Just off the Sun not impressed....

[suncouplfla]

We just got off a 7day cruise out of Tampa on Norwegian Sun. This was our first time using NCL having 6 adults in our party we have many trips under our belt. Mostly with Holland and Princess and Carnival.

First off most of the staff on board were excellent, besides a very rude food server at the poolside BBQ on the last day. The cruise was just lacking in the little things we take for granted on the other cruise lines. The ship was in ok shape for its age. It was getting new carpet during the trip. The staterooms were very small.The Balcony stateroom was the smallest I have ever been in. the bathroom was 5ft in width. The shower was a joke. Understanding that, that was the size when they built the ship.

The food was very disappointing in all. We ate at 3 specialty restaurants all were very good. If you were not eating at a restaurant and in the dining room or the crowed buffet then the food was extremely inconsistent. Most of the dining room food was warm not hot. Nothing really stood out as a great meal. Deserts in the buffet and dining room seemed underwhelming. The Norwegian cheesecake was hands down the best desert followed by the chocolate truffle cake.

The buffet is in a weird spot so trying to get around the people in line is a hassle. They have a few other buffet lines set up but are smaller and carried the same items almost everyday. So we were not impressed with freestyle dining. There is nothing free about it.

We ordered room service twice during the trip. The first time was just for 2 ginger ales. After waiting a hour I called again and was told it was being delivered. Over a hour for them to bring 2 sodas to a room. The second time we waited 40 minutes for a Salad and chicken tenders and never received the cookies we order. So room service was a failure.

We had 4 ports of call during the trip all were fine we heard good and bad things. We had excursion everyday in our group everyone had fun. The only weird thing was we booked a excursion in Cozemel for Playa Mia. It doesn't include transportation even though it is booked through NCl. The cab cost for 6 is $34 each way. Royal Caribeenan had 2 tour busses there which was included in the

cost.

Going on a cruise is a great way to vacation. Even when things don't go as planned it is still not a bad time. We all had a good time and in the end thats all that matters. We just were not impressed with our first taste of NCL

[jackson bernard]

We just got off a 7day cruise out of Tampa on Norwegian Sun. This was our first time using NCL having 6 adults in our party we have many trips under our belt. Mostly with Holland and Princess and Carnival.

First off most of the staff on board were excellent, besides a very rude food server at the poolside BBQ on the last day. The cruise was just lacking in the little things we take for granted on the other cruise lines. The ship was in ok shape for its age. It was getting new carpet during the trip. The staterooms were very small.The Balcony stateroom was the smallest I have ever been in. the bathroom was 5ft in width. The shower was a joke. Understanding that, that was the size when they built the ship.

The food was very disappointing in all. We ate at 3 specialty restaurants all were very good. If you were not eating at a restaurant and in the dining room or the crowed buffet then the food was extremely inconsistent. Most of the dining room food was warm not hot. Nothing really stood out as a great meal. Deserts in the buffet and dining room seemed underwhelming. The Norwegian cheesecake was hands down the best desert followed by the chocolate truffle cake.

The buffet is in a weird spot so trying to get around the people in line is a hassle. They have a few other buffet lines set up but are smaller and carried the same items almost everyday. So we were not impressed with freestyle dining. There is nothing free about it.

We ordered room service twice during the trip. The first time was just for 2 ginger ales. After waiting a hour I called again and was told it was being delivered. Over a hour for them to bring 2 sodas to a room. The second time we waited 40 minutes for a Salad and chicken tenders and never received the cookies we order. So room service was a failure.

We had 4 ports of call during the trip all were fine we heard good and bad things. We had excursion everyday in our group everyone had fun. The only weird thing was we booked a excursion in Cozemel for Playa Mia. It doesn't include transportation even though it is booked through NCl. The cab cost for 6 is $34 each way. Royal Caribeenan had 2 tour busses there which was included in the

cost.

Going on a cruise is a great way to vacation. Even when things don't go as planned it is still not a bad time. We all had a good time and in the end thats all that matters. We just were not impressed with our first taste of NCL

 

Too bad you were disappointed. At least the ports were good. We try to only book on the new ships coming out, or only out for a little while.

[All-ready2cruise]

I agree that It's really unfortunate that you found the cruise on the Sun such a poor experience, but, I'm afraid it's what I call a "throw-away" review.

