Live-ish Standard Cruiser on Sun Princess Trans-Atlantic 9/23/24 - 10/9/24

[Wishing on a star]

Dides,  I should have issued a disclaimer that I was not speaking about helpful and respectful vloggers like you!!!  You have been a wealth of information!

Part of these issues seem to be how Princess disrespected regular paying guests, to 'welcome onboard' large numbers of these 'other'  vloggers.  

I think others here might understand what I am trying to say.

And, of course, some of the other things that have been going on with Princess.

[dides]

10 minutes ago, Wishing on a star said:

Dides,  I should have issued a disclaimer that I was not speaking about helpful and respectful vloggers like you!!!  You have been a wealth of information!

Part of these issues seem to be how Princess disrespected regular paying guests, to 'welcome onboard' large numbers of these 'other'  vloggers.  

No I didn't think you were - just saying that there are some decent vloggers out there.😀 Also, the majority of the 300+ who came onboard were travel agents or from the cruise trade. 

 

Edited Wednesday at 08:48 PM by dides

[Bettyboop66]

4 hours ago, So_Tweetie said:

I rewatched your video about the secret decks on Sun Princess yesterday! Very helpful, I can't wait to explore them. 🤩

Would you mind letting me know how to find this video? I know that I saw it posted somewhere, but I can’t remember🫣🤔

[So_Tweetie]

3 hours ago, Bettyboop66 said:

Would you mind letting me know how to find this video? I know that I saw it posted somewhere, but I can’t remember🫣🤔

Here you go, enjoy! : 

 

 

[Ombud]

@555 1700+ elite on board so I didn't make MT cutoff

 

@PacnGoNow @LACruiser88 & @HaveDogWillTravel somehow no one is hurt. Actually the 11 yr  old thought it was an adventure.  Unfortunately my son needs to just nod and say 'yes' to whatever the adjuster wants to do. He has paperwork from the arborist that the tree was in perfect shape before a weird circular wind. 

 

My dinner time was somehow switched to 9pm. Yeah not happening. Went to the diner 1st 3 nights but asked to go to Deck 7 from now on. Those lines are too long unless I want to eat at 9. @BobandLizM thanks for the hint. I'll try walking in at 7:20. 

The Elite Tea set up was quite reasonable. Not as overwhelming as 2022, not as well laid out as 2023, but more than enough. I still have cakes & cookies. Note: it came on 3 plates but there isn't enough room on the counter for all 3 so put cookies on scones plate.

 

@PacnGoNow I asked my steward if the cans were just for the TA but he didn't know as he just got on.

 

 

Edited Thursday at 08:37 AM by Ombud

[555]

14 hours ago, Oxo said:

Yes, I have over 50 Princess Cruise Cards that I have kept over the years. I complained, yes compalined onboard to Guest Services and to Security about the Cabin Number. Their answer was 'old people forget their cabin numbers so that's why we put the cabin number on the CC.'

Never mind. My brain read "CC" as a credit card, not a cruise card. 

Now I'll have to go back and check my dozens of cruise cards to see which or them had a cabin number. 😄

[Ombud]

15 hours ago, Wishing on a star said:

Dides,  I should have issued a disclaimer that I was not speaking about helpful and respectful vloggers like you!!!  You have been a wealth of information!

Part of these issues seem to be how Princess disrespected regular paying guests, to 'welcome onboard' large numbers of these 'other'  vloggers.  

I think others here might understand what I am trying to say.

And, of course, some of the other things that have been going on with Princess.

Dudes is a vlogger?? Doesn't come across that way (says another who didn't know)

[dides]

1 hour ago, Ombud said:

Dudes is a vlogger?? Doesn't come across that way (says another who didn't know)

Nahh I started up a blog after I did the Live from for the Majestic Princess inaugural on here and my other half Chris started filming stuff. We just dabble in this part time and focus on providing information - we aren't into it for clicks to make money or building up a cult of followers based on our on-screen personalities!   We know a lot of the UK vloggers to chat to but that's about it.

 

Edited Thursday at 12:59 PM by dides

[timeforme]

23 hours ago, dides said:

I was at the PR events on Sun Princess over the weekend because I have a cruise blog but I also paid out thousands of pounds to be on the whole cruise. Some of us are enthusiasts and want to share useful information.  But there are others who will show up for the opening of an envelope and a free bar is just asking for trouble! . 😄

 

 

We also paid thousands of pounds to be on the whole cruise but didn’t get invited to any of the events and what should have our last relaxing day was anything but…..

