Escape to the med

[smittyblue]

Any one on IE 11th October?:)

[Rebel Rouser]

Looks like you have the Mary Celeste yo your self Smitty...whoops I mean Island escape :D

[ekco]

Looks like you have the Mary Celeste yo your self Smitty...whoops I mean Island escape :D

 

Don't forget RR there's only you, me and Mo that ever comes back, lol.:D

 

Jan

[Rebel Rouser]

Now there's a thought :eek: forgot about that?

[skioncruises]

Hi smittyblue

 

You won't be alone. Here's another two who will be there for two weeks.

 

Only booked 4 weeks ago. Dithered and dittered about what ship to go on and decided on the spur of the moment to try IE. RR keeps going on about it so thought we would give it a try.

 

I wasn't going to let on 'til nearer the time but as he keeps hopping between forums and, as I have been in dialogue today with another CC and discussing IE, the cat is now out of the bag.

[Rebel Rouser]

I did notice it..but thought I'd keep quiet :D

 

 

Hi Sue

 

I booked in July for the same price.;)

 

We are heading off on Island Escape (first time) for two weeks in October and was booking HI for that when I decided to look at the price for April. It was £120.99 for October but £109.00 for April so booked it at the same time. It is also great to know that extra parking days are available if needed.

 

Think all is organised. Just get October over with then settle down to look forward to April. Got our new passports last week and got the full nine months carried forward.:D

 

Jan:)

 

 

 

PS the AI drink package is till there for next April

[skioncruises]

Caught ya - knew you would bite.:D

 

What happened to your footie team last week? You never came back after calling me an egg chaser. I'm not really, just being patriotic. My footie team can manage without me now again.

 

Jan

 

ps: RR - We're not going on IE next April. It's the Spirit Mediterranean Crossing to Newcastle we were talking about.

[Rebel Rouser]

Footie team drew 1- 1 ...1 more friendly tomorrow and we start next week. All new venture for us as we got promoted to a level we only dreamed of :D

 

 

Not the Spirit :eek: oh oh

[skioncruises]

Go on then. Do your worst and tell me why.:p

[smittyblue]

That's fine RR would of been ok, no rushing for seats for the shows then, :D Looking 4ward 2 a nice break away from the rat race Lol

[Rebel Rouser]

Go on then. Do your worst and tell me why

.:p

 

only the Spirit sailing past :eek:

[skioncruises]

Hi RR

 

That doesn't tell me much but I'm not bothered. IE might be a big mistake but I'll blame you.:p

 

You haven't really been adventurous over the years have you? One week on OV and Spirit and ever-faithfull the rest of the time to IE. Must admit though, many years ago we bumped into a couple who were on the IE and after talking to them we said we must give it a try. So, between what they told us and your tuppence worth, we're going to give it a try for two weeks. Should be ok as it is flying under Thomson's banner.:cool:

 

Must get on now. 4th load of washing on and am busy making lasagne - not quite as spicy as last week's chilli.:eek: How was your curry?

 

Will speak later.

 

Jan

[ekco]

Don't forget RR there's only you, me and Mo that ever comes back, lol.:D

 

Jan

 

"EVER COMES BACK", lol.:eek::eek: I didn't have my grammar head on there did I? I sound proper rural I do, lol. Almost as bad as our BRITISH Broadcasting Corporation and their "England Riots". Political again!:eek:

 

Jan

[skioncruises]

Hope I come back in October.:eek: Got another cruise to go on in April.:D

[Rebel Rouser]

Hope I come back in October.:eek: Got another cruise to go on in April.:D

 

 

That's the Spirit :p

[skioncruises]

That's the Spirit :p

 

Yes, in April.:p IE first in October.:D

[ekco]

When we were on the IE in July there was a Welcome Back meeting and they did a competition for the most number of returning guests. The winner was an elderly couple who claimed to have been on 33 times.:eek::eek: Can that be right? How long has Thomson had the IE? Anyway they also said that they intended to get up to 50 cruises on the IE by the end of 2012. They always do 2 weeks so that would mean that they would have to do 17 cruises in 17 months, one a month for 2 weeks!! Hardly worth getting off the ship.:D:D

 

They obviously win the competition every time they cruise as they donated the champagne to the staff welfare fund, i.e. the end of season party, lol.:D:D Nice one.

 

Jan

[skioncruises]

Hi Jan

 

Just been looking at Wikipedia. Thomson's have only had IE since April 2009. How the heck can somebody rack up 33 cruises in that time? Are they the cleaners?:eek: Perhaps over Thomson's fleet and several years of cruising. We've been cruising since 1989, with the occasional land-based holidays and a couple of Nile cruises, and haven't reached that number although the last couple of years we have had more than one a year.:D

 

Was this year's trip on IE your first? Irrespective of RRs comments, how did you find it? I think I know the answer as we seem to have similar tastes in a lot of things including OHs.

