Another SUN - 11/13 - 11/20

[toysrme]

If there is only one thing that NCL does well, it has to be getting you on and off the ship. The Latitude line was short and we waited about a minute. The wait was to get your first picture made with the bow of the Sun in the background. Then there was a somewhat long walk up the plank to the ship where you were directed to the Stardust Lounge for registration. Waiting time in the line was no more than 2 minutes and maybe 5 more to register. Then a green screen photo and off to the room. It's quick and I like it!

 

Disembarking went equally as smooth. We chose one of the last times (9:40 AM) so we had plenty of time to shower, eat, and go buy a couple of photos. Photo prices were definitely too high, with a new money-grabbing twist. On several of the 5X7 sizes they also printed an extra page w/ 2 billfolds and another smaller photo. These "sets" could not be broken if you only wanted the 5X7. Cost $13.00. Anyway, after walking back to the terminal to claim our luggage, it was organized by color tag and I spotted ours before we got around the divider ropes. This is also made easier by the fact that other colors had already picked up their luggage as well as those who used the express type checkout. The Customs wait was only 3 or 4 minutes. Since I have negative comments coming I will give NCL credit.......they do this right!

 

We were in a BC balcony and it was about what I expected. I was in a mini-suite on the Star in Hawaii. With only 2 of us, there was plenty of room with ample storage for clothes, luggage (under the bed), etc. Considering the carpet, sofa bed, and bed cover, the decor can best be described as "Cruise Ship Tacky" or "Factory Outlet Sale".:D The balcony was small and the chairs (I use the term loosely) were awful unless you were prepping for a Miss Manners afternoon tea! BTW, it really was no problem getting my contraband on. 10 minitures in the suitcase and a litre of rum in a mouthwash bottle with 1 drop of red food coloring in the shaving kit.

 

 

 

The bathroom was okay, but don't drop anything in the shower! This was the noticeable difference between a regular balcony and a mini-suite. Hardly enough room to turn around. I felt like a large turkey on a mini-microwave turntable, and I'm not a large person. Water pressure was good and consistent as was water temp. Water temp could vary slightly during the course of a shower, but nothing uncomfortably so.

 

The tv was so small and the picture was just grainy enough that I could barely watch the seemingly non-stop pimping of Diamonds Internation. Mark my words, they will own the whole freaking Carribean before it's over!

 

The bed was simply too hard for my liking. I could barely get out of it after the first night because of soreness/stiffness, but this became less of an issue as the cruise wore on.

 

I'll post more after supper (yes, I'm from the South).

[electricron]

I can't wait to read more good, and of course, the bad from your cruise.

[electricron]

Another duplicate post!

[toysrme]

The cabin stewards did a good job (Apriyani and Rodel). I met them the first afternoon, offered a tip and requested 2 bathrobes. They may not have easy access to them as only one had been delivered that night when we got back from supper, but another appeared the next night before bedtime. Room was kept in good shape.

 

I didn't find the criticisms I have read of the wait staff in the main dining rooms to be warranted. They were fairly prompt and friendly. I must also state that the Seven Seas, where we ate 4 nights, was never over half full at 7:00PM. We did have to wait about 20 minutes to be seated when we ate at Four Seasons. The 2 meals at Le Bistro were very good. And, yes, you've got to try the wonderful Chocolate Fondue. To those who have said that the food is the same as the regular restaurants, I beg to differ. I ate 3 filet mignons on this cruise; 2 at Le Bistro and 1 in Seven Seas. I like my beef an accurate medium well. Both were cooked correctly in Le Bistro and were of a good quality. The one I had in Seven Seas was almost inedibly tough and dry. Of the other 2 steaks I had in the main dining room, one had to be choked down and the other was a blood red medium. I tried to go into this with an open mind, but I think more than ever that Carnival has the edge on main dining room food. Le Bistro was 2 for 1 from 6-7:00 PM the first night and East Meets West Steakhouse, the Italian restaurant (Il Adagio?) and Le Bistro were all 2 for 1 the second night.

 

The Garden Cafe was okay for breakfast. I was happy to see they had grits! Scrambled eggs were yuk, and I waited 20 minutes for an omelet one morning that I didn't care for. It was swimming in butter. Waffles were fresh and cooked to my liking. We had hamburgers for lunch every day we were onboard at the outdoor buffet. They were always tasty, as I remembered from the Star.

 

I will agree with a previous post I've read that the Sun is becoming a little worn. I saw patches in the carpet and quite a few handrails (including my balcony) that were worn and in need of a fresh coat of varnish. Was this a big deal? Absolutely not. The ship is kept very clean and is attractive, and I only mention it in passing as something I noticed without looking for it. I think I've read that the ship will get a "makeover" sometime next fall.

 

I only met one crew member who was not friendly, but that's for another posting.

[NW Pacific]

Please more, we made final payment today for our Cruise on the Sun Feb. 4th from Miami. We really are not "picky" eaters but don't want "rot gut" either, will we find enough variety that is good? Have heard the bartenders are slow which amazes me since the profit margin has to be tremendous with each drink, did you experience this? Did you use or know of others that used the jogging deck, any complaints? I am a fast walker but not a jogger. Did you use the exrcerise room? If so, was is crowded all the time? We are on the pool deck, any comments? Was room service prompt? Looking forward to your next post.

[toysrme]

Please more, we made final payment today for our Cruise on the Sun Feb. 4th from Miami. We really are not "picky" eaters but don't want "rot gut" either, will we find enough variety that is good? Have heard the bartenders are slow which amazes me since the profit margin has to be tremendous with each drink, did you experience this? Did you use or know of others that used the jogging deck, any complaints? I am a fast walker but not a jogger. Did you use the exrcerise room? If so, was is crowded all the time? We are on the pool deck, any comments? Was room service prompt? Looking forward to your next post.

Yes, you will find enough to eat. Biggest problem I had with the main dining room food was that the description was always better than the food! I've never been in favor of paying extra for a meal on a cruise, but after all of the positive comments on this board I decided in advance to try Le Bistro on a 2-for-1 night. I booked it as soon as I got on board for the first night between 6-7:00 PM. My party really enjoyed it, and my biggest regret was not booking it for the next night when it (as well as other pay restaurants) was 2-for-1. My friends decided too late that they wanted to go back, so when I called after lunch the next day, they were booked solid for the whole night. By the end of the week my friends were so tired of the main restaurant offerings that they booked it at regular price on Friday night. The chocolate fondue helped them make this decision!

 

I make my drinks in my room, so I can't comment on the bartenders.:D My only experience was buying a mixer Coke ($2.00) to take to the room. Service was quick, but it was the middle of the day.

 

I don't do any kind of exercising as I usually get enough on my job. I did notice that the exercise room on deck 11 near the pool was often used, but never full. There were few people using it at breakfast time. I don't even know if the jogging track was open. Open decks were closed a lot during the week due to high (up to gale force) winds.

 

We used room service 3 early mornings for coffee, Danish, and fruit. We always received a phone call right before arrival, and it was usually delivered slightly before the scheduled time.

 

Hope this helps.

[jetskier]

Please more, we made final payment today for our Cruise on the Sun Feb. 4th from Miami. We really are not "picky" eaters but don't want "rot gut" either, will we find enough variety that is good? Have heard the bartenders are slow which amazes me since the profit margin has to be tremendous with each drink, did you experience this? Did you use or know of others that used the jogging deck, any complaints? I am a fast walker but not a jogger. Did you use the exrcerise room? If so, was is crowded all the time? We are on the pool deck, any comments? Was room service prompt? Looking forward to your next post.

 

Check between the two main rest's as the menus are different. A good lunch can be had in the Pacific Heights if you like pasta. For breakfast bounce between the Garden Cafe and the Outdoor Cafe as they sometimes had different items. In the casino, find a bar waiter by the name of Randy, he was always prompt with service. The jogging tracking is divided with a jogging lane and a walk lane. The exercise room did not appear to be crowded.

Dave

[passaporta]

Great info.

Thanks

[Spot]

Thanks for a very objective review, you did a good job of describing your cruise experience without trashing the entire