Newbie

[Megawat]

Hi all I have just joined the forum and am new to cruising. Have just come ashore after the first 'Flowers of Asia' on Pacific Sun. Found the whole experience awesome and we are now planning a South Pacific cruise for next year, or December 18 this year. We want to depart from Sydney, so any comparisons between Pacific Jewel and the Rhapsody of the Seas, or Princess line?

Any comments welcome.

Cheers

Richard

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Wow, if you thought the cruise on the Pacific Sun was awesome, wait until you sail on either Rhapsody or Sun Princess or Dawn Princess. Sooooo much better!

[Brossy]

Wow' date=' if you thought the cruise on the Pacific Sun was awesome, wait until you sail on either Rhapsody or Sun Princess or Dawn Princess. Sooooo much better![/quote']

 

I second that :).

[Riffraff]

Hi all I have just joined the forum and am new to cruising. Have just come ashore after the first 'Flowers of Asia' on Pacific Sun. Found the whole experience awesome and we are now planning a South Pacific cruise for next year, or December 18 this year. We want to depart from Sydney, so any comparisons between Pacific Jewel and the Rhapsody of the Seas, or Princess line?

Any comments welcome.

Cheers

Richard

 

Hi, and welcome to CC!

 

Glad you enjoyed your cruise on the Sun, we were on the Brisbane to Fremantle cruise on her and had a great time too.

 

If you enjoyed Pacific Sun then you'll probably enjoy Pacific Jewel because that will be similar, although on a newer and bigger ship. The on-board activities and all that stuff should be the same though.

 

Princess is similar but is marketed as being a bit more 'up-market' - more sedate, maybe, and possibly less on-board activities..and I can't comment on Rhapsody except to say that although it does get good reviews I'm a bit put off by the American-ness of it, the on board costs being higher and in US dollars..but that's just my opinion.

 

really though whichever one you choose it should still be still be a great cruise, I guess it would depend on cost and timing and itinerary as to which one is best.

[aussie57]

Hi Richard. Welcome to CC & thanks for your post. We love the Sun and that's even after sailing on Sapphire Princess & Celebrity Mercury. The crew are so happy & helpful. We're on the Asia cruise on 12 Feb going to Komodo, Bali, Lombok, Geraldton & Broome so would be interested in some more details of your expereinces if you have the time. We heard there were a lot of whingers on your cruise, but we try to take each cruise on it's own merit & believe it's basically what you make it. Some people have really unrealistic expectations.

[m4yb]

Hi Richard and welcome to Cruise Critic!!!

 

aussie57, I am sure you will have a great time on your cruise, your positive attitude will make sure you do! having also just done the trip you are going on, aboard Pacific Sun, more than happy to answer any ?

 

And to prove we had an awesome time, just look at my countdown clock!!!

[kaseyoz]

Hello and a warm welcome to Cruise critic.

It is lovely when new posters introduce themselves first off.

 

Pacific Sun was my first (and second) cruise and started this cruise addiction I now face.

 

I hope you stick around and chat more.

Can you tell us more about your cruise. What you liked/disliked/where you went.

[Megawat]

So many to answer, so I guess I like the idea of starting slow and progressing, what I mean is for our first trip we really enjoyed the Sun, but more importantly enjoyed getting away and being able to JUST RELAX, so happy to stay with P&O for the next one and the price is very good. Also happy to answer any questions too.

Very blown away with the attitude of the people at Christmas Island and the snorkeling was amongst the best I have experienced.

Semarang was a hoot, Police escort to the Temple and train museum, but either P&O got it wrong or the tour people got it wrong but we got a lot more than was advertised, in fact so much it was getting too long by the end of the day. Maybe that was a problem as we got drenched at the Temple and the air con on the bus was freezing, but the highlight had to be the police escort on Christmas day, what a blast.

Bali was good to re-visit, me after 14 years and my travel partner after 6, neither of us together. Lombok was great to see and very enjoyable, so much so that we are planning and extended visit to the islands. The Komodo visit was a must at least once, however I have no need or desire to return. My first visit to Broome and we were very lucky that the cyclones had past us by, again nice to see but no deire to return quickly, and Geraldton, well I have done work there so neither of us had any desire. What was good was teh around the world clipper race was taking off from there so we got a first class view of the start.

My only disappointment was with the lack of communication and forthought at disembarkation onto tenders, this did create a bit of frustration, and it would have been good to know that there was shuttle busses in most ports, at least Broome and Geraldton, also I feel that P&O could cater better to the older passengers and give them the assitance they need.

Thanks for making me welcome and looking forward to the next one,

 

Cheers

Richard

[Kinkacruiser]

Welcome to our group Richard. We also loved our first P&O cruise on the Pac Star, but then Aus began to get the 'rejects' from the US fleet, so we went over to Princess.

I'm happy your Sun experience was a good one.

Anna

[aussie57]

Hi Richard & M4yb

Did you do shore excursions at Bali & Lombok, or just do your own thing? I'm mainly interested in shopping at Kuta. Is it far from Benoa? Are there buses....taxis? Cost? Allan is in a wheelchair or uses prosthetic legs so doesn't tender and Broome will be the only port where he can disembark. I'm told Feb will be uncomfortably humid in Bali & Broome so am unsure of how much energy I'll have for sightseeing. How much are the shuttles at Broome & Geraldton?

We were on the Sun for 14 nights in 2008 & thoroughly enjoyed it. There wasn't "anytime dining" then though, so we're not sure how that will work. Do they still serve espresso coffee at the Promenade Lounge?

Thanks for answering these questions.

[Megawat]

Hi Richard & M4yb

Did you do shore excursions at Bali & Lombok, or just do your own thing? I'm mainly interested in shopping at Kuta. Is it far from Benoa? Are there buses....taxis? Cost? Allan is in a wheelchair or uses prosthetic legs so doesn't tender and Broome will be the only port where he can disembark. I'm told Feb will be uncomfortably humid in Bali & Broome so am unsure of how much energy I'll have for sightseeing. How much are the shuttles at Broome & Geraldton?

We were on the Sun for 14 nights in 2008 & thoroughly enjoyed it. There wasn't "anytime dining" then though, so we're not sure how that will work. Do they still serve espresso coffee at the Promenade Lounge?

Thanks for answering these questions.

Hi Anne & Allen,

No we did our own thing in Bali and Lombok, I am not sure what the tours are like but as far as shopping goes, Bali I feel is a better option, there are some good department stores and of course if you are into bargaining the street shops offer a lot of choice. It cost us 50,000 rupiar (about $6.00aud) in a Blue taxi and took about 30 minutes, I am told the best and honest, and they dropped us in the heart of Legian St, possibley not the best for wheel chair. Maybe look at getting to Matahara dept store in South Kuta. The weather is the hottest and most humid in February. We tendered in Bali and Lombok so if he doesn't tender then that may solve those issue. As for Broome, yes it will be hot and humid, but there was a breeze all day and we found it not too bad. The shuttles were free and P@O did not tell anyone this, I think they offered shuttles in Geraldton too, but we did not bother as we have both been there many times. The "anytime dining" worked OK most of the time, just remember to book a table early in the Bordeaux, and I didn't have or notice espresso coffee, but they did have Nescafe on the Lido or purchase what ever coffee you like at the back cafe on the Lido.

Hope that answers your questions, if not try again, and have a grand time, I'm sure you will.

All the best

Richard