Sun Princess and Singapore dry dock.

[Gnomey]

I was distressed to read some quite poor reviews of Sun Princess recently and, most notably, after her recent trip to dry dock in Singapore. We were on Sun in November and she seemed in pretty good condition, though we did notice some public toilet failures (& leaks), most of which were tended to quickly and in particular we found the air conditioning generally too hot ship wide. We just figured that the thermostats were set to Queensland temps as the trip left from Brisbane.

We followed that wonderful trip with the "somewhat sub-standard" inaugural cruise on Pacific Eden. And before I get flamed for that comment, this has been admitted by P&O and we have received a credit to use on a future cruise as compensation. Apart from the trip being more of a crew training cruise than anything else (which was quite expected), the ship was in quite poor condition for something that had just spent weeks in dry dock. The failure mirrored what Sun is suffering now with Lifts broken/slow/unreliable, toilets everywhere failing, tenders failing, "fluid" leaks, unreliable/non existent hot water, air conditioning failures etc.

Now my curiosity has been triggered with the question, just what are they doing in Singapore dry dock if the ships are effectively coming out in poorer condition than when they go in? :confused: The failures that are occurring on the ships post dry dock are things that really should not be happening, I would have thought.

Over to you good folk for discussion. ;)

 

Steve.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

She used to be done in Brisbane.

 

 

I would imagine the work being done in Singapore will be to a high and a supervised standard.......but I guess it would depend on what the cruise line had specified to be undertaken.

[jn2003]

Maybe the dry dock was for a "grease and oil change" service to keep the ship going rather than cosmetic repairs

[mrs and mrs]

Maybe anti-fouling and hull painting.And the removal of excess V.B cans:eek:

[OzKiwiJJ]

It's probably a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

Sun is an old ship. Perhaps they do more intense maintenance on her that they don't normally do while she's cruising, then things get a bit cranky until they bed in again.

Edited June 12, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[Kiwi_cruiser]

I think its more the cruise line trying to get more maintenance done in less time.

 

As it costs the cruise line money when the ship is in dry dock.

[Aussieflyer]

Interesting comments; we did notice a few things on the short jaunt last week. One, was a quite pervasive sewerage odour in various places around the ship. Talking with some other passengers they remarked on this as well.

The tub chair in our balcony cabin needed replacing I think as the padding in the seat was well past it.

It's a pity about the corridor wall colour as the general impression was that it was dingy and dirty though I don't think this was actually the case.

 

General maintenance seems to be well carried out. We saw some evidence of previous rust on the balcony rails this was painted over. Carpets, soft furnishings etc in public areas are in good condition. The bathroom though tiny was fine and very clean - better than on some other ships I've been on. Importantly the bed was very comfortable and those feather pillows were great.

 

The dry dock in Singapore seemed to be for making changes to the restaurants and adding Share/ the Sports Legends bar etc. There may well have been some behind the scenes improvements as well.

Edited June 12, 2016 by Aussieflyer

[The_Big_M]

Having just gotten off her, she's definitely in better shape than Dawn Princess, so I wouldn't say the dry dock is making her worse!

 

For example, I found the lifts quite comparable to other cruise ships - not as fast as brand new, but almost all operating, and at a decent speed. Whereas Dawn Princess it was a running joke how slow they were, both to open doors and even move. Quite a few other things were done, and I didn't notice any glaring issues- though she isn't of course a new ship. Definitely my pick of the sisters atm.

[mattie00]

Wow...these bad comments are a bit disconcerting given that we have booked a 29-day cruise on her for March/April next year. This will also be our first time cruising with Princess. We have booked a 13-day New Zealand cruise on the Dawn just prior to our cruise on the Sun. Hopefully we won't be disappointed with Princess. Generally, we are pretty relaxed, go with the flow cruisers.:(

[mrs and mrs]

Wow...these bad comments are a bit disconcerting given that we have booked a 29-day cruise on her for March/April next year. This will also be our first time cruising with Princess. We have booked a 13-day New Zealand cruise on the Dawn just prior to our cruise on the Sun. Hopefully we won't be disappointed with Princess. Generally, we are pretty relaxed, go with the flow cruisers.:(

 

You wont be disappointing,we were on the dawn in feb,was terrific.:):)But of course everything is subjective,to expectations,experiance,attitudes,and ones general feeling at any given time.

Our first cruise was on the Sun,we were newbies,could have been sailing on a tug boat,and still would have been excited.

Second was the Sea,still newbies,was great,BUT,started to open eyes and compare.

Third was Dawn,still half newbies,was great,But again eyes were opened a bit more,and started to notice and comment on a few things.:)

Enjoy your cruise,im sure you will.

[Kinkacruiser]

After 24 days on the Sun recently, there is no way I would book another cruise on that ship. When she first came to Australia in 2008, we though she was the bees-knees, but 8 years have taken their toll on this lady.

