written by kathleen odoherty on 21/03/2011
Absolutely brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All the staff were very friendly and cheerful.Food was excellent and the rooms were kept spotless.As i only went full board i deposited £400.00 towards my onboard account to cover the cost of mine and my daughters drinks .Drinks are near enough the same price as they are here so it doesn't cost a fortune.Thought i would have to try and remember what i spent but every time i used my card they issue you with when you board it shows the balance of your account,which is good. All in all me and my daughter had a brill time,would go back tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!
written by on 06/03/2011
Little boat lots of attitude rooms bit small but spotless faultless
written by on 19/02/2011
First of all, many,many thanks to Stacey at Thomson shops Portobello High street Edinburgh. Stacey kept us informed, gave us good advice on the best cruises and keanest prices, thanks Stacey we will be back.
The flight was great and comfortable from Glasgow to La Romana, we were on board the Thomson Destiny within 40 mins of landing.
The cruise was fantastic, I defy anyone who cannot find food that they can eat!! It was varied and of very high quality. In the seven seas restaurant the service was fast efficient and very friendly, I do not know how they managed serve 700 people with top quality HOT food. We were really sad to be coming home. All the staff and fellow passengers we met were always cheerful and smiling, from the cabin stewards to the officers. Thomson should be proud of these people wearing their badges. Having seen the glum faces of other passengers on the other, much larger, cruise ships we are glad of the advice and choice we made. really the holiday of a lifetime!!
written by on 18/02/2011
This was our first cruise and we loved it. Yes the ship may be a bit faded, but the staff, the food and the atmosphere more than make up for it. Whilst the cabins are not the smartest, they are perfectly adequate and are kept immaculately tidy and clean by the cabin staff, who are excellent. We spent no time at all in the cabins - why would you?
The waiters in the Seven Seas Restaurant are fantastic, so helpful and friendly. They sing, do magic tricks and generally do everyting they can to ensure the clients have as good a time as possible.
The food is amazing in all of the restaurants. We always breakfast and dinner in the Seven Seas and when we were on board for lunch we split it between the PoolGrill or the Lido. We didn't take the drinks package as we aren't big drinkers, but we spent around £400 over the 2 weeks and drinks are more or less the same price as the pub where we live.
What can we say about the Caribbean Islands? The itinery on this cruise was the big reason for going for it and it didn't disappoint in any way. Each island had something to offer by way of tourist attractions (waterfalls, volcanos, the towns etc)and of course each island has a fabulous range of beaches. We didn't do any Thomson excusions, but saw everything using local taxis at a fraction of the cost and without question the taxi drivers were chatty, enthusiastic, generous with local information and virtually all didn't want paying until they had returned for us and brought us back to the ship.
All in all, we found it to be amazing value for money (we paid £950 each) and would have no hesitation in doing it again.
written by on 16/02/2010
This was our first cruise and i'm so glad that we picked Thomson Destiny as our ship to go to the Caribbean. In our group there was my mum and my auntie(44)my cousin(27)his fiance(21)my brother(13) and myself(16) as you can see a large age range.
We had seperate inside cabins on deck 2 and we were placed next door to eachother, the cabins were small but practical and kept clean by the lovely cleaning staff who were friendly and said hello everytime they saw us. We also had the delight of finding swans and lobsters made of towels on our beds a couple of times.
The people who worked at the reception desk were helpful and friendly and always good for a chat. I understand that the trips the ship offerered were sometimes more expensive than those you could find on your own but we always booked with the ship for the security, while we were there, there was this couple who had taken a taxi down to the beach and were left behind because the taxi never came back for them in time, so i'm glad we had the security of knowing we'd never be put in that situation. The trips offerered were all brilliant anyway, loved swimming with dolphins and turtles and all the sightseeing and shopping was fantastic too, all the ports were lovely.
The internet cafe, shops and library were all great, and the seven seas restaurant was lovely and the staff were pleasant although i personally preferred to eat from the buffet on deck 9 as they had more variety(always good for a vegetarian like myself!)
The shows in the can can lounge were brilliant and a definite must-see. I can't speak about the gym, beauty salon, blake's or the oklahoma lounge personally as we never went. The casino my cousin tells me is fun even if you don't win anything.
The sky bar had an amazing view and was open 24 hours a day, justmake sure you don't miss seeing the lift at the bottom of the stairs or you'll have to hike up to the top!
