Sun Princess – 3/20/2004 Sailing – Long…very long! - 2nd attempt

Posted this just before the boards crashed...since we don't have any idea when they'll be back up, I thought I'd post again.

I just returned last night from 10 glorious days aboard Sun Princess. As I mentioned on my comment card at the end of the cruise, people constantly suggest that I should try other cruise lines, but after each experience with Princess, I am convinced that it is “…where I belong…â€

I flew into Ft. Lauderdale the evening of March 19th. I was to overnight at the Best Western Inn and Yacht Harbor. The price was quite inexpensive and they offered free shuttle from the airport to the Inn and then to the pier the next morning. Well, all I can say is you get what you pay for. The transfer from the airport to Inn broke down and those of us on it spent 45 minutes by the side of the road before a spare vehicle could be sent for us. The Inn – although given four stars by AAA – is not much more than a four-story Motel 6. There was a nice pool area and my room did – if you went out the front door – overlook the harbor. In fact I was greeted by a view of Golden Princess in the morning. The shuttle to Sun Princess the next day was 45 minutes late. For one night, I survived, but I wouldn’t choose that location again.

Hoping my Best Western experience wasn’t an omen of things to come, I arrived at the pier the next day at about noon. There had been a delay in the disembarkation of the previous cruise, so there was a line outside the terminal when I arrived. By the time I had gathered my bags and turned them over to the porter, the line had been absorbed by the building. As usual with Princess, check in was a breeze (I’ve never experienced a line at Platinum Check-In). The line to get through security was a little lengthy – all of those people were now trying to get through the screening – so it took about 15 minutes to get from check in to the ship. Hardly damaging.

I quickly checked out my stateroom – Aloha 418, perfect – and proceeded directly to the Lotus Spa for appointments. I got there before the first tour began and was able to get the days, times, treatments and therapists that I wanted with no trouble. They obviously recognized that I’d “done this before†so it was easy to communicate what I wanted.

I posted a couple of times while on board – by the way, there are only five terminals in the Business Center on Deck 12, but you can check out laptops from the Purser’s desk. No comments about speed of connection – for the most part it was good considering we were working through a satellite hook up while in the middle of the Caribbean. Expecting broadband speed is expecting too much, I think.

Anyway, as I posted before, if I didn’t know that Sun Princess was almost 10 years old, I’d think she was a brand new ship. Princess takes excellent care of their hardware and Sun Princess is no exception. I did not see a spot of worn rug, chipped or un-polished marble, dirt or disrepair anywhere. Interiors and exteriors were all in excellent repair. They were replacing the rugs in the hallways on Aloha deck – the only difference I noticed was the “worn†sections were a little less vibrant in color than the new sections.

I think the Sun Class design is exceptional and wish that Princess would repeat it (or steal back Oceana - which as a tease we saw in St. Thomas - and Adonia from P&O) and Sun Princess continues to uphold that premise. There were over 2000 passengers and I didn’t once see an area overcrowded – even during organized parties. The atrium is gorgeous, and all the public rooms immaculate. Even with all that, taste is a personal thing. Sun Princess is a ship of understated interior design – if you’re looking for something Las Vegas-flashy, this is the wrong ship for you.

One thing I did notice that is new – signs asking that lounge chairs not be saved. This is also mentioned in the Patter, "as a COURTESY to other passengers" – along with a warning that unattended pool towels would be removed. Well, many passengers on board weren’t very courteous…I talked to a couple of people who couldn’t get loungers because their invisible “owners†had left towels behind. The frustrating thing is that Princess is TOO courteous. They should remove the offending towels as they say they will.

After having a mini-suite on both Star and Pacific Princess, my first thought in the standard cabin was – it’s SMALL! Of course, once getting settled, it was very efficient and functional, but that first impression was a little disarming. Sun and Dawn Princess do have standard cabins on the small side, but even if you enjoy staying in your cabin, I think it very functional. I tended to spend late mornings out on my balcony reading…very nice. There was some noise from the Riviera deck above – where the pools are located – I could hear lounge chairs being moved and music from the pool area, but it wasn’t so disruptive that sleep was disturbed. I also had an issue with the shower in that I could not get hot water – the control could not be adjusted. I reported it to my room steward in the morning and it was fixed by the afternoon. Excellent service.

