Reviews of Thomson Celebration Cruise Ship, Thomson Celebration, Thomson Cruises

This being the sister ship to...

Overall Rating:

4/10

Itinerary:

Piazzas & Pyramids

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

DESIGNER

Comments:

This being the sister ship to the Thomson Spirit, on which we did the Red Sea Magic in November 2006, we were hoping for a similar good cruise and itinerary.



The first four days of this cruise were affected by an extreme cold spell of weather with many passengers struggling to find suitable warm clothing.



Having visited most of the ports the real attraction and reason for us booking this cruise same was the Suez Canal experience. No one or the brochure details had prepared us for the likelihood that we could / would be parked in a canal ‘lay- by’ from 10:30am until 6:00pm; by which time it was dark; awaiting and watching, starting at 12;00 noon, a well spaced-out convey of freight vessels pass us by in the opposite direction. Had we been aware of the likelihood that we would be sailing through the canal at night we would definitely not have booked this cruise. – See also Mr R Ferguson’s similar posting on this cruise.



To add to this ‘experience’ the exterior shaded areas of the ship were invaded by a ‘plagues of flies’ whilst we waited, which also dictated the need for crew to man-the doors into the self-service dining area.



Thomson’s own publication (Mini-brochure in the cabin) did however convey this part of the holiday as:- “…a week later, sailing through the Suez Canal, perhaps the world’s best-known waterway. And that’s what makes this cruise so special.”



Having since contacted Thomson’s Customer Relations (Customer Support Services) to register this complaint and request that they include a reference in their future brochures, that a repeat of same on such Suez transits is potentially a 50-50 or thereabouts likelihood, By their response to same you may as well talk to the wall! (hence the late posting of this review which hopefully will serve to forewarn future passengers).



Regrettably we also purchased the DVD package (£35 – 1 Disc for Trips Ashore + 1 Disc Ship Activities / Show clips) which was advertised in their Cruise News as “full coverage of this Cruise Experience”. What we did not expect was on Disc 1 - a gross over-use of archive footage taken from previous / other Thomson cruises - even the trip to Herculaneum had been included which we had booked but was disappointingly cancelled by Thomson as we waited in the lounge ready to leave. – talk about ‘rubbing salt in the wounds’.



In Naples they show us in a different berth (not the freight yard in which we berthed), Vesuvius without the snow-capping which it had during our visit and the ship leaving port in daylight as opposed to in the dark (last cruise ship to leave to leave port). Despite the extremely cold weather the Rome footage depicted people in shirt sleeves, etc.



Their subsequent ‘excuse / reason for such conveyed by Thomson as “The DVD sold on board the cruise ship features a number of ports but it’s main feature is to showcase guests enjoying themselves on board. Ideally the ships videographer gets out to all ports of call, however, where this is not possible there may be footage of the key sites of a port featured from a previous cruise” – which is not therefore “full coverage of this Cruise Experience”, as advertised.



My seeking of a refund on the DVD from Thomson, after some 3 months of their deliberation, has surprisingly been for them to refer me to ABTA! - Future prospective purchasers beware as you too may be conned!



The Thomson DVD footage of the fruit-carving demonstration, held on deck whilst we waited in the Suez Canal, does however accurately capture passengers fanning-off the flies along with the carved fruit and table being covered in flies. – Excellent marketing tool! - really impresses your friends.



Should you ever choose to partake the Bingo on a Thomson ship as my wife has, please be aware. We became suspicious of the pay-out relative to the take as compared with our previous experience on their smaller Emerald ship with it’s smaller venue, and upon which the payout / prizes were greater. We have since sought clarification from Thomson, but after their giving differing and conflicting reasons; none providing any figures, they finally refuse to answer my question and again surprisingly refer me to ABTA!



In the absence of their providing any figures they did not however refute the factual statistics I had sent to them and which serve to indicate the payout as being in the order of 50% of the take.



Apart from the Herculaneum trip which Thomson chose to cancel at the last minute we only undertook three trips – The Godfather Villages (out of Messina) & The Athens / Parthenon (out of Piraeus). Both were enjoyable, good guides and reasonable value for money. The Kritsa & Agios Nikolaos (out of Heraklion) trip was far too rushed (not much to see at Kritsa) and marred by a guide who could not stop talking and hence poor value for money.



