1160451

Can be smooth can be rough. Sorry but it's the sea.

Jan to April is usually ok. We have cruised in Carribbean for last 6 years Jan or Feb and never had a problem.

Would not hesitate to say it will be ok. The Discovery Ship is fine, we have cruised on small Fred Olsen ships with no problems in Carribean.

Get some wrist bands, ginger sweets and sturgeon if your worried.

Would not worry in the slightest.

Hi jules.....your right we are really keen dancers and this was always a must for a cruise line. Honestly we had prepared ourselves for no ballroom or Latin on Discovery, but was really surprised to find two 40 minute sessions in the Attrium in the evening.

Floor was excellent and music really good especially for the Latin. Dance Hosts very friendly and ensured good atmosphere.

We loved Dancing in the Attrium with other dancers and many watching.

We are already looking for Carribean in January 18, and if wasn't for the dining I think Thomson would be our choice.

I agree with you on the Shows, some just didn't work but at least I thought they were trying something new.

It's a had life trying to choose the best Cruise Line isn't it. If you could pick your own best of it would be great.

Our Summer Cruises preclude Fred as I don't like 4 sea days to get anywhere.

Looking forward to the Dream in May as we love the ports of call we are visiting. Could be the Buffett then as we are cruising without our friends.

Cheers for the info.

Hi jules...sorry I wasn't obvious.

Thomson food and dining service doesn't compare with Fred.

On Fred as you know, you have fixed dining, you can get thro a starter, soup, salad, main, sweet and coffee in a couple of relaxed hours.

Plenty of choice and we enjoy the food. Plus the same waiters.

Thomson, all open dining, so you turn up get a table, 2 4 8 or 10. You choose. At 8 pm you will wait for any table. Then it's three courses with no coffee unless you ask. 4 choices for mains. The three courses took over 2 hours minimum and 2 hours 40 minutes one night. You lost the will after so long.

Some nights the food was excellent some nights abysmal.

Now we knew it would be open dining but we thought it would be better.

Evening shows.....well the Discovery has a large show lounge with huge stage. Freds shows are intimate and low key.

The Thomson Shows attempted larger productions. Some came off some didn't. I admired their attempts. The Shows were full every night.

With Fred I recognise the Dancers etc through the cruise as you are so up close. Thomson they were more just singers and dancers.

If it wasn't for the dining experience we would try Thomson again in the Carribean. In fact we are booked in May on the Dream out of Corfu so will see if that's the same Thomson experience.

We did miss the feel of returning home to Fred, but we need more fun entertainment in the Carribean.

We are reasonable dancers and dance most nights on a cruise.

But to have attempted to learn on a cruise ship with the one hour lessons per day is out of the question.

We go and watch the lessons out of interest sometimes.

I smile when the instructors say come along to the dancing at night, as a cruise ships dance floor, in my opinion, is no place for the beginner. Not complaining about beginners just that beginners and more experienced dancers on a cruise dance floor is going to be tight.

I always think a simple sequence say Rumba 1 would be best to teach new dancers then everybody is at least going in the same direction.

We have just cruised in the Carribean on the Thomson Discovery. Wanted more entertainment then Fred offers.

We cruise with Fred and P&O also.

If you are worried about dress standards then don't go on Thomson.

They have a dress to impress one night per week.

Most of the ladies on the cruise made an effort on that night but some of the men!!!!!!

Probably 10% in Tux 10% in suits the rest ranging from beach wear through gardening attire thro ultra casual to casual.

To carry on the grumble, hairy, tattooed, fat guys in sleeveless vests in the Buffett I can really do without.

Also for anybody who grumbles about food and service in Freds MDR I dare you to try Thomsons 😄

The Thomson AI package is the best we have ever had. Cocktails and branded drinks included.

Now to be fair we did understand our usual standards for cruising would not be the same on Thomsons and we have had a fantastic time.

Hi jake ...surprisingly the Discovery cruises was one of the overall best we have enjoyed in the Caribbean, despite the Dining issues.

