princess-sun11

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Debbi Reeves
Email: jrr@harborside.com
Age: 46
Occupation: insurance agent
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: 10/20/00
Itinerary: Classic Panama Canal
Cabin: B324/AC
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 92
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 92
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 97
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 06 Nov 2000
Time: 23:18:11
Remote Name: 208.46.230.92
Remote User:

Comments

Cruise Review Sun Princess Classic Panama Canal October 20, 2000 - October 30, 2000

Though this is our 3rd cruise it is my first attempt to write a review. I have accessed many reviews in
the past and hope that this review may assist others in determining what kind of itinerary they may
want to choose. Our first cruise was the Southern Caribbean with RCCL on the Monarch of the Seas.
Wonderful. The second cruise was with Carnival on the Holiday doing the Mexican Rivieria. Delightful.
Now on to the Panama Canal with Princess.

We boarded on Friday 10/20/00 at 1 p.m. without a single problem. No lines, no waiting, and
everything was ready for us. We were anxious to get on board and first see our stateroom as we had
been upgraded from a balcony cabin to a mini-suite. It was a 4 category upgrade and had done
nothing out of the ordinary to be granted this great upgrade. We booked in May and at the suggestion
of our travel agent from Cruises-n-More only booked a 'guaranteed' cabin instead of reserving a
specific cabin or location. He has seen Princess upgrade a 'guaranteed' cabin a category or so but
this was only the second time he had seen an upgrade like we were given.

The stateroom was spectacular with 2 sliding glass doors onto the balcony. One from the living area
and one from the bedroom area. 2 televisions, one in the bedroom and one in the living room. A
couch, chair, coffee table, end table, and desk with a chair in the living area. A corner wet bar area
and small refrigerator. Bedroom area had a queen size bed, night stand, and dressing table and chair.
The walk in closest also had drawers and plenty of closest space. A full length mirror was the door of
the closet. The bathroom had a regular size shower stall with tile and a glass door. Also there was a
large Jacuzzi tub with lighted, stained glass behind the tub. The tub was big enough for two :). The
toilet and sink were in another separate room so that one could use the shower or tub while another
was using the toilet or sink. The whole stateroom was beautifully decorated and we felt like royalty. I
can only imagine the luxuriousness of a stateroom suite which would be twice as big as a mini-suite.
We were thrilled!!

We had requested a large dinner group as we like to talk and make new friends. Our 6 table mates
couldn’t have been better. Our ages ranged from late 30’s to late 60’s from 4 different parts of the US.
From the very first dinner to the last one we didn’t stop talking, laughing and sharing our lives and
experiences, on and off the ship. Kudos to whomever Princess has picking out table mates. We have
made 6 new friends!!

First stop was St. Thomas. We had been there on our Southern Caribbean cruise and decided to go
over to St. John’s and snorkel at Trunk Bay. Cab ride to Red Hook ($10 for 2), ferry ride to Cruz Bay
($12 round trip for 2), cab ride to Trunk Bay ($5 for 2), fee to get into Trunk Bay ($8 for 2 for all day).
All together it cost $50 for a day of superb snorkeling on St. John’s for 2 of us. Trunk Bay was
incredible! St. John’s was an awesome island and we plan on going back to see more of it one day.
Also, stop at Mongoose Mall at Cruz Bay if you have time. There are some great stores there!!

Next stop was Dominica, the Garden Isle. Pronounced 'Dom-in-eek-a' by the locals. A beautiful island
that is unspoiled. As we were there on Sunday, the stores is Roseau were closed but the market place
at the pier was open for business. The merchants are a little pushy but stand down when told no. We
hired a taxi for a 3 hour tour to see Emerald Pool at a cost of $30 for 2. It does cost an extra $2 per
person to walk to the pool. I would not recommend this for those who are not able to walk trails and go
up and down some pretty steep terrain. And it is very slippery when wet! The tour only took 2 hours
but we still had to pay the $30. We should have thought of something else to do for the extra hour but
the driver took us right back to the ship. I thought we should only pay $20 for the 2 hours but that’s
not the way it works. If they drive fast and get you back early you still pay the agreed upon price. I am
still learning the tricks!! Some of our table mates took the Whale and Dolphin tour and saw both. They
also snorkeled at Champagne Reef and loved it. Others went to Taffalger Falls and enjoyed it too.

Barbados was our third island. We had also been there so we opted to take a Catamaran Snorkeling
Tour. With about 40 others we headed north on the Caribbean side of the island at 9:30 am. First stop
was snorkeling with the tortoises. There were a few other boats in the lagoon but there was enough
room for all. We got into the water while the crew threw in fish and the tortoises swam around with us.
We were instructed not to try to touch them but of course there were those who could not resist. I had
one swim by and clip me with it’s fin, so it touched me, I didn’t touch it!! They were large, beautiful
animals and our half hour went by way too fast. On to the reef to snorkel and have a wonderful buffet
lunch aboard the catamaran. Five of us even got to ride the Banana Boat which was a real hoot. One
girl popped off like a cork but came up smiling. They loaded her back on and off we sent again. It was
like riding one of mechanical bulls only on the water. We made our way back to the ship at 3 p.m.
sunburned but happy!! A great time at Barbados.

Next a day at sea for a much needed rest. Only problem, I found the art auction and found out I like
art. I bought my own Christmas presents for this year and next! If you like art and like good prices and
still have some money left after paying for your cruise, go to the art auction. You simply cannot beat
the prices on the ship. Art is duty free and Princess really does have them for 75 to 85% less than at
the galleries on land.

