Reviews of The Emerald Cruise Ship, The Emerald, Thomson Cruises

Just returned from a great time...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Adriatic Explorer

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Christabel Ashdown

Comments:

Just returned from a great time on board The Emerald. Staff were very friendly, food good and ports were interesting and varied. Yannis our cabin guy was excellent!!Took my little boy (1 yr) who is still recovering from being hugged to bits by all on board. If i had to be critical i was disappointed at the lack of facilities for under 3's as the swimming pool which is sea water was way too cold for him and trying to get staff to find a plastic tub or container for him to have a paddle in was hard work to say the least, eventually we bought a baby bath in Zadar and this kept him occupied for the remaining few days on the top deck.

Venice was not for buggy pushers as everywhere consists of either water or steps but a good time was had none the less. Glad to have experienced The Emerald as she retires with Thomson.

Just returned from a wonderful...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Adriatic Explorer

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs S Barratt

Comments:

Just returned from a wonderful itinerary and a fantastic time on the Emerald. Staff, food, entertainment were first class. Ports of call were interesting and in particular if you get the chance do go on the trip to Postumia caves - it will be an experience you will never forget. Food was top quality especially in the restaurant, room wasn't brilliant as we didn't have a port hole but got used to it as we didn't spend too much time in there. Energy the entertainment team had was amazing - they really went out of their way to entertain whether it was in the shows or cabaret or quizzes - well done Gavin - you have a great team to work with - keep up the good work. Great company on board, met some very interesting people and it just goes to show you get out of a cruise what you put in, we thoroughly enjoyed it and will cruise again. Shame last season for the Emerald as it has a happy friendly atmosphere on board.

We arrived home on friday May...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Pearls of the Aegean

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs C Dutton

Comments:

We arrived home on friday May 9th from the Emerald cruise Pearls of the Aegean. We were on the Emerald last September 2007 on the Adriatic Cruise and I must say things have improved. The food was excellent and the cruise director Gavin Carroll was fantastic. The show team were brilliant very professional they sang their hearts out every night, One of the best Iv'e seen and I have been of 7 thomson cruises in the last 2 years.



The ports of call were very easy to do yourself, saving us a lot of money, as they tend to be quite expensive.



Yes the Emerald is old now and its time to day good-bye to her, but she is one of the happiest ships Ive been on.

One of the best Thomson cruises...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Adriatic Explorer

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

cruisegalleeds

Comments:

One of the best Thomson cruises we have been on so far, service in all areas speedy,

Staff very friendly and helpful, [ shower leaked on 2nd day and was fixed immediately when we reported it ] food nonstop and great, can't comment on Captains restaurant cos never used it, buffet restaurant food was so good only ate there. Cabin steward couldn’t do enough for us.



Entertainment -- Shows excellent very high calibre of entertainment but need to get in early or all seats taken. Cabin -- inside - always have the basic as we don’t spend enough time in it to quibble, can’t use a travel iron as not high enough voltage but took loads to wear anyway. Plenty of space for belongings and a free safe. No kettle in cabin but if U want an early cuppa, coffee and tea are on tap, U just have to go and get it.



Ports-- EXCELLENT - all towns within walking distance of port except Venice, no probs there though cos U just walk outside port and get a water taxi round the corner, cheap too, and one other port which was a free boat tender which sailed back and forth to island frequently, queing minimal. All the venues were definitely worth a visit.



Usually don’t repeat the same cruise twice but will do this one again.



PS, pool small, won’t get any exercise there but who wants it !!



Hope this is helpful.

Have only just returned from...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Not Specified

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr D.N. Davies-Thomas

Comments:

Have only just returned from this cruise and have no hesitation in making a recommendation of this ship. The itinerary was the obvious reason for choosing this holiday which would have taken in Beirut and The Lebanon, and it was only because of the Foreign Office's advice that these two places were taken off and replaced by Alexandria and Port Said.



