Sun Princess 12th Jan 2009-newbie ponderings

[sherri3802]

Have booked onto my first ever cruise and we are off to some of the sth pacific islands for 14 days in January.

Some of the threads on this forum have made me hyperventilate a little as it is entirely possible we have made a serious error in cabin bookings.

It seemed a good idea at the time to go for the cheapest deal so we have booked 3x inside cabins(for 3 couples, we are going with friends) on k class, which is apparently on deck 5 or 6.

What i would really have liked would have been a balcony of course but the economy gene kicked in. Maybe we will get a major upgrade as I haven't come across anyone else at all who seems to be going on this cruise. LOL;)

 

Questions-we are 3 middle aged couples. How will we come through the rigors of being near the bottom of the boat with the noise of crashing waves and creaking anchors that i read about in another post?:confused:

All the serious cruisers here seem to go for better rooms-they probably know something i didn't.

Has anyone else tried the cheap rooms and managed okay?

 

Also-and I feel seriously silly asking this-but what on earth are these reef shoes I see everyone talking about? They aren't just thongs are they?

I am guessing they are plastic shoes of some sort but if anyone has a photo I would love to see them-what the well dressed reef walker is wearing this season.:)

 

Now-what about computers on the Sun Princess? on one board here someone wrote they couldn't get near a computer (it was about a different ship) and that they would take their laptop next time. Is it worth taking my laptop-is there access to computer connection in the rooms? (I know it will be at a cost if there is) or is it reasonably easy to get onto a ship computer in normal hours?

 

Finally (for now, though i am sure to have other questions) Is there a hairdryer in the cheaper cabins? This is causing a friend of mine no end of anxiety. I have told her the booklet says each cabin has one but she is convinced that will only be the better grade cabins. She doesn't want to have to ask for one, she will take her own if they aren't there-but how will we know beforehand.

 

And has anyone been on this ship lately and was the food okay?

We have been seriously dreaming about the food (and the gym, of course)as so many people say food on cruises is great. Imagine my distress to see someone rate the food as only a 6/10. I do hope the kitchens on the ship lift their game before we arrive on board.:)

[arxcards]

Have booked onto my first ever cruise and we are off to some of the sth pacific islands for 14 days in January.

Some of the threads on this forum have made me hyperventilate a little as it is entirely possible we have made a serious error in cabin bookings.

It seemed a good idea at the time to go for the cheapest deal so we have booked 3x inside cabins(for 3 couples, we are going with friends) on k class, which is apparently on deck 5 or 6.

What i would really have liked would have been a balcony of course but the economy gene kicked in. Maybe we will get a major upgrade as I haven't come across anyone else at all who seems to be going on this cruise. LOL;)

 

Questions-we are 3 middle aged couples. How will we come through the rigors of being near the bottom of the boat with the noise of crashing waves and creaking anchors that i read about in another post?:confused:

All the serious cruisers here seem to go for better rooms-they probably know something i didn't.

Has anyone else tried the cheap rooms and managed okay?

 

Also-and I feel seriously silly asking this-but what on earth are these reef shoes I see everyone talking about? They aren't just thongs are they?

I am guessing they are plastic shoes of some sort but if anyone has a photo I would love to see them-what the well dressed reef walker is wearing this season.:)

 

Now-what about computers on the Sun Princess? on one board here someone wrote they couldn't get near a computer (it was about a different ship) and that they would take their laptop next time. Is it worth taking my laptop-is there access to computer connection in the rooms? (I know it will be at a cost if there is) or is it reasonably easy to get onto a ship computer in normal hours?

 

Finally (for now, though i am sure to have other questions) Is there a hairdryer in the cheaper cabins? This is causing a friend of mine no end of anxiety. I have told her the booklet says each cabin has one but she is convinced that will only be the better grade cabins. She doesn't want to have to ask for one, she will take her own if they aren't there-but how will we know beforehand.

 

And has anyone been on this ship lately and was the food okay?

We have been seriously dreaming about the food (and the gym, of course)as so many people say food on cruises is great. Imagine my distress to see someone rate the food as only a 6/10. I do hope the kitchens on the ship lift their game before we arrive on board.:)

Hi Sherri,

First to remember with your choice is that you have lots more money available for cocktails by booking at the cheapest price.

 

Guarantee bookings do not guarantee you a bad cabin. Just that you will not get to choose which one. It is quite likely to get an upgrade, but unlikey to get to a balcony - more likely a Cat I, J, JJ inside cabin. If you book early, these specials are not yet available, and best to choose a cabin midships without main public areas directly above or below. Anchors are only dropped\raised at tender ports, and usually around sunrise and sunset. The worst affected would be outside cabins well forward on deck 5 and 6. I doubt you will hear crashing waves in a Cat K cabin.

