SUN PRINCESS "DAY BY DAY" CRUISE REPORT..ASIA..21st MAY...

[scottex]

Hi S & D, This is Evelyn again, so glad to hear you are over the Norovirus and everything is "plain sailing" again!! Sounds as though you are having a wonderful time! Was wondering if you had managed to track down Sheila and Joyce yet? I realise it would be difficult with over 2000 aboard. If you do manage to find them, could you please tell Sheila that I received her e-mail and tell her well done and thanks so much!!

[Lizard©]

Glad to hear your doing great again. :)

Love reading your updates and hearing about all your adventures. :)

[S&D]

Hi again...a lovely relaxing sea day today...calm as a bathtub..as usual on this trip. Hot hot and more hot weather...so nice and tropical!

 

Malacca tomorrow, not sure if the tenders can be used or may have to use the Malacca tenders from the port, which will be a very slow process indeed...we may get off a little later than we thought by the looks of it.

 

Formal night tonight, we had the captains cocktail party too, which was nice ...with lots of cocktails..he is a great guy, very funny.

 

Ship is quiet now...very still outside and I think everybody has gone to bed and getting ready for a big 4 port days in a row.

 

Loads of laundry rage everywhere, a lot of frayed tempers (and clothes)...:eek: ....such a drama!!!

 

Lovely dinner tonight as well, chocolate mousse for dessert, always a favourite.

 

They have great non alcoholic fruit cocktails on here...very yummy and only $4 each...great on a hot day...and so yummy too.

 

Pursers desk is always busy, always a line up, they are doing a wonderful job with lots of complaining pax, always someone who is not happy about something...:rolleyes:

 

Will post again tomorrow..and let you all know how Malacca goes.

 

S&D

[The Fox]

Hi Sandra & Dave,

Hi Really enjoying your posts.thanks for taking the time to keep us all posted.Im so happy you are enjoying the ship.We sailed on her in January.......We loved her and the way shes run.Really a gracious lady.

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise

 

Col & Di:)

[margord]

Wow, hard to believe the laundry rage is continuing.

 

Marilee

[boeckli]

Wow, hard to believe the laundry rage is continuing.

 

Marilee

 

:confused: What on earth is there to rage about in terms of laundry ?? :eek:

 

Thanks for keeping us updated so well, Sandra. Good to hear you are back to enjoying things to the full.

How 'formal' are the formal nights?

[S&D]

Hi all...

just a quick daily update....Malacca is cancelled...we anchored, but were unable to get ashore as the port tenders were very small, and would take all day to get people ashore. We could not use our own tenders due to shallow depth of water in the harbour....so no go today.

 

We now have "port rage"...to add to the ever growing list....:D :eek:

 

They did get 200 ashore for a tour at first, but that has been recalled, and we now sail for Langkawi at lunchtime. Will be interesting to see what happens from this...a lot of irate people once again.

 

We are happy to laze about by the pool, however, so we are cool with it all. Island night tonight...woo hoo... love it...

 

This will put a question around the future of Malacca for the ships to visit....as this would seem to be an ongoing problem.....time will tell.

 

Still having a wonderful cruise, ship is gorgeous, a little crowded at times, but still great.

 

OK...until tomorrow....and Langkawi (hopefully)...

 

Love to our girls, A&A....Addy and Steve, Deucefarmers...you all know we are thinking of you...

XXXX

S&D

 

 

S&D

[luvtahiti]

S&D- We are enjoying your posts. Thank you for the daily updates. We are planing a trip on the Sun in 2010 and find your reports quite helpful. We sailed on the Sun back in 2000 and loved her. Looking forward to the rest of your review!

[Westaussie]

Hi you must think I have abandoned you but it happened again sent another email yesterday and it dropped out obviously more than 10/15 lines is too much (computer buffs please explain this to me!)

 

As Sandra said, we are anchored off Malacca so close yet so far ... People will be happy when we set sail and the casino and shops can open again!

 

Laundry rage - well 2000 pax and two machines on each deck and the open hours shortened there was a queue of 14 people yesterday on our deck alone and if you are one minute late to remove your clothes you get lynched!

 

Re my pet subject of the lack of taxis in Fremantle - the queue at 4.30 pm on the 21st was the full length of the terminal. Yesterday they were taking numbers for coaches to the airports/city - so as we couldn't book airport without a flight number we are taking the city one where at least we know we can wait under cover and hopefully not have to wait several hours.