Firstly, since leaving drydock in Singapore mid April, she has been missing ports due to a broken generator, which has necessitated a slower average speed. Our cruise missed out on one port (Lifou), but were compensated to the tune of $100 pp OBC's. :)

 

The buffet worked well and looked much better.Curtis Stone's Share and Kai Sushi were big mistakes. The Stirling Steakhouse would be better placed where Share is now, rather than close off part of the buffet. With 200 on board the buffet seemed busy and congested most of the time. People were queueing 5-10 mins before the meal sessions.

 

The elevators were often down for repair and it often it was easier/faster to use the stairs (which also reduces the risk of picking up a virus). The corridors and cabins smell musty and the aircon wasn't working (especially at night), so we had to leave our balcony door open. The aircon in the public areas of the ship were fine.

 

We had a BD balcony cabin on Baja. It was small, but the bathroom had a decent size shower. There was a new 42" TV with lots of in-house movies to choose from. My husband mattress had been compromised and had lost its support on the edge, so you could easily fall off the bed. These beds were not new, although had a topper, new linens and the softest pillows. I much prefer the walk-in wardrobe on the grand class ships compared to the 3-door wardrobe on the Sun ...and what a stupid place to put a mirror (on the inside of a door that doesn't fully open).

 

We don't get involved in the social scene very much, preferring to do our own thing. I wish Princess would come up with a more interesting/more varied entertainment agenda....but to each his own.

 

The word is she will be sold like the Dawn ...maybe to P&O?

[Bofman]

We were on the Sun last week and also in March just prior to drydocking in Singapore.

All the exterior decking carpets have been replaced (which were well and truly needed) and new carpets have been installed in the Vista lounge. I'm not sure if the seating has been re-upholstered but it looked quite new.

Some of the cabins had their carpet renewed whilst others are being done as we speak. Ours was replaced between 10am and noon one morning with no disturbance to us at all.

The air conditioning was working really well throughout the ship in fact it was way too cold in the Vista lounge but the cabins and other areas were just right.

The elevators were working, they are a little slow but no different to the Sea Princess.

The bedding had new linen, pillows and mattress topper but I think the original beds. Certainly comfortable.

Kai Sushi is now called Kai Seafood and some of the menu is cooked. Whilst most people we spoke to wish the pizzaria was not taken out, it's all about the buck and Share was becoming more popular than I expected. Kai however was almost always deserted and I cant see it lasting much longer on the Aussie ships.

I will agree with others about the sewerage smell which was noticeable on many occasions but I wonder if this is caused by people putting the wrong paper in the toilets. Anything other than marine toilet tissue doesn't break down quick enough and will cause blockages.

The free ice cream bar has been replace with a 'pay for' one featuring top quality New Zealand ice cream. Again it's about the dollar I guess and I'm wondering how long it will be before they take away the International Cafe?

Considering her age, I like the old lady and think she's been well cared for.

[Aussieflyer]

We were on the Sun last week and also in March just prior to drydocking in Singapore.

All the exterior decking carpets have been replaced (which were well and truly needed) and new carpets have been installed in the Vista lounge. I'm not sure if the seating has been re-upholstered but it looked quite new.

Some of the cabins had their carpet renewed whilst others are being done as we speak. Ours was replaced between 10am and noon one morning with no disturbance to us at all.

The air conditioning was working really well throughout the ship in fact it was way too cold in the Vista lounge but the cabins and other areas were just right.

The elevators were working, they are a little slow but no different to the Sea Princess.

The bedding had new linen, pillows and mattress topper but I think the original beds. Certainly comfortable.

Kai Sushi is now called Kai Seafood and some of the menu is cooked. Whilst most people we spoke to wish the pizzaria was not taken out, it's all about the buck and Share was becoming more popular than I expected. Kai however was almost always deserted and I cant see it lasting much longer on the Aussie ships.

I will agree with others about the sewerage smell which was noticeable on many occasions but I wonder if this is caused by people putting the wrong paper in the toilets. Anything other than marine toilet tissue doesn't break down quick enough and will cause blockages.

The free ice cream bar has been replace with a 'pay for' one featuring top quality New Zealand ice cream. Again it's about the dollar I guess and I'm wondering how long it will be before they take away the International Cafe?

Considering her age, I like the old lady and think she's been well cared for.

This is mostly what we felt as well, though I would say that I have been on quite a few different ships and this was the only one where there was a smell of sewerage. I cannot believe that not one person on any of the other ships ever put the wrong paper in the toilet. I think it is more to do with the age of the ship and its system for treating waste.

I would be surprised if the International Cafe goes, as other lines do have a cafe of the same kind, where you pay for speciality coffee but can choose small food items to have with it. Share restaurant is a push for the celebrity chef style of food and Princess is trying to keep up with other lines.

[mrs and mrs]

Princess slogan// Come back New.

 

Ironically in a couple of years it could be plain old.

// Come Back.

 

If it aint broke dont fix it.

[OzKiwiJJ]

This is mostly what we felt as well, though I would say that I have been on quite a few different ships and this was the only one where there was a smell of sewerage.

 

We noticed bad sewerage smells on Dawn last August, and there were reports of similar on Golden earlier this year although we didn't notice anything on our Golden cruise.

[mrs and mrs]

You all probably know this,but princess have ordered 2 new royal class ships for delivery in 2019 and 2020.With the majestic in 2018.3560 pax capacity.

