Cruise Talk: Thomson Celebration: blocked toilets cancels cruise

Cruise Talk

Cruise News

Welcome to Cruise Talk the Internet's most popular discussion forum dedicated to cruising. Stop by Cruise Talk anytime to post a message or find out what your fellow passengers and industry insiders are saying about a particular ship, cruise line or destination.

>>> Reader Reviews
>>> CruisePage.com Photo Gallery
>>> Join Our Cruise Club.

Latest News...Today, MSC Cruises announced a major new order for four next-generation cruise vessels and two additional options from MEYER WERFT in Papenburg, Germany, marking the launch of its “New Frontier” platform—a brand-new class of ships. The order will secure full capacity at the shipyard well into the next decade. The announcement was made today at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in Berlin...

Latest News...Norwegian Cruise Line today announced the arrival of Norwegian Viva to the Port of Galveston in Texas, marking the beginning of her inaugural sailing season from the Lone Star State.Norwegian Viva kicked off her first official Galveston-based season on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, establishing Galveston, Texas as her new homeport for the Winter 2026 cruise season through April 2026. ...

Latest News...Carnival Cruise Line today announced the next wave of its 2027/28 deployment plans, including Carnival Firenze’s new series of itineraries from New York. Before heading to the homeport, Carnival Firenze will offer a special Carnival Journeys voyage from Miami connecting the two cruise ports. Carnival Splendor will further expand Carnival’s global deployment footprint by introducing four new sailings, including two round-trip sailings from Sydney,...

More Cruise News...

my profile | register | search | faq | forum home

»	Cruise Talk » Cruise Ships » Thomson Celebration: blocked toilets cancels cruise (Page 1)

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

This topic is comprised of pages: 1 2

Author

Topic: Thomson Celebration: blocked toilets cancels cruise

bulbousbow
First Class Passenger
Member # 4440

posted 05-13-2005 10:09 PM

quote:
Cruise cancelled due to blocked toilets
Report by Phil Davies
May 13, 2005
Thomson has been forced to scrap a cruise on its newly delivered ship Thomson Celebration due to “plumbing problems.”
The majority of passengers are to be flown home from Lisbon on the sixth day of the two-week voyage from Southampton – only its third cruise.
The ship first encountered difficulties with blocked vacuum toilets on the third day of the cruise in Bilbao when all 1,180 passengers were put up in hotels as engineers worked all night to try and resolve the problem.
Thomson said the vessel was fixed and passengers returned to the vessel on Wednesday morning but the problem recurred again last night.
Three aircraft have been deployed to fly passengers home to Gatwick and Bournemouth.
Passengers are being refunded the cost of the cruise and are being offered 25% off a future cruise.
Celebration has just entered service running the first series of cruises from the UK offered by Thomson following a major refit. The 21-year-old vessel was previously operated as the Noordam for Holland America Line.
Thomson said in a statement: “Due to ongoing problems with the plumbing system onboard the Thomson Celebration, regrettably, Thomson has taken the decision to cancel its current cruise.
“Because a large number of cabins and bathrooms in public areas have been affected the decision was made to cancel the cruise when the ship arrives in Lisbon today on day six of its cruise.
“Thomson is sincerely sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience it has caused to its cruise customers.
“For anyone who doesn’t want to fly back home, the ship will be able to take a limited amount of people back to Southampton.”
About 500 peope have opted to stay on board the ship while it returns to the UK. It is due to arrived back in Southampton on Monday morning.
The company said all future cruises on board Thomson Celebration would continue as planned, the next being on May 22 from Southampton.
Thomson Celebration hosted the 25th annual Passenger Shipping Association dinner prior to a short cruise and then this itinerary.

******

Cheers

Posts: 6866 | From: Adelaide, Australia | Registered: Feb 2004 | IP: Logged

Patsy
First Class Passenger
Member # 5611

posted 05-14-2005 09:33 AM

There's at least one Manchester passenger raging about it. These things can't be helped though. But it is surprising after all the work done on the refit.