As you say everybody is different about the issue of music on the ship.

It was the open dining with no possible fixed alternative that we didn't like.

On our other lines we always have second sitting and enjoy the experience.

On the Discovery it was a toil of a pleasure. One night the service was so slow there was talk of leaving and going up to the Buffett.

We switched to Thomson expecting more entertainment on deck in the evening. Over 14 nights only three sessions on deck at night. Seemed to recall lots more on Azura.

Forgot to mention as Dancers that we were not expecting any Ballroom or Latin Dancing but were surprised to find two sessions per night in the Atrium.

Just back from 14 days in Carribean on Discovery.

Back to Thomson after 6 years. Cruised in Carribean before with Fred Olsen, P and O and HAL.

Also cruised on this ship when it was with RCI.

We cruise with friends and have had a great time.

our opinion the Pros.......

Clean and tidy ship.

Fantastic AI Package

Entertainment Acts very good.

Guest comediennes were ok.

Superb atrium bar with dancing in the evening.

Service in that bar very good.

All Staff very helpful.

Inside cabin on deck 7. All good.

our opinion the cons...........

Terrible evening dining experience in MDR. Most cruise lines with fixed times give you 5 to 6 courses in a couple of hours. Thomson struggle to get you three courses in under 2 hours. One night on a table for 10 the 3 courses took 2 1/2 hours.

Food was so so.

The ship is very noisy with music on deck and often in the evening nowhere to just have a chat.

Service in bars very so so as there are not enough waiters.

No loungers on sea days due to people putting towels on and hardley using them.

Compared to P&O the sailway and deck parties were low key.

All in all enjoyed the cruise, are on the Dream in March, but will not cruise with Thomson again in Caribbean on Discovery. Mainly because of the very poor dining experience.

We are also long standing Fred cruisers but are going back to Thomson for a more "fun" type of cruise. We cruised with Thomson about 6 years ago.

We leave for Carribean on the 15th.

Balmoral our favourite Fred ship so will let you know when we get back how they compare.

You just need your boarding cards which can be printed out either 1 or 2 weeks before you travel. These will give your airplane seat numbers. If you have paid to pre-book your airplane seats you can print them out 2 weeks before, if not you have to wait until 1 week before.

 

And no, 1160451, you don't get a dozen luggage labels with Thomson. ;):D

You will be given them at Manchester Airport, usually there is a Thomson representative giving them out near the check in desks.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Good old Fred Olsen eh ?😄 Labels galore usually.

Hi everybody. Thanks for all the replies.

Went into TA today and there they were. E tickets.

When we got home another set in the post 😄 So got two sets now.

Last time with Thomson was on Destiny and loved it. So looking forward to returning to them.

We are keen ballroom dancers and on other cruise lines we are well looked after, but think with Thomson we maybe limited to modern and rock and roll.

Cruised on Discovery when it was with RCI.

Cheers again.

Thanks everybody. Just spoken to Thomson and they claim they have e mailed me the tickets. Well if they have, they got lost in cyber space, so picking them up from the Thomson Shop.

Have to say we have cruised to Carribean in January for the last 6 years, with different lines, and Thomsons do seem a bit airy fairy when it comes to tickets, labels, seats etc. Depart 15th Jan and almost packed 😄

Hi, just thought.... we have not received any tickets by post or email and we leave 15th Jan.for Carribean

Printed our boarding cards, but usually with other lines we get some form of ticket.

Will ring Thomson shop but just wondered if Thomson do not issue tickets ?

Reading info it seems we have to visit Thomson Cruise desk in Manchester Airport where they issue labels for our pre booked cabin prior to bag drop.

Is this the regular Thomson procedure?

Cheers for help.

Hi , thanks for the replies. We cruise with Fred Olsen but are jumping ship next year. Discovery in January and Croatia in May on Dream or Spirit.

What's the Zombie dress code 😄

Hi...7 years since we cruised with Thomson, but next year have the same decision as the OP.

We are Dancers and wondered if either ship have any ballroom and Latin dancing sessions.

