Thomson Destiny Cruise Ship

7 readers found this review helpful

My husband hates cruises - or so he thought. He'd never been on one, and only agreed to go after much nagging from me. He loved it and would go back again any time. We read all the reviews and knew to expect the ship to be less luxurious than some of its rivals. Yes, the cabins are a bit small and the walls are a bit thin. They're comfortable enough, and there's plenty of wardrobe and storage space. The whole ship could do with a makeover; however, it is spotlessly clean and we could not find fault with it at all. The staff are extremely friendly and courteous. Thomson's own entertainment staff were very polished and put on an array of excellent shows, though the female comedian who came on board was very dated. There are plenty of bars to choose from - and we even managed a few session in the gym. We chose informal dining in the Lido Cafe rather than the Seven Seas Restaurant and were surprisingly delighted at the choices each night and the quality of the food. We only did one excursion, which was very well organised. There are plenty of tours on offer or you can do some sight seeing on your own or go on one of the tours available at each harbour port. Even if you don't choose a tour, you can stay on board and sunbathe on deck - there were always plenty of sunbeds available around the pool area. All in all, a great holiday and would thoroughly recommend it.

3 readers found this review helpful

Had one of our best holidays ever this year. That was all down to the Thomson Destiny and her staff. The staff were ALWAYS so polite and friendly and eager to please, they just couldn't do enough for us. The service onboard was impeccable. We went ashore for all of the trips; Monacco, Monte Carlo, Nice, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Corsica & Barcelona. All of the trips were organised by Thomson were SO well organised, relaxing and comfortable. The cabins were clean and we had our own cabin staff who tidied up for us each day. I'm ready to book my next Thomson cruise - again on the Destiny - along the Aegean Coast. 10/10 Thomson

8 readers found this review helpful

Just arrived home from the jewels of the mediterranean cruise, this is the second cruise we have been on, the first being on P and O Oriano. Out of the two cruises we would choose thomson again. Staff, food and entertainment were excellent, we were on deck 2 inside cabin, not good, very noisy didnt sleep very well at all. No coffee/tea making facilities in cabin, had to go up to deck 8 every morning to get a much needed coffee! If booking another cruise would book a much higher deck.

19 readers found this review helpful

Just come back from a week on the destiny.
Did read quite a lot of reviews and they did help me. They prepared me for the size of the cabins which I thought were actually fine. The beds were very comfortable and there may not have been much room in them (I had basic cabin) but there was plenty of storage to keep the room tidy. Yes the showers were tiny and if you are a larger person you may struggle, but the water pressure was great. The main downside to the cabins are how thin the walls are. If you are a light sleeper you would be wise to take earplugs. If you have noisy inconsiderate people next door you will struggle to sleep - as I did. However on the third night of being woken by the people next door who had nothing better to do than come in late, drunk and shouting every night, I was moved to another cabin. The trips, one was excellant value and hard if not impossible to do alone - Sartene in Corsica, one was misleading and I felt a waste of money (Best of Costa Brava - quiet quaint villages - no, just shops and hotels), would have been better off staying on shore and doing own thing here.. You can do most of the trips on your own if you are brave enough. The Rome trip was £75 EACH, I paid 9 euros each and that was the train which was an hour quicker than the Thompson coach trip, and the price included free use of the metro (underground) all day in Rome. The staff are very helpful if you are booking a trip with them, not so much when it comes to helping you do your own thing, but they will help if you push them. I did request train times etc and they would always deliver them to my cabin the night before. They tend to try to steer you away from doing it alone but if I can do it on my own with my son, you can!
The food - lovely, amazing how they keep it so fresh and warm all day (and most of the night) long I dont know. The staff, well they make the trip. What lovely people. They cannot do enough for you and make you feel so special. They are such nice people and the evenings in the Seven Seas Restaurant were the highlight of our days. The ship is a bit tatty in places but its kept immaculate. They seem to clean inside and out 24 hrs a day. The staff work so hard. The shows? Some people might not like the entertainment and might think it a bit "Butlins on the sea" but you don't have to go to the shows, there are enough lounges/bars to choose a quieter one just playing background music or a piano playing quietly. The staff are not Westend quality but saying that they have to sing, dance, act, perform, do everything really, and theres only a small entertainment team so they are kept very busy and they all give 100%. Dont think the Seven Seas and Captains night will be stuffy - I wasnt going to go, but as long as you have a shirt or dress (doenst have to be tux or cocktail dress at all) GO. ITS BEST ATMOSPHERE OF ANYWHERE. Also go for a pre dinner cocktail in the sky bar and watch the sunset. Lovely. I saw dolphins three times and a turtle once so keep your eyes peeled. Made some lovely friends and had a great time. My son is 15 and loved the ship, wasnt bored at all. Think would be hard to keep little ones entertained though. Hope this helps a bit. Best part of my trip? The sunsets, the beautiful places, the dolphins and THE STAFF.

