Thomas Cook

[Elsass]

Cruises!

I daresay there should be a separate thread for this subject?

What does a cruiser enjoy exactly about another country;s culture? A quick dip of the toe in the water at the shallow end of the pool before moving quickly on? Outbreaks of norovirus? Overcharged 'excursions' which you could manage by yourself via a taxi at a cheaper price?

Long days in places I could never afford or have enough annual leave to visit for longer, and discovering the places we do want to visit for longer. Long walks through beautiful places, visiting as many historic places or tourist attractions as we want. Never do excursions unless the place we want to visit is too far inland to manage alone.
Lunch somewhere local.

Get back on board and all our food is included, waiter service drinks at good prices, a lovely cabin where we don’t have to pack/ unpack between different Capital cities or even different countries. An onboard spa. High quality entertainment every night.

We can travel with family who have different interests and all do our own thing and meet when we want to. Especially those with mobility issues. The best of both worlds- sea days to be in a “resort” having drinks brought to you, or playing board games or reading a book in a bar overlooking the ocean, port days to explore as much or as little as you wish.

When we went to Barcelona for a long weekend a few years ago I hated it. We couldn’t find anywhere nice and authentic we could afford to eat, it was the wrong time of year and we’d been made to feel very anxious about pickpockets. This year we stopped there on a cruise and I loved it. Left anything valuable in our cabin, got a taxi to Sagrada Familia, spent 3 hours there then spent 8 hours wandering back to the ship via sights, shops, the food market. I have good memories of it now and I never would have gone back otherwise.

The only place I’ve ever caught norovirus was a luxury all inclusive in Greece. Anywhere where there’s lots of people it’s a risk.

Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it, and maybe come down off your high horse a bit because your post came across really nasty.

 

[eSsExBiRd]

I’ve just priced up where I went this year as a package for the same week next Aug - £2259 AI, transfers and baggage included.

DIY:
Flight only £1596 including bags
Hotel £1679 (via booking.com, cheapest option at the time of checking)......need I say more

 

[HowLongOhLord]

Comparing it to companies that are vital for infrastructure, security and business isn't the best match.

I thought you had made a bull point there, until I recalled British Airways and the subsidy of the Arts and the BBC - all at one point publicly funded

It's an outdated business model and has had ample time to modernise but hasn't.

A fair comparison I think is Woolworths, it was just outdated and poorly run. Online and Wilko took its market.

A fair comparison may be Woolworths, I agree, but certainly not online retailers like Amazon. I do not class a high street business as ;outdated; unless and until online retailers like Amazon are taxed as as hard as their high street equivalents and sell on a level playing field. And the reason I say that without any remorse, is because not only are online retailers decimating our high street shops and sucking the life blood out of our high streets, but also most importantly, because high street businesses are taxed - and those taxes help pay for our local services and central gov. Whereas the wheeler-dealers like Amazon pay disproportionately a very low level of tax, while hollowing out our high street retailers.

You want social care? Or good local schools? Or police on the street? Amazon is not your friend. One small example: there is an IT specialist who works for Amazon, based in Seattle. He has been called over for short term assignments in Greece and Germany. He is by no means the world;s answer to IT. Amazon simply choose to use him and fly him across to Europe. He fixes the problem and flies back to N America which he much prefers. The mugs in Europe pay for this shyte.

No I don't think the banks should have been bailed either in the way they were in the uk, but that's another post.

The subject is large, I agree. But it is socially irresponsible for you to waft it off like a pesky fly, while justifying the sinking of a much smaller UK business like Thos Cook,

This 200m bailout would just be the first. Better to let it go imo, all people on holiday will get flown back regardless of if it's package protected under atol or not.

Do you live in Paris and hope the population eat cake?

I totally agree with what you are saying about millennials, they have been totally screwed over and many still don't realise just how bleak their future will be.

But for holidays I don't think this will really affect them, the idea of going to somewhere on the highstreet and booking a holiday with a person on a computer is totally alien to almost everyone under 30. The package holiday won't be going anywhere, the only long term change is it won't exist on the high street imo.

Others on this thread may disagree with you, albeit they disagree with me

Just because you’ve not doesn’t mean others haven’t Trust me, like for like booking separate for the holiday in August at the time I booked (10 months in advance) was dearer once baggage, transfers, the same flights and hotel were taken into consideration. And no, I didn’t travel to one of those “hell holes” (snobby much!) quoted.

If you enjoy places like Aya Napa or Ibiza in high season with its bubble baths, or whatever they are, , then it is for me to disabuse you of such high pleasures. By all means carry on.

It is just not for me, and never has been. I would sooner sleep on the roof of an Athens hotel, or on an Aegean beach,. but I daresay you would think I was on some form gf Outward Bound.