 

Food was amazing on SP last New Years. Has apparently slipped a bit, but this is based on the standard of the Princess fleet. Food at New Years was better than anything we have eaten since we got back.

 

All cabins have good amenities, with the minis and suites having a bit extra. All cabins have a hairdryer.

 

Reef shoes are made of a wetsuit material upper, with a rubber sole. They pull on like a pair of socks, and are great for walking around slippery rocks or broken coral. Can be bought for around $10 at Big W or K-Mart, or more expensive ones at surf and dive shops.

 

Computer lounge on SP was never full on our cruise, and our cruise set the record for most passengers. There is laptop access that is slightly cheaper by the minute, but same rate as computer package rates. There is no bulk package for laptops, and the charge is $0.55/minute.

 

The main benefit to a laptop is that you can DL your messages, log off while trying replies, then log back in to send.

 

There is no Wi-fi to the cabins. You can connect in the computer lounge, Library, Atrium and bars surrounding plus Horizon Court. We took our laptop, but it was also used to store HD video and to upload to a blog, and play some cabin music.

[sherri3802]

Thanks for that info, Geoff.

lots more money available for cocktails by booking at the cheapest price.

Yes, I will keep that in mind. Exactly right!! :) I am looking forward to the cocktails too. The food and the cocktails. Oh and the gym, of course.:p

 

I can't believe I have 'cruised' through Big W for the last 20 years and never noticed a reef shoe. I am going to ask about them next time I am there. Where I live isn't exactly tropical, so it may not be a big line they carry. Racks of gum boots yes.

But I will certainly try to get a pair now i know what to look for.

 

And your comment about an upgrade sounds excellent to me-I would be excited to get any improvement in cabin at all.

At 55c a minute for computers, I may just have to suffer withdrawal symptoms and do without because at my speed of operation i would probably be up for hundreds of dollars a day.

I am glad you let me know beforehand as we were thinking it could be eg $2-$5 for half an hour.

[Ela 2]

Hi Sherri,

Geoff has explained things very well.

 

Re up-grade - I don't know when you booked, but your January cruise is still 5 months from now. Up-grades are allocated in chronological order depending on when you booked. There are only 34 cabins in the K class that you have booked. When 34 K class are booked after yours, you will be up-graded, but also to an inside cabin. The only time we were not up-graded was when we booked 5 weeks before the cruise. There are no guarantees, but I think it is likely the Up-grade Fairy will visit you. If she doesn't, don't be too worried about being near the front of the ship. The Sun Princess is an enormous ship and she rides the seas very well. We will be going on her in October (28 nights to Tahiti) and I can let you know after that how she goes. I am prone to motion sickness, so I will be aware of it! I just take my sea sickness meds and get on enjoying the cruise.

 

I am sure some CC'ers will have cruised in a forward cabin and can tell you about it.:):)

[LouLou28]

These are reef shoes ...

[The Fox]

Have booked onto my first ever cruise and we are off to some of the sth pacific islands for 14 days in January.

Some of the threads on this forum have made me hyperventilate a little as it is entirely possible we have made a serious error in cabin bookings.

It seemed a good idea at the time to go for the cheapest deal so we have booked 3x inside cabins(for 3 couples, we are going with friends) on k class, which is apparently on deck 5 or 6.

What i would really have liked would have been a balcony of course but the economy gene kicked in. Maybe we will get a major upgrade as I haven't come across anyone else at all who seems to be going on this cruise. LOL;)

 

Questions-we are 3 middle aged couples. How will we come through the rigors of being near the bottom of the boat with the noise of crashing waves and creaking anchors that i read about in another post?:confused:

All the serious cruisers here seem to go for better rooms-they probably know something i didn't.

Has anyone else tried the cheap rooms and managed okay?

 

Also-and I feel seriously silly asking this-but what on earth are these reef shoes I see everyone talking about? They aren't just thongs are they?

I am guessing they are plastic shoes of some sort but if anyone has a photo I would love to see them-what the well dressed reef walker is wearing this season.:)

 

Now-what about computers on the Sun Princess? on one board here someone wrote they couldn't get near a computer (it was about a different ship) and that they would take their laptop next time. Is it worth taking my laptop-is there access to computer connection in the rooms? (I know it will be at a cost if there is) or is it reasonably easy to get onto a ship computer in normal hours?

 

Finally (for now, though i am sure to have other questions) Is there a hairdryer in the cheaper cabins? This is causing a friend of mine no end of anxiety. I have told her the booklet says each cabin has one but she is convinced that will only be the better grade cabins. She doesn't want to have to ask for one, she will take her own if they aren't there-but how will we know beforehand.

