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

This was our second cruise...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Baltic Treasures

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

taffy

Comments:

This was our second cruise aboard Thomson Celebration, having previously been to Norway. As soon as we boarded the ship at Harwich, the first person to greet us was our waiter (Nelson) from the previous year, & he recognised us immediately, & even remembered our names.



The itinerary for the Baltic Cruise was excellent, giving us a chance to see many capital cities which we had never been to before. The highlight of the cruise was certainly St. Petersburg, but each of the destinations had their own highlights.



The quality of the excursions offered was very high, especially in St. Petersburg. We had originally thought we might have looked at St. Petersburg on our own, but with the short time available, it is much better to take advantage of the itinerary that are offered by Thomson.



The food, as before, was of the highest quality (in all restaurants), as was the entertainment.



The facilities offered on the ship suited our tastes as we did not want a ship that was too big.



Although we were only in an internal cabin on Deck 4, this was ample, & everything we required was there.



All the staff were brilliant, & many new friends made.



The only sad part of the holiday was leaving the ship at Harwich. However, we enjoyed the cruise so much that we are thinking of doing the same again.



Thank you Thomson for a memorable holiday (Once again).

I travelled on this cruise as a...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

Mrs M Kennedy

Comments:

I travelled on this cruise as a single mother with a 7 year old daughter. She was studying Egypt at school and I decided to take her to see the sights for herself.



It was absolutely fantastic.



The cabins were clean and spotless - and my daughter was well looked after with the chocolates on her pillow at night.



There was so much entertainment for both adults and children. My daughter particularly loved the evening shows put on by the excellent Thomson team. Most of them are so good they would not look out of place in the major London theatres.



The food was excellent and there was such a variety that there was always something for both of us. My daughter particularly liked the readily available ice cream



The tours were well organised and the guides were brilliant. At first glance they appear expensive but when you see what you actually get for the money by way of lengthy coach trips, 5 star lunches and all entrance fees, they are actually very good value for money.



We visited Luxor, Petra and Cairo and had a brilliant time. The days between were spent relaxing on the boat. The boat was so smooth that at night you hardly felt you were moving.



I was worried as I hadn’t bought any "posh" clothes for cabins cocktail party - but it really didn’t matter - there were many people in the same position and I would not have wanted to miss the excellent shop that accompanied the party - so it’s well worth going even if you can’t dress for the occasion.



This is probably the best holiday we've ever had and my daughter already wants me to look at the cruise brochures for next year.

Three of us, 2 adults + 13 yr...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs K Jennings

Comments:

Three of us, 2 adults + 13 yr old, just returned from the Red Sea Magic cruise.



Highly impressed with the service, facilities, food, trips. Excellent accommodation (deck 6), Filipino staff were friendly and obliging, food second to none.



Day trips were extremely well organized.



I'd highly recommend cruising for anyone considering, there's something for everyone with a varied selection of day trips.



No need to take foreign currency (or take very little) as all costs on board (including excursions) are direct from your credit card, making life very easy.



I'm not easy to please but it's impossible to criticize this holiday.

All reports about this disaster...

Overall Rating:

1/10

Itinerary:

iberian oddysey

Date of Holiday:

May 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs D Mills

Comments:

All reports about this disaster cruise are all concerning the toilet system and showers.



However, I would like to point out that the following were also problems:



There was no water in the swimming pool, no water in the jacuzzi, the sports court had not been built.



The cinema broke down after 2 days, there was a flood in the casino and buckets in the corridors to catch water coming through ceilings and on top of all that, the ship was still being painted!



Thomson have no idea how to run a cruise line and should leave it to the professionals.



Their treatment of passengers was disgraceful, they just didn't want to know about any problems at all, and when we asked for a complaint form as stated in their brochure.



We got blank looks and told they didn't know who had them.



This was not a cruise; it was more like a ferry crossing to Calais.



Never again will we travel with Thomson cruises.

The wife, daughter (12) and I...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Red sea

Date of Holiday:

Mar 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr K Black

Comments:

The wife, daughter (12) and I really enjoyed this week on the Celebration. It was well organised and we were quickly settled.



We pre-booked a Cabin on Deck 7 which we thought was well worth the extra. Everything you buy is via the ship credit card so no searching for cash; you just pay up at the end of the cruise.