Yes it's true the ship is old and could certainly do with a refit/refurb but this did not detract from a truly memorable holiday.



The Maitre'd was superb and ensured that because we were celebrating an anniversary that we were put at a table for 2, but then arranged that we sat at a table for 6 in the executive dining room for the rest of the cruise. We were looked after brilliantly and the array of food at all times was of a consistently high standard, especially the afternoon tea of scones and cream.



The cabin was very big in comparison to other cruise ships we have sailed with (including P&O), even though it was an inside cabin on the lowest deck. Our steward Temar was always on hand and did an admirable job, with the usual refinements of chocolates on the pillow, and towel folding- swans and elephants to name but two.



The entertainment was first class and in some respects for some of the performances better than some West End shows. The "My Fair Lady" show being up there with the best. The show director together with the resident comedians one being Lloyd Hollett, were great and appealed to ALL age groups. There was also an opportunity to take part in an open "Question & Answer" forum with the artistes.



I would agree with some other comments that it is sometimes best to "do your own thing" as far as some excursions are concerned which can be expensive and in some instances poor. With the resident local guide being dreadful with no real thought for his entourage or for the content of his talk. He had no real passion for the job. One such being a visit to Ptolemais which proved to be too much for some older passengers even though it was rated as "active" There should be a higher rating of "Active++". This we were assured would be addressed but the Health and Safety aspect doesn't always hold true as some take offence if they are told that they really shouldn't go.



It may have had a lot to do with the weather and the company on board but this was a very enjoyable holiday, and is to be recommended

This was our first experience of...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

The Emerald Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs A Cooke

Comments:

This was our first experience of a cruise, and we couldn’t fault it at all.



I can’t understand people moaning about not having food 24hrs a day, there is far too much food to consume as it is. We had an outside cabin which was quite basic, but as you are only in it to sleep and wash & change, we thought it was fine.



The entertainment was very good and variable. The staff were extremely pleasant, the cabins and surrounding areas always kept clean.



We did a number of excursions, the visit to the waterfalls in Croatia were so brilliant, and we booked a holiday to Croatia the following year to visit them again. The Venice trip was ok, but very crowded and hot on the day we went so we couldn’t be bothered to queue up for some of the attractions in St. Peters Square.



We probably wouldn’t book to go on the Emerald again, only because we want to try out other cruises, but we would book with Thomson again.

My partner and I have just...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Ancient Wonders

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2007

Tour Operator:

Cruise deals

Submitted By:

Miss L Cutter

Comments:

My partner and I have just returned from two weeks on the Emerald and we had a lovely time.



The cabin was suitable for what we wanted (a place to sleep) and was kept lovely and clean by our cabin stewardess Silvana.



We only went on one excursion, to Cairo. Very hectic but well worth it.



We drank at the Lido bar and Christina, our waitress, was amazing. The life and soul of the party.



We ate in the Chantrelle restaurant only once as the other people on our table were not our choice of company. The food was lovely in both the Chanterelle and Le Bistro.



The only downside was the poor choice of excursions. If you didn't want to go and see ancient ruins there were no alternatives.



But overall, great holiday.

My husband & I were...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Black Sea Odyssey

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs M Fleming

Comments:

My husband & I were previously on The Emerald last year (Pearls of the Aegean) and had a super holiday on a wonderful ship.



This year we chose our holiday for the venue but also because we love The Emerald.



Unfortunately I became ill the first day of the cruise and my husband and I had to leave the ship at Piraeus as I had to go to hospital in Athens. I cannot praise the crew and particularly Sharon highly enough for the care and compassion that we were shown and although we were unable to rejoin the cruise I'm glad to say that I am back to health after the successful removal of a kidney stone in Stirling Royal Infirmary.



I would like to convey my thanks to all who were on hand to help including the ship's doctor Elia from Romania who diagnosed the problem swiftly and eased the pain.



