Shogun Live from The Sun

[cruiseapril]

Hi Shogun- Interesting to hear your take on Dominica. One of our group took the Aerial Tram, the others the Layou Valley tour. Yes, it is an Eco island-so glad you found the people friendly; we did also. We want to return to Dominica some day. The real Caribbean, yes?

 

Enjoy St. Thomas- hope you have good weather.

[EmpressofPurple]

Delightful day in Barbados (signed up for ship snorkeling tour since had to cancel off-ship tour due to late port arrival) -- swimming with turtles, off to beach --

 

Sure wish I had Shogun's room steward! Ours is very pleasant, but it sure would be nice to have someone straighten up our shoes and stack up our papers -- your luck clearly extends past the casino!

 

Today in Dominica was even better -- snorkelin in the morning at Champagne Reef, lunch on the ship, then an AMAZING van tour around the island, visiting Trafalgar falls where we swam in the thermal pools, then later visited boiling sulphur pools, guided by a native herbalist who picked flowers and fruits for us to smell and taste. A terrific day.

 

Alas, could not gain entry to the one-night-only production show tonight (I think all the early diners went to the comedian and then to our showing of the show, since the theatre was apparently completely full -- something that as not happened before). I was a bit surprised; except for our (late) arrivae in Curacao, there have been no crowding problems onboard -- and at most other shows there was always plenty of room. (I was also accompanying one of our dining companion's elderly mother in her wheelchair, and they didn't even have any wheelchair space left for her.)

 

Anyway, just checking in. I love this website! I love getting all the details about the ship's future plans, sharing info, and hearing from everyone else. This is a lovely, well-maintained ship and I'm glad they seem to have worked out the mechanical problems so we're not rocking and rolling through the seas only to arrive late and have short port stops -- I'm looking forward to another full port day like today's in Dominica... and another sea day, too -- and Princess Cays! Hooray.

 

More soon,

 

-Denise

[cruiseapril]

Boiling sulphur pools sound very interesting. Dominica sure has many natural wonders.

[spongerob]

Thanks for the updates. Glad to hear the engine has been fixed.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Denise...we would love to do those things on Dominica...did you do a ship's tour or independent. Please let us know, we leave in couple of days for the first of B2B cruises on the Sun. Thanks!

[loge23]

Terrific reports! No bugs and full speed ahead!

I followed the 12/10-20 cruise online, went on the 20th-30th, and now I get to virtually stay on for the 30th-9th. It's like a 30 day cruise!

We loved Dominica and the champagne reef as well on past cruises.

Sail on, sailers!

[robtulipe]

Denise...we would love to do those things on Dominica...did you do a ship's tour or independent. Please let us know, we leave in couple of days for the first of B2B cruises on the Sun. Thanks!

We have been here three times and have seen virtually the whole island using independent taxi van tours. Get a group of 3 to 5 couples and the taxi drivers will be waiting at the pier for you to came off ship. Once when we had 5 couples and the drivers started bidding against each other without any negotiation on my part after I told one driver what we wanted to do. We ended up doing a 6 hours tour, including Fort Shirley, Caribe Indian Reservation and Emerald Pool, of the whole island north of Roseau for $20 each. We got an excellent tour that wasn't offered as a ship's tour and the driver well earned the tips we all gave him.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Terrific reports! No bugs and full speed ahead!

I followed the 12/10-20 cruise online, went on the 20th-30th, and now I get to virtually stay on for the 30th-9th. It's like a 30 day cruise!

We loved Dominica and the champagne reef as well on past cruises.

Sail on, sailers!

 

And we'll pick it up from January 9th through January 29th, so no cruise withdrawl for you!

[PescadoAmarillo]

duplicate post-CC hiccuped

[Julia’s Journey’s]

And we'll pick it up from January 9th through January 29th, so no cruise withdrawl for you!

 

So maybe we can cruise thru you all till we board in September!!!:D :D

9 month cruise, do you think I can get the days counted towards elite??:D :D

[PescadoAmarillo]

Regarding Champagne Reef (can you tell that Dominica is one island we've not yet been to)...can you book a Champagne Reef snorkeling tour when you get on shore (my understanding is that it is best to do a boat snorkel there), or should we have something lined up ahead of time (either with Princess or independently)? I love the idea of splitting the day between snorkeling and visiting the waterfalls/pools. We are bringing our own snorkeling gear.

