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

This is the third time I have...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Jewels of the Mediterranean

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr Ross Bradley

Comments:

This is the third time I have been on a cruise and I have to say to date it has been the best. Thomson really know how to look after you from the second you check in, to the final farewell after a glorious week.



The Thomson Destiny Ship itself is beautifully maintained with a crew that really look after her.



The holiday - well where do I start:



Destinations - We were on the Jewels of the Med itinery and this stopped at some amazing ports from the small towns like Ajaccio in Corsica to Barcelona and Marseille - which may I add is fantastic for shopping!



Food - When you read the brochures about 24 hour dining, no one really believes it, we ate and ate and the food is simply amazing - especially the midnight chocolate buffet! The main restaurant is Seven Seas but if you prefer a more laid back self selection then the Lido Cafe is spot on.



Drinks - We opted for the all inclusive upgrade - if you do like to have a drink on holiday, may I suggest you don't miss out on either buying this upgrade or get it free as you save a fortune this way, also you don't have to worry about what you are spending! The waiting staff never let your glass run dry!!



Entertainment - I saved the best until last. The entire entertainment team were fantastic, they are a young, lively, and thoroughly entertaining team who can deliver the whole package night after night, and what's more, unlike any other cruise I've been on, the team get to know everyone on the ship and talk to them throughout the week.



Stephen Guy is the cruise director on the ship at the moment and his team really are a credit to him and Thomsons.



I will have no hesitation booking another cruise on Thomson Destiny.

We were new to cruises so...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Mediterranean Renaissance

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr J Shearer

Comments:

We were new to cruises so didn’t quite know what to expect. What a pleasant surprise we all had, it was absolutely brilliant.



The staff in the restaurants are 1st class as is the food on offer, there is just so much to do it’s hard to know where to start.



The evening shows are really good with the singers and dancers giving it their all.



We were very lucky with the weather it was in the 70s apart from one cloudy day.



The ship did get pretty rough one night and a lot of people were ill unfortunately. We had to go to Corsica instead of Sardinia because of this, but hey who can control the weather?



All in all a great value holiday which was all inclusive including the drinks, the staff can’t do enough for you and work tirelessly to ensure good service at all times.



The cabin was a bit small but you’re not in it much and it was kept immaculate by frady our cabin man.



If you fancy trying cruises try the Destiny as you won’t be disappointed in my opinion.



Once again big thanks to all staff onboard as they made our holiday brilliant.

This was my second Thomson...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Moorish Delights

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Miss Sarah 

Comments:

This was my second Thomson cruise the 1st being on the Spirit.



When we arrived on the ship was surprised how big it was compared to the Spirit, a much nicer ship and although it did have a few down sides most of it was great!



Bad Points - There are not that many bad points and I actually can't believe some of the reviews on here about the entertainment and noise round the pool, if they wanted something like that they should have chose a saga holiday and as for going on bigger ships, I am here to tell you they are not that much different.



The 1 st bad point was the size of the Cabin it was very small I was sharing with my dad so it was quite hard to change around each other and the shower is tiny. I dropped the soap bent down to pick it up and because the shower was so small my head was out of the shower and I banged it on the door handle!! Ha ha!! I must say we found it very amusing!



2nd The lido restaurant is outside on this ship and although covered over it can be very nippy in there! Unlike the Spirit which is enclosed.



3rd Morocco was a dump and would never go there again, maybe it was just where the ship was moored, I do not know!!



But that was it the rest of the cruise was fantastic!!



The staff were friendly even recognising some of the staff from the Spirit who recognised us and said welcome back from the Spirit which was really nice!!



The entertainment was great both the shows and pools side entertainment.



I have to say the staff on the Spirit were friendlier than this ship, but they were still good I would go back on this ship anytime.

My wife and I have been on the...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Mediteranean Renaissance

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr D Norwood

Comments:

My wife and I have been on the Thompson Destiny twice now and went on it five times when it was the Sunbird.



The ship is still in good condition. The food and service is excellent in the Seven Seas Restaurant.



We went to the Seven Seas restaurant for our Breakfast as the Lido cafe is like a stampede in the mornings and the food is luke warm. The food at lunch time was very good as was the Pool Side Snack Bar.



We were with family who had not cruised before, they enjoyed their Cruise and I am sure that they will be cruising again. The shows were very good, and the entertainment staff all worked very hard for our enjoyment.



We had Cabins on Deck 3 Forward and they were very quiet and comfortable, although a little small.



Altogether we had a great holiday which was great value for money.