Please tell me if you can Sharon's surname and an address to which I could send a card and thank her personally. I believe her title was Community/Social coordinator or supervisor.



Despite our misfortune we would recommend Thomson Cruises to anyone who loves travelling and especially The Emerald. We hope to cruise again with Thomson in the future.

Just got back from a lovely...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

The Adriatic Explorer

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs S Denton

Comments:

Just got back from a lovely Adriatic Explorer cruise with Thomson on the Emerald. Although the ship is old and the cabins on the shabby side (though ours was huge!), the friendly atmosphere on the ship and the excellent service throughout more than makes up for it.



The food was very good and plentiful and the evening 5 course dinner in the main restaurant was excellent and hotter than from the buffet in the Bistro as you would expect. We overheard some complaints about the food not being available 24 hours but couldn't understand this at all with breakfast, elevenses, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and a midnight buffet on offer plus 'pass round' titbits on some evenings!



The resident entertainment team was young and did vary a bit in quality but full marks for trying and we enjoyed all their shows. Two guest comedians were hilarious and very clever and gave far better quality than I'd expected. Add to this a superb young singer, other bands, classical pianist and violinist in various bars and lounges and I'd say there was something for everyone.



The only reason I'm not giving a higher rating is Thomson's poor choice of ports of call. Yes - Venice and Dubrovnic were superb and the highlights of the trip, Koper and Zadar just OK but there's no getting away from the fact that Brindisi is a dump and not at all a holiday destination. We did try hard to find something of interest but failed completely. But of course we did our own thing in each port whereas Thomson want you to pay through the nose for their excursions!



Looking forward now to the Pearls of the Aegean cruise on the Emerald again next year.

My wife and I travelled on the...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

The Emerald Cruise Ship pearls of t

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr A Bickerstaff

Comments:

My wife and I travelled on the Emerald on 31st August 2007. The negative reports that

we read about the Emerald were totally unfounded. The Crew and all staff aboard, all went out of their way to help and always had a genuine happy attitude.



The waiters in the dining room were all entertainers and the service and food was excellent. The all inclusive drinks package was excellent value!!!!



We had booked an outside superior plus room which was clean spacious and comfortable. The cabin steward Voltair was always around with a joke and would always ask if there was anything he could do for you .



IN SUMMARY WE WILL CERTAINLY BE BOOKING ANOTHER CRUISE WITH THOMSON.

I was deeply concerned after...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Pearls of the Aegean & Adriatic Exp

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss J Proser

Comments:

I was deeply concerned after reading the negative reviews on this forum. I need not have worried as once on board the cruise I soon realised it was magnificent.



Agreed the Emerald is the oldest in the fleet albeit it is immaculate and spotless. The staff work endless hours are extremely entertaining and polite, nothing is too much trouble for them.



Once on board, the cabin allocated to us was a little smaller that we had anticipated. The Front of House Manager upgraded us to a larger cabin and the level of service offered to us was excellent.



The entertainment team were excellent and delivered some excellent shows, watch out for Zoe who has a great voice, X factor is crying out for talent like hers. As with Paul Akersfield a young 18 years old soul singer who has incredible talent and I am sure will be on our screens in the very near future. Well done to Andrew the Cruise Director for putting together a brilliant entertainments package.



Particular thanks to the bar staff and waiting staff who made our holiday so special, particular thanks to Julijia, Tin Tun and Jeffrey you made our time on board a memorable experience.



I would have no hesitation in booking another Thomson Cruise and am looking to book again for next year. Well done Thomson for a truly memorable experience. I work in the media in Central London and have not stopped praising Thomson and highly recommend the cruises.

This was our third Thomson...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Pearls of the Aegean, Adriatic Disc

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs S Thomas

Comments:

This was our third Thomson cruise this year, and it proved to be just as good as the previous 2. All stops were very interesting, especially Dubrovnic, and Athens. We did not do any of the excursions, but took buses and trains at a fraction of the cost. The food did not seem as good as The Celebration, and there was no evening buffet, except for half an hour on certain days, but this took place when there was evening entertainment on which we did not want to miss.



