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Name: Kevin Donnelly
Email: kdonnel@ibm.net
Age: 24
Occupation: Programmer
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: May 10th 1997
Itinerary: Vancouver to Seward
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 99
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 99
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 98
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness:
FoodMidnightBuffets: 99
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 99
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 97
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization:
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 97
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 May 1997
Time: 00:41:09
Remote Name: 207.69.185.156
Remote User:
Comments
This was our fourth cruise but our first to Alaska. We had a great time getting to the
ship and on the ship but leaving was
not that fun. Our flight did not leave until 1:25am the day after we disembarked. (Not
Princesses fault....That was Delta's
first flight out.)
The weather was perfect. It was in the upper 60's to low 70's with lots of sun all but the
day in Glacier Bay. That day it
was in the 40's and overcast. We were actually able to spend a couple days in the pool and
hot tub.
The food and service was great as usual. We never had an opportunity to go hungry. We were
happy to see that the
service in the Horizon Court was much improved over our cruise on the Sun in December. The
tables were always clean.
Before we left we had heard that the helicopter tours sold out early so we were worried
about getting a ride. We have
never been the type to get out of bed early(before noon or so...earlier for the tours) so
we were supprised to get all the
tours we wanted. We dropped our completed request in the drop box. (It was about 2:00pm
the first day and there were
maybe a hundred people in line. It had been like that since 7:00am...a lot of crazy people
get up that early.) We checked
back that evening and found that they had two people helping in person and one that was
emptying the drop box every 10
minutes or so. Because we dropped our request in the drop box we actually jumped in line
infront of the 100 people and
got our helicopter tour. If you go you do need to take one of the tours that actually lets
you walk on the glacier...
We had three ports of call. Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. Each town was very much like
the others and offer similar
tours so if you want to take a particular tour and it is sold out in the port one alot
like it is probably offered in one of the
other ports.
Glacier Bay was nice. There was some calving but nothing spectacular. By the end of the
cruise we were rather tired of
all the ice. My wife and I still prefer the warm cruises of the Carribbean but everyone
says you have to try Alaska once.
Name: Rich Reese
Email: hrreese@foothill.net
Age: 67
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: April 30,1997
Itinerary: Mexican Riviera
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 97
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 70
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 45
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 96
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 96
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 70
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Jun 1997
Time: 19:10:27
Remote Name: 206.170.175.55
Remote User:
Comments
We had our two pre-teen grandkids on this cruise and the crew and staff showed them
extraordinary care. The dining
room experience and food were as good if not better than any other Princess ships we have
been on. The ship itself is a
magical wonder and we we would book it again in a heart beat. If you like to deck wAlk or
jog this is a great ship for it. I
never ran into any congestion while walking or running. The food was very good but not
exceptional. The Lido deck
twenty four hour diner was a disapointment in that there was often times dirty dishes on
uncleaned tables and the food
itself was not that well presented or palatable. We enjoyed our balcony room but the
closet and storage space was
meager. We look forward to catching this ship again in the future but being on the West
Coast it doesn;t come around
that often.
Name: Mary Hornback
Email: calady@qnet.com
Age: 40
Occupation: Electronic Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 15
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: 9/96
Itinerary: Panama Canal (16 Days)
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 100
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Aug 1997
Time: 11:53:55
Remote Name: 207.155.43.40
Remote User:
Comments
Well, I have to say of all the cruises I've been on, I enjoyed this cruise be far the
most. The service in the dining room and the food was outstanding. The
vast majority of the waiters are Northern Italian and you can certainly see the expertise.
The Pasta on this ship is to DIE for..... I think I'm a pretty good
judge of Italian Cruisine, as my fiance owns a nice Italian restaurant in Milan,Italy...
The staff was very nice and always there to help if asked.. But, on the
other hand they also respected your privacy... It was nice not to be pushed into buying
cocktails, pictures, etc.. They where there if you liked and that was
nice... Other lines tend to be more pushy. The average age on this cruise was I would say
around 65 or so. Even though I am in the just 40 range I had
the best time ever.. I loved this cruise so much that I have booked the Crown in September
1997 for the 15 day through the Panama Canal again... I can
only say GOOD things about the Princess Line so far. I have sailed 5 different Lines and
Princess has come out on TOP OF ALL OTHERS.... I can only give
Princess a 100% rating on my experiences so far!!