11 readers found this review helpful

Just returned from a 2 week cruise on board the Destiny. Myself,husband and our 14 year old son.
It was our first time on a cruise and were apprehensive as we are regular Florida holidaymakers.
Fantastic is the only way to describe our holiday...
Special mention to the waiters in the Seven Seas Restaurant who kept you entertained, Spice Boys, Walter,Arthur and our wine waiter Kibb. JD (magician/bar staff) was absolutely a dream with our 14 year old, even showing him how to do card tricks and gave him 2 card tricks to take home.
Take out the all inclusive drinks package as the drinks are expensive.
Destination services & reception provide you with lots of information for going on shore alone and not on a guided tour. Pompeii & Mount Vesuvius trip...only take the option to climb Vesuvius if you are "fairly fit". It's hard work and not easy underfoot, wear good enclosed walking shoes.
Entertainment is fantastic and you can dress up as much as you wish, nothing is too fancy for the ladies.
In the two weeks were never offered the same meal twice in the Seven Seas Restaurant. The food on board is fantastic in all restaurants.
The ship is a looking a little tired and we did have problems with the WC overflowing but one phone call to reception and within 3 minutes we had a maintenance and housekeeping to sort it out.
We would recommend anyone to take a trip on the Destiny.We loved it and will be booking another cruise on the Destiny.

12 readers found this review helpful

I have been on the ship a number of times and numerous others, the ship is fantastic staff go out of there way to make you feel welcome and part of the family, the food is wonderfull especially in the sevenseas the entertainment is better than a broadway show. please take a cruise on there it is fantastic, it is quite sad when it is time to leave and when you return they never forget a face and welcome you back, actually we are back on there in october 2011,
No one can criticise this ship and if they do maybe they are never satisfied with anything and should consider Hunstanton next time or staying at home!!!!!

24 readers found this review helpful

I have recently returned from my 14 night holiday aboard the Thomson Destiny. I stayed on deck 3 in an outside cabin which contained a picture window. The cabin consisted of three beds as we booked a three berth. The two bottom beds converted into sofa chairs during the day and the bunk folded away into the wall. The cabin steward took care of the folding and unfolding of the bunk so you didn't have to worry about it. The cabin overall as expected was small considering there was three of us but it was manageable. Storage space consisted of two closets with hanging rails and four drawers in the dresser. Coat hangers were supplied upon arrival and if any more were needed the cabin steward was more than happy to help. The beds were hollow underneath meaning that you could store your empty suitcases under them. The cabins bathroom was small as expected and contained a shower, toilet and wash basin. The ship supplied you with shampoo and shower jel which smelt quite nice so no need to take your own. Clean fresh towels were brought every day if wanted by your cabin steward. Overall the cabins were very good, clean and served their purpose well!
Whilst on our cruise we dined in the seven sea's restaurant every night. We experienced both early and late sittings as we stayed on board for 2 weeks. I recommend the later sitting (20:30) as your days will feel longer and you can watch the ship sail away from port - this is a must see! Whilst dining in the restaurant we were sat on table number 44. We had two waiters and one wine waiter (Jo, Honey, Edison – We love you guys!). The waiters were always so cheerful, happy to help and friendly. Despite what other reviewers have stressed about this we found that this made you feel special and part of the Thomson family! - This was one of the best parts of the holiday. Other dining options were to use the Lido cafe. This was a restaurant located outside at the back of the ship. Opening hours were 24 hours meaning you could eat there Breakfast, Dinner, Tea and supper! It was in buffet style and had a wide selection of delicious food.
On board Thomson destiny there are many bars and lounges. Every night the thomson destiny show team perform a show for entertainment. After a week they become very repetitive but the team work hard and they are always to the best of their ability. Once a week a UK guest would perform, usually a comedian. He would do two shows - an early one and late one. These shows are definitely worth your time so do go and watch them. We found that if we didnt go to a show there were many other places to keep you entertained for example the oklahoma lounge. The crew performed game shows in here such as 'weak link'. Passengers could participate in this and it was all a little bit of fun. This was entertaining for the whole family.
Each bar on the destiny is a little different and we found this excellent. One that we frequently used was the clipper bar, this was laid back and great for chatting and having an early drink before tea. The sky bar located on the highest deck would have also been nice during the day but as we went at night you couldnt see anything which was a little disappointing. All of the bar staff were very nice and certain ones befriended you which we found very touching. (Maria – thank you for making our holiday what it was! We love you!)
Once a week there is a formal night where you get the opportunity to meet the lovely captain. Here you will have many photos taken but beware - the photos arent cheap. As we stayed 14 nights we went twice. This night is definitely worth your time and i recommend attending!
Decks on the ship are always shiny clean so beware women in high heels, Make sure not to slip like i did! Around the ship are many sunbeds, these can be very hard to find sometimes so make sure you get yours before other people. When the ship sails away from port make sure that you're stood at the front of the boat with a nice drink. This really makes you feel part of it and is very very enjoyable. Thomson Destiny has two pools altogether, They are small and can be cold depending on the time of day. sea water is used to fill them up. There is an adult and a family pool, the adult pool tended to be less busy so i recommend using this one.
The reception is open 24 hours a day and the staff are always happy to help with a smile. Safes are available to buy from reception too costing £15 for 1 week and £25 for 2 weeks. In the reception area the ship has weekly sales for example on designer handbags and perfume. We were very excited about this and ended up buying perfume! Close to reception is an internet cafe. This is very nice and modern and the computers are quick and efficient but beware they're not cheap. I spent 15-20 minutes on here and we got charged £15 so be careful!
Appliances in the room - Hairdryer: The hairdryer in the cabin was very good so no need to take your own. It was quite powerful and dried my hair in no time which i was extremely happy about! The plug socket in the cabin was a different matter. It isnt very powerful so for the women reading this, your straightners will not heat up very fast at all. Make sure you leave them on for a half hour and then use them! Inside the cabin there will be a television. This includes two movie channels. Each night there will be two in cabin movies which can be watched over a range of times. Many new films are played so if you find you are bored, (which i doubt will happen) You can always watch a good movie!
Everynight when you get back from your entertainment there will be a piece of paper under your door called 'Cruise news'. This informs you of important information needed for the next day. It also gives you an idea of the entertainment that will be happening the next day. We found this to be an excellent way to give information.
At the beginning of your cruise you will be given the opportunity to book and purchase shore excursions provided by Thomsons. Some of these are well worth going on but some can be a waste of money depending on where and what you are wanting to see. If you decide to do one port on your own as we did in Barcelona, the destination team are always up for a chat about the place and will provide you with helpful maps and information on places of interest. This is very helpful and can save you a lot of money! If the ship docks quite far away from the centre of a town they provide a shuttle bus/tender free of charge.
All in all this 2 week cruise of the Med has been the best holiday we've ever had. Entertainment, fun and happiness have been combined all into one. The crew are absolutely amazing people all with a unique personality, The ship is lovely and not too big and the food is excellent! We will definitely be returning in the near future to this ship! Thank you for an amazing holiday Thomson Destiny!