 

The way I look at reviews is this, i read 10 reviews per ship, and then, I throw away the perfect ones and the very worst ones and what i'm left with, are those in between. Those that are practical, with some things which are good but also, some things which are bad.

 

Also, I find that when you try to compare apples with oranges, they just don't stack up. Your comparing NCL with CCL Corp., you forgot to enjoy, what is for many, a wonderful experience, too bad, for you.

 

Hope you enjoy your next cruise with CCL Corp.

 

cheers

[rjm11]

Thanks for the feedback. We are taking this trip in a couple of weeks. I have a few specific questions if you don't mind:

 

Did you happen to notice if they were offering the Chef's Table dinner, and if so, which night?

Were they offering the BAGS program in Tampa for luggage handling after the cruise?

Which shore excursion did you try in Belize, and what did you think?

thanks... I'd also be interested in hearing which specialty restaurants you tried, and what your experience was there.

 

I'm grateful for the feedback!!!

[gooch47]

Just off the same cruise and I have to agree with you.

 

Regarding the Playa Mia comment, there were several ways to book tthat tour and at least one did have transportation.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T217A using Forums mobile app

[pugsammy]

I agree that It's really unfortunate that you found the cruise on the Sun such a poor experience, but, I'm afraid it's what I call a "throw-away" review.

 

The way I look at reviews is this, i read 10 reviews per ship, and then, I throw away the perfect ones and the very worst ones and what i'm left with, are those in between. Those that are practical, with some things which are good but also, some things which are bad.

 

Also, I find that when you try to compare apples with oranges, they just don't stack up. Your comparing NCL with CCL Corp., you forgot to enjoy, what is for many, a wonderful experience, too bad, for you.

 

Hope you enjoy your next cruise with CCL Corp.

 

 

 

cheers

 

Why the flame? The OP is entitled to their opinion!

I'll be sailing on my first NCL cruise at the end of the month having only sailed on Carnival and Royal. You say apples and Oranges? I too, will be comparing even though I KNOW they all have their differences.

[C Cruise Dude]

We just got off a 7day cruise out of Tampa on Norwegian Sun. This was our first time using NCL having 6 adults in our party we have many trips under our belt. Mostly with Holland and Princess and Carnival.

First off most of the staff on board were excellent, besides a very rude food server at the poolside BBQ on the last day. The cruise was just lacking in the little things we take for granted on the other cruise lines. The ship was in ok shape for its age. It was getting new carpet during the trip. The staterooms were very small.The Balcony stateroom was the smallest I have ever been in. the bathroom was 5ft in width. The shower was a joke. Understanding that, that was the size when they built the ship.

The food was very disappointing in all. We ate at 3 specialty restaurants all were very good. If you were not eating at a restaurant and in the dining room or the crowed buffet then the food was extremely inconsistent. Most of the dining room food was warm not hot. Nothing really stood out as a great meal. Deserts in the buffet and dining room seemed underwhelming. The Norwegian cheesecake was hands down the best desert followed by the chocolate truffle cake.

The buffet is in a weird spot so trying to get around the people in line is a hassle. They have a few other buffet lines set up but are smaller and carried the same items almost everyday. So we were not impressed with freestyle dining. There is nothing free about it.

We ordered room service twice during the trip. The first time was just for 2 ginger ales. After waiting a hour I called again and was told it was being delivered. Over a hour for them to bring 2 sodas to a room. The second time we waited 40 minutes for a Salad and chicken tenders and never received the cookies we order. So room service was a failure.

We had 4 ports of call during the trip all were fine we heard good and bad things. We had excursion everyday in our group everyone had fun. The only weird thing was we booked a excursion in Cozemel for Playa Mia. It doesn't include transportation even though it is booked through NCl. The cab cost for 6 is $34 each way. Royal Caribeenan had 2 tour busses there which was included in the

cost.

Going on a cruise is a great way to vacation. Even when things don't go as planned it is still not a bad time. We all had a good time and in the end thats all that matters. We just were not impressed with our first taste of NCL

 

 

I was on the Sun the week before. It was a good cruise. The last night the ship rocked big time to the point that I was the only one in my group to leave their cabin after 5pm until the ship ported the next morning.

