Thomson Celebration advice

[sellwin90]

Hi all,

 

Newbie to the forum and to cruising here. (This could have been posted in the New Cruisers forum, admin if you feel it's better suited there then please move).

 

Myself and my girlfriend are planning on going on Thomson Celebration around the Caribbean on 22/11/15. We've both never cruised before so I have a few questions. Our ages are 24 & 25 if that makes any difference to answers... :p

 

First of all, the drinks package. I read on "Celebration/Dream drinks menu" thread the prices. Are the prices given on the 25th July 2014 still the same/fairly similar? The prices that are marked £1.20* - does that mean you have to pay £1.20, even if you opted into the drinks package?

 

Onto food - what do we get for prices? Ala Carte, Main Restaurant. Any advice or recommendations on this will be great.

 

We were going to upgrade to the Deck 1/2 outside cabin. Does it make a difference which deck we're on, noise etc?

 

What sort of activities/entertainment do they have going on? I'm a bit of a casino fan - what do they have in there? Your standard roulette, blackjack, slots? Or do they do any poker?

 

We were planning on pre-booking a excursion to the rainforest in Roseau. Is this recommended? We also want to do a bit of snorkelling and possibly see some turtles but we don't want to pay the price for the excursion (Bridgetown) - I presumed we could get to port and probably walk down the beach and find a local snorkelling spot?

 

Are you able to bring drinks in from ashore or do you get checked when you go back to the ship?

 

Other than this, is there any more advice we can be given. I appreciate some, if not most, of this could be found throughout the forums but I've done a lot of searching and reading!

 

Thanks all

[dingadong]

Hi, yeah, if you go for the drinks package, anything with a "*" means that you will pay that additional charge. The a la carte's are extra, and I cant quite remember how much. In the main restaurant you can pay an extra £10 for a steak if you fancy, and they were really good, but TBH we enjoyed the food anyway, so thats really just up to you.

 

Personally I dont like a porthole, so opt for an inside cabin. We have been on deck 1 twice and 3 once. If you are like us, and are hardly in your cabin, I personally wouldnt waste the money and if anything, if you are going to pay extra, maybe move up to 3 or 4, but like I say, we slept, washed and changed!

 

The casino is ok - I dont have much of a clue, tried my luck one night at cards, everyone seemed to be taking it quite seriously though, and they asked the guy next to me to leave the table because he was "reading" the cards?? Only stayed for a wee bit.

 

We have not been to caribbean yet (going in January!!) but any place we have been have always booked our own trips and they have been great, so will be looking into doing this again.

 

If you are AI, I cant really see why you would need to bring a bottle on board, but there has been talk on here before about it being taken off you, and then returned as you come home. We usually head for a couple of cocktails before going to get ready, take a drink with us if necessary, but like I say, you are in, showered, changed and out.

 

We have always enjoyed our time on Celebration, twice with our teenage daughters who had a ball, and once with friends. Next time on our own!! I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy it - you can be as formal or relaxed as you like. We have met lovely, friendly people before and cant wait to go back.

 

Hope you enjoy!!!

[shot2bits]

Can't add much to the last post except that when you choose your cabin, go for a higher deck and select one with a window rather than the porthole. Also go towards the front rather than the back of the ship. The engine noise on our last (and final) trip on Celebration was frankly horrendous and we were moved forward to a much quieter cabin.

[dab1952]

We were on Celebration in the Caribbean this January. We did a mix of Thomson excursions and local ones. There are always taxis and mini buse at the port entrances and you can get good deals particularly if you can team up with a other couple

We did a trip in St. Lucia with Cosol tours (just GOOGLE IT) we booked on line.

It included a speed boat trip to a beach between the Pitons where the snorkelling was excellent. The whole trip was great!

If you need any more info just ask here

[sellwin90]

Probably a silly question - but porthole and window, what's the difference? Also how do you choose a cabin at the front or back? I only seem to have an option to choose decks, not which end of the ship.

 

We were going to book our excursions with cruisingexcursions.com. Anyone used them before?

 

I ask about bringing drinks aboard because we probably won't go for the drinks package - The Girlfriend doesn't drink that much so I don't think the package will be worth it now. Hmmm.

 

What's the ship and locations like? Good for a first time cruise?

[geomagot]

a porthole wont let in too much natural light as a window would...portholes will be lower down in the in the ship so you may get a 'washing machine' effect at night when ship is sailing

 

thoms charge a fee (£42) to reserve a specific cabin (cant help with best cabin locations on celebration...sorry)

 

no need to book ahead, there will be plenty of taxi drivers/tour opperators at the port gates who will either recommed a beach that suits you or take you on an island tour (sometimes there are water taxis to the beach...st vincent/grenada)

 

yes i can recommend the rain forest and waterfalls in dominica, easy to find a taxi driver who will take you on a tour.... or the beach, mero beach is the nearest to roseau, roseau itself is quite pretty to walk around with a botanical garden and the youngs hotel/bar opposite where the ship docks

 

thoms dont (usually) take drinks/duty free's bought ashore off you, you can drink them in your cabin (dont know if celeb has a fridge in cabin?)

