Thomson Destiny June 11th - Luggage at Airport?

[sc1234]

We have recently received our tickets which state that there is no need to collect your luggage from the carousel at the airport (in our case Palma) as they will be transferred directly to the ship. I have spoken to a few people who have previously travelled on a Thomson's Cruise and they are not aware of this facility. Can anyone confirm this to be the case (excuse the pun!) or should I still ensure my cases are safely loaded on to the coach?

[john_l]

We have recently received our tickets which state that there is no need to collect your luggage from the carousel at the airport (in our case Palma) as they will be transferred directly to the ship. I have spoken to a few people who have previously travelled on a Thomson's Cruise and they are not aware of this facility. Can anyone confirm this to be the case (excuse the pun!) or should I still ensure my cases are safely loaded on to the coach?

 

 

I have never heard of this on any previous cruise. We have always had to collect our luggage from the carousel and take it to the coach ourselves. At the ship you then are given labels with your cabin number on to stick on your cases and these are then sent to your cabin a hour or so later.

[Silver smurfer]

In the good old days before 9/11 etc. you were given your cabin labels at the airport this end to put on your cases and you never saw them again until they arrived outside of your cabin. It was especially lovely at Palma as the walk through that airport is a marathon length!

 

However, the increased security requirements have meant that you now have to go to the carousel to reclaim your luggage and take it to the Thomson reception desk where you collect your cabin labels affix them and take your luggage to the coach. At Palma, last time we did not need to "unload " the coach the luggage went direct, however at both Corfu and Thessaloniki recently we had to take the luggage from coach to quayside.

 

If Thomsons have gone back to handling your luggage then great - says he with a bad back and hernia.

 

Bon voyage and enjoy

 

Silver

[supered]

This wasn't the case at Tenerife in November 2007 but I would go with what it says on the tickets as sounds like a new system (and a very good one at that).

 

Have a great cruise.

 

Eddie

[MrsBroon]

We were told by our agent that we would check our bags in at Edinburgh and not see them again until our cabin so on arrival at Plama we strolled past the carousels and went out to the rep who then informed us we DID need to collect our bags so my husband had to go back through security and get them himself. There were lots of irate travellers that day so they should really be making it much more clear on the ticket book that is sent out.

 

To confirm you must collect your cases at Palma.

 

MrsBroon

[kruzseeka]

This was the procedure at La Romana for cruises in the Caribbean - as confirmed by other posters, Palma, Tenerife, Corfu we've always had to re-claim our luggage. But you will be able to confirm when you check-in and Thomson staff at Palma will be around so you can make sure you're doing the right thing. It is extremely convenient though when they use this arrangement - it makes the transfer very quick.

 

I wonder whether it depends on whether the plane is carrying Thomson cruise/package holiday passengers only. If there are other passengers on the plane who are independent 'flight-only' travellers it would perhaps be more difficult for Thomson to 'sort' the luggage at the airport of arrival. It must be easier for them too if the luggage can go directly to the ship, so there must be some reason why they don't do it on all their flights.

[groundman]

we are going on the 11 june too and our tickets say that we dont need to wait for cases. at palma .anyone have the latest info. thanks.

[steelerannie]

We are going on 18th June and it doesn't say anything on our tickets about not collecting the luggage at the airport.

[kruzseeka]

Perhaps it makes a difference which airport you depart from. :confused:

[groundman]

were flying from newcastle .anyone else got tickets that say you dont need to get your cases .confused:confused:

[steelerannie]

Just had a quick chat with our TA and she wasn't aware of any new rules regarding luggage either

 

BTW we are flying from Doncaster if that makes a difference?

 

Ann

[steelerannie]

were flying from newcastle .anyone else got tickets that say you dont need to get your cases .confused:confused:

 

Where does it say on the tickets you don't need to get your cases. I will have another look and check what it says on ours!!

 

Ann

[sc1234]

All, thank you so much for all the replies, but have to be honest, I am now even more confused (not difficult!). Re the page in the ticket booklet, page 23 (Arriving onboard) has the following paragraph.

 

Once you have cleared customs at the airport, a Thomson's Cruises representative will direct you to a nearby coach for transferto the port. On arrival at the port you will be issued with a welcome envelope etc etc....

