Park 19 on the Sun Princess

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

10 minutes ago, Kit6 said:

Maybe I read it differently, but I don't think the comment was saying no one enjoys that or that families shouldn't want that, just that there's ways to enjoy a cruise without it.  You're right, there's a multibillion dollar industry based on theme park ships - clearly a whole lot of people love & want that.  Even with park 19 (if it was open), the Sun Princess wouldn't come close to competing with those kinds of ships.  I think that's where a lot of the confusion comes from - it's just one small area on a large ship.  While disappointing to not have it functional, it isn't a water slide park (I believe it's one dry slide to get back down, I could be wrong), it's not a zip line (slow glider, fun but no zip).

 

Perhaps it's the mean mom in me, but if my kids spend 14 nights on a luxury cruise ship complaining they are bored because the ropes course is closed, that'll be the last vacation they take on my tab, lol.  I'm clearly just being a little cheeky here but seriously, I think we need to board the ship knowing what it offers & what it doesn't.  Clearly a massive misstep from Princess to show thousands of passengers an activity area no one can use, but nothing we can do but make the most of it.  We thought we were far enough away from the launch that it would all be up & running but obviously not.  Lesson learned for all of us I guess - wait to book until after it's all good.

 

Just so we're on the same page - I did comment about why those activities are attractive, but my kids have always had a blast on every cruise we've ever been on (and we cruise often)...even on Celebrity with no water slides or anything of the nature.

 

I was just commenting to the other person that I understand why people want to do those things and why they'd be disappointed if they're not available.

 

In my reply immediately previous to this I essentially said the same thing you just did - it's not our job as parents to entertain our kids...they need to learn independence, and at this age that comes in the form of finding ways to entertain themselves without it being mom and dad doing it the entire time.

 

Fortunately (very fortunately), that's not an issue we have with our kids. If it was, we probably wouldn't cruise very often.

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

5 minutes ago, LittleTinker said:

There arent any water slides or zip lines on the Sun either. 

 

In the mood to be pedantic this morning are we? 😆

 

We also don't have a rollglider at home.

 

Does that make you feel better?

[edub]

Very excited - Sun Princess ship activities just populated in my app, for cruise leaving a week from tomorrow!! Not excited - medallions show as not yet received by USPS and we leave a few days before, so assuming I won't get them in time.

 

Like PP we are disappointed about Park 19 probably not being often, b/c it is a big reason we booked (also Santorini and Istanbul stops, also we're pretty psyched now about Crete). We prefer Princess to other lines we have gone with (being able to track your kids w medallion is a game changer), but we specifically took this cruise because of the ropes course slides etc - we saw it as a chance to have a few of the amenities of more kid-friendly ships while still having Princess' multiple entertainment option, food, etc.

 

One thing I find disappointing, but it's not just on Princess, is that they seem to offer more fitness classes on port days rather than sea days. I get it, demand would be too high for a single yoga class or single cycle class on a sea day, but they could offer it ... more often? For instance, Naples arrival is 7am and yoga is 8am. With the extreme heat we are definitely getting off the boat to use as many morning hours as possible. Small bummer but it doesn't seem to be exclusive to Princess.

[LittleTinker]

25 minutes ago, Kit6 said:

I agree with you, I'm a little confused at the "there's nothing to do, my kids are bored". Sincere question to those of you in that camp, particularly those that have sailed on the Sun Princess - what do you kids normally do on a cruise that keeps them happy & having fun? 

I wonder if some of you are comparing to ships like Disney or the big Royal Caribbean ones with go cart tracks & waterslide parks?  I haven't been on Royal Caribbean and truthfully the mega ships with all the theme park stuff doesn't appeal to us.  We wanted a quieter, more relaxing cruise this time but obviously I don't want my 4 kids bored out of their minds.

 

I was getting all worried with the reviews of how boring the ship is but I'm trying to remember that we really do go for the family time and for the opportunity to explore new parts of the world.  Hopefully we find the ship offers us a great vacation.

I took a teenager and 2 preteens. Well, the 12 year old was 13 the day we left......15, 13 and 11.

There were not many kids onboard so on many days, the machines were turned off in the kids club,
Most of the time during the day they did not want to go to the kids club as they said it was boring, and the activities they did were babyish.
The teen walked out of the teen club and said there was nothing to do.

The contrast was Sapphire Princess which they LOVED and I couldnt tear them away.

There was little in the way of entertainment for the kids to join in with. There was a scavenger hunt on one day but it only lasted 20 minutes.

