One more question. Is it possible to upgrade to the all inclusive package once on the ship?
Thanks for any info given.
Thanks for any info given.
No sorry can't do that. We went Feb06 and it was only £99 each. Have booked to go on May07 and the price quoted was £189 each. Drinks are not as expensive as on some cruise ships we have been on more like pub prices but you do get larger measures 
Whether you think its worth it depends on how much you are likely to drink. On £189 it works out £27 per day. On average the drinks were about £2.50 so that works out about 10/11 drinks per day. If you can see yourself drinking 2/3 drinks say before evening meal, 2/3 glasses of wine with evening meal(bottles not inc on all inc) and say 4 drinks watching shows then you are about breaking even. Of course all this is based on Feb06 when all inc was £99 each. Hopefully now its gone up it won't mean all the prices of the drinks have as well 
cos that will well and truly blow the theory. Am going in 3 weeks round the Red Sea on Celebration so will let everyone when I get back
Whether you think its worth it depends on how much you are likely to drink. On £189 it works out £27 per day. On average the drinks were about £2.50 so that works out about 10/11 drinks per day. If you can see yourself drinking 2/3 drinks say before evening meal, 2/3 glasses of wine with evening meal(bottles not inc on all inc) and say 4 drinks watching shows then you are about breaking even. Of course all this is based on Feb06 when all inc was £99 each. Hopefully now its gone up it won't mean all the prices of the drinks have as well cos that will well and truly blow the theory. Am going in 3 weeks round the Red Sea on Celebration so will let everyone when I get back
Thanks for your help, we have now booked the drinks package through the travel agents. Glad we did not wait to book on the ship, we would have been very disapointed! Thanks again for the advice.
Hi there, we are looking at going on the thomson celebration in mid july and were wondering what the situation is regarding the all inclusive package? We can't find it mentioned in the brochure except as a free upgrade for 2008? Could anyone tell us whether the all inclusive drinks package is available either for when we book or on the ship itself?
I realize that the previous posters said they could not upgrade once on the ship, however we can't seem to find the all inclusive package mentioned at all anywhere? It was available to people booking early for summer 07 and is available for people booking early for summer 08. Was just wondering if anyone was able to upgrade to all inclusive whilst booking now or on board? In previous years you could always purchase the all inclusive drinks package before you went on the ship, not just as a free upgrade for booking early. Sorry for confusing post, any info would be appreciated!
Cannot help you really, only to say I fail to see how the AI is cost beneficial unless you want to be legless for most of the cruise. Out of interest I always look at the bar prices, and read the small print about what is and what is not available under AI. "Premium" drinks generally have a surcharge of approximately £1, and the wine at meal times is their choice, and by the glass only.
Bear in mind that on a typical 7 day Thomson/Island/OV cruise there is one day at sea, and the remainder in port so most people are off the ship during the day and early evening, so drinking opportunity is therefore limited. For me there is just too much to do on and off board to make AI price effective.
Typical costs are pint of beer/cocktail/spirits all at approximately £2.50, with "cocktail of the day" at £2 and generally 2 for 1 at certain times. That may help you evaluate the cost.
Bear in mind that on a typical 7 day Thomson/Island/OV cruise there is one day at sea, and the remainder in port so most people are off the ship during the day and early evening, so drinking opportunity is therefore limited. For me there is just too much to do on and off board to make AI price effective.
Typical costs are pint of beer/cocktail/spirits all at approximately £2.50, with "cocktail of the day" at £2 and generally 2 for 1 at certain times. That may help you evaluate the cost.
Well without sounding like an alcoholic...
But we have been on the Spirit several times before, with the all inclusive each time, and both the Emerald and the Topaz and found the all inclusive worth the money. But more than that it's simply being able to pay our bill up front as opposed to not knowing exactly how much we will drink and therefore how much we will spend. I think last year it worked out at like £25 a day on drinks? Well to be honest spending £25 a day on both soft drinks and glasses of wine with dinner as well as trying cocktails etc plus buying a drink or two for the people you're with isn't too hard for us.
But we have been on the Spirit several times before, with the all inclusive each time, and both the Emerald and the Topaz and found the all inclusive worth the money. But more than that it's simply being able to pay our bill up front as opposed to not knowing exactly how much we will drink and therefore how much we will spend. I think last year it worked out at like £25 a day on drinks? Well to be honest spending £25 a day on both soft drinks and glasses of wine with dinner as well as trying cocktails etc plus buying a drink or two for the people you're with isn't too hard for us.