Name: Keith Lohmeyer
Email: kcl@dmv.com
Age: 35
Occupation: Deli Owner
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: 4/14/97
Itinerary: Panama Canal Transit
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 70
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 100
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 70
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Sep 1997
Time: 23:37:22
Remote Name: 207.124.185.42
Remote User:
Comments
This was my first cruise so my ratings are my personal opinions and not comparisons to
other cruises. I was totally unprepared for the size
and beauty of the sun princess. The atrium, curved stairways and glass elevators gave a
feeling of being in a first class hotel. There were
many positive things about the cruise. The food in the dining room was very good, (if a
little above my taste) an the 24 hr. horizon food
court had to be my favorite place on the ship, the variety and quality of the food was
great no matter what time of day or night. The
seating in the food court became sparse at the breakfast hour. We tried the pizzeria a few
times and was satisfied, it was a nice change
from the other food. We had no opportunity to use room service so no comment there. I
liked the fitness center very much and the variety
and number of machines rivals the local YMCA. I did not appreciate the 1/3 mile promenade
deck, which I used a lot (10 to 15 laps per
day) until I had a chance to visit the regal princess at one of our ports-of- call and saw
there small walking/jogging area. The itinerary was
focused around the canal transit, which kept my undivided attention for 8 hours, and
overall was good although I think the stop at the San
Blas Islands, which amounts to dumping 1000 or more people onto 3 postage stamp sized
islands to buy shirts and take pictures of
children holding birds and lizards, is a very bad choice and a waste of a day that could
have been spent somewhere else. The arrival and
departure routine is a place for a lot of improvement. I understand from others that this
is pretty much the same with all cruises. This
activity, which I compare to herding cattle, comes as an especially big shock at departure
after being pampered for 11 days.
hope this helps, Keith PS: we are already planing our next cruise-this cruising is
contagious
Name: Berri Rannells
Email: JOHN-RANNELLS @prodigy.net
Age: 33
Occupation: Self-employed
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: 9-6-97
Itinerary: Seward-Vancouver
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Sep 1997
Time: 00:49:49
Remote Name: 207.115.1.33
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise so we do not have anything to compare to. We had a suite on the
back of the ship which was wonderful. Lots of room.
The food in the Horizon Court I thought could be improved upon greatly. The pizza at
Verdi's was ok and a nice change of pace. Room service
was good, the food was always delivered within 15 -20 minutes and was at a good
temperature. The dining room staff, for dinner, was superb.
Breakfast time was another story, as was lunchtime. We enjoyed all the lounges, but the
service was lousy at the Wine and cavier bar which
was a big disappointment considering the money spent. The shows that we saw were really
good. I thought the service in the shops were
terrible. I guess since it was their last cruise before dry docking, they didn't really
care if they sold anything or not. Putting that aside and some
bad service for breakfast I would still give this ship an A, its beautiful, lots and lots
of space and plenty to do!!!
Name: Julius H. Vince
Email: vince@ct 2.nai.net
Age: 68
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 23+
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: 9/25/97
Itinerary: San Francisco to Port Everglades, Fl. via P. Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 96
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 96
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 96
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 92
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess: 92
ExerciseFacilities: 92
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 88
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 96
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 96
ShopsOnBoard: 92
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Oct 1997
Time: 21:07:05
Remote Name: 208.133.162.36
Remote User:
Comments
This ship is beautiful and the staff cannot do enough for the passengers. It was easy to
find one's way to the various
rooms and events. There are plenty of elevators and quite a few people in wheelchairs,
motorized or otherwise
seemed to get along very nicely. Food, in the dining room was excellent, although service
might be slow, at times.
The Horizon Court, on Lido deck, had a great variety of food. The pizzeria had good pizzas
and calzones. Rooms were
smaller than expected for such a large ship but one adjusts easily to them. They are very
quiet. The safe, refrigerator
and hair dryer were appreciated. Some of the ports were not very interesting. We would not
hesitate to sail on her
again.
Name: Brian Walker
Email: BFW56@worldnet.att.net
Age: 41
Occupation: Truck Driver
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: 10-11-97
Itinerary: Western Carib.