 

Apart from this the cruise is great I think us CC cruisers who travel with an open mind and sense of humour would not be whinging like so many are at the moment - feel sorry for Princess cruises and the wonderful captain (boeckli - he leaves on the 11 June and replaced by an Italian)

 

Vera

[boeckli]

Hi all...

just a quick daily update....Malacca is cancelled...we anchored, but were unable to get ashore as the port tenders were very small, and would take all day to get people ashore. We could not use our own tenders due to shallow depth of water in the harbour....so no go today.

S&D

 

We had a similar problem in Kiritimati on our recent Mercury cruise - water was too shallow to get ships tenders full of people through the lagoon - a few people made it on the first tender , which got stuck :eek: and then they canceled it (but we had to wait till the early ones came back from shore ...)

That was the second port we had missed on that trip (swell too high in Rarotonga) and we ended up with a nice OBC (after a lot of people complained I believe).

[NSWP]

Laundry rage, pizza rage, tender rage, what is going on that ship S&D. Oh and now port rage too.

I thought they would all be sensible, mature happy Aussies on board. Maybe there are a lot of 'cruise virgins on board' who don't know the systems and the issues of life on board ship. Silly old B....rs.!:mad:

 

Cheers..Les:cool:

[rebelrockers]

Hi Dave & Sandra

Good to hear your appetite is back as food sounds like one of the highlights! Enjoy your shopping, you do it so well......:D

We must chat about these laundry fights when you get back to Adelaide, they seem extreme..just over clothes...there has to be a better way, surely! Did you get photos?

Hope you both had a fabulous formal night. Catcha!

Tim & Wendy

[arxcards]

Laundry rage, pizza rage, tender rage, what is going on that ship S&D. Oh and now port rage too.

I thought they would all be sensible, mature happy Aussies on board. Maybe there are a lot of 'cruise virgins on board' who don't know the systems and the issues of life on board ship. Silly old B....rs.!:mad:

 

Cheers..Les:cool:

Too many 72yo's? ;)

[S&D]

Hi Geoff, Les, everyone, thanks for the replies...we are in paradise today...Langkawai 30 degrees, humid, very calm, just docked and we are off to see if there are bargains to be had! A lot are doing the cable car etc...looks like a wonderful day for that.

 

yes , it could be the much older age group, or the fact that there are so many first time cruisers, we have never heard so much "whinging" about nothing!

 

We - are having a lovely time, someone keeps making the bed, does all the food shopping, cooks, cleans etc...we do nothing but have a great time!!!!

 

Veras balcony cabin is great, a little more spacious than our inside, set up a little different, and yes...the balcony is small, but just big enough for 2, this has re inforced our original idea of always taking a balcony in future. It would have been magic when I was sick for those 3 days. Nothing like the fresh air!

 

Island night last night..was that a blast, wonderful cruise staff had the place jumping, and it was fab....calm night, bathtub sea..so very calm, the band Nexus are fantastic, one of the best we have struck on these ships, we had a ball. Lots of people all dressed up in the Hawaiian gear, it was just gorgeous.

 

Bought 2 formal photos....$29 each...very lovely photos, makes up for all the photos we have NOT taken...for some reason we have taken hardly any this trip.

 

Will report in late tonight, and give you the low down on the days activities.

 

Trivia is going well, we have yet more passport wallets, and luggage tags, have given some to Shirl and Co.

 

Off to find Vera, and a trip into the town by taxi.....

 

Hugs to Wendy, Jackie and all.....

xxxx

 

S&D

[margord]

Sandra,

 

Enjoy that shopping. I want to hear about everything you have bought.

 

Marilee

[Seadreams27]

Am enjoying following your cruise..glad to

hear that you are feeling better and that even

with a few hiccups you are still having a good time..

you can send some of that warm sunny weather

our way :D

[S&D]

Fabulous day in Langkawai...what a lovely place this has been. Ship docked early at a very nice dock, great tropical views. We just walked off the ship to waiting taxis and buses to take the tours or take people into the town or into the larger towns further along the coast. There is a beaut hotel/resort just on the dock, lovely restaurants, cafe, small shops there, and a neat boardwalk overlooking the spectacular views and the water. .. a lovely relaxing place. Weather about 30...calm seas, very humid.

 

Taxis 10 mins into town, or 20 mins into the larger shopping area. lots of pax doing the cable cars and snorkelling and or beach things today, and what a great spot for this...just magnificent scenery everywhere.

 

Beer was $1 per can once again, and yes, we took some on the ship again. Spirits were very cheap, and some people got them aboard...some had to leave them in safe keeping with security until the end of the cruise. Wine and champagne....no problems though.

 

Shopping was plentiful and cheap here, DVD's about $2 here, lots of clothes,

Dave got his Sth American cigars for $80..they are about $400 at home.

