Just back from 3/19 Sun Princess sailing in S9 suite. Here is how it went.

[duck65]

Just got back from the 10 day cruise form 3/9-19. Seeing many questions asked by others I decided to post and try to answer as many as possible.

 

Embarkation was great. Barcelona terminal was easy. Small lime to drop off bags, just like at an airport. One check of our ID and then to check in. 5 minutes later was completed and on the ship. Less than 15 minutes total. If ship was not ready there was a lounge for suite guests in wait in.

Room: was very comfortable and spacious. The bathroom was fine, the shower could hold two people very easily, but the hot water would change a few degrees at random times. 3 small shelves located on right side of sink held all our toileties and more room under the sink. There were two hooks on bathroom door to hand towels or bathing suites. The closest area was large. There were at least 50 hangers in the 2 closets to put your good clothes on. three dresser drawers and 3 cubbie hole style to put everyday clothes in, and shoe area for at least four pairs. The vanity was OK with very bright lights for ladies to get ready. Night lights would come on when getting up when dark and bathroom light would turn on also. Only negative was where phone was placed, on vanity, not next to bed. Two TV's offered ten channels and many movies, only thing I could not get was my account to see what I had spent, must use the App. Veranda was OK, did not use much, had two chairs with footstools to relax with. Bed was comforable, but there was no sheet between you and duvet, and duvet was very thick. Had to set room cold, wake up sweating from duvet, remove and then get cold again. Was hard to get right temp. There was also a welcome bottle of red wine waiting for you and the frig. was stocked with want we wanted plus two bottles of water delivered every day. Shout out to Christian our room attendent who did a incredible and fantastic job of keeping our room spotless.

 

I cannot talk about most of the ship because I only visited the Dome once, nice seating. The wakeview terrace once, they did not have the nice loungers as in the pictures, the pool deck just a walk thru or any of the lido deck eateries, so I hope no one asks about it. Here is our suite expericene:

 

Sanctuary: being most suites on back on ship there is an elevator on back of ship on both port and starboard side. They only go from floors 8-18. Once you get off elevator, door opens to the Sanctury. It has a nice pool, temp. was air temp days I swam in it. Two hot tubs, one did not have jets working on 2nd day but was working after day 3. The jets are very powerful ( called it super bubbles). There were 10 day beds around the pool, 5 funky chairs and a few loungers there. Shade was only in morning. Only shade in non-suite area was in seating area near front enterance or by bar. The suite only area was nice, again shade was limited to two circular couches and a couple of tables. Loungers were very comfortable and attendant should set up your lounger with towels. Some asked if loungers were reserved, answer is no. Staff: could not have asked for any better. Marc and has staff were awesome, waitstaff were always around asking if we needed anything. Shout out to Wadee, Bennie, Rutvic, and Stehany  for treating us  like royality. Only slight negative was then place got busy, bar service would slow down, only one bartender to tend to all guests. They had a special menu for lunch with 7 different items to choose from, my favorite was the califoria roll. Someone asked about cabana prices, answer is ouch. Sea day was $500, port day $300.

Lounge: Beautiful area, was nice to stop in to get something cold in the morning instead of going to deck 8. We would stop in for before dinner drinks and again were treated nicely. Waitstaff included 4 waiters, one bartender and 2 concierges working hard to make sure you were comfortable. Only had to use them once for dinner reservations but they would come over and talk to you everyday to make sure your day was going OK. Waitstaff would have a new drink for within minutes and Luchian the piano player was incredible. Only downside I could see is if they had more than 50 people come at same time it would be very crowded.

Resturant: It was very nice place to eat in and was happy to be there instead of the long lines going into the Horizen restaurant on deck 7. Someone asked about the noise level. If door was shut, you could not hear anything from the atrium or the Bellini bar area, if open it would be loud. Service was  good, our head waiter, Dennis, was funny and attentive. The assistant, Roel, knew want drinks we needed without asking, and the sommular, Radu, was spot on the wine selection for the main course. My only complaint: all the restaurants, Horizen, Reserve, and Signature, had the same menu, 5 starters and 6 main courses, with cocktail shrimp and ceaser salad on daily menu. Only thing different was the free filet mignon and prime rib.  I have only sailed ne other time in a suite ( on X) and they offered a completely different menu from the MDR. So if there wasn't you liked it could be troblesome eating that day.

I won't comment on the other aspects of the ship, other than I enjoyed the Small Craft bar on deck 7 front, nice to watch a small presentation on how the drink is made.

Overall it was a great time for my DW and myself but I believe we got a great deal for this room. Did price it in Dec. and it would cost $1600 more for 3 less days.

Please asked any questions about the suite experience that I did not cover. I check my email about twice a day. Hope this will help those doing there first cruise in a suite. Did not mention first time with Princess, but 25th overall.

[Fortunate 2 travel]

Thank you for sharing your experience.  I do have a question about the Suite area/Sanctuary.  When you have a lounger in the morning is it your lounger for the whole day?

 

Your review made me feel better.  We have 14 nights late summer.

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

You should probably put that you were on the Sun Princess in the title. It’s not clear. 
 