The sun beds were comfy enough and the sun was brilliant, just don't fall asleep! And put on lots of suncream, if you've never been on a cruise before, it may feel cool but trust me your're burning, that sea breeze is evil.
The Lido cafe had the most amazing food i've ever tasted and there was lots to choose from, the pool side cafe was good for lunch and snacks throughout the day and they had friday as BBQ. The swimming pools were a good relief from the sun, and the live bands and entertainment like 2'o clock quiz were good if you liked to take part, they aslo had deck parties on 1 or 2 nigts of each week which were good to go dancing or just watch.
Finally the people who worked on deck 9 whether they worked in blue or green shirts or what times their shifts were, were some of the most amazing, friendly, lovely, funny people i have ever met. I spent a good chunk of my cruise sat on that deck talking and having a laugh with all the wonderful staff on there who by the end kew all of our groups names and i would name you all but there are too many of you! I love you all forever.
I made some lifelong friends on that ship who i will be keeping in contact with and had an excellent time, anyone who goes on this cruise ship please talk to the staff, you'll make some amazing friends and you will definitely have fun, it is a fantastic experience.
Written on: 24/03/2011
I found this review helpful because me and my family myself aged 14 , roemone aged 10 and karlos aged 13 and byron aged 18 and my mum aged 36 and a close family friend tracy aged 37 is going on the cruise ship in 3 days but i want know if i must wear a ball gown for the capitons dinner ? thankyou for this review has helped A LOT ! :)
Written on: 28/12/2010
I am going on Coral Islands cruise from 30 Jan 2011. My friends have just come off the ship on a Canaries cruise and had an inside cabin. We have both been on Celebration and my friends inform me that the cabins are a lot smaller, but kept clean and the staff are great. As it is a special birthday for wife (one with a 0 in it), I have upgraded to De Luxe.
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<br/>Having read the good reviews, I am looking forward to it. Anybody do the submarine cruise in Barbados?
Written on: 29/10/2010
hey dont worry your not in the cabin long enough, were booked on the 9th jan 2011 for two weeks coral island cruise, we as you are 2/3 outside, so long as everything else ie food entertainment excursions and friendly staff are ok then i'll be happy to accept a bit dated cabin.
written by lorrainem on 09/02/2010
This is our third cruise, but had been warned not to expect luxury, so we wern't disappointed. Cabins are small, but not too much of a problem. Staff very helpful and pleasant. Met some lovely people on board, did our own trips which we really enjoyed. Our only complaint is the inconsideration of some passengers, who would use 2 seats to sunbathe, whilst others could not find one! Maybe the staff should address this, but overall enjoyed out time away.
written by on 26/01/2010
Just returned from 2 weeks cruising the Caribbean on Thompson Destiny. Excellent value for money, especially if you have the all inclusive package. All drinks are branded names, no problems with getting served. Fantastic staff always cheerful and extremly helpful. Great entertainment, well done to the entertainment staff.
We didn't do any of the Thomson excursions, at every port there were local excursions at a fraction of the cost of Thompsons.
Yes the cabins are small but provide good wardrobe space. Cabins are cleaned twice a day, towels changed every day including the pool towels that you are able to take ashore as well so no need to take your own.
written by on 05/01/2010
Very impressed with the whole cruise.Great value for money.Happy crew,happy ship.Excellent food at whatever time you wished to eat.Hygiene standards excellent.Have never before been on a cruise where there were no complaints from staff about either salary or hours worked.Destinations were all different and interesting.
The only criticism we heard was the size of the cabins,but really you spent so little time in the cabin that as long as you kept it tidy it was fine.Well done Thomsons.
written by on 27/03/2009
This was our first cruise on Thomson Destiny's Coral Islands and Caribbean gems cruise and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We travelled round the Carribean on the Destiny for two week 22/02/09 - 8/03/09.
The ship is old as people have stated but they have attempted to modernise areas of it. We have nothing to compare it to and thought the whole ambiance was great.
The Restaurant food was excellent and the staff couldn't do enough for you, which makes such a difference. Service with a smile continually.
Entertainment was fantastic, it was like visiting a west end show every night, there's so much effort and professionalism within the entertainment teams.
