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

This was our first ever cruise....

Overall Rating:

7/10

Itinerary:

Mediterranean Cruise

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Ms M Stringer

Comments:

This was our first ever cruise. The food was a mixture of some days excellent and some days poor. For instance at the Captain's Gala dinner an accompaniment to the main course was paella. This was in fact pudding rice coloured yellow! The mashed potato on all the dinners was instant mash. This however was the worst. Breakfasts were always fantastic and we were spoiled for choice.



Cabins were small but basic and OK. Showers were a nightmare and small. Look out if you are bigger than average size. Ladies, the hairdryer leads are 10 inches too short, designed for styling your hair on one side only while looking at the mirror.



Rooms cleaned twice a day so are great.



Average age of passengers were 45+. However as it was half term there were some children and only really noticeable around the pool area.



We liked the fact that you did not have to dress up every night for dinner even though you needed to be smart.



If you are thinking of going all inclusive (£130 extra) you are not told that bottles of wine ordered at dinner were chargeable. We were provided with a bill at the end of dinner and asked to sign. It was not made clear that we could have 2 glasses of wine each free at dinner within the all inclusive price.



We were given a short time to decide and book the excursions during the cruise. Not sure if you can get a detailed itinerary of the excursions at time of booking cruise. We think this would have helped us. We went on an excursion every day which was a mistake as they can be tiring and were therefore not on ship to take advantage of our all inclusive. You also have to buy your own lunch on shore while out on excursions. Packed lunches are not provided.



Drinking water was a main issue with us. We had to buy all our bottled water. They should define what all inclusive means. Drinking water on board ship was of a noticeable shortage. There were no taps around the ship for this. Tap water from toilet taps is not an option for us.



The entertainment was fantastic and as good as any professional show we have seen. Well done.



The beauty spa was good. I had the best massage I have ever had however the 2nd and 3rd massage were average as the girls seems to be overworked and claimed to have no more strength left in her hands.



We would go on the Destiny again but would learn from mistakes ... beware of 'all inclusive'.

Ok the weather was bad for 6 of...

Overall Rating:

5/10

Itinerary:

Mediterranean Renaissance

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr T Greene

Comments:

Ok the weather was bad for 6 of the seven day but a lot of the staff were anything but friendly. The shows were very repetitive, and the lido cafe was very bad, you couldn’t see the food they were offering,& they had to dish it out for you, all with a very cross or sad looking face & then when you got it you couldn’t sit down to eat it because it was so cold & breezy. After all that a friend that I travelled with found when he got home he was minus 4 pair of shorts & a new tee shirt all were never worn.. No I would not advise you to go on the ship.

Having our first ever cruise...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Itinerary:

Romance, Romans & Riviera

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs C Hall

Comments:

Having our first ever cruise last summer onboard Thomson Spirit and being totally smitten, we were really excited about sailing on Thomson Destiny this year. It is a wonderful ship and the staff couldn’t do enough for you.



However, I can only give it 9 out of 10 because of two points - knowing that Thomson were sailing her for the first time this summer we were disappointed that she looks tired in some places and needs an overhaul (apparently she is going into dry dock in October for five months so we’ll hopefully notice some changes for the better on our cruise onboard next year!) and secondly the Pool Deck Lido Restaurant is awful!



There is little choice in cold food and the hot food is served for you from behind the counter so you can’t see what you are getting or choose your own portion and most times it wasn’t very hot. It is also half open on the deck so if there is a breeze everything blows about! Also there is no way I can drink tea out of a plastic mug!! It reminded me of a works canteen - let’s hope that is one of the things they are putting right next year because a lot of people were of the same mind.



On the other hand, the Seven Seas Restaurant in the evening was 10/10 and I now need to shed the two stones that I’ve put on with the four course meals and wine that I indulged in. I think I would have to say that if they get the Lido Restaurant improved on Destiny I would give the ship 10/10 but at the moment the Spirit has the edge and I would give that 11/10!!