There are 3 pool options.
The dome pool we never saw open as they close it when they have rehearsals for the shows.
(this is the pool that when it IS open, adults complain about kids in because there excited voices boom through the dome disturbing people)
The Lido is the deepest pool and is crowded.
The Wake View Pool is lovely, but be careful of the protruding grates. My 3 all cut their feet and legs several times.....as did others.  I was told the pool was going to be closed to repair it but I dont think they have done that as yet.

I think a lot of it was because of the ports. As so many people left the ship, there just wasnt anything laid on for them on the ship. Nothing going on in the kids club is what did it, I think so little opportunity to make any friends.

They spent the afternoon one day in the salon getting pampered with mani/pedis etc
One went to Spellbound  (was not worth it)
Every evening they watched Movies Under the Stars
and the rest of the time, they swam

On Sapphire there were many activities they could join in with, such as darts competition, quizzes and games, etc

They have never been on any other cruiseline

 

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

18 minutes ago, irishgirl said:

I didn’t think there were any slides on the Sun.  Why are people asking about slides.

 

Are there not slides?

 

If not, then what is in the background of the picture below?

 

Source: https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/photos-of-sun-princess

[SCX22]

IMO, Princess added Park 19 (or is trying to) is to entice some of the Royal Caribbean loyalists to come to Princess.  The demographic and type of cruiser is pretty stale on Princess--leaning towards old and not very active (mobility devices galore).  This was their attempt to try and attract a different crowd.

[Kit6]

35 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

This will be our first Princess cruise so I can't comment on Princess specifically, but we cruise often (6-8 times/year) on pretty much every cruise line out there so I can comment in generalities.

 

None of the kids clubs are as great as Disney, but our kids have yet to find one they haven't absolutely loved,.

 

We cruised on the Celebrity Ascent over Christmas this past year, which is similar to Princess, and they had an absolute blast even though there were no slides, arcade, or anything similar (and we don't even use the pools usually since we have one at home that is bigger than most on cruise ships since we own a swim school).

 

I think most of it comes down to the parents...I see a lot of parents who say their kids "don't like" the kids clubs and the parents are expected to entertain their kids for the entire cruise.

 

Not only does that sound exhausting - in my opinion it is teaching your kids to depend on the parents to do everything for them vs teaching them independence and learning to make friends.

 

---

 

With regards to the teens clubs - on most of the cruise ships it seems like the teens clubs are a meeting point for the teens but then they go off on the ship on their own and do their own thing more often than they are in the actual teens clubs.

 

---

 

It sounds like you have a healthy approach to things so I'm sure your kids will love the Sun Princess...happy sails!

Thank you for the reply - I appreciate your comments. I agree, it is what you make it.  Sounds like you’ve cruised so much!! My dream, I love cruising! Such a cool way to see the world. 

[Kit6]

13 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

 

Are there not slides?

 

If not, then what is in the background of the picture below?

 

Source: https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/photos-of-sun-princess

I believe that is the one & only slide, not a water slide, just a tube slide to come down from the top end of the ropes course. Certainly nothing you’d book the ship because of. 

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

2 minutes ago, Kit6 said:

Thank you for the reply - I appreciate your comments. I agree, it is what you make it.  Sounds like you’ve cruised so much!! My dream, I love cruising! Such a cool way to see the world. 

We're very fortunate to cruise as often as we do...blessed beyond measure!

 

We actually started a YouTube channel we go so often. 

 

If it makes money someday, that's great, but even if it never does, we love that we're making memories we'll always be able to look back on from when our kids were young!

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

2 minutes ago, Kit6 said:

I believe that is the one & only slide, not a water slide, just a tube slide to come down from the top end of the ropes course. Certainly nothing you’d book the ship because of. 

Right, but let me remind you of what you said:

 

"I didn’t think there were any slides on the Sun.  Why are people asking about slides."

 

I haven't been on the Sun Princess yet to know how many slides there are, but there are factually more than zero (which is what you stated).

[Kit6]

18 minutes ago, LittleTinker said:

I took a teenager and 2 preteens. Well, the 12 year old was 13 the day we left......15, 13 and 11.

There were not many kids onboard so on many days, the machines were turned off in the kids club,
Most of the time during the day they did not want to go to the kids club as they said it was boring, and the activities they did were babyish.
The teen walked out of the teen club and said there was nothing to do.

The contrast was Sapphire Princess which they LOVED and I couldnt tear them away.

There was little in the way of entertainment for the kids to join in with. There was a scavenger hunt on one day but it only lasted 20 minutes.

