Sea/Sun/Dawn all doing Grand Voyages (2013)

[CruiseAdict218]

This is just for those who are curious: http://www.princess.com/find/searchResults.do?time=120&trade=W&ship=&duration=&port=&date=&order=&filterBy=&tourdur=&ppax=&meta=B&resType=C&bID=PCPB&pageOffset=

 

Dawn Princess ~ Grand Voyage to Europe - 90 Days

 

Sun Princess ~ Circle the Pacific - 75 Days

 

Sea Princess ~ World Cruise - 104 Days

[Kiwi Kruzer]

The Circle Pacific looks great.

You can also do segments of that cruise.

Wouldn't it be neat if Princess had 2 ships just constantly circling the Pacific.

You could cruise on one , hop off for a holiday /tour

then sail back on the other one....

 

Just like Matson used to do.:D:D

[Sandielle]

The Circle Pacific looks great.

You can also do segments of that cruise.

Wouldn't it be neat if Princess had 2 ships just constantly circling the Pacific.

You could cruise on one , hop off for a holiday /tour

then sail back on the other one....

 

Just like Matson used to do.:D:D

 

Now you're talking, David. Princess is doing well with their intineraries (except out of Brisbane) while P&O just seem to be making their cruises shorter. :)

[rugbypopsie]

Great itineraries pity about the ships...after 6 weeks on the Dawn I would not do a long cruise on her again. The ship just felt too crowded all the time..older passengers, longer cruise...just too crowded for me. Otherwise the ship was fine.

[cruise flotsam]

I loved the Dawn Princess. I had 5 weeks on her in2010 out to Hawaii and back and it was the best cruise ever. Maybe I am now one of those old folks so all is OK there. I love to do the longer cruises

[MMDown Under]

Great itineraries pity about the ships...after 6 weeks on the Dawn I would not do a long cruise on her again. The ship just felt too crowded all the time..older passengers, longer cruise...just too crowded for me. Otherwise the ship was fine.

 

There is an interesting article, under News, on cabin-stuffing: more rooms and less space.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4699

 

As Australia is less populated than many other countries, I'm wondering how Australians will take to crowded ships of the future. Already my pet peeve, when cruising, is people who stand in my space. I always move back, which is difficult to do when you are already in the back of a lift.

[Sutho]

I would go on these ships for a short cruise only but I would not want to be on any of them for a long cruise like a World Cruise. For a number of reasons I would not go on them for that long a time. I am suprised that Princess is filling them up each year. The idea of cruising Sydney to Sydney is great. If it were any of the early Grand class or Diamond/Sapphire Princess then I would be tempted to do a long cruise with Princess.

[Duck Creek]

I loved the Dawn Princess. I had 5 weeks on her in2010 out to Hawaii and back and it was the best cruise ever. Maybe I am now one of those old folks so all is OK there. I love to do the longer cruises

 

I also did the 5 week Hawaii cruise in 2011 on the Dawn Princess and loved it too.

Definitely not an 'old folk' but did have a cabin all to myself!!!

[aussie57]

This is just for those who are curious: http://www.princess.com/find/searchResults.do?time=120&trade=W&ship=&duration=&port=&date=&order=&filterBy=&tourdur=&ppax=&meta=B&resType=C&bID=PCPB&pageOffset=

 

Dawn Princess ~ Grand Voyage to Europe - 90 Days

 

Sun Princess ~ Circle the Pacific - 75 Days

 

Sea Princess ~ World Cruise - 104 Days

 

Bucket list (sigh...)

[Sandielle]

Bucket list (sigh...)

 

LOL Anne, that's my bucket list, also. :rolleyes:

[lizzy77]

I was on the Dawn cruise that rugbypopsie was on but we were only on her for 23 days and not the whole 42 days. That was more than enough!!

 

Sailing Sydney to Sydney for a long cruise meant the ship had more than normal passengers in the 80 plus age group. Don't get me wrong I love older folks and I do know that they have just gotten there before I have, but the average age dictated the activites etc. The ship is just not suited to long voyages as it always felt crowded and we really noticed the lack of seating areas for quiet times. Add in the fact that the ship was looking old when we were on her and that our cabin flooded, my rating of the Dawn wasn't the best ship I have been on.

 

So now before you all try to tell me my personal comments are all wrong we are giving the Dawn another try in 8 days time on a shorter cruise so I shall give my honest opinion again when we return.

[Thorpe]

I did 54 nights on the world cruise with my 23 yr old daughter last year from Sydney to Dover on the Dawn. We both loved it, didn't feel the age group was too old for either of us and would do it again. But need to win the lottery first :rolleyes:.

[Royalty X]

The ship is just not suited to long voyages as it always felt crowded and we really noticed the lack of seating areas for quiet times. Add in the fact that the ship was looking old when we were on her and that our cabin flooded, my rating of the Dawn wasn't the best ship I have been on.