Aruba was our next port of call. We had decided to rent a 4x4 and see the north side of the island
where the Natural Bridge and Natural Pool (Conchi) is. I would not recommend this to anyone who
does not have 4x4 driving experience. The roads are dirt with rock and pot holes. The road to the
Natural Bridge from the California Lighthouse is pretty good with the exception of a couple of really
bumpy places. The north shore road takes you by piles and piles of stacked rocks that locals and
tourists have placed along the shore. They are something to see!! Then you go by the Gold Mine
Ruins which are very interesting. Without a tour guide you will have to look up the history on your own.
The Natural Bridge is a feat of nature. Hopefully I got some great pictures before the bus loads of
tourists from our ship showed up. Even though there was a sign saying not to walk on the Bridge, they
were all over it. I suppose one of these days there won’t be a Natural Bridge. On to the Natural Pool or
Conchi as the locals call it. Again I only recommend this if you have 4x4 experience as it is a rugged
drive up and down trails meant for horses or ATV’s. The streets are not marked to get there so be
patient while trying to find the entrance. There is a small house with a small sign and I suggest you
wait for a guide to follow down to the pool. There was no one home when we got there so we tried it on
our own. We made it but only by the grace of God. When we finally got down where the pool is the
guide was astounded that we had made it on our own. He told us a better way to get back and we
were glad for the direction. The pool was beautiful and we could only imagine how much more
spectacular it would have been on a sunny day. You may also want to check the tides before going
down as it is better to see when the tide is out. Since we only had 6 hours on Aruba this was a fast
trek. We were rushed and did not get to spend quality time as each place. Aruba is another island we
would like to go back and investigate one day.

In Cartagena the next stop we took the tour and saw the La Popa Monastery, the fortress or castle as
they call it, the St. Peter Claven Cathedral, old town Cartagena and did some shopping at a small mall.
Be sure to buy your Colombia coffee from the stores at the malls not from the street merchants. They
quality is much better in the stores. The price is only a little bit higher but the quality of bean is much,
much better. The price of jewelry is better in St. Thomas than Cartagena, but there is always that deal
that can be made. I did get some fine leather sandals from the street merchants but had to barter hard
for my price. One man was very honest and said, 'Lady, you are cutting into my margin'. Most of
Cartagena is very poor but I still felt safe. Our tour guide tired to disregard questions about the military
and police all over the city but we knew why they were there. All in all it is a very fascinating city, very
rich in history. The Colombians are very proud of their heritage and history.

Panama Canal was next on the itinerary and was a wonderful day from start to finish. Watching them
stuff that big ship into that tiny lock was unbelievable. And each time they pulled us through a lock it
was awesome. Gatun Lake was spectacular as was the Bridge of the America’s and the skyline of
Panama City. You will just have to experience the day for yourself and determine which part you like
best. We were very thankful to have our balcony cabin and enjoyed sharing our mini-suite with our
table mates and another young couple we had met who had an inside cabin. As the sun sank into the
Pacific Ocean we made our way north to Costa Rica.

After a day at sea we neared the Gulf of Nicoya where Puntarenes is located. Due to a couple of
medical emergencies we docked the evening before we were suppose to. The next day we spent in
Puntarenes, Costa Rica. Being Sunday again all of the business were closed but they had a very
large market place set up. The merchants were not pushy and pretty well let us alone to chose our
purchases. We decided to spend the day at the Caribbean Village Fiesta Resort on a day pass. We
enjoyed food, drinks and swimming for the entire day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $38 per person. It is a family
resort for middle upper class locals. Also English was at a minimal except for the resort workers. We
enjoyed our day with the local families, many from San Jose spending the weekend at the beach. Our
table mates and others enjoyed a day of rafting one of the nearby rivers, sightseeing and shopping in
San Jose (2 hours drive from the ship), a river tour in which they saw monkeys, crocodiles and many
species of birds (no Toucans though). The tours lasted any where from 6 to 10 hours but everyone
we spoke to enjoyed them.

Disaster struck that night aboard the ship. We were late pulling out of port and I suspect but cannot
confirm that the ship got stuck on a sandbar or hung up on something. The tugs had to be called in to
assist. While helping us, one of the tow lines snapped and critically injured one of the crew on board
our ship. The Captain decided to head straight to Puerto Caldera our final port located just a few miles
from Puntarenes. The crewman died before we could reach the dock. It was a somber last night
aboard the Sun Princess.

We disembarked at 6:30 the next morning, got onto our bus, drove the 96 kilometers to San Jose
airport where our group remained for 12 hours while they tried to fix our charter plane from Los
Angeles. San Jose airport was not equipped to handle an MD-11 so it took a long time to fix what was
wrong. All 380 of us missed our connecting flights but the Charter Company got us hotel rooms so we
could get a couple of hours of sleep in a bed while they rearranged flights for us. Many did not handle
this part of the adventure well but a few of us kept our sense of humor and sense of adventure.

All but the final days of the cruise was superb. And nothing could have been changed to avoid what
had happened those last hours. Things just happen sometimes whether you are on a cruise, a
camping trip, a week-end outing or whatever. There just comes a time you have to make the best out
of a bad situation. So in remembering what a lovely time we did have and praying for families of those
that died ( the crewman and a woman who had a heart attack), and wishing the best for those who had
gotten injured in a few mishaps, and those who had missed the ship at 2 different ports, and all of the
other things we didn’t hear about, we will always be thankful for the service, the food, the fun, the
laughter, the new friends and the experience of crossing the Panama Canal with Princess Cruise
Lines for the rest of our lives.

