Sun 620

hi. Looking at SUN cruise cam --heading to Villa. 1st port was to be Noumea then Ouvea then Vila on Wednesday. Can I presume there is a change due to late start last night. What a great sight seeing all the habour and ships lights. Couldnt stay up to see sail away though. I hope they all have agreat time.

Hi suexxx, yes I hope they have a great time as well as they left so late, I'm sure they will and hopefully get some sort of compensation.

The rescue on Wednesday put us 10 hours behind but we went full speed and made up alot of time, it was bedlam as 1100 passengers were from Melbourne which meant alot of flight changes.. the quew at the pursers desk was very long! P&O made all the change arrangments, infact they did everything they could for everyone, whether booked through them or not. They also had to ring every passenger's next of kin to tell them we'd be late. Those guys at the pursers desk need medals. The rescue was for 2 sailers whos yacht went aground on a coral reef. By the time we got there a French fishing boat had picked them up and wouldnt let the Aussie sailors off.. they wouldnt even contact our captain! They just went right past, I pity the sailers as it was a bit rough and the fishing boat was getting badly rocked around! So it was kind of all for nothing. I must say it was exciting though!

The sickness was going around the ship, alot of people I spoke to had someone they travelled with sick. Its most important to keep the strictess hygene, we brought our own bottle of antiseptic and used it at all times. We tried not to touch hand rails or lift buttons and never used the public toilets.. thank goodness we didnt get sick.. though I.. and alot of others got a sore throat then cough. P&O did everything they could .. everywhere you looked they were sanitising, alot of the buffet went from self serve to them serving. There were announcments from the Captain as well about the sickness and to keep very clean. When we were getting off alot of the rooms were being fogged by men in white overalls and face masks.

We had a bit of drama when leaving Noumea as well, that was held up for a few hours. A young man had to be forcibly taken off the ship into a waiting ambulance, it took 5 men to restrain him and he was punching and kicking. We went up to take some night pictures and saw the whole scene.. after that the rumors started.. it went from him bashing his parents with them already in hospital to him on drugs! Don't know what to believe.

Our itinerary was changed as Hienghene was having its wharf reconstructed, so we went to Island of Pines instead, and the port days were also changed around. I don't think many really minded as every passenger got a $50 credit on their card. Thanks P&O!

In Noumea my friend went on the day tour out to an island.. she said it was the best day she'd ever had! We booked a bus tour from the terminal in Noumea, it was $30 and went to city and country.. it was great with our guide Vivienne.. we saw more than the P&O tour that was twice as much (althought the bus broke down as we were leaving the Church of Miracles, then everyone had to get outside and push!).

The other islands didnt have tours apart from Divine Island, some people said they werent much chop.

There was no kids dinner, P&O made the excuse alot of parents requested the kids to eat with them but alot of parents I talked to didnt request this.. We were on late sitting so there werent many kids.. it was very hard to get into first sitting for families booked on the 2nd sitting and wanting to change.

Everthing went really smoothly and was so well organised, especially the tenders (I have had bad experiences on past cruises with tenders).

The ship is going into drydock after this cruise, then it will be all refreshed for the next cruise.

It was a fabulous time and I will try to do a full review later on.

hi Sue2539. Have you settled since your cruise. Cruise 620 could be called a MYSTERY CRUISE as so far the ports of call are totally different to schedule. AS long as the weather is good for them I guess you wont mind which day in what port except if shore tours have been booked. I wonder if they can get refund for any tours book via P&O or privatley. I hope so. Sue2539 will you be doing more cruising in the future? Which deck and cabin did you have? I put a post for 2 cruises in oct for STAR with airfare included but no responces. Is the star not a popular ship? Suexxx

Hi suexxx

Yes settled but have a terrible cold, so have my friends.

The tours booked by P&O will definitely be refunded, but I don't think the private ones will. When I went away in Feb 05 we had a port change and people had spent a fortune on a deep sea fishing tour.. they werent very happy! Especially since they didn't get advised of the change before we took off (we did though).

