Going on our first cruise in June on the Destiny around the Med. Having just returned from Gran Canaria where we had to wear jackets in the evening we were hoping to wear short sleeves ( me ) and strappy tops ( wife ). However I've just read a post claiming it gets chilly in the lounges with the air con. Are all the lounges, theatres & bars affected? I know air con is a boon when it's hot but I can't for the life of me understand why some places have to make it positively freezing during the evening. It makes me want to go back to sitting outside a Greek taverna in the balmy evenings.

Please tell me there's somewhere onboard where it's not freezing.

Cheers,

Jim

Hi Paul,
We were on the Destiny last year. I have last years bar menu in front of me.
Pint Lager - 2.45
Bottled Lager - 2.10
Breezers - 2.50
Whiskeys - 2.55
Glass of wine - 2.20
Bottle of wine - 9.75
Minerals - 1.05
Bottled Water - 0.80
Gin - 2.55
Mixers - 1.20
Irish Coffees selection - 1.25
Can work out quite expensive if your like your G+T's like me.
If you want a copy of this, PM me and give me your email adress.
I can pdh a copy to you. Unfortunatley the file is too big to put on this forum.
Have fun in the sun matie

Colin B - Northern Ireland

Err... .Take warm jumpers or a shawl for the evenings. I am a chilly mortal and it made me quite miserable to feel so cold in the evenings.

colinbredin wrote:

.
If you want a copy of this, PM me and give me your email adress.
I can pdh a copy to you.
Colin B - Northern Ireland

Unfortunately Paul is a new member and doesn't have enough posts to instigate a PM. However if you send one to him he will be able to reply.

luci

Hi, Just a quick question, im going on the destiny in march 2010 for my honeymoon then staying for a week in the dominican republic. I am in cabin 6001 and just wondered what this cabin was like?? does it have a double bed?? Would appreciate any replies. Thanks

Just back from a week on the destiny ,Coral Islands

was fab ! we loved every second of it

i have prices and details of drinks and excursions etc if anyone wants them,
we had the free all inc upgrade which was fab ,esp with having 2 children

in regards to the chilly evenings,i am always cold ! lol and was ok but i did wear long linen trousers most evenings, with a dressy top ( sometimes a light tunic / top over)

Blakes was our fave watering hole and that was quite cool ( lovely in the day time!) but their hot choc is lovely so would warm up with one or a few of those!

the food was fab ( IMO ) but some people still moaning " the same old "junk" ( but not so mild!) @ breakfast " being one i heard?!!

the brekkie was fab ! anything you could possibly want and good quality

staff were fab,will really miss our waiter and "tall guy" ( as my boys called him)maitre de Adrian

kidszone staff were fab with our boys,they loved going there and we used it far more often that we expected to! ( think they liked the break from us, as much as we liked it from them!)

wasnt sure about the whole "sharing tables" thing @ mealtime ! BUT we met some lovely lovely couples,one of which lives in our town lol and it was a good laugh in the evenings ( loved the atmosphere @ dinner )

all in all a fab holiday and this being our first cruise,i think we are hooked!

xx

Hi Rachie B
We are going on the Destiny next month (April) for a week preceeded by a week in Dom Rep. Any info you can give would be most welcome, like what type of electricity sockets they have and what is the most acceptable currency on the boat. Any useful tips when aboard would also help.
We are staying at Dreams resort first, going from Gatwick (on 6th) and then onto Destiny (deck 9), coming back on 20th. We have also got the AI option on the boat.

.... like what type of electricity sockets they have and what is the most acceptable currency on the boat.....

Hi

it's a 2 pin socket in the cabins
we took a UK 4 plug adaptor thingy aswell,and used that

we were told that most UK items,chargers,hair appliances etc wouldnt work properly in the cabin

but we found them fine.we charged DS lites and camera battery, and i used my straighteners no problem
some people were using the sockets in the hallways,to do their hair etc! as they worked better apparently

they use GBP sterling ,onboard ( or US dollars which they change i think)
when you arrive they will take a credit or debit card number
( NB as of Dec 08 you cannot use maestro card ! as we found out when we got there ! )
then everything you buy is charged to your onboard card / account
and the money is taken from the card you gave,once midweek i think, and then at the end of your stay

this worked really well,as you never had to carry cash / cards on you

the only place we would take out US dollars from an ATM was Tortola,all other places it was local currency

oh and if you havent already done so ,when you arrive you can choose early dinner sitting 6.30pm or late 8.30pm
i would advise the earlier one to be honest

people on the late sitting were saying it was too late really to eat a 5 course meal! as they werent finishing til 10pm ( i was ready for bed then lol,the sun and the time difference really whacked us out!)

and of course some of the evening entertainment has already begun by then

HTH

hi rachie is it dollars all over the different islands in the caribeann??

