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The cruise from hell

Don Frame
14/ 5/2005

HUNDREDS of angry and disappointed holidaymakers - many from the north west - were being flown back to Britain last night after a holiday cruise was abruptly ended due to serious technical problems.

The Thomson Celebration had set out on its inaugural voyage from Southampton last Sunday, but had been plagued by mechanical faults from the moment it left dock.

Finally, all 1,200 passengers were given the shock news that their holiday afloat was over.

Unknown to most people on board, many cabins had toilets and showers that had failed to work from day one, and the trip was rapidly becoming called the "Holiday From Hell".

The ship had already undertaken a three-day pre-cruise voyage to Guernsey, in the Channel Islands.

And rumours were rife that, when it set out from Southampton at the weekend, the ship's company was well aware that there were difficulties. The ship had been due to make nine ports of call, including Gibraltar and Cadiz.

Repairs

But, only two days into the two-week cruise, Thomson had to disembark all passengers and put them in local hotels in the Spanish port of Bilbao so repairs could be made.

Most holidaymakers had fully expected to be told that their trip was being terminated when they returned to the ship on Wednesday afternoon.

The ship's captain, Geir Larsen, announced that the faults had been put right, however, and although the itinerary was being revised, the cruise would continue.

But during a full day at sea on Thursday, it became apparent that the situation had in fact worsened, and finally an announcement was made that the trip would end at the ship's next port of call, the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.

A statement issued by Thomson said: "We very much regret that we have had to make this decision following mechanical failures of a number of electrical pumps required to operate the ship's vacuum toilet system."

Guarantee

Passengers were told: "Whilst the ship still has a working system, the technical officers cannot guarantee it will continue to meet the demands of 1,200 passengers."

A limited number of passengers, with medical conditions that made it impossible for them to fly home, were offered the option of returning on the Celebration. Passengers who had paid up to '3,000 for the Iberia Odyssey cruise had been told they will receive a full refund.

Passenger David Cross, from Dukinfield, said: "It's all very well talking about a refund, but it's our summer holiday gone.

"Like many people on board, we have been looking forward to it for months, but this has been a fiasco from the day we set out.

"We had problems with the toilet in our cabin from the start, and the shower was so scalding hot you daren't use it.

"Passengers on some other decks - many of them elderly - had to go up three or four levels to find a public toilet which was working - and by the end of the week most of them weren't. It's been a disgrace."

The 21-year-old vessel was previously operated as the Noordam for Holland America Line.

About 500 people have opted to stay on board the ship while it returns to Britain.

It is due to arrive back in Southampton on Monday morning. The company said all future cruises on board Thomson Celebration would continue as planned.


| Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(2)


Most recent 2 of 2 user comments

   this holiday was a total nightmare. it was supposed to be a family cruise and to make it worse we didnt even book for the celebration. we booked the spirit for the activities for the children. and were changed without option to the loos-er cruise. we will be taking legal action and would welcome any photos or ship info that any passenger has obtained to help passengers get the full compensation.
fiona Aston, lancashire
22/05/2005 at 11:46

Offensive or Inappropriate?

   This article is the most honest we have seen and we can fully endorse what has been said. Some cabins had no hot water throughout the cruise which also posed a serious health risk.

The only other items we have seen in national papers have been short reports which gloss over the problems giving only the Thomson official line which was that small problems started after 2 or 3 days which is simply not true.

Thomsons mounted a very effective charm offensive to try to minimise publicity which has largely worked by dispersing passengers as quickly as possible so that they could not form action groups.

What this needs is a campaign by a national newspaepr to establish the truth and obtain proper redress.
Anonymous, Redditch Worcs
15/05/2005 at 09:19

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