Despite my drawing Thomson’s attention back in December 2005 (Red Sea Magic cruise) to the Naama Bay coach transfer trip at Sharm El Sheikh being advertised as being approximately 30 minutes away (Cost £12 pp) and only taking 12-14minutes sadly, on this cruise, they continue to advertise the same – EXPENSIVE - The ‘final insult’ on our previous use is when the ‘courier’ passes-around a collection envelope for the driver!!!. Evidence that even when they have been made aware of such misleading information Thomson allow it to continue.



This was our fifth Thomson Cruise and likely our last. Even my wife suffering the Norovirus, along with 130 passengers and crew, on their 14 day Ancient Wonders cruise on the Emerald in 2006 had failed to put us off. However, based upon the experiences on this trip, their blatant mis-advertising of the Suez Canal experience cruise and subsequent contempt which their Customer Services (Customer Support) seemingly have for their customers, I find the whole experience appalling.



That is particularly sad as the friendliness of the crew, exceptional quality of their evening shows and to a large part the dining experiences will; in common with all our previous Thomson cruises; take some beating, and be missed.

First cruise and really enjoyed...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Celebration Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs Susan Maiden-Dalton

Comments:

First cruise and really enjoyed it. Great food although didnt know about scones, jam and cream until the last day?? Enjoyed the trips and the staff were really efficient and friendly. Would definately cruise with Thomson again

Thank you

We returned from the Red Sea...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Celebration Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Select

Submitted By:

Mrs A Dale

Comments:

We returned from the Red Sea Magic cruise on March 6th 2008. This was the 3rd time we have done this particular cruise. Weather was glorious, food was wonderful i gained 3lbs in one week the service was superb.



The entertainment was out of this world with Africa and the Rock N Roll shows truly exceptional. We did not go on the trips as we did them on our other cruises we enjoyed the ship 100% there was plenty of onboard entertainment during the day including quizzes, live music, cocktail making and ice carvery to name a few.



I do not particuarly enjoy the open dining that they have on the celebration but due to the itinery i can see why dining times have to be flexible. We missed having the same waiters in the meridian restaurant.



The cruise Director Stephen Guy was wonderful, a true professional and his one man show was superb, we also enjoyed the guest commedienne Sue Sweeny. The midnight show done by the crew was worth staying up for, these wonderful entertainers were working in the dining rooms, cabins etc all day and were still wide awake and entertaining us at midnight and there to welcome us into breakfast first thing the next morning.



The drinks have become more expensive this year with Boddingtons £2.70 a pint, £1.25 for a can of coke and £2.85 for a spirit. Would be worth taking out the all inclusive option if you like a drink, this wasnt available to us unfortunately.



The photographs have come down in price they are now £10.99 each and £6.99 for the smaller photos. Much cheaper than our previous cruises.



The Lobster Thermador served during captains night was out of this world according to my husband it was the best meal he has ever eaten.



Our cabin was on B Deck and was L shaped, this was however the noisiest cabin that we have ever had, but we got used to it pretty soon. (701)



We used to end our evenings up at the Horizons Bar at the ttop of the ship, so relaxing where you could have a chat or a quiet dance (ballroom) with the jazz trio.



All in all a wonderful time was had by us both.

The thesaurus can not cope with...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr S.M Jepson

Comments:

The thesaurus can not cope with the superlatives required for this review. From the moment that you arrive at your home airport to the time you leave the ship, the organization is faultless. The cabins are spacious with plenty of storage room, immaculately clean and well equipped. All the staff are fabulous, very friendly and helpful. The food is of the very highest standard, beautifully presented, fantastic flavor and always served with a smile. The Lido restaurant served fantastic food 24 hours a day and the breakfast is well worth getting up for. The entertainment is of London show quality and standards, and varies each night in each of the various lounges.

The trips on the Red Sea Magic cruise are fantastic, but a very long day, and people who find difficulties in walking should consider the distances to walk, before they book the trips. Unfortunately if you do not book the trips, there is little or nothing to do in the ports, except for stopping on board and taking part in the day time activities.

Overall, a fantastic cruise, our first one ever, but this will not be the last with the Thomson group. A huge thank you goes to everyone involved with this cruise.