 

[dides]

56 minutes ago, timeforme said:

We also paid thousands of pounds to be on the whole cruise but didn’t get invited to any of the events and what should have our last relaxing day was anything but…..

 

deleted - going to take a break!

Edited Thursday at 03:33 PM by dides

[dog]

7 minutes ago, dides said:

deleted - going to take a break!

Listen,

you have contributed above and beyond on this forum to our benefit from well before the Sun started sailing.

I am so grateful for your help and sharing.

 

Princess, and the buck starts at the top, is responsible for the changes and total disregard for those paying passengers who were ripped off recently. ( and it continues).

 

I’ve found that handy feature on here so I don’t have to see some posts.

 

I’ll check out your Brits on a ship…

 

[dog]

1 hour ago, timeforme said:

We also paid thousands of pounds to be on the whole cruise but didn’t get invited to any of the events and what should have our last relaxing day was anything but…..

 

I’ve read Your posts. I would have been very upset having booked a Sanctuary balcony, Signature Suite and Vista Suite with the disruption to my cruises. 
Take your complaints to the top- JP and the suits who made these inconsiderate decisions. I am hearing more are to come once ship arrives ( possibly early) in Florida. 
Sure, some are saying they were not affected and others were.  You have a right to complain.

 

Be kind

[So_Tweetie]

10 minutes ago, dog said:

 I am hearing more are to come once ship arrives ( possibly early) in Florida. 
 

The first few sailings out of Florida will definitely have a disproportionate number of media and "influencers" onboard. I believe the first sailing is a short preview cruise for media, I don't know if any paying passengers will be onboard. Naturally, content creators, travel agents, etc are going to flock to the ship in an effort to capture footage, details and experiences as soon as possible. And of course to get their videos out before anyone else. 

[Jilliebean28]

On 9/24/2024 at 5:23 AM, Ombud said:

My son's tree fell on his house so I'm regretting no wifi 

How devastating!  Hopefully no one was hurt.  We had a tree fall on our house two Christmas Eve's ago but did not have as much damage as your son.  

[BobandLizM]

We are amazed how well the new elevator system works, rarely have to wait long and so fast to get to the correct floor.  Someone posted (can not find again), that A, B, C lifts are on the Port side and D, E, F are on Starboard side.    This was amazingly helpful!

 

As long as we remember what lift we got in, we can stride out of the lift with confidence when returning to our Port side cabin.  Without the usual, whoops; realising we are going the wrong and when the sign comes into reading focus distance.
 

Mind you, if you are staying in 15520 like ourselves this signage does not help, I guess if we go forward we would get there eventually after a full lap (I did report it to GS). 

Took a photo, but can not it get it to show.   It shows

Aft 15454 - 15638

Forward 15202 - 15542

 

 

Edited 9 hours ago by BobandLizM
Problems with photo

[MsSoCalCruiser]

On 9/23/2024 at 11:09 PM, memoak said:

Easiest thing is to change all to vodka transfer to empty water bottles and bring home for bloody Mary’s 

This has never made any sense to me. Why not leave the vodka in their original bottles?

[memoak]

34 minutes ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

This has never made any sense to me. Why not leave the vodka in their original bottles?

On a 14 day back to back in a full suite that is 4 mini bars or 32 small bottles. Much easier to transfer to 3 larger containers 

[startedwithamouse]

On 9/26/2024 at 1:17 AM, Ombud said:

@555 1700+ elite on board so I didn't make MT cutoff

 

@PacnGoNow @LACruiser88 & @HaveDogWillTravel somehow no one is hurt. Actually the 11 yr  old thought it was an adventure.  Unfortunately my son needs to just nod and say 'yes' to whatever the adjuster wants to do. He has paperwork from the arborist that the tree was in perfect shape before a weird circular wind. 

 

My dinner time was somehow switched to 9pm. Yeah not happening. Went to the diner 1st 3 nights but asked to go to Deck 7 from now on. Those lines are too long unless I want to eat at 9. @BobandLizM thanks for the hint. I'll try walking in at 7:20. 

The Elite Tea set up was quite reasonable. Not as overwhelming as 2022, not as well laid out as 2023, but more than enough. I still have cakes & cookies. Note: it came on 3 plates but there isn't enough room on the counter for all 3 so put cookies on scones plate.

 

@PacnGoNow I asked my steward if the cans were just for the TA but he didn't know as he just got on.