Prices were all in sterling so a pint of Boddingtons beer was £2.50 and you knew exactly where you stood.



The trips. We went to Petra via AQABA port. It was £70 each but when we went into Aqaba for a look around, (you get a courtesy bus to take you in, it’s about five minutes away) we were often approached by local reps who arrange for you to be taken to Petra by Taxi for £70 for all.



I must say the guide we had, the meal and the transport that went with the Thomson organised trip was very good so this need to be born in mind.



We also did the Luxor/Karnak/Valley of the Kings trip at Safaga port which was a really early start and late return, about 8 hours of it is on the coach itself but overall it was worth the effort and we are very glad we went.



The Food. It was excellent; the Meridian restaurant was our port of call every evening for a great dinner service by very pleasant staff. Occasionally we took breakfast here but generally stuck to the Lido restaurant for breakfast and lunch which was pleasant and of a good standard.



The ship is paranoid about infection and positively encourage you to sanitise your hands before eating, on returning to the ship etc. I saw this is a positive and not a worry.



Entertainment. The evening shows were surprisingly good and enjoyable. It is only a small group of people trying very hard to put in a real effort. Nothing was amateurish or tacky about it apart from a belly dancer act (brought in, not resident) which was desperately sad. Some of the game shows in the Libertines bar were a really good laugh.



The crew and all the waiters, cabin boys, chefs etc were all from the Philippines, they were excellent. Our waiter Jiivan would make my daughter a different animal from paper every single day we went to the restaurant. She was pleased as punch that he went to this effort for her.



We found there was always something to do; all you had to do was look for it. Some of the ports are a bit bland, they are private commercial docks rather than ports but at least Thomson are getting you as close as they can to allow you to go off and explore these sights.



Someone made mention of the Captains Dinner in an earlier review and the requirement for formal dress, tie etc. I was one of those that did not prepare myself and went in a shirt and trousers. Many were in dinner suits, suits, jacket and tie etc and I felt uncomfortable.



When we were introduced to the Captain I apologised for my lack of a tie and jacket and his view was that he was very glad I had taken the time to accept the invitation and did not identify my attire as anything to offend.



I found later that a number had done the same, it’s a holiday and it is 2007. I did speak to other passengers who did not go because they felt they did not have the appropriate dress. That is a shame because the reception, meal and show that evening was the best of the week.



The experience of this cruise was excellent. We would definitely have no hesitation in doing it again and it has to be said that this package is really good value. We spent a second week at Sharm el Sheikh at the Iberostar Palace.



This was a good move on our part as we felt we had been on two holidays.

The Celebration is an old ship...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Mar 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr R Phillips

Comments:

The Celebration is an old ship but has been well maintained and looks good for its age.



The cruise itself was very good with the crew and staff working very hard to make your stay comfortable and relaxing.



The evening entertainment was very poor and Thomson need to review this, as the resident band called face 2 face were so bad it made us all laugh.



The trips are good value for money but don't come cheap and it was difficult to establish before we left for our holiday, what the costs would be.



So the following should prove of interest to anyone who may be going in the future.



All prices in Pounds sterling:



Wadi Run Desert adventure Adult 32 child 20

Petra adult 70 children 35

Dead Sea adult 51 children 25.50

Valley of the Kings adult 70 children 35

Seascope submarine adult 35 children 17.50

Hurghada shopping adult 12 children 6

Pyramids and Cairo museum adult 68 children 34

Pyramids, Ali mosque and Nile adult 68 children 34



Overall the cruise was enjoyed by the whole family and we did the Petra and Pyramids tours and really enjoyed them but they are a long day.



Also be warned the Petra trip involves a great deal of walking which some will find difficult as it’s over rough ground and it does get very hot in Jordon.



We hope this proves helpful to future cruisers as we enjoyed our time on the Red Sea but the entertainment needs to be resolved asap.



Also all the guys need to take a shirt and tie and the girls need a posh frock if they intend to have dinner with the Captain.

Service on this ship cannot be...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs L Bohanna

Comments:

Service on this ship cannot be faulted. All staff were at your beck and call 24 hours a day.



The Show team were amazing and worked really hard, putting on 2 shows every evening. A couple of the show team were West End material, as they were so good.



Ports of call were the big disappointment. Due to the distance from anywhere remotely civilised, huge amounts of money had to be spent on coach trips to the sights or even to shops.