Just returned from another...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs A. Buttress

Comments:

Just returned from another wonderful cruise aboard the Celebration - I can sincerely recommend this cruise to anyone considering the Red Sea Magic itinerary, Petra was exceptional, Cairo, the Museum and the pyriamids a wonderful experience, Snorkelling in the Red Sea with the fishes an utter joy. Only point to be aware of is that at Port Sokna and Safaga the ports are industrial and you really need to take the ships excursions, but I think they have a very good selection and are generally good value for money and you feel safe and are looked after by very knowledgeable guides. At Aqaba there is a free shuttle bus into town and it is worth going in to have a look at the Jordanian town and people who I found to be very friendly but did not annoy you to buy things, a simple no was sufficient. Unlike in Egypt where you have to accept a certain amount of hastle and banter from the traders, but they had a good sense of humour and this is all part of the experience of a different country. We did not do the Luxor excursion - the 3.1/2 hour bus journey sounded a bit daunting - but did hear from other passengers that it was brilliant though very tiring.

The Celebration crew and staff are wonderful, the captain runs a very friendly ship where the passengers enjoyment is the priority and the Philippino staff cannot do enough to please. The excursion staff were very friendly and helpful and the entertainment catered for every taste, from wonderful broadway style shows, disco, guest comedian, Local show, game shows, bingo, Jazz band, casino and my favourites the crew show and Janos the exceptionally talented Hungarian violinist, or of course you can just chill out with a quiet drink. The food is excellent and in the restaurant is presented to a very high standard, the buffet has a wide selection and is open 24 hours a day, so be prepared to gain a few pounds. You can also keep in touch back home through the internet on board though the connection is a bit slow.

All in all a wonderful holiday - I'm already planning my next cruise.

Have just returned from this...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Qchik

Comments:

Have just returned from this fantastic cruise on Feb 28th 08. 20th anniversary treat for my husband and I and it was faultless throughout.Will spare you a big long story other than to say the staff are absolutely wonderful, the ship has a really happy atmosphere and is spotlessly clean. I have never seen cleaning like I did on our last day! Shows were fab, especially Africa and Moulin Rouge. Food - what can I say..I'm 10 lb up thanks to Meridian dinners. They are superb.

We did 3 trips. Long days but worth it. Please see Petra if you can - but it IS strenuous and I see the temperatures have soared in the last week. Also visited Cairo and the Pyramids and as a treat, we did Luxor overnight. that did it for me. What a beautiful Hotel right on the Nile. Saw sunset and sunrise as well as the wonderful Valley of the Kings.It also made the 31/2 hours travelling to and from the ship much more bearable, being spread over 2 days.

Honestly I could go on and on ( my friends will tell you that I do....)

It is a wonderful chance to see amazing sights and be so well looked after - it's got to be done. If you're thinking about the cost - check out some self catering accommodation in Portugal and Ibiza, and then compare what you get on Thomson's Celebration for a little more it's a no brainer. Hello to all the nice people we met x

This cruise was suposed to be a...

Overall Rating:

1/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Celebration Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

Mrs C Brown

Comments:

This cruise was suposed to be a birthday treat for my daughter, some holiday .

On the second day we were robbed of all our money from a locked cabin, our cabin was then serched by the security gaurd, bags emptyed and laundery gone through we felt like the criminals. Staff were unsympathetic and assured us constantly that this sort of thing had never happened before. No help was offered by seinor members of staff, we spent the remainder of the holiday at reseption trying to get a report for the insurance.

All they were bothered about was if we could pay our onboard account.

On the last day we met a couple that had a cabin on the same deck, deck 8, they had also been robbed on the same day from a locked cabin, so this has never happened before!!!!!!

I travelled with my husband and...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs S Pearson-SMith

Comments:

I travelled with my husband and 2 children aged 9 & 7 on Thomson Celebration departing on 3/1/08 on the red sea magic cruise. I would say this was a good but not excellent cruise. Ports were spot on for getting out sight seeing but there were a series of minor niggles that added up to a disappointment.



Our cabin was of a good size and well maintained with a large amount of storage space and enough bed height to get the cases under. We had a well appointed bathroom with shower loo and vanity sink. In the cabin there was both a european and an american plug socket and as we had both adaptors it meant we had plenty of points for recharging MP3 players, game boys and video cameras (all essential on the trips to both Luxor and Petra!)