The Destiny cruise ship is a...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Moorish Delights

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr B Crowther

Comments:

The Destiny cruise ship is a fantastic place to spend your holiday, we couldn’t have asked for a better environment.



The staff were fantastic and meet all of our needs; nothing was too much trouble for them, no what time of day!



The entertainment was brilliant, every night a different eye opening show, you wouldn’t imagine how much work and training goes in to their performances until you have been on a backstage tour.



The cleanliness of the ship is unreal, you couldn’t walk down a corridor or around the deck without someone apologising for the hoover being in the way or because you got brasso from their polishing all over your hands!



The one and only thing I could complain about is the smoking areas, this is the second time we have been on this ship and since the first time the smoking areas have moved, we think the smoking areas we much better in the original locations!



Other than that we had a fantastic time and would definitely like to revisit the Destiny again!



It is highly recommended to anyone considering a cruise.

Initial Impressions - Very poor....

Overall Rating:

3/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Destiny Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Dec 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr S D Curnow

Comments:

Initial Impressions - Very poor. Alighted on deck 2 where there was a very strong smell of damp and the general decor was disgraceful (not at all welcoming).



There was no food available what-so-ever in the 24hr Lido. Considering that we had travelled on the day of the worst fog the UK had ever experienced and were nearly 10 hrs late, Thomson could have at least made sure that there were sufficient hot snacks available for our coach party.



Cabin - Depressing, to say the very least. We have cruised on many occasions and this was our second trip with Thomson, our first being with the far superior 'Spirit'. The cabins are small to the point of being claustrophobic.



They are also quite shabby and lack basic storage space. Constant odour of sewerage. No hooks to hang wet towels on. Beds extremely narrow. Noisy air conditioning and engine vibration. Poor television reception most of the time.



Food and Dining - Generally poor. With the exception of Christmas dinner the food in the restaurant was not much better than your local public house. Food in the 24hr Lido was a disgrace. Always luke warm if not cold. Repetitive and bland. A coat needs to be worn at breakfast and in the late evening as it is far too windy. I’ve had better food and variety at Butlins.



Entertainment - Appalling. Amateurish and boring. You can feel your cheeks reddening with embarrassment for the performers. Better at Butlins. No entertainment on the ship during the day.



Public Areas - Aplenty and always presentable if a little overcrowded most of the time.



Service - Excellent. Underpaid but always cheerful cabin stewards and waiting staff. Nothing is too much trouble.



We spent two weeks on this poshed-up car ferry and would not recommend it to any-one unless they are either elderly or have more money than they have sense.



Would however recommend Thomson Spirit, Thomson Celebration and both Ocean Village ships.

Make no mistake, this is budget...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Itinerary:

Moorish Deligts

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr M Cooper

Comments:

Make no mistake, this is budget cruising and the comments that follow are made with this in mind.



As we are not seasoned cruisers we did a little research before booking this cruise as a taster before deciding whether to try more expensive ones. We are pleased to say that as late bookers, we only paid about half the original price.



For this money it was an acceptable introduction to big ship cruising. However had we paid the full price we would have felt disappointed and not found it value for money.



Over the years we have had many package holidays with Thomson and overall find their deals reasonable. This holiday is about the same as most of their 3 or 4 star hotel packages. The food was acceptable with the service better than most similarly rated hotels.



The best meal of the day is undoubtedly breakfast, lots of choice and as much as you can eat of good quality food. The biggest disappointment on the catering front was the Lido Café, which is comparable with memories of a works canteen.



This area was scruffy, windswept and the tables were never cleaned or cleared effectively. The buffet food though was in the main acceptable and unlimited.



The Seven Seas Restaurant was clean and comfortable. The food and service was good on the first day but both went down in quality daily. We chose the first of the two sittings and found it rushed due to the inefficiency of the service. Come the last day this was a three star establishment.



The bar areas are comparable to most similarly rated hotels and it seemed that guests eventually migrated to the areas where they found likeminded people.



We had an inside cabin on deck 6. The cabin was comfortable and adequate for sleeping and changing, the shower was miniscule and we found it hard to believe that many of our fellow guests who had a size challenge would have been able to shower all week. The cabin was kept clean and tidy by the cabin staff.



The biggest downside was the smell of stale sewage which was a daily problem on this deck and was also an occasional aroma in public areas on other decks.



We are not lovers of the entertainment provided by tour operators and cannot comment on the quality of that provided on this ship as we did not partake in any of the organised entertainment.



However if you are looking for a quiet spot in the sun on deck this will be spoilt by the amplified ramblings of the entertainment staff. Why it has to be so loud when aimed at a minority of the guests in a confined area is baffling.