This cruise I would say is not suitable for the elderly or infirm, as a lot of energy is needed e.g. rising at 6.00 a.m. to go on a tour of the pyramids, which lasted about 45 minutes, and returning at night, the rest of the time used up in travelling.

Cabin staff fantastic –...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Mar 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs P Suri

Comments:

Cabin staff fantastic – attentive happy and helpful.



Food was very good and the ice cream counter was a great addition when the midday sun was out.



The excursions were brilliant, Petra, Pyramids, Valley of the Kings, felt extremely safe, tours were always very well organised and guides very informative.



Entertainment -Broadway show lounge – the worst cruise entertainment I have ever seen - people were laughing out loud at the performers, having said that it was the material of the shows that was bad not the performers.



Thompson must sort this out as it should be the main event of the evening and it becomes the worst amateur performance you have ever seen.



Games and activities were fun and were a great way of meeting different people.



Would highly recommend the cruise for the sights but something must be done about the entertainment, it’s just embarrassing.

As a group of 4, we spent our...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr B Streek

Comments:

As a group of 4, we spent our first week at the Hilton Resort Hotel in Hurghada, you can view that review elsewhere on this site.



Joined the Celebration on Tuesday 16th after a short and painless transfer from the hotel. We came on the same cruise this time last year aboard the Thomson Spirit so, all being equal, knew that we should in for a great time. With two exceptions, we weren't disappointed.



THE FOOD (10/10) was delicious. We ate mainly in Mistral's where our first waiters, Alec & Stacey immediately adopted us and from then on provided us with first class service and food.



The 5 course menus were comprehensive and varied with portions of just the right size that nothing was left and you felt full at the end without feeling stuffed.



There was a good selection of wines which were about the same price as you'd pay in an average UK pub/restaurant. The same for the beers and spirits and the cocktails were a steal!



We also ate in the Lido Buffet Lounge a few times and here it was all too easy to end up with far too much on your plate as there were so many choices.



There is also a hot food bar by the swimming pool outside the Lido which serves up the best burgers I've tasted other than Lidl's Irish brand.



We paid the extra £15pp to eat in the Meridian one night and have to admit that it was worth the extra for that 'special occasion', the waiting staff even formed a trio and very pleasantly serenaded the customers.



THE ENTERTAINMENT (9.5/10) by the Thomson Team was terrific and they really put their hearts and souls into making sure we enjoyed it as much as they seemed to. OK, so it's not the London Palladium but is still very professionally put together.



The Egyptian Folk Evening was good with the Belly Dancer doing some movements that looked impossible to me. The Whirling Dervisher whirled away for nearly 10 minutes and quite where he stored all his umbrellas I just don't know.



Brenda Colins was a surprise act on two evenings and although I've never seen her before, I hope I do again. She is one very funny lady and also a great singer. The one fly in the ointment was the lack of any decent entertainment during our one day at sea.



A tour of the ships lounges and decks showed most people reading, sleeping or eating out of sheer boredom.



THE TRIPS (10/10) were well planned and executed. We 'did' Petra, Cairo and Luxor last year and recommend them all. This year we went to the Dead Sea instead of Petra and on the Nile lunch cruise and Pyramids light show, both trips well worth the expense.



We also went out into the desert on the quad bikes again, another 'must' if you are reasonably fit and want some excitement and a good shaking up!



THE CREW (10/10) were as pleasant as ever, always smiling and keeping The Ship spick and span from top to bottom.



THE SHIP (8/10) is due for a refit later this year, so is looking a bit tired in places but is still a very beautiful ship and not a floating Las Vegas. She rides a rough sea well (we had a storm one night) and makes a very pleasant home for a week or two.

Home just a week. Great cruise,...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Celebration Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr D Forsyth

Comments:

Home just a week. Great cruise, great value for money, ship spotless, waiters always smile and joke with you.



Food excellent choice, no complaints at all.



Had an 18 hour delay at airport home due to bad weather, Thomson put us in 5* all inclusive over night. We were well looked after, thank you for looking after us so well.

Having been on several Thomson...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs C Peace

Comments:

Having been on several Thomson cruises in the past and 1 of them just a year ago. I was amazed by how much some of the drinks had gone up.