Name: Sherry and John Mudra
Email: johnsher@gulftel.com
Age: 50 & 55
Occupation: Secretary, Assisted Living Center
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: 10/30/00
Itinerary: Panama Canal
Cabin: A546/Cat. BA
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 30
MedicalFacilities: 30
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 50
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 99
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Nov 2000
Time: 22:36:30
Remote Name: 5gis162.gulftel.com
Remote User:

Comments

SUN PRINCESS – OCTOBER 30 – NOVEMBER 9, 2000

COSTA RICA - PANAMA CANAL – CARTAGENA, COLUMBIA – ARUBA – BARBADOS – DOMINICA – ST.
THOMAS – SAN JUAN

This is our second cruise, the first being last December on the Grand Princess. We are a married couple
50 and 55 years old. We found that most passengers on this cruise were older than us, but there were
also some younger in their 30’s and 40’s. I think we only saw 1 or 2 children on the ship. I should mention
that the ship was only 2/3 full on this voyage, which we enjoyed because there was never a problem
getting a chair by the pool or anywhere for that matter. Our waiters, Hector and Eva, in the second sitting
had only our table to serve, so we got very fast service and lots of attention. They were wonderful beyond
words and we truly enjoyed their company every evening. The dining rooms are very tastefully done in
intimate groupings so you never feel you are in a large room filled with people. The food was wonderful in
the dining rooms. We had absolutely no complaints. The Horizon buffet was adequate and they did do
theme lunches which were interesting. Breakfast was always very good, though sometimes cold.

We loved the Sun Princess and felt it was exactly the right size for us – not too small or too large. The
atrium was beautiful and very useful as a central meeting place and one of our favorite places on the
ship. You could always count on meeting someone you know there before or after dinner and during the
day there always seemed to be some type of game in which to participate. We both felt that the Sun was
even more beautiful than the Grand. She has been kept in excellent condition and certainly doesn’t look
five years old.

We had a room with a balcony. It was adequate for our 10 day cruise but seemed small when we first
arrived. We had a mini-suite on the Grand, so this did seem a lot smaller to us. The closets were a little
cramped and the bathroom was very tiny. In fact, we said it reminded us of the bathroom in our RV. We
found a lot of passengers making jokes about the small bathroom size. However, after a few days, we did
adjust and get a routine going so we weren’t always bumping into each other. It helped that I could use
the desk for a vanity and there was also an outlet for my hairdryer. Speaking of outlets, there was only
one in the entire cabin!!! There were absolutely none in the bathroom. We did bring a power strip so we
could have more outlets, but it didn’t really help since everything would have to be plugged in on the
desk. We had a steamer to get rid of the packing wrinkles and it was never convenient to use it near the
desk as there was no place to hang the item you were steaming. The balcony was wonderful and very
private. It has a table and two chairs, which is about all it could handle. We did have breakfast there when
going through the Panama Canal, which we really enjoyed. Room service was extremely fast.

The pools are wonderful. There are two midship. One is deep and the other is only 4 foot all the way
across. The second one is where they did water aerobics every afternoon. The aft pool is very quiet and
has a cover and there are four hot tubs in the rear to enjoy. We sat in lounge chairs facing the rear of the
ship and watched as we navigated through the canal. It was very peaceful and beautiful.

One complaint we did have was embarkation, which was worse than terrible. We left at 10:00 a.m. on Oct.
30th. Our flights were booked through Princess as were our transfers. I would highly recommend
transfers if you are arriving in or departing from Costa Rica. The flight delays we had all day weren’t
Princess’s fault so I won’t even go into that. We did, however, finally arrive in Costa Rica at about 9:30
p.m. We thought this was very poor planning on Princess’s part because we missed the entire first day on
the ship. We had tried to change flights but they wouldn’t let us because they said the papers were all
printed (?). So we arrived in Costa Rica tired from a full day of travel. Everyone was very glad to get off
the plane and anxious to get to the ship. We were led to a room where we were amazed to see about 8
lines a block long each where we had to wait to go through immigration. This took between 45 minutes to
an hour. When we finally got through that mess, we had to get our 5 bags of luggage and drag it over to
where they were stacking the luggage to go on the buses that were taking us to the ship. Then we were
told to go stand in ANOTHER line about 2 blocks long to go through customs. At this point, there were
quite a few disgruntled people. Finally, someone came and told the Princess passengers they could go
through this other line and we walked right through customs. They loaded us onto two buses. We were in
the last one. The first one took off shortly after we all marched out of the airport. The one I was on was
only half full. We waited and waited and waited. Finally we asked what was going on and nobody spoke
English. At last an English speaking gentleman told us that we were waiting for everyone’s luggage
because we were the last bus going to the ship. We sat in the bus for an hour and waited. By now, people
were very irritated. When the driver and guide finally boarded, we were told it was at least 1-1/2 to 2
hours drive to the ship!!! It was near 1:00 a.m. when we finally arrived to see people still in line from the
first bus that had left much earlier. There were only 2 people checking in boarding passengers. After
checking in, we presented our passports to the immigration people after filling out yet ANOTHER
immigration form and we finally got on the ship. No fanfare, no pictures, pretty much an empty ship
because everyone was sleeping. We were hungry so we headed upstairs to the Horizon to eat while we
waited for our luggage. The only people up there were crew members and passengers who were late
arrivals like us. By the time we got our luggage and unpacked, it was way after 3:00 a.m. Not a good way
to start off a cruise. I sure hope that Princess does something about smoothing out this embarkation
process if they intend to keep Puerto Caldera as a starting point.

