There’s been a cruise in the news in the past week that’s rather been overshadowed by other events which I shan’t go into here.
The one I’m talking about is a great way for first-timers to sample the on board experience for night without the hassle of travelling far from home.
Admittedly, the Thomson Cruises’ overnight sailing may lack the exotic appeal of the Caribbean or Red Sea, but what it may lack in guaranteed sunshine will be more than made up for in its uniqueness.
For the ship Thomson Spirit will be taking passengers from the North East of England to East Anglia.
The 1,250-passenger ship is making what in industry terms is described as a “re-positioning” cruise. In order words, the vessel is relocating between operating ports.
In this instance, the ship is moving from Newcastle, where it will be operating early summer itineraries from South Shields, to Harwich in Essex, where it is to run further departures.
Dubbed by the media as the ultimate ‘austerity’ cruise, the passage down the east coast of England will take just 16 hours.
En-route Thomson Spirit will pass Tynemouth, Seaham, Whitby, Flamborough Head, Humber, Southwold and Felixstowe before docking in Harwich.
All meals, entertainment and tips are included in the one-night taster sailing together with a return coach transfer – with prices starting at £99 per person, which I suspect have all been snapped up by now.
Personally, I can’t think of anything better in August than meandering along the coast picking out the highlights of some of the best beaches Britain has to offer.
And with three restaurants, five bars and two lounges to enjoy – and supervised facilities for children aged between three and 12 – there’ll be no shortage of activities to keep passengers amused.
I’m told that the full range of entertainment will be available as well on the ship which boasts cabins refurbished by celebrity interior designer Linda Barker.
The special sailing on August 2 comes as Thomson Cruises – the UK’s third largest cruise company – marks a return to operating domestic departures after a few years absence.
Tips and charges included
Managing director Fraser Ellacott tells me these ex-UK cruises to the likes of the Baltics and Norwegian fjords have proved to be extremely popular, particularly with those living in the north of England who would prefer not to fly to reach their ship. People are particularly keen on a round-Britain sailing.
Of course, Thomson Cruises’ other four ships are dedicated to offering fly-cruises in the Med in summer and the Red Sea, Caribbean and Canary Islands in winter, with connecting flights from 22 airports in the UK and Ireland.
While the vessels in the fleet reflect a more traditional era of cruising, they provide a genuine alternative to the modern resort-style mega ships deployed by other lines and have a strong focus on service, staff, entertainment and food.
This emphasis has delivered the company many accolades and has helped it create an extremely strong following of loyal passengers looking for good quality casual cruises that won’t break the bank. I’m told that more than half of those carried are repeat passengers.
The fact that all tips and service charges are included in the up front price is a major draw for many people who resent having to pay extra for gratuities once on board ships run by other lines. It is good to seen that a similar policy is beginning to be adopted elsewhere in the cruise industry.
Another draw for me is that Thomson Cruises offers an all inclusive option to encourage early bookings, yet another method of ensuring people don’t feel they are going to blow their holiday budget once they step onto the ship.
Port and fleet expansion
With a range of port-rich itineraries, the company is keen to ensure destinations are an integral part of each cruise. And in this respect, Mr Ellacott tells me the company is constantly seeking out new ports of call, with the Middle East and North Africa on the radar as possible new destinations from summer 2013. The company has already added the Canary island destinations of San Sebastian de la Gomera in La Gomera, and Puerto del Rosario in Fuerteventura to its winter 2012-13 programme as part of a new itinerary.
Libya, Lebanon, Algeria and the Dead Sea are seen as offering the kind of history and culture that would appeal to British passengers in the wake of the Arab Spring.
Having paved the way in operating Red Sea fly-cruises in 2005, the company appears keen to maintain its pace-setting itinerary planning.
Mr Ellacott, who has been in charge for less than a year, is now a complete cruise convert and enthuses about his first holiday on board with his young family and a group of friends. Now that’s what I call having confidence in your business!
Despite his short time at the helm, he is looking to the future and is keen to keep the existing ships up to speed with new vessels being deployed by other cruise lines and hints that Thomson Cruises could be on the lookout for new ships itself as part of a wider modernisation plan.
In the meantime, the company is looking to build on its customer base by encouraging new to cruise passengers with a range of cruise and stay options of ten or 11 nights in duration. These packages include a cruise as part of a land-based holiday at one of 100 different hotels featured by the line – sister company to Thomson Holidays.
These increasingly flexible combinations give holidaymakers the chance to sample the best of both worlds by bolting a cruise onto a beach break. This seems to be the ideal alternative for families in particular who may be unsure about committing all their precious holiday time to a break on board a ship.
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