Reviews of Thomson Destiny Cruise Ship, Thomson Destiny, Thomson Cruises

Just returned from my very first...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Roman Epic

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr W Burns

Comments:

Just returned from my very first cruise, and had a wonderful time.



The entertainment staff work very hard, namely Stephen the Cruise Director, and Gavin, Assistant Cruise Director, one of the funniest blokes I have ever met. Aided by the hardest working Thomsons rep I have ever seen "Kane" he was involved in what seemed like everything.



The cabins are small but functional, and always kept clean by your steward, you are unlikely to spend a lot of time in there so the size was not an issue for me as it has been for others. Cabins are cleaned 3 times a day and towels changed twice a day.



The restaurant served some first class meals, served by very friendly Stewards; having been a naval steward myself I know just how hard these guys work.



There are several places to eat onboard the ship and you can be as formal or as casual as you please.



As per the previous poster some children did appear to be unsupervised, but I am sure Thomsons will address this.



Ports of call were varied and interesting with Rome being the highlight.



All in all I would recommend this to anyone, but make sure you get the all inclusive drinks package thrown in.



Having looked through some of the other reviews I have to say, it’s what you make it, it is budget cruising, but you don’t feel that way. The ship may be old but she is kept in immaculate condition by the hard working Russian & Philippine crew



On a final note thanks to Captain Terry a very approachable man did not mind talking to passengers at the bar.

Roman Epic - Thomson Destiny -...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Roman Epic

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr J Burns

Comments:

Roman Epic - Thomson Destiny - 05 Jul - 12 Jul 2007.



This is the 2nd time we have been on the Destiny. I went on in November with my girlfriend and my family. This time it was just my girlfriend and I. We are a young couple and thoroughly enjoyed this cruise.



Since November last year all of the entertainment team and reps have changed. The good news is that they have changed for the better. All the entertainment team were fantastic this time round and both the Cruise director (Stephen) and the Assistant Cruise Director (Gavin) were both excellent.



The weather was fantastic for most of the cruise. We had a couple of windy rough nights and because of this we couldn't call at Sardinia as expected (due to tender boats).



However the captain announced that we had a berth secured at Ajaccio - Corsica which turned out to be really nice anyway. The following night the seas were so rough that only approx 300 passengers were out of their cabins but this didn't really spoil the holiday.



We did our own thing at each port as most were really nice ports anyway. We did look into the excursions for Rome from however the £75 each they were asking for the Tour seemed a bit much and I don't really like being guided around like a sheep.



They also do offer a return bus transfer into Rome at £35 each but in the end we took the train for 9 Euros each. The train station is only a 15-20 min walk from the dock and takes you directly into Rome centre.



We then took an open top bus tour which was 15 Euros each and you could get on and off it at all the major sights as and when you want.



So if you want to save a few quid and want a guided tour with the flexibility of being able to do whatever you like on your own then do the same as we did.



We didn't go for the All inclusive drinks package which we didn't think was justified at £149 per person. We were correct to do so because our total bill at the end of the month came to £130 for both of us. This included things we had bought in the shop. We generally had a few soft drinks each during the day and a few cocktails at night.



There were a few kids onboard the week we were on which is good if you want to take kids. There were a good mix of ages onboard.



The food in the Seven Seas Restaurant was yet again superb and the waiters and service are excellent.



Already looking for another Thomson cruise to go on next year.

Overall I had a very enjoyable...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Jewels of the Med

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss D Danks

Comments:

Overall I had a very enjoyable week.



When we first arrived on the ship I was a little disappointed with the size of the room, (I had previously travelled on the Emerald, which apparently has the biggest rooms!), but it was clean, so I could moan too much.



I was impressed with the varied entertainment lounges and the general facilities available.



The Thomson Reps were very pleasant and good company. The games and quizzes that took place in the Oklahoma Lounge of an evening were very enjoyable, and the shows in the Can Can Lounge were fantastic.



I cannot comment on the comedian as I didn’t attend, but my partner thought he was fantastic.



As a vegetarian, the food choice in the Seven Seas Restaurant was not enjoyable and usually just loaded with peppers, which is very boring and unfortunate for me - I'm allergic!



This meant that many evenings I was forced to eat in the Lido Cafe, although, there was normally more choice and the option of freshly cooked pasta with ingredients and sauce of you’re choosing.



The evenings I did eat in the restaurant I was highly impressed by the service and the waiters were really friendly and fun to have around.