Posts: 2023 | From: Hythe, Hants | Registered: Apr 2005 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 05-14-2005 11:26 AM

Although it states above that this was the third cruise, wasn't this actually the "Maiden Voyage", with the previous short trips just being purely for employees, travel agents and shake down?

It has made the BBC now. It seems 250 cabins were affected

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 05-14-2005 12:37 PM

Friends were on board last week for a 2 day shakedown cruise and there were numerous plumbing problems then.

Basically, the ship was not ready and in a poor state, something they had not expected after such a long dry dock period. Work was still going on when they boarded. They were still sanding the decks, finishing cabling, The ice cube machines never got going as there was no chilled water coming from the Engine Room, and apart from the aft ship, the ship was very warm, which indicated that not all AC sets were running.

Obviously the ship should never have sailed with all those paying passengers.

[ 05-14-2005: Message edited by: sympatico ]

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 05-14-2005 12:38 PM

I don’t think the compensation was very generous considering how much the passengers were inconvenienced. After all their holiday was ruined and cut short. For example, the passengers may lost two weeks annual leave allocation for this trip. Self-employed people would have lost income. The passengers would have also born the expense of travelling to the port and/or parking etc.

O.K. they got a full refund (quite rightly so) but then only 25% off a future Thomson cruise. Many of them may be reluctant to chance a Thomson cruise again. Compensation should be ‘cash’, after all they paid cash, and should at least be in the order of 50% of their fare and any associated expenses. If I were them, I would be composing the letter of dissatisfaction right now.

[ 05-14-2005: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Sea Wanderer
First Class Passenger
Member # 5371

posted 05-15-2005 07:53 AM

Why is the ship in this state after a five month refit? Maybe questions should be asked of A&P Falmouth who carried out the refit, or any subcontractors.

Posts: 134 | From: Isle of Wight | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

Patsy
First Class Passenger
Member # 5611

posted 05-15-2005 09:39 AM

So is Carnival to blame?

Posts: 2023 | From: Hythe, Hants | Registered: Apr 2005 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 05-15-2005 11:43 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Patsy:
So is Carnival to blame?

Carnival are to blame for most things nautical. Although in this case I cannot think of a link.

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 05-15-2005 11:50 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Patsy:
So is Carnival to blame?

NO - it's people who flush things down the toilets that shouldn't be down there ! Pam knows what I mean.

Happens all the time on other ships, including lady's panties, but you don't hear about it.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

elad
First Class Passenger
Member # 5150

posted 05-15-2005 11:59 AM

quote:
NO - it's people who flush things down the toilets that shouldn't be down there !

absoulutly right!!! if pepole would read (and do) what is asked on the signs (do not trow things to bowle....etc.)

by the why , will the ship passed another refit?

Elad

Posts: 747 | From: israel | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

Patsy
First Class Passenger
Member # 5611

posted 05-15-2005 05:56 PM

My dad thought that so I'll tell him he's right.

Posts: 2023 | From: Hythe, Hants | Registered: Apr 2005 | IP: Logged

cruisemole
First Class Passenger
Member # 2459

posted 05-15-2005 07:32 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Sea Wanderer:
Why is the ship in this state after a five month refit? Maybe questions should be asked of A&P Falmouth who carried out the refit, or any subcontractors.

Was it really a five month refit? Or months of Thomson fannying around trying to decide what to do, then the usual panic at the end?

Posts: 343 | From: dear ol'blighty | Registered: Sep 2001 | IP: Logged

NODM
Just Boarded
Member # 5679

posted 05-17-2005 08:14 AM

before she went into refit as thomson celebration, the vessel experienced many plumbing problems. fortunately with the experience of the noordam engineers most problems could be fixed.... this said it was a known fact among the engineers of noordam and hal that the plumbing system have had its best years and should have been replaced. this would meant be very, very costly. from the ongoing problems it might be derived that thomson didn't do much work on the plumbing system, so many more problems to be expected in the future....

