Val, this is Rick. My wife Jeannie and I will be on the Destiny, the week of September 21st through the 27th. Our cruise after dry dock is the first one from Miami. It is scheduled 6 days to Key West, Grand Cayman and Jamaica! Think after that cruise the normal length from there is gonna be 5, but could be more too! The one we are on was the only one 6 days or more when we booked! 2 Months to go Cant wait! :o) Have a Nice Cruise when ya go! Will post here what the changes were and how everything was when I get back! Take Care all!

     My  pvp mentioned the words "water slide" when she was going over what was

   being done with the refurbishing. She did not elaborate on it and I haven't heard

  anybody else mention this , so I am curious to know.

No The waterworks are not going to be added to this class of ship. The Waterworks are only going on the Imagination, Inspiration, Fantasy, Ecstasy, Sensation, Fascination, Elation, and Paradise. Right now the ships that are completed are the Imagination and the Inspiration. I beleive the Fantasy is going into dry dock here shortly and will be the next to get this added.

My husband and I (and two sons 7&8) are looking for the right 5-day April 09 cruise and it looks like the Destiny out of Miami (Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk/Turks & Caicos, Nassau) is our best bet.  We are however getting overwhelmed with the mixed reviews and now are looking at the Victory as well.  7 days seems too much time away & in ONE cabin (arg!)  Would you recommend the Destiny?  We are not seasoned cruisers and are really doing this for the kids.  We just don't want to make a $5K mistake.

The Victory is a great ship. I guess it just depends if you want to be on a different island every day. That itinerary does not have any days at sea. I have toured the Victory and I like this ship. It is an Americana theme and it looks great. I would love to do this itinerary. Though this is going to cost you more since you need to get air to San Juan.

The Destiny is also a great ship. By the time that you are looking at going it will be all finished with the upgrades. I am looking forward to this itinerary because it will be more laid back since you have just 3 ports and a day at sea. My Carnival Rep went on this ship during spring break and it was doing the itinerary that the Victory is doing now and she had a great time on it. Said the ship is looking great even though she is an older ship.

Let me know what you decide on doing.

The Carnival Destiny is Scheduled for Dry Dock in Sept 2008 for a few weeks, where it will be totally refurbished.  Rooms will be totally refurbished as well as additional amenities added to ship.

I'll know once it's dry docked, because that's when the list of what's being done will be released.

Tanya 

I was told by a Carnival employee that the Destiny IS NOT getting the new Water Works when the ship dry docks in September. I am not sure why not, but that is the way the cookie crumbles....

What exactly is the "Water Works"?  Is it the big slide, or something more?  Because on the deck plans for Destiny, there is already a slide.  Anybody got info on this?  Thanks!

Water Works is an interactive Water Park, not just one big slide like the Destiny has. There are several slides and other areas with water attractions. Other ships have been refurbished and had Water Works added, Destiny is not one of them unfortunately.

Be sure and tell us about the Destiny after your cruise.  Let us know about the cruise director, food, staterooms everything!  Reading some reviews, I feel like I'm taking a real chance cruising on this ship.

Thanks 

We sailed on the destiny on 10/30/08.  You would think refurbishing would include painting and fixing the rust, the mold in the showers, the tile on Lido, and making sure the elevators work.  Evidently not.

We sailed on the Destiny Oct. 6 - GREAT ship & crew. You will love it.

Wonderful food,superb service,COMFY rooms. Go,relax & enjoy.......

Lisa, being as you just got off the ship, I have a question.  When they did work in the bathrooms did they add those lovely little mirrors that telescope out and magnify on one side so that 40+ers like me can see to put on make up?

Just call me Vanity Smurf!!!!!!

Being a 55+ I don't remember a vanity mirror. I got the "miracle" surgery last year & can actually see............it's amazing. If I were you I'd get an inexpensive one & take it along with you so you can be really cute at dinner.....& for those photos that last forever.

I just got off this past Monday, 10/30 cruise.  I really looked forward to this cruise with the ship being "refurbished" and all.  We were taking my in-laws and children on there first cruise.  My wife and I have cruised Carnival twice (Inspiration) before and have bragged about Carnival .  Unfortunatly we were a little embarassed when we arrived.  The embarkation process was chaos. The staff at one point would say one thing and at the next they would say the opposite.  My father-in-law ( first time cruiser) immediatley noticed the rust on the outside and said that doesn't look right.  As said  earlier in this post the elevators worked inconsistantly.  Our shower had mold throughout.  Our first morning neither our cabin or my sons or my inlaws had hot water and it was inconsistant throughout the cruise.  The maintenance in the cabins was fair. Rough patching of the walls.

There were "pot holes" in the carpet that we had to warn my mother-in law about so she would not trip. I was on the riveria deck ,lower aft, and sometimes our room would vibrate when under way. It may have been the location, so I have learned somthing about cabin location.

I would not say it was a bad cruise, but it did not meet our expectations and was embarrassing. I will cruise Carnival again, but this ship will not be on our perfered list. I do realize refurbishing a ship this size would take longer than a few weeks.

The staff was good and the cruise  director was great and halarious.