PORTS OF CALL

COSTA RICA (Puntarenas) We didn’t plan an excursion for this port since we knew we would be getting in
late and most tours left at 7 a.m. Also, we knew that there would be a 2 hour ride each way to the point of
interest and after a day of traveling, we just couldn’t face it. We were especially glad we had decided this
after the fiasco described above.

There is a little area of vendors in the port, however, which is just a short walk from the ship. We had a lot
of fun here. There were musicians playing (for tips) and a lot of interesting home-made items to
purchase. We did manage to drop a few bucks here and we had a wonderful time going through all the
vendor’s stands.

PANAMA CANAL This really isn’t a port since you just navigate the canal. We especially loved having the
balcony. We were on the port side and were very lucky because we were on the right side of the locks
and could watch the ship next to us as well as the workings of the locks and the little trains that pull the
ship through the locks. The canal is beautiful. The captain (or I think it was the captain) also told us about
the canal on the speaker system and points of interest. One point I thought was interesting is when they
showed us the old canal that the French had started many years ago which was supposed to be all one
level without locks. All in all, I think the canal was more interesting and beautiful than we had expected.

COLUMBIA (Cartegena) We were very apprehensive about this port since we had heard so many terrible
things. It turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. We went on the 'Best of Cartagena and Fortress'
tour and had a very good time and learned a lot. One thing, be prepared to do a lot of walking up some
steep inclines on this tour at the fortress. It is worth it, though. You can also wait in the air conditioned
bus if you prefer. Everywhere we went, there were police officers, military personnel and/or something
they call tourist police that wear badges indicating that is what they are. We thought this might be done to
make tourists feel more safe. We did take some pictures with them and they were more than happy to
oblige. When we returned to the ship, there were two military men with drug dogs standing at the ramp.
We asked if we could take pictures with them, and they were also very happy to pose with their dogs. One
officer even had his dog stand on his hind legs for the picture. The Columbian people were very friendly
and we enjoyed seeing everything on this tour. One thing we noted was that our guide kept repeating
many times how safe the city is. We kind of laughed because every single residence and business had
bars on the windows and fences around their property. Some of the fences even had barbed wire at the
top. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone. One tip…don’t buy anything from the street
vendors. They are VERY aggressive and if you buy from one of them, you will practically be assaulted by
every other vendor on the street trying to get you to purchase their wares. We had a vendor actually
push open the bus doors, get on the bus, and try to sell us items while we were waiting for other
passengers.

ARUBA This was probably our favorite port because we had so much fun on our excursion. We took the
Four-Wheel Drive Safari where you drive your own small four wheel vehicle in a caravan around the
roughest parts of the island where you wouldn’t be able to go with any other kind of vehicle. It was quite
an adventure and we had a great group of people in our group of nine vehicles. You really get very dirty
on this trip. We were fortunate that it was the rainy season so there wasn’t any dust to content with, but
we did have many mud holes which were fun to speed through. Everyone was covered with muddy water.
The last stop on this excursion was at a beach which had very large waves and only the very bravest (or
craziest) of us went in. This is a very rough excursion where you get very dirty, but it is great fun. The
trails are very rough and scary and sometimes we didn’t know how we all either made it down a hill in a
gully wash or up a very steep grade on rocks and coral. The north side of the island is where we spent
most of our time and it is very unspoiled and beautiful.

BARBADOS On Barbados we took the Island Safari by Land Rover tour. You don’t drive your own
vehicle, but sit in the back of a Land Rover driven by your guide. It can still be very rough at times. In fact,
one of the Rovers in our group got stuck in the mud and we had to pull them out. Don’t wear good clothes
because you do get an occasional splash of mud. This was a very enjoyable tour and we got to see a lot
of Barbados that the average tourist doesn’t see. On the way back to the ship, we went through the
resort and mansion area of the island and the guide pointed out homes owned by celebrities. We loved
this island, too, and would love to go back and visit it again.

DOMINICA (pronounced Dom in EEK a) This is an island that we were really looking forward to because it
was supposed to still be in a comparatively natural state. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. There
were several cruise ships in port and the island had a difficult time accommodating them all. We went on
the Dominica’s Favorites Tour to see the two main island attractions of the Trafalgar Falls and the
Emerald Pool. It seems every person on every cruise ship wanted to see the same things. The roads
were terribly crowded with tourist buses and they were in terrible condition. We were one of the first
buses to leave the port and the guide kept rushing us through the whole tour so that all the buses behind
us wouldn’t catch up. Unfortunately, they did catch up at the falls where we couldn’t find a place to park
the bus and there was the worst traffic jam I’ve ever seen (and I lived most of my life in Chicago). The
roads were winding and narrow and there wasn’t any place for the vehicles to turn around to go back
down the hill and more tour buses just kept coming up the hill to the falls. Our bus kept dying out going
up the hills and we would have to turn off the air conditioning so we had enough power to get to the top.
This was one tour that we were all glad to see come to an end. The island is beautiful, however.
Strangely, it doesn’t really have any beaches. There was one small black sand beach, but it was also
very rocky. If we went here again, we’d stay on the ship. We also had to tender at this island because
there was another ship at the dock.

