If you think Chicken Curry served with Brussels Sprouts or Shepherd's Pie come under your idea of fine cuisine then the Compass Rose Restaurant aboard Thomson Spirit is for you. If you prefer less formal eating, where you can pile your food high on your plate and keep going back for more...and you don't have look presentable, then the 'works canteen' on the Llido Deck is just for you. We had two cruises back-to-back and whilst the ship is a bit old and smaller than many she retains a comfy feel.

Sadly though, since our last voyage aboard her in 2014, she has deteriorated to the status of "A 3rd rate Working Man's Club on water", where beer flows from dawn to dusk, courtesy of the various drinks package promotions. The evening 'song and dance ' reviews were as before to a very high order but the music!...various times people asked for the volume to be reduced in order that we might here the singing...but to no avail and as for the entertainment on the Lido deck...the music was overpowering, the itinerary was abysmal...and one wonders why all the entertainment team have accents that seemed to eminate from Birmingham and all points north? ( I originate from 'up there' and still retain a distinct accent which I would not feel applicable to routinely inflict on a fee paying audience).

One word of advice...do your homework regarding shore excursions...you can do many cheaper than offered by Thomsons...and DON'T BUY the bottled water on-board at £1.50 as you can buy it in all the ports for about 36 pence! In fairness some passengers have reported that they had a great time...there's no accounting for other peoples tastes or expectations. We wrote to Thomson's and their parent company TUI raising many points but their Customer Service is just as bad as our experience on-board.