There are 3 pool options.
The dome pool we never saw open as they close it when they have rehearsals for the shows.
(this is the pool that when it IS open, adults complain about kids in because there excited voices boom through the dome disturbing people)
The Lido is the deepest pool and is crowded.
The Wake View Pool is lovely, but be careful of the protruding grates. My 3 all cut their feet and legs several times.....as did others.  I was told the pool was going to be closed to repair it but I dont think they have done that as yet.

I think a lot of it was because of the ports. As so many people left the ship, there just wasnt anything laid on for them on the ship. Nothing going on in the kids club is what did it, I think so little opportunity to make any friends.

They spent the afternoon one day in the salon getting pampered with mani/pedis etc
One went to Spellbound  (was not worth it)
Every evening they watched Movies Under the Stars
and the rest of the time, they swam

On Sapphire there were many activities they could join in with, such as darts competition, quizzes and games, etc

They have never been on any other cruiseline

 

Thank you for your feedback, I appreciate your input. Hopefully there are more activities for kids to participate in this summer when likely many more kids on board. If not we’ll make the most of what we have - sunshine & family time on the ship. 

[irishgirl]

That thing in the picture is the track for the roll glider.  There are no slides except to get down from the ropes course.

 

Located on decks 19, 20, and 21, Park19 was envisioned for active guests and multi-generational families to explore and connect through inclusive and engaging activities, including:

• Sea Breeze – Inspired by the dream of hang gliding but in a safe environment, the Sea Breeze is the first Rollglider on a cruise ship and takes guests high above to enjoy panoramic views of the ocean and breathtaking ports of call. Using an overhead track, guests are seated and harnessed to this electric ride which reaches speeds of up to 11 mph during the 60- to 90-second experience that is also ADA accessible.
• Coastal Climb – On this engaging climbing structure guests ascend from decks 19 to 20 through a series of obstacles. Once at the top, guests can take in the gorgeous views before sliding back down to the bottom.
• The Lookout – At the top of the climbing structure, adventurers make their way to The Lookout open-air observation deck to take in stunning 360º views from the highest point available to guests onboard Sun Princess.
• The Net – Harnessed above deck 19, guests are challenged to trek across unstable bridges, a z-shaped balance beam and climb cargo nets.
• Infinite Horizon – For those who love heights, leaning tilt walls cantilevered over the side of the ship allow guests to peer out from deck 19 and look down to deck nine and beyond.
• Hammock Area – Another first for Princess, relaxing hammocks allow Park19 visitors to take a break from exploring to hang out with family and friends.
• Splash Zone – A whimsical splash area with pop jets and a beautiful water sculpture offer a refreshing and relaxing area to chill.
• Recreational Court – From ping pong, shuffleboard, Xponential Fitness classes and morning meditation, a rotation of sports and wellness options will be offered to guests in this multifunction sports court.
• Jogging Track – A refreshing open-air track allows guests to walk, jog or run at their own leisure and pace, with 6.7 times around the track equaling one mile.

Edited June 20 by irishgirl

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

3 minutes ago, irishgirl said:

That thing in the picture is the track for the roll glider.  There are no slides in Park 19.

 

 

Located on decks 19, 20, and 21, Park19 was envisioned for active guests and multi-generational families to explore and connect through inclusive and engaging activities, including:

• Sea Breeze – Inspired by the dream of hang gliding but in a safe environment, the Sea Breeze is the first Rollglider on a cruise ship and takes guests high above to enjoy panoramic views of the ocean and breathtaking ports of call. Using an overhead track, guests are seated and harnessed to this electric ride which reaches speeds of up to 11 mph during the 60- to 90-second experience that is also ADA accessible.
• Coastal Climb – On this engaging climbing structure guests ascend from decks 19 to 20 through a series of obstacles. Once at the top, guests can take in the gorgeous views before sliding back down to the bottom.
• The Lookout – At the top of the climbing structure, adventurers make their way to The Lookout open-air observation deck to take in stunning 360º views from the highest point available to guests onboard Sun Princess.
• The Net – Harnessed above deck 19, guests are challenged to trek across unstable bridges, a z-shaped balance beam and climb cargo nets.
• Infinite Horizon – For those who love heights, leaning tilt walls cantilevered over the side of the ship allow guests to peer out from deck 19 and look down to deck nine and beyond.
• Hammock Area – Another first for Princess, relaxing hammocks allow Park19 visitors to take a break from exploring to hang out with family and friends.
• Splash Zone – A whimsical splash area with pop jets and a beautiful water sculpture offer a refreshing and relaxing area to chill.
• Recreational Court – From ping pong, shuffleboard, Xponential Fitness classes and morning meditation, a rotation of sports and wellness options will be offered to guests in this multifunction sports court.
• Jogging Track – A refreshing open-air track allows guests to walk, jog or run at their own leisure and pace, with 6.7 times around the track equaling one mile.