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 99
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 94
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 98
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 97
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 97
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 98
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 88
TenderService: 60
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 94
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 92
EntertShowLounge: 94
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 93
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 93
DeckSpace: 96
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 91
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Oct 1997
Time: 23:15:36
Remote Name: 12.70.7.105
Remote User:
Comments
Sun Princess is a beautiful ship.I can't see anyone not being amazed by its beauty.As with
my past 2 cruises with
Princess,the food was very good.The Horizon Court on the Sun was my favorite.Good variety
24 hours a day.The
pizzeria was pretty good. The cabin was fine,although I thought the cabins on the Crown
and Regal were a bit
larger ( I had a balcony on Baja Deck).Our cabin steward was ok.Just ok. The entertainment
was quite good.We had
a ventriloquisit named Patrick Murray and he is not to be missed.He's excellent and very
funny.London Pub Night is
also a must.Lots of laughs.Cruise Director Paul O' Loughlin is the best in my book.His
staff were great,especially
Tim Donovan. Not so nice things:Too much cigarette smoke all over the ship.I can tolerate
some smoke, but many
times it got so smokey in some areas we had to leave them.And the ship's crew who operated
the tenders were
doing great impersonations of the Three Stooges when they were operating them.I honestly
thought I could do
better,which is quite frightening.
We had a great time on the Sun Princess and would do it again!
Name: Dall Barley
Email: dall.barley@clorox.com
Age: 55
Occupation: Business Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 8
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: 9/25/97
Itinerary: San Francisco - Ft Lauderdale Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 88
CabinComfort: 92
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 89
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 75
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 92
TenderService: 89
GoodForSeniors: 89
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 92
WheelchairAccess: 91
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 89
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 92
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 89
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 92
Stabilization: 92
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 92
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Oct 1997
Time: 12:17:16
Remote Name: 168.189.59.109
Remote User:
Comments
Great Cruise, Great Ship, Great Itinerary!!!!! :))))
Embarkation was a bit slow - San Francisco doesn't get enough ships in to justify the
expense of a cruise
terminal, so a big pier / warehouse with lot's of temporary stuff (lines, etc.) set up to
embark. Those who got
there early (didn't believe the 3PM embarkation time on documents) got on real quick (10 -
15 minutes!!!),
but the rest of us who got there a bit later stood in some pretty long lines as the buses
began to roll in from
the airport!
Once on the ship we met up with two couples we met on the Net for a sail away party under
the Golden Gate
bridge!
Our first of 8 cruises on a BIG ship (about 2000 passengers) and we were a bit concerned,
but not to worry!
This ship (and her sister, the Dawn Princess) are well laid out and we almost never felt
crowded, or pressed
for space (other than a couple of times at the movie theater or late shows). We had an
outside cabin with
verandah on A(loha) deck. What a way to cruise! I'll probably NEVER get my wife back into
an inside cabin
again. The verandah was great for the Canal transit. One watch out on A deck: It's right
below Riviera, with all
of the deck chairs, tables, swimming pools, etc. If you are midship, which we were, be
prepared for an
occasional ruckus above your room when they do early AM cleaning and furniture
rearranging! They don't
seem to be aware just how noisy all those pieces of plastic furniture can be when they
drag them around or
drop them! We eventually got used to the racket (only a few times were really bad) and
slept through the
noise. Other than the above we were surprised at how quiet the cabin was relative to our
neighbors. Almost
NEVER heard any noise from either side or the cabin below. Either we had VERY quiet
neighbors, or they have
done a superb job of sound proofing the cabins!
The atrium is beautiful, the casino spacious (if not very generous!), the on board shops
adequate. The use of
two dinning rooms really helped cut down on the potential for congestion when trying to
get 1000 people in
to dinner at the same time. Lots of room to wend your way into the dinning room without
feeling like you
were part of a herd! While at first glance it seems like everything is scattered around
the ship, we actually
found that things were clustered in a pretty convenient fashion: Purser, shore excursions
both on the same
level as the Marquis dinning room, with easy access via the atrium. Shops on Emerald,
along with the
Regency dinning room, above the pursuer level. The show room, theater, library, card room,
photo gallery,
large bar / lounge (the Wheelhouse on Sun P.) are on Promenade deck with it's 1/3 of a
mile outdoor
walking area. This is a great spot to sit on a deck chair and watch the ocean go by, read
a book , nap (or all
three at once!). The casino and Pizzeria are on Dolphin, both centered around the Atrium
stairs and
panoramic lifts. In effect, the Atrium is the center of the action. Get there, and you can
find just about
anything.
