The head of Thomson Cruises, Helen Caron, flew into Dublin to announce the cruise line’s new Summer 2016 programme for the Irish market, leading with the announcement of itineraries for the latest addition to its fleet, to be named Thomson Discovery and sailing out of Palma.
The new programme also includes eight new ports of call across a range of exciting itineraries for Thomson’s other ships, as well as increased capacity for cruise and stay offerings.
New for summer 2016, following the announcement of the acquisition of a new addition to its fleet, customers will be able to book to sail on Thomson Discovery. Currently sailing as Royal Caribbean International’s Splendour of the Seas, the ship will be based in Palma for summer 2016 following a re-branding and refurbishment programme. The latest addition to the Thomson fleet will have a capacity of 1,830 (double occupancy) across 915 cabins, nearly 40 per cent with balconies. The family-friendly ship offers an outdoor movie screen, rock climbing wall, nine-hole mini golf course, and extensive dining choices with three à la carte restaurants and eight bars and lounges.
The new ship’s itineraries – Highlights of the Mediterranean, Cosmopolitan Classics, Mediterranean Secrets and Magic of Spain – will take in some of the most popular European spots. These include Livorno in Italy (for Florence and Pisa), Villefranche in France (for Monaco and Nice) and Barcelona and Cadiz (for Seville) in Spain. Customers, particularly families, will be able to make the most of the programme with Saturday sailings and flights from Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airport.
Helen Caron said: “Thomson Discovery will be a fantastic addition to our fleet and we can’t wait to welcome customers onboard so that they can experience it for themselves. The introduction of the ship is part of our on-going modernisation and transformation strategy, which has included recent investment in our other ships. The newest addition is larger than the others in our fleet – however, it still fits with our strategy of operating smaller ships with must-do itineraries. From next summer, these itineraries on Thomson Discovery will be ticking off Western Med highlights including Rome, Florence and Barcelona.”