I did have a few niggles that did let the ship down. I was not happy with the linen. It was clean but obviously old. It was no longer the white you would expect (that it once was) plus was generally looking tatty, and this could also be said for the bed linen.



I was very impressed with the service from our room steward, who was cleaning your room, even if you only left 30 seconds ago. The one piece of advice I would offer is, PUT YOUR OWN THINGS AWAY. My steward was so efficient that I could never find anything!



My only other niggle was the lack of control of the children on board. Parents regularly just left their children running around the ship and generally causing a nuisance of themselves.



There is obviously not enough entertainment for the children of an evening and this should be addressed by Thomson, plus parents should take more responsibility for their children.



Saying all this, I had a great time and would happily use this ship again.

This cruise was one of the best...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Mediterranean

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr T C Morton

Comments:

This cruise was one of the best and most friendliest cruises I’ve been on.



The staff were very accommodating. The food was at most very good. The captain was the best ever, very approachable with a great personality.



We was on an all inclusive which is worth every penny. The cabins were always kept clean.



All the crew worked very hard to make our short stay very enjoyable. If you like to dance I suggest you go to the Oklahoma bar.

We have read many reviews on...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Mediterranean Renaissance

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr M J Neep

Comments:

We have read many reviews on this ship and wanted to add our thoughts on the cruise that we have just returned from.



The ship itself is showing its age in places, having said that the crew kept it spotless and are forever working hard to keep it clean, we were very impressed with all efforts from the crew in this area.



On arrival we were told to expect our cases in 1 - 2 hrs but in reality we didn't wait at all, they arrived at the cabin the same time we did.



The food throughout the ship is plentiful and of a very high standard, we would especially mention the seven seas restaurant where the waiters not only serve you fantastic food & nonstop wine but manage to sing and entertain afterwards as well.



We were a little concerned about the possible 'stuffiness' of the restaurant, but it was all very friendly and the dress code, with the exception of the captains cocktail party was casual not formal.



At all the eating areas you have to use hand cleaning stations to reduce the risk of infection which we thought was a good idea, though some people didn't seem to see the need to use them.



The entertainment available was probably the highlight of the cruise for us, the energy and ability of all the performers has to be seen to believed and I’m sure some of them will continue to have very successful careers.



We decided not to go on any organised excursions but make our own way to the attractions, this was much cheaper, but probably means less time at the places of interest due to making sure you get back to the ship at the stated time. On the 2 occasions we docked in port rather than in the resort courtesy buses were provided.



Two of the ports of call, Monte Carlo & Sardinia were cancelled due to bad weather making the use of tender boats unsafe; however we visited Toulon & Corsica instead.



We had a deck 5 outside cabin, the rooms are perfectly ok, yes the shower is on the small side but it worked very well, we did have a problem with the toilet but this was fixed quickly. It may be worth noting that the only hair straighteners that work are the 110 volt type and also the hair dryer has a short lead.



The room was kept spotless by the cleaner and we had clean towels & sheets every day.



This was our first cruise and there are many good things to say about the cruise, we would have no hesitation in going on the Destiny again.

We have just returned from our...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Mediterranean Renaissance

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss J Richards

Comments:

We have just returned from our first 7 night cruise and wanted to share our experience.



All in all we thoroughly enjoyed our holiday and would most definitely cruise again in the future.



To save costs, we booked 'cabin only' and arranged our own flights to and from Palma (Thomsonfly and Easyjet) - this was cheaper than including the flights as a package. As we had booked 'cabin only' however, we did not get any information on where to find the ship or where to go on the day of embarkation.



I rang Thomson beforehand who informed me to "just head for the port"! This concerned us slightly, so the day before our cruise we headed down to the port to see if we could identify where to go. We found the Destiny in dock that day, but is still wasn't clear where we should 'check in'.



We needn't have worried, as the next day our taxi driver took us straight up to the ship. Embarkation was slick and well organised. Our luggage was delivered to our cabin within 15 minutes and we had been shown personally how to find our room.



The sail away party was slightly disappointing when the ship did not 'sail away' at midnight as planned - many people went to bed slightly confused. The next day we found out that a late incoming Thomson flight had resulted in the ship being held back until 2am-ish.



The emergency drill was held at 10am which seemed a little early for the day after the party but we managed to surface and went to breakfast straight after.



The food on the ship was fantastic, every single day, every single sitting. The staff are wonderful and very cheery and helpful. It can be difficult to get drinks served to your table in the Lido buffet restaurant sometimes, but you can get them yourself from the nearby bar anyway.