 

I agree that the buffet has the same dishes too often. I never used room service. I wish that NCL and the other lines would build new ships the size of the Sun with updated bathrooms and larger cabins. I did the all inclusive in Playa Mia from Cozumel and for $10 more dollars NCL provided roundtrip transportation. They said that the one without roundtrip tranportation was for people who wanted to leave at their leisure and go other places. I will do that excursion again. Sorry the cruise was such a disappointment.

[Shawnino]

Thanks for the review. We are looking at a long clip around S. America with the Sun in 2016. A couple questions on top of what others have laid on above:

 

--How was the disembarkation process for excursions on shore days?

--For MDR/buffet, was the standard at breakfast/lunch different from dinner?

--Was the standard of food on sea days better, the same, or worse than on port days?

--What time did you turn in for the night? Was it fairly quiet?

 

Thanks.

 

PS: Don't worry about the fanboys who will inevitably storm in shortly thinking everything about NCL is perfect and want to shoot the messenger.

[rjm11]

Thanks for the feedback. We are taking this trip in a couple of weeks. I have a few specific questions if you don't mind:

 

Did you happen to notice if they were offering the Chef's Table dinner, and if so, which night?

Were they offering the BAGS program in Tampa for luggage handling after the cruise?

Which shore excursion did you try in Belize, and what did you think?

thanks... I'd also be interested in hearing which specialty restaurants you tried, and what your experience was there.

 

I'm grateful for the feedback!!!

 

these questions aren't just for the OP- any of you recent cruisers are welcome to chime in! I'd love to hear more about what you liked, AND what you didn't like. thanks!

Edited November 9, 2014 by rjm11

[roger001]

Sorry it just didn't work out for you. We are on the Sun next week for the 4th time. She and the Pearl are certainly our two favorite ships. Because we all do see cruise experiences so differently, it is great that we have so many ship and cruise line choices. Hope your next choice is a much better one for you.

[C Cruise Dude]

Thanks for the review. We are looking at a long clip around S. America with the Sun in 2016. A couple questions on top of what others have laid on above:

 

--How was the disembarkation process for excursions on shore days?

--For MDR/buffet, was the standard at breakfast/lunch different from dinner?

--Was the standard of food on sea days better, the same, or worse than on port days?

--What time did you turn in for the night? Was it fairly quiet?

 

Thanks.

 

PS: Don't worry about the fanboys who will inevitably storm in shortly thinking everything about NCL is perfect and want to shoot the messenger.

 

Disembarkation was about the same that I have experienced on all the cruise lines. I didn't like the steep ramp that we had in our ports. Note: I was on the Sun in 2011 and the ramp was much better then.

 

I ate breakfast and most dinners in the Seven Seas. It was inconsistent, sometimes long waits for food and others desent times. The food quality was consistent, no better no worst on sea or port days. The buffet on the Sun, to me, is not that great at dinner. I recommend the Four Seasons or the Seven Seas. The Garden Cafe is good for a late night snack.

 

Carnival is called the fun ships, NCL rocks. NCL has great entertainers and Dazzles rocks every night. There is entertainment into the night if you want it. I'm usually in bed by midnight.

 

Hope that helps.

[Cruisercl]

I agree that It's really unfortunate that you found the cruise on the Sun such a poor experience, but, I'm afraid it's what I call a "throw-away" review.

 

The way I look at reviews is this, i read 10 reviews per ship, and then, I throw away the perfect ones and the very worst ones and what i'm left with, are those in between. Those that are practical, with some things which are good but also, some things which are bad.

 

Also, I find that when you try to compare apples with oranges, they just don't stack up. Your comparing NCL with CCL Corp., you forgot to enjoy, what is for many, a wonderful experience, too bad, for you.

 

Hope you enjoy your next cruise with CCL Corp.

 

cheers

 

I like your analogy; having cruised Celebrity, RCCL and NCL this past year it appears that the comparisons are not quite comparable.

 

I am glad that the OP had some enjoyment on the Sun; we just got off the PC cruise on the Sun and really enjoyed it. Was it perfect, no but no cruise ever is no matter what cruise line you are cruising on; I am sure I can always find something I don't like. :o

 

Generally cruising is a subjective vacation and I appreciate everyone's opinions; it helps me make decisions about future cruises. :)

 

Happy and safe cruising all!! :D

[gooch47]

The buffet just didn't do it for us. And on port days the Seven Seas wasn't open for lunch so that was disappointing. So was having no Blue Lagoon or O'Sheehans.

