just read in sunday mirror page 19
that flight only passenegers will not be covered by them
only package holidays,

Looking on Thomsons web site they would have you belive that most of the holidays (Sharm) are sold out???? been saying "Hurry only x number of Rooms left" for the past 4weeks??

Rumors going round that Thomsons are to Drop the Gold Hotels and Replace them with the Couples Brand anyone else heard this rumor

I haven't heard anything but I doubt they will call them Couples as there is already a company with that name.

After our 13th visit to the Tasia Maris in Cyprus the Gold Brand is in need of dire updating the hotel Entertainment was Dire i feel sorry for the Thomson reps who have to work with such garbage material.
On the Gold brand some hotels where the contract for Gold has run out are going into the Thomson Couples programme Adults only hotels.

Started looking at Jan 2012 holidays ...

Thomas Cook already issued their new Tropical Shores catalogue valid until April 2012 and most of it is available online.

What about Thomson and First Choice ? I haven't seen any brochures yet and the websites haven't changed yet either ...

Many thanks for your replies.

Julmops

I haven't heard anything about Thomsons yet. Maybe they were waiting to see if the APD changes came in or not? I'm surprised TC are out so soon. More chance of flight time changes I would have thought.

I think we have moved quickly as they are scrapping the £75 APD tax for all bookings made until 16th December ...
I think I will book with them as they always are cheaper anyway but wanted to have some comparison before booking ...

I contacted out local Thomson shop on the 3rd November and they had just been advised by Thomson that the Faraway brochures were due out within the next couple of weeks - so hopefully some time around next weekend if all goes to plan.....

First Choice brochure will be available on 16th November so I assume it will be the same date for Thomson ...

I'm a single traveller - and I'm getting increasingly cheesed off at the treatment from major travel companies. I've posted this under the TUI thread because they have just done it to me again.

Last year, I wanted to book a specific hotel in Goa for a 2010/11 winter break. The web site refused me for travel from Manchester - but gave me a quote from Gatwick. So I visited the local shop. They got the same result on their screens but said they would call up and solve it. They later phoned me with a quote for Manchester - which added £650 to the price!!
I checked the offered TUI flight prices from Gatwick and Manchester and there was little difference. So I reckon this was a ripoff. I waited and messed around for ages, eventually I gave up and booked a holiday via Gatwick - but by that time I ended up with my second choice hotel.

And this time - I thought I'd go to Jamaica in winter 2011/12. Again a specific hotel I know and like. It's a year ahead, bookings only started two days ago. And AGAIN the website refused to provide me a quote from Manchester - but was happy to do so from Gatwick.
I checked that there wasn't a transfer issue by attempting to book 2 people from Manchester - and there - no problem, quote provided, so there is a coach.
(For interest, the detail - Royal Decameron, Runaway Bay)

So TUI seem to think that single travellers want always to fly via Gatwick, but are happy to be ripped off to fly from Manchester???
Why do they do this? If someone from TUI is reading this - please comment.

There's no point in talking to the shops, they know nothing! And calling the Thomson phone line at 10 pence a minute to listen to bad music and then talk to a trainee who knows very little is pretty pointless.

Singles always pay lots more for their holidays than couples - which is probably fair because of the way hotels work.
But there are huge numbers of us - and it's growing. We don't mind being crucified by "single supplements" and we will tolerate effectively subsidising the "free places for kids" - that we detest kicking hell out of the back of our flight seat.

Please TUI - recognise us - make money from us - but BE FAIR!!

What dates were you looking for? I've just done a quick search and come up with a single at the Royal Decameron from Manchester.

Sunaddict - I think you might be looking at Royal Decameron Montego Bay. I don't want to go there! Runaway Bay is far better.

Sunaddict - you are maybe looking a the Thomson website - which doesn't do the RunawayBay hotel, it is in fact on the First Choice website. But I've checked again - and same problem - couples GOOD - anywhere, singles Gatwick OK, singles Manchester NOWAY.
Incidently - anyone else noticed a horrible bug in the First Choice website where, seemingly at random, it switches into a mode where it wants to know how many people you are going to allocate into FIVE rooms!

You're quite right. Sorry. I was on the Thomsons website. Were you looking on First Choice?
I have just checked on there and it is bringing up Runaway Bay from Manchester for a single on some dates. Maybe it's just the date you want?

I have just checked on there and it is bringing up Runaway Bay from Manchester for a single on some dates. Maybe it's just the date you want?

Hi sunaddict - I was trying for early Dec 2011 for 2 weeks, from Manchester, Royal Decameron, Runaway Bay.
When did you find it available? I'm pretty flexible on dates.

I've found one on 5 December.

I've found one on 5 December.

How!!?
I'm on the First Choice website, Right Now!, looking for 1 (only ONE) person, to Jamaica, Runaway Bay, Royal Decameron, 5th December 2011, from Manchester, and it IS NOT THERE. I've tried lots of other dates also. Are you sure it didn't switch you into two people? Two people OK - One person Gatwick on 2nd Dec OK. One person Manchester NEVER.
You are making me doubt myself. I'm sure I'm right on this.

Lol. You're making me doubt myself as well.

http://tinyurl.com/3yox2eh

I don't know if the link will work.