We really enjoyed the whole itinerary and the Islands we visited.
written by ballen on 18/03/2009
Had a wonderful cruise around the Caribbean on the Destiny 1 -7th March and then a weeks stay at the Palladium in Bavaro Dominican Republic - returned home Monday16th. We have stayed at this hotel three times before and knew we would have a brilliant time, although the entertainment is not as good as on the Destiny - in the Caribbean the entertainment is very different. We have returned home very relaxed. We cannot wait to book the next one - with Thomson of course!
written by scottdavid on 20/02/2009
The Thomson Destiny, Coral Islands and Caribbean gems cruise just exceeded all our expectations. As a group of seven, five of us had cruised before, with two novices! It was great not having to go into the airport in the Dominican as we walked round the side and all boarded coaches (no arrival or departure tax is payable for cruise passengers) There was a delay as the coaches were staggered and with no one to explain why, it seemed to me like some people were getting irriated. However this was apparently done so there was not a queue on the quay side. On board our cases were delivered straight to our cabin.
The ports of call were fantastic with the ship docking straight into the resorts. This meant you could just have a wander and stretch your legs even if you did not want to go on an ordinary tour. I was a bit worried when other reviews had said there were mini van drivers waiting to offer trips, but i needn't have been. All were professional and offered much better value for money than the offical ship trips. We went on an island tour in St Lucia which cost the seven of us 25 dollars each. I'd advise people to be aware of the extras though such as 5 dollars each to go into the volcano and 2 dollars to get close to the waterfalls. Still it was cheaper than the ships tour and he took us where we wanted to go. Barbados - go to the boatyard. You can walk as its not to far from the ship or get a taxi. I didn't go but two from our group did and the pictures were amazing. In st Kitts we went Quad Biking, a tour from the ship. Expensive at 100 pound for two but well worth it. The guide was really good and took us up in the mountains and kept stopping to point out interesting things. Dominica. Walk along the front through the town to the next port - much more refined than where the destiny docked. All the rest of the stops were great except when we came back to the dominican Republic to pick up people for the second week - I thought the place looked like a dump and I certainly didn't feel safe. If you do venture out, there are government guides who will take you on a short tour. They don't ask for money but most seemed to give them about 10 dollars. My advice would be to either go on a ships tour or stop on the ship. Of all the islands we visited l would say St Maarten was all our favourites. When you leave the ship there are water taxis which take you across to the beach and all the shops. It costs 6 dollars and you can go back and too to the ship as many times as you want. Here the prices are the cheapest of all the islands and the shops are amazing. For 5 dollars you also get a sunbed and umbrella and these are looked after whilst you go off and explore. Its just a beautiful place.
The ship.
We were on level 3 and had an outside cabin. I'd recommend to be sure to book your cabin away from the engines as they can be very noisy. We were in cabin 3084 and it was great. The staff are fantasic and certainly added to our enjoyment. The cruise director is suberb and the shows we saw were the best we've ever seen (this is our 5th cruise). The food in the Seven Seas Restaurant could not be bettered and the dining room waiters made the evening meal into such an exiciting event we looked forward to it every night. What a great way to spend a cold and snowy February! - can't wait for the next cruise!
Written on: 01/03/2009
I agree with the comments made re: this cruise. My husband and 4 of our friends went mid January and thoroughly enjoyed the cruise and hoping to go again next January.
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<br/>Unfortunately the flight spoilt the holiday for us. The extra leg room seats which we paid extra for (which were in the middle of the plane (3 seats in a row), they were previously First Choice planes caused more problems than they worth. We were constantly being interrupted by other passengers walking across our feet to the aisles opposite. Also had a horrendous problem with one passenger who turned quite nasty.
Written on: 04/07/2010
great to read an honest review, im going on the Destiny on Boxing Day for 2 weeks around the Carabean, does anyine know if you get Wi-Fi on board, i want to make a Blog with my iphone for the 2 weeks that im away, but dont want to use 3G,as Wi-Fi is FREE. also do you have to wear long trossers at night time "whilst your having a drink etc etc", i understand you have to wear them while you are in the seven seas resturant, but doi need to wear them all night in the bars "i like to wear dress shorts", any other help would be great, thanks Derek [email protected] PS
Written on: 01/06/2010
I found this review very helpful because... we to are going on crise and read some poor reviews on this cruise mainly concerning the ship.
