Been spoilt? Dawn to Sun...

January 2008 had a fabulous holiday on board Pacific Dawn. 4 families all got along fabulously. Food was devine, activities and shows were fantastic, crew were unreal! The ship, all its facilities (including public toilets) were spotless - the whole time. Kids club fantastic! Our cabin steward even arranged my daughters teddy bear on her bed according to what time of the day it was....

October 2009 booked to cruise on Pacific Sun! A little worried about what some are saying about the state of Pacific Sun. Warm buffet food, filthy public toilets, in need of alot of work, dining areas totally packed (especially breakfast), having to wait 45 minutes for meals, Cruise director loud and annoying...

Have we been spoilt and now concerned about expectations??:confused:

January 2008 had a fabulous holiday on board Pacific Dawn. 4 families all got along fabulously. Food was devine, activities and shows were fantastic, crew were unreal! The ship, all its facilities (including public toilets) were spotless - the whole time. Kids club fantastic! Our cabin steward even arranged my daughters teddy bear on her bed according to what time of the day it was....

 

October 2009 booked to cruise on Pacific Sun! A little worried about what some are saying about the state of Pacific Sun. Warm buffet food, filthy public toilets, in need of alot of work, dining areas totally packed (especially breakfast), having to wait 45 minutes for meals, Cruise director loud and annoying...

 

read the whole thread- written by the british Man,

Pacific Sun is not Pacific Dawn

It was built and first sailed in 1986 -

It does not have 700 Balconies - only ten verandah decks

No they are not the same but the foods okay and I never once found dirty public toilets.

I had a good 10 night cruise and way cheaper than the cruise we had the previous year (only nine nights and we had to fly to Sydney) But on the Dawn we had a Balcony

 

Yes you may have been spoilt but its up to you to decide on the basis of what you paid for your cruise whether its good value.

My 10 night cruise this year was to me.

Look past the fact its smaller and older and you'll be okay

Thanks for your reply....

Yes to be honest the british man did freak me out a little. but its not the first time i've read things (just not as many in one thread).

Beleive it or not we are actually paying more for this 7 nighter out of brisbane in october on the sun than what we paid for our 7 nighter out of sydney on the dawn in january school holidays...i think thats why i'm concerned as well!!

It's not the age of the ship that concerns me as much of the cleanliness....

What did you think of the dawn??

I been on the Pacific sun as the first ship I went on it was good I liked it all ships are better i would not be too worried about it its a nice ship.

As for the public toliets i would prob never use one on the ship as I knoew they are clean but the spread of norvus virus on the ship i did not use them i would rather use the one back in my cabin.

You will love the ship trust me.

And the ship was clean.....

double post sorry

A few good things about Pacific Sun.

It is smaller but you can get lost on the upper decks.

The upper sun decks have only rails around instead of steel windowed wind breaks so you are in the open more and can see the sea from most places on deck. This gives more of a feeling of actually being on a ship at sea. Great to look up from your sun bed and see the ship moving up and down from the horizon.

It has a great viewing platform at the front and can watch each other from the tv in your room like the cruise cam.

There are very limited suites so everybody's cabins are the same no matter what deck,this gets rid of the Snobs:D

You can sit under the suite balconies on a narrow deck and have a read or get away from it all and still there is only a rail between you and the sea.

It has a "Secret Staircase":D

There is only a public toilet between the night club and terrace lounge so easy to swap between both. Karaoke or DOOF Doof,Boot scooting or Doof Doof.Talent quest or Doof Doof!

In fact you have the Terrace lounge,night club smugglers bar.legends bar,casino and upper show lounge all on one deck so dont have to stumble far!

Rear decks are a bit Quirky as you have to use stairs as lifts dont go all the way up.

You learn to boot scoot on the Show lounge stage and do the boot scooting in the Terrace lounge:p

The gym is up top not in the deep dark depths.

Yes it is old,yes its not a Super liner but the more I think about it ,it was much more fun than the Dawn.

Oh did I mention it has a "Secret staircase"lol.

Den

Thanks for your reply....

 

Yes to be honest the british man did freak me out a little. but its not the first time i've read things (just not as many in one thread).

 

Beleive it or not we are actually paying more for this 7 nighter out of brisbane in october on the sun than what we paid for our 7 nighter out of sydney on the dawn in january school holidays...i think thats why i'm concerned as well!!

 

It's not the age of the ship that concerns me as much of the cleanliness....

 

What did you think of the dawn??

PS is older so some may think the Dawn is cleaner?

I have been on both and found cleanliness to be the same!

Older bathrooms etc can always look not quite as fresh as new ones.

Think 70,s 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house and newer 4 bedroom 2 bathroom house,which is the cleaner?

Den

Wow, thanks for all the info...really looking forward to the trip...i've read about the secret staircase - should be fun looking for it.

Had to use stairs on dawn as well after eating so much.....

;)

Welcome to CC! :) I have cruised twice on Pacific Sun and twice on Pacific Dawn.

Sun is a fantastic ship, but you need to remember Dawn is a newer ship and superliner.

They each have something different to offer.

When I have cruised on Sun, I have always found the ship very clean, fantastic food in both buffet and restaurant and very friendly staff.

