We chose this as the port of embarkation and timing met our needs otherwise would go Oceania. THE GOOD: The entertainment was great for our age group. Lots of soul, R & B, and rock 60’s and 70’s. Shows, though, are not Broadway – like, elaborate productions as found on many other cruise lines, but were still quite good and entertaining. Ozzie’s really know how to party and the crew dancers work extra hard joining in. On this cruise the house band horns joined in on deck with the regular dance band and were present at other parties. Never saw this before on other cruises. Great fun. Exercise room adequate: machines, dumbbells, two weight benches. Dining service and stateroom service were fine. Fruit and vegetables were fresh and readily available, as was coffee, tea and ice water. Vegetarian offerings were good. Though I do eat meat, I stuck with mostly the vegetarian dishes as they were quite good. Enforced washing of hands with soap and water breakfast and lunch. Six taps available so never a line. Free tokens(for some) self-serve laundromat and ironing. Other wise about $9 a wash and dry. Boarding was quick and painless. Bags arrived promptly. The bed and pillows were the best that we had ever slept with in 40 years of cruising. Air conditioning in cabin and throughout the ship worked well and was comfortable. Much needed in the heat and humidity of Fiji. Tendering was efficient. Long lines coming back except later in the day. Stifling hot, no air in the tender the first time. Getting on and off the boat was efficient. THE BAD: Meals were edible. Lamb chops and stews were good. Otherwise nothing gourmet, many were not prepared correctly: Cesar Salad was not REAL Cesar Salad, Cioppino was not REAL Cioppino. Roast beef was edible but no flavour. Fish was O.K. as were some deserts. Bacon, sausages etc were cold, chewy unappetizing. Eggs were O.K. Fruit, cereals were available. Dinner buffet was uninspiring, no international offerings, a total disaster. Only a few decent French wines available, some at a decent price. For some reason the soups and sauces were a gelatinous, glutinous mess, thick and goupy. Of course the way to make them would be by a reduction. The cheese plate consisted of what appeared and tasted as a commercial “Kraft” variety. No Creme Caramel most nights (disastrous omission as that is my favorite!) No outdoor barbecue, no outdoor poolside band / dancing. Huge television in mid ship section where outdoor pool was. Extremely noisy movies etc so much so that we had to find the only quiet place mid aft mid deck. BRING NOISE CANCELING HEAD PHONES!!! Forward there is a quiet space but they charge $20 / half day. Islands were interesting but do not take the ship’s overpriced offerings. Go on the Island and check out what there is. Be adventurous! Drink package at over $80 a day outrageous as are wine and beer prices. Beware of prices on land also. $7 for 250 ml beer! Again outrageous rip off. Just be prepared to pay the price if you drink. No flutes of champagne were handed out on New Year’s Eve as on every other line we have been on! The ship “nickel and dime” you to death. Next they will probably charge you for poolside towels. THE UGLY: First sight of ship…...”I’m going on this rust bucket?”. Rust dripping from port holes, anchor chain, water line, balconies, balcony table. Hey USE SOME PAINT, WHITE PAINT!! Problem: Worn, threadbare carpets in trafficked areas. Simple Solution: Replace them!! Paid extra for a balcony. Cramped sardine can opening. Rusting throughout including tiny table. Crippling chairs, no room to swing a cat (about all that you would want to do there.) Eat al fresco? Lose your appetite quickly. Romantic dinner? No romance here, just brown stains. We were with Princess before so we knew what to expect but this is the only cruise that fit our port and time frame. Also Loyalty Islands were something new for us. For others with greater expectations, STAY FAR AWAY! This is not what luxury priced cruising should be, and it is luxury priced. No bargain here! No pretensions but still a lot of fun, not stuffy but required two “formal nights”. Many did dress in tuxedos but many did not. Australians and New Zealanders are exempt from tipping, everyone else has to tip (added automatically to your credit card). COMPLAIN and get this credited back, otherwise you are stuck with a $250 charge. This is a discriminatory and unfair practice. Either everyone tips or no one tips as a requirement. Maybe a class action suit will wake them up! Read Less

Wanted to have a Christmas and New Year at sea, Princess did every thing to make the season of the year very good, Service and friendly crew made the trip very good. Destinations were very good. Excursions bought on board were a little expensive bur very good except for the Chu Chu train excursion in Noumea audio did not work proberly and you felt they wanted to get the trip over and done with. Policing of dress code and Children on board of children not done efficiently by crew as was the taking over of spas by children, also not showering before entering pools.The Movies under the stars children a problem again parents not controlling them, had to tell children to sit down and be quiet as could not hear movie finally gave up and watch movie in cabin, food at buffet was not hot and crew hard to find for service. Also had trouble trying to get a table, gave up in end and ate in dining room Read Less