We have always found the offered excursions not value for money and as a rule do not take them. However we had intended to take an organised excursion from Casablanca but declined this, due to the fact that even on the shortest of trips (4-5 hours) we were told that there would be no comfort stops, simply unbelievable!



One other thing, it would seem from information given that the ship is not owned by Thomson but leased and crewed by Louis Cruise Lines a Greek owned company.



In conclusion, this was a good introduction to cruising but we would be unlikely to choose this ship again because of the points outlined above.



We would rate the overall experience nearer to 3 than 4 stars, but if that is what you are looking for you should not be disappointed, provided you are getting a discount off the original listed price.

Thomson Destiny – Formerly the...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Itinerary:

Atlantic Sunrise

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr D H Speckner

Comments:

Thomson Destiny – Formerly the Sunbird’and before that the Song of America, when it was owned by Royal Caribbean.



What can you say!



The good points:



Extremely friendly staff and that includes all of them from the cabin steward to the waiters.



Reasonable shows by the animation team with the odd guest comedian flown in from Britain.



Acceptable food in the Seven Seas Restaurant but nothing outstanding to shout about.



Interesting ports of call.



No shortage of sun beds even on days at sea when everybody is on board.



Affordable drinks prices which are cheaper than at home (£2.30 for a pint of Stella).



The bad points:



Rather old and dated ship with extremely small cabins with single beds on all decks including deck 6.



A shower which is virtually impossible to use, especially if you are a bit on the chubby side.



An open air self-service restaurant which is rather blustery at times and seems to have a chronic shortage of cups and mugs.



Rather expensive excursions, you are better off to do your own things.



A quiz at 2pm every afternoon by the pool which gets rather boring and annoying unless you want to win the coveted prize of a Thomson pen.



Diabolical pictures taken at every opportunity which are quite comical to look at but definitely not to buy unless you want to amuse your friends when you get back.



A ‘nominal’ charge of £ 12.00 for the safe key.



The main things to remember before you book:



Make sure that you get the All Inclusive package without paying for it; most passengers on board managed to do it for one reason or the other as you feel a bit cheesed off if you are the only one on the dining room table who has to pay for the drinks, while all the others drown 5 glasses of wine each with their meal and had paid the same price for the cruise.



Avoid the cabins on the lower decks unless you come equipped with an efficient ear plug and you are a very sound sleeper. The engine noise and the vibration can be rather annoying. If you don’t mind paying the extra go for Deck 7 and up as the cabins are also bigger and more comfortable.



Otherwise a quite enjoyable cruise.

Just returned from our second...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Destiny Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

Mrs L Taylor

Comments:

Just returned from our second cruise on the Destiny and found that unfortunately standards have dropped a bit since July 2006.



Although overall the Thomson cruises remain very good value and complaints are not major, but did detract from the experience.



Cabin comfort is adequate, as it should only be considered suitable for washing and sleeping. Cabin stewards are very good and attentive to any requests.



Food is generally good but often a little uninspiring with the Lido and Pool deck counters being fine for breakfast and lunch/snacks, although choices are simple and repetitive.



They often ran out of mugs/cups and some food items and, despite the presence of white-suited supervisors, it took a time for these to be re-stocked.



The Seven Seas aspires to be fine dining and does give a lot of choices but it very much depends on what you expect of a "restaurant" and personal taste, and at times it was a case of choosing the best of an average selection.



Waiting staff were variable in their approach from arrogant and surly indifference to smiling and welcoming. Maitre d' [Marc] was exceptional and was very proactive in his attention.



Occasional sing-songs by waiters in restaurant showed which of them had customer service skills and wanted to please and those that were obviously bored and performing under sufferance, which tended to mirror their respective attitudes to waiting.



The entertainment staff in the Can Can lounge are mostly youngsters and were generally very good, although some shows need a little more stage production that will no doubt develop as the season goes on. The lead singer, seemed out of place in the Company being older and less agile and tended to be a distraction.



Overall the shows are well worth seeing and in particular the dancing and costumes were excellent.



The entertainment hosts/compares are adequate but do believe that they have to talk all the time. Some go for cheap laughs from smut and innuendo which is very juvenile and becomes very boring. Others struggle to get the customers on-side and tend to concentrate on the large groups of families/friends who respond readily to the attention.



Excursions are variable in value for money. In particular the coach trip in Almeria to "drive through Mini-Hollywood" just took you to the top of a hill where you could look at the view and then took you down again.