[Shogun]

Hi folks,

 

Have heard that the 4 by 4 on Dominica is total mad , I am lucky that the Emerald stops there on my Christmas cruise of 2007 so may well give it a try.

 

Last night was one of those nights that reminds you why you love to cruise,

 

picture this

 

we are sailing full speed through calm waters, white waters spashing up the bow of the Sun Princess with a great clash of noise, out to sea many miles a full bright moon shinning on the waters for miles amd miles a silver sea, around it nothing but total blackness, a warm breeze and a stroll around the decks holding hands with some one you love, what hotel can give you this.

 

To day St Thomas went to Shappire beech, nice beech with place to eat, shop etc, water sports, but great views far better than magens over the small islands on US virgin isles.

 

 

We got our letters from Princess we each are getting $100 credits to our onboard accounts.

 

 

yours Shogun

[Spikesgirl]

Shogun -

 

Mmmm, that's a mighty pretty picture you painted. Reminded me of our last cruise. Was on deck at a ceramics class. Sun was shiny, the sea was brilliant blue and calm., the sky didn't have a cloud in it. All that I could think of is how very lucky we are to have moments like this in our lives.

 

So glad the cruise is going well and of course I'm looking forward to your 'offiicial' review once you get back.

 

Hope the rest of your trip is as wonderful.

 

Charlie

[EmpressofPurple]

Dear Pescado - I can strongly recommend my guide, Archie, a lovely Dominican native who really loves his island. He has traveled widely in the Caribbean but always goes back home. He has his own clean, nice van (holds up to 11, but we went with just 3 and it was lovely). His phone number is 767-277-6385 -- alas, no online contact available, but just give him a call. He has been doing this for several years, and has many repeat customers who call him when they're an island or two away to arrange for a tour when they arrive.

 

We did the ship's snorkeling tour, which was through Dive Dominica -- a large motorized catamaran that can hold up to 64 (we only had 32, thank goodness). Snorkeling alone is 2.5 hrs so you can easily do that in the am and then do a (privately arranged) van tour in the afternoon. (The ship also offers a combo tour with snorkeling, lunch and a tour -- but it's much more crowded and expensive than arranging that on your own). I don't know if you can book with Dive DOminica privately.

 

Dominica was amazing; I was quite surprised that the least-developed island had the most interesting things to do! I had a really hard time choosing between the various offerings. I would love to visit Dominica again, and I would happily be a repeat customer for Archie.

 

I had read about Sapphire Beach online at a website called "Secrets of the Caribbean" -- but alas, I followed the herd to Magen's Bay, and the herd was there. It was indeed a pretty beach, but much too crowded. Next time, I will trust what I learn online -- wish I'd seen you there, Shogun!

 

King Crab legs and bananas foster tonight -- yum!

 

-Denise

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Sounds like you are all having a lovely time and us along with you.

Dinner sounds yummy but we had a good one tonight so I am stuffed and guess I will wait the next 9 months for our king crab legs, they were yummy on the Diamond in Alaska.

[tequilasunrise]

picture this

 

we are sailing full speed through calm waters, white waters spashing up the bow of the Sun Princess with a great clash of noise, out to sea many miles a full bright moon shinning on the waters for miles amd miles a silver sea, around it nothing but total blackness, a warm breeze and a stroll around the decks holding hands with some one you love, what hotel can give you this.

 

yours Shogun

 

This is the number one thing I love about cruising----and why I can't tell you much about their production shows. At night, this is often where DH and I are ;) Thanks for the beautiful description, it brought back some good memories and anticipation of our next trip!

[PescadoAmarillo]

Denise...thanks for the Dominica information. It sounds like you had a very complete day, doing every we'd like to do on the island. Have fun at Princess Cays (one of our favorites) and safe travels home.

 

Shogun...your "picture with words" of night time at sea was beautiful. We are so ready for just the same experience. We do enjoy the evening shows (most of them, at least), but are not drinkers/gamblers, so we find time every evening to spend on the Promenade deck. The excitement is building...