We were on main deck in a 4 berth cabin M119 which was inside and pretty good (but dark when those lights are turned off!). It was close to everything, and as we had paid for the lowest grade on the bottom we were very happy. I think we paid just about the lowest fare out of everyone.

I have been on the Star as well and think it was great, a really good atmosphere. The food etc is much the same as the Sun.

I will be cruising again but I think I'd like to try a much newer ship next time to a different destination, then.. if a good special comes up on the Sun or Star or Dawn who knows?

Your days are counting down.. the lower the days get the quicker the time goes! It's so exciting!

I put a post for 2 cruises in oct for STAR with airfare included but no responces. Is the star not a popular ship?

Suexxx, where is the post, I can't find it? I like the Star I think it is a bit nicer than the Sun. Both are pretty similar in layout etc, Star is just smaller.

hi ADF. Are you all settled back into real life after your cruise? Post is 1st July 11-30am and has the thumbs up sign on Right hand side. I am very suprised that I havent any replies. Oh well. Maybe Oct isnt a good time to cruise. suexxx

I put a post for 2 cruises in oct for STAR with airfare included but no responces. Is the star not a popular ship? Suexxx

Just went back to have a look at it Suexxx. Good prices for those cruises, but as we live in Brisbane, prices with airfares from Adelaide or Melbourne are a bit pointless for us!

Pacific Star is a good ship and I'd like to sail on her again. I think next time we might sail on her it might be from Auckland on a cruise that goes to Tonga.

Kym

Hey Suexxx, I agree is a good deal but not suitable for us. Life is back to normal now. Am getting a lot of when is your next trip questions.:p

HI cruise family. Reading Sue2539s report it makes me wonder why no cruises from Melbourne seeing 1100 of the approx 2000 passengers were from here.How many other cruises have a lot from here? Would be interesting to know.With SUN in drydock when she returns I hope we all stay in touch.I will have to follow another ship more closely for the duration(as if I don't already) suexxx

I think next time we might sail on her it might be from Auckland on a cruise that goes to Tonga.

 

Kym

I'd love to do that too Kym. Have wanted to go to Tonga for a long time. I used to work in a bank in a suburb that had lots of Tongan customers. They are really beautiful people. BIG.............but beautiful:) .

I guess having relos in Auckland makes it an easier option for you too.

Karen

I'd love to do that too Kym. Have wanted to go to Tonga for a long time. I used to work in a bank in a suburb that had lots of Tongan customers. They are really beautiful people. BIG.............but beautiful:) .

I guess having relos in Auckland makes it an easier option for you too.

 

Karen

It at least gives us somewhere to stay at the begining and end of the cruise, and a chance to catch up with everyone over there.

The problem is there's too much choice... I'd like to do the Tongan cruise, I'd like to do cruise on Pacific Dawn, I'd like to do a cruise that takes in new Zealand.

I'd like to do the back to back circumnavigation of Australia and New Zealand on Sun Princess in 2008. 42 nights Sydey - Brisbane - Cairns - Darwin - Broome - Fremantle - Adelaide - Melbourne - Hobart - Sydney - Milford Sound - Dunedin (Port Chalmers) - Christchurch (Lyttleton) - Picton/Marlborough Sounds/Cook Straight - Welllington - Napier - Auckland - Bay of Islands - Sydney, but with the cheapest twin cabin coming in at AU$30,000 I think it's a bit out of our price range.

I'd like to do the back to back circumnavigation of Australia and New Zealand on Sun Princess in 2008. 42 nights Sydey - Brisbane - Cairns - Darwin - Broome - Fremantle - Adelaide - Melbourne - Hobart - Sydney - Milford Sound - Dunedin (Port Chalmers) - Christchurch (Lyttleton) - Picton/Marlborough Sounds/Cook Straight - Welllington - Napier - Auckland - Bay of Islands - Sydney, but with the cheapest twin cabin coming in at AU$30,000 I think it's a bit out of our price range.

That would be the best. but yeh, out of our price range too.:(

Karen