 

hope this helps

[geomagot]

oops! forgot to add... plenty of boat operators on the beaches in barbados who will take you out to swim with turtles just off shore or snorkel for about $20pp

 

they leave a couple of times a day from the boatyard beach club in bridgetown

[sellwin90]

Ah quality! Thanks for your help!

 

In regards to being on the ship, what's the standard of dress that will be required when eating/being on deck/casino/entertainment etc..

 

Oh, and is it all in £ or $ or either on the ship?

Edited May 20, 2015 by sellwin90

[joeholiday2]

All priced in £'s, you register a card when you embark, debit card is best because there is no extra charge, it's 2.5% if you use a credit card. Or you can deposit £200 in cash instead, and they refund at the end if needed or you top up as you go along.

 

Most people dress smart casual, eg open neck shirt and trousers for men, top and skirt or trousers for Ladies. Some wear Jeans and T-shirt, that's fine too.

 

Only requirement to dress up is Captains night, and if you don't want to wear a jacket and tie then that's Ok as long as you dine in the buffet not the main dining room.

 

Another vote for the trip with Cosol on St Lucia, it's a great day and as Dab says you end up snorkelling from the beach between the Pitons, how good is that!!

 

There are loads of good tips for the ports on the Thomson forum here, just use the search to look up the ports and you will find loads of good info from experienced cruisers.

 

Welcome to the forum :)

[joeholiday2]

Best ports for duty free spirits are usually St Maarten and St Kitts.

 

The cabin Steward will fill the ice bucket daily for you if you ask.

[hgt]

If you're looking for a Deck 1/2 outside cabin on Celebration or Spirit, I can recommend cabin 816 on deck 1. It's near the front (so no engine noise) and is larger than average. It's also one of the few cabins with a proper double bed (most are twin beds).

 

It is a porthole rather than a window (you'd need to be on a higher deck for a window) and you might hear the sound of the waves a little bit, but I found that quite soothing actually :-)

 

If you want a cabin with a larger window, you'd need to be looking at deck 4 near reception really, but at the end of the day you probably won't spend too much time looking out so it all depends on if you think it's worth the extra money. Me and my girlfriend loved cabin 816 and would book that one again (or the equivalent cabin on the opposite side).

[WeeCountyMan]

We were going to book our excursions with cruisingexcursions.com. Anyone used them before?

 

Best to compare their quote with Thomsons website price - it's easy to book online.

 

You will find a deck plan and cabin layout in the Thomson brochure (and online) which will let you identify specific accommodation location.

 

Once you've reserved your deck and category you 'phone Thomsons and for £42 (as explained earlier) you can book the cabin you want - have a selection available ahead of calling, it helps the Thomson staff to identify what is already reserved.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Hi sellwyn90,

 

Welcome to cruise critic and cruising (hopefully) I think a lot of your questions have been answered, but just to say I agree about not having a cabin near the back of the ship. We were on Spirit, Celebration's twin sister, last year and the noise near the back lifts was awful :eek: We had cabin 668 which was fine and I should imagine it would be the same on Celebration. Some cabins have L shaped bed configuration, which means they are not together and so cannot be made into a double. They are marked on the deck plans. If you pay to book a cabin, which is well worth the money, the people at Thomson will be able to help you choose and tell you what sort of bed layouts are available.

 

As has been said, you can get trips on all the islands at the port in minibuses for about $20 each. They usually hold 10-12 people, so no need to be nervous of venturing off on your own. They will take you on the tour and sometimes leave you at a beach on the way back and collect you later. They know what time the ships are leaving. Generally, you don't have to pay until the end of the trip.

 

Celebration was our first cruise ship and we are off on our 21st cruise soon (10 with Thomson) so you could say we are addicted :rolleyes: Hope you have a wonderful time - the Caribbean is fabulous :)

[Kiki cat]

Welcome sellwyn90, lots of info on this site re ports and any questions - someone will know the answer.

Not been on Celebration yet but on Dream we had a window which was quite large and square and you could see a lot. I imagine a porthole to be small and round.

On Dream you could take your own drinks on board for your cabin. We had the package but both of us enjoy a wee gin and cocktails, wine etc.

If you have Facebook there is a group for Thomson Celebration where people share advice, photos and up to the minute changes - quite a lively group.

We go in July to Adriatic and Croatia so getting excited now!

You'll have a ball! :D

[Kiki cat]

http://www.whatsinport.com

 

This site has port reviews as well though it is American so some words different.

[geomagot]

If you have Facebook there is a group for Thomson Celebration where people share advice, photos and up to the minute changes - quite a lively group.