Cabins are reasonably spacious. Some complaints heard about lack of storage space, but we
didn't have a
problem. Some folks always take too much stuff (or buy more than they can store in their
cabin!). The
verandah cabins do lose some inside space, but it's a small price to pay for an outside
seat with a small
table and two chairs.
Food was Good, but not 5star. Plenty of choices every night (we didn't eat a single
breakfast or lunch in the
dinning room!) and usually some pretty good desserts! Service was about what you would
expect. With 16
days on this cruise there were a couple of nights that it was a bit off, but for the most
part good, though
sometimes slow, service. We had second sitting and there was NO rush to get us out of the
room. Our table
for 8 was often the last to leave (none of us in a rush to get to the shows) and there was
almost always
seconds on coffee (and sometimes dessert). The 24 hour room service was good. A limited
menu, but prompt
and always hot (or cold, depending). We had cheeseburgers in our cabin during the Canal
transit!
The Horizon Court is a buffet, with the usual assortment of buffet type food, but here
again, you could always
find something you liked. Though there were a few days on this long cruise where some of
the 'fresh' fruit
was a little long in the tooth! You could always get coffee or iced tea. The 'alternative
dinning' in the evening
in the Bistro (actually the forward part of the Horizon Court on Lido deck) was a bit
rough around the edges.
While the idea is good, the menu is a bit limited compared to the main dinning room, and
we found the
service to be spotty. It might be that we always wound up with a 'waiter in training'
because we went early.
Others who ate here (generally later in the evening, say around 9PM) found the service to
be very good. The
food is prepared in a kitchen on Lido deck, and was generally good.
We tipped the waiters a few bucks each time, both in the Bistro and the Pizzeria (would
have been more if the
service had been better) but didn't correspondingly reduce the gratuity for the dinning
room staff. If the
alternative dinning concept continues to grow this issue will need to be addressed. In the
days when all meals
were taken in the dinning room because there was no choice the 'suggested' gratuities made
sense. Now,
with a large percentage of passengers using the dinning room only for the dinner service
the lines need to
either adjust the 'suggested' guide, or find a way to pool gratuities across all servers.
I felt a bit sorry for the
folks who busted their hump keeping the buffet running smoothly but are probably not
receiving any
compensation (read TIPS).
Ports:
Two days at sea and then Cabo San Lucas. Not much to do ashore except spend money and go
snorkeling,
so we did a bit of both. Snorkeling was just OK, better stuff to see later in the trip.
Then on to Acapulco. Didn't take a shore excursion here, just wandered around through Old
Town, picked up
some postcards and T-shirts, then went up to the Fort across from the pier. This is a good
museum of the
history of Acapulco, but make sure someone in your group has a smattering of Spanish. Most
of the
information is NOT in English, though a few displays did have some translations. You can
make out a lot of the
info, but it helps if you speak the lingo a bit!
Next stop Huatulco - NOT! Swells were running pretty high and we couldn't tender ashore!
This is one I
wanted to see for the snorkeling, but maybe another time. We understand that there isn't a
whole heck of a
lot else to do here anyway.
Next stop Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica. Whatever you do, if you have a port stop in Costa
Rica, take a tour.
Beautiful country, very friendly people. No beggars, high literacy rate (better than the
good old USof A!!!), very
high percentage of English speakers. We WILL go back, probably on a land based trip to
have more time!
Tours are mostly all day due to the location of the port relative to the sites, and though
the roads are not up
to most folks standards the only truly 'rough' part was getting out of the port. Our ride,
though on some fairly
narrow, winding roads, was quite pleasant. Smaller 12-14 passenger buses were used.
Then on to the Canal! High point of this cruise. Suggestions: If you can swing it, get a
cabin with a verandah.
Makes the trip much more pleasant, especially on those hot muggy days. Sun and Dawn have
small TV's in
the cabin, and they put a camera on the bridge facing forward so you can see the transit
from the comfort of
your cabin, as well as hear the commentary over the TV! Not the same as being out on deck
to get pictures,
etc., but it's a long day and great to be able to take a break and not miss anything.
NOTE: I heartily recommend either the Dawn or Sun for a Canal transit: Both have lots of
forward looking
space, not just the one or two decks of most ships. Aloha, Baja and Caribe cabin decks all
have a lot of space
forward, in addition to the two decks above the bridge. Also, the Aloha deck area was
shaded by the bridge on
our East bound transit in the AM. Some sun in the PM, but not like all of the other decks.