 

Your luggage will be unloaded from the aircraft and taken directly to the ship. This means you will not have to collect it from the carousel. The ship's porters will then arrange for it to be delivered to your cabin. Special luggage labels will be provided at your UK airport. You should label your luggage and then check it in as normal and we'll take care of the rest.

 

I am going to call Thomson's tomorrow to double check, or I will be the one wearing jeans (and the same teashirt) in the restaurant for a week

[steelerannie]

What we've had to do in the past is this:

 

Pick up cases at airport

Report to rep at airport - who will direct you to the correct coach

At the ship a rep will get on and explain what will happen (usually it's getting off the coach, collecting an envelope with your name on, that's got your sticky cabin labels on)

Stick labels onto case

Walk through and get your photo took for your cruise card

Cases will arrive later in your cabin

 

Then..... you will get ambushed by the ship's photographer!!! If like us you've got to be at the airport by 4.15 a.m., the last thing you will want is a photo taking!!!

 

Ann

[kruzseeka]

All, thank you so much for all the replies, but have to be honest, I am now even more confused (not difficult!). Re the page in the ticket booklet, page 23 (Arriving onboard) has the following paragraph.

 

Once you have cleared customs at the airport, a Thomson's Cruises representative will direct you to a nearby coach for transferto the port. On arrival at the port you will be issued with a welcome envelope etc etc....

 

Your luggage will be unloaded from the aircraft and taken directly to the ship. This means you will not have to collect it from the carousel. The ship's porters will then arrange for it to be delivered to your cabin. Special luggage labels will be provided at your UK airport. You should label your luggage and then check it in as normal and we'll take care of the rest.

 

I am going to call Thomson's tomorrow to double check, or I will be the one wearing jeans (and the same teashirt) in the restaurant for a week

 

This is exactly what happened when we went to the Caribbean. At our local airport at the check-in queue, a Thomson rep approached all passengers asking if they were going on the Destiny. She then gave us an envelope with our name on in which were luggage labels already printed with our cabin number. We were asked to tie them onto our cases. After we'd checked-in our hold luggage, we never saw it again until it appeared at our cabin door onboard. At La Romana, cruise passengers were asked to leave the plane first and we were directed via a side gate to the waiting buses and taken to the port. We didn't even go into the airport buildings!

 

It might not be quite so easy at Palma which is a big airport in comparison, but not having to collect your cases is a bonus!

 

I suspect if it isn't in your ticket booklet, that they can't use this system on some flights (as I suggested before, perhaps to do with the 'mix' of passengers on some departures.) If you have got this arrangement on your flight though, it is certainly much better!

[bilty]

Just got back from the Destiny yesterday and we had to collect our luggage from the airport in Palma, had to put it onto the coach and once we reached the ship, we checked in and was given our cabin number, which we then had to find our suitcases which were on the dock side and stick a label on then with the cabin number, these were then taken into our cabins for us. It was all straght forward once we were told what to do, but like many our tickets told us that the suitcases would be taken directly onto the ship. Did speak to a Thomson rep at the airport who admitted they had made a mistake when printing the tickets!! Hope this helps.

[sc1234]

Thank You Bilty. I have just called Thomson's and they have also confirmed that we will need to pick up and take our luggage to the coach.

 

As this is my first cruise, the nerves are starting to kick in. Hopefully I will be enjoying my first day at sea next week at this time, and not suffering from the dreaded 'Mal de Mer'

[jimb98]

We're off on the 11th June. Just rang Thomson and they confirmed we would have to collect luggage and take to coach, very disappointing.

I also had recently rang them to arrange dinner sitting. They claimed first sitting was already full and only 10 places left on second sitting.

What happens after the next 8 people?

[john_l]

We're off on the 11th June. Just rang Thomson and they confirmed we would have to collect luggage and take to coach, very disappointing.

I also had recently rang them to arrange dinner sitting. They claimed first sitting was already full and only 10 places left on second sitting.

What happens after the next 8 people?

 

You should be able to change when you get on board. Loads of people who have 1st sitting will want 2nd and vice versa. Thats my only criticism of the destiny: fixed dining.

[k8ti]

I have just returned from our trip on the Destiny. We also read on the tickets that cases would be taken from the airport, however whilst on the plain the air steward said that we should collect our own cases. It was no problem and at least you know your case has arrived with you. When we got to the ship a crew member gave you a envolope with stickers in. This was your cabin number. You put them on your case and within two hours they arrivr outside your room. A very smooth process.