Pearls of the Aegean: Thomson Celebration

1 of 1 people found this review informative
 
Reviewed By: Davies, Penybont on 22nd Jun 2009
Cruise Line: Thomson Cruises Times cruised before: 0
Cruise Ship: Thomson Celebration Sailed: June, 2009
Destination: Western Europe Age: 56-65
Cabin: Outside Occasion: Wedding anniversary
As first time cruisers we did not know what to expect and have no means of comparing this cruise with others. The Celebration is an aging ship and some of the cabins especially those on decks 1 and 2 could do with a facelift. The outside cabin we had was comfortable and well appointed but showed some signs of wear and tear. The ensuite shower although clean was small with mouldy grout between the tiled walls and floor. I would definately recommend an upgrade to a deluxe cabin. Public areas were spotless and well maintained. Staff were friendly and efficient and service in the restaurants was excellent. Food also was excellent in both the waiter service restaurant and buffet restaurant and grill. Entertainment was good and varied catering for all tastes and ages. Shore excursions were reasonably priced and guides for those wishing to do their own thing ashore informative. Its a pity these are not issued before the deadlines for booking excursions so that you can make an informed choice of whether to book an excursion or not. My main complaint apart from the tacky showers is that there are nowhere near enough sunbeds or steamer chairs for passengers on days at sea. You do not expect to have to lay your towel on the deck to catch a bit of sun!!! Also the visit to Santorini was aborted due to high winds and subsituted by a day at sea. I do not consider a day at sea on a ship with not enough sunbeds an adequate substitute for a visit that was to be the highlight of many of the passengers. The entertainment staff did their best to keep us occupied but......overall though a good cruise mainly due to the excellent staff and crew.
Quality of Food5
Excellent in all restaurants. Even had kippers and black pudding as a breakfast choices. The crispy pizzas in the Lido grill were yummy.
Entertainment4
All entertainment was of a good standard. Dave Kristian the guest comedian was excellent. Our least favourite show was "Cult Fiction"
Shore Excursions3
The best excusion was to the House of Mary and Ephesus. Our least favourite was the tour around Corfu on the last day. The tour itself was OK but the stop at a restaurant for overpriced coffee was a bit of a time filler.
Staff5
I would not single out any individual member...all were excellent.
Children's Facilitiesn/a
Onboard Activities4
Cabins2
Satisfactory apart from the showers.
Overall Rating3
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Opinion: Agree Comment by Woodward, Doncaster (03 Jul 09 21:02) about this REVIEW
Absolutely agree with the comments regarding showers and especially the sunbeds - as ever there were passengers who put towels down and didnt use the beds for mosst of the day - Thomson really need to do something about this
Comment by Hunt, Nottingham (29 Jun 09 21:25) about this REVIEW
We were on this ship in October last year and very much enjoyed the cruise, apart from the weather. However, we were told it was going in for a re -fit just after our cruise, and the bathroom in our de-luxe cabin was ready for it. It can't have been too bad as we re joined the ship the last week of May 2009 for the other half of your cruise - Adriatic Explorer. Again we book a De-luxe on Deck 8. These cabins are very spacious and in a quiet part of the ship. But the bathroom was no better than the previous October, more or less as you describe, very tired, poor grouting etc. Most of the week, it was very hot (30deg in Venice) and unfortunately the air conditioning in our cabin and many others wasn't up to it. Just wouldn't adjust, and Reception were dishing out electric fans (they had obviously had this problem previously. ) In addition we were troubled by vibration in our cabin and various parts of the ship, even when she was in port, but worse when we were at speed at sea. (This ship is known for this I am told) However, again we really enjoyed the cruise, and didn't let this put us off. If this is your first cruise, you may be hooked like we were. Don't let anything put you off. We have been on P & O, and Fred Olsen, and enjoyed them, but we like the relaxed atmosphere on Thomson, and particularly the dining arrangements - you eat when and where you want at what time you want. All the best.

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