This was our first cruise with...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Jewels of the Mediterrane

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mrs J A Osborn

Comments:

This was our first cruise with Thomson and we had to admit it was probably our best cruise. The ship was lovely, the entertainment crew were outstanding. The food was plentiful and there were little extras like, special trays of exotic fruits, pizzas and baguettes, when you didn’t feel like using the restaurants or lido deck. The staff, especially cabin steward were so helpful and the cabin was kept immaculate. The weather was so very very hot, which made me especially think that August was not the right time to cruise. But the sea was so calm it was wonderful. Our cabin was on deck 2, but we had a porthole, I have only sailed once in an inside cabin and hated it, so never again. All in all this was a memorable cruise, we would use Thomson Destiny again.

Overall it’s worth a week or...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Itinerary:

Jewels of the Mediterrane

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr H Hilliker

Comments:

Overall it’s worth a week or two on this ship. The crew/staff are highly organised, nothing was too much to ask, and we found them extremely co-operative. Arrangements were made easy - from the initial booking - to receiving the tickets - optional “meet and greet” car parking at the airport - flight left Gatwick without any delay - short coach trip to ship - issued with an “on board” card - then personal guide to the cabin. We had an outside cabin on the 5th level, which meant most things were close by and hence no long walks to a restaurant and the entertainment. The food generally is no better than average although the service was faultless. Evening entertainment was of a high standard (look for the gorgeous Lauren...!). The ship is kept clean, tables are cleared promptly, and cabins are discreetly sorted twice a day. Crew are very hard working.


On board information comes with a paper (hand delivered) daily itinerary, details of trips, and clear messages through the ships PA system. The “safety at sea” drill was conducted at a sensible time, with all the required protocols and instructions explained (some in an entertaining way). Walking round the ship is easy and for the keep-fit brigade, 5xround the ship equals 1 mile. You can be lazy or active - it’s up to you. The trips are varied to suit your budget and taste. Whilst in Naples, we organised a DIY trip, visiting Pompeii, Herculaneum and the filthy climb up Mt. Vesuvius in the one day (take some old shoes). We archived this by taxi (175 euro), try this only if you are energetic and want more than the organised trips.


The ship could benefit from some refitting, but taken as a whole (price/service/destinations), is still good value especially if this is your first cruise. Make the effort to make some new friends every day and if you like a drink consider the “all inclusive” option. Thomson have invented a truly well organised cruise (Nanny state comes to mind), you’ll be asked if you enjoyed the ..... many times, perhaps the crew live in fear or insecurity, but it does lead you to feel sorry for them on occasions.


A good value economy cruise. Go for it. If Richard (the cruise director) is reading this.... the show will begin in 3 minutes!

This was our first ever cruise,...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Not Specified

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Ms H Howarth

Comments:

This was our first ever cruise, but will make certain it is not our last. We loved the ship, destinations food and crew. We could find very little to fault as everything was extremely well organized- the daily "cruise news" was a very informative little touch and I kept everyone as a souvenir. Maybe one small gripe would be the queuing off the ship for the courtesy buses into resorts- but not enough of a problem to spoil our holiday. the Thomson outings were well explained but quite pricey, but as it was our first time to Rome we did book one.


Our favourites were the chart bar early evening for a couple of pre dinner cocktails before an excellent 4 course meal at the seven seas then into the cancan lounge for the evenings entertainment.


The all inclusive option is one we would recommend, but next time would avoid the organized outings.

We as a family were on a cruise...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Romance, Romans & Riviera

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2005

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

Miss R Tester

Comments:

We as a family were on a cruise last year, aboard the carousel and enjoyed the whole experience so much that we decided to book a cruise for this summer.



The date for the start of the cruise was 7th July and we had no problem getting to Palma. The booking in process was extremely fast because the staff were so efficient at their job. They took a picture and gave you a card, which enabled you to get on and off the ship.