Entertainment was great as usual, we recognised some of the team from previous cruises. Nick who was on the Celebration is now leader of the team, and was fantastic, could he be the next Robbie Williams? All shows were great, but some were repeats of last years cruises.



Thomson need to update their shows as many passengers had also seen the shows on previous cruises. David Parker the assistant cruise director was especially good, surely he is line for promotion.

Well, we boarded the Emerald...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Pearls of the Agean

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs G J Duggan

Comments:

Well, we boarded the Emerald with great trepidation after having read some of the iffy reviews. However, we needn't have worried too much. The ship although old, is in reasonably good nick - though the cabins really do need a refit.



We had an outside super plus and it needs new soft furnishings, bathroom fixtures and a general overhaul. But it was a good size and had a picture window.



Our cabin steward, Voltaire was excellent and was upset because he couldn't clean our cabin one day - because we had accidentally put the do not disturb sign up. But he came back as soon as he could and did some great towel art.



The food in the Bistro was OK, if basic and a little samey, but fine for breakfast and lunch, there was a BBQ one day which was really good. The Chantrelle dining room was elaborate and the waiters charming, (even if they did try to rush things along a little - I solved this by deliberately chatting instead of eating).



But the food was better than I've had on other Thomson ship's dining rooms.



Now, the entertainment - not anything like as good as on the Spirit or Celebration, the 2 main singers just didn't hit it, and the costumes and scenery (what little there was) were a letdown. But the special act - a comic called Carl Schofield was absolutely fabulous, he had me laughing so much I spilt my drink all over my dress!! Very unusual for me - I'm not known for wasting booze.



The trips to the various islands were really worth the quite considerable cost. The guides were employed by Thompson and really knew their stuff. They looked after us very well and answered my many questions happily, the Kusadasi and Santorini trips being the most interesting.



I think the half day trips are the best, because the whole day trips which include lunch are a bit long, and the lunch is very very basic. If you are doing a Thompson cruise you should really have the drinks package at £120 each its so worth it. The amount of cocktails I got through alone probably took up the first £100!



Anyway, would I go on the Emerald again - possibly not, because there are others I'd like to try and it is small, I didn't once get a decent sunbed.



But I did enjoy it and would say to anyone about to join the Emerald - go and enjoy!!

We had a really good holiday...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Adriatic

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs G Jackson

Comments:

We had a really good holiday with our 14 year old son; however I do feel that there are some areas that could be improved on.



Entertainment was a bit hit and miss, the shows sometimes could be good, but then the following night the entertainment team couldn’t sing in tune so people were walking out of the show.



We stopped at Brindisi in Italy and that was a complete waste of time, as by the time the ship docked and we got to shore 95% of the shops and restaurants were closed as they close between 1-4.30.



We docked at 12 and left at 5pm so it was a waste of time docking there as there was nothing to do in Brindisi.



The staff in particular the waiting staff and bar staff were brilliant.

Arrived back of my holiday 2...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

The Emerald Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss E Harrison

Comments:

Arrived back of my holiday 2 days ago and am already wishing that I could click my fingers and enjoy life on board the Emerald.



As I have never been on a cruise before I can’t compare but what I can say is that the Emerald cruise will always be the number one cruise in my eyes. All the staff were all fabulous, friendly and would take time out to help you and make sure your time on board the Emerald is unforgettable.



The show team were amazing all very talented so much so they match the that of the west end. I am already missing the evening entertainment where you can let your hair down and embrace in the delights of laughter with your fellow passengers and also the lovely hosts Jennie and Rob.



There is so much more for me to say that I would be here forever so what is left for me to say is Thank you for making my time on board the Emerald the most memorable holiday of lifetime and you will see me again next year.