The Destiny did.

Cheers looking forward to returning to Thomson.

Sorry to hear that as like us I think you have been on quite a few Fred Cruises.

We find that the English Country House style over the last few cruises has lost its way.

I find that we are forever making excuses for Fred on here and other forums.

The staff are the outstanding memory we take with us and maybe in years to come we will return.

There are so many good local operators in the Caribbean I cannot understand why anyone would want to book an overpriced ship excursion.

 

Read the port's of call for your destinations and you will find plenty of information.

Agree 100% when visiting the Caribbean. Step off the ship at any port and there are many many tour options from locals.

We visit the Caribbean most winters and find the locals reliable, safe and well priced.

Tours sometimes get a bad press on here, but as an example we have just come off the Balmoral 12th sept sailing.

We only booked one tour, the do it yourself into Porto.

Two options..........

Three hour stay at £15 Or Six hours stay at £20.

Now where is the difference in price? Both had a coach in and coach back with no courier or escort.

Usually I am pro tour if it means bypassing public transport as I never trust it.

But i just can't understand the pricing of the Porto tour.

No matter as Fred has run its course with us after this cruise so let's see how other lines stand up.

That is my recollection as well. Last theme night, other than British Night, I recall was a Rock and Roll Night on Balmoral up the Fjords around two years ago.

We had a Tropical Night in the Carribean in January though.

The Cowboy Hat with arrow through the head is still on hand tho 😄

PandO have theme nights as well.

Whilst it seems most of the posters on here don't like the British Nights, I have yet to see a cruise we have been on when it wasn't full on British Night.

If you were Fred you would say the nights are popular.

If you don't like the British Nights don't go to them, they only last 45 minutes at most.

As I say there are a few entertainment and activities we don't like so we don't go to them. Simple.

I have to say I don't like the British Night, but we did enjoy the other Theme Nights. Rock and Roll, Tropical, Country and Western etc.

Nobody was forced to participate and I know many people did enjoy them.

Sorry Coravel, but what is ridiculous to you is possibly fun to other people. Everybody has their own likes and dislikes.

We enjoy the dancing but don't expect everybody else to enjoy it or join in.

We don't go to the lectures as they are not our thing but I wouldn't dream of saying they should be dropped.

Each to their own.

Do not like the British Night. Much better if red white and blue.

We loved the other nights tho. Tropical, Rock and Roll, Country and Western. Had simle outfits for each. Used them on P and O as well.

Still have the Cowboy Hat with a huge arrow thro it.😄

Ours is 3 to 4:30. On Atlantic Deck. Think it is a little later than usual.

"Ours is not to reason why" I seem to think is the best solution.😄

Hi Shaz......Tring, as usual, covers very well some of your questions.

The people on Facebook also have answered some of your questions.

The gym on a Fred Olsen cruise is never busy 😄

Just beware of people's answers on dress code though. It's simple if you read Freds guide. Ok some people don't agree and often give their own thoughts.

I have seen people turned away due to not adhering. I always say if you were going out to a resonable restaurant on a Saturday night to celebrate then you wouldn't wear shorts and a tee shirt.

I couldn't care less what my fellow passengers wear but when people choose to cruise and there are dress codes I don't understand why people often challenge them. Just my opinion.

There are cruise lines that are far more relaxed than Fred on dress code and there are lines that are far stricter

From your profile on Facebook I think you will be one of Fred younger passengers. But if your OH works for Fred he will be aware of that.

The Fjords are fantastic. You will have a great time I am certain.

Beware tho, the first cruise leads to many many more. Then there are more decisions, which cruise line, which ship, balcony or inside, should you learn to dance on board, fly cruise or cruise from Uk. 😄 Spend hours deciding.

As for the food, you can get whatever you want, within reason, just ask.

If you haven't already get the AI package, usually £10 ppp day. Worth it and you can get drinks everywhere.

Main thing is don't worry about the cruise, its no big deal cruising, just a hotel at sea.

Have a great time.

Talking about it on the Facebook page.