One feature of Aloha deck is that from sunrise to sunset, you have access to the forward observation deck. Well, you have access if it isn’t too windy up there – otherwise, hold on. This is a quiet area that most passengers don’t frequent. I went up there a couple of times for pictures and found myself alone…except that the bridge is directly above. I believe there is similar access to the forward deck on Baja deck as well.

Food on board was standard Princess fare – and I thought prepared and presented well. While it is not exclusively gourmet, it certainly holds its own with some upscale land based restaurants. And where else can you have as many portions as you’d like – or send back anything you don't like and get something else – without additional charge or effort? Outstanding entrees were Beef Wellington, Risotto, Pork Normand, Onion Soup and Rack of Lamb and of course those desserts were difficult to pass up. The dessert soufflés were outstanding. And surprisingly, one of the best entrees I had was the always-available Grilled Chicken Breast Supreme. At my table sat two couples who had cruised Celebrity before, and they were consistently dissatisfied with the food. I’ve never tried Celebrity, so I can’t comment on that. I do know that personally, I was satisfied at the end of every meal. I might have made better choices one or two nights, but the choices were my issue, not the galley’s.

Traditional Dining is alive and well on Sun Princess. The Dining room was full at the beginning of the cruise and the population didn’t drop off at all by the end. One thing I noticed is the dress code for the dining room during the evening – stating no shorts are allowed – is posted with the menu each day. I didn’t see any short-wearers in the dining rooms. I didn’t check to see what it said for the formal evenings.

The service at our table could have been a little more efficient. We were always close to the last table out of the dining room – often times taking two and a half hours to get through. The Assistant Waiter was new in the dining room and didn’t seem to be getting much direction from the Waiter. The Head Waiter was watching the entire time. I’m sure the Assistant will be getting some pointers before the next cruise. Adding to the inefficiency was the fact we were a table of 8 and three at the table were constantly asking for special orders. They’d mix and match their entrée items – one vegetable from this, one meat from that, one potato from something else – so that the galley had to create special plates for them. I’m sure this added to the lack of efficiency. Overall, it didn’t spoil the dining experience – we had good conversation and it was nice to sit and enjoy a meal rather than rush through it. The downside for me was that I often missed the beginning of the 10:30 shows.

Moving on to entertainment, I thought it had its good points and less than good points. Excellent were the production shows – the dancers were hard working and executed their routines well, the lead male singer (Todd Honeycutt) was absolutely excellent, while is partner (sorry, don’t have her name) was a little strident in her presentation. Never the less, the production shows received, as well they should, standing ovations. Some of the “headline†entertainment was good – namely Damon Tuck, a classical guitarist who also does comedy bits – another standing ovation. There was another entertainer who’s name I don’t remember but who is billed as “direct from Broadway.†She was, but I think presentation on a Broadway stage and as a headliner should be a little different. She’d be great in a Broadway show, but as an headliner, was a little too much. Of course opinions on entertainment are very personal and what I found to be excellent, others may not like. Even when standing ovations were achieved, some passengers could be seen leaving the shows before they concluded.

I thought the Cruise Staff did an excellent job with their end of the entertainment as well. Janet Edwards was the Cruise Director – a couple of people I talked to thought she was a little too strident and over the top, but I thought she was fine. She’s got a great sense of humor…and besides, she’s from Pleasant Hill . Her staff threw one of the best Island Night and Champagne Waterfall parties I’ve been to. They were very adept at getting a lot of participation from the passengers and both parties went on for hours.

The formal nights were well attended. I only saw a few passengers who didn’t dress in some sort of “formal†attire, although some were really dressed in semi-formal. Most all of those who did dress were still dressed at the end of the evening. The percentage of tuxes to suits? Who knows? I’d guess about 50-50, although the majority of the ladies were dressed quite formally. What’s wrong with the guys? It’s no more difficult to put on a tux than a suit…?