 

Our forecast is for lots of rain, but I don't think that even that will impact our enjoyment. I once cruised for 14 nights from Port Everglades to La Guaira, Venezuela, and it rained solidly every day until day 12 (when we reached Aruba). I joked that Steiners could sell self-tanner for triple price in the spa. And that was one of our favorite cruises ever.

[millykin]

Hi Shogun

Had a great Christmas cruise on Sun, yes they are very strict on hygene but it paid off, only an average of two victims a day to noro virus, all the trips were very good, and our waiter, Marcello, table 155 Regency & his parner Kristian were the best, we even got proper roast potatoes with Christmas dinner, watch out for Dracula, you'll know who I mean when you see him!!

Hope your having a great time

Brenda & Robert:)

[Shogun]

Hi Folks,

 

another fine day on the Sun , calm seas great weather around 28 full sun, kids splashing in the pool, boy teend trying to look cool with the shades on looking at the girl teens in their bikinis, the grey haired ones in the shade with a good book and the rest of us being spit roasted, with only a waiter to cool us down with a constant supply of drinks,

 

Formal to night but other half to tried by all the sunning to get dressed up so might not go.

 

Crab legs last night were fine but again others did complain, well I suppose no two crabs are the same.

 

 

yours Shogun

[Bobug]

Hi Folks,

 

another fine day on the Sun , calm seas great weather around 28 full sun, kids splashing in the pool, boy teend trying to look cool with the shades on looking at the girl teens in their bikinis, the grey haired ones in the shade with a good book and the rest of us being spit roasted, with only a waiter to cool us down with a constant supply of drinks,

 

Formal to night but other half to tried by all the sunning to get dressed up so might not go.

 

Crab legs last night were fine but again others did complain, well I suppose no two crabs are the same.

 

 

yours Shogun

 

LOL....no two crabs are the same....you are too funny :) Glad you are having a great vacation....5 weeks from today & we wil lbe joining the crew on the Sun. PS...better watch out for those.

[Shogun]

Hi Folks,

 

Well Princess Cays has just slipped past the window as we pick up speed and head for Ft L, another cruise over, you will have to wait until our next cruise for the next live Shogun from the Emerald on Dec 25th 2007,

 

Princess Cays was as expected , a fine way to round off any cruise, clear waters with pretty fish swiming by, nice clear blue sunny skies which clouded over and then rained just as we got back aboard the Sun as to tell us our days of sunshine were over.

 

On my next adventure with Princess, Princess Cays is my first and last stop of a 24 day cruise so looking forward to that.

 

As well all know this cruise has not been all plain sailing, but we can chat more about that latter.

 

 

yours Shogun

[cruiseapril]

Hi- How was Princess Cays?

[Shogun]

Hi Folks,

 

Well made it home just, the plane got struck by lightening,

 

but just a short note for just now,

 

while waiting out side a hotel I met a lady going on a cruise, and it was the Sun Princess , she said she had almost cancelled, but had read posts from Shogun, and thought the cruise could not be all that bad.

 

My point is we all need our posts to refect the true picture on board,

 

while we may be unhappy with many points on a cruise to make others consider cancelling there cruise because of what we write, is not something I would want to be responsible for.

 

Now I had the best steward ever from my time with Princess, last year on the Sea I had a very bad one, last year on the Grand my room steward did his job but only just, as such I now assume that every cruise will have a room steward of different standards.

 

Now I know we can not be happy all the time, however I view is when on holiday you go out of your way to be happy, you have paid a lot of money for service and even if it is not up to the standard expected or there is problems, you over come and make the best of things.

 

I will be sending Princess a letter in it I will praise the good points and highlight the bad points, of this cruise.

 

bye for now

 

Shogun

[loge23]

See 'ya on the Emerald, Shogun! It will be a pleasure to cruise with such a positive person. Maybe some of that good luck will rub off!

Have a great year and thank you for your dailys!

[spongerob]

while we may be unhappy with many points on a cruise to make others consider cancelling there cruise because of what we write, is not something I would want to be responsible for.

Hear, hear!