As we were cabin only embarkation and check in were painless and we were in our cabin for 12.07pm and luggage was with us 20 mins later.



We found the ship easy to navigate and well kept. Free tea and coffee was provided all the time on the lido deck and also in the buffet ~ a shame you weren't provided with a kettle in your cabin as on Ocean Village but it's not such a big deal.



Food was of a fair standard similar to that of a mid class all inclusive hotel but no where near as good as that provided when we sailed on the Emerald (~ I am biased in this respect though being married to a chef who owns his own restaurant!) The menus in the restaurant were so so-so we only ate there 3 times all cruise and didn't bother on the formal night. On one occassion service was that slow that we left before desserts had been served (Around two hours for entrees, soup and mains)



We had been upgraded to the all inclusive package as we booked a year in advance and this made life and drinking extremely easy. The bar staff and drinks waiters were all very friendly and once I got settled into hemmingways Angel made sure my friends and I were never short of drinks. However in the casino (6ft away) it was a different matter for husband and the table players, on frequent occassions I had to call someone over and ask them to go take an order on the blackjack table as no one was patrolling that area.



The casino was a downside to the whole cruise ~ it is run by a concession and badly. On a few occassions one blackjack table was full but they would not open another table as "it is company policy only to use one"! They also shut rigidly at either 1am or 2am no matter how many people were playing. The slot machines were also very old.



Glad to see the new smoking policy in place ~ smoking is only allowed on 1/3 of the open deck, along one side of promenade deck and in 1/3 of Liberties. Smoking on deck is not allowed at all in safaga as you can smell the diesel.



Sun beds were easy to come by on deck 10 forward even on the sea days.



The trip to Petra was wonderful but please bear in mind that it can get very cold at altitude and taking a jacket is a good idea! Luxor was again another great trip but the 4 hour journey does take it's toll! Prices were Petra £70 adults £35 children and Luxor £72 adults and £36 children.



Kids club was great they even picked the children up 2 mornings at 8.15 for breakfast which meant we could have a lie in. The children also enjoyed the cinema of an afternoon before dinner ~ they showed a variety of newish films i.e. Shrek 3, Harry Potter. The in-cabin TV also had one childs film a day (ratatouille, The Reef) which was a good after supper treat.



Quality of Food

Buffet breakfast ~ spot on & the Ice cream (free all day by the bowl or cone) ~ the rest was cold or just not appetising

Entertainment

Africa in the Broadway lounge.

Shore Excursions

Both Petra and Luxor were excellent

Staff

Angel and Sheba ~ both drinks hosts!

Children's Facilities

The kids club staff were excellent and gave us freedom to enjoy our holiday.

Onboard Activities

The usual quizzes and shows but also virtual sports and carpet bowls.

Cabins

Lovely size, loads of storage very clean thanks to Robbi the cabin boy.





I was thinking of the Baltic cruise in August on this ship but after the Janaury cruise I have decided to pay one of the more luxurious lines to take me to this part of the world and hope fully get the kind of food one expects on a cruise!

Just returned for spending a...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Celebration Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

glenvile

Comments:

Just returned for spending a week on this ship and have to say it was great,never been on a cruise before so wasnt sure what to expect really didnt think it would be for me but i was proved very wrong and have already been looking to book again!

The ship is a very happy ship all crew were very helpful,the shows were the best i have ever seen,food was very good with a choice of places to eat and drink and thought the drinks not to be too expensive,had some lovely cocktails,weather was very warm so came home with a good tan,never went on any trips but would have liked to have got off the ship if only for a walk but the ports we docked at didnt look very nice or safe,but it didnt reakky matter as there was alway somethink happening on board/

Was on holiday with my mother who has been on many many different cruises and she did say this was one of the best.

Just returned from spending a...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Celebration Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs L COWEN

Comments:

Just returned from spending a great week on the red sea cruise ,never been on a cruise before, really i thought they were not for me but this cruise really changed my mind,i really couldnt fault it,the ship was such a happy ship,food was very good,the shows were the best i have ever seen,we never done any trips,but would have liked to have got off if only to have a walk but the ports we docked at didnt really very nice or safe.

Lots to do during the day if you didnt fancy sun-bathing,always managed to get a sunbed.

Our cabin was a lot bigger than i expected with lots of space for our clothes.