Mistrals is worth a visit, even if just once. We went for my 30th birthday meal and had champagne which was very reasonably priced at just under £30! The portions were much larger than in Meridian (not that more was needed) and all in all we had 9 courses including coffee! Fabulous value for money. The waiters/waitresses also doubled up as entertainers in order to sing several songs for anyone celebrating- this was very funny and made the night particularly memorable.



On return to my cabin, I found a birthday card from the Ships Hostess and a swan made from towels from the cabin steward - brilliant.



The excursions were plentiful - lots to choose from. The port showcase presentation from the English staff was not so informative and didn't reveal much more than the literature, although you could ask questions afterwards. They are quite expensive and personally I feel that too much time is spent on the coach journeys to and from the cities/resorts which is largely due to the port being so far away.



I presume these ports are used as they are cheaper but these results in long journey times of 2 hours there and 2 hours back - long tiring days! Other cruise ships use more convenient ports.



We booked the cheapest inside cabin on the bottom deck but did pre-book a double room (£30). The room was larger than expected and was always very clean. The room was visited twice daily and towels changed as often as you wanted. Tea and coffee facilities in the room would be a bonus but this would probably breach health and safety. We were glad we didn't pay for the deluxe cabin upgrade.



Bar prices were good although we had a free all inclusive upgrade which we found so convenient as we didn't need to worry about how much we were spending.



The week we chose was 'adults only' and we did feel that there were a high number of older passengers (60-70). Perhaps the non-adult only weeks attract younger passengers but we did feel a little out of place. We would cruise again but would now like to try one of the bigger cruise liners that are slightly more formal. Some of the entertainment felt Butlins-style but appealed to the majority of passengers.



Overall, a fantastic first cruise experience and would cruise with Thomson again, but will try another company first.

Seeing this from a young view, I...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Moorish Delights

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss L Shaw

Comments:

Seeing this from a young view, I am only 19 and my boyfriend 26 we were the youngest couple on board, however this did not stop us having so much fun.



Even though we were younger there were still some things to do and the shows were good to anyone over the age of 16.



This was my first cruise and I was more than impressed with the Thomson Destiny service. We were a late booking and got it a lot cheaper that what other people paid. I would be disappointed if I had paid £1000 for the week than the £420 I paid.



The staff were amazing; if we had a problem such as the toilet vaccum stopped working it was fixed within 20 minutes with a call from reception asking how it went.



The entertainment staff were amazing, reading comments from December to when they started I can assure you that now they are all brilliant, with 100% effort from shows every night. I did think the cruise was a little dated but nothing a sprucing up can’t fix.



With the Itinerary I would recommend Casablanca was dropped. We had an excellent excursion to the Hassan Mosque but other than that it was just like any other city.



The luggage outside the cabin by 3:00am was terrible. I thought it was a massive inconvenience for no reason. I didn’t see the point of the luggage being taken to your room when you walked up there anyway.



Other than that an amazing experience.

The ship is old and tired. The...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Destiny Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr J Hughes

Comments:

The ship is old and tired. The bedrooms are small. The quality of the food is average, and is bland in taste. In my opinion this ship is really no more than an old 3 star floating Spanish hotel.



The ships staff are trained to please the customers, this they achieve.



The entertainment however was very good, mostly provided by a young and enthusiastic entertainment team, and a guest comedian.



The drinks on board if you have opted for the all inclusive option are mostly branded labels.



You do have the opportunity to visit a number of ports, and either explore yourself, or join a trip.

Intending Thomson cruise...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Itinerary:

Atlantic Sunrise

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

 D  Corbett

Comments:

Intending Thomson cruise customers should be aware of serious organisational and attitude problems with Thomsons.



We enjoyed this repositioning cruise. The ship is certainly old, but the staff and food on board are fine: those who complain about standards should remember that if they want P&O or Royal Caribbean quality, they should go and book with those companies.



However! We booked to join at Santa Cruz de Tenerife. When we arrived at the dock at just after Noon (time for boarding to commence) there was nobody working in reception to receive us. Whilst I went to park the car, my wife waited in an otherwise empty reception area. Finally, about twenty minutes late, a staff member turned up, checked us in and told us to leave all our baggage there, saying it would be outside our cabin in about an hour.