 

please...those members who also enjoy other groups....fair do's, enjoy them...but please ...this is not the place to be commenting on how great/interesting/friendly some other chat groups are .....its poaching …its not fair, and its against this forums rules

 

thank you

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1976478

 

.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

please...those members who also enjoy other groups....fair do's, enjoy them...but please ...this is not the place to be commenting on how great/interesting/friendly some other chat groups are .....its poaching …its not fair, and its against this forums rules

 

thank you

 

Oh come on geo, that is a bit unfair. I am also on fb and I often put on links to here, especially sailaway's cabin reviews. I don't think kiki cat meant any harm. I do know how to post pictures on here, but some don't and it is so easy on fb, so surely it is OK to refer someone for that.

 

I know you are not meant to advertise, but surely everyone has heard of fb and lots of people on here use both :)

[geomagot]

yeah i love f/b too linda

 

i'm sure it was a well meaning/helpful/innocent remark

 

but, its not fair etiquette to go onto a chat forum and advise others to go onto another chat forum somewhere else .... there just isnt an easy way of saying that and asking people to (please) refrain (i did try to be polite/nice):o

[CRUISIN LINDA]

yeah i love f/b too linda

 

i'm sure it was a well meaning/helpful/innocent remark

 

but, its not fair etiquette to go onto a chat forum and advise others to go onto another chat forum somewhere else .... there just isnt an easy way of saying that and asking people to (please) refrain (i did try to be polite/nice):o

Oh all right geo, I forgive you :)

[sellwin90]

Just booked - wahoo!!

 

Going to call up and book a cabin in a minute - We were going to request 816, as mentioned above or 821 (on the other side).

 

Attached are decks 1 or 2 and we were wondering which were the best to request, we're guessing 816, 821, 814, 817, 620, 621, 604 or 605. Would you say this is correct?

 

Also, the dot means that it's 3 berth, what does this actually mean and does it matter that the 600's numbers don't have the dot?

 

Thanks

[Kiki cat]

Sorry. No idea it was against "rules". Just trying to be helpful. Some places are easier to post on than others especially on the move. Not trying to say any better than any other. :confused:

[jem16]

Also, the dot means that it's 3 berth, what does this actually mean and does it matter that the 600's numbers don't have the dot?

 

Thanks

 

Watch out for this - the key on the booking section for Thomson Celebration is wrong and I have this confirmed by Thomson when I emailed them about a specific cabin.

 

If you look at the Deck plan on the website for the actual ship you will see that the Circle (or dot) symbol means Fixed Double bed. The # symbol means 3 berth. This is also confirmed in their actual brochure.

 

Unfortunately the key is round the wrong way for the Circle and # symbols. I have asked that it be corrected but whether or not it will be who knows.

[hgt]

Just booked - wahoo!!

 

Going to call up and book a cabin in a minute - We were going to request 816, as mentioned above or 821 (on the other side).

 

Attached are decks 1 or 2 and we were wondering which were the best to request, we're guessing 816, 821, 814, 817, 620, 621, 604 or 605. Would you say this is correct?

 

Also, the dot means that it's 3 berth, what does this actually mean and does it matter that the 600's numbers don't have the dot?

 

Thanks

 

I would say they sound like pretty good choices as they are far enough forward to be away from any engine room vibrations etc. The ones with the dot (814/816/817/821) have a fixed double bed. Your other choices don't have any symbol which means they fixed twin beds (best just check the bed situation when you ring up to book your cabin if that's important to you).

 

Never stayed in them myself, but I've also heard good things about cabins 711 & 716 which are next to the gangway on deck 2... from what I've heard those are much bigger than usual also (These are fixed single beds too I think).

 

The odd shape cabins usually are slightly bigger than average... just avoid anything too far back (especially on deck 2) as there is a lot of noise and vibration there.

 

As Jem16 says, the key is wrong in some versions of the brochure, there aren't actually any three birth cabins on decks 1 or 2

 

As you're young and going with your girlfriend, I'm sure you won't want separate beds ;-) So you probably want to look for cabins with a dot (double bed) or square (beds which can be pushed together to make a double).

[Jakanne1]

Watch out for this - the key on the booking section for Thomson Celebration is wrong and I have this confirmed by Thomson when I emailed them about a specific cabin.

 

If you look at the Deck plan on the website for the actual ship you will see that the Circle (or dot) symbol means Fixed Double bed. The # symbol means 3 berth. This is also confirmed in their actual brochure.

 

Unfortunately the key is round the wrong way for the Circle and # symbols. I have asked that it be corrected but whether or not it will be who knows.

 

Does this include Deck 7 Deluxe Cabins? :eek: We need 3 separate beds.

[jem16]

Does this include Deck 7 Deluxe Cabins? :eek: We need 3 separate beds.

 

 

 

It's all decks. If you're looking for 3 berth then look for the # symbol. Deluxe cabins on Deck 7 are all 3 berth, some are twin plus 3rd berth and some are twins which can be pushed together to make a double plus the extra bed.

 

Use this deck plan as the symbols are correct.

 

http://www.thomson.co.uk/cruise/ships/thomson-celebration-deck-plans.html

 

It looks like all Deck 7 deluxe cabins should be fine for you.

Edited May 25, 2015 by jem16