So we know the dawn is going.

Will the sun and sea be next.

If sea and sun go,will this be the end of our 2000 pax princess ships down-under.

If sea and sun go,what will their replacements be.

We know we wont get the new ones.

Maybe the Coral,Island,or Pacific.

Or none of the above.

Your thoughts.:confused::)

[OzKiwiJJ]

The market is still growing here so I think we'll get more like Diamond, Golden and Emerald.

 

I think the new builds will take over in China, Caribbean and Europe.

 

I'd really like to see Princess building some new, smaller ships that are more suited to smaller ports, but I suspect that won't happen. :(

[Aussieflyer]

We noticed bad sewerage smells on Dawn last August, and there were reports of similar on Golden earlier this year although we didn't notice anything on our Golden cruise.

 

I read about complaints of sewerage smells on Golden but didn't notice anything either though we were only onboard for 2 days as it repositioned from Sydney to Melbourne.

[Gnomey]

It is interesting to hear other peoples comments on the "Sun" ships. It would seem logical that the Sea and Sun will be sold off as they are getting on a bit and if they're anything like me, they wont be getting better as they age!

As for replacements, once the new Panama locks open and the bigger ships can transit, it would free up Coral and Island to come to Australia and that could be good too. If we can fill the larger ships we may get one or two of those too.

If Carnival are still ordering the "Vista" size ships for Holland America, they could always build some for Princess. They seem to be a good size.

 

Steve.

[GUT2407]

After 24 days on the Sun recently, there is no way I would book another cruise on that ship. When she first came to Australia in 2008, we though she was the bees-knees, but 8 years have taken their toll on this lady.

Firstly, since leaving drydock in Singapore mid April, she has been missing ports due to a broken generator, which has necessitated a slower average speed. Our cruise missed out on one port (Lifou), but were compensated to the tune of $100 pp OBC's. :)

 

The buffet worked well and looked much better.Curtis Stone's Share and Kai Sushi were big mistakes. The Stirling Steakhouse would be better placed where Share is now, rather than close off part of the buffet. With 200 on board the buffet seemed busy and congested most of the time. People were queueing 5-10 mins before the meal sessions.

 

The elevators were often down for repair and it often it was easier/faster to use the stairs (which also reduces the risk of picking up a virus). The corridors and cabins smell musty and the aircon wasn't working (especially at night), so we had to leave our balcony door open. The aircon in the public areas of the ship were fine.

 

We had a BD balcony cabin on Baja. It was small, but the bathroom had a decent size shower. There was a new 42" TV with lots of in-house movies to choose from. My husband mattress had been compromised and had lost its support on the edge, so you could easily fall off the bed. These beds were not new, although had a topper, new linens and the softest pillows. I much prefer the walk-in wardrobe on the grand class ships compared to the 3-door wardrobe on the Sun ...and what a stupid place to put a mirror (on the inside of a door that doesn't fully open).

 

We don't get involved in the social scene very much, preferring to do our own thing. I wish Princess would come up with a more interesting/more varied entertainment agenda....but to each his own.

 

The word is she will be sold like the Dawn ...maybe to P&O?

 

 

Yep I heard the same. With Sea to go before 2020 too.

 

Probably why they aren't doing a lot of work, they'll do a major when she's transferred.

[GUT2407]

The market is still growing here so I think we'll get more like Diamond, Golden and Emerald.

 

I think the new builds will take over in China, Caribbean and Europe.

 

I'd really like to see Princess building some new, smaller ships that are more suited to smaller ports, but I suspect that won't happen. :(

 

I'd love to see some smaller ships too, but also doubt that it will happen.

[mrs and mrs]

You all probably know this,but princess have ordered 2 new royal class ships for delivery in 2019 and 2020.With the majestic in 2018.3560 pax capacity.

So we know the dawn is going.

Will the sun and sea be next.

If sea and sun go,will this be the end of our 2000 pax princess ships down-under.

If sea and sun go,what will their replacements be.

We know we wont get the new ones.

Maybe the Coral,Island,or Pacific.

Or none of the above.

Your thoughts.:confused::)

 

Thats what im figuring,geez wouldnt like to be on the dawn in its final 3 mnths before hand-over.Basic maintainance.

Edited June 14, 2016 by mrs and mrs
2 .wines starting to quote myself.bad,bad,bad

[GUT2407]

Princess slogan// Come back New.

 

Ironically in a couple of years it could be plain old.

// Come Back.

 

If it aint broke dont fix it.

 

No

No

No

 

Mrs Gut has fixed their slogan

 

Come back fat.

[cheznandy]

Sea and Sun will go eventually.......Diamond and Emerald are on the Sydney port schedule till 2020, I will be happy with those two Grand class ships:p

 

Not sure I would like the Island/Coral, which one did they ruin with the addition of more cabins, Island? removed the aft area for more cabins......they both have forward buffet as well I think.

 

Time will tell......who would have thought we would have 4 Royal ships here 10 years ago:eek:

Edited June 14, 2016 by cheznandy

[Aussieflyer]

Sounds like this could become its own thread if someone would like to start one.