 

[eSsExBiRd]

I thought you had made a bull point there, until I recalled British Airways and the subsidy of the Arts and the BBC - all at one point publicly funded



A fair comparison may be Woolworths, I agree, but certainly not online retailers like Amazon. I do not class a high street business as ;outdated; unless and until online retailers like Amazon are taxed as as hard as their high street equivalents and sell on a level playing field. And the reason I say that without any remorse, is because not only are online retailers decimating our high street shops and sucking the life blood out of our high streets, but also most importantly, because high street businesses are taxed - and those taxes help pay for our local services and central gov. Whereas the wheeler-dealers like Amazon pay disproportionately a very low level of tax, while hollowing out our high street retailers.

You want social care? Or good local schools? Or police on the street? Amazon is not your friend. One small example: there is an IT specialist who works for Amazon, based in Seattle. He has been called over for short term assignments in Greece and Germany. He is by no means the world;s answer to IT. Amazon simply choose to use him and fly him across to Europe. He fixes the problem and flies back to N America which he much prefers. The mugs in Europe pay for this shyte.



The subject is large, I agree. But it is socially irresponsible for you to waft it off like a pesky fly, while justifying the sinking of a much smaller UK business like Thos Cook,



Do you live in Paris and hope the population eat cake?



Others on this thread may disagree with you, albeit they disagree with me



If you enjoy places like Aya Napa or Ibiza in high season with its bubble baths, or whatever they are, , then it is for me to disabuse you of such high pleasures. By all means carry on.

It is just not for me, and never has been. I would sooner sleep on the roof of an Athens hotel, or on an Aegean beach,. but I daresay you would think I was on some form gf Outward Bound.

You assume a lot but I can assure your you’re very far from your assumption when it comes to my break choices

 

[HowLongOhLord]

Long days in places I could never afford or have enough annual leave to visit for longer, and discovering the places we do want to visit for longer. Long walks through beautiful places, visiting as many historic places or tourist attractions as we want. Never do excursions unless the place we want to visit is too far inland to manage alone.
Lunch somewhere local.

Get back on board and all our food is included, waiter service drinks at good prices, a lovely cabin where we don’t have to pack/ unpack between different Capital cities or even different countries. An onboard spa. High quality entertainment every night.

We can travel with family who have different interests and all do our own thing and meet when we want to. Especially those with mobility issues. The best of both worlds- sea days to be in a “resort” having drinks brought to you, or playing board games or reading a book in a bar overlooking the ocean, port days to explore as much or as little as you wish.

When we went to Barcelona for a long weekend a few years ago I hated it. We couldn’t find anywhere nice and authentic we could afford to eat, it was the wrong time of year and we’d been made to feel very anxious about pickpockets. This year we stopped there on a cruise and I loved it. Left anything valuable in our cabin, got a taxi to Sagrada Familia, spent 3 hours there then spent 8 hours wandering back to the ship via sights, shops, the food market. I have good memories of it now and I never would have gone back otherwise.

The only place I’ve ever caught norovirus was a luxury all inclusive in Greece. Anywhere where there’s lots of people it’s a risk.

Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it, and maybe come down off your high horse a bit because your post came across really nasty.

You should offer your post to a cruise line - they may pay you well for such an endorsement.

I apologise if my words were inapposite. The sentiment is not.

Cruises are for dipping your toe tentatively in the water of other cultures If all you want is a mezze, then fine. If you want a little more, then a cruise , as far as I can judge, will never cut it, Equally, those who briefly sojourn in places like Krakow, or Amsterdam, or Temple Bar, blind drunk, on a stag weekend can hardly be said to have really started to understand a country's culture.

e.g. I know people who went on a cruise to Japan earlier this year: They never went on a bullet train- how could they? They never got near the summit of Mount Fuji or tested the bathing houses; the amount of time they spent in a place like Kyoto was minimal. That;'s for starters.

They would never have understood there are differences between East and West Nihon. etc etc

Cruises are fine for those who want to remain comparatively innoculated from real life in another shore, whilst pretending they have really experienced that country.

I’ve just priced up where I went this year as a package for the same week next Aug - £2259 AI, transfers and baggage included.

DIY:
Flight only £1596 including bags
Hotel £1679 (via booking.com, cheapest option at the time of checking)......need I say more

OMG......Say No More (((shudders))) Are you from Purley?

[/center[​

 

Jesus some people just want to go on holiday for a bit of sun and some grub.

Culture vultures eh.

