Cruise cancelled due to blocked toilets

Thursday, 16 May, 2005 0

Thomson has been forced to scrap a cruise on its newly delivered ship Thomson Celebration due to “plumbing problems.”

The majority of passengers were 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 last Wednesday morning but the problem recurred again on Thursday evening.

Three aircraft were 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.”

About 500 peope opted to stay on board the ship was due to arrive back in Southampton today.

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 25^th annual Passenger Shipping Association dinner prior to a short cruise and then this itinerary.

Report by Phil Davies

Phil Davies

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