We had a couple of non-traditional events. During crew drills in Curacao, the power was completely shut down – except for Horizon Court – which made it interesting to see what a real power failure would be like. Then on the last day at sea, we had a medical evacuation by helicopter…as the Head Waiter told us that night, “see, we take care of you. You have no worries!â€

There was evidence of Norwalk Virus on the previous two cruises, however not at a level that would be considered a real outbreak and certainly not reportable to the CDC. Princess has a process in place to stop outbreaks before they happen and they put that into action and it was successful. Hand sanitizers were available at Horizon Court, food was served to you and bread was not put on the table in the dining room – it was served to you as well. As the cruise progressed an no cases of Norwalk were reported, we were able to serve ourselves at Horizon Court – a mixed blessing as I enjoyed being served – and bread was back on the table. The room steward gave us a letter upon our first meeting at embarkation, which explained the virus, how you get it, how you prevent it and what to do if you have symptoms. There are also the placards all over the ship explaining the proper hand washing procedures. So why is it so many passengers still don’t go near a sink when they use the bathroom??

The ports? Well, it rained at Princess Cays and St. Thomas. Dominica and Isla Margarita I only saw from the ship – I know, but I enjoy the ship and didn’t find anything interesting to do in these ports, so I had massages instead…which were excellent by the way. Barbados was very pretty and Curacao was probably the best stop – clean and friendly. Sorry I don’t have more on the ports…but my objective for a cruise is to be on the ship, not to take advantage of the ports of call. If we happen to hit one where there’s something I want to do – then all the better.

To summarize this lengthy diatribe, Princess is obviously doing something right – there were over 1000 Captain’s Circle members on board, 36 of them having Elite status, 259 of them with Platinum status. Some of the old details are missing – one of my table mates and I were lamenting the passing of Cherries Jubilee, Crepes and pastas prepared tableside in the dining room – but given the low base price, how can one argue? I’d like to see that price come up a little and have some of that detail back – along with ships in the Sun Class size, which given their smaller scale, would require a little higher per diem to keep profitable. But I still think that Princess offers an excellent, well presented cruise vacation. Sun Princess is a shining example of everything they do right.

Questions? Let me know...

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Sun Princess, 03/2004; Pacific Princess, 07/2003; Star Princess, 05/2003; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Sun Princess, 05/2001; Sun Princess, 04/2001; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Regal Princess, 10/1999; Sun Princess, 08/1998; Holiday, 05/1998; Westerdam, 09/1997; Regal Princess, 11/1996; Royal Odyssey, 09/1995; Starward, 11/1993

Thanks for the review!

Happy Cruising

Chris

www.LifeIsCruising.com

Next up:

Caribbean Princess 06/04

Star Princess 10/04

Carnival Spirit 12/04

You're welcome!!

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Sun Princess, 03/2004; Pacific Princess, 07/2003; Star Princess, 05/2003; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Sun Princess, 05/2001; Sun Princess, 04/2001; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Regal Princess, 10/1999; Sun Princess, 08/1998; Holiday, 05/1998; Westerdam, 09/1997; Regal Princess, 11/1996; Royal Odyssey, 09/1995; Starward, 11/1993

Thanks for the great review. We leave Thursday on the SUn and have sailed her before. I can't wait. Question. Is there a charge to use a laptop from the purser's desk as opposed to using the business center? We are Platinum level. Thanks, glad you had such a good trip.

Your review made it to my computer before the crash - and it is very informative. We leave in 6 weeks-Thanks!

CCL Holiday 2000

CCL Elation 2001

CCL Pride 2002

CCL Ecstacy 2003

RCL AOS 2003

Sun Princess May 14 2004!!

Today I booked a 10 night Eastern caribbean on the Sun, departing 12/2/04. Your review has me that much more excited!!! Thanks for taking the time to post your experience. It sounds like you had a great time.

