Thomson Celebration Canary Island Cruise Review

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Thomson Celebration Canary Island Cruise
★★★★☆
3.7
75.0% of users recommend this
  • Food - quality & variety

  • Entertainment on board

  • Value For Money

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KathyM's review of Thomson Celebration Canary Island Cruise

“This Thomson Celebration holiday was booked 8 weeks in...”

★★★☆☆

written by KathyM on 12/01/2006

Good Points
Waking up each morning at a different location.
Full agenda of things to do if required and places to be on ship for quiet, busy, entertainment, relaxation etc.

Bad Points
Difficulty in getting the right mix of 'formal' or casual wear.

General Comments
This Thomson Celebration holiday was booked 8 weeks in advance and obviously this left limited scope to get away over the New Year period. We chose to try a cruise for the first time and were a little reluctant to spend too much in case it was not a success, even so it cost in the region of 1,500 each as we upgraded our cabin but did not purchase the drinks package as neither of us are heavy drinkers. We had extras on board with evening meal, Mistral dining room (an extra £15 each on top of the package), wine, a nightcap three nights, three purchases in the shop and excursions when docked at all islands except Las Palmas and Maderia where we had had a previous land holiday so did our own thing.

The ship was in good order, the cabin staff very helpful and pleasant, the amenities staff and catering staff could not do enough for you and the meals were all well prepared and more than adequate.

The 5 girls who manned reception were aloof and acted as though the guests were an inconvenience - this was also mentioned by other guests not just our opinion.

The entertainment team (a very small group) excelled themselves and my other half was glued to their performances - not something that he would normally be bothered to go to so 100% marks to them all.

Our low spots were the evening meals. The Lido restaurant was one up from Butlins style, again the staff were excellent but fighting to get to a table amongst some guests who felt that loading their plate to overflow and pushing past with trays as if you were invisible was not what we were looking for. Consequently most meals we then had in the Meridion restaurant where you had waiter service and the melee did not exist. Formal wear in the dining room now seems to consist of open necked shirt and trousers, few jackets could be found and fewer ties. Oddly the evening of the Captains meal or Oscars night 80% of guests suddenly donned Black Tie which seemed a shame to bring the whole suit out for just one evening.

The excursions were not cheap but useful to get a glimpse of Islands that you may not have been to before and that was good as we decided after the Lanzarote trip that although a nice place it would not be somewhere we would like to spend a whole week. The photographs that are taken on board are very expensive so make sure you have plenty of spending money just for the ship.

Other than that it was an entertaining relaxing break with average weather - remember it is still winter in the Canaries - although enough to get a tan, but should you want a slightly better level of holiday then don't use Thomson but pay the extra and try P&O. Many guests we spoke to who cruise 2/3 times a year told us that this cruise was the most basic they had ever been on and were disappointed although to us as our first cruise we now feel it can only get better! We will cruise again it has not put us off. A good way to have a holiday, relax and still get to see many sights just make sure you have got your sea legs as the crossing from Maderia to Morocco was 5/6 wind and slightly choppy - its a long trip over two nights and all of one day if you are feeling uneasy... and watching a few people they were suffering enough to go and get an injection from the on board Doctor.

  • 30.12.05 - 6.1.06

    Date of Cruise

  • 7

    Nights on board

  • Colourful Coasts

    Itinerary Name

  • DeLuxe Deck 6 outside

    Cabin Type

  • Couple

    Group description

  • Food - quality & variety

  • Entertainment on board

  • Value For Money

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Martin Waite's Response to KathyM's Review

Written on: 26/01/2006

Hi Kathy
<br>
<br>I'm sorry; I should have looked at the overview which would have led me to your review earlier.
<br>
<br>Your comments are true and accurate. The lido restaurant was very much like a butlins free for all, now you mention it I do recall many people falling over themselves to get as much on the plate as possible. This to me is strange as the restaurant has many good points, one of which is 24 Hour opening times. I don’t think Thomson is to blame for poor judgement by passengers.
<br>
<br>We did invest in the credit card which did save us having to find cash, we didn’t over indulge, but it was nice to know you could relax without having to find money for drinks all of the time (I think over the week we broke even, between buying a card and not)
<br>
<br>My Mum & Dad own a bridal wear/men’s wear business in Newport, Gwent. they kindly supplied us with the correct dress code for the captains cocktail party, I agree, and I know it sounds snobby, but we really did enjoy dressing up and were disappointed others didn’t bother (my son and wife looked fantastic, I looked like a I should have dieted long ago)
<br>
<br>Your comments relating to the girls at reception are also very true and I hope Thompson are aware of their attitude as I do believe they let the rest of the staff down (very pretty girls are sometimes like this)
<br>
<br>Over-all you seem to have had a good time as we did, I hope to read your comments from your next cruise adventure in the future
<br>
<br>By the way, we paid £1.900 in total for two adults and a child with the drinks cards for all, so maybe this had something to do with our overall value rating.
<br>
<br>Kind regards
<br>
<br>Martin

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