Three hours later, three pieces of baggage had turned up. The final piece was in the onboard reception area - Thomson's sticker had come off and they seemed incapable of working out from our name tag which cabin we might have been in. They said they would bring it right down. Two hours later I tired of waiting and went and collected it myself.



The next day we suddenly realised that a CD player in a case with nine CD's had been taken from our luggage. We phoned home just to check that we had actually brought it and then reported the theft to reception. After sending a security man to our cabin (presumably to make sure we were not lying?) we were asked to fill in a form. By the end of the cruise, despite following up at regular intervals, we had still no satisfaction so filled in another form. We were also told to claim on our insurance.



Now as far as I am concerned, our luggage had been accepted into the care of Thomson staff, at which point under British law, they assume responsibility. Their suggestion that we should claim on our insurance is therefore legally wrong. It is also not terribly practical, since our insurance excess is not far off the value of the items.



We shall almost certainly cruise with Thomson again but we, and I hope other future customers, will make ourselves a pain in the neck to ensure that our property is properly cared for. Cheap and cheerful (which after all is what Thomson Cruises are) does not excuse carelessness and a take it or leave it attitude towards the paying public.

I would just like to make people...

Overall Rating:

4/10

Itinerary:

Not Specified

Date of Holiday:

Mar 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss E McCreath

Comments:

I would just like to make people aware of the drinks package attached to Thomson Cruises, as not all drinks are free.



When we arrived at the ship and looked at the bar prices we noticed that bottled beer, Bacardi breezers etc. had to be paid for.



We were not told this at the time of booking and when we wrote to Thomsons we were told it is not the staff's responsibility to inform us of this matter.



So please make sure that you can drink what is offered free.

This was our second cruise on...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Itinerary:

Jewels of the Med

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr A R Kimber

Comments:

This was our second cruise on this ship & we found that the standards had dropped since June 2006.



The ship is best described as being a floating Butlins.



We had an outside cabin which was just about adequate but dread to think what an inside cabin would have been like. The air conditioning did not work properly & most of the time we were stifling no matter how much we altered the controls. The toilets only flushed when they decided to.



This is an old ship & we were left envious of passengers on far better cruise ships we saw in ports of call.



The decor in the Seven Seas restaurant & the numerous bars is acceptable.



The shows in the Can Can lounge are pretty good considering they were performed by entertainers with limited experience. The British comedian was a waste of time as his jokes were old hat.



The food available at breakfast was fine especially the bacon but the food at other meal times was nothing special. We were all inclusive but even if we hadn't been the drinks were reasonably priced.



The price of the excursions was extortionate, so we only did one to Pompeii as we did not want to be ripped off, all other sightseeing we made our own arrangements.



This is probably the last time we will do a Thomson cruise as we feel we can get far better value for our money elsewhere.

I have just come back from my...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Jewels of the Meditteranean

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss H Kennell

Comments:

I have just come back from my first cruise onboard the Thomson Destiny and I loved it that much I booked another Thomson cruise whilst on board.



The ports of call were Sicily, Naples, Corsica, Marseille, and Barcelona.



From the moment you set foot on the Quay side you are transported to a very different way of holidaying. Your luggage is taken from you and sent up to your cabin and is there waiting for you when you are personally shown to your cabin by a Steward.



The outside cabin that I had on deck 3 was very clean and equipped with all the amenities that you would expect, TV, hairdryer, plenty of wardrobe space and a dressing table. The bathroom, whilst on the small side, serves its purpose well. Towels are changed twice a day and beds are turned back each night and a chocolate left on your pillow.



The Seven Seas restaurant is wonderful, all meals are served here with breakfast, and lunch having a choice of buffet, or waiter service, evening meal is waiter service. You are allocated either early or late sitting, but you can swap your sitting on your first day.



You are allocated the same table each night and you have the same waiters. The food is exceptional with four or five choices per course each night. The waiters are very friendly and even put on a little show of their own each night and make paper roses for the Ladies. In my opinion the Lido Cafe is not as good as the Seven Seas and if you fancy eating on deck during the day, the Pool Grill on deck 9 aft is a much better option.



The entertainment is just out of this world. Stephen Guy and his team put on a professional show each evening in the Can Can lounge. As previously mentioned, there’s no miming to tapes on this ship with all the singing done live you are guaranteed a wonderful evening.



The guys who stood out for me were Stephen (his solo cabaret in the Oklahoma lounge was fantastic), Matthew, and Vicky. Though watch out for Christian - a wonderful dancer. There are also lots to do during the day if you choose not to go on excursions including quizzes, Spanish lessons, keep fit, and bingo.