Maybe they should transfer the ship to P&O Australia! ;)

[Gaznjo]

We were on the world cruise with Helen but for all the 104 days... if we could have stopped home for a couple of days to see the family and hopped back on for another 104 days we would have been more than happy... except I would need to take my cruising buddies with me....

 

the average age was not too bad on the world cruise... guess 3 months scared the oldies off , plus a lot harder to get home if something happened... Friends of our stayed on from sydney to brisbane and they said WOW how the demographics had changed.... suddenly the average age doubled... well nearly .... poor old Rui didn't know what to with the 14 motor scooters that had to be parked at dinner time...LOL...

 

My friends also said " you should have seen the wheelchairs lined up to help disembarking passengers !!"

 

The only time that I would say I felt crowded was if it was raining, then everyone was down in the atrium trying to get a coffee...

 

Can't wait to do the Grand European.....

[Sutho]

I was on the Dawn cruise that rugbypopsie was on but we were only on her for 23 days and not the whole 42 days. That was more than enough!!

 

Sailing Sydney to Sydney for a long cruise meant the ship had more than normal passengers in the 80 plus age group. Don't get me wrong I love older folks and I do know that they have just gotten there before I have, but the average age dictated the activites etc. The ship is just not suited to long voyages as it always felt crowded and we really noticed the lack of seating areas for quiet times. Add in the fact that the ship was looking old when we were on her and that our cabin flooded, my rating of the Dawn wasn't the best ship I have been on.

 

So now before you all try to tell me my personal comments are all wrong we are giving the Dawn another try in 8 days time on a shorter cruise so I shall give my honest opinion again when we return.

 

I also feel that those ships are not suitable for long voyages. For activities and entertainment there just is not enough options.

1. The theatre is too small (it is tiny compared to Oriana the same size yet Oriana has less passengers.
   
   
   
2. The buffet is far too small also which makes it a rather difficult venue to enjoy. Unlike the other Princess ships the Sun class lack the outdoor deck grills and have less dining options that spread around passengers.
   
3. The passenger space ratio and amount of passengers is too high. The Oriana is exaclty the same dimensions as the Sun class yet Oriana carries 1,800 passengers and the Sun class close to 2,000 passengers. As you can see from the smaller entertainment venues above that puts more strain on the Sun class in entertaining passengers than it does on a ship like Oriana or the Grand class ships with Princess.
   
4. Back to entertainment venues again. There are less on the Sun class than other ships and what the Sun class has are smaller than ships of similar size. The aft show lounge is one example and also Oriana (the same size) has a Crows Nest as well as a aft buffet. The Oriana also has the space for a midships dance floor, indoor cinema for 200+ passengers as well as tiered terrace decks. The Oriana has 3 pools opposed to the Sun class only having 2 main pools.
   
   
   
   

In my views it is mainly the entertainment venues are too few and too smal on the Sun class when you see what other ships have on offer and even more modern ships. The Sun class were designed in a time when Princess only wanted to sail them for 7 night Caribbean cruises out of Florida as well as Panama Canal cruises and 7 night cruises to Alaska. These ships are brilliant for port intensive cruise itineraries where the main focus is a new port each day. A ship like Oriana and even the more modern ships the design thinking has changed to cater to and allow for sea days which is what the Sun class were not designed for. Modern cruising and some destinations require "sea days" and Princess did not have this in mind when they built the Sun class. That is why many consider them unsuitable for long cruises. For someone who has cruised many times they will know the difference. For a first time cruiser they will be none the wiser and enjoy these ships and not understand why others consider them innappropriate for long trips.

[bazzaw]

Great itineraries pity about the ships...after 6 weeks on the Dawn I would not do a long cruise on her again. The ship just felt too crowded all the time..older passengers, longer cruise...just too crowded for me. Otherwise the ship was fine.

 

A friend who has done the Oz to UK 6 weeks trip on Oriana and return on Arcadia - did a 14 day cruise to NZ recently. He said he liked the ship and the crew were some of the best he had ever had -- BUT he would not do a long cruise on her. Similar reasons to you -- too cramped.

 

Barry

[Sandielle]

 

The only time that I would say I felt crowded was if it was raining, then everyone was down in the atrium trying to get a coffee...

 

Can't wait to do the Grand European.....

 

Wow! You booked this one. :) Wonderful itinerary. I wouldn't care if there was less space or fewer people - I'd be so happy to do it.

 

Can we expect another great blog??? :):):)

[Gaznjo]

Wow! You booked this one. Wonderful itinerary. I wouldn't care if there was less space or fewer people - I'd be so happy to do it.

 

Can we expect another great blog??? :):):)

 

Sandy yes we are doing the grand.... sent garry back to work for 18 months to pay for it... LOL

 

I thought I would wait till 500 days to start one again...:p

 

joanne