Pacific Sun N609 Boy do I have some Questions!!

[Breathless4]

Hi all,

What a great forum this is, I have learnt so much tonight and am totally addicted.

This is our first cruise. Taking our 9 year old daughter with us.

 

Question 1- If she is dining at 5pm with all the other children and we dine at 6pm, who looks after her for the interim time? probably from 5.45pm till we finish our meal?

 

Question 2 - Do we need to take any cash with us and what is the suggested amount? We were hoping to do everything on our credit card.

 

Question 3 - Is there a lot of lining up, tenders, meals, drinks?

 

Question 4 - Which travel sickness remedies work? One friend said take a 'Kwell" when you get on board and you should be alright for the rest of the cruise, one person said to take phenergan tablets everyday,(I dont want to be half asleep on the cruise)

 

Thats enough questions for now....hope you can help me out.

You guys are great! :p

[karmac]

Welcome to the boards breathless and no it certainly doesn't take long to become addicted. I also was addicted the first day.

I'm not going to answer any of your questions because I haven't been yet (2 cruises after yours). I could tell you stuff I've read on here but probably better for you to get it first hand. Don't worry though, someone will answer them for you.

 

Karen

[suey]

Hi all,

What a great forum this is, I have learnt so much tonight and am totally addicted.

This is our first cruise. Taking our 9 year old daughter with us.

 

Question 1- If she is dining at 5pm with all the other children and we dine at 6pm, who looks after her for the interim time? probably from 5.45pm till we finish our meal?

 

Question 2 - Do we need to take any cash with us and what is the suggested amount? We were hoping to do everything on our credit card.

 

Question 3 - Is there a lot of lining up, tenders, meals, drinks?

 

Question 4 - Which travel sickness remedies work? One friend said take a 'Kwell" when you get on board and you should be alright for the rest of the cruise, one person said to take phenergan tablets everyday,(I dont want to be half asleep on the cruise)

 

Thats enough questions for now....hope you can help me out.

You guys are great! :p

 

Your daughter can go to kids club while you are having dinner, they usually have a movie at night. it is open until 10pm for free then for a cost until 1pm I think.

 

You can use a credit card for most things but take a little cash for the islands and market shopping in Vila or Noumea.

 

Lining up is not too bad I rarely have to line up for meals and never long for drinks, coming back in peak times on the tenders can be a long queue but not too bad always someone to chat with in line.

 

I always take a Kwell when I gat on board, then one before bed and maybe one in the morning depending on roughness, I have never been sick doing this but I don't know if I would be without it (not game to try).

 

Welcome to the boards they are fun and addictive,:)

[Gyyp]

Hi all,

What a great forum this is, I have learnt so much tonight and am totally addicted.

This is our first cruise. Taking our 9 year old daughter with us.

 

Question 1- If she is dining at 5pm with all the other children and we dine at 6pm, who looks after her for the interim time? probably from 5.45pm till we finish our meal?

 

Question 2 - Do we need to take any cash with us and what is the suggested amount? We were hoping to do everything on our credit card.

 

Question 3 - Is there a lot of lining up, tenders, meals, drinks?

 

Question 4 - Which travel sickness remedies work? One friend said take a 'Kwell" when you get on board and you should be alright for the rest of the cruise, one person said to take phenergan tablets everyday,(I dont want to be half asleep on the cruise)

 

Thats enough questions for now....hope you can help me out.

You guys are great! :p

 

Hi Breathless 4 and welcome.

 

1.Your daughter can go to kids club while you are at dinner, once she starts going there most kids meet new friends and have a ball from there on.

2. I usually take at least $1000.00 in cash but this depends on what you intend to buy ashore ( We usually buy all our Duty Free in Vila)and then I use the credit card on the ship, you need cash for the islands, and you can use your card to get money (if they have facilities) but then you have to pay for cash advances and exchange rates so I think it's easier to take some cash.

3.There is normally a line up at breakfast and lunch, up to 1/2 an hour, but if you select your times mostly you can avoid this, eg get there when they open or wait an hour or so until the rush is over, drinks never had a problem, tenders also depend on how you work them, if you want to get off early get up early and be early in the ticket line if your not in a hurry you can get your ticket later or wait until the call 'open tender' which could be from 2 hours to 4 hours after they start.

