Anyone on Sunbird July 3?

[Bob7]

Anyone out there cruising the Med on the Sunbird July 3? Have you picked your tours?

-Bob & Wendy

[DarleneR]

I'm going on October 22. Please share your experience.

[Bob7]

Hi Darlene, here's 2 links to our review:

http://www.seacruisereviews.com/bycruisereview.asp?cruiseid=1130

 

and also here:

 

http://www.cruisereviews.com/SunCruises/Sunbird19.htm

 

-Bob

[DarleneR]

Thanks so much for sharing your review and photo's. I can't wait to go, only 10 days.

[Bob7]

Hey Dar, you must be on the last cruise before the Sun Cruise ships are sold to Thompson's Tours at the end of Oct. That might be a pretty wild week on board :-) And you should sign up for the "Mr. & Mrs." stage show, it's a hoot, but get on the same page with your partner about common questions ... favourite body part, place you first made love, favourite food, favourite music group, etc. And sign up for The Weakest Link too, great fun. Wish we were going again. Oh, and if yer over 40, check out the Scandinavian Dance Party, just call yourself Olga and yer partner can be Bjorn.

-Bob

[DarleneR]

Hey Bob. Yes, we are on the last cruise and I must say I got a great price plus my choice of cabins. I don't think it's sold out yet. Maybe you might want to think about going again!! We are both in the over 50 category, which means we like to participate from the sidelines but we will definitely check out the dance party.

[Bob7]

Hey Dar, it was the older cruisers that did best in the couples contests, the kids (under 30s) didn't know beans about each other, they shot each other weird looks when they heard their partner's answers, it was a laugh, you and your DH would totally kick butt. The prizes were pretty good too, like bottles of Champagne. The crew seemed to pick an assortment of nationalities too, some Brits, some Scots, Scandinavians, and a few Canuks were on some shows, one Canuk couple got 3rd I think. Wendy and I "played" from the audience, and figured the best we would have done is about 4th. There are some questions that you could never agree on, like what type of tree is your partner like in bed? ... oak tree (strong), pine tree (straight), weeping willow, bamboo (grows fast), and a couple others. Good fun.

 

Pack a bottle of booze for the cabin, and some mix, the ship drinks are rather weak. And take a power bar, only 1 outlet.

 

What are you doing in Naples?

-Bob

[yyzken]

Hi Bob and Darlene:

 

Just found this forum a week ago, it's great; lots of info. I have just booked today, on the Sunquest Mediterranean Classic cruise for Oct 23 (next week); only 2 cabins left. I was deciding on either the Med Classic or the Med Medley, both same price. The Med Medley use the Sunbird which is larger than the Carousel. But I finally settled on the Med Classic because I've never been to the Mediterranean, and the Med Classic seems to go to some well-known ports of call.

Does anyone have any good tips? What will the weather be like?

 

Ken

 

 

Ken

[DarleneR]

Hi Bob. The only must see will be the Isle of Capri and Amalfi coast for me. DH wanted to see Mt. Etna but after reading your review about 4 hours on a bus we have decided to pass. Not really sure about anything else. We planned this trip on short notice so I haven't really had time to research the ports of call yet although your information has been very helpful. Can you bring your own booze on board? That would be ideal, but I didn't think it was allowed.

 

Ken, I checked out the weather on the internet and it will be 75 and raining when we land in Palma. I hope you enjoy your cruise. Too bad we're not on the same one.

[Bob7]

Hi Dar, yes all the cruise lines say no booze, but everyone does it, put it in your checked luggage, not your carryon, which they often scan and remove, returning it when you disembark. Wrap it up in the middle of the suitcase so it doesn't break, in a zip baggie in case it does. We like caffeine free mix, which you can't get on most ships, so we even take some of that. The cabin steward will keep your ice bucket full if you ask him to, tell him to fill it each day when he goes off shift. And ppl have all sorts of drink containers for at the pool, thermos mugs, etc. Fill them up in the cabin and take them up to the pool. Now yer not going to get all plastered and give Canuks a bad rep are ya?