I found the excursions that I took to be good value for money. My personal favourite had to be Barcelona where I visited the city and took in the sights of Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, Las Ramblas and the Nou Camp football stadium.



Over all the Thomson Destiny is a wonderful ship and to be honest if you don't enjoy your holiday aboard this ship then cruising is not for you.



I have booked my next cruise onboard the Thomson Celebration in January round the Red Sea and even if it’s half as good as the holiday I've just had then it'll be a good one!!

Atlantic Sunrise (Apr21-May3)...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Atlantic Sunrise

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Rachel_1978

Comments:

Atlantic Sunrise (Apr21-May3) was my 16th cruise, and it was the best cruise I have ever been on.



I could not fault Destiny at all. The staff were amazing. The cabins were adequate for what they are used for. The food was generous and different every night. The ports of call were good, especially Mahon and Ajaccio - so pretty.



The entertainment was outstanding and a credit to Thomson. One of the team in particular was Matthew Finnegan. He is a star in the making (if you can get him off the ship!) His voice is fantastic and one I will never forget. The other cast members were good too, much better than I have ever seen before.



Stephen Guy was the best Cruise Director I have seen before. He got involved with all of the shows, and didn't mind having a bucket of water thrown over him in 'I'm an entertainer ... get me out of here!’ Kane was also fantastic, as was Laura and Hayley.



The comedian on the first leg was Kevin Orkian - 10/10 - if you get a chance to see him in the UK - do it! The second act was Baricade, again, they were better than I have seen before and really made the cruise excellent.



So excellent in fact that I have already booked another on Thomson Destiny for October 12th this year doing Colourful Coasts from Tenerife, so I'll be sure to put my review on here when I return.

We have just returned from a 2...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Jewels of the Mediterranean

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr R Hinchliffe

Comments:

We have just returned from a 2 week Jewels of the Med and Roman Epic Cruise.



We had a great time, the staff made us feel very welcome, there are only about 27-30 British employees on the ship, the rest being from all over the world, they all like to chat to you about where you come from and they don't forget you.



The cabins are very basic but very clean and if you are enjoying yourselves, you shouldn't have to spend much time in them, only for showering and sleeping.



The Seven Seas restaurant was first class, with fine dining and attentive waiters who entertain throughout your holiday. The only down side to the service was that we felt very rushed, as soon as we had finished one course, put our cutlery on the plate, it was whisked away and the next plate put in front of you immediately, it was as if they were trying to get rid of us so that the next sitting could come in.



The shows were outstanding, the team lead by Cruise Director Stephen Guy is exceptional, and we never saw the same show twice. The singers and dancers were all excellent, three of singers stood out, Matthew Finnegan, Leanne and Vicky were something else, how they danced and sang at the same time was amazing, no recorded voices in these shows. There was something for everybody.



The excursions we found to be too expensive, we went to Rome on the train for 9 Euros return and this included your bus around the city, it was no problem at all, you can walk to the station from the ship. The trains run very frequently and are good trains (you must remember to validate your ticket after purchasing it from the ticket office or we were told that you would be fined if you were caught with an invalidated ticket).



The ship docked at some nice places to visit, the ships entry into Mahon is very beautiful and made a change from the very industrial and extremely busy ports previously visited during the cruise.



We have been on several cruises before but found this cruise to be the best for entertainment so far.

Brilliant Holiday. The ship was...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Nov 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Dr R L Willetts

Comments:

Brilliant Holiday. The ship was amazing, we were treated like royalty and really looked after. The all inclusive option was excellent, especially for anyone that wants to spend a lot of time on the ship.



We had a standard inside cabin which was adequate for our needs, after all it is just somewhere to sleep! There was too much going on to spend time in the cabin.



Entertainment on the ship was great fun! Just a shame that there was not enough room in the area where the nightly game shows were held for people from the second sitting dinner to get a seat.



Food was excellent and available 24/7. Staff were all polite and great fun. Public areas and cabins alike were always clean. It's a shame that some idiots decided to put anything and everything down the toilets which led to blockages and problems. Not really the fault of the owners, just silly people not using common sense.



Ports were all lovely. When in Madeira you MUST go on the toboggans and the cable car, both were great fun.



We had never been cruising before, but would recommend it to anyone who wants to be pampered and wants lots of variety with an element of relaxation. We are now currently looking for our next cruise!