We were all inclusive on the last cruise, and didn’t think it was worth it this time, however a can of beer had risen by £1, I think this is a large price rise. Beware if you like a drink, a can of beer is £2.80p.



After getting this little blip out of the way, the food was excellent the service was good and everywhere was very clean.



I missed the restaurant staff having their little sing along and was not impressed with the paper napkins.



Our cabin was really nice and as we usually have an inside cabin, I have now be spoilt and think it’s worth the extra to upgrade to an outside cabin.



We have already booked up for our next cruise on the Spirit in May (all inclusive) and I hope the service and food and entertainment are as good as this one.



Cruising spoils you for having an ordinary holiday. The ships may be older than some, however they can’t be faulted.

I am genuinely very sad to be...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Jan 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

gavinayling

Comments:

I am genuinely very sad to be back. I will miss the Thomson Celebration and I felt quite sad as we boarded the coach to leave for Sharm airport and home.



There were small gripes but they are so small that mentioning them here may give the wrong impression. This was the most fantastic holiday... and the price really, REALLY doesn't reflect how much you are getting!



Other contributors here have mentioned that the ship looked a bit tired but it was immaculately clean and not broken in any way - it was cosy and welcoming, especially the Horizons bar.



From start to finish the organisation blew me away. From being welcomed at Gatwick before we even reached the check-in desk to the fast and efficient Visa desk that had been organised for us.



As we passed through immigration control there were people calling "Thomson Cruise" at regular intervals to help you find your way to the coach. At the coach your luggage was taken from you and you didn't see it again until you reached your cabin.



Every excursion was organised like clock-work and, unless you deliberately ignored the Cruise News, you had nothing to worry about at all. You wake up in the morning (early for the Luxor and Valley of the Kings trip) and breakfast is already being served (we ate at 6am on Wednesday -- the day of Luxor and Valley of the Kings) by the same friendly waiters who were serving you at 10.30pm the night before.



You walk down to the coach (because getting the lift would exacerbate the guilt from eating four-course meals all day) and you're whisked away with highly knowledgeable guides.



Do note:



Petra will always be cool because it is so high. On the way there the roads were surrounded by snow. Take warm clothing and DO NOT wear shorts or a T-shirt to Petra!



I have coeliac disease and the whole cruise was easy as you like. There's a separate menu for gluten free food and there's always an interesting dessert -- have the floating island if it's available on Thursday.



The cruise people didn't seem able to provide a gluten free lunch box (though they had written gluten free on the box it contained two different types of biscuit!) but it wasn't needed: The five star hotels catered for me especially and the food was great. And if you're greedy there's always a four-course dinner available when you return.



The service was worth writing home about all on its own. The staff were not like the stereotype American asking you to have a nice day, they really seemed to mean it and the welcome home to the ship and the waving as you leave really made you feel welcome and missed.



The staff were so excellent I wanted to give them all a tip but that would cost a small fortune (there's more than one member of staff per three passengers!)



Also at meals you eat with other people who have recently sat down (or vice versa) so you are always meeting new people -- and they're all nice people! Don't go to the Lido, don't. The Meridian's so much nicer and more sociable!



I don't like sitting around so we did something every day (except Sunday which was all day at sea). It may not seem particularly cultural etc. but if you're fit and healthy go on the Quad Bikes on Thursday morning.



It's a great way to see the desert while receiving a welcome dose of adrenaline. 30mph may not seem much but as the hard Sinai desert bumps you up and down and as clouds of sand/dust fly up from the quad in front it is exhilarating. Tea with Bedouins is also an experience which neatly serves as a destination for the cross-desert journey.



Kharnak was the perfect cultural climax to the cruise and the quad biking ensures you have melancholy, as you realise you have to leave the dream lifestyle and return to work...

14th -22nd Dec 06

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Dec 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

mmalyon

Comments:

14th -22nd Dec 06



Nice to see some of the waiters from other cruise ships. Very clean and well fed.



Just right to the build up for Xmas. We were situated on deck eight.



I would recommend this cruise.



The stops we had:



1 Jordon/Petra - long walk but well worth it

2 Cairo Pyramids - were brilliant

3 Valley of the Kings - outstanding

4 Sharm - warm



Overall, a good time had by myself and my son. Met a lot of nice people. Deal or no deal very funny.

