Two more "New" ships for Thomson

[towny44]

As well as Splendour OTS joining Thomson I have just read that TUI are to transfer Mein Schiff 1 and 2 to Thomson's fleet, these were originally Celebrity's Galaxy and Mercury, all 3 went into service mid 1990's and range from 69000 for Splendour OTS up to 77700 for Mercury, similar in age and size to P&O's Oriana, but with quite a few more balconies.
So Thomson's fleet will be substantially improved and updated once this happens.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Nice looking 'schiffs' when we've seen them in Funchal harbour

[Manoverboard]

They will doubtless be tarted up to fit in with Thomson's ' Premium ' grade, albeit it may not actually be called Thomson cos it seems that that Brand name may be scrapped.

[david63]

I read somewhere recently that there is a big restructuring of Tui/Thomson so maybe this is part of it.

[Kendhni]

I think TUI should go the whole hog and get itself some new ships.
It is good to see Thomson doing so well and building success at the lower-middle end of the market ... I think they should consider pushing themselves out of this comfort zone and attack the upper-middle end of the market hard ... they have the ability and product to do it.

[Andrea S]

As a German company will they be 'selling' the larger ships to their local clientele. The thought of fun around the pools sprung to mind.

A number of years ago the Tui name was on all Thomson planes and on placards outside their High St outlets. There was a lot of restructuring then for financial reasons, maybe this is going to be another new start for them.

[Ray Scully]

I am under the impression that Thomson ships are operated under charter by Celestyal Cruises (formerly Louis Cruises and Louis Cruise Lines)

Ray

[towny44]

I am under the impression that Thomson ships are operated under charter by Celestyal Cruises (formerly Louis Cruises and Louis Cruise Lines)

Ray

That is gradually being phased out and the newer ships are now run by a TUI/RCI consortium I believe.

[Ray Scully]

If balconies are readily available, I could be tempted back, as I fondly remember the enjoyable entertainment experienced on Thomson ships.
Saying that the smaller more intimate venues could have been a factor. Never the less I would enjoy sharing with those new to cruising our experiences and tales from over 30 cruises

Ray

[Dark Knight]

the Island escape goes first and the island escape brand goes with it
the Dream, Spirit, Celebration and Majesty are all leased one way or another and as the leases expire they will not be renewed but replaced with newer more modern ships from the parent company, though not brand new ships, just newer
the Thomson brand will also go to be replaced by the TUI brand
the hope is that there will be more ex UK sailings in the coming couple of years as the new ships meet the current regulations for sailing into Northern Europe, the Baltics and the fjords etc

[Mervyn and Trish]

As the leases expire they will not be renewed but replaced with newer more modern ships from the parent company, though not brand new ships, just newer

So pretty much anything under forty years old and made of steel rather than oak is in the frame then!

[towny44]

I suspect that P&O might be a wee bit worried about Thomson's "new" ships, they will clearly be major competition not only against Oriana but Aurora and Oceana as well, and if DK is correct and they intend to offer more UK sailings, then the gloves could really come off. I predict cheap offers galore.

[barney]

Thomson is quite a niche market in my opinion and I don't think the addition of a few twenty year old ships will have P&O or any others, quaking in their boots.

The lady who sits in front of us a football often cruises with Thomson.
She tried P&O (Oriana) once but said that she found the whole thing a bit too posh for her.

I think Thomson's market is the more casual end.

We saw Schiff 2 in Valleta last year and thought it was a dam ugly ship.

[Manoverboard]

Posh or not Thomson ( or whoever ) will probably get our custom from time to time if their itineraries are as interesting as they potentially could be.

[Dark Knight]

Thomson are somewhat restricted by the current fleet, as they are not owned by them and they are dated, so that does impact on how much they can do on board and what facilities are available in terms of dining options , venues etc
once they own their own ships , then things could change and hopefully they will get back to ex UK sailings to the Baltics, Fjords, Iceland etc
the Mein Schiff, boats are about as old as one of the Pando ones, I think, so age isn't the issue, it is internal space and facilities that matter, not how old or how a ship looks, that said some numpties are already moaning as it has a black hull, so they would not set foot on it, actually they are dark blue

[Mervyn and Trish]

Surely even Sleazy Cruise can afford a few tins of paint if their inmates clients don't like the colour?

[Dark Knight]

none left as Pile it cheap, have used it all to paint over those cheap and tacky tattoo's they have put on the front of their floating tower blocks

[towny44]

Thomsons current fleet is white so I imagine the new ones will be the same colour.

[Dark Knight]

depends if the go with the parent company colours? which is dark blue

[Dark Knight]

Oh and it wont be called Thomson any more either

[Mervyn and Trish]

Perhaps they'll call it Calamity in the hope of getting some sofistikated customers?

[Manoverboard]

Thomson have a decent enough track record regarding land based, coaching and indeed cruising holidays ... P&O struggle at times to even get cruising right, take Britannia as a prime example .... Thomson deffo know how to install lifts that work properly.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Do Thomson currently have any ships modern enough to have lifts, or big enough to need them?

[Manoverboard]

Do Thomson currently have any ships modern enough to have lifts, or big enough to need them?

Of course, since getting rid of the rope ladders haven't they got those lifts with a bell and pull across ornamental wrought iron metal doors a la Poirot ?

Whatever the downside / upside regarding their lifts ( did you see what I did there ? ) I am certain that they ' could ' attract lots of new customers with some inspired itineraries that avoid as far as is possible the mass market destinations that the larger ships need to frequent.

[Dark Knight]

Good old Pile it cheap, spend god knows how many hundreds of millions on a new ship and they build a lemon
thankfully Thomson have proper ships that are designed to fit function over Bling and crass vulgarity