Name: James A. Royal
Email: JRoyal0112@aol.com
Age: 47
Occupation: Sales Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Princess-Sun
SailingDate: Feb. 7, 1998
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 92
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 Feb 1998
Time: 14:07:32
Remote Name: 152.163.206.236
Remote User:

Comments

Our first cruise, and the impressions were very positive from the moment we were met by a Princess representative as
we de-planed. We landed just after 10:00 a.m., and had about 90 minutes wait in the airport to be transported to the
cruise terminal. Our first view of the Sun Princess was breathtaking. This is is a large ship! After a bit of frustration with
our particular check-in person, who was perhaps a little 'computer-challenged', we were very efficiently steered towards
our cabin at a little past 2:00. Our room steward dropped by almost immediately, as did three bottles of wine from both
Princess and our travel agent. Rodel, a young Philipino gentleman impressed us from the first moment. He consistently
provided excellent service, and in fact seemed able to anticipate our requirements. Our room was small, but beautifully
decorated, spotlessly clean, and very well organized. Once we had unpacked, stored our suitcases under the bed, and sat
on our balcony we were amazed at how 'at home' we felt. The ship as a whole is a tribute to it's designers, decorators
and maintenance staff. Everything was gorgeous... the art, the wood and marble and brass fittings, the carpeting, the
furnishings. One memorable evening after a leisurely hot-tub session, my wife and I wandered around the public rooms in
our Princess bathrobes, and found many interesting bits and pieces of attention to detail to enjoy. Examples of this were
the ship models in the Wheelhouse Bar, the names of the cacti on display clearly indicated in the Rendez-Vous lounge
and many other items. I guess where we were disappointed was by the constant barrage of 'sales pitches' for us to
spend more money... The art auctions in particular seemed to bother me, as did the jewellery sales, clothing 'specials'
and a myriad of other ways in which they wanted to part us from our hard-earned cash. The food was also somewhat
disappointing, though certainly not the rooms, the wait staff in general, or the table settings. Menus were painstakingly
written to entice the palette, but many times the result on the plate was either pedestrian or showed that final little bit of
care which would have made it 'special'. In fact, we may be a little picky in this area, as we both are obliged to entertain
clients on a regular basis, and may have inadvertantly developed a more critical view than some others. However, there is
no excuse for the lousy service and food we encountered in the Marquis dining room the one time we tried it for
breakfast. Omelettes were luke-warm and watery... the hashbrowns simpley never arrived, and the toast was cold. In
fairness we must give high marks to the generous selection of fruits and salads at the buffets, the consistently good pizza,
and freshly made cheeseburgers made pool-side. Overall, we had a wonderful time, and would commend Princess on a
job well done. Without a doubt we'll be back, and now that we know what to expect, we may just enjoy subsequent cruise
vacations even more!

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