 

 

Those elites go for the long budget cruises!

[cruisedoctor]

I posted the following on another topic, but I thought it would also be valuable here too.

1 hour ago, cruisedoctor said:

I’m back aboard the Sun Princess again…last time was on the maiden voyage when nothing was ready. I’ve been reading on another topic how bad things were on the previous sailing.  When we boarded the following letter was in everyone’s stateroom.

 

Just as on the maiden voyage back in February, there are different types of contractors on board.  However, I’ve yet to see any ongoing work disrupting any guest areas.  Deck 19 is closed-off to guests.  However, on embarkation day, because it was raining, no one was working up there, so I snuck in to see how much of Park-19 had been removed. (See photos)  I thought they would have been further along by now, but other than when it is raining, they have been working up there.  I spoke to some other contractors today, and they told me management hopes to have it completely disassembled by the time we reach Ft. Lauderdale, where all the pieces will be off-loaded.

I have to say, based on our experiences with the total blackout of any information, about the Sun’s status during the 2 months prior to the her maiden voyage, Princess has an iron fist when it comes to withholding information it doesn’t want the public to know.  I can’t figure out whether they keep it from even the upper management on board the ship, or that management has been threatened, if they say anything to the passengers, press, or bloggers.

I got to know the Director Of Restaurant Operations very well back in February.  The 1st thing I asked him when I saw him on embarkation day, was when the Sanctuary and specialty restaurants were going to be switched around…will it be during this cruise, or after arriving in Ft. Lauderdale.  I had yet to see the above letter, as I hadn’t been into my stateroom yet.  After a long pause, he said it wouldn’t be during the cruise.  Since he is in charge of all the restaurants on board the ship I would think he should know.  I was surprised, when I read the letter, that these restaurants supposedly would be playing musical chairs during the cruise.  I got to know many of the MDR hosts back in February, and they were still here, so I’ve been asking them if they know anything.  Everyone says no one has told them anything.  I even spoke with the Cruise Director the other evening.  Her response was that upper management does not tell any crew members anything for fear it would appear on social media.  The CIA, NSA, and FBI need to take lessons on keeping information from leaking out.

 

The only thing that I could see different up on Deck 8 of the Horizon Dining Room is that they changed the hanging fixtures in the middle 3rd of that area, and now there are table cloths on the tables which previously were bare.

 

For those who haven’t seen that Deck 8 Dining Room (the future Sanctuary Dining Room) the area is divided into 3rd’s by two walkways that run from the front of the dining area, to the back of the ship.  These two walkways are used by passengers to get out to the Wakeview Terrace, Pool, and Bar.  Here is a photo I took of one of those walkways.

What you are looking at is as follows:  To the left side of the walkway is 1/3 of the new Sanctuary Dining Room.  To the right side of this walkway is the middle 1/3 section of the new Sanctuary Dining Room.  In the upper right hand corner you can see the new weird brass colored hanging fixtures.  At the end of this walkway is the door that leads to one of the aft scenic elevators, and the entrance to the Wakeview Terrace, Bar, and Pool.

 

My guess is that no one at Princess Headquarters. who is making decisions about this new “exclusive” dining room, has actually been on board the ship, and seen that these two walkways, that are necessary to get passengers to the Wakeview Area, will be running through their exclusive area where all the suite guests will be dining.  I can just picture a family of mom, dad and their two little screaming kids, dressed in bathing suites and flip-flops parading down the walkway to the Wakeview Pool, while Mr. & Mrs Big Bucks are trying to enjoy a quite dinner.  You can’t put up a wall on either side of the walkways because the waiters wouldn’t be able to easily get from one area to the others.  If you close off the walkways, then the only way to get to the Wakeview Area would be a long walk on the outside of the ship.

 

I’m looking forward to see what management is going to do.  If any further changes occur during this cruise I’ll let you know.

 

If there are any questions, I’ll be happy to try to answer them.

 

Dr. J

 

 

 

 

[dog]

Cruise doctor, thanks for this excellent description of the sanctuary restaurant- just what I was wondering about.

I will be on October 19th to experience it. 
I’ve been intouch with a few friends who have unfortunately been disturbed by noise, no seating in shows, no availability of desirable dining times.

 

I believe you looked into the D0- aft cabins on your first voyage and I am pleased to say that these 12 cabins are classified as Sanctuary  balconies with access to the private signature restaurant and use of the Sanctuary, as described when I booked months ago.

 

enjoy your cruise.