4.My wife used to get sea sickness but hasn't suffered the last 5 cruises but she still wears the arm bands around her wrist if the sea gets rough.

 

Hope this helps, any more questions don't hesitate to ask some one on here should be able to answer.:)

[DanFromSyd]

Hi all,

What a great forum this is, I have learnt so much tonight and am totally addicted.

This is our first cruise. Taking our 9 year old daughter with us.

 

Question 1- If she is dining at 5pm with all the other children and we dine at 6pm, who looks after her for the interim time? probably from 5.45pm till we finish our meal?

 

Question 2 - Do we need to take any cash with us and what is the suggested amount? We were hoping to do everything on our credit card.

 

Question 3 - Is there a lot of lining up, tenders, meals, drinks?

 

Question 4 - Which travel sickness remedies work? One friend said take a 'Kwell" when you get on board and you should be alright for the rest of the cruise, one person said to take phenergan tablets everyday,(I dont want to be half asleep on the cruise)

 

Thats enough questions for now....hope you can help me out.

You guys are great! :p

 

Hi Breathless,

I have just returned from the Sun on N602.

I'll try to answer your questions...

 

1. As everyone else has stated, it will be best for her to go to kids club. When you first get on board there will be a sign up and a meet and greet in the kids club before the safety drill and sailaway. Take her along then and she may meet someone her age who she gets onwith. Otherwise when you take her to the first kids dinner introduce her to her tablemates. From then on she shouldn't have a problem. The kids club usually has a movie at 6 in one of the lounges.

 

2. You can use your CC for the ship but be warned, If you use your CC they will not give you cash in AUD or Foreign currancy unless you bring back your ID and CC and do a seperate transaction. It is easier to either have cash for the ports or go to the casino and withdraw from there and then go to the pursurs and get foreign currancy. It seems like a really stupid rule. You can get advances in cash from your cruise card from the casino... for gambling... but not from the pursurs desk??

anyway just a bit of info i found out..

 

Also on the last night when you want to cash out.. again use the casino... the pursurs desk had waits of up to an hour... we went to the casino got all the cash. They wont give you coins. and gave P&O the 96 cents.. small price to pay for only waiting 5 minutes and not an hour..

 

3. LINES. In my experience the lines for the buffet were never that bad, i certainly didnt wait half an hour, maybe 10 minutes at the absolute most and that was only during peak times.. ie just before 3pm when they close lunch and everyone rushed to get back from the island.

 

Drinks. never waited. besides there are heaps of waiters walking around who will ask you for drinks all the time..

 

Tenders. Yes. tenders were the worst lining up experience of my cruise. there is a process for doing it and an easy way... i think its posted under "welcome home Dan, luvvin etc"

 

4. travel sickness.

OK take a kwells ($6 from a pharmacy on land, $12 from the ship) 30 mins before sailaway and then another before bed. I didnt get drowsy with them.

then if you get up in the morning and can feel it continue if not you'll be ok.

It is better to take them and maybe feel a little drowsy rather then trying to go without and feeling real bad or being sick for the first couple of days of your trip. Our seas were really rough heading out of Sydney but it was calm and flat coming home.

Once you start feeling sick or are sick Kwells will not work. It is a preventitive not a cure. If you are sick you have to go to the medical centre and the cost is $200 AUD for the visit and injection. but its worth it if you start to be sick. Besides travel insurance will cover it when you get home.

 

 

I hope that helps,

 

Cheers,

 

Dan

[Gyyp]

Hi Breathless,

I have just returned from the Sun on N602.

I'll try to answer your questions...

 

1. As everyone else has stated, it will be best for her to go to kids club. When you first get on board there will be a sign up and a meet and greet in the kids club before the safety drill and sailaway. Take her along then and she may meet someone her age who she gets onwith. Otherwise when you take her to the first kids dinner introduce her to her tablemates. From then on she shouldn't have a problem. The kids club usually has a movie at 6 in one of the lounges.

