Very brief Sun Princess review

[555]

3 minutes ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

Don't know how this could work.  First of all, deck 8 is American Diner with it's own special menu.  Deck six consists of two seatings, currently set at 500 and 730 which could be shifted once the ship relocates to the Caribbean.  If you show up at 630 on deck six, there aren't going to seat you until 730 unless they are just blowing smoke about it being traditional seating.

Deck seven is Dine My Way, consisting of a combination of reservations as well as walk in.  If you're doing walk in, expect a wait, unless you show up before six or after eight and even then there could be a wait depending how the flow is on that day.

If deck 6 is really true traditional then anyone at the door has to have a standing reservation/table for the whole cruise. 

That is of course unless they have an open table where they could seat you on a moments notice. You would still have to be finished by the time they begin to setup for the next group. 

 

I'm still wondering if it's as popular with many people. They've been wishing for it even since they changed to DMW.

[Retired-N-Happy]

12 minutes ago, 555 said:

If deck 6 is really true traditional then anyone at the door has to have a standing reservation/table for the whole cruise. 

That is of course unless they have an open table where they could seat you on a moments notice. You would still have to be finished by the time they begin to setup for the next group. 

 

I'm still wondering if it's as popular with many people. They've been wishing for it even since they changed to DMW.

Yea, I fully agree.  Probably just a vocal minority of old time cruisers that want things the way it used to be back in the day before Dine My Way came into play.  Even if they did accept some walk-ins that were an overflow from deck 7, they should have to be hustled out by the time late seating began since the seats they are in are already supposed to be occupied by someone else for the second seating.

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

Don't know how this could work.  First of all, deck 8 is American Diner with it's own special menu.  Deck six consists of two seatings, currently set at 500 and 730 which could be shifted once the ship relocates to the Caribbean.  If you show up at 630 on deck six, there aren't going to seat you until 730 unless they are just blowing smoke about it being traditional seating.

Deck seven is Dine My Way, consisting of a combination of reservations as well as walk in.  If you're doing walk in, expect a wait, unless you show up before six or after eight and even then there could be a wait depending how the flow is on that day.

So...this was my understanding but it is not how it works. I've eaten on 8 and the menu is the exact same.

 

Also, as mentioned, the wait is very minor...we normally eat around 730.

[alyssamma]

1 hour ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

Yea, I fully agree.  Probably just a vocal minority of old time cruisers that want things the way it used to be back in the day before Dine My Way came into play.  Even if they did accept some walk-ins that were an overflow from deck 7, they should have to be hustled out by the time late seating began since the seats they are in are already supposed to be occupied by someone else for the second seating.

It's possible because things are so new they are in flux. It's also possible they only have a set number...say half...of their capacity with fixed dining times so can handle walk ins.

[cynbar]

It's 6 weeks before our Sun cruise and we still can't make dining reservations, which is contributing to all the concern. Apparently no reservations are available yet for cruises after May. It just all seems so confusing and unnecessary. All the other Princess ships can make reservations after final payment, or earlier for Elite and Platinum. But thank you everyone for the input.We may not know much more until we board, sadly.

[Retired-N-Happy]

45 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

It's possible because things are so new they are in flux. It's also possible they only have a set number...say half...of their capacity with fixed dining times so can handle walk ins.

That would make sense but what doesn't make sense is that you mentioned the food on deck 8 was the same and on a previous live the American Diner menu was posted and cruisers were making mention of the great banana split dessert.

[dog]

10 minutes ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

That would make sense but what doesn't make sense is that you mentioned the food on deck 8 was the same and on a previous live the American Diner menu was posted and cruisers were making mention of the great banana split dessert.

Yeah, that banana split- is it still there?

[Retired-N-Happy]

31 minutes ago, cynbar said:

It's 6 weeks before our Sun cruise and we still can't make dining reservations, which is contributing to all the concern. Apparently no reservations are available yet for cruises after May. It just all seems so confusing and unnecessary. All the other Princess ships can make reservations after final payment, or earlier for Elite and Platinum. But thank you everyone for the input.We may not know much more until we board, sadly.

Because of the new three MDR option on the Sun, they are following new rules as opposed to the rest of the fleet.  It shouldn't be too much longer till post June 1 sailings are open for MDR bookings.

[alyssamma]

13 minutes ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

That would make sense but what doesn't make sense is that you mentioned the food on deck 8 was the same and on a previous live the American Diner menu was posted and cruisers were making mention of the great banana split dessert.

I also thought this was the case. However, at least on this sailing, it isn't so.

 

It is definitely confusing...here is what it says for deck 6. Note  in the app it only has decks 6 and 7... no mention of 8. You can see it says fixed time, but also says walk ins welcome.

 

Below that is what the app shows...only decks 6 and 7. I found 8 when exploring the ship. I could swear I read somewhere that it had a different menu  but I ate there for dinner and it was the normal MDR menu.

 

 

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

3 hours ago, alyssamma said:

So...this was my understanding but it is not how it works. I've eaten on 8 and the menu is the exact same.

 

Also, as mentioned, the wait is very minor...we normally eat around 730.

Exactly the same as what?  We have all been told that deck six is a different menu from deck 7 and deck 6. It’s a fixed menu that is the exact same every night of the cruise with different options including some breakfast items. Deck 6 and deck 7 are regular MDR menus that are different every night. 

[dog]

5 hours ago, Sox Fan Cruiser said:

Exactly the same as what?  We have all been told that deck six is a different menu from deck 7 and deck 6. It’s a fixed menu that is the exact same every night of the cruise with different options including some breakfast items. Deck 6 and deck 7 are regular MDR menus that are different every night. 

Is this Deck 8?  American Diner?