The cabin we were given was an inside cabin and we became aware at how clean it was. The bathroom was a bit small but that was to be expected. The lack of space didn’t really concern us though because we didn’t spend much time inside our cabin.



The can can lounge is where most of the entertainment takes place on the destiny. On the first night the show team introduced themselves and sang a few songs together. After a few nights it became apparent how friendly the show team were, they had no trouble in stopping to speak to you , when you were in the cafe or whatnot. You really couldn’t fault any of the shows. We were onboard for two weeks, they had a comedian in the first week and a different comedian for the second week. The shows included circus, circus. Babes on Broadway, Moulin rouges .



The itinerary of the cruise really appealed to us too, as it was mainly places that we hadn’t been before.

The first week cruise itinerary was entitled: romance, Romans& Riviera.



Rome, La Spezia, Taragona, Marseille, sete,

we toughly enjoyed it and mainly occupied ourselves although we took one trip that week and visited the Vatican.



Jewels of the Mediterranean was the second week.

This included Palma, Palermo, Naples, Toulon, Barcelona



We only took advantage of the trip to Naples and visited Pompeii and Sorrento which was utterly amazing to behold.



The food onboard the destiny certainly didn’t disappoint. The waiters we had in the seven seas restaurant were lovely and providing us with quick service. The company at our table the second week were friendly and provided good conversation. (we are going on the emerald July 2006 with them).



The other entertainment onboard is high quality too. If you fancy a flutter at the casino you’ll have fun onboard. There’s the clipper bar, which has a resident piano player. The quiz’s etc are held in the Oklahoma lounge and after the evening entertainment in the can lounge we sought out seats here.

The entertainment staff here are lovely and are just delighted to sit and have a conversation with you.



We really valued the cleaning staff, our cleaner was named Georgeta and always left our cabin looking immaculate.



We were really sad to disembark the ship on the 21st July 2005 and would recommend it to everyone even those with young children. We’re so pleased with the quality of service Thomson provide us with that we’ve already booked next years holiday with them onboard the emerald!

We flew from Newcastle and...

Overall Rating:

0/10

Itinerary:

Not Specified

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr I Topping

Comments:

We flew from Newcastle and arrived on board in time for lunch giving us a good part of the day to get settled in and still see some of Palma.


During the first week we visited Palermo, Naples, Olbia, Toulon and Barcelona before sailing back to Palma. We had the benefit of not having to move to a hotel (as many choose cruise and stay) for the second week (we had booked a two week cruise). During week 2 we visited Rome, La Spezia (a good stop for Florence and Pisa), Marsailles, Sete and Tarragona.


The ship is a very friendly place, with all staff wanting you to have a good time.
We found the food good and certainly plentiful (24/7).


We always enjoy the entertainment on board and this cruise did not disappointment. The Entertainment Director, Steven Guy was very good. The singing excellent (watch out for Lauren and Gavin). Except for one evening, the show is different each day.


The ship is obviously trying to play down the formal evenings, which we found disappointing. We enjoy getting dressed up some of the time. There is only one formal evening per week and you don’t even need a dinner suit for this.

The waiters are just great - nothing is too much trouble.


And of course there are all the wonderful places to explore. Trips are expensive (it can mount up if you want to do a few)and it is worthwhile trying to see if you can do some of them yourself.


Everything is kept clean and tidy - your cabin is cleaned twice a day.

Weather was great but it can be a bit choppy even in July.

All in all a great holiday.


Downside - cabins are small (especially the showers), trips are too expensive, plastic mugs in the lido bar.


I would certainly recommend this holiday.

What can I say other than this,...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Not Specified

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs P J Curtis

Comments:

What can I say other than this, I booked a cruise for me and two friends, never been on a cruise or plane before. Age group 58.52.48.