 

You'll love Capri and the Amalfi coast, just beautiful. Taormina in Sicily was the same, take that half day tour for sure. In Malta spend the a.m. seeing Valetta, and the p.m. seeing Mdina if you like history and architecture, they're right out of the middle ages. Take a 10 euro cab from the dock in Malta up the hill to Valetta, it's too hot a walk, you could walk it coming back. You can split the cab with others, it's 10 no matter how many ppl.

-Bob

[DarleneR]

Hi Bob. We're back and it was absolutely fabulous. I would definitely love to do this itinerary again. I must say that you have quite a reputation on the ship. Everyone seemed to have seen your web page. Maybe you should ask for a consultant's fee. Anyways, thanks for all your tips. Take care.

[Bob7]

Hey Dar, that's great! We were surprised there weren't American's on the cruise, since they can get it for about $800 USD incl air. They probably don't know about it because it isn't on the main internet cruise web sites.

 

About us having a "rep", I'm not surprised, because we had a hard time finding any reviews or pics of the cruise, so our stuff kind of had the market cornered I guess.

 

We're just waiting to see what Thompson's does with the ships, and what Sunguest will do next summer, their reps at a travel show said they are working on more Med cruises, possible with Costa. Ya can bet those won't be $1100 incl air :-((

 

If you decide to post a review or photos send us the link.

Oh, and how wild was the final week?

-Bob

[A Sixth?]

Sailed the Sunbird Mar 2003 and the Sundream Jan 2004 out of Montego Bay. Can't seem to get any info on what the "Bird" is doing from Dec on.

 

Any insight?

[Flash2]

The Sunbird will be taking a 'Brazillian Adventure' from Dec 4th for 14 days starting in Rio finishing in Barbados. Then alternate 8 days and 15 days Caribbean, through January, February and March and April, with various different itineraries. DH and I will be on the Brazillian Adventure leaving the UK this Friday.

[A Sixth?]

Have you got any web links for info?

[Bob7]

Flash do you know if Air Tours sold the Sunbird, Carousel, and their other 2 ships to Thompson's last month? If so, any word on where they'll be sailing next summer? We did their Med cruises twice, $1100 CAN/400 UKP incl air, cheaper than staying at home :-) Still wanted to do the Carousel itinerary.

-Bob

[Flash2]

ASixth, a couple of web sites for you to try.

http://www.holidaywatchdog.com

http://www.teletextholidays.co.uk

[Flash2]

I believe that Sunbird is owned by Luis Cruise Lines and leased to Airtours and presumably will be leased by Thomson from May when it will be called 'Thomson Destiny' I'm afraid I can't help you about the Carousel or their other ships. You could try http://www.cruisedirect.co.uk and do a search, that site will also give itineraries.

[edinburgher]

Hi, as far as I know, Seawing was to be scrapped, Carousel and Sundream were to be used by Louis (Cyprus) and Sunbird is as you say now leased by Thomson from Louis.

 

 

We heard that while cruising in June when the crew were getting non stop rumours and nothing was 100% sure. Things may have changed but not with Sunbird as its featured in the Thomson brochure under its new name.

[Dorset Cruiser]

Seawing has not been scrapped but is being operated by Louis cruiselines under another name (which escapes me). I think it is doing three day cruises round Athens and Greek Islands. We thought it was a lovely old ship!:) :)

[Andym]

The ship is now operated by Louis Cruises under the new name Perla.

[glgolfer]

Here's info on the Sundream. Our first cruise was on the Song of Norway in 87 (3 times total on her) so we try to keep track of were she is now. She has always been our favorite ship.

 

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/RCI_SongOfNorwayPCs.html

[A Sixth?]

Wow! One of the best cruises I ever had was on the Sun Dream!

 

I just won a trip to greece in 2006, and I know she's old, but I'd love to sail her again!