The NCL Sun

[ZydeDiverDC]

Hello Arby, your time at Playa seems well spent! I would like to be a bit more adventuous and try the rental at Executive, find the beach, snorkel and beach it. When you rented the vehicle did you do for day? cost for day ? did it already have gas?

Then you dropped off vehicle and got a cab into town for shopping?

Have you found a way to post your pix? I use Webshots and post link. We would love to see the pix of this tour!!!

I took your advise and called TA today, not happy with me, as I requested info on this port. He said, just take a ferry over to Cozumel. Hmm I thought.. not sure that is all there is to that. So your little blurb really got me excited to see if there was more to this port. Thank you!:)

[clownphish]

Rental car was $50 and was full of gas, so we just had to bring it back full.

 

After returning car (had to be back at 7) we still had 3 hours to taxi into town for dinner and shopping.

 

Def. do not take ferry to Cozumel as this will take several hours of your time, and we actually thought the mainland was more beautiful than the island. I guess it all depends on where you find to go:)

[fitters]

I agreed wholeheartedly with you; I am not going to sit and "stew" about something that hasn't even affected our port of PDC. There always is a bit of a risk when you leave your house on any given day, so this will be no different. Thanks for the info on where they tender at PDC; I figured the ferry terminal was the logical place, but could not find anything on line to back up my suspicion. Docking at Calica would be great if it would happen. Tendering is just another factor one must throw in to the mix when making plans for the port.

 

 

Hello Arby,

 

not stewing just informing. My last official NCL brochure sent to me from NCL on March 28th, 2005... listed Cancun as the port stop not PDC.. that and only that is the reason I included the info from the US State Dept. Just a FYI. And if we do stop there or elsewhere for that matter, I hope to come to that port prepared, not scared and deal with the power of information! And information is what you got from both myself and from ZydecoCruiser! as they say... before you go.. know!

Looking forward to our cruise, the 4 ports we will travel to and all the fun in-between as much as is humanly possible!! :D

We are scheduled to sail the sun on 12/11/05 and our itinerary states PDC. Do you mean this may change to Cancun? Not a problem with me, never been to either, but would they notify us beforehand on the change if one was made?

Thanks.

[ZydeDiverDC]

Hello, yes this is quite a quandry. I did call my TA in regards to the differences in ports on both the brochures sent to me and on the NCL website. They said that NCL sent those to them!! So I called NCL, and it was not a definitive answer to my question, and unfortuneatly I do not speak spanish, so the young lady and I had some difficulty communicating. Suffice to say, I believe it will be PDC and NCL will confirm within 3-4 months with a list of excursions. Hopefully. Since I wasn't able to get a FIRM answer from NCL I have resigned myself to a " Lets be Spontaneous" day on that day in port!! Afterall, I am on vacation and I hope to be able to "roll' with the waves!

Tho this may have not helped you definitively so! I hope you have enjoyed the small talk!:)

[zydecocruiser]

It has gone back and forth once or twice between PDC and Cancun. I have NCL brochures that reflect. Currently it is PDC per the website and has been like that for a while, I think.

 

Once the Sun relocates to New Orleans and starts the cruise, I think we will know for sure.

[ZydeDiverDC]

Told me which excursions are available and at which port.. !! soon I hope!

 

I believe this is all anxiety speaking. I truly do enjoy cruising so .. that all the time in between is THINKING, READING, RESEARCHING, WRITING, WAITING.. for that next cruise.hehehe! and I have not had all the best of experiences all the time.. but I have to say.. met the BESTEST people eva!!

 

People who make each moment on the cruise a smile, a laugh, a happy thought a great memory.. Who can not like that!! So will await some what patiently for that update on port and excursions on the Sun just fresh out of NOLA!! this Nov 6th, 2005!

 

There is a group going Oct. out of NOLA... lets hear from them! What are you hoping and wishing for on this cruise>

[we3k9]

I too would like to know for sure, is it Playa del Carmen, or Cancun? or Calica? I would like to get a confirmation on this and wether or not we will be tendering back and forth. our cruise date is 12/11/05

[samdham]

I read somewhere recently that the Sun can't go to Cancun because it is too big. Something about the draft being too deep. When the Dream sailed out of NO, that wasn't a problem because the Dream is smaller underneath.

[ZydeDiverDC]

Well my last conversation with the NCL peeps was that it will be Playa. Anyone heard different? Its kinda like Russian Roulette with your money as the bullet!!! ha!