Airport check in-Thomsons had...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea magic

Date of Holiday:

Dec 2006

Tour Operator:

Fasttrackcruises

Submitted By:

swingsandroundabouts

Comments:

Airport check in-Thomsons had set up a desk to issue you with cruise information and cabin number labels for your luggage at Manchester airport check in desks.



If you had not pre-booked your cabin number this was when you found out what deck etc. you were on.



We got 678, midships on deck 2.There was a booking form for any trips you wanted to do at the first port of call to be dropped off ASAP as you board the ship. This is because the ship has embarkations on Tuesdays and Thursdays and spaces are reserved for those new arrivals wanting to book a tour.



Arrival at Sharm airport was a breeze, we did feel like sheep being herded through pens but it was to make sure we didn't queue unnecessarily at immigration.



After check in at the pier there is a long walk from the port building to the ship but staff were there on hand to help and there was a shuttle bus.



Our cabin was an inside L layout and there was plenty of drawer and wardrobe space. We asked for ice on our first evening and it was there every night after that. The cabin was clean and we were quite satisfied with it.



Food- We only ate in the Meridian on the Captains Gala night and were very disappointed with the food and surly service. The friendly staff and delicious food at the 24hour Lido had been great so we returned there for all our meals. No complaints whatsoever with the variety of food available and quality.



Drinks- Complimentary tea (all varieties), coffee and water were available 24hours a day. There is an ice/water dispenser at the end of the Lido grill on the pool deck. You can take alcoholic drink on board or buy it in the onboard shop for consumption in your cabin.



Entertainment- the ships staff put on a show every night and there was a very funny comedian. If parents hadn't kept their kids up late in the show lounge I am sure the comedian would have been more adult in his humour but he was still very funny.



Tours- We only did the trip to Petra as we have been to Cairo already and plans to do Luxor from a Nile cruise. It was very well organised, we were given a snack pack as we left the ship and left in convoy for the 2 hour drive to Petra. The coaches were modern with a toilet on board.



TIP- wear layered clothing and something to keep warm, also sensible shoes are a must as the ground at Petra is uneven, stoney or cobbles. The day we went there was a bitter cold wind and people were buying ponchos etc. from the tourist’s shops to keep warm.



I had overheard someone on the ship before the trip talking about how very narrow in places it is, therefore no sun, so it is cold.



I was prepared; one girl was wearing a flimsy cotton skirt and stiletto heels!! Our tour guide was excellent and didn't rush us, we were in Petra for several hours and the lunch afterwards was also very good. I had been told that it is possible to do Petra on your own by getting a taxi from outside the port.



The entrance fee to Petra is £21, the lunch we had was priced £15. The ship's tour was £70. I think £24 for transport, the services and knowledge of a tour guide and most of all peace of mind is a small price to pay.



Ship- the ship is kept spotlessly clean and staff are friendly. There were plenty of sun loungers although you may not get that perfect spot in the sunshine by the pool unless you get there early.



Tip- on deck 10 (sundeck) go very forward and there is another area with sun loungers. I didn't find this area until the last day and the ship isn't that big!



Downsides- this ship is old and therefore sound insulation is not as good as on new/modern ships. We could hear everything our neighbours did- coughing, sneezing etc.



One night my husband woke to loud snoring thinking it was me and for once it wasn't! The same for noise on the corridors, all conversations could be heard.



There is a lot of vibration at the aft and it was especially noisy near to the aft stair wells and lifts.



We expected the ship to be decorated ready for Christmas, how disappointed we were when they only did it on the 21st. I asked staff about it and was told it was a directive from Thomsons to only have the decorations for the cruise that actually included Christmas day and New Years Eve.



What a difference when we got to our Christmas stay hotel in Sharm to find it like Blackpool illuminations!

We went on a 7 night cruise of...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Red Sea Magic

Date of Holiday:

Dec 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Bunnygirl

Comments:

We went on a 7 night cruise of the Red Sea on board the Thomson Celebration. I can honestly say it was a fantastic holiday.



The Cabins were spotless and the service impeccable. And despite having been warned that the food could be a bit dodgy, I couldn't fault it. There was fantastic range and every meal was delicious.



One of the highlights, was returning from our day trips, to be met by the ship staff singing and dancing at the port with drinks and steaming towels to refresh us, I thought this was a particularly nice touch.



All credit to Thomson’s for keeping us well informed and occupied at all times.