Western Mediterranean on the Sunbird - Cruise Review
Cruise Line: Sun Cruises
Cruise Ship: Sunbird
Cruise Destination: Western Mediterranean
Cruise Date: July 2004
Western Mediterranean Cruise on the Sunbird
Cruise review by: Bob and Wendy Evans
Email: Bob7@canoemail.com
This was our eighth cruise, a western Mediterranean cruise on the Sun Cruises ship Sunbird, July 2004, embarking in Palma, Mallorca and going to Malta, Sicily, Naples, Sardinia, and Corsica.
We booked it on a sell-off, getting an outside A deck cabin for $1175 CAN including air. Inside cabins were $1055 incl air. Port and other taxes were an extra $339 CAN. Tipping was included in the cruise ticket. The ship currency is UK pounds.
This and the other Sunquest/Sun Cruises/My Travel cruises will end in Oct. 04 when the ships will be sold to Thompson?s Cruises and renovated. This was our second time doing this itinerary, which we wanted to do again because there was so much we missed the first time. Here?s the link to our review of our first Sunbird cruise in 2003.
EMBARKATION
We departed Toronto at 11:35 pm on Skyservice, the direct flight took 8 hours, and 2 meals were served. We arrived in Palma at 1:30pm, and were on the ship via the transfer bus in an hour. This time there was no delay getting on board, perhaps 20 minutes. We got a quick bite at the Lido buffet, and left the ship to spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening shopping and sightseeing in Palma. Taxis are about 10 euros to the huge medieval cathedral and other sights, and the shopping is there too, on Avinguda Antonio Maura beside the cathedral, going up to Placa de la Reina, continuing on Passeig de Born, then turning left onto Aviguda de Jaime III.
The Palma street names are too blurry and small to read on the map the ship hands out, but there?s a good map at www.hot-maps.de. We took the local bus into town, it stops at the terminal entrance, costs 1.30 euros, runs every 15 minutes, and an electrical display board counts down the minutes until the next bus. It runs along the bay, then turns and stops at the cathedral. The return bus picks up back on Sagrera, the road along the bay.
THE SHIP
The ship was still in good decent shape for a 3 star. If you are bothered by minor signs of wear, and want a new ship, you should probably not take a 3 star. We measured our outside A deck cabin at 91 square feet, smaller than most ships these days, with a 2 foot by 2 foot shower, which will test your dexterity. Bring a power bar for the one outlet. Soap and shampoo are provided. No fridge but lots of ice from the steward. Excellent service in all areas. The passengers are about 75% UK, with the rest mainly Scandinavian and Canadian.
The food was satisfactory in the dining room, lots of choices, much better than the Lido buffet. Late night buffets were good, either a theme such as Italian, or hot/cold snacks the waiters take around the public areas. Drinks were 2 UK pounds, and weak (bring your own), or find a bartender and tell him how you want it mixed.
Our friends said the musical entertainment was ok. We went to the passenger participation shows, such as The Weakest Link, Mr. & Mrs., and Singing Legends. These are a fun change from the set stage shows on the No. American cruises.
As on all ships, internet on the ship is expensive, 0.75 UKP per minute, and in the ports it?s easy to find internet cafés charging 2-3 euros for 15-20 minutes.
Page 2 > > Ports on the Sunbird Cruise to the Western Mediterranean > >
Cruise Ship: Sunbird
Cruise Destination: Western Mediterranean
Cruise Date: July 2004
Western Mediterranean Cruise on the Sunbird
Cruise review by: Bob and Wendy Evans
Email: Bob7@canoemail.com
This was our eighth cruise, a western Mediterranean cruise on the Sun Cruises ship Sunbird, July 2004, embarking in Palma, Mallorca and going to Malta, Sicily, Naples, Sardinia, and Corsica.
We booked it on a sell-off, getting an outside A deck cabin for $1175 CAN including air. Inside cabins were $1055 incl air. Port and other taxes were an extra $339 CAN. Tipping was included in the cruise ticket. The ship currency is UK pounds.
This and the other Sunquest/Sun Cruises/My Travel cruises will end in Oct. 04 when the ships will be sold to Thompson?s Cruises and renovated. This was our second time doing this itinerary, which we wanted to do again because there was so much we missed the first time. Here?s the link to our review of our first Sunbird cruise in 2003.
EMBARKATION
We departed Toronto at 11:35 pm on Skyservice, the direct flight took 8 hours, and 2 meals were served. We arrived in Palma at 1:30pm, and were on the ship via the transfer bus in an hour. This time there was no delay getting on board, perhaps 20 minutes. We got a quick bite at the Lido buffet, and left the ship to spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening shopping and sightseeing in Palma. Taxis are about 10 euros to the huge medieval cathedral and other sights, and the shopping is there too, on Avinguda Antonio Maura beside the cathedral, going up to Placa de la Reina, continuing on Passeig de Born, then turning left onto Aviguda de Jaime III.
The Palma street names are too blurry and small to read on the map the ship hands out, but there?s a good map at www.hot-maps.de. We took the local bus into town, it stops at the terminal entrance, costs 1.30 euros, runs every 15 minutes, and an electrical display board counts down the minutes until the next bus. It runs along the bay, then turns and stops at the cathedral. The return bus picks up back on Sagrera, the road along the bay.
THE SHIP
The ship was still in good decent shape for a 3 star. If you are bothered by minor signs of wear, and want a new ship, you should probably not take a 3 star. We measured our outside A deck cabin at 91 square feet, smaller than most ships these days, with a 2 foot by 2 foot shower, which will test your dexterity. Bring a power bar for the one outlet. Soap and shampoo are provided. No fridge but lots of ice from the steward. Excellent service in all areas. The passengers are about 75% UK, with the rest mainly Scandinavian and Canadian.
The food was satisfactory in the dining room, lots of choices, much better than the Lido buffet. Late night buffets were good, either a theme such as Italian, or hot/cold snacks the waiters take around the public areas. Drinks were 2 UK pounds, and weak (bring your own), or find a bartender and tell him how you want it mixed.
Our friends said the musical entertainment was ok. We went to the passenger participation shows, such as The Weakest Link, Mr. & Mrs., and Singing Legends. These are a fun change from the set stage shows on the No. American cruises.
As on all ships, internet on the ship is expensive, 0.75 UKP per minute, and in the ports it?s easy to find internet cafés charging 2-3 euros for 15-20 minutes.
Page 2 > > Ports on the Sunbird Cruise to the Western Mediterranean > >