I would consider cruising Pacific Sun again, for the right price / right itinery.

I'm sure you will have a fantastic holiday as long as you don't worry about the little things and comparing ships :)

P.S. Den...what's the secret staircase??? :)

I, too, have been on both ships & loved them both. As far as cleanliness, food & service goes, there was no real difference. The only difference being the actual ships...............PS being older & smaller than PD. I would happily cruise on the Sun again. The only resaon we keep booking the Dawn is simply because it sails from Sydney.

My son has just booked another cruise with a friend of his & her family, 14 nights from Sydney to Fiji & it turns out it is on the Sun and he is thrilled about that.

Thanks again for all this reassurance.....was pretty worried earlier but feeling much better now....thanks again:D

Welcome to CC! :) I have cruised twice on Pacific Sun and twice on Pacific Dawn.

 

Sun is a fantastic ship, but you need to remember Dawn is a newer ship and superliner.

 

They each have something different to offer.

 

When I have cruised on Sun, I have always found the ship very clean, fantastic food in both buffet and restaurant and very friendly staff.

 

I would consider cruising Pacific Sun again, for the right price / right itinery.

 

I'm sure you will have a fantastic holiday as long as you don't worry about the little things and comparing ships :)

 

P.S. Den...what's the secret staircase??? :)

If I told you it wouldn't be secret any more!

We who have found it are bound to CC secrecy:D

You may just have to do another trip on PS to find it,sleep has been lost over this before now!:D:D

Den

Thanks again for all this reassurance.....was pretty worried earlier but feeling much better now....thanks again:D

Very glad! Its just like trading in your BMW for an old Kingswood;)

Just kidding, its a fun ship to cruise on:)

Den

I never acrtually heard about the secret staircase until AFTER I cruised on the Sun:(

BTW Den, we did our bootscootin' lessons in the Terraces lounge.

I never acrtually heard about the secret staircase until AFTER I cruised on the Sun:(

 

 

BTW Den, we did our bootscootin' lessons in the Terraces lounge.

We did ours (I was forced screaming and kicking) in the show lounge on the stage:eek:

People were popping in for a look, a lot sat down and stayed as it was possibly better than the on board entertainment:D

Den

If I told you it wouldn't be secret any more!

 

We who have found it are bound to CC secrecy:D

 

You may just have to do another trip on PS to find it,sleep has been lost over this before now!:D:D

 

 

Den

Haha Den...well I'm thinking back to my cruises and know that there was a staircase that we used that was tucked away. How do I know if this is the same one? Do you have an email address I can email you on?

It's going to bug me now until I know if I have found "it"!!! :)

We have been on both the Pacific Dawn and the Pacific Sun, yes the Pacific Dawn is a beautiful ship, Pacific Sun is a 3 star ship, we are booked to go on the Pacific Sun again in January Flowers of Asia cruise. When we were on the sun 2 years ago the cruise director did a tour of the whole ship I mean work areas parts not normally seen by the public and it was a very clean ship. Looking forward to seeing the changes they have done on her.

Haha Den...well I'm thinking back to my cruises and know that there was a staircase that we used that was tucked away. How do I know if this is the same one? Do you have an email address I can email you on?

 

It's going to bug me now until I know if I have found "it"!!! :)

MMMM looks to me like you didnt find it, but nice try:p

Once found it cannot be mistaken for any old "tucked away staircase" lol

This staircase truly is a "secret staircase":D

Den

We have been on both the Pacific Dawn and the Pacific Sun, yes the Pacific Dawn is a beautiful ship, Pacific Sun is a 3 star ship, we are booked to go on the Pacific Sun again in January Flowers of Asia cruise. When we were on the sun 2 years ago the cruise director did a tour of the whole ship I mean work areas parts not normally seen by the public and it was a very clean ship. Looking forward to seeing the changes they have done on her.

Are you going on the 16 nighter ?

We are off on the 12 nighter on 31 Jan.

We are doing Geraldton first and its showing 2 days from Geraldton to Broome?

Wondering if we have to paddle:)

That could mean 3 nights without casino if they dont head out to sea?

Hope not, I just cant wait for the Pokies as when we cruise is the only time we get to play real ones.

I need a "feature" fix.

Den

MMMM looks to me like you didnt find it, but nice try:p

 

Once found it cannot be mistaken for any old "tucked away staircase" lol

 

This staircase truly is a "secret staircase":D

 

 

 

Den

Just wondering if it is the one on Pacific Sun that it near the back of the buffet and winds around a few turns? Might not be that secret but often got lost trying to find it! :)

Just wondering if it is the one on Pacific Sun that it near the back of the buffet and winds around a few turns? Might not be that secret but often got lost trying to find it! :)

No, that's not it. We used that one a couple of imes as it led to the kids club.

The secret doorway does not look like a door way and will be easily missed. That's why it is so "secret"

It does however link two public places together.

That is a huge clue.

So okay now I am trying to see if I know where it is, even rang my friend to see if she can work it out. Will it help to keep nagging :D

We are going on the 16 nighter leaving 4th January 2010, looking forward to it.

The secret staircase has me intrigued too. I'm wondering if it's the same one I saw ;).