written by Ella Grace on 07/01/2009
The staff were great, efficient and courteous. The entertainment staff were the best we have seen, this was our 4th cruise. Congratulations Thomson they made our 6 days transatlantic crossing enjoyable as there was certainly enough to keep us occupied. Everything about our holiday was really memorable and we loved all the ports of call but the "icing on the cake" was our last stop Catalina Island when they really exceeded any expectations - the organisation was brilliant although we believe this was a "one off" a special extra as the ship was returning to the Caribbean after approx. 7 years. Once again a lovely holiday, definitely one of our best and we've had some super ones. Must also mention the cruise director he is great!!! My only criticism was the size of the cabins - we were on deck 3 and was the smallest cabin we've experienced. However we did not spend much time there and the stewardess was really good and the cleanliness 1st class so not really a big deal. The only other minus point was the luggage handling at both Lisbon and Dominican Republic airports but as this was the first cruise and not really Thomson's fault I feel that this might possibly be addressed for the future. A really special holiday - loved the Caribbean, once again thank-you Thomson for a really well organised holiday.
written by barriedrewitt on 27/12/2008
I loved the Thomson Destiny ship. The staff were great, the food was great and the children had the best holiday ever. Love the smoking policy, same as the UK. No bad points. We have just rebooked to go back on this ship. we loved ever bit of it. Last cruise with this ship was on the MED, now we are on the Carribean cruise, we are very excited to go back.
written by on 25/12/2008
Thomson if you read this do yourself a favour and dump Dominica Republic as the airport cannot handle the amount of people arriving and departing from your cruise the Destiny it was murder all 5 flights delayed because of lack of staff ,and no reps from Thomsons anywhere at the airport. This was so badly organised, we few back to Gatwick 2 hrs delay still refueling plane as we were boarding and only food on board for 100 people
written by virgo on 22/12/2008
Tropical Atlantic cruise on the destiny. First time on this ship. Maybe their biggest, but no where near as nice as the celebration. Staff are much better on the celebration. some on the destiny never smiled. Cabins are small, storage is useless, no where to hang a dress neatly. Thomson have always provided one smoking bar. Now only outside smoking is allowed. The outdoor bar shut at 4pm while we were at sea 6 days. Bad weather and wind made getting a smoke a Artic affair. Once in Carribean it shut at 10pm, so smokers not really catered for. Those of you who are used to their all inclusive package will be surprised to see many of the usual included drinks are now on a extra surcharge. eg baileys, bells, martell ect no longer free and many more. Travelled on the other ships but not be returning to the destiny again. Not as good as the others for service from staff or food. Found some waitresses and waiters lazy although not all. Not as clean as the celebration. Will not cruise with Thomson again due to their smoking policy.
Written on: 01/01/2009
I found this review helpful because.. i am a non smoker and it pleases me to see that thompson are taking a positive stance. i am looking to book a caribean cruise feb 2010 for 9 people ALL NON SMOKERS so this review although it appears negative is quite positive to myself
Written on: 08/01/2010
I found this review very helpful because it explained the smoking areas and rules which I dont like but will have to endure in this occasion. Will be looking elsewhere in future.
Written on: 16/02/2009
I found this review helpful because...it gave good info
Written on: 16/02/2009
Looking forward to cruise even more now it is non-smoking. We will be able to go in the casino -previously a no-go area! Yey!!!
Written on: 08/02/2009
I have booked a Caribbean cruise on the destiny next Feb and how pleased i am they have same no smoking policy. It may seem a bit unfair for the smokers not having a designated place inside to smoke. Well done Thompson
Written on: 06/02/2009
We have booked for the Destiny in March for my birthday so pleased it is no smoking. Went on Spirit last year and found bars awful with the smoke and did not enjoy what was on offer. I have just come back from Dusseldorf where there is smoking in bars still and now have chest infection and bad throat every night from the smoke. There should be a covered area for smokers though as it cannot be pleasant puffing against the wind!
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Blofield's Comment
Written on: 26/10/2010
I found this review very helpful because...at this moment in time having just booked a cruises on the destiny to celebrate our 30th anniversary on the 23-1-11 I'm thinking of cancelling our trip after hearing in so many reviews that it needs a refit urgently' and to hear that decks 2/3 wear Th worst and i now know wear in 2/3 um what do i do?