 

Jan:)

[ekco]

Hi Jan

 

I think that old couple were the entertainment managers grandparents, lol. It didn't make sense to me but they got a good round of applause and far be it from me to cast aspertions.:eek:

 

We were on the IE in the Canaries last year for the first time and really enjoyed it apart from the changeover in Tenerife when the ship seemed to really fill up. Starting in Palma this year we did notice that the ship seemed to be crammed full but that's just my opinion. Whereas last year we managed to get into whatever shows we wanted we really struggled this year and only saw the visiting comedian when he did a last show at midnight. After all that he wasn't worth the bother, lol. We don't like the day at sea really but our neighbour thinks they are fantastic and likes to go across the Atlantic so it just goes to show that everyone likes different things on holiday. If you smoke you will like the IE as they allocate a lot of the outside space to smokers, not just one half of the ship like other ships. This we didn't like as Deck 8 is the smoking deck and the only one with a slight promenade but there was smoking on both sides which wasn't good for us. The shops are ok and they had a couple of sales on of handbags, perfume and such like.

 

We found it better to get down to dinner early to get a good table as queues would form around 8.00pm of people waiting for others to finish. On this trip we didn't eat in the Beachcomber restaurant much as they use plastic cups and plates with awful coffee, the tea is ok though and we took Nescafe sachets with us. We only ate up there in the evening once and were amused to see a tea boy with a trolley wandering around like Peggy from Hi de Hi, lol. We did go up once or twice for supper and also afternoon teas when we got back from trips. The Oasis a la carte restaurant was very good and reasonably priced, waiter served and a more relaxing atmosphere for dining. I think RR and family eat there every night.

 

Our cabin at the front of deck was extremely noisy when we were underway with loud banging noises all night long so we didn't get much sleep. I would not recommend a forward cabin because of this and we wouldn't do it again. Our cabin was definitely smaller than the one we had last time on deck 9 where we also had a fridge and wardrobe doors instead of a curtain. Also, we had a flat screen tv up there instead of an old type, the down side being that our window was obscured by a tender. So the cabins do vary quite a bit I think. Decks 3 and 4 near the gangplank seem to share with the crew, they being on the other side of midships but there is a lot of coming and going as they move around the ship and there is a busier feel to those decks. I'm rambling a bit now aren't I, lol, and I've said all of this before.

 

All in all, we loved the itinerary and had a great time off ship but our onboard experience was not as good this time but this could be because it was the middle of July and we were off season at the end of March in the Canaries. Also there are 3 embarkation days on that trip when the ship is quieter so maybe that was the difference. I think next time we would look more closely at the amount of restaurants, bars, etc. compared to the numbers of passengers onboard.

 

I'd better shut up now or I'll be writing a book, lol.:):)

 

Jan

[Rebel Rouser]

Nearly fell asleep reading that!

 

Posted from the football club

[kate52]

I think the winners of the return guests competition had done their cruises since 2002 when the "Island Escape" was born! As far as I know the other Thomson ships don't have a function like this, and the IE has always done it.

I did wonder if they counted a 2 week holiday as 2 cruises!

kate

[ekco]

Nearly fell asleep reading that!

 

Posted from the football club

 

Der! You're not supposed to be reading it.;)

 

Censorship's alive and well on Thomson tonight.:

[ekco]

I think the winners of the return guests competition had done their cruises since 2002 when the "Island Escape" was born! As far as I know the other Thomson ships don't have a function like this, and the IE has always done it.

I did wonder if they counted a 2 week holiday as 2 cruises!

kate

 

They must have, I think. I can't see them on the IE with all the Italian students that I saw on YouTube before Thomson took it over, lol.:eek:

[Rebel Rouser]

As you say..B to B cruises count as 2 I'm now on 11 :D and every time we go to the Captains cocktail bash..we can't get no where near some of these little old ladies, last cruise was 20 :eek:

 

And your also right on the starting date for the IE as she started Cruising in 2002 starting off with the RCI flag before starting life under Island Cruises.

[skioncruises]

Hi Jan

 

Many thanks for your info. We like midships and before booking I had looked at the deck plan and decided to try for Deck 7 with a cabin near the middle. When booking I was offered one of the first cabins I had selected.:D

 

Neither of us are smokers (I was many moons ago) so will just have to take evasive action where possible. We also like to walk the ship and the thought of walking the prom through a man-made fog is not appealing. My other bug-bear is trying get out on to the deck while the smokers are standing in the doorway.:eek:

 

We tend to eat earlyish, usually have 1st sitting on Thomsons, so evening meals should be no problem. Rest of the day we are off the ship. Port calls are either off on trips or wandering all day with stops for liquid refreshment/food until it's time to board. Why go on cruise if not going on shore?:confused:

 

We will enjoy whatever.:D

 

Jan:)