 

We were also disappointed with Cagney's. The side offerings didn't appeal to us. We did enjoy Le Bistro.

 

The casino had lots of cigarette smoke. Don't know if it was the new smoking policy or not.

 

Our statero9m, 0261, was quiet except at 3:30 every morning when they cleaned the floor at the outdoor area on the stern. And when it rained, our balcony had about a half inch of water until it evaporated. Our cabin also had periods when it wouldn't get cool. And the only way to get the balcony door to latch was to slam it. I'll bet our neighbors loved that.

 

The ship was clean, the personnel friendly and helpful, but service in the MDR varied from being rushed to unbelievably slow.

 

 

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T217A using Forums mobile app

[LD Silver]

Any opinion on the entertainment?

 

Who were the comics?

 

What about the shows?

 

Appreciate the feedback good or bad.

[drvalo]

To the OP, I am saddened that you did not enjoy the Sun.

 

The Sun is probably our favorite ship; perhaps because it is so small. Some of the cabins may be smaller, but there are some huge inside cabins that feel even larger if you get one of the "sideways" ones. The minisuites are also larger than most other ships. The showers are smaller, true, but certainly large enough for one person.

 

We cruised on the Sun for 11 days last December and it was one of our most enjoyable cruises ever. But it seems we enjoyed different activities than the OP. We really liked the entertainment, both in the main theatre and the smaller venues. We enjoyed those silly evening game shows and even participated in one last year. We enjoyed the organized staff activities such as the trivia, golf, and shuffleboard "competitions". Because it's small, by the end of the cruise you know many of your fellow cruisers.

 

I am usually surprised about the comments saying the buffet was too repetitive (especially regarding breakfast). I always want to ask what they wanted instead. How many different breakfast meats are there or how else could one prepare eggs? Personally, I liked the predictablility of knowing my croissant and coffee were up there waiting for me!!! Dinner at the buffet is not as good as the MDR or specialties, but the food generally tastes good and is hot. The buffet is smaller than some, but the ship is small. We could almost always find a place to eat, especially the the Great Outdoor in the rear. It was really our preferred location to eat. We ate dinner there several times, especially towards the end of the cruise when we were just not that hungry anymore.... The curries and such are not to be missed. If they still have the chocolate fondue by Sprinkles Ice Cream, that chocolate is great drizzled over the soft serve ice cream. It makes a delicious hard shell and was by far the best dessert at the buffet.

 

This December we are trying the Epic. I feel sure we will enjoy the Blue Man Group and Cirque, but I fear the huge-ness of it will mean that we will not have the same type of experience as last December. I am looking forward to another cruise on the Sun. I hope it's not too far in the future. :)

[suncouplfla]

My review was the overall experience it was still a fun cruise but with such a large choice of options as a consumer you look for brands you like.

Edited November 10, 2014 by suncouplfla

[moopig]

Thanks for taking the time to post your review. Will be on the Sun in a week but I have sailed her before so I kinda know what to expect. It is my sisters first time on NCL so hope she isn't disappointed. I might think twice before ordering room service or at least expect a wait.

[polySeraph]

Thanks for the review. We are looking at a long clip around S. America with the Sun in 2016. A couple questions on top of what others have laid on above:

 

--How was the disembarkation process for excursions on shore days?

The disembarkation process in South America on shore days was pretty standard. You should be aware, however, that over half the ports on our itinerary were tendered ports. NCL has a ticketing system (get a ticket with a number on it and get on the tender when your number is called) that doesn't always run like a well-oiled machine. A quick search on "tendering" on this forum will yield lots of valuable tips.

 

--For MDR/buffet, was the standard at breakfast/lunch different from dinner?

My husband and I loved the MDR at breakfast and lunch. It provides a peaceful, leisurely way to wake up on sea days. If you prefer efficient to leisurely, (say, you have an early morning shore excursion), choose the buffet. The MDR lunch menu stays the same throughout the cruise (augmented by chef's specials), but there is plenty of variety.

 

I've always found plenty of variety on the buffet when I've chosen to eat there. (This Southern girl is unimpressed with the hockey pucks that pass for biscuits, however.) The seating area itself is small for the number of people that want to eat there. NCL has compensated for this, however, by opening up the Sports Bar and Moderno's to handle the overflow. On the mornings DH and I had an early shore excursion, we would get our breakfast at the buffet and head over to Moderno's for a peaceful, uncrowded breakfast.