Already looking to book again.

p.s

I was on this cruise with my mother who goes on four cruises a year, she has been on many different ships but says this is one of the happiest she has been on.

This being my first cruise i...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Celebration Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs J Shepherd

Comments:

This being my first cruise i didn't really know what to expect i travelled with my mum and sister who have both done the Celebration Cruise before. From arriving on the ship until the departure home the service of all the staff on board was fantastic, nothing was to much trouble.The food was fab in all resturants we dined every night in the Meridian Waiter service resturant which was brill our waiters Robert, Peter and wine waiter Tony made our meal times great fun with their singing and napkin folding my daughter Chloe (13 yrs) thought they were great. The Lido resturant also was very clean and had plenty to choose from there was a variety for everyone. Entertainment was great in the Broadway bar with shows every night and liberties for the fun shows and late night dancing. We didn't bother with any trips as they were quite a way to travel but we couldn't really get of at any of the ports as we felt abit vunerable.(this is perhaps the only downside to the holiday the ports were a bit of an eyesore). The rooms were quite nice although the showers need a little attention but understand this is having a bit of a refit in October. I was lovely to go back to your cabin a night and your bedding would have been turned back with a chocky on your pillow, the cabin lad made Chloe a swan and a monkey which she thought was great. We met some lovely people and would definatley do it again (got the bug)

I have just returned from a...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr P Bunker

Comments:

I have just returned from a weeks cruise around the Red Sea on this ship. It was my first ever cruise experience and I was pleased with what I found. Other passengers who are cruise addicts seem to think that Thomson caters for the bottom end of the market hence the prices but I found it to be excellent. The ship is due to go in for a refit this year sometime but it seemed ok to my eyes. We had a delux cabin on deck 9 that was more than adequate but having been in one or two of the cabins on deck 2 I would have felt cramped. The food was very good (as much and when). I used the Lido self service resturant and did not use the other restaurant at all. Hygene standards seem very good as there are numerous hand gell stations around and every time you come back on board a member of the ships crew sprays your hands with disinfectant. I can not comment on the entertainment (drink in Horizons bar was good enough for me) but other guests seemed to like it. The prices for drinks was not excessive. The crew were mainly Philipino with British Officers and they seemed to be first class, always smiling and courtous I understand they get paid poorly by western standards. All in all this was a very good weeks holiday.

What a fantastic first time...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Celebration Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs E Howe

Comments:

What a fantastic first time experience. My husband gave me seven days notice i was being taken on holiday for my 40th birthday. Personaly i have never fancied the experience of being on a cruise..........I am converted.



From begining to end I really couldn't find anything to find fault with. We left from Luton and flew to Sharm el Sheik airport everything ran smooth and as always the aircrew staff were efficient and friendly.



When we arrived at the airport in Egypt , thomson were there to greet us, a small queue to wait in but again very efficient. We then were directed to our coach where we had about a half an hour drive to the port.

When we arrived at port we stopped at a small building where we were given refreshments whilst waiting in a steady queue to have our photo taken, leave passports (temp) and swipe your card details. Job done we then walked off or shuttled bused to the ship.



She was huge and glorious , as a first time cruiser she was quite a sight to see.

We were taken to our cabin which happened to be on the 8th deck within 2hrs our luggage had arrived to our cabin. The beauty all through your stay is that you are informed regulary of everything in a cruise letter daily so you know what is going on.

Our room was big enough with plenty of clothes space ,our steward was panji who cleaned our cabin daily, turned our sheets down nightly with a choclate on our pillow. He did a fantastic job and always wore a smile as all staff did.



Now as I have begun to write a novel i will try to keep it as brief as i can. We stayed for seven nights and not once did we visit Zilli's there is a cover charge but the main reason being is that the food in the main resturant Meridian had plenty of options it was beautifully served and the beef and the lamb just melted. It was all very very good food. Our waiter was always Art as he served us the first night we choose his area nightly, he was always smiling and friendly. Tony was our wine waiter who also was a pleasure to be served by.

It was also lovely to get dressed up the extra mile to dine.

The less formal resturant Lidos we dined in frequent for lunch, again plenty of choices food always hot and served professionaly.

There was always a sugar free option for desert in both resturants too.

You could also get the likes of sushi, pizza, burgers and fries at the grill bar on the pool deck.

