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Thomson to cruise the Red Sea next winter
Thomson Cruises is to offer cruise and stay holidays in the Red Sea next winter.
The company is to offer sailings from Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada to offer seven-night cruises on Thomson Spirit.
The itineraries will include calls at Aqaba in Jordan, for Petra; Port Suez, for Cairo; and Safaga for Luxor. Flights will run from nine UK airports to connect to the cruises.
The expansion comes as part of plans by Thomson Cruises to double its winter capacity for 2005-06 to carry 60,000 passengers.
Thomson Celebration will be based in the Canary Islands offering itineraries around the islands, North Africa and Madeira.
The company puts a year-round Thomson Cruises brochure on sale on December 15, covering next summer and winter 2005-06.
Prices for Red Sea fly-cruises start at £649 based on two people sharing an inside cabin. Early bookers are being offered £100 per couple on-board credit, cabin upgrades and brochure savings of up to £300.
Thomson’s head of cruising David Selby said: “Thomson plans to sell around 100,000 holidays to Egypt next year, so it seemed an appropriate step to bring cruising and cruise and stay holidays to the region.
“This is the first time we have ever offered a Red Sea cruise with the choice of a cruise combined with a week’s stay in Sharm el Sheikh.”
The Canaries programme will allow Thomson to offer cruise and stay holidays in Madeira for the first time, as well as in Tenerife. Canaries cruises start at £599 per person.
Meanwhile, Thomson has chosen Falmouth as the dockyard for the multi-million pound refurbishment of former Holland American Line ship Noordam, which will become Thomson Celebration next year.
The vessel will start its programme of cruises from Southampton, Newcastle and Harwich next May.
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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