(This would be
different for an 'East to West' passage)
Next stop Cartegena. Don't plan a cruise itinerary around this port! But if you do stop
here don't take one of
the tours. Instead, take a taxi to the old town, Fort and La Popa, and have the driver
stay with you (about $15
/ hour / cab). Not only will you see more of the old town than the ships tour buses, but
you will see everything
in about 2 hours and avoid spending 5-6 hours on a bus in VERY hot and humid conditions.
JUST BE SURE TO
TELL YOUR DRIVER EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT. If you want shopping fine, but we sure didn't see
any big
bargains (other than coffee) unless your in the mood to spend several thousand bucks on
Emeralds, which
are apparently a good buy . The best bargains are on the high priced items. The rest is
not much cheaper
than at home.
Then on to Grand Cayman. Snorkeling and Scuba here are very good. My wife did an island
tour, with the
usual stop at Hell, and came away a bit bummed out. Maybe a better stop for a land trip,
because most of
the folks we talked to were not much impressed with the island (I went diving and WAS
impressed!).
Next stop Cozumel. Again, I dove and my wife took a tour, this time to Tulum (ferry ride
to mainland, bus to
ruins, reverse to get back). We have been to Chichen Itza, thus the Tulum site was a bit
of a let down.
However, the ferry ride wasn't as bad as some of the horror stories we have heard, though
the box 'snack'
was a bit of a joke. On the other hand, the snorkel and dive sites were FANTASTIC! This is
a must do dive site,
either Scuba or snorkel.
Finally, we woke up in Ft. Lauderdale. Disembarkation went very smooth, except for those
folks who always
insist on being at the front of the line to disembark. Why the rush to end your
vacation?!? We took the 'free'
Princess provided transfer (we had done our own air), but would opt for a taxi next time
in Ft. Lauderdale.
Only about $10 (incl. tip) for a taxi to the airport, and we wound up tipping the porter
to get our bags to the
bus, the bus driver and the Sky Cap. Would have cost about the same, been a bit quicker,
and would have
avoided one last push / shove session as everyone tried to get their bags on the first
bus! Again, what's the
rush? Make sure your plane reservations give you a few hours after disembarkation and take
your time.
This was pretty long winded, but it was a GREAT cruise on a beautiful ship. Thanks
Princess!
Name: DAVID WALKER
Email: WALKERHOME@webtv.net
Age: 39
Occupation: TRAVEL AGENT
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: NOVEMBER 1, 1997
Itinerary: WESTERN CARIBBEAN
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 100
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Nov 1997
Time: 23:32:10
Remote Name: 207.79.35.186
Remote User:
Comments
This was my first cruise with Princess. I have been on Carnival, NCL, Celebrity, and Royal
Caribbean---this one
really takes the cake. I traveled as a single and scheduled my own air. All of my checked
luggage had the
PRINCESS tags on them. Upon arrival at Ft Lauderdale I was met at the gate by a PRINCESS
rep and escorted with
the remainder of our SUN PRINCESS bound flight to the motorcoach. The trip from the
airport to the ship took
about thirty minutes, mainly because we got stuck in traffic---the International Boat Show
was going on at the
Convention Center by the cruise ship dock. Embarkation was a breeze. They have the main
area divided up
according to the decks of the ship. You go to the counter that services your deck and
check-in. It took all of five
minutes and I was on the ship. Make sure you have all your paperwork filled out ahead of
time and have your
proof of citizenship with your documents, it makes things easier.
The ship itself is stunning. I have had the
priveledge of seeing many cruise ships, but this is the finest so far. My cabin was an
inside Category K on Plaza
Deck, and had my name on the card holder outside of the cabin. It was already made up into
a queen size bed
as I had requested, not like other cruise lines where you have to track down your cabin
steward to get him to do
it for you later. The cabin had a fresh bowl of fruit on the writing desk, a hair dryer,
electronic safe for your
valuables, plush robes, TV, fridge, and an ample size bathroom. It took me two days to
figure out how to operate
the hot water in the shower. TIP---turn the top knob to turn the water on, then turn the
bottom knob counter
clockwise while holding down the red button. I ate the buffet lunch in the Horizon Court,
an atractive room with
great views out the front and sides.