From the moment we stepped aboard the destiny, everything was first class, we had a deluxe cabin for 3, and the staff were fantastic, so was the food, and entertainment first class, next year were taking our husbands on the spirit, I just hope that I can write and give this ship the same recommendation.



Any feedback would be welcome if anyone thinks negative, as I still have chance to change. Has for the destiny it was first class.

What can I say other than this,...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Jewels of the Mediterrane

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs P Curtis

Comments:

What can I say other than this, I booked a cruise for two friends, and me never been on a cruise or plane before. Age group 58.52.48.from the moment we stepped aboard the destiny, everything was first class, we had a deluxe cabin for 3,and the staff were fantastic, so was the food, and entertainment first class, next year were taking our husbands on the spirit, I just hope that I can write and give this ship the same recommendation. Any feedback would be welcome if anyone thinks negative as I still have chance to change. Has for the destiny it was first class.

Neither I nor my husband had...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Itinerary:

Not Specified

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2005

Tour Operator:

First Choice

Submitted By:

Mrs E Coe

Comments:

Neither I nor my husband had ever been on a cruise before and as I had never been abroad before either, it was an all round new experience all round for me.


we booked late, in fact only two weeks before we went, so obviously not the best cabin.



On Golden Deck, inside cabin. Twin beds, shower/toilet. Just enough room for baggage (don’t take huge cases, or you will be tripping over them. No Tea making facility, so we had to go to the 24 hour restaurant whenever we fancied a cuppa, or pay for it in one of the other bar/restaurants. The dress was very informal (the rougher the better in some cases!) no need for white tie and tails on this ship!



The brilliant thing about this cruise is that we saw different parts of Spain, and with the help of the excursions see special parts that would maybe otherwise pass you by.

When you think in a week, we saw the monkeys of Gibraltar, the splendour of the cathedral in Ibiza had a mini tour round Cadiz and went to three different markets, as well as being able to relax in the sun, eat when we wanted to, have a brilliant show every evening, or relax in a bar if we wanted to.

Brilliant!



The only downside was the travelling to get to the Island Escape. Having no flight to Palma from Southampton, we had to get to Gatwick, our next nearest airport. It was tiring checking in and walking to the plane, and then at Palma we had a very VERY long walk to get outside to the transfer bus which took us to our destination the Island Escape.



Once on board we were met with very friendly personnel. We only had one thing wrong in our cabin which was to do with the TV reception, but we didn’t stay in the cabin (too much else to do) so weren’t really bothered. The food was delicious, but my husband thought there could have had a better variety of potato, not every one wants chips.

The captain was brilliant and was there for help as were the rest of the crew. The cabin was cleaned and tidied THREE times a day.


The sea was still, the weather was calm, the views were stunning.

We are already looking at going again next year.


I recommend this kind of cruise to any first-timers. You will want to do it again. I promise.

Well, what can I say...Every...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Itinerary:

Thomson Destiny Cruise Ship

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2005

Tour Operator:

Portland Direct

Submitted By:

Nat*

Comments:

Well, what can I say...Every minute of my holiday was EXCELLENT!!! 11/10 I would have given it!!

This was our first ever cruise holiday and we did two weeks back to back.



The food in both the lido and Seven Seas was always first class with a variety to choose from!

The waiters were always so friendly, remembered your name and which drinks you liked and by the end of the holiday we wanted to take ours home with us!!



Entertainment was EXCELLENT as well (especially Louise, Gavin, Adele, Nick and Paul - If any of them come onto this website, VERY WELL DONE GUYS!) Paul was an amazing dance captain and Adele and Sarah were very talented and all of the show team should be proud, as they are all very gifted!!



Also the entertainment team, Danny, Gavin, Vicks, Stuart, Gareth, all very funny and entertaining people!!



Cabins are slightly on the smaller side but they are only there to sleep and get changed in so I'm not complaining!!



Overall an EXCELLENT holiday and would recommend it to EVERYONE whatever your style of holiday, the Thomson Destiny has it all!