Thanks for the review!  In a suite in 2 weeks. 
 

Was the Enclave in the spa free for suite passengers?  I heard it was but want to confirm. 

[duck65]

Sorry about the title, also was from 3/9-3/19.  Lounger question. Not enough people around and waitstaff did not remove towels from them when some did leave. Did not see more than 20 people in suite area all cruise, but did not see waitstaff remove towels from loungers when someone did leave. Best answer I can give.

Sox Fan, when we did a tour of the spa is was not mentioned if Enclave was free. Asked about day pass, they said only sell pass for whole trip, was I believe 176 dollars.

[Fortunate 2 travel]

Do you have any photos of your suite?

[duck65]

Sorry, no pictures.

[chamima]

@duck65 - For future reference - on Princess if you don't get a top sheet ask for it! I always need one exactly for the reason you mentioned. For a while Princess wasn't using them so I asked the first day and it was always there after that.

The last couple of years I haven't had to ask so I'm surprised to  hear that they're back to not automatically having them.

 

PS- So sorry and disappointed to hear about the Signature menu!

Edited March 22 by chamima

[Host CJSKIDS]

@duck65 if you would like, I can put Sun Princess in your title.

 

Thank you for taking the time to do the review.  

[duck65]

10 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

@duck65 if you would like, I can put Sun Princess in your title.

 

Thank you for taking the time to do the review.  

Please do, thank you for asking

[dog]

Thanks. We will be in a S9 in 2025!

 

Do you pay for anything offered in the Signature lounge; Sun deck; signature restaurant?

can you reserve a lounge for the week or only daily?

[duck65]

6 minutes ago, dog said:

Thanks. We will be in a S9 in 2025!

 

Do you pay for anything offered in the Signature lounge; Sun deck; signature restaurant?

can you reserve a lounge for the week or only daily?

Hi dog,

   We had the premier package, so everything was under the $20 limit for drinks. ( white pear bubbles was the drink, very tasty). The lounge had a drink menu similiar to the Sanctuary. Lounge had snacks all day long, did not cost. Restaurant had no add-on charges that I saw. About the loungers, did not ask to reserve, but again not many people up there. We usually sat on one of the round beds next to water bar. We were up there every sea day and two days at port when we came back from the city. Those days had Sanctary to ourselves for about 2 hours.

[JGmf]

4 hours ago, duck65 said:

duvet was very thick. Had to set room cold, wake up sweating from duvet, remove and then get cold again.

 

Amen on that.  The duvet and blanket combo is like a -20 degree sleeping back option.

 

C'mon Princess, how about a thin blanket that's standard. 

[mtnesterz]

21 minutes ago, JGmf said:

C'mon Princess, how about a thin blanket that's standard. 

We always ask for one first day and it is changed before we turn in.

[Wishing on a star]

We, too,  have an always requested a top sheet...  and a blanket. (usually thin.. and do not seem to be new,  but SUN is a new ship)

[dog]

Heard that the ship is hot. Is the AC working in the cabins this cruise?

[KLM3164]

13 hours ago, chamima said:

For future reference - on Princess if you don't get a top sheet ask for it!

Once again I learned something new on CC today…..thank you! I’ve never thought to ask for an extra sheet but will from now on if there isn’t one on the bed.

[CalTexCruiser]

Did the signature restaurant become full?

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for sharing your comments.

[duck65]

22 hours ago, dog said:

Heard that the ship is hot. Is the AC working in the cabins this cruise?

Yes, would come back to room and temp. difference would be noticeable from hallway. Digital thermostat did not allow to set  to exact temp.

[duck65]

1 hour ago, CalTexCruiser said:

Did the signature restaurant become full?

Of the 7 dinners we had in restaurant, only once did we not get seated with regular waiter, his section was full. At breakfast I never saw more than 15 couples. Only seating I did like seeing were tables next to enterance, felt out of placed there.

[Nebr.cruiser]

On 3/22/2024 at 10:05 AM, JGmf said:

 

Amen on that.  The duvet and blanket combo is like a -20 degree sleeping back option.

 

C'mon Princess, how about a thin blanket that's standard. 

Yes, I hate the duvet because it's either too hot when on or too cold when off.  I also don't like the weight of it.  I always ask for a top sheet at the least and prefer a blanket as well.

Edited March 23 by Nebr.cruiser

[CalTexCruiser]

@duck65 Were you aware of any non-suite guests in the Sanctuary?

 

my understanding is that it costs 99 per sea day to book a lounger for a non-suite guest and I wonder if demand is high?

[duck65]

3 hours ago, CalTexCruiser said:

@duck65 Were you aware of any non-suite guests in the Sanctuary?

 

my understanding is that it costs 99 per sea day to book a lounger for a non-suite guest and I wonder if demand is high?

Two of the sea days the area was busy but not completely full. It made getting a drink a little longer, maybe 5-10 minutes from order to delivery.

[worldtraveller]

Was the lounge staffed 24/7?  I am assuming not but you could still go in and get hot (or cold) drinks and possibly snacks even if not staffed like on other ships?

[capriccio]

Did the two balcony chairs recline and was there a small table too?