We chose this particular cruise because it included an excursion to Monaco and Monte-Carlo - two places we had never visited. This was to celebrate our Golden Wedding so was a very special trip for us. We booked with our local Thomson's Travel Agent on 29 December 2015, and made it perfectly clear to the assistant before we paid our deposit, why we wanted this cruise. She printed all the excursions off for us and told us to go away and choose what we wanted and go back later and she would book the excursion. So we paid the deposit and booked the cruise. A week later my husband went back to Thomson's and the same assistant tried to contact Head Office but said she couldn't understand why she couldn't book the excursion but that we should leave it until we were on-board and then book as Thomson's usually keep some places back so passengers can book when they get on-board. We took her word for it but when we went to the Excursion's Desk on-board the ship we were told that the excursion we wanted was cancelled due to the Grand Prix! Huge disappointment for us but a "couldn't care less" attitude from the young lady who we spoke to. When we asked for advice about getting to Monaco on our own she said the trains were on strike and a taxi would cost about 100 euros each way. We met another couple a few nights later who knew the area and they told us they had caught a bus! Why didn't she tell us we could get a bus which was just a few euros?

We feel Thomson's must have known about the Grand Prix when we booked in December - we could have gone at a later date!

We did go on other excursions which were well organised. Read more