 

And has anyone been on this ship lately and was the food okay?

We have been seriously dreaming about the food (and the gym, of course)as so many people say food on cruises is great. Imagine my distress to see someone rate the food as only a 6/10. I do hope the kitchens on the ship lift their game before we arrive on board.:)

 

hi

no worries about any cabins on the Sun princess they are all good .im middle age and have been on 22 cruises and i prefer inside cabins.....mainly because outside and balcony cabins to me dont offer anymore than inside except natural light.believe me you will just be like me only in the cabin to sleep and dress.as to the noise and being on deck 5 or 6 .....no worries the noise is no worse than any other deck.there are ample lifts on sun princess to get you to any deck.i choose inside for the price and what we save we spend on tours and presents etc.....i forgot cocktails and beer lol.the service is the same on inside cabins a it is in balcony.really its personel choice.enjoy your first cruise....then your next and next you will know exactly what accommodation suits you.you will love Sun Princess and you will be addicted to cruising ....enjoy

 

cheers

col:)

[MargnGrah]

Hi sherri3802

 

The first cruise we went on was on the lowest deck with no port/window as it was all we could afford....we took our 3 daughters and it was a fantastic cruise. It gave us a taste of cruising which we are lucky enough to be able to do more of now.

 

I just brought a new pair of reef shoes from rebel as the ones I had previously at Go-Lo, I now wear as garden shoes. (Great for wearing on wet grass) I think the new ones are of a better quality.

 

We havn't been on the Sun Princess but I'm sure you find the food is as good as on the PS & PD ...which is wonderful, yum yum !!!!

 

Good luck with the upgrade but don't be dissapointed if it doesn't happen,

because at least you are on a cruise and they are the best holiday EVER!!!!!

 

Cheers Marg :)

[Gratz]

I bought reef shoes today from big w $8.42

[sherri3802]

Thank you for the terrific replies-what a great bunch of people you are on here. I really appreciate it!

It was good to hear that the fox-col-has been in inside cabins and still managed to enjoy the cruise! Like him, I hope we can be out and about most of the time.

I am already tossing up ideas of a second cruise, maybe late Dec 2009 but who knows. I have to get through this one first. I mentioned cruising to a workmate and she just threw back her head and laughed maniacally. When she could get a word in, she spread out her arms and said no one, repeat no one, could ever drag her on a ship again, water skiiing was as close to a boat as she ever inteded going for the rest of her life.

(I think sea sickness got her last time)

She wished me well and to 'have fun' then burst into laughter again.

 

Not an encouraging start, hey?;)

 

Thanks too for the pic of the reef shoes. I am off to BigW today to have a look as i am curious. I have mentioned these shoes to a few people I know and got nothing but a blank look but then again, reefs are a bit thin on the ground in this neck of the woods.

But like explorers of old did, I am setting off on a search mission today.:)

[aussiedisneyfan]

They should have them there. We have them in Canberra, not the warmest place around.

[sherri3802]

They should have them there. We have them in Canberra, not the warmest place around.

 

I think I have found them, or something like them anyway.

Just under $9 in BigW but not called reef shoes.

I met up with a friend who works in there and she led me to them, but I think they are called beach shoes or something along those lines.

 

They will do. I might tell my kids a pair could be a good idea for father's day.;) That will take care of one pair for us.:)

[arxcards]

I think I have found them, or something like them anyway.

Just under $9 in BigW but not called reef shoes.

I met up with a friend who works in there and she led me to them, but I think they are called beach shoes or something along those lines.

 

They will do. I might tell my kids a pair could be a good idea for father's day.;) That will take care of one pair for us.:)

Big W can call them what they like, but I can assure you the generic name for these is Reef shoes.

 

You could also try these (but not for a Fathers Day gift)!!

[sherri3802]

:p Love the flippers.:p

 

Oh I believe you on the reef shoes. I think BigW just likes to do its own thing, most likely. At least i was lucky enough to see the photo on here and knew what to look for.

 

Now i wonder what the weather will be like on the islands in January.

Does anyone know if there is cooling available in the inside cabins? With no sea breezes, I would think we will need something.

[Ela 2]

Now i wonder what the weather will be like on the islands in January. Does anyone know if there is cooling available in the inside cabins? With no sea breezes, I would think we will need something.

It will be humid in January. The ship is air-conditioned. It is not only inside cabins that hae no sea breezes, it is also oceanview. They have non-opening windows. I always find the air-con in the cabins so cool that I need a nightdress with sleeves and we sleep with a light blanket. Don't worry about being too hot!!

[MargnGrah]

Hot and Humid in January, But still lovely to cruise.......actually anytime is lovely to cruise!!!!!!:D