 

--Was the standard of food on sea days better, the same, or worse than on port days?

I have been on the Sun for three cruises and truly, I've not noticed a difference in the quality of food varying between sea days and shore days. I think I remember the MDR being closed for shore days.

 

--What time did you turn in for the night? Was it fairly quiet?

NCL has some great, late-night entertainment. Sometimes I went to bed early and sometimes I stayed up late. My cabin was quiet because I chose its location very carefully. The night-life can be lively on NCL well into the wee hours, so choosing a quiet cabin location can make those early-morning shore excursions less painful.

Thanks.

 

PS: Don't worry about the fanboys who will inevitably storm in shortly thinking everything about NCL is perfect and want to shoot the messenger.

 

I cruised aboard the Sun a total of three times - including around the Horn on the Sun in 2010 -- the last year she was in South America. Based on my experiences aboard the Sun both in South America and on my other two cruises, I have answered your questions above.

 

If you would like more information, you're welcome to check out the photo review I did on the Sun about a year ago. It's embedded in a much longer thread discussing the future of NCL in South America and begins at post 41. Click here to go to the start of my review. (If you use Tapatalk, clicking the link will take you to page 1 of the thread and you'll have to navigate to page 3 to find my review.) I'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have about the Sun in South America.

Edited November 10, 2014 by polySeraph

[Shawnino]

Wow, PolySeraph--thanks for your notes!

 

--S

[OCruisers]

We just got off a 7day cruise out of Tampa on Norwegian Sun. ~~~~~~~~

 

Thanks for taking the time to tell us about your recent NCL Sun cruise.

Gosh, seems the MDR food on Sun is no better than on other NCL ships.

NCL really needs to improve food served in the MDR. :o

LuLu

[polySeraph]

Wow, PolySeraph--thanks for your notes!

 

--S

 

Thanks! I have enjoyed reading your posts on the Antarctica forum as well.

 

One minor correction to my earlier post: I had said that I remembered the MDR being closed on shore days. What I intended to say was that I remembered the MDR being closed for lunch on shore days.

[kollegekreed]

I wouldn't use the Sun as your NCL gauge. Its one of the oldest, smallest ships.

[rpb718]

Thanks for this review.

 

I find quite a bit of value from these types of reviews, especially when they reinforce findings listed in other reviews.

 

For instance, on our upcoming Sun cruise next year we have a BA balcony - so the various posts concerning the small bathroom size is something nice to know before we go on the cruise and can plan accordingly or even decide later to upgrade ourselves to a minisuite. Other items, like the strange buffet setup is also nice to know as we like to hit the buffet for breakfast and sit out on deck. As for room service, may be nice to know but we seldom do room service. And we love long dinners in the MDR - we try to always have a window table so we an enjoy the view of the sunset.

 

My only concern about the Sun has to do with the reviews for Cagney's - which I've seen mentioned above but more in various other reviews. Has anyone been to Cagney's on the Sun as well as on another ship and can write what's so different about the one on the Sun?

[Love my butler]

The Sun is one of only two NCL ships that do not have the new menus yet. That might be part of the reason for poor MDR experiences. Cagneys on the Sun is very similar to other ships. Recently the quality and selections have declined and it is getting very difficult to justify the $30 upcharge. Unfortunately, not many better choices exist so you just have to spend that extra nickel and dime.

[Barb Nahoumi]

I was on the Sun the week before. It was a good cruise. The last night the ship rocked big time to the point that I was the only one in my group to leave their cabin after 5pm until the ship ported the next morning.

 

I agree that the buffet has the same dishes too often. I never used room service. I wish that NCL and the other lines would build new ships the size of the Sun with updated bathrooms and larger cabins. I did the all inclusive in Playa Mia from Cozumel and for $10 more dollars NCL provided roundtrip transportation. They said that the one without roundtrip tranportation was for people who wanted to leave at their leisure and go other places. I will do that excursion again. Sorry the cruise was such a disappointment.

 

I agree with you on ship-size. I would rather see mid-sized new builds which could fit into most ports effortlessly.

 

Although I have never cruised on a mega ship, they seem to have crammed in smaller cabins, inadequate pool decks, public rooms and theaters. I would rather see the extra space on a mega ship, spent on larger public areas, with fewer but larger cabins. Just my opinion.