Sun Princess Review Feb 6th to 16th Part Two

[sunflower1972]

Ok I'll carry on now. The ship itself was in very good shape. They were always doing upkeep. There were some poor folks quarentined to the cabins due to a Gastro bug, so we were very careful in the public areas and there was a huge increase in cleaning about day 4 or 5. We did fine and had no illness.

 

Motion Sickness: well let's just say I lived on Gravol this first 3 days. I was ready for the motion of the ship BUT I did not expect for it to feel like we were a train for 10 days:) Caught the DH and I both off guard. Our last at sea day prior to Princess Cays was rough for us both. Gail force winds and 14 foot waves had us wishing we were on land.....LOL. Ginger worked well for me on port days. By the end of 10 days however I was feeling somewhat 'confined' on the ship and looking forward to solid ground.

 

Day Trips: when we booked this cruise it was based on 2 things: the 10 days and the Itinerary.....it did not dissappoint!! We just loved all the places we stopped.

In Curacao we did sight seeing and shopping in town.

Isla Margarita we hit the beach at the port and enjoyed the market right there. Had a quiet afternoon on the ship as others still out exploring.

Barbados: did the Nature Preserve and Accura Beach. We loved both. Also enjoyed the Calypso Rum Cake!!

Dominica: we did the Dominica Highlights tour and all I can say is WOW!! What a beautiful place.

St Thomas: had pre arranged a tour with Godfrey Renal. Did shopping, an island tour, and 2 hours at Sapphire Beach....was a great day. If anyone is looking for an independant tour guide I highly recommend Godfrey.

Princess Cays is a great way to spend your last day away!!

 

So all in all we had a good vacation. I do have to say however I was just amazed at the rudeness of some of the other passengers. I would not even know where to begin, but people just behaved so badly. We also found the show rooms too small for the number of people wishing to see the shows. We saw the Princess Theatre completely full 30 min before show time, and for the Vista Lounge when leaving from the 1st show the line up for the 2nd show would be to the Shooting Star disco most nights! Combine that with people pushing and shoving each other, and it adds up to some stressful events on board.

 

After much discussion we both feel that we enjoy the all inclusive generally better. We seem to be outdoors type people and felt confined by the end of the 10 days on board....even though we got off at every port. So would I be ready to jump back on a ship for the next trip....nope, does that mean I'd never cruise again.....I never say never...LOL We did love some parts of it for sure!

 

Just a reminder to some folks......so many people complained CONTINUALLY on this cruise. I just have to say that travel is something we are lucky to enjoy.....I think alot of people forget this and I feel sad for them.....I'm standing in Dominica looking at the beautiful Emerald Pool listening to some man yell for the world to hear, that this was not worth his time to hike down and see.....good grief! So sad this person could not see the beauty of the surroundings, enjoy the company he was with. This trip was an opener to me in many ways.....we need to stop and smell the roses folks:) Ok, I'll stop the lecture but I hope everyone get's my point. Cruising may not have won me over just yet......but I feel so fortunate to have had the experience that we did.

 

Happy travels to all! I hope my feelings and thoughts can be respected here and not to many folks attack me as seems to happens on this site frequently.....

[TorontoTL]

I too have been surprised at times that some passengers can be rude to others and to the poor hard working staff, I will never understand it. However, I think that overall it seems that you had a good first cruise experience. It isn't the best vacation for everyone. Some of use become addicted to cruises but not everyone. Thanks for taking the time to post your review. Hopefully you'll try a cruise again in the future.

[sunflower1972]

I think Benny you summed that up perfectly:)

While the cruise itself was good wiht no major concerns, it may just not be for us.

I think long romantic walks in the sand, and music under the stars are

more our pace.....thank goodness there are many choices in life to make us all happy!

For the record I'm sure we will try a cruise again.... but we now know for sure that we are indeed land lovers.....LOL. Might I just add that we feel the cruise cost itself was worth every penny.

[sunflower1972]

Just noticed a mistake....was the Dominica Favorites tour we did ...not highlight tour:) I think I left my mind on vacation......LOL

[Toto2Kansas]

To the OP.

I never caught the first part of your review, so I have no idea what type of cabin you booked. But I must say that without our balcony, we would probably feel 'closed in' also.

 

We now book mini suites on all ships, including the sun class. We enjoy those larger balcony cabins as if the crowds are more than we want to face, we can 'escape completely' (pun intended) into our own little world.

 

I wish more people looked at a vacation as you do, the complaining doesn't do anyone any good.

[suntan]

Sunflower1972: thank you for your review - we are sailing on the Sun in 5 days.

 

Re the rude people and those that complain - some people just cannot be happy even when they are on vacation. For those that complain, I think some of them do it constantly so they can get something for free or a credit of some sort. I just shake my head at these people and try to avoid them at all costs.

[Perky1]

Sunflower.... can I ask anther question?? Please.... What nights were the formal nights and what night is Island/Carribean night?? thanks

 

 

ooooooppppsss.. just saw another thread where you posted that it was the second and 9th night. But we still would like to know about Island night. It has always been after we have done an exausting excursion and have never been able to stay up for it. We are hoping this time it is one of our relaxing beach days....