 

2. You can use your CC for the ship but be warned, If you use your CC they will not give you cash in AUD or Foreign currancy unless you bring back your ID and CC and do a seperate transaction. It is easier to either have cash for the ports or go to the casino and withdraw from there and then go to the pursurs and get foreign currancy. It seems like a really stupid rule. You can get advances in cash from your cruise card from the casino... for gambling... but not from the pursurs desk??

anyway just a bit of info i found out..

 

Also on the last night when you want to cash out.. again use the casino... the pursurs desk had waits of up to an hour... we went to the casino got all the cash. They wont give you coins. and gave P&O the 96 cents.. small price to pay for only waiting 5 minutes and not an hour..

 

3. LINES. In my experience the lines for the buffet were never that bad, i certainly didnt wait half an hour, maybe 10 minutes at the absolute most and that was only during peak times.. ie just before 3pm when they close lunch and everyone rushed to get back from the island.

 

Drinks. never waited. besides there are heaps of waiters walking around who will ask you for drinks all the time..

 

Tenders. Yes. tenders were the worst lining up experience of my cruise. there is a process for doing it and an easy way... i think its posted under "welcome home Dan, luvvin etc"

 

4. travel sickness.

OK take a kwells ($6 from a pharmacy on land, $12 from the ship) 30 mins before sailaway and then another before bed. I didnt get drowsy with them.

then if you get up in the morning and can feel it continue if not you'll be ok.

It is better to take them and maybe feel a little drowsy rather then trying to go without and feeling real bad or being sick for the first couple of days of your trip. Our seas were really rough heading out of Sydney but it was calm and flat coming home.

Once you start feeling sick or are sick Kwells will not work. It is a preventitive not a cure. If you are sick you have to go to the medical centre and the cost is $200 AUD for the visit and injection. but its worth it if you start to be sick. Besides travel insurance will cover it when you get home.

 

 

I hope that helps,

 

Cheers,

 

Dan

 

Dan

Thanks for the advice re cashing your cruise card at the Casino, that's a great idea , I never even thought about that.

 

By the way was your cruise full, every time I've been on the Sun it was ?

[maxx]

Once you start feeling sick or are sick Kwells will not work. It is a preventitive not a cure. If you are sick you have to go to the medical centre and the cost is $200 AUD for the visit and injection. but its worth it if you start to be sick. Besides travel insurance will cover it when you get home.

 

 

I hope that helps,

 

Cheers,

 

Dan

Hey Dan

Any idea what the injection is called?

[Breathless4]

Thank you Karmac, Suey, Gyyp, DanfromSyd and Maxx, you were all a great help.

 

What is the average age of a cruise goer. We are in our early 40's. Not that it matters too much, just curious.

 

Is there any way to find out how many children are going to be on board?

 

Thanks

Breathless

[realdinkydi]

Its called Phernagen. I had it on the SUn recently when we had rough weather.Ive still got my Doctors bill. It cost me $115 for the visit,the injection and Phernagen tablets to start takuing the next day for the rest of the trip. It said on the bill the injection was Phernagen. The tablets were much better than the Travelcalm that I took on. Are Kwells better than Travalcalm. Have to work something out for my next cruise, I dont want to let the seasickness put me off going.

[karmac]

Thank you Karmac, Suey, Gyyp, DanfromSyd and Maxx, you were all a great help.

 

What is the average age of a cruise goer. We are in our early 40's. Not that it matters too much, just curious.

 

Is there any way to find out how many children are going to be on board?

 

Thanks

Breathless

 

You will find people of all ages on there. We are in our mid 40's and taking our 3 kids (15, 11 & 10). Because we booked outside school holidays I was a bit worried that there wouldn't be enough kids on board but my TA assured me that there are always plenty of kids. Maybe P&O or your TA could tell you how many there will be.

 

Karen

[Gyyp]

Thank you Karmac, Suey, Gyyp, DanfromSyd and Maxx, you were all a great help.

 

What is the average age of a cruise goer. We are in our early 40's. Not that it matters too much, just curious.

 

Is there any way to find out how many children are going to be on board?

 

Thanks

Breathless

 

P&O could tell you but I doubt they will, I wouldn't worry about the number of children on board, the majority of my cruises are outside school holidays and there has never been a shortage of Kids. I'm taking my 7 year old daughter and my 2 grandchildren are also going 12 months and 5 years.

