Sun Princess Review
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We’re 60+ year old Australians with 17 previous cruises on different ships (and many different cruise lines) with which to compare. This was our 2nd cruise on the Sun Princess. This was a 22 night relocation cruise from Sydney to Japan. As they were having trouble filling the ship, the price for the interior cabins was very attractive.
Embarkation:
After flying to Sydney the day before embarkation, we stayed overnight with friends who we had met on a previous cruise. As the ship left from the isolated White Bay Terminal, we were glad our friends could drive us there. As we now have Platinum status with Princess, embarkation did not involve lining up and we were one of the first to board the ship. Once on board, we were directed to our cabin (which was ready) where we left our hand luggage and went for an early lunch. At 4 pm we met other Cruise Critic Roll Call members at the Sunset Bar for an informal sailaway party.
Cabin Review
When we cruised on the Sun Princess previously, we discovered our inside cabin on deck 10 was the smallest and worst designed inside cabin we have had in recent years! Problems occur when queen bed arrangement is used. The bedside drawers do not split as on other ships leaving a long unit on one side of the bed and little space on the other. Also it no longer can be used as a bed side table. One of our small suitcases had to be stood on end for that purpose. Also there is no space between the end of the bed and the wardrobe on one side and the desk on the other. The chair at the desk was the only one supplied (there was no room for any other). After this disappointing experience, we were told to book one of the long, narrow cabins located in the cross-over corridors. These cabins are 148 square feet compared to 132 square feet for the regular cabins located in the long corridors. This combined with a better layout made a huge difference. With a bed-head shelf supplied, the small bedside table is relocated to another location in the cabin when queen bed arrangement is used. The reduction in space beside the bed is compensated by the extra space between the wardrobe and the deck in the centre of the cabin. Only 1 small chair is supplied. Lighting is good.As usual with Princess, the bed was hard and the supplied egg-crate foam only helped a bit as it was worn thin. Also if you want a top sheet, ask for it. Our suitcases fitted under the bed. The flat-screen TV was a generous size but awkward to watch while sitting in the chair. The small fridge was handy for keeping our supply of Coke & snacks cold. The A/C worked well even with the very warm weather outside.The ensuite was a reasonable size. The dreaded shower curtain on the fairly compact shower did not suck in as it was weighted. During the cruise the shower head was upgraded to the removable style.