Topic: Flying with Thomas Cook to Montego Bay for Princess Cruise on what?

Hi
We are flying to Montego Bay with Thomas Cook on 27 March from Gatwick to join Sea Princess. How can I find information about the airline? Has any body else flown there with them. If so can you give me details of leg room, meals etc and whether or not you can pre-book seats.

Also has anybody been on the eastern caribbean cruise and can give me details of princess tours with recommendations as to whether or not they are worth going on, or whether it is better to arrange own trips. Also if you have arranged own trips - who with, and whether you can recommend them.

It is our ruby anniversary while we are away, and therefore want it to be special.

Also can anybody recommend a suitable hotel at Gatwick so that we can stay overnight before flying out.

Thanks

Hi!

We too are going on Sea Princess from Montego Bay on 27th March but we fly from Manchester! My colleague (who flies out the week before and joins 'her' in Barbados) has just received her flight details but she flies from Manchester too.

How do you know it is Thomas Cook? Have you got your flight details too? We haven't yet!

In the past, when we flew from Gatwick, it was Thomas Cook. Leg room wasn't great but many, many people on this site have said that leg room is now either equal to or better than most transatlantic flights! Not sure about pre-booking but generally the earlier you check in, the better your seats are! Meals are generous and free. We even got ice cream mid-afternoon, drinks and snacks. I think, though, this may have changed. Drinks and meals are free but everything else either has stopped (ice cream) or you have to pay for it.

As for excursions:
1. If you want a general sight-seeing tour of the islands and go to the popular places of interest, it is best to hire a taxi. The taxis are large people carriers and will take other people too, usually halving the cost of the tour. They are also much cheaper than Princess tours.
2. If it is a 'once in a lifetime' (i.e. river tubing, dolphin swimming, horse back riding, 4x4) then go with Princess. They are not cheap but when it comes to activities with a bit of risk, I feel safer knowing they companies have been vetted.

As for hotel, we stayed at the Sofitel hotel at Gatwick North terminal. Quick and easy to get to the South terminal if that's where you are flying from.

Hi, Hubby and I are flying from Gatwick to Montego Bay on 7 November to board the Sea Princess. We are also flying with Thomas Cook so I was excited to hear that drinks on the flight are free! Does anyone know if we can pre book seats or is it first come basis at check in! Also does anyone know how many hours before flight do the check in desks open? I have called TC twice and been given two different answers!!!

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Thanks for your help. We got our flight details yesterday (Saturday) which identifies Thomas Cook as the flight. However, I cannot seem to find out anything else about the flight information and not sure where else to try. Nothing on Princess, and I have tried doing a search, but because it is a special charter flight, there seems no information to be had!! Princess website is still telling me that flights have not yet been arranged!

Local taxis seem to be a good option. I think hubby and I are past the adventurous stage unfortunately. We are willing, but flesh definitely isn't!!!!!!!

We are certainly looking forward to the cruise and only hope the flights match what Princess tells us in their brochure!

I image that we will get told about booking in Deramy when we get the tickets. We will join you at the front of the queue!!

Thanks again both of you

Hi

We're also flying to Jamaica to join Sea Princess at the end of February.

As we are taking an internal flight to get to Gatwick and have to arrive the night before we decided to get a hotel as close Gatwick as possible so we're not having to use the transport buses etc.

I looked at the Sofitel website and noticed they have a price guarantee if you find the same room on another site and it's cheaper they match the price plus give a 10% discount. You have to book the Sofitel first and within 24 hours of booking email them to a link to where you found a cheaper price and they email you back with the new rate.

On the website it says to book online but it's the same deal if you ring and book over the phone. I explained I'd found a cheaper deal and she gave me an email address to send the link to.

Superbreaks had it much cheaper and true to their word we've got the same room at a £30 discount!!

See you all there!!!

We also are flying to Jamaica , Montego Bay 19th Dec for two weeks Caribbean cruise on Sea Princess ... when we flew on AA 2 years ago , we only had two very small meals...i dont eat much , but felt like "Oliver" asking for "more" ......
My partner asked Thomas Cook what meals would be served , to be told it would be 3 .but like you, cant find any details about this Chartered flight ... still cant wait to get there ...Coralie and Dave

Hi Coralie and Dave

Very envious that you will be there before us. Perhaps when you return you can update us on exactly what the procedure is and how you found the arrangements.

Would also be interested in the cruise itself. We are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary in Barbados and am wondering what we should book. If you come across anything that you think is very romantic, please, please let me know!!!

Thanks also J & R Cornwall for that interesting bit of advice. Certainly will look into it. Was the price 10% less than Superbreak?

Great hearing from you both. Enjoy your cruises. Ours is not until the end of March and just can't wait.

Jan

Hi All

Four weeks today Hubby and I will be on the Gatwick flight to join the Sea Princess in Montego Bay so I will report back on details of the flight arrangements and of course the cruise!

Thats a good deal on the Sofitel, however you should be aware that Thomas Cook flights depart from the South Terminal and the Sofitel is at the North Terminal. This normally would not be a problem as there is usually a monorail system runs between terminals but this is currently not operating. Therefore the nearest hotel to the South Terminal is the Hilton. Just thought you might like to know this.

Hope you all have a great holiday when it comes.

I believe the Princess charters are similar to P&O ones, who use Thomsonfly and Thomas Cook. We did a Thomsonfly one three years ago and it was a bit cramped with very little legroom. They have since taken a few seats out and increased the legroom and we flew with them again in March this year. The difference was very noticeable and now legroom is not an issue. We were served a main meal after about 1.5hours into the flight and a snack just before landing. Complimentary drinks (soft drinks, beer, wine, spirits) were served throughout the flight. There were individual seat back screens with a choice of channels. The flight to Barbados was 9hours, Montego Bay will be a little longer. The aircraft was a Boeing 767 with seat configuration 2-4-2. All in all it was quite good and comparable to the BA flight we had to Los Angeles the year before...Brian

Recently found out that it is an A320 airbus which should have 33ins leg room and 3 3 3. This sounds better than the flight we had to Oz last year!

I imagine you are counting the days Deramy. We can't wait, but have nearly six months to go!! Looking forward to hearing all about it.