Anyone been On The Sun Princess Lately?

[smokin]

My Wife & I are thinking about taking her for a cruise in the spring. Does anyone have any thoughts about the ships Condition. Food, Entertainment, etc. etc? We have previously sailed on the Grand & RCCL Brilliance & Majesty, Celebrity Summit.

 

Thanks For Your Thoghts

[MichTraveler]

I sailed on the Sun May/2003 and loved it. I was on the Grand March/2004 but actually like the Sun more. Same layout at the Dawn May/2002. We're booked for another Sun May/2005. We love to walk around the ship. The promenade on the Sun goes completely around the ship whereas the Grand has steps up from 7 to 8 to get around. The restaurants are wonderful. Since I did the Sun/Dawn to Alaska, I'm not sure how the pools compare. The Sun class does seem to have more "sales" promotions -- art auctions, pre-selling dinner wine during your lunch, pitches everywhere. But such a fun ship. Of course, I think I could be happy in a 4-person dinghy if you called it a cruise and I didn't have to cook or clean!

[PescadoAmarillo]

We sailed on her for twenty nights last December. The ship is in excellent condition; we didn't see anything that looked less than perfect. Here's what we liked and didn't like as much:

Pros -

Verdis Pizzeria and Italian restaurant, a no charge alternative restaurant on Deck 8 overlooking the atrium. With so many nights on the ship, and such port intensive cruises, we ate here several nights. Loved listening to the pianist who played from about 5:30 to 8:30 or so every evening in the atrium on Deck 5. My husband would give her a list of requests (unknown to me), and she would play all my favorite songs each night. Took me a couple of nights to catch on.

The dinners in the Horizon Court are done very nicely, with better food than the lunches or breakfasts, and we enjoyed eating there too.

The steam rooms/saunas were great, and free.

We found the staff and crew to be very personable and accomodating, although dining room service was a bit sketchy (see cons).

There are wonderful, intimate public deck areas on Aloha and Baja forward, and Aloha aft, that we really enjoyed viewing the ship's coming and going, as we were in an inside cabin.

We loved the washers and dryers, and wish RC and Celebrity would offer them.

We also loved the Promenade, and walked on it every night before bed.

 

Cons-

Food, and dining room service is not quite up to RC and certainly not up to Celebrity standards (we had PC dining), but it was very adequete. I especially missed Celebrity's awesome desserts.

There is no indoor pool on the ship.

Our inside cabin was the smallest we've ever had on any ship, but well laid out.

The forward elevators are constantly hogged by people who push the buttons on all the elevator banks, take the first one that comes, requiring the other 2 or 3 to also stop for nothing.

There is an occasional sewage smell on different cabin decks, but it is always gone with no residual effect within hours.

The fitness center is downright puny compared to the Radiance class of ship, but still adequete.

Almost forgot to mention...we experienced on the Sun (and I've read about it on other ships) where you have to get to the shows about 45 minutes early to get a seat. We've never had that on RC or Celebrity, even with full ships, but, if you were on the Grand, you might be familiar with the issue.

 

We would sail on the Sun again anytime, and probably will, as early as next spring!

[Druke I]

We were on the Sun Princess this past May, when she repo'd up the Left Coast, and liked it very much. She seemed to be in very good condition. I personally like the size better than the Grand class of ship.

 

According to today's SF Chronicle, Sun Princess is going into drydock today, in San Francisco.

[RDR]

The Sun leaves San Francisco on September 28th. It has had the Norwalk virus coming out of Alaska last week with 115 passengers and crew sick. It was cleaned this Monday and hopefully this remaining week in dry dock will allow any bugs to die.

[smokin]

Thank You for the feedback, We booked the cruise for 3-9-05 Balcony room Aft Baja Deck 10. Has anyone stayed in this cabin area? Do you experience more vabration being further AFt we have usually been more mid ship. countdown begins

[Coral]

I had the last balconyt cabin on Caribe deck this summer on the Dawn Princess (sister to Sun) and experienced no vibrations or issues.

[roohound]

I can give you more info after Christmas..we're booked in a balcony cabin on Baja...740 or 742 or 74-something like that for the 12/22 sailing

[cruiserforlife]

Having sailed the Sea and the Ocean as well as the Star,we are so looking forward to our upcoming 1/28 10-day Eastern Caribbean cruise.I hope she is all spiffy after a short stay in drydock.

[GStonelake]

Sailed on the Sun in Jan 04 on a 10 day. Had a balacony cabin on Aloha deck. Thought the cruise was great, ship was in good shape. Ports visited were also very nice.