Single and Croozin'

Carnival 10/87

NCL 4/93

NCL 4/95

Costa 5/97

RC Majesty of the Seas 11/03

Golden Princess 3/04

Sun Princess 12/2/04

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Is there a charge to use a laptop from the purser's desk as opposed to using the business center? We are Platinum level. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>There is no charge for internet access for Platinum members - whether its at the Business Center or checking out a laptop.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> We leave in 6 weeks-Thanks! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I'm jealous...something about Sun Princess. When I leave a ship to go home, I'm usually ready, but I have a hard time leaving Sun Princess. Maybe because she's like home to me!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> It sounds like you had a great time.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Absolutely a great time! You'll enjoy yourself too...

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Sun Princess, 03/2004; Pacific Princess, 07/2003; Star Princess, 05/2003; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Sun Princess, 05/2001; Sun Princess, 04/2001; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Regal Princess, 10/1999; Sun Princess, 08/1998; Holiday, 05/1998; Westerdam, 09/1997; Regal Princess, 11/1996; Royal Odyssey, 09/1995; Starward, 11/1993

Your review brought back very good memories from our recently completed cruise. Sorry you didn't join in our Roll Call and join our group for tea on the first sea day--we were a group of ten for that gathering.

The entertainment I enjoyed the most was the comedy of Glenn Hirsch--he had me in stitches for his performances.

I'd also like to mention Milan and Theresa of the cruise staff--they were a hoot! I really think Milan would make a great cruise director some day if he continues sailing with Princess.

Sun Princess 3/04

Coral Princess 3/03

Ocean Princess 3/02

Regal Princess 2/99

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Sorry you didn't join in our Roll Call and join our group for tea on the first sea day--we were a group of ten for that gathering.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I've been blasted on this board enough so that those kinds of gatherings make me a little nervous.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> The entertainment I enjoyed the most was the comedy of Glenn Hirsch--he had me in stitches for his performances. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I'll defer to you on that one...I don't particularly enjoy stand up comedy, so only caught part of his show.

And you're right - the cruise staff was great, especially Brett and Theresa...their drug test bit at the Real Live Wooden Horseracing final cracked me up.

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Sun Princess, 03/2004; Pacific Princess, 07/2003; Star Princess, 05/2003; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Sun Princess, 05/2001; Sun Princess, 04/2001; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Regal Princess, 10/1999; Sun Princess, 08/1998; Holiday, 05/1998; Westerdam, 09/1997; Regal Princess, 11/1996; Royal Odyssey, 09/1995; Starward, 11/1993

I have a quest. How nice is the Sun Princess compared to the grand class ships? I have only been on the old Pacific Princess-loved the food and entertainment but was disapointed in the staterooms, no jacuzzi etc. Being a 30 year old ship she did not have the nicer things. I see Sun Princess has only balconies with suites but I was wondering if the staterooms were nice and if there were any jacuzzis.

We were on the Sun in May and saw 2 or 3 jacuzzis. Even though it was still very cool weather, they were being used frequently. This is a terrific ship - very classy and elegant. Have a great time!

I see Sun Princess has only balconies with suites but I was wondering if the staterooms were nice and if there were any jacuzzis.

And speaking of jacuzzis, the minis and suites have them.

The stateroom amenities mentioned put these ships far above the Grand Class - and there's about 900 fewer passengers. If I had a choice, Grand or Sun, I'd pick Sun Class every time.

By the way, the original review was written by me - it says "Guest" because all of my previous postings were wiped out when the new boards came online... :rolleyes:

The reason I thought balconies were only if you had a suite or a mini was when pricing the Sun against the Golden. Golden has balconies more affordabe then the Sun but Sun is much more affordable on the standard inside cabin or ocean view even though it is a 10 day cruise instead of a 7 day. So I assumed that meant that the Sun did not have balconies for just standard rooms.

We are not poor but not wealthy either. We love it when we can book an balcony for just a little more then a standard oceanview but if we go for the mini suite that means we can afford to cruise only every 2 years instead of every 8 or 9 months as we do now.

Anyway we may just go for the 7 day cruise and get a balcony I guess. Thanks for the information.