ST. THOMAS We had been here before when we were on the Grand Princess. It is a beautiful island and
we had many good memories of it. We especially loved getting off the ship and being right at the
Havensight Mall. We knew we would either have a view of the mall and the beautiful hills around it or the
picturesque bay and the boats anchored there. So, we were excited when we woke to open the blinds
and see this beautiful island. What a disappointment when we discovered we had been stuck out in
Crown Bay Port. This is an ugly commercial port. When we opened our curtains all we could see was
commercial ships and dump trucks and a navy ship right across from us. There was also an oil company.
It was truly an ugly view. Not only that, but we were so far away from everything that we had to take a taxi
to the shopping which was $5 per couple one way. There was absolutely nothing you could walk to. So we
did take a cab to Charlotte Amalie which was much closer than Havensight Mall. We liked Havensight
Mall, so this was another disappointment. There were six ships in port the day we were there and the
traffic was terrible and the stores were packed. Two of the ships were the largest passenger ships in the
world, the Explorer of the Seas which holds 3,000 and the other was the Grand Princess which holds
2,600. A Disney ship was also in port and another medium sized ship. We had planned on going to St.
John and snorkeling, but the traffic was so bad and we were so far away from Red Hook that we decided
not to take the chance. Another factor in our decision was that we were sure Trunk Bay would be packed
with all those ships in port. This was probably the biggest disappointment for us because we were really
looking forward to this port.

PUERTO RICO We didn’t actually see Puerto Rico because our plane was schedule to leave at 1:10 and
we had to leave when we could get a transfer to the airport. Disembarkation was very smooth and
practically painless. This was more like our experience on the Grand last December and completely
different from our experience in Costa Rica.

All in all, we really did enjoy this cruise and absolutely loved the Sun Princess. The Cruise Director John
was good, but his assistants Jackie (male) and Sean were marvelous. This was Jackie’s last cruise until
next January when he will be on cruises in Africa. Our only concern for the future of cruising was the
number of ships and new ships. We saw such a difference between last year and this year in the ports
and the crowds of tourists. If this continues, I’m afraid it will take a lot of fun out of cruising, though we still
feel cruising is one of the vest values and most fun ways to travel or vacation.

If anyone has any questions or comments, please contact us at the email address below.

Sherry and John Mudra johnsher@gulftel.com www.gulftel.com/johnsher

Name: Ralph and Susan DeVicariis
Email: ralphandsue@unforgettabl.com
Age: 47
Occupation: Engineer/Vice Principal
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: 12-29-00
Itinerary: Panama Canal
Cabin: c535
FoodDiningRoom: 69
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 99
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 75
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 69
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 99
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 100
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 100
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 100
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram: 69
MedicalFacilities: 100
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 89
OverallCruiseValue: 89
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 15 Jan 2001
Time: 21:40:41
Remote Name: dt042n34.san.rr.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our second cruise. The first one was last year at about the same time. We cruised with our college
age children on the Carnival Cruise Line. This time we went on our own to celebrate our anniversary. We
thought the Princess Cruise Line was a step up from the Carnival Line but we don't feel that there really was
much difference between the two lines.

Air Travel: We chose to do the air package with the cruise line because we thought it would be easier since
we were leaving from a foreign country. Unfortunately Princess's standard procedure is to fly you on red eyes
to save money. What this means is that you really lose the first day of your cruise if you don't take the
pre-cruise package. There was some mix-up on our tickets. I am not sure whose fault it was (our agent or
Princess travel agents) but my husband and I were not given seats together on our flight out of Los Angeles
to San Jose, Costa Rica. When we checked in we were told that we were going to have sit six rows apart. This
was no way to start an anniversary trip. Thanks to the agent at the United counter, we were upgraded to first
class. However, had that section been full we would have had to fly separately. This would have been a very
disappointing start to our vacation.

Our trip home was even worse. However, we cannot blame Princess for that. We changed our flight plans so
that we could stay in San Juan, Puerto Rico for a couple of extra days. This was a major hassle to change the
itinerary because we had to contact the airlines first to see if seats were available on the flights we wanted
and then we had to contact Princess to make the arrangements. This took the better part of an hour on the
phone in St. Thomas.

The Cabin: Our cabin was OK. The bathroom was much smaller than the one we had on the Carnival Cruise
Line. This one was so small that you had to take turns in the bathroom. Shutting the door while going to
bathroom was claustrophobic at its best. Our cabin door was broken. We reported it to our cabin steward and
he said that he had reported quite some time ago but the cruise line still has not fixed it yet.

Our cabin steward was not anything special. He turned down the beds each night but he did not do some of
the extras that we heard other passengers received. They usually do something special with your night wear
on the bed or they fix up the room regularly. Our steward did neither of these amenities. In addition, the
sheets were not changed daily. I noticed that they were changed in other cabins.

The door to our balcony was so difficult to open and shut that we rarely spent time on it. We especially chose
a balcony room because we wanted to use the balcony when we went through the Panama Canal. They were
doing a narrated tour as we passed through the canal. This was very appealing to us and we could have the
comforts of our private balcony to enjoy this event. We ended up using another passenger's balcony instead.