6 readers found this review helpful

Went on the Caribbean gems cruise in January picking up ship in Dominican Republic. Was out second trip on the Destiny and will certainly be our last - was like Butlins at Sea. In fact will never book a Thomson's cruise again. The ship is tired and most definitely in for some serious TLC. There was a badly cracked glass window on the sundeck for the whole of our cruise which just had tape across it. The standard of food in The Seven Seas restaurant had dropped considerably since our last holiday on the ship in 2009. Was not worth the money. Only positive thing to say about the trip was our swim with the Dolphins in The British Virgin Islands and the transfer from airport to ship and from ship to airport. We were a party of four and sat with another two couples for dinner each evening. They too had been on the Destiny previously but both couples said how it had deteriorated and they would chose another cruise company next time. I think Thomson's are getting too big and too complacent.

7 readers found this review helpful

Our cruise on the Destiny started 28th July for one week.
We can only thank all of the staff on board, we never met one member of staff that was not pleasant and helpful.
A special thanks to Roland and Delboy in the Severn Seas Restaurant, for their wonderful entertainment and for the attention they gave to our granddaughter. All the waiters in this restaurant contributed to the entertainment and atmosphere which made our cruise so enjoyable.
Also thanks to JD in the Sky Bar for his magic tricks and excellent service.
Thanks to Leroy Brown, we believe he is the Head Maitre D contribution to the entertainment, his leadership obviously shows in the excellent service on board.
Our thanks also to Helen and Grazilla who serviced our cabins brilliantly and folded some fantastic towel models.
We realise that all your staff work very long hours but still maintain an excellent service making people's holidays so enjoyable and memorable.
Very satisfied customers..... Larry and Chris cabin 2019

I have recently returned from a two week cruise on the Thomson destiny. The food was incredible, in fact, we found ourselves significantly heavier by the time we returned home. The staff in the seven seas restaurant were some of the nicest people I have ever met. Ned in particular kept us entertained with magic tricks, and the wine waiters made sure our glasses were never empty. At first, I was apprehensive about having to sit with another family at dinner, but we ended up falling in with lovely people who were friendly and easy to talk to. On the nights that we decided not to go to dinner, we had a fantastic buffet on the lido deck.
The cabins were small, and despite our numerous complaints, our air conditioning was left broken for almost a week, making our room freezing cold. But the housekeeping staff were fantastic, stopping to chat to us and leaving our cabins spotless.
As far as I could see, there was not a lot to do for children other than the kid's clubs. The nightly shows seemed to be aimed at older people. The theatre show team were very talented, and were a delight to watch, and although the boat was not very big or modern, it was certainly comfortable, and we spent many a happy afternoon lounging in blake's bar, listening to music and sipping coffees.
All in all a great holiday, excursions were good, and I would definitely consider going back.