 

I spotted a fabulous solid brass very heavy incense burner, very ornate and beautiful... heavily carved....about the size of a grapefruit....so gorgeous....and it begged me to please take it home.....so it jumped in my bag...and is now enjoying the trip home...:D ...this was quite expensive...at $40.. but thanks to dear Vera's bartering services, we got it at $30.

 

I also got a huge lazy susan thingy with all dishes built in around....just right for out the back in the summer.....holds all sorts of dishes hot or cold..it is huge, and is now in the cabin...:eek: gawd knows how we will get it home, but we love it...

 

BREAKING NEWS...we all got a $160 refund for missed port of Malacca, so that is a lovely bonus, what can I say....more Fizz's????

 

Would highly recommend this port, just a fantastic spot...and very clean too.

 

Off to bed now to get ready for the Penang assault in the morning....the best shopping is here!!!

 

Having a ball, nice young Mexican couple are going to show us a few salsa moves, and they asked us to show them R&R, so we are all happy!

 

Went to the steakhouse tonight, wonderful meal and service, nice for a change....great company..Shirl, Alan, Vera, Ian, Al and Nancy...a memorable night again.

 

Until tomorrow...

 

S&D

[shining gem]

Hello you two groovers!

Hope you are dancing up a storm and avoiding the laundry at all costs!! What's the deal? is there a laundry on every floor or are they a bit short? I must say, I was always up at sparrows and had the job done before most of the rest were out of bed!

How are you finding the ship compared to the Diamond and Star? We are counting down to our trip in August next year when we do Southampton to Sydney on the Dawn. Can't wait. I am suffering cruise withdrawal at the moment as we just can't get away this year!

We did the Sydney to Bangkok trip on the Star in 2004 and had a ball, the weather was fantastic and the ports were too. I would love to do the trip again at some stage. Calm water all the way! Lots of spa time and great dancers to watch!

Anyway, it's great to see your posts and I hope the good times keep on rolling! Meg

[Witchymob]

:p Thanks for all the info S & D so glad you have recovered quickly and not missed too much cruise time. Langkawi sounds great haven't been there so looking forward to our stop there now, that magic word shopping!! Also like ports that don't involve hours in the bus to get anywhere. Interested to see you didn't go into Bangkok I believe the port is a long way away. Have found the laundrys are best avoided, although they can be a source of information, accurate and otherwise, last cruise we took a clothes line that we managed to attach to the window track at one end and the wardrobe at the other to hang clothes on that had been washed in the machines when we couldn't get a dryer (just about impossible), useful for shirts and shorts etc, Will keep watching the webcam, great to see it has been calm most of the time.

[margord]

Sandra,

 

Rest up. Sounds like more wonderful shopping tomorrow.

 

Marilee

[arxcards]

Hello you two groovers!

Hope you are dancing up a storm and avoiding the laundry at all costs!! What's the deal? is there a laundry on every floor or are they a bit short? Meg

There is a laundry on each passenger deck except Riviera. The 6 laundries each have 2 washing machines, 2 dryers and an ironing board (maybe 2).

 

12 machines for 970 cabins is still a pretty fair stretch though. My wife had 2 wash sessions on our cruise. One was a bit of a tense setting after a laundry rage incident. The other was 6 ladies helping each other with their loads so everyone could be finished sooner - and each took turns to get snacks from the buffet and a drink or 3, and made a party of it.

[Koolkrewser]

The other was 6 ladies helping each other with their loads so everyone could be finished sooner - and each took turns to get snacks from the buffet and a drink or 3, and made a party of it.

Now that's my kind of laundry "rage";)

Cheers

Jane

[rebelrockers]

Hi Dave & Sandra

Great to hear your daily reports. As Tim & I are both steak lovers, was wondering whether the Steakhouse was extra $ or within the cruise deal? Can't resist a T-bone!:)

Good to know the cruise refunded you for not docking at Malecca, sorry you missed the day trip.

Tim has msg for Dave: 'Those cigars are not good for you young man!'

Have a beautiful day shopping tomorrow,

Regards Tim & Wendy LOL

[NSWP]

Rebelrocker, I believe Sun Princess Steakhouse is a $20 cover charge. You get nice steak in the regular dining rooms you know, ask for two if they are small, I do !!

 

Good to see S&D are enjoying their cruise. I like the BYO beer on board for $1 a can.!!

 

Cheers..Les:cool: (3 weeks today we sail off on SP !):)

[Koolkrewser]

Les

Why did you have to add that you leave in three weeks! That means that we RETURN in three weeks & we haven't even left yet:eek: It's almost unbelievable to see the countdown clocks, when we've watched them go from the 300's-200's-100's now look @ them. Just remember to keep to the left as they have to drag us off on the 26th. It may not be a pretty sight;)

Cheers

Jane