The food was good, but not great, yet plentiful. I ate all my breakfasts here
where there is plenty of fresh fruit and pastries. TIP---while you are eating lunch before
the ship leaves port, take
one of the shore excursion forms with you and fill it out NOW, then drop it off in the box
outside the Shore
Excursions Office. I did it this way and my tickets where in my cabin before I retired
that evening. My luggage
showed up around 2.30pm. The ship got underway late due to late arriving flights. Perfect
timing though, because
when we did finally clear the port, and all the hoopla, cheering, and ships whistle
blowing from the condos as we
set sail, the sun had just set and it was quite spectacular. I had late dining in the
Marquis Dining Room, so I had
plenty of time to unpack and prepare for dinner. The dining rooms are large, but by
design, intimate in feel. Most
of the courses in the dining rooms focused around various kinds of grilled or broiled
fish, or chicken of one type
or another---the appetizers were great especially the escargot, it was the first time I
had ever had it and is a
MUST, as well as the caviar. It's all free, might as well go for it. The last night we had
Prime Rib and crab legs.
Princess Cays was spectacular. We had perfect weather for the white sand beaches and
crystal clear waters. They
give out tender tickets after you eat breakast and call the colors as they are ready to
board the tender. A well
run act, and cuts down on the crowding and push and shove of last minute arrivals.
TIP---if your ARE going
ashore, go early, because the beach chairs go fast and it gets real hot about 1pm. I went
back to the ship and
had pizza at Verdi's Pizzaria. The pizza tastes like authentic Italian pizza, not like
American-based pizza chains. It
is very, very good, and all you pay for is the drinks and a small tip for your waiter. I
ate here every day as soon as
it opened for lunch, kept the same pizzaria waiter all week long and tipped him at the end
of the cruise. Mid
afternoon snacking was done in the Horizon Court. Ocho Rios was OK at best. Lots of well
meaning people wanting
to sell me drugs, take me on a tour of the city, or vendors trying to sell life size
carvings of Bob Marleys head or
of a bird. I did the Dunns River Falls/Shaw Park tour offered by the ship. It was well
worth the money. I did not
climb the falls---thats next time--- but took pictures from the stairs that parallel the
falls all the way up from the
beach. The climb will take you ONE FULL HOUR, so be in decent shape and use the aqua socks
you can obtain on
the ship for a minimal fee. The botanical gardens at Shaw Park were beautiful and includes
a free drink. Then
there was the obligatory stop at the Taj Mahal shopping center, where we spent 45 minutes,
way way too long for
me. Our stop at the Caymans was accompanied by 2600 other passengers off of Carnival's
cruise ship
IMAGINATION. I opted for the Flightseeing tour, a decent value for the money and an
interesting way to see Hell,
StingRay City, the Turtle farm and the cruise ships anchored in the harbor. Next time I
will feed the rays.
Shopping is not that great. Lots of t-shirt shops and places that sell rum cake.
Tonight was formal night. I rented
a tux and am glad I did. Approximately 95 percent of the men were in either a black suit
or tux, over half of them
in tux's. The ladies were very elegantly dressed. TIP---if you follow the dinig room dress
code you will feel more
comfortable. Just pretend you are going to the finest restaurant in New York City and
dress accordingly. Even on
semi-formal night most of the men where in suits. Casual dress in the dining rooms for
dinner does not allow for
shorts.
Next port was Cozumel. I took the Tulum tour and was pleased with the tour overall.
TIP---take a hat,
bottled water, and wear plenty of sun screen. This holds true for all the tours during the
cruise that subject you to
the sun and heat for more that thirty minutes or so. Remember, you are in the SUNNY
Caribbean, not in Seattle.
You can buy a nice sized Panama hat at the site for ONE DOLLAR. We of course stopped for
shopping outside of
Playa del Carman before we got to the ruins, spent about 1 1/2 hours at the site, the
first thirty minutes of it is
guided by your host, then reboarded the bus for a very nice box-lunch that came in a very
nice souveneir nylon
Princess lunch bag. All the coke and beer you can drink on the way back to the dock.
TIP---I had been taking
Bonine, an over the counter motion sickness pill that comes in chewable cherry flavor, a
full 24 hours even before
I boarded the flight to Florida. I am glad I did because the ferry ride from Cozumel to
Playa del Carman was
rough. I never even got the slightest bit sick the entire trip. The days at sea were
great. Very relaxing. My best
advise is to take a book or get one from the library the very first day it is open. If
your town had a decent library,
check out a tour book for the places your are going to and beef up on the sights to see. I
mean if you are
spending thousands of dollars on this vacation, spend a little time doing your homework on
where you are going.