We did not get the all incluisive alcohol option and thought prices were not too bad. A bottle of wine with your meal started at £10 and went up, a pint of stella was £2.70. A can of coke was £1.25 big bottle of water £1.35. However you could buy two bottles of spirits from the duty free shop for £10 and have a drink in your cabin if you wished.

The entertainment staff always had something going on day or night to keep you occupied they did put in a lot of hours and hard work we were never bored though in all honesty the one show we did not see out was the egyptian show. Costumes were also amazing. The comedian we had that week was a lovely yorkshire man called Stan Johns we saw both his shows and both times i found him very funny and i did actually cry with laughing, my sides were aching at the end .

We only did two excursions.

.....we went on the wadi rum trip it was fun but nothing amazing however it was a trip in the desert and in the shade it was surprisingly cold, take a jumper. Scenery was beautiful.

We then went to the pymarids which consisted of a trip to a small museum, tombs then the pyramids and the sphinx.........what can i say ,amazing it has to be done, however if you have any breathing problems or fear of small spaces please be warned it gets very difficult to breathe in the main pyramid , a lot of people turned back due to the fact your body is bent in half due to the tunnel been about 3 and a half ft high we paid a extra £5 to go in but worth it.I am still in awe at the size and structure of them, worth the money and time. The sphinx is also a amazing statue the photographs still can not do it justice as the human eye can,

I also must add our tour guide Maria kept us informed with history the whole 3 hr journey we were never bored as she made it entertaining. A lovely experience.



My husband and i have met some wonderful people on this cruise who helped to make it special and also not forgetting the wonderful staff throughout.

It was our first cruise ever and we shall certainly be doing it again. thanks to all involved on the Celebration.

This was a trip to celebrate our...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Celebration Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs S Salt

Comments:

This was a trip to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary, we had never been on a cruise before, but had read all the reviews and kept an open mind.

Our cabin was on the 8th deck, very spacious clean and comfortable, the cabin was cleaned twice a day and the sheets turned down at night with a chocolate on the pillow!!, the crew very polite and helpful, excellent choice of food always hot, dinning area clean, hands had to be sanitised before going in to eat,also ate in the Meriden this was waiter service never seen so many staff, again food great, cant comment on Zilli resturant as we never ate in there there was a cover charge £15 per person.

Entertainment was good although i found the Broadway lounge very warm when full,the magician/comedian was very good.

drinks were reasonably priced,no money needed everything put on to your charge card which was also your boarding card didnt need to settle the bill at reception on day of departure automatically done had visions of 1000 plus passengers queing at reception on day of departure to pay.

trips not to badly priced when you break everything down, lunch in a 5 star hotel included very nice, you have to pay for alcohol in the hotels be carefull when buying we talked to someone who had paid £10.00 for a pint, and someone else who paid £47 for an average bottle of wine.

we did 3 trips, Petra in Jordon, fantastic day, very hard going on the legs would not recommend for the elderly saw a lot of people struggling, Cairo was an eye opener cant explain, you have to see it for yourself pyramids were mind blowing as was our 3rd trip to Luxor to the valley of the kings and the temples of karnack very very long days 15 hours but worth it an experience that will stay with you for ever!!!guides very informitive.

(Footnote to the excursions, you can only say these were tasters, as not a lot of time was allocated for your own sightseeing, if you want an in depth exploration these were not sufficient, as you would need a whole day or more for each, the only thing i would miss out on is Memphis, as we found this to be a bit of a waste of valuable time, the rest are well worth the long days).

Once again we can not praise the crew enough, as they were excellent. Overall the cruise was brilliant, but if you went on a lot of the excursions, you would end up needing another week off to rest up.

Absolutely wonderful!...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Celebration Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Nov 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

patriciafenngallery

Comments:

Absolutely wonderful! Entertainment, food, staff and accommodation perfect.



Cruising is not my first choice of holiday but I have to say I'm so glad I did this one!



A very well organized week of coach trips to see the outstanding sights of Egypt and Jordan. The evenings were also packed with entertainment. The shows were first class, and the food couldn't have been better.



My husband forgot to pack a suit for the 'captains dinner', although I had 7 evening dresses to choose from.



But all was not lost after a short trip into town where the shopping is very cheap. He bought a very nice suit for the costly sum of 17 UK pounds!