch of salt, seen them answer quesions to people like this over the past few months

 

told me no balconys on the spirit

 

they are cruising from baltic this year (no)

yes you can take an travel iron (no)

no kettles on ships (yes)

no four bed balcony cabins (yes majesty)

 

their ships will all be too old to sail in the med within the next 5 years

cm and fred sail uk as they own their ships and are willing to spend money on them, thomson are not going to spend lot on ships they lease

I really doubt thomson will be back to the uk, unless pigs do fly and they buy/ lease a new ship

I have to say I completely agree with everything you say Michelle - my initial post was a little 'tongue in cheek' as I have my doubts that Thomson will return to UK waters.

i take what the thomson facebook page say with a pinch of salt, seen them answer quesions to people like this over the past few months

 

told me no balconys on the spirit

 

they are cruising from baltic this year (no)

yes you can take an travel iron (no)

no kettles on ships (yes)

no four bed balcony cabins (yes majesty)

 

their ships will all be too old to sail in the med within the next 5 years

cm and fred sail uk as they own their ships and are willing to spend money on them, thomson are not going to spend lot on ships they lease

I really doubt thomson will be back to the uk, unless pigs do fly and they buy/ lease a new ship

Thomson's facebook efforts are a joke, one of little things they do get wrong,clueless people who dont know the product trying to answer questions.

What makes you say" their ships will all be too old to sail in the med within the next 5 years" ?????

What ships do CM own ???? i thought they only leased/chartered same as Thomson.

I cant recall anyone in authority from thomson's actually stating they wont be back to UK, have i missed something ?

personally i will badly miss them being in UK, so easy about 4 hours home to onboard against 12/15 hours when flying, if and when the numbers add up they will be back.

The laws in the med change within the next five years, to be the same as northern europe, and thomson won't spend money on leased ships, was told last april about no more ex uk cruises for the fore seeble future(can you see them getting new ships for this),someone was told at a cruise show that nomore ex uk cruises , saw it elsewhere that cm owned their ships

C&M do lease their ships :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_%26_Maritime_Voyages

C&M do lease their ships :)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_%26_Maritime_Voyages

they lease old ships then,think there is a mighty ships on tv/ quest on saturay with a cm cruise ship

I watched the Marco Polo one on quest last night. It is repeated tomorrow on Quest at 8pm. Interesting for anyone who has done the Baltics as that is the route they feature.

It was a great show. Very interesting. I've wanted to go on Marco Polo for a while. The get half not too keen but I think she looks great and has so much history. Time off permitting I'm hoping to get on her for a short cruise.

Giving CMV's new Magellan a go on a taster cruise in March. Can't wait.