Speaking of doing you homework---it was funny even on the last day of the cruise, to see
people who still did not
know where various public rooms were or the front of the ship from the back. EASY
TIP---know your ship. The
ships decks are numbered 14 to 5, top to bottom, no deck 13 of course. Decks 14 SUN and 12
LIDO are the top
decks with the pools, sunning areas, and the Horizon Court. Decks 11, 10, and 9 I called
the ABC decks, Aloha,
Baha, and Caribe, are nothing but cabins and suites. No public rooms. Deck 8 is easy.
Peolpe always say ---Lets
DO Pizza. -DO-lphin Deck, deck 8 across from the casino. Deck 7 is the Promenade Deck. ALL
your public rooms
are on this deck, starting at the front with the Princess Theater all the way to the back
of the Vista Lounge. Deck
6 has the shops and the Regency Restaurant. Deck 5 has the Patisserie and the Marquis
Restaurant, the Shore
Tours desk and Pursers Office. If you know your ship before you go, you won't spend three
days finding your way
around. Last night out all your checked luggage has to be outside your cabin by midnight.
Since I had late dining
I packed and was ready to go before dinner. Take you camea with you to dinner for the last
night show in the
dining room. Debarkations are always either very slow or a nightmare. They stop serving
breakfast at 8am so get
up a little early and get your fill. Passengers are told not to gather in the atrium or
clog the stairwells around the
atrium. No one listened. TIP---the BEST place on the ship to wait is topside on deck 14 by
the pools on deck 12.
LOTS of open space, fresh air, and you can still hear the announcements for
disembarkation. This was by far the
best cruise I have ever taken, and am already booked for my next cruise for 98---you
guessed it, PRINCESS again.
As I always say, quantity and price attract customers, it is the SERVICE and QUALITY that
brings them back!
Name: Francisco Ayala
Email: 104164.774@compuserve.com
Age: 31
Occupation: Environmental Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: November 15th, 1997
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 99
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService:
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 70
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Dec 1997
Time: 10:42:47
Remote Name: 148.202.33.204
Remote User:
Comments
A very nice trip with my favorite Cruise line, Pricess , our first on this kind of
megaships.
Excellent service in general, friendly personal, fast embarkation and disembarkation.
First quality pizza made to
order, beautiful ship with impecable cleaness.
On the lowlights I can say that Sun Princess for me and my wife tends to feel a little too
big. We felt more
confortable on Regal Princess a couple of years ago, which has a higher space ratio and
does not feel so
crowded.
We found that the two showrooms do not mean two entertainement choices, as Princess
sometimes advertised,
you are assigned to one of these each night with no choice, because the ship is large and
one show lounge may
handle only half of each sitting passengers. Shows were so-so, the worse we have had in a
Princess ship.
We missed the midnight buffet, they have 24 hour dinning instead but, Who wants to dine
only fair quality food
after 8 chances a day on better regular meals ?
Only dissapointing was to find that the cabin service people, bar personel and waiter are
paid only 2 to 3 dollars
a day by the cruise line. So they live only from our tips money, they have extremely long
working days and are
paid ridiculous amounts.
Name: Sherri Overall
Email: soverall@stlouis.missouri.org
Age: 25
Occupation: Program Coordinator
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: October 25, 1997
Itinerary: Western Carribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 99
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 99
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Dec 1997
Time: 14:35:36
Remote Name: 207.160.50.34
Remote User:
Comments
My husband and I had a great time on the Sun Princess on our honeymoon. The food was
delicious, and the
service was excellent. The shore excursions are good but overpriced. When the excursion we
were going to take
on Grand Cayman was fully booked, we were on our own and went to the same places for a
little over half the
price of the shore excursion!
Toward the end of our cruise, a passenger was missing and we had to turn around and search
for her. Because
of the delay, we did not have time to go to Cozumel. To commend Princess, arrangements
were made for us to
stop in Key West instead; it was pretty impressive that the arrangements were made on such
short notice. On the
other hand though, I think Princess should have given the passengers a coupon or some
other sort of meaningful
amenity to express their appreciation of our understanding. All we got was one glass of
free wine with dinner. I
REALLY wanted to go to Cozumel, and it was a real bummer that we didn't get to go.
At any rate, the Sun Princess is a great boat (very, very big), and we had a great time.
We would definitely cruise
Princess again, and we made recommendations to our friends and family.