Posts: 2 | From: zimbabwe | Registered: May 2005 | IP: Logged

Patrick
First Class Passenger
Member # 364

posted 05-17-2005 11:03 AM

May I remind you that HAL is only the owner of the vessel which is bare-boat-chartered to Thomson Cruises. So neither HAL nor Carnival has now any responsibility on this part, it is all the managers responsibility. Current managers are Columbia Ship Management from Cyprus.
If the plumbing-system really needs to be replaced, it should be done soon to avoid any further problems.
It happens often that such systems are only replaced when the first season is over and the company ran in the first money. ALBATROS is another example for that. Things might change during the next weeks so nobody will talk about it anymore. It's clear that nobody will know the system so wel as the old HAL-crew did. It might take some time until the new crew gets used to it.

Patrick

Posts: 1680 | From: OSC Luxembourg | Registered: Nov 98 | IP: Logged

mec1
First Class Passenger
Member # 4287

posted 05-17-2005 02:02 PM

HAL doesn't have any connection with the ship - Louis own her now.

Posts: 1675 | From: London, England | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

Panos
First Class Passenger
Member # 1022

posted 05-17-2005 04:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mec1:
HAL doesn't have any connection with the ship - Louis own her now.

A correction

Louis owns Thomson Spirit and Thomson Destiny but NOT Thomson Celebration.

Posts: 443 | From: Cyprus | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 05-17-2005 05:32 PM

The senior management have been investegating the mattter, but they say that they have "Nothing to go on" at present!

(A 'Two Ronnies' joke )

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Waynaro
First Class Passenger
Member # 3484

posted 05-17-2005 05:38 PM

I thought HAL chartered the THOMSON SPIRIT to Louis, who then chartered the ship to Thomson? And HAL directly chartered the THOMSON CELEBRATION to Thomson?

Posts: 6108 | From: Vallejo,CA : California Maritime Academy!!! | Registered: Nov 2002 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 05-18-2005 03:52 AM

Please read this detailed report, from a passenger, on the ill-fated cruise aboard a ship that seems should have named 'Thomson Chaos'. Not only the toilets, but many other problems, nothing to Celebrate at all.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

HALover
First Class Passenger
Member # 4096

posted 05-18-2005 06:18 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Keitaro:
I thought HAL chartered the THOMSON SPIRIT to Louis, who then chartered the ship to Thomson? And HAL directly chartered the THOMSON CELEBRATION to Thomson?

Yes, that's my opinion too

Posts: 35 | From: the Netherlands | Registered: Aug 2003 | IP: Logged

mec1
First Class Passenger
Member # 4287

posted 05-18-2005 07:16 AM

So mHAL still owns both ships? Why?

Posts: 1675 | From: London, England | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 05-18-2005 07:20 AM

From Equasis,
Thomson Spirit is owned by Windsurf & managed by Louis
Thomson Destiny is owned & managed by Louis
Thomson Celebration is owned by HAL Antillen & managed by Columbia Ship Management.

Quite a number of past reviews of Noordam mention plumbing/blocked toilets/smells over the years... perhaps this was something they should have investigated more in the refit. Easy to say with hindsight, but without a full compliment of pax aboard, I doubt anyone can tell how the system will or won't work until put into use.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Patrick
First Class Passenger
Member # 364

posted 05-18-2005 09:53 AM

As these are bare-boat-charters, it is a clear matter. Louis bare-boat-chartered (without crew and management, so only the ships itselfs for a certain period of time) the SPIRIT and placed her on a full-charter to Thomson (with an own Louis-crew and management onboard).
The CELEBRATION was directly chartered by Thomson from HAL and Columbia was appointed as the technical manager of the ship. This is also the reason why this ship flies the Bahama-flag.

I tell you it is not always easy to follow charter-contracts and management-contracts. All contracts are different from others. Louis has definitely nothing to do with THOMSON CELEBRATION.