 

Read the line below from what you shared:

 

"Once at the top, guests can take in the gorgeous views before sliding back down to the bottom."

 

I think that is a slide to take you back down from the rollglider (as kit6 said and I think maybe deleted as I don't see it anymore).

[555]

Has anyone heard of pricing for the activities in Park 19??

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

1 minute ago, 555 said:

Has anyone heard of pricing for the activities in Park 19??

 

I haven't - do we know for sure that these will be additional costs?

 

Some ships charge for activities like this and on others they are free.

[555]

7 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

 

I haven't - do we know for sure that these will be additional costs?

 

Some ships charge for activities like this and on others they are free.

I think RCI charges for their version of the Rollglider, .

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

1 minute ago, 555 said:

I think RCI charges for their version of the Rollglider, .

Right - I know we paid $23/person to do the Crown's Edge twice each on the Icon of the Seas. 

 

However, I know we did the ropes course of the MSC Meraviglia at no cost.

 

We haven't sailed Carnival in over a decade and this is our first time on Princess (also never on HAL), so I don't know what to expect with the Sun Princess.

[irishgirl]

Here’s a picture of the ropes course.

[CalTexCruiser]

I am confused by all this back and forth about slides.

 

Bottom line, is there or is there not a slide on the Sun?  And more importantly, will I be able to slide down this purported slide on my upcoming cruise next May?

[vjmatty]

3 hours ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

 

 

I think most of it comes down to the parents...I see a lot of parents who say their kids "don't like" the kids clubs and the parents are expected to entertain their kids for the entire cruise.

 

Not only does that sound exhausting - in my opinion it is teaching your kids to depend on the parents to do everything for them vs teaching them independence and learning to make friends.

 

 

Maybe it’s because I’m a Gen Xer who was raised to be fiercely independent, but I really don’t understand this trend either.  Not only were we expected to entertain ourselves, whether with our friends or without, but there was little or no supervision. Summers meant being dropped off at the roller rink on rainy days or Action Park on sunny days, with parents hoping we’d find a ride home from some classmate’s parent so they wouldn’t have to pick us up. 

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

1 minute ago, vjmatty said:

Maybe it’s because I’m a Gen Xer who was raised to be fiercely independent, but I really don’t understand this trend either.  Not only were we expected to entertain ourselves, whether with our friends or without, but there was little or no supervision. Summers meant being dropped off at the roller rink on rainy days or Action Park on sunny days, with parents hoping we’d find a ride home from some classmate’s parent so they wouldn’t have to pick us up. 

I think it just means we're getting old.

 

Back in my day, we walked uphill both ways to school barefoot and in the snow!

 

We're officially becoming our parents 😂

[voljeep]

14 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

I think it just means we're getting old.

 

Back in my day, we walked uphill both ways to school barefoot and in the snow!

 

We're officially becoming our parents 😂

I was very fortunate - I had a bike - no seat, and only one pedal, but it was mine!

[FamilyAtSea.travel]

28 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

I am confused by all this back and forth about slides.

 

Bottom line, is there or is there not a slide on the Sun?  And more importantly, will I be able to slide down this purported slide on my upcoming cruise next May?

 

I'm about 97% sure there's a slide (but not a water slide).

 

This is actually the first time I'm realizing this is even possibly controversial...everything I had read said there is a slide (including what was copy/pasted above from the other poster).

 

With that said - I'm sure it's not a very exciting slide.

[CalTexCruiser]

29 minutes ago, FamilyAtSea.travel said:

 

I'm about 97% sure there's a slide (but not a water slide).

 

This is actually the first time I'm realizing this is even possibly controversial...everything I had read said there is a slide (including what was copy/pasted above from the other poster).

 

With that said - I'm sure it's not a very exciting slide.

 

LOL.  Only on Cruisecritic do the most uncontroversial things become controversial.

[LittleTinker]

54 minutes ago, vjmatty said:

Maybe it’s because I’m a Gen Xer who was raised to be fiercely independent, but I really don’t understand this trend either.  Not only were we expected to entertain ourselves, whether with our friends or without, but there was little or no supervision. Summers meant being dropped off at the roller rink on rainy days or Action Park on sunny days, with parents hoping we’d find a ride home from some classmate’s parent so they wouldn’t have to pick us up. 

Were they my kids theyd be told "go find something to do" but as they werent mine, and I had strict instructions from one of their Mothers not to let them outside by themselves, I was left trying to keep them occupied without compromising my own break.