The ship: The Sun Princess was a very clean, beautiful ship. The pool area was quite nice. We didn't choose
to use the pool this time around but it looked as if there was plenty of room for all to enjoy. Obtaining a chair
around the pool was not a problem. The music was Calypso style and very enjoyable. The ice cream shop
was very good, however the ice cream on the Carnival Cruise Line was free. This one charged some fairly
hefty prices.

The Horizon Court (the casual dining room) was fairly nice. The food was not wonderful but it was convenient
when the regular dining room was not available. There were plenty of tables available when you wanted to
eat. The service was pretty good. However, if you forgot a spoon they would not go and get one for you and
they refused to let you go back to the food area. You had to walk all the way around and get back in line to
obtain a spoon. It probably would have been better if they had just given you a spoon with the rest of your
silverware. It would have saved a lot of headaches for a number of guests. The way they had it set up your
silverware was wrapped in a napkin so you could not see what you were getting. The spoons were located in
another area of line and they were covered with a napkin. So you didn't know that you didn't get a spoon until
you had been seated with your food.

Regency Dining Room: We were assigned to this dining room-second seating. We really liked this seating
time because it allowed the most flexibility if you went on tours during the day. Our waitress was OK. She
mixed up the table wines-she served our wine to the two other couples at our table. She served us the
glasses of wine that another couple at our table had ordered. She had a lot of difficulty keeping things
straight. I asked for my steak to be medium rare and it came out almost well done. I think they have too many
tables to service at one time. This makes for a very hard schedule for the waitress and her assistant. They
have to do this twice in an evening and then I saw the waitress in the Horizon Court in the morning as well. No
rest for the weary. The headwaiter was a complete jerk. The night after the jeep tour my stomach was in real
bad shape. I asked if he could just bring some plain pasta. You would think I asked for the world the way he
carried on. I new that pasta would not be a big problem because they serve pasta just about every night. He
told me that I was one in 2000 passengers and that I shouldn't ask for special treatment. Unfortunately, that
night's menu was pretty horrible. They had a choice of pot roast, buffalo meat or salmon. None of which would
have been good for my stomach. I will say that the menu across the board was pretty awful. We had much
better offerings on the Carnival. I was very surprised by this because I expected so much more from Princess.
Many of the starters and soups were pretty good but the main dishes were mostly awful choices.

Afternoon tea: This was a wonderful experience. We had a full on English tea every afternoon. I enjoyed this
very much. The sandwiches were very good. The scones were served with jam or butter. The pastries were
plentiful and scrumptious. The tea was served beautifully and the cups were never empty. We met lots of
interesting people at this event.

The Atrium was a beautiful area. Lots of action going on around the area. We enjoyed sitting in the area
before dinner on many occasions. We met lots of passengers here and it set a nice tone before going into
dinner. This is the location of one of the parties for New Year's Eve. It was a perfect spot. There was dancing,
singing and music throughout the evening.

The boutiques were very nice. Their prices were OK. I bought some t-shirts from them and I have been
pleased with the wear. I also participated in the Inch of Gold sale. The prices were pretty good and the jewelry
came back with good, solid clasps. I received many compliments on my choice.

The Casino was OK. We played the slots because the blackjack tables were too full. Unfortunately the
smoking passengers were in huge numbers in this area. It made it unpleasant to be in there for very long. We
did enjoy the one time we visited the area.

The Rendes-vous Lounge was our all-time favorite bar. My mom really loves Scotch. The young man worked
in this bar was a connoisseur of Scotch brands. He gave us a lesson on the various types of Scotch and how
to choose the flavor to match your tastes. We really enjoyed visiting with him on many evenings. This was also
the bar that had caviar for sale. Both my husband and my mother enjoyed this treat on several occasions. It
was apparently very good.

The Lounge Shows left a lot to be desired. It was OK but they were not great. However, most of the people in
the show were also crewmembers so entertainment was not their main talent. They provided at least a
different type of diversion on several evenings. The comedian's show was the same both nights. His jokes, his
monologue, everything was the same. Many people went back to see him the next night and they were very
disappointed. People were not laughing at his jokes and he was starting to fall apart during the show. We felt
bad for him but they should have said that the show was the same as the previous night. It might have given
him a chance if he had a different group of people to work with. The Chinese acrobats were excellent. We
would have liked to see more of them. Unfortunately they were a small part of a Vegas-like show. The
costume changes in the show were good but the singing and dancing were not strong. One show should have
been billed as adult only. At one or two points during the show, the dancers striped down to bras. Several
parents had to take their children out during the show. This caused a disturbance for the rest of the audience.
Had there been notice, maybe this would not have happened.

Trivia Games: This was a daily activity. Lots of fun. It is a series of questions on current events and basic
trivia. You get into groups of four to six people. The questions not too hard and got you thinking. We never
won but we had a great time each time we played.

The Spa: I had the most wonderful massage in the Spa. I had the one with reflexology, shiatsu and a full
facial. It was fabulous. Joanne was the masseuse. She was very gentle but firm in the places that needed the
most work. My husband also had a massage and he enjoyed it as well. At first he was not sure that he wanted
one because it is not for guys. After some encouragement he went anyway and he was glad that he did.

The tour guy was great. He gave out lots of good information. We felt that the office was very responsive to
our needs. One thing we especially liked was that you could change your mind and get a full refund on the
excursions. You did need to do this before the closing time but they posted this so you had plenty of time to
make any changes. Carnival did not offer this amenity at all.