 

Average age is hard to say, but you won't have any trouble meeting people in your age group.

[Brushtail]

I have a few questions too, and I agree that this is a GREAT forum. It keeps the bubble of excitement going. My DH has agreed to abandon the driving holiday through Victoria and try a cruise on the Sun. Yayy!!!!

 

My questions are:

 

1) What is the difference, except the price, of the different decks for your cabin? Which one is the best? We want an outside cabin. Have to have a window at least.

 

2) What is the best size table to choose for meals? We have to have the early sitting because DH is diabetic. Not that it worries me, that is the time we eat at home anyway.

 

3) Do you have a choice of window or porthole? Or do you just have to accept what you have been given?

 

4) This one may make you all think..........which side of the ship is best for the cabin? If we get a balcony cabin it would be really annoying to have the islands sail by on the other side of the ship. :rolleyes:

 

5) Can you buy a bottle of wine at the bar (or anywhere) to take back to your cabin to drink?

 

6) What about laundry? I have read different things about this. Is there a passenger laundrette? It says on P & O's site that there is one on Main deck on the Sun. Is that still the case? Can you rinse things out in your bathroom and string them up to dry?

 

It is very exciting being a newbie. And like Breathless, I am full of questions. Some of the answers may make a difference to the quality of our holiday.

 

One more thing, my Dear Husband was concerned at me calling him DH for short, he thought it meant d**khead. :D

[Gyyp]

I have a few questions too, and I agree that this is a GREAT forum. It keeps the bubble of excitement going. My DH has agreed to abandon the driving holiday through Victoria and try a cruise on the Sun. Yayy!!!!

 

My questions are:

 

1) What is the difference, except the price, of the different decks for your cabin? Which one is the best? We want an outside cabin. Have to have a window at least.

 

2) What is the best size table to choose for meals? We have to have the early sitting because DH is diabetic. Not that it worries me, that is the time we eat at home anyway.

 

3) Do you have a choice of window or porthole? Or do you just have to accept what you have been given?

 

4) This one may make you all think..........which side of the ship is best for the cabin? If we get a balcony cabin it would be really annoying to have the islands sail by on the other side of the ship. :rolleyes:

 

5) Can you buy a bottle of wine at the bar (or anywhere) to take back to your cabin to drink?

 

6) What about laundry? I have read different things about this. Is there a passenger laundrette? It says on P & O's site that there is one on Main deck on the Sun. Is that still the case? Can you rinse things out in your bathroom and string them up to dry?

 

It is very exciting being a newbie. And like Breathless, I am full of questions. Some of the answers may make a difference to the quality of our holiday.

 

One more thing, my Dear Husband was concerned at me calling him DH for short, he thought it meant d**khead. :D

 

1.I've been on several different decks and the only difference I found is the price, I prefer Riviera Deck towards the centre of the ship as there is less movement in rough weather.

 

2. I have always been on a table of at least 8 which is great for meeting new people.

 

3. On the Sun there is only a few outside cabins with Portholes the rest have windows.

 

4.Which side of the ship doesn't matter, the ship will normally approach with the island on one side, it then turns around when it leaves so the island is on the other side, also if it leaves at 6:00pm you will be at dinner anyway.

 

5. Sorry can't help you I don't drink.

 

6. When I was on in October the laundromat was still there, the only thing I would recommend is take your own soap powder there's is rubbish.You also have a little clothes line that retracts in your shower recess.

[smurfette]

I agree - for newies this site is a wealth of info. Maybe we shuold all book a holiday together???? P&O wouldn't know what had hit them then.......

 

Does the Sun have the $25 washing system for adult clothes?

 

Alos do I need to take an alarm clock or can you get a wake up call? Does it cost?

[Gyyp]

I agree - for newies this site is a wealth of info. Maybe we shuold all book a holiday together???? P&O wouldn't know what had hit them then.......

 

Does the Sun have the $25 washing system for adult clothes?

 

Alos do I need to take an alarm clock or can you get a wake up call? Does it cost?

 

Last time I was on they had a "Bag it " special which was $25 for as much as you can fit in a ship paper laundry bag, this was 2 days before the end of the cruise.

 

I use my mobile phone as an alarm clock.