Name: James A Davis
Email: mldavis@oregon.uoregon.edu
Age: 55
Occupation: Truck Maintcnance Superior
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: 11/29/97
Itinerary: Princess Cays,Ocho Rios,Grand Cayman,Cozumel Mex
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 89
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 89
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 60
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 88
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Dec 1997
Time: 18:54:26
Remote Name: 128.223.117.214
Remote User:
Comments
To celebrate our 35th Wedding Anniversary,my wife and I flew to to Ft. Lauderdale,Florida.
We arrived at the Hotel around 5:30pm eastern
time,on Friday and we stayed at Wydham Hotel and Sun Princess had a hostess greeted us at
the door and three people from AAA Travel
Agency. Triple A had a special Bon Voyage Breaksfast at the Hotel to meet and talk with
our fellow triple A Oregon/Idaho cruise passengers
on Saturday morning and at 2:00pm we were bused to the ship, when I saw the ship I was
shocked to see the ship setting 14 stories out of
the water. (We should have put our swiming suits in our over night bag, so we could go
swiming at the Hotel,we had from 9:00am to 2:00pm
to kill.)We was warmly greeted by the staff on the Sun Princess, we went to our state room
C603 which was in almost in the middle part of the
ship, with a balcony, it was fantastic. We picked this part of the ship incase the sea got
rough. At 6:15pm went to dinner in the Marquis
dinning room, where we met three other couples,for 7 nights we had dinner with them and we
became good friends.We sailed out of the port
at 5:oopm and was headed to Princess Cays, Sunday Nov.30 we arrived at the Island but the
Ocean was too rough, so we sailed on to the
Ocho Rios Island,(No Problem Man)We had a great time on the Island, Dunns River Falls,
Shaw Park Botanical Gardens,Coyaba River
Gardens, all were great(but it was sad to see how poor the people lived on the
Island)Afterwards went back to the ship and had pizza,then
walked to the TajMahal Center in Jamaica(which was only a few blocks) look out for the
cabbies, they will drive you crazy tring to get you in
their cab. On to Hell at the Grand Cayman Island, it was ok not Great. We visted the
Turtle Farm, the world's only green sea turtle hatchery, it
was very interesting. We went back on the ship and swam in the pool before dinner. After
dinner we went to one of the great shows, later we
went to the Shooting Stars Night Club on Promenade Deck 7 Midship, to dance at the Wild
Bunch Dance Party, (it was great)the dance floor
has TVS in it and all over the walls behind the bar,they played rock and roll(it was a
little too loud)my ears rang for three hrs aferwards, but
it was a blast and we stayed until 1:30am. Cozumel, we went to the Mayan ruins at San
Gervasio and played in the sand at Playa Sol Beach,
it was excellent. We are planing our second cruise for New Year 2000 have fun on your
Cruise, we did.
Name: Susan Trubey
Email: Susie1098@aol.com
Age: 44
Occupation: R.N.
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: October 18, 1997
Itinerary: Western Carr.
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 77
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 88
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 88
DeckService: 88
ShoreExcValue: 77
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 77
PrivateIsland: 98
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 94
TenderService: 94
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 70
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 70
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 88
CruiseActivities: 88
Casino: 70
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 88
SpaceRatio: 94
OverallCruiseValue: 94
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 15 Feb 1998
Time: 17:48:24
Remote Name: 152.163.204.136
Remote User:
Comments
This was my first princess cruise. Over all I had a wonderful time. The ship is huge and
very clean. We had second seating
, the dining room waiter was 'missing a few oars' but his busboy made up for his faults.
The head waiter was very
attentive and always wanted to know if he could anything for us. I felt like they were
really trying to improve their 'food
image'. The Captain and his officers were friendly and they were out mingling with the
guests. The Entertaiment was just
so-so. The slots were 'tight' in pay offs. Princess cays was wonderful! What a place!!
Hint, Go to the end of the beach and
to the end of the property, you will find wonderful relaxing hammocks and chairs to sit
and watch the world go bye. Ochio
Rios, was another story,, Misfortunely we basically found pushy and unfriendly people. The
Falls are beautiful but be VERY
careful. We watch alot of people fall and hurt themselves. Grand Caymen was fun , but of
course it was too short of a time
on the Island. Cozumel was always a place to buy silver and of course stop at Carlos
Charlies.! Yes we would sail Princess
again. Have fun and Bon Voyage.
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