Rome was good but the queue for the Vatican/Sistine Chapel took two and a half hours with constant pushing and shoving, so hold your ground and do as the others do, force your way ahead and look out for queue jumpers. Worth the wait though.



The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca was breathtaking and really not to be missed.



BUT make sure you keep an eye on the tour guide all the time as four people got left on shore in Sardinia and a lady with walking difficulties was left in Rome as she couldn't keep up.



They all turned up on board the next day somehow.



We would certainly recommend Thomson Cruises and expect to travel with them again.

A very enjoyable cruise.
...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Colourful Coasts

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr M Ford

Comments:

A very enjoyable cruise.



The crew were fantastic, especially the cabin steward/stewardess's their attention to cleanliness and tidiness was second to none.



Some of the shows where very dated. The food excellent with brilliant service. From the moment you step aboard you know that hygiene is the number one concern and is dealt with in all areas.



It seems a shame that Agadir is included in the tour as most passengers did not feel safe to travel there. My wife and I are recent pensioners. We thoroughly enjoyed this holiday.



The only criticism we had was the return flight meant we were on board until 16-00 and took off at 19-30, a long day.

We had a fantastic holiday, 2...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Colourful Coasts

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr J Medcalf

Comments:

We had a fantastic holiday, 2 weeks on board.



The ship, although dated is extremely clean with some areas been recently refurbished.



There are no carpet stains, this is just the pile of the carpet going the opposite way to the rest of the carpet in small areas.



The entertainment was fabulous. Food excellent.



We didn't do any of the excursions but did our own thing in each port. We decided not to get off the ship when in Agadir but there was plenty to do on board.



A fantastic holiday was had by all my family.

Just returned from our first...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Itinerary:

Colourful coasts

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs L Mullender

Comments:

Just returned from our first cruise and will probably not try another cruise again. If you think you might be prone to seasickness then do not be tempted to book.



It is no fun feeling queasy for several days as my daughter was on our recent cruise.



The ship is dated and as mentioned before does indeed have several large carpet stains in hall ways etc.



We were met with a sewage smell in the corridor on deck 6 which never really went away all week. We weren’t aware of the socket for hairstylers behind the TV (reception don’t tell you this) so had to dry hair in the corridor every night or risk looking bedraggled!



The trip to Marrakech (£58) was a nightmare with 9 hours spent on the coach leaving only a couple of hours to see the town and most of that was trying to avoid the cars, bikes, motorbikes and donkeys that were intent on trying to knock everyone over!



Not to be recommended even if you book the cruise to see Morocco - you will feel ripped off believe me.



The food on offer was varied and plentiful and we could not fault it at all. The lido cafe was tatty and pretty grim around the edges but if you didn’t look too close was OK. The restaurant was better but still needed an update.



The waiters were on the whole very helpful and pleasant and if you wanted to try several dishes then that was no problem etc.



If you are slow to rise when the ship is at sea then you will struggle to find a lounger as there aren’t enough to go round. We had to lie on the deck on our towels in the end but that would prove difficult for others.



The entertainment team were always professional and gave 100% but unfortunately whoever staged the shows and chose the content wasn’t on my wavelength as I found them a bit boring in parts.



We didn’t choose the AI as the prices on board were very reasonable (coke £1, Cocktails £2.25) and only managed to spend a few pounds all week.



If you want to try a cruise to see if it’s for you then the Destiny would be a good starting point but don’t go expecting anything over average.



We enjoyed the break and had a stress-free week (Marrakech excluded).

Second time on a Thomson Cruise...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Colourful Coasts

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr D Stanbury

Comments:

Second time on a Thomson Cruise and the best by far yet!



Very easy journey to the ship and warm welcome when we got there, the cabin was very small but literally we only slept in it, the rest of the time it was food, drink & fun.



First the food, excellent food served by waiters falling over themselves to help you, a great choice of food from morning till night I personally had a different meal every day for breakfast thru till supper.



Second the drink, we had an all inclusive package and with three kids this was a dream as the kids could help themselves. In the seven seas my worry was not getting served during our meals, but our wine waiter Costin never let our glass get less than half full and made sure that whatever we required we had.



Finally the fun, loads to do the shows at night are first class, and the audience participation shows are hilarious. There is something going on all the time. The entertainment staff go out of their way to entertain, not like some resorts we have visited.



My personal thoughts: I always wear jeans and took jeans to wear at night, wore them on the first night but felt uncomfortable as everybody dressed smart casual and after this I enjoyed the dressing up, it’s all part of the fun.