Costa Rica: The Marriott Hotel: This was a very nice open-air hotel. The rooms were nice and spacious. Our
room opened out to the quad. Next time we would ask for a different room. It was a bit noisy. But the hotel
itself was wonderful. The pool area was to die for and the restaurants were very good. The grounds were
gorgeous with their own coffee plantation.

We took the pre-package deal where you can stay prior to getting on the ship. This was one of our best
ideas. It really helped to get acclimated to the time change prior to getting on the ship. We took two wonderful
tours while we were there. The first one was the aerial tram tour. Many people get disappointed in this one
because they expect to see a lot of animals while seated in these buckets going through the rainforest. We
thoroughly enjoyed our tour. No, we didn't see a lot of animals but we enjoyed seeing the symbiotic
relationship in the foliage and what animal life we did see. Our guide was terrific. He knew a lot about the
various plants and he did bird calls to bring out the birds. We did manage to see the most venomous snake
that is found in Costa Rica - the eyelash viper. He was in a low growing tree, which made me check every tree
I went by for the next two days after that. The other tour we took was the four-in-one tour. This was absolutely
fabulous. We started at a ranch with a traditional Costa Rican breakfast. The food was great and the people
were very nice. The coffee was outstanding. Our next stop was the Poas Volcano. It was very neat. We got
there in time to see the acid lake in the Caldera and the steam vents on the side. It was a sight to see. Next
we went to this Waterfall garden. This was a gorgeous place. We started at the top of this hillside and we
walked down this trail (easy walking) to a butterfly enclosure. This was incredible. We say approximately 30
species of butterflies and they were in various stages of maturity from eggs to being born right before our
eyes. We walked further down the trail to a hummingbird sanctuary. This was very cool. Several species of
hummingbirds hang out in this area. Many of them hung out for picture taking; you wonder if this was
something they sensed. Next we went through an orchid area. Unfortunately the orchids were not in bloom at
this time but you could tell it would be a beautiful place if it were the right time. Next we began the real hike
down to the waterfalls. This was steep and full of stairs. I had prepared before the trip with lots of walking but I
had neglected to do uphill or stairs work. The views were spectacular but the hike back up was a killer. I was
sore for two days. After that we went to lunch at the top of the hill. It was buffet style. The food was good and
the tables overlooked the ravine we had just hiked. Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. Then we went to the
Sarapiqui River. Here we got on this riverboat and went up and down the river. We saw monkeys, Caymans
(crocodile-like animals), iguanas and lots more. If you do no other tour, do this one.

The transfer to the ship was a bit exciting. Big greyhound like buses picked us up at the hotel. Hundreds of
passengers were boarded onto these buses and took off for Puerto Caldera. The ride was fast for
mountainous driving. At some points it was a little scary. Our bus sideswiped a passenger car going around a
curve. This was good for an eighty-minute delay while we waited for the transportation police and the
insurance adjuster to investigate the accident. No one was hurt. The car didn't fair real well but the bus was
fine. Everyone on the bus was in pretty good spirits and didn't allow this to dampen their vacation at all. After
we got started again, the driver continued to drive like a maniac on the mountain roads. However, we did
arrive at the pier safe and sound. From other passengers they had similar experiences with the fast driving.

The Ports: Puntarenas was very nice. It was a different part of Costa Rica. We took the Biological Reserve
hike. It was an all day deal. We drove through the area to this bridge where we stopped for a bathroom break.
We also saw crocodiles nesting in the river's edge below. There lots of them just sleeping and posing for
pictures. Next we went to the first hiking area. The hike was flat terrain approximately 1 kilometer in distance. It
was hot and humid, which made it uncomfortable for the kids traveling with us. However, the rest of us really
enjoyed the guided tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and worked very hard to make sure everyone
saw the animals along the way. We were in another rainforest area than the one we visited previously and it
was fun to see the vegetation up close and personal. Next we went to a local hotel for lunch and a swim. We
chose to just have lunch. My husband was big on taking pictures so he walked around taking pictures of
everything in sight. He did get some good ones of iguanas, toucans, and the hotel area. I enjoyed sleeping by
the pool. After lunch we went on another one-kilometer hike in another section of the rainforest. This was also
quite fun. Here we saw monkeys, cinesaurous, and lots of birds.

The Panama Canal: We got up at 5:15 a.m. to be sure that we didn't miss the entrance to the canal. This was
particularly difficult because it was New Year's Day. Thank goodness we didn't stay up too late enjoying the
party. The entrance to the canal was spectacular. I am glad I did get up even though it was very early. My
husband took pictures every few feet so we could record every aspect of this transfer. One smart move was to
order room service coffee and then have them bring it to the area where we were watching the locks. This
really saved the morning. After we went through the first set of locks we went to my mother's cabin to watch
the rest of the passage. We turned on the TV so that we could hear the commentary during the day. It was a
beautiful sight with lots of history.

Cartegena: I wasn't sure that getting off the boat was a good idea but we didn't want to miss an opportunity.
This port was great. The tour was excellent. Our first stop was the Monastery. It had a wonderful view of the
city of Cartegena. We learned a lot about the history of the area. If you go, be ready to be bombarded by the
merchants. They have plenty of artifacts to sell and good deals can be made if you are so inclined. Our next
stop was the fortress. This was also lots of fun. The history and hike through the building was quite
interesting. Again lots of sidewalk merchants were there to sell you anything they can. The next stop was the
shopping mall. This is where you can find deals on emeralds. There were these young teenaged boys
wearing police-type uniforms. I am guessing this is to keep trouble from occurring. We felt pretty safe because
there were lots of people everywhere. We weren't in the market to shop for emeralds so I can't comment on
the prices. The next stop was a museum with traditional dances from the area. This was a nice break where
they gave us a drink and moment to relax before pressing onward. Then we walked through the museum and
then onto a chapel. All was very interesting. Our final stop was these dungeons that were converted into
shops. We enjoyed the architecture and seeing how the conversion took place. The shops had some very
nice prices on baskets $1 or $2 per basket.