I visited the website and it still did not list any excursions for that slot. :confused:

[alabama_cruisin]

Talked to NCL. Definately anchoring, and tendering in to Playa Del Carmen.

 

Talked to the shore excursions department (of NCL), and the best I could tie them down to was the fact that they will be posting our shore excursion package on the web late this month, or early next month.

[roddee]

We have a lot of experience in the Western Caribbean, having taken previous cruises to that area. However, the next cruise we are leaving out of NO and Playa Del Carmen will be a new port for us. It has been difficult trying to get good information regarding this port. Since NCL will not begin this new itinerary until fall, there is no information available from previous Sun cruisers. The information from the Carnival cruisers is a little confusing, at this point. I would truly appreciate any information from any Sun cruisers who return this fall.

Thanks, Dee

[ute_fan]

We've been to Playa del Carmen, but it was on the ferry that came over from Cozumel on our way to Tulum. I really enjoyed Playa del Carmen, but we only had about an hour to spend there following the Tulum excursion. Quite a nice little shopping area, without the extremely pushy vendors that make Cancun so unappealing to us.

 

The fact that the Sun will be stopping at Playa del Carmen instead of Cancun makes this an extremely appealing itinerary to me. I'm interested in following the posts on this thread to see what others think once the Sun starts calling here on a weekly basis.

[Zeno]

Re: Sun and Playa del Carmen

PDC is a MUCH better port than Cancun (unless you love high rise hotel strips). We have stayed in the PDC area twice - LOTS to do.

Xel Ha

Xcaret

ruins at Tulum

various great beaches (Playa Morena, Tankah, Akumal, PDC itself, just south of Tulum

shopping in PDC

Transportation: really up to you. Collectivos (white min-vans that run along the highway), taxis, rent a car. We mostly used Collectivos (without any problems).

I am curious whether the Sun will actually dock at Calica or tender into PDC.

Docking at Calica makes things a bit more awkward transportation wise - since I have heard that the highway is a bit of a hike (don't know for sure - never been into Calica). I guess if it docks at Calica, taxis or car rental may be one's best bet. If it tenders into PDC, I would seriously consider Collectivos or regular buses (both are located near the ferry dock).

Since I will be going on this cruise in January I am hoping that one of you earlier cruisers will clear up the Calica dock/PDC tender question for the rest of us when you go.

[ZydeDiverDC]

Talked to NCL. Definately anchoring, and tendering in to Playa Del Carmen.

 

Talked to the shore excursions department (of NCL), and the best I could tie them down to was the fact that they will be posting our shore excursion package on the web late this month, or early next month.

Hello.. I realize this is way off topic. but your avatar looked great.. how may I ask, did you "make" it? BlueAngelDiver@aol.com

thankyou

[SueSea]

It has gone back and forth once or twice between PDC and Cancun. I have NCL brochures that reflect. Currently it is PDC per the website and has been like that for a while, I think. QUOTE]

 

Thanks so much for posting this! I had posted a comment on another thread that when we booked our Sun cruise, the itinerary was Cancun. Most of the posters told me I was wrong, it was always Playa. I thought it was impossible that every time I checked the itinerary before booking (and I checked it a lot), I never once saw the 'correct' itinerary. I was questioning my own sanity until I read your post. I don't mind being wrong when I am!

[ZydeDiverDC]

This has been discussed on a Roll call thread as well < November 6th, 2005 out of NOLA > and I also have been in contact with NCL and given the basic response that NCL hopes to post the list by end of August / beginning of September. It doesn't appear to be a big deal to them..

However .. when I am looking to stretch out my "vacation dollars" it would be so much easier to know how and which port it will be better spent. And, of course.. knowing which ones are available at each port makes it easier to decide whether I am getting off there to do something outstanding. .or just going to the beach!

I was advised by NCL to continue to check back in periodically to see if the NCL SUN had its excursion list posted and to purchase it pre-cruise.

My question today... Previous Sun Cruisers.. what it the Captain's dinner like? When we were on the Royal. it was a big deal .. lots of hoopla and glitz.. and it was fun! On the Carnival .. much more subtle and elegant. Will they be serving drinks?

[ZydeDiverDC]

Talked to NCL. Definately anchoring, and tendering in to Playa Del Carmen.

 

Talked to the shore excursions department (of NCL), and the best I could tie them down to was the fact that they will be posting our shore excursion package on the web late this month, or early next month.

Don't know if you read my post.. I liked the avatar and wondered .. would you mind showing me how to do that.. I will be sailing Nov 6th out of NOLA n would love that for my home email!

Thank you!

blue