Sea Princess has only changed a little over the years and she still impresses. First time inside cabin was excellent for napping and sleeping, but I'd still prefer a source of daylight. Cabin was neat n tidy every time upon returning. Cabin Staff exceptional hardly ever seen but always available. Marquee Dinning was excellent, the service and food, Five Star. The lunch time Grill was a sensation, fantastic concept and an essential. Cafeteria, as usual neat clean always present with all foods for all times of the day, evening and night. Crab Shack and Steak House, are a must do. Curtis Stone's Share also an experience that should be done. Good Food, Good Wine, Good Family and New Friends. On n off the ship, not a problem, easy, quick and staff courteous and informative. On n off the ship via Tenders also trouble free and ran smoothly and effectively considering the numbers going ashore. Overall a great cruise. Staff from the ever informative Captain to the cabin attendant all helpful, courteous and able to answer all questions and all willing to provide suggestions and alternatives. First time away for myself and family over the Christmas / New Year period and found it totally enjoyable and a great experience, would love to do it again. Better half already sending me information regarding our next adventure. Read Less

Sun princess was an enjoyable experience with mostly good weather for most of the cruise. Was very disappointed with our cabin layout as we had a bunk bed & were expecting three single beds at floor level . This was difficult for my husband who is 70 & opted to take the top bunk . This could possibly have been my fault as I booked the cruise on line , however I feel that I should have been made aware of the bed arrangements from someone at princess lines due to our ages . I would have gladly upgraded to larger cabin had I been made aware of this when I booked the cruise . We did timed dining at 5pm daily & were very fortunate to have two wonderful gentlemen who waited our table . They were Patricio Castillo - waiter & Ranilo Torrance - assist waiter 10 . They made our dining experience so very enjoyable , always called us by our names with lots of warm smiles , a dash of humour & at all times very professional & prompt with servicing our table , a big well done from us . The entertainment on board was varied & enjoyable . The excursions we did were enjoyed by all . Overall a very enjoyable cruise . Read Less

We read a lot of reviews after we booked this trip and there were many unflattering things said about the Sun. I wanted the opportunity to share both the good and needs improvements we experienced. The ship is small and dated, however the common area under went a recent refresh which erased some of her age. There was a constent odor in the halls and around deck 7, not sure if it was food waste or other but it was noticiable enough that it needs to be addressed. Due to her size space is at a premium which is why all of the specialty dining locations are carved out of common space. Of all 3 the Kai is so under utilized they really need to consider bringing back the pizzeria. If there were more than 5 people eating here it was crew, Princess needs to review the demographics of their passengers. Share was literally in the atrium on the 8th floor - not the place to go if you're looking for a quite romantic dinner. Sterling is literally a curtained off area in the Horizon Cafe - this was the only specialty restaurant we went to. The food was excellent the service hit or miss depending on your waiter but it was very cold up there. You definitely needed a jacket. We were in Club Class so that afforded us a separate sitting area in the MDR but we ate off of the same menu as the MDR. Overall the food was very good, the only disappointment was the seafood / fish -- frozen and lacking flavor but the Chief and his team tried to make up for it with flawless preparation (this issue with the seafood / fish is not unique to Princess, we experience the same in the Laminae restaurant on Celebrity). We did not eat in the Horizon cafe - we walked through a few times and it just did not look appetizing -- this is consistent with other reviewers. I think in this area Princess should execute the less is more strategy. Fewer options better quality. For the oenophiles out there the new wine list is great, they have really upped the game here. Great selection by the glass and bottle. What was really great was if you ordered a bottle they would hold it for you so that you could enjoy the next day. This allowed greater variety beyond the by the glass offerings. The entertain was great, there was a little something for everyone. The bar / spa / shops / photography team did not pester you to buy buy buy. If you said no they respected that and left you alone. This was a bright spot for us. The cabin was spacious, the furniture worn but the bed was beyond comfortable Overall we really enjoyed this cruise and would sail the Sun again in the future Read Less

We choose this cruise because of the demographics... didn't want a party boat and we didn't have one... the age group was on the whole was 50 plus. The food I must say was far better than expected and on some occasions was 5 star so lots of cudos to the chef and his team. We ate mainly at anytime dining for dinner. The wait staff were attentive and curtious ll times. The choice was limited but changed daily an some of the seafood was fantastic. The buffet had some good choices with plenty of different things to choose from for breakfast and lunch. Although I must saysome people go overboard with loading up their plates We really enjoyed the entertainment especially the Freddie Mercury show with Steve Larkin..what a legend. Our cabin although not spacious was comfortable and our steward was awesome (Eduard). We enjoyed our experience so much we have already booked another cruise albiet with a different Cruise line to compare. Explorer of The Seas with Royal Carribean. Will write a review after that one in February. Cheers Read Less