Aruba: This island is not particularly beautiful. It is pretty much a desert. We took the jeep tour. This was a
mistake. I was not prepared for the amount of rough riding that we did. I had more airtime than seat time on
this one. I had done jeep tours before but none were as rough as this one. To give you a hint I had some
female problems afterwards for a while. They did clear up within several hours but it was kind of scary. The
views were very nice but the buses also took you to these same spots as well. We did see the natural bridge,
lighthouse, water tower, chapel, beaches and viewpoints around the island.

Barbados: This was a beautiful island. We had a wonderful tour of this island. Our first stop was the Gun Hill
Station. This guide gave us a lecture on the history and she pointed out the sugar plantations and cotton
fields. She was so enthusiastic that everyone gave her an ovation when she finished. The next stop was
Orchid World. For those of you orchid lovers this was fantastic. They had over 100 species of orchids to view.
Many of them were in bloom. The smells of some of them were very inviting. The final stop was the Harrison's
Cave. Here we had to wait for an hour to get on the tram to take us into the cave. It was worth the wait. It was
very beautiful inside the cave. They had lighted areas so you could take pictures and see the various
formations. They make put these napkins on your head before you put the hard hat on. I laughed so hard at
how my mom looked in this hat. It was quite fun.

Dominica: Wow! This place was spectacular. The rainforest was incredible. We took the favorites tour
because we wanted to see the Trafalgar Falls and the Emerald pool. The vans they took us in had no shocks
so I felt like I was back in the jeep tour again. The roads had many potholes so the ride was bumpy, jerky and
way too fast for my liking. However, the scenery more than made up for the ride. The hike to the falls and the
pool was not too bad and it was especially worth the trouble. We met two young girls native to the area along
the path to the Emerald pool. They welcomed us to their island as they passed by. We were so impressed by
this behavior. The tour also took us to a guesthouse where we had a drink and a photo opportunity from a
high vantage point on the island. We also went through a botanic garden area. We saw the biggest
caterpillars I have ever scene in my life.

St Thomas: I gave up my snorkel tour because we arrived on a Sunday and the stores downtown close early.
You can't blame the storeowners; they get ships practically every day and they do need some time with their
families. We did go shopping downtown. This is definitely the place to go. The deals and the selection are
much better there. There were taxis waiting dockside to take you to the downtown area. It costs $3 per person
each way. The shopping is essentially one very long street with multiples of the same stores every few blocks.
We found some good deals. My mother bought a camera for a fairly good price. She also bought a backpack
suitcase for $40. She saw ours and noticed how helpful it was when going out for the day. The suitcase it self
is a backpack but it also has a zip off backpack as well. I purchased some tablecloths at a very good price.
However, I have to say that I was sorry I missed the opportunity to do the snorkeling. I was really looking
forward to this activity. However the ship does not stay in port long enough to do both activities. Now we have
to go back to St. Thomas.

San Juan: I can't say much about the area. However, we took the resort getaway tour just so we could get off
the ship early. They make you leave your cabin by 8:00 a.m. so they can prepare for the next group of
passengers. This leaves you sitting in the lobby waiting for your turn to be released. They do this by order of
tours first; flight times and then by floor. Our floor would have been one of the last ones to leave so it
behooved us to take the resort tour. This was very nice because you got to go to a five star hotel
(Inter-Continental) to hang out until your flight leaves. You had full access to the pool, beach and all the
amenities it had to offer. It was fabulous. In fact it was so great that we decided to stay there for a couple of
extra days. We really needed the down time and we really didn't get any beach time on the trip so far. The
first day we sat on the beach and just mellowed out. We enjoyed Tequila Sunrises and took a nap. Then we
went in the pool for a short dip. This was a wonderful pool setting with a waterfall area and a swim up bar.
They also had a pool size Jacuzzi. That night we went to the Italian restaurant for dinner. The food was OK. I
had to send back my dish because it was burned. Everyone else loved his or her meal. Because they make
everything fresh I had to wait quite awhile for my dish to come back. In the end it was very good. Our second
day was spent at the hotel casino and poolside. It was great fun. I lost but mom won a little more than I lost. My
husband and I got up early and did the hotel power walk on the beach. The guide was great and we had a
good workout before breakfast. The Mediterranean Cafe was located right on the beach. We ate breakfast
there both mornings. It was absolutely fabulous and a lifetime memory. Dinner that night was in the Japanese
Restaurant. The food and service was outstanding. The cook stacked the onion rings and set them on fire like
a volcano. We enjoyed this meal immensely. My mother lost her nightgown when the housekeeping ladies
came in to clean up the room. We had to call the hotel security of couple of times to retrieve it. However, they
did finally come through. The nightgown was very expensive so she really didn't want to let it go.

All-in-all the entire trip was great fun. The itinerary was excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves in spite of
the few problems. I might choose a different cruise line next time just because the service was not real great
for the money they charged.

Back to Sun Princess