[smurfette]

Thanks Gyyp,

 

You're on the cruise before us.

[maxx]

Its called Phernagen. I had it on the SUn recently when we had rough weather.Ive still got my Doctors bill. It cost me $115 for the visit,the injection and Phernagen tablets to start takuing the next day for the rest of the trip. It said on the bill the injection was Phernagen. The tablets were much better than the Travelcalm that I took on. Are Kwells better than Travalcalm. Have to work something out for my next cruise, I dont want to let the seasickness put me off going.

Thanks, I had a feeling it was Phenergan or Maxalon.

[suey]

Once you start feeling sick or are sick Kwells will not work. It is a preventitive not a cure. If you are sick you have to go to the medical centre and the cost is $200 AUD for the visit and injection. but its worth it if you start to be sick. Besides travel insurance will cover it when you get home.

 

 

The injection on the Star was only $62. I know some young people who needed it (ex-students of mine - actually there were 8 of them on board, would you believe it?)

Anyway we could not believe it was so cheap, I am sure it was a mistake that they will rectify quicker than most other things.:)

[maxx]

I don't get sick but hubby does so does my girlfriend. I have plenty of Phenergan, but will let insurance cover it if the need arises. The only problem with Phenergan is it makes you drowsy. We plan to start taking medications a few days before the trip. And they have the sea bands so maybe all will be ok.

[DanFromSyd]

I suppose its a very individual thing. But I took one kwells 30 mins before we left Sydney and was fine. and even the next morning when others were sick i was fine.

I guess it just depends on the person. I wouldnt want to start taking it days before hand as it might make your body get used to having it or something.

 

as for the laundry.

They do kids free all the time but bags must be labeled kids laundry free.

The $25 a bag special was ony offered once at the 5 day mark. Which was perfect for me. I was hoping they would offer it again on the way home but they didnt.

It also took them 2 days to return the washing. So dont leave it till the last minute to get it done. It was 2 days for the kids and 2 days for the special so i dont think it matters when you send it out.

 

Dan

[Kazza1]

. The only problem with Phenergan is it makes you drowsy. .

 

Maxx

I had the phenergan injection (the wonder needle) and took one phenergan tablet the next day as instructed on the box. One tablet made me feel drowsy, so the next day I only took 1/4 or a 1/2 tablet and I was perfect for the rest of the cruise.

 

Kazza:)

[girl05]

Around what time do people usually start boarding the ship? I don't want to get there too early or too late.

Thanks:)

[Gyyp]

Around what time do people usually start boarding the ship? I don't want to get there too early or too late.

Thanks:)

 

You can start boarding from 1:00Pm so people start from then, the line looks really long but it moves quite quickly.

[NARELLE]

We just come off after New Year with a full ship 1932 passengers. As Dan said they offered the $25 bag a few days before the end of the cruise. I went to the laundry 3 days before the end of the cruise and the 2nd last day and never had to wait I used Laundry deck 6 forward. I also took my own washing powder as I have with all the other crusies that I have done.

We alsways go for middle of ship so as not to get so much rocking if weather rough. The windows on the Sun were actually larger than the Sky which was lovely to look out of especially when anchored off the islands.

As for seasickness, this is a story. The first cruise we went as a family was when our son was 9 (7 yrs ago). Our daughter cant travel more than 2km in a car without getting car sick - on every cruise she has never been sick. Our son was seasick first morning out of our first cruise and couldn't face breakfast for that entire trip. Every cruise we have done since I have given him a tablet 30 mins before we sail and he has never been sick on subsequent cruises.

We cruised last year to Bangkok and I became good friends with a lady who gets MOTION sickness. She told me that she takes a tablet every morning and it is nothing for her and Hubby to do 3-4 cruises a year. She loves cruising so much and wouldn't let the sickness get in her way of cruising. Everyone is different I have been cruising since I left school when I was 18 and have never been sick ( even when we were in a cyclone 2 years ago- very rough).

 

It doesn't matter what side your cabin is on they come into ports on either side and when anchored off the islands the ship swings with the tide.

[girl05]

You can start boarding from 1:00Pm so people start from then, the line looks really long but it moves quite quickly.

 

Thanks

 

Also Apart from dressing up does anything else happen on theme nights?