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Name: Connie Perreira
Email: connie@sierra.campus.mci.net
Age: 60
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 11
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: April 11, 1998
Itinerary: Carribean-7day
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 69
FoodRoomService: 69
CruiseStaff: 89
CabinAmenities: 79
FoodLidoDeck: 79
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 82
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 89
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 80
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 79
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 50
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 89
SpaceRatio: 50
OverallCruiseValue: 75
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Apr 1998
Time: 00:55:11
Remote Name: 208.155.130.196
Remote User:
Comments
We cruise with another couple close to our own age; this was our fifth cruise. Four on the
Princess line, one on Celebrity. We made the mistake of not
checking the calendar and booking during Spring Break. Consequently, we found ourselves
overwhelmed by families with children of all ages.
The Sun Princess is a beautiful ship with great open public space, with the exception of
the pool deck. The couple of times we tried to go poolside we found
no deck chairs available. It appeared that others had staked their claim much earlier in
the morning. Very crowded, close together. The one day one of our
traveling companions decided to get some sun, no matter what, he ended up on the top deck
where he found one available chair. Not good.
We booked BD category, balcony, side-by-side. Good thing, because we got to open the door
between our adjoining room on the balcony and we ended
up with a long, though vary narrow balcony. We did have quite a few laughs as we tried to
position ourselves on the balcony to have conversation and
drinks. Had to turn our chair a little so we could make eye-contact with each other. The
great feature of the room was being able to leave the sliding door
open at night and listen to the water. We loved that. Only drawback was our neighbors on
the other side who got up early and liked to talk on their
balcony. The cabin was very small. It was a true test of our relationship and mutual
cooperation because one of us had to back up to let the other get by if
one wanted to get from the bathroom to the balcony. The bathroom was really funny. The
toilet the most uncomfortable object either of us has ever had to
sit on, and so close to the bathroom door our nose touched the hanging bathrobes. Very
good for more laughs.
Most nights the food in the dining room was wonderful. There were nights when all of the
entrées were desirable and other nights when nothing seemed
appealing. The service didn't get really good until two nights before the cruise ended. We
learned that Princess has done away with the Wine Stewards
and therefore the overworked waiter does wine serving. Our bus boy was only five weeks new
to the job and didn't quite have the hang of the usual
Princess service. For example, each night he would ask if we wanted coffee and each night
we would say, yes, decafe. He didn't remember from one night
to the next.
The buffet was another story. The layout of the food was very confusing. Butter with the
yogurt, on the opposite side of the room away from the toaster.
And only one toaster for all of the breakfast crowd. Finally on Thursday, two days before
cruise end, they started to toast bread, bagels, etc. and keep it
warm. Two lines on the same side for eggs, but no one to tell the passengers to move up to
the front line. We didn't find the staff at the buffet to be very
friendly or passenger oriented. The coffee pot was located in the middle of the food line,
and once they decided to close one side to get ready for lunch
we had to walk to the opposite side to get a cup of coffee. Not very convenient. Table
service picking up plates, etc., very, very inefficient. Many times I
picked up my own plate and took it to the bussing station while three or four bus boys
stood by talking. If it weren't in their area, they wouldn't go out of
their way to provide service.
The ice cream line was so long and with only one person working, we finally gave up. Never
did buy ice cream.
The ship was squeaky clean. Beautiful art, a feast for the eyes. The shops were typical
Princess shops, nice jewelry, and nice clothes.
In fairness to Princess, we had seen several of the shows offered, and elected to go to
only two. Comedian Billy Vader, very funny. The other, a musician,
not so good.
All in all, we had a fair time. We joked about having spent a week in the closet, our
affectionate name for the cabin. We probably won't sail on such a big
ship again, and for sure we won't book a cruise when the kids are out of school.
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