All inclusive on Thomson,you better read this…

If you have ever thought about taking a cruise and wondered just exactly what you get in the drinks package then look no further.

This week is all about the all inclusive drinks package on board Thomson ships.

I have some friends over in Ireland who run a lovely little website all about cruising and I booked them to go on the Thomson Discovery 2 for a week and they came back last week, first thing i wondered is as the all inclusive is included in the cost is it all it’s cracked up to be or are there hidden costs, this is what they said.

An honest open review, this is what they wrote.

ALL INCLUSIVE WITH TUI – WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

So, you hear the term all inclusive a lot when talking about cruise but when we say ALL inclusive…. it doesn’t mean ALL inclusive…. it means an awful lot of things are included! 🙂 We know!! Confusing huh? Let us clarify what All Inclusive means with TUI (Thomson Cruises)!

GRATUITIES – Included as standard! In effect all the tips are included in your fare so you don’t get hit with a bill for tips at the end! Oh and don’t think it means the service is any less – on the contrary the staff are fantastic!

FOOD – Included with the exception of the speciality restaurants! So Gallery 47, 47 degrees, Islands Buffet included, Snack Shack! The Glass House is also included throughout the day!

In the evening you have Speciality options including Kora La (Asian – £19.95pp) Surf & Turf (Steakhouse- £24.95pp) and Sushi Bar. The Glass House turns into a Hot Stone restaurant in the evening and there is a small surcharge for this!

The Coffee Port serves Lavezza coffees, some cakes, ice cream at a small surcharge – think slightly cheaper than typical coffee shop!

This is a pretty routine set up for cruise ships! The food is really good quality and plentiful so you don’t ever need to go to a speciality restaurant but if you have a particularly special occasion then this may be worthwhile!

ACTIVITIES: All on board activities are included!

DRINKS: When a cruise line talks about ‘All Inclusive drinks are the first thing a lot of people think of. With TUI we think you’ll agree a lot is included as standard and again you may never need to spend a cent on drink… not exhaustive but here goes…

Beers: Likes of Budweiser, Becks, Guinness, Fosters included.

Magners/Bulmers, Heineken, Stella are considered Premium and cost around £2.30 each

Wines: There are sparkling, rose, white and red wines by the glass including Prosecco, Cava, White Zinfandel, Pinot Grigio (Italy) & Merlot (Chile)

Wines by the bottle (also Champagne) and 1 or 2 wines by glass are considered premium.

Gins & Vodkas: Gordon’s, Tanqueray, Smirnoff, Bacardi, Captain Morgan included.

Bombay Sapphire, Grey Goose, Absolut considered premium at £1.50-£1.90 per measure

Whiskeys & Brandy: Jamesons, Funtador & Teachers included.

Hennesey VS, Jack Daniels & Glenfidditch considered premium at £1.50-£1.90 per measure

OTHERS:
Soft drinks by the glass included along with fruit juices.
Hot drinks including Tea, various coffees (non-Lavezza) including Irish & Baileys coffee included
Various Liquers & Apertifs including Baileys, Martini, Port, Southern Comfort included

COCKTAILS & MOCKTAILS!
Endless cocktails and mocktails included!! Too many to list but all the classics are there: Daiquiris, Colada, Margaritas… a Bloody Mary if you’ve had too much above!!!!

There are also many cocktails at a £1.50 premium!

Some bars have their own unique cocktails, mocktails or beers not served in other bars which keeps it interesting trying out the various bars which we like a lot!

Want to upgrade then from All inclusive to premium all inclusive? There is the possibility of upgrading further to include all the other cocktails, the ‘premium’ wines, gins, whiskeys etc for £70pp

Even without upgrading we feel this all equates to fantastic value! Given the low cruise fares you can get with Thomson and that the fare includes flights with Thomson, transfers, accommodation, food, gratuities and drinks you are going to do very well to beat them for value!

You have to ask yourself as you’re sitting in Bar Eleven overlooking the sun setting on the sea, All Inclusive Daiquiri in hand, with all inclusive dinner to come before a show or a band or a dance…how much would I pay for this in a hotel somewhere?? We would bet it’s infinitely more…

So this is direct from the guys at the Cruise room in Ireland, they have a little page of their own on facebook for putting on reviews and tips and lots more but its safe to say that they had an amazing time and I am sure they will be back soon for more.

Happy Sailing!