We chose this cruise because we have heard so many good things about NZ. Also this was our 2nd time on the Sun Princess. NZ was great and we were blessed with good weather. The buffet is your average food on Princess, not much has changed. It really needs to improve. There are so many easy interesting dishes that can be added to the buffet without costing a fortune, and for appeal. Every breakfast you see is the same things, eggs, bacon and cereal. I was a bit shocked to see fruit loops for breakfast - this stuff is full of sugar and so unhealthy. Hot chips for breakfast; really. The Chinese congee was inconsistent on a daily basis. The condiments were always empty. In the additional, there should have been some kind of protein available, such as cooked chicken or meat to add to the congee. I think a yum cha station could be of some benefits- made to order. Fine dining was either a hit or a miss. The lobster and prawns, beef wellington and lamb rack was outstanding. There should have been a cuisine theme night showing other international dishes. Some Asian and Indian dishes were not of standards. The German Oktoberfest was terrible, and we were in the month of December. Hygiene and customer service was outstanding. The cooking demonstrations was terrible and it’s the same dishes as usual. The kitchen gallery tour was terrible too, did not see cooks working, just work stations. Entertainment was okay, but not great. Freddy Mercury impersonation was good, however I wanted him to play more piano. Okay he lost his voice after so many nights singing and this can happen. The piano player, Liam ? was okay, but he has to stop hitting the keys, just play smoothly. I e seen better pianist on Princess. Overall, the Sun Orincess was Ok, on this cruise there was a lot of elderly people, getting tender took forever, but you learn to find patience. Read Less

I had previously travelled on this cruise in November 2015 with my wife, who has since recently passed away. Her last wishes were for me to complete this cruise as a memory of the previous one in 2015. I have experienced a wide variety fun by joining in with the activities and even being invited onstage by Russel Harrison a great singer as one of his backup dancers ! This was one of my favourite moments and the volunteering to join in with the Chef versus the Barman Challenge as the Chief Judge, another highlight. Overall the entertainment was First Class and the Entertainment Director Du Vaal is one of the best and always took time to talk and also his team were tops. Food was adequate and activities - one could choose what they wanted to do. Either join in with the program or totally relax - your individual choice. I was also lucky enough to meet a few wonderful people with whom I believe will be life long friends. Overall - A Great Cruise one I will never forget. Read Less

We did the same cruise 2 years ago, I love cruising around New Zealand, different port each day, so much to see with the mountains, green landscapes, geothermal valley's, lovely rivers and of course Fiordland a magical place to visit, we have cruised the Fjord's in Norway but they don't compare with the New Zealand Sounds (Fiords). The Sun Princess has been recently refurnished and looks good for a older ship.its bright with good open spaces and you can walk fully around the open deck. The Sun Princess service was excellent as usual and the dining experience was wonderful. I was impressed with the shows on this cruise we did not have an second rate comedians, in fact there were no comedians which was very good because most can't do a show without bad language today. Because we got on and off the ship in Auckland we did not have to queue on embarking and disembarking it took no more than 15 minutes each way. The only down side to the cruise was the weather at times. We had a Premier Ocean View cabin which was very good just that bit extra space makes a difference, the cabin was fresh looking and clean, the ships bathrooms are small but functional. There were about 2000 guests on board the ship which is good, smaller ship tend not to have the same services and entertainment and large ship have just to many people especially at a tender port. Read Less

We left Sydney in glorious sunshine at an early 3.30pm. Boarding was easy and efficient. The overall condition of the ship was good, older but perfectly acceptable and no way near the condition some reviews indicated. We stopped at 6 ports and cruised around Fiordland for a day which was brilliant. It rained at all ports except 2 and rained pretty much the rest of the time- no fault of the ship/cruiseline. This did not really affect our enjoyment of the cruise. We have tried 3 other cruise lines and this unfortunately was the worst for food we have tried so far. The choice of food in the Horizon buffet was very limited and the lunch and breakfast options changed little each day - this became monotonous very quickly. There was a buffet line each side of the ship but they served the same food. The main dining room was better, but personally I found the dish selection again uninspiring with a lot of seafood dishes and not many meat options on the menu. I like seafood but my wife does not and I could see her point of view. Ships aircon seemed to make the ship warm then cool then warm again all the time. The shows were of a good standard, with a variety of acts. Entertainment during the day was good but not as good a Royal Caribbean. I thought the drinks prices for cocktails was high and the amount of alcohol in each drink was not generous- I tried a few. The staff were great and hard working. All the passengers we met had a great time and we arrived back in Sydney to glorious sunshine. Read Less