Our cabin was small, but we only dressed & slept in our cabin so wasn’t a problem apparently not many TV channels but we were on holiday having fun and too busy to watch TV.



Finally don’t be afraid to ask the waiters for anything as they are really helpful and offer service second to none. Our three kids loved the holiday, and I was afraid it would be boring for them but we never saw them what with the kid’s zone & making friends.

Would we go on this ship again, YOU BET!

We were first time cruisers,...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Colourful Coasts

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs J Cory

Comments:

We were first time cruisers, with two children aged 13 and 8. The service we received with Thomson was second to none.



Easy transfer from the airport, luggage transferred to our cabins within an hour of arrival, fantastic staff and superb entertainment made it one of the best holidays we have ever had.



The food was superb. The Lido cafe was great for an informal breakfast buffet with the kids and the selection was exactly the same as in the Seven Seas. Wonderful selection of food throughout the day, either at the pool BBQ or again in the Lido Cafe.



We ate every night in the Seven Seas restaurant and the waiters couldn't do enough for us, especially Head Waiter Mark, who never forgot our names.



The entertainment staff were brilliant - Kane and Gavin were fantastic presenters and very, very funny. The shows were varied and the performers extremely talented and professional.



Our 8 year old had fun at Kidzone, which was open throughout the evening so that we were able to sit and enjoy the entertainment in peace!



We upgraded to a deluxe cabin which was very spacious. (If you are pre-booking ask for cabin number 7000 - it's much bigger than all the others!) Our stewardess looked after us - turning down the beds at night, making swans from the towels and placing chocolates on our pillows.



We went on a few half day excursions which were well organised, although we felt a little rushed at times so would probably catch a taxi and do our own thing another time.



Our only criticism would be the lack of any organised activities for teens, but our 13 year old eventually made some friends. It would have been good if there had been an icebreaker event at the beginning of the week.



We had a fantastic week and will definitely be booking another one for next year!!

This was our first cruise on a...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Destiny Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

Mrs I Keil

Comments:

This was our first cruise on a Thomson ship and we couldn't fault it.



The cabin was no smaller than we expected and very comfortable. There was plenty of storage space and lots of coat hangers. The socket near the mirror was 110 volt so I couldn't charge my phone but it was charged for free at the reception desk.



It was only on the last day that we realised we could have used the television socket with an adaptor, as this was the correct voltage!



The food in the Seven Seas and Lido was excellent with plenty of choice every day. The shows were excellent and the game shows very well done.



My one complaint would be about the sexual innuendo in some of the game shows, especially Mr and Mrs. I would have felt uncomfortable if my children had been with me. There were a number of children on board as it was the Easter holiday but they were obviously well catered for as you would hardly have known they were there.



I needed to buy extra sun tan lotion (didn't realise how hot it would be) but this wasn't on sale at the shop, I had to wait until the next port.



There is no need to pay extra for tea and coffee (unless you want a fancy one) as this is available all day and night at the Lido cafe. The cocktails are excellent although a little weak due to the ice in them. The best is the Virgin Colada, a non alcoholic coconut and pineapple.



You have to put luggage outside your room by 3 a.m on the last night so be aware that any liquids in your hand luggage will have same restrictions as at UK airports. We didn't leave the ship until 4 p.m so obviously needed a few things with us that day.



We had to throw away sun tan lotion at the airport as it was too big. Deodorant, toothpaste, lipstick were okay.



We went on a few trips. They were expensive but you learn a lot about the islands. We went by taxi from the ship in Agadir to the beach. 8 Euros there and 10 back. Plenty of taxis to get you back.



The beach is lovely but surrounding areas very rough looking with local people loitering on the streets and roundabouts! We went on the Souk and Fantasia show trip in the afternoon, the souk was huge and we were given too much free time there. We were afraid to wander too far in case we got lost!



The Fantasia show was real tourist rubbish but children would probably enjoy it. We did the Puerto Del Carmen trip at Lanzarote, a pretty resort, beautiful beach, lots of perfume and duty free shops.



There were lots of places to eat, very British and probably much better at this time of year than in the height of the summer.



Funchal was lovely; don't be scared about the toboggan ride! We are people who never do scary things but we were brave and thoroughly enjoyed it! Don't miss the market the fruit and flowers are amazing.



To sum up we would definitely go on the Destiny again, the organisation of everything couldn't be faulted. Everything ran to time and you are provided with plenty of information about ports, resorts, trips, entertainment, everything!



We flew home from Tenerife North, much nearer the ship than Tenerife South but check in and security were very slow. Could have been because it was the end of the Easter holiday.