[sunflower1972]

Hi Perky......Island night was the day we had been in Barbados. So we had did 2 days at sea, then Curacao, Isla Margarita, and Barbados/Island night. We had the problem you speak of:) We had looked forward to Island night and then were so tired that night.....we did make it and looked like folks were having fun. The other thing was the sea was pretty rough that night.......the pools were splashing around pretty good so my time up there was limited, mostly from fatigue and motion nausea.

[Perky1]

thanks so much Sunflower... we are doing the exact same itinerary as you and I thought it might be Barbados night.... we are just going to Accra Beach or the Boatyard for a beach day so that will be perfect. Hopefully in March the seas will have settled down by then. I'll keep my fingers crossed....

[sunflower1972]

Hi Perky.....the more experienced cruisers actually said our sail was fairly calm so I think it was more a case that I'm just pretty sensitive to the motion:) It was the at sea days I had the most trouble with....the days I could get off I seemed to do better. Ginger pills worked well for me if I felt that funny feeling on land.....in Canada Gravol makes a chewable ginger lozenge and worked great if I felt a bit queasy.

 

Have a great cruise....if you have any other questions I'm happy to answer them!!

 

Oh ya....we really enjoyed Barbados.....did the Grame Hall Nature Preserve and then Accra beach....was a fun day!

[pklopp]

Sunflower - thanks for the review of the Sun - if you get flamed, ignore it! Your review was what everyone's should be like - giving your opinions on high points and low points, and that is exactly what it was - your thoughts. Not meant to be something to try to convince people to take a particular cruise or not. How boring if we all felt the same way - something you did not like, may not affect me at all, but don't let it ruin your cruise ahead of time. Before the Zuiderdam cruise, there were so many awful reviews that I almost dreaded going on it. I thought it was great and had a wonderful time - for instance, the fact that a door was broken did not put me into cardiac arrest - actually it was quite nice, since I did not have to push open the door!

 

Sunflower - your review was great - you told us about your cruise only and even the fact that you did not let some rude individuals get to you shows some real character.

Peggy

[cruiseapril]

Thanks for the interesting review. The rudeness is unfortunate. Last year, we had a very good cruise on the Dawn Princess, but there was a problem with crowding on the elevators and some impoliteness about the elevators. We couldn't understand why people would want to crowd in like that.

 

Good that you liked your ports. We're going on the Sun next year, so I'm very interested in your comments.

[Platinum]

Hi Sunflower,

 

I just returned from the Feb 6-16 cruise and that was the second part of our 20 back to back. You sound like a young couple with sat with at a table for 4 (I think it was lunch). This may be a coincidence by you mentioned you were taking Groval and since we are from the U.S. we were quite sure what that was. You had mentioned that one of the nights you were to be seated with some older couples and they said not to sit you there because you were young. If you are that couple you said it was your first cruise and you were married about 10 years.

 

We are many times Princess cruisers and we happen to be 70 and 72. I live in a community where I am considered young.....not in Florida. We enjoyed sitting with this couple (if it was you). Our last night on board we say with a young couple in there 30's with an 11 year old daughter, her Grandmother and another lady about our age. My husband who is a great grandfather and by great I mean he keeps his grandchildren amused.

He did Riddles with Emily and we had the waiter making different designs with the napkins. This couple said "Where were you guys on the rest of the cruise.

 

We have found rude people in all walks of life. We spent many years in our younger days on the islands for days and weeks and maybe as you get older and retire you don't need to sit on a beach for 7-10 days.

Mind you my husband probably still could but I feel the cruise offers me other activities.

 

If you are the same couple hope we made a better impression that some others.

 

My daughter who I have cruised with years ago is going on her first trip with her husband and four children on NCL and introduced me to this Cruis Critic website which I have learned a lot of information from.

 

We were disappointed this year as they told us we couldn't have twin beds in a Mini suite which we love......found out not true so next year we are booked on the Sea Princess in a mini-suite.

[sunflower1972]

Platinum,

So wonderful to hear from you!! I do believe we did share lunch together and it was a very pleasant meal indeed. We enjoyed meeting you both, and have told our friends about the couple we met doing the back to back 20 day cruise. I'm so happy you took the time to say HI! As I had to said to someone else on the board we did meet some wonderful folks on this cruise,and you fell in that category.

 

I truly don't let the rude folks get to me.....I feel terrible that people can't be happy with the blessings they are given....and to me a 10 day cruise was a dream for us:) We just had to adjust our way of thinking a few times, and bite our tongue more times then naught....LOL

 

I hope you enjoyed the rest of your time on the SUN.....and I'm sure after the rough waters you had your first week that our voyage seemed great...I remember you saying you missed a few ports as well....we were very lucky indeed to have been able to visit all those lovely places.

 

I am sure there will another cruise in my future, if the right itinerary calls my name.

Thank you so much again for saying HI.....and have no fears, we enjoyed our time meeting you both!

All the best.....are you planning your next cruise already?

Sunflower

[Platinum]

Yes, we are booked on jan 20 2007 on the Sea Princess. We really wanted Feb 3 but the mini-suites were completely booked already.

I will have to get used to the fact that it is 6 days shorter.

 

Have a great vacation whatever you do. We are married 49 years this year and we always had time for a vacation with and withour out kids.

 

I will be traveling to Scotland and Ireland is August on a 15 tour with the club I belong to. My husband will hold down the fort at home as he is not good in buses and tours.

 

:)