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It seems that any ship that is sent to Cruise From Australian ports are the ships that are aged and badly designed so they send them here because they think that we will put up with being overcharged and can be talked down to by some cruise staff because we don,t have many Americans as on other ships going from overseas ports which we have sailed from.
EMBARKATION But after saying that, embarkation from Freemantle port was very fast, but it could have been that we are platinum members as that means priority check in.
CABIN As for the balcony cabin we booked in July 2008 and picked our cabin which was on Aloha deck 11 but were upgraded to Riviera deck 12 when we embarked which was not really an upgrade as we found the cabin and balcony to so small that we seemed to be tripping or hitting something everytime we walked past the end of the bed or just trying to dry yourself in the shower/toilet cubicle as we said we have cruised on Princesswere rooms SQ Feet being on the Grand and Pacific 230 sq feet with the Sun Prince only 173 sq feet but thankfully we got another wonderful cabin steward (Jeffrey) who done a fantastic job.
SHIP PUBLIC AREAS This ship is so bad in its design that as you have to walk through everything to get somewhere ie;Pizzeria to Casino and vice versa, Photography when everybody looking at their pictures, Horizon Court walking anywhere if to get your meal or after to vacate from horizon court, and then the elevators the forward elevators went from 4th level to 14th level so they were the main ones used then the Aft elevators went only from 7th level to 14th level and then you had the Glass elevators that went from 5th level to 8th level no elevators went to the 15th level to Topsiders bar so if you drank to much watch your step going down, so there was a lot of congestion at the forward elevators as they seemed that they were the most used.
DINING Dining in the Regency first seating the service and presentation was fantastic but the food was not to the same standard as on the Grand Princess and Pacific Princess, Horizon Court was average as the bacon was either undercooked and fatty (English) or overcooked (standard) and the scrambled eggs were not fluffy as on the other ships and then most foods served up were what we call wet food which is mostly stews and stir fries which not everybody likes that type of food, Verdi's felt you were a sideshow attraction for everybody passing through while you ate your meal which was average too, and Sterling Steakhouse has a great selection of steak but you have to pay $20 AUD for the use of part of the Horizon Court, Terrace Grill had OK chips, pies and Kababs but their hamburgers were a meat pattie and cheese if you asked for it with some old lettuce, tomato and onion on a dry bread roll very average.
THINGS TO DO Activities on the ship I have no complaints, as they are full on, be it trivia, cards, fitness, scholarship@sea programs, cruise crew functions on sea days and the activities center for the children which as not having any with us was great because we hardly seen or heard them very much. Then there is the shows comedians, singers, juggler, illusionist and the theatre productions in the Princess theatre fantastic.
PORTS OF CALL First we booked this cruise July 2008 it was for 9 ports of call which started with Exmouth (Australia) - Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) - Sihanoukville (Cambodia) - Bangkok (Thailand) - Ko Samui (Thailand) - Mallacca (Malaysia) - Langkawi (Malaysia) - Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) - Singapore (Singapore) but then was changed to below. 1st Port - Thursday 23rd July - Padang Bay (Bali Indonesia) changed to Kote Kinabulu (Malaysia) changed to Sunday 26th July - Vung Tau (Vietnam) and after 7 sea days was ready to get off ship at least, what a disappointment first had to wait 4 hours to disembark by tender even after lining up to get tender ticket so that we could wait til our number was called which it never was as they just announced that every body may board the tenders and then when on shore the street vendors! felt like they were trying to rip money from your hand every 5 seconds tell 1 NO!and the next 1 comes up to you and watch out for the crossing of the street driving laws are non existent they don't stop for pedestrians.
2nd Port - Monday 27th July - Phu My for HO CHI MINH (Vietnam)- Visa $14.85. What we came on this cruise for, and the same as Vung Tau street vendors and as we were on a Shore Tour we had to of course wait until our number was called to leave ship another hour lost of our holiday then the tour sights of saigon and shopping at the markets what a waist of money that was, big disappointment! cheap ciggarettes though so not total loss, same road rules ha ha.
3rd Port - Wednesday 29th July - Sihanoukville (Cambodia)- visa $ 40.60. Didn,t really want to get off but we paid for visa might as well use it same thing with tender get in line for ticket to get in line for tender then on to land which watch the dog poop and rubbish footpaths non existent same road rules not much to see.
4th Port - Laem Chabang for Bangkok (Thailand) Got taxi outside of port $50.00 dollars American return to Pattaya Beach about an hour each way which included taking us to the large golden buddha and to lookout to view the bay of Pattaya Beach but people beware especially teens and young 20's when hiring Jet Ski'sbecause when you return they will accuse you of scratching it and demand ridiculous amount and if you don't pay will call police who are part of racket same as buying from some stores will give something free in special colored bag then accuse you of stealing then call police again being part of racket who then demand ransom.
5th Port - Ko Samui (Thailand) Tender thing again bit unsafe for disabled get on to dock as had to climb steep stairs then no actual footpaths around streets and same traffic problem no give way to pedestrians good handmade Tshirt singlet shop found on esplanade right turn.
6th Port - Port Klang for Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) Wrong spelling by princess they spelled it Kelang seen it on sign at the port didn't book tour and taxi's wher bit dear for fare to Kula Lumpur so nothing to see.
7th Port - Singapore (Singapore) Went on tour(river cruise and chinatown walk) Chinatown walk to cafe serving their special jam on toast with cup of tea or coffee, remember they don't serve milk, so if not sweet tooth as my wife is (no sugar) only carnation milk and it will be very sweet and then walk to somewhere to view miniature of life in early settlement, then cruise which was relaxing but as usual if you don't get the first seats bit hard to see much as we ended looking sideways on our seat the river was a great Yellow/Green colour would not recommend swimming in it, then back on bus back to chinatown to the shopping market where we found you don't go to the first shop on the outer as they will rip you, go into the market and stalls where you find better deals.
8th Port - Geraldton (Australia) Good old Aussie where the streets are clean everybody speaks your language (well most do) and the traffic stops for you at crossings and the beers cold!
DISEMBARKATION 7.45am on bus - 8.45am at airport - flight 12.45pm - home Brisbane 10.30pm est would be more comfortable to either stay on ship bit longer or next time book hotel overnight then catch plane next day stting airports or anywhere waiting is the pits.
SUMMARY We will still be cruising and it will probably be with Princess Lines but not the Sun class vessels as we do prefer a little bit more room but also staying with 1 cruise line does have its benefits such as the Elite Card with Princess which gives you free laundry and priority tender embarkation what could be better than that most of the worries of cruising gone. As for the passengers who went on their first cruise on Sun Princess who enjoyed it just think what it be like on a better ship.
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