US dollars were accepted everywhere, yes

Hi Rachie B
I am travelling on caribbean gems on 5th april. We are all inclusive on board and we are going to do our own thing on shore. I was just wondering what the cost of drinks and snacks on shore was like as i cant make up my mind how much dollars to take for the week. It is only going to be used for the odd taxi / drinks as we just want to wander on our own accord.
thanx.

Hi

to be honest we just used to take bottles of water from the ship ( 75p per bottle on AI ) to take with us on excursions etc

we did buy the odd fruit juice on the beaches, and this was 2 dollars a glass if i remember rightly

We only ate onboard,so cannot help with food / snacks costs i'm afraid.

HTH

xx

Why dont they take a maestro card anymore. I havent heard this and have always used my maestro card. Did they give you a reason. I have just phoned Thomson and they have assured me they definately do take switch!!!!!! Dont know whats going on.

not sure exactly why but some "problems" with maestro apparently ?

we were really peeved as we booked using a maestro ( thats the only card we have ! ) and so thought we would be able to use it onboard ( and indeed we could have if before dec lol)

was a bit of a pain !!! but they were very nice about it

what we had to do was ,take out USD in tortola ( we had some USD on us ,but not enough to cover our onboard account which was our excursions etc ) and then the rest we paid upon our return ( hubby had to sign a promiseary ( sp?) note

I am still angry at them not taking maestro anymore especially when I phoned TA after I saw your post and she after phoning head office assured me they did still take it. I then phoned head office myself and quoted everything you had said and told them you were only on the cruise last week. She said she would have to fax the ship and get back to me but was 99% sure they still took it and hadn't been notified otherwise. Said they will be in touch in a day or two. I wont hold my breath. I shudder to think what would have happened If I had not read your post. Really annoyed with Thomson and still haven't recieved my tickets, going a week on Sunday.

glad i could help, but sorry to be bearer of bad news

( you are able to pay all in cash if you want / or dont have another card like us ! you just have to leave a deposit on first day )

why have they not got your tickets yet?!

xx

Hi All

I have also after reading this thread, contacted Thomson about the issue with Maestro cards.

After phoning head office, they confirmed that I could not use it, only cash, travellers cheques or credit card.

When I explained the security element of carrying cash, she advised of travellers cheques or credit card.
When I mentioned that they charge an additional 2% and 2.5% for these options, and that they were doing this to inflate the prices by at least a further 2%, she agreed. Not very customer friendly but at least honest I guess...

I have the orginal brochure that I booked with and I have found the part about 'on board' credit it clearly states that Maestro is accepted. I thought this may have changed in the current brochure, so downloaded a copy of this to check. It says the same thing. Maestro accepted.

Not very happy, I contacted the shop that I booked with and asked them the same. The lady there was more helpful and said that as far as she was aware it was still accepted and she was checking and would get back to me. Still waiting.....
As far as I am concerned unless it states the amendment on the tickets I will be boarding the ship with a copy of my terms and conditions and will insist they accept my Maestro card...

God only knows what would have happened, had I not read the thread, thanks again....

glad i could help
and so you guys don't have the same surprise as us when you get there !

they will NOT take it,you will have to do what we did ,if you don't have any other card to use

luckily our onboard account wasnt that much ( we had a free AI upgrade ,so was only bottles of water,and excursions really )

xx

Hi yorkshire lynne. I have used my maestro on the Destiny previously with no problem, but after rachie b's warning I phoned Thomson's head office and they have e-mailed me a letter to take with me saying I enquired before the holiday and was told the Destiny does take it. Don't get me wrong my friends are taking their credit card and if there is any problem I will have back up. Its as if they are all singing from a different hymn sheet. I am going on the 15th of this month and believe me, I hope they do take it as I have had no written or verbal warning from them telling me otherwise and if they don't I will be seriously hacked off and let them know about it.!!!! Like you without reading this link would have been setting off in all ignorance.