 

[eSsExBiRd]

I used to work overseas for a large travel provider and after that an international airline, I’ve seen a lot of fascinating, mesmerising and beautiful places off the beaten track. I don’t agree with sitting by a pool all day and will get out and soak up culture, meet the locals and enjoy their customs and way of life. But do you know what, that’s what I like and I’m not going to judge someone else who doesn’t like the same things as me. What I’ve come to learn from this experience is that people want different things from their well earned break away and that’s is absolutely fine.

getting back to being relevant to the thread, I have friends and acquaintances who work for TC and have bills and mortgages to pay, families to to support and I really feel for them right now.

 

[HowLongOhLord]

Jesus some people just want to go on holiday for a bit of sun and some grub.

Culture vultures eh.

Gobble gobble and no

 

[eSsExBiRd]

Not the news I was hoping for this morning Genuinely gutted that such an icon to the U.K. travel industry has gone, just like that. The effect of this will be felt throughout the world from the holiday, staff both here and overseas and those hotels who depend on TC (and solely sell/belong to the group) who employ local staff. A sad day for all concerned.

 

[Juliet]

Very sad situation. Can’t imagine how anyone involved are feeling this morning, what a nightmare!

 

[Yel]

A bit sad seeing them all come back. Apparently some TC planes have been blocked by snow plows to stop them taking off.

Shame that such an old brand goes under due to being terribly run for the last few years. It could have been turned round a few years ago, but the current boss has pocketed 8m in the last 3 years so he's not bothered.

 

[eSsExBiRd]

A bit sad seeing them all come back. Apparently some TC planes have been blocked by snow plows to stop them taking off.

View attachment 43327

Shame that such an old brand goes under due to being terribly run for the last few years. It could have been turned round a few years ago, but the current boss has pocketed 8m in the last 3 years so he's not bothered.

This to me is why a bail out would have been pointless, we’d only be back in the same position in 12/18 months time due to poor management

 

[Ellsbells123]

This to me is why a bail out would have been pointless, we’d only be back in the same position in 12/18 months time due to poor management

There was a bloke on GMB this morning saying the Bail our would have been a drop in the ocean, and it would have been a matter of weeks before they were back here.
I hold my hands up to the rep shown at Palma airport smiling, in the background, still in her uniform and chatting with passengers, knowing full well her job has been lost. Such a shame got the staff.

 

[ChunkyDunk]

We were due to go on holiday with TC in 3 weeks. First family holiday abroad with the children and they’ve been so excited. I’ve not told them we’re not going yet .
Feel very sorry for all the staff but I am so frustrated as I’ve worked so hard all year picking up extra bank shifts to pay for the holiday.

 

[HowLongOhLord]

Not the news I was hoping for this morning Genuinely gutted that such an icon to the U.K. travel industry has gone, just like that. The effect of this will be felt throughout the world from the holiday, staff both here and overseas and those hotels who depend on TC (and solely sell/belong to the group) who employ local staff. A sad day for all concerned.

Yes. The company was nationalised in 1948 and as I have argued throughout this thread, the 1972 privatisation could and should have been reversed, The German arm of the company - Kondor - is still flying its panes today with German government support, whereas the Tories have allowed the UK operation to collapse. I fully accept that the company has not fared well under privatisation, but there was a more gentle way to handle all of this.

 

[Elsass]

A bit sad seeing them all come back. Apparently some TC planes have been blocked by snow plows to stop them taking off.

View attachment 43327

Shame that such an old brand goes under due to being terribly run for the last few years. It could have been turned round a few years ago, but the current boss has pocketed 8m in the last 3 years so he's not bothered.

Sorry if this is a bit OT but what app were you using in the screenshot?

 

[Oohthedrama]

We were due to go on holiday with TC in 3 weeks. First family holiday abroad with the children and they’ve been so excited. I’ve not told them we’re not going yet .
Feel very sorry for all the staff but I am so frustrated as I’ve worked so hard all year picking up extra bank shifts to pay for the holiday.

Honestly feel so gutted for you.
It’s easy to say we all feel sorry for the staff, of course we do, but it’s a hard blow on everyone involved including the customers. Really hope things look up for you all xx

 

[Web30]

Hope this helps someone!

 

[Oohthedrama]

Hope this helps someone!

That’s a sweet gesture! I’m looking past the fact it’s great advertising for them (my brain will always find a reason to doubt )
It’s a nice thing to do none the less. I wonder how many more will step forward to try and help out.

 

[Yel]

That’s a sweet gesture! I’m looking past the fact it’s great advertising for them (my brain will always find a reason to doubt )
It’s a nice thing to do none the less. I wonder how many more will step forward to try and help out.

Ha same. It's obviously a PR thing - they've got loads of availability for a cold wet September week so it won't cost them extra but everyone wins, can't knock them for that.

They've had thousands of shares and likes already, well done their marketing department. Hope some people take up the offer and other companies jump on it.