[alyssamma]

For this cruise, all 3 decks...6, 7, 8, all serve the normal MDR food

 

Edit: Just spoke to guest services...was told they sometimes have the American diner and sometimes don't. I can say every night on this cruise there was no deck 8 dining option in the app. I can also say I got 4 different answers from guest services about how tendering would work in Santorini and none of them matched the actual reality of what happened.

 

So my advice, get on the ship and see what experience you have lol

Edited May 1 by alyssamma

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

3 hours ago, dog said:

Is this Deck 8?  American Diner?

Sorry.  Typo. Deck 8 is different from deck 6 and 7. 
 

It’s so weird @alyssamma to hear that deck 8 is “sometimes” American dinner. I thought that was the whole point of it. The consistency so people can come in without reservations. What you experienced is not at all what the three levels were supposed to be. I can’t help because I ate in the Signature restaurant all week. 

[dog]

8 minutes ago, Sox Fan Cruiser said:

Sorry.  Typo. Deck 8 is different from deck 6 and 7. 
 

It’s so weird @alyssamma to hear that deck 8 is “sometimes” American dinner. I thought that was the whole point of it. The consistency so people can come in without reservations. What you experienced is not at all what the three levels were supposed to be. I can’t help because I ate in the Signature restaurant all week. 

Consistency is NOT Princesses strong suit!

[dog]

4 hours ago, dog said:

Is this Deck 8?  American Diner?

Fb passenger on now ate in American diner at noon and menu was different then other 2 dining rooms.

So, you can’t count on what you get.

[alyssamma]

1 minute ago, dog said:

Fb passenger on now ate in American diner at noon and menu was different then other 2 dining rooms.

So, you can’t count on what you get.

Interesting...wonder if it is just a lunch thing? Can you see if they've had a different dinner?

[dog]

5 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

Interesting...wonder if it is just a lunch thing? Can you see if they've had a different dinner?

Haven’t heard much about it in last couple of cruises.

 

thanks for review 

[kywildcatfanone]

On 4/29/2024 at 3:59 PM, alyssamma said:

The average: Food is hit or miss. Nothing has been bad, but tends towards average instead of great.

Pretty normal now a days

On 4/29/2024 at 3:59 PM, alyssamma said:

The bad: the layout is simply the worst I've ever seen. It's so bad I could never sail this ship again. Princess Live, where they have comedy and enrichment shows is completely open, so not only do you hear the crowds walking by, but you also very clearly hear whatever is going on in the central atrium part of the ship. Which leads to...

The whole idea of the buffer being in the middle of the ship and that there is no retreat pool will keep me off as well.  That plus the expanded kids play areas means with new builds they are moving to Carnival/Royal clientele. 

[telcom]

14 hours ago, dog said:

Yeah, that banana split- is it still there?

Yes.  Went there this morning for pancakes and bacon.  They even made me gluten free pancakes.  A dinner selection chosen from last night's Italian night was on the menu... probably changes every night.  Rest of menu stays the same.  No line to get in 10:30 AM.  Deck 7 dining room reservation for 4 at 7:20 PM...no line or a short line only.  Food very good, including one dinner at Rudi's.  Alfredo's lunch on sea day...no line around 11:30...good GF pizza.  One odd thing, no OJ on ship in Americana Diner today or last 2 days on in-room breakfast.

 

Ship has higher energy vibe.  Stood in line for Dome show but now we have tickets for next one there, Patter told where to go to get them, DH got 4...hallway outside a bar, don't know which one.

[Retired-N-Happy]

Any information regarding the juice bar?  Where is it located and what are the menu options?  Thanks

[alyssamma]

32 minutes ago, telcom said:

Yes.  Went there this morning for pancakes and bacon.  They even made me gluten free pancakes.  A dinner selection chosen from last night's Italian night was on the menu... probably changes every night.  Rest of menu stays the same.  No line to get in 10:30 AM.  Deck 7 dining room reservation for 4 at 7:20 PM...no line or a short line only.  Food very good, including one dinner at Rudi's.  Alfredo's lunch on sea day...no line around 11:30...good GF pizza.  One odd thing, no OJ on ship in Americana Diner today or last 2 days on in-room breakfast.

 

Ship has higher energy vibe.  Stood in line for Dome show but now we have tickets for next one there, Patter told where to go to get them, DH got 4...hallway outside a bar, don't know which one.

You are on the ship now? Have you eaten on deck 8 for dinner and gotten a different menu? I mean actually eaten there and not just seen a menu.

 

I'm going to go up there tonight before dinner and see what they are serving...

[alyssamma]

Ok, went to deck 8 and found out the deal...for this cruise and the last one, because of "high volume", whatever that means...on sea days they are the same as the MDR. And when I ate there it was a sea day. On the other days they are the American Diner.

 

Furthermore, they are aware they don't show up in the app (which is why I couldn't find them) and they've talked to IT about it (lol, sure that will be fixed REAL soon)

 

The menu looks good ..all day breakfast, wings, burgers etc.

 

And they are open during the day for lunch 

 

I'm going to try and do dinner there tomorrow.

 

Wow...I didn't think things could be this confusing, but obviously they are.

[555]

1 hour ago, telcom said:

Stood in line for Dome show but now we have tickets for next one there, Patter told where to go to get them, DH got 4...hallway outside a bar, don't know which one.

So now their handing out tickets ! 

Since it only seats 250 people max, there must have been quite a line up. 

What times were the shows?

[Steelers36]

On 4/30/2024 at 11:23 AM, alyssamma said:

Another thing I forgot to mention...laundry is free. But there are only 2 machines on each deck so it can be crowded.

Bummer.

[alyssamma]

Menu from the diner...