Patrick

Posts: 1680 | From: OSC Luxembourg | Registered: Nov 98 | IP: Logged

NODM
Just Boarded
Member # 5679

posted 05-18-2005 10:07 AM

thomson celebration is still owned by a company controlled by holland america line, the already mentioned hal antillen. the vessel was orginally scheduled to be bareboat chartered to louis cruise line who then would charter the vessel to thomson cruises. this all changed as thomson cruises was not really satisfied with the way louis cruise line operated the thomson spirit (= ex nieuw amsterdam) therefore decided to bareboat charter the noordam directly from hal antillen. technical management was handed over to columbia and hotel operations were outsourced to an italian company. the new chief engineer from colombia only boarded the noordam beginning of october 2004, while the ship was to be handed over in november. his 2nd engineer boarded the noordam 2 weeks before hand over. think that all can understand that familirization period of the new engineers was very short and not adequate to fully understand the operation of a complex ship like the noordam.
as was said earlier while under management of hal and sailing as noordam there were already various problems with the plumbing system, but serious investments to correct this problem were not considered as the vessel was due to leave the fleet... resulting in many complaints from passengers of smell and problems with toilets etc. luckily the noordams crew was quick to act to correct the problem and did all it could to satisfy the effected passengers. But hal management although aware of the problem didn't made the appropriate investments, which would be expected of a 'premium' cruise line. so much for their so called tradition of excellence and/or signature of excellence programs.... in the end they are only interested in making profits and how these profits are made... is not really their concern...

Posts: 2 | From: zimbabwe | Registered: May 2005 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 05-18-2005 12:15 PM

I sent that review that Pam posted to my friends who had been on the 2 day shakedown cruise. they said :

"they should have done more work in dry dock.
The Hemmingway bar was flooding when we were there, they will have to replace the pipes. When you leave a ship dry for so long the pipes dry out and then crack when the pressure comes on again."

My friends used to work on the Noordam and the husband is a Senior Officer with HAL, so he does know what he is talking about.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

All times are ET (US)
This topic is comprised of pages: 1 2

Ultimate Bulletin Board^TM 6.1.0.3

VACATION & CRUISE SPECIALS

Check out these great deals from CruisePage.com

Royal Caribbean - Bahamas Getaway from $129 per person

Description: Experience the beautiful ports of Nassau and Royal Caribbean's private island - CocoCay on a 3-night Weekend Getaway to the Bahamas. Absorb everything island life has to offer as you snorkel with the stingrays, parasail above the serene blue waters and walk the endless white sand beaches. From Miami.

Carnival - 4-Day Bahamas from $229 per person

Description: Enjoy a wonderful 3 Day cruise to the fun-loving playground of Nassau, Bahamas. Discover Nassau, the capital city as well as the cultural, commercial and financial heart of the Bahamas. Meet the Atlantic Southern Stingrays, the guardians of Blackbeard's treasure.

NCL - Bermuda - 7 Day from $499 per person

Description: What a charming little chain of islands. Walk on pink sand beaches. Swim and snorkel in turquoise seas. Take in the historical sights. They're stoically British and very quaint. Or explore the coral reefs. You can get to them by boat or propelled by fins. You pick. Freestyle Cruising doesn't tell you where to go or what to do. Sure, you can plan ahead, or decide once onboard. After all, it's your vacation. There are no deadlines or must do's.

Holland America - Eastern Caribbean from From $599 per person

Description: White sand, black sand, talcum soft or shell strewn, the beaches of the Eastern Caribbean invite you to swim, snorkel or simply relax. For shoppers, there's duty-free St. Thomas, the Straw Market in Nassau, French perfume and Dutch chocolates on St. Maarten. For history buffs, the fascinating fusion of Caribbean, Latin and European cultures. For everyone, a day spent on HAL's award winning private island Half Moon Cay.

Celebrity - 7-Night Western Mediterranean from $549 per person

Description: For centuries people have traveled to Europe to see magnificent ruins, art treasures and natural wonders. And the best way to do so is by cruise ship. Think of it - you pack and unpack only once. No wasted time searching for hotels and negotiating train stations. Instead, you arrive at romantic ports of call relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on the world.

Holland America - Alaska from From $499 per person

Description: Sail between Vancouver and Seward, departing Sundays on the ms Statendam or ms Volendam and enjoy towering mountains, actively calving glaciers and pristine wildlife habitat. Glacier Bay and College Fjord offer two completely different glacier-viewing experiences.

More Vacation & Cruise Specials...