Hi Ramsay, we are booked on the Celebration with the All Inclusive packaage. We are not drinkers but find it useful for the kids to get their own soft drinks all day long. Now, we booked very early on and were told that there were a limited number of free A.I deals and once they were all accounted for that would be that. It may be that they were all snaffled by the early bookers.
ahh ok hbrac, thanks for the info!
we thought it might be something like that, they must have a quota of all inclusive packages to sell and obviously make more money offering them as free upgrades to those booking early as opposed to selling them to late deals, we can see it being offered as a free upgrade for summer 08. we'll keep our eyes open for the chance to upgrade on the ship as we did this once on the spirit before, however we know it's not very likely to happen!
we thought it might be something like that, they must have a quota of all inclusive packages to sell and obviously make more money offering them as free upgrades to those booking early as opposed to selling them to late deals, we can see it being offered as a free upgrade for summer 08. we'll keep our eyes open for the chance to upgrade on the ship as we did this once on the spirit before, however we know it's not very likely to happen!
Just been reading the cruise reviews and so far so not good 
!!! Mind you I remember the same thing last year with the Spirit but by the time we got on board the teething problems had been ironed out. Keeping everything crossed that further reviews are more favourable.
!!! Mind you I remember the same thing last year with the Spirit but by the time we got on board the teething problems had been ironed out. Keeping everything crossed that further reviews are more favourable.
Have you booked yet? If not, check the Cruisedeals web site. Its a TUI company that sells cruises much cheaper than booking direct with Thomsons, and the saving will go a long way towards paying your bar bill!
My friend is going on the Celebration for 2 weeks in September and is worried because she has heard some of the shore trips are operated via a tender in some ports.Has anyone been on the Celebration this year?.
Merged with existing topic.
It will depend on the ports. If you list them then someone may know.
Tenders are nothing to worry about. They often use the lifeboats and they are very easy to emabrk and disembark.
luci
It will depend on the ports. If you list them then someone may know.
Tenders are nothing to worry about. They often use the lifeboats and they are very easy to emabrk and disembark.
luci
The ports my friend will visit are,Livorno,Villefranche,Civitavecchia,Alghero,Palmos,Gibraltar,Casablanca,Tangier,Malaga and Cartagena.She also has slight walking difficulties and is worried the shore visits may involve a lot of walking.The itinery is the Mediterranean Renaissance and Moorish Delights.
Villefranche and Alghero are tender ports. Both as easy to do DIY.
She can get the train from Villefranche to Monte Carlo, but bear in mind that it is very hilly.
We didn't find much to do in Alghero. We took a horse drawn carriage trip round the town which wasn't expensive and there was a road train.
If your friend decides to take organised excursions, it should state whether there is a lot of walking involved or not.
luci
She can get the train from Villefranche to Monte Carlo, but bear in mind that it is very hilly.
We didn't find much to do in Alghero. We took a horse drawn carriage trip round the town which wasn't expensive and there was a road train.
If your friend decides to take organised excursions, it should state whether there is a lot of walking involved or not.
luci
Thanks Lucy I will pass this information on to her.
For Gibraltar it is best to get a private taxi on the pier when you get off and through "passport control" to take you on a typical tour. The driver will stop to let you out at the tourist places, walking can be as little as you choose. The main shopping street is worth walking down for shopping, and is an easy half mile or so.
The best thing for your friend at Civitavecchia is to go to Rome by train, approximately 20 steps down to platform and up again on return. Platform at Rome is on level, so no steps necessary. A 200 metre walk out the front of station will take you into bus terminal where you can get an open top bus tour to view all major sites from the bus, and perhaps get off at a couple. Would only recommend this if accompanied by a friend who is relatively fit, and able to help if necessary.
The best thing for your friend at Civitavecchia is to go to Rome by train, approximately 20 steps down to platform and up again on return. Platform at Rome is on level, so no steps necessary. A 200 metre walk out the front of station will take you into bus terminal where you can get an open top bus tour to view all major sites from the bus, and perhaps get off at a couple. Would only recommend this if accompanied by a friend who is relatively fit, and able to help if necessary.
Hi. We are going on the Thomson Celebration Med Rennaissance cruise in August. Can anyone tell me if the majority of men wear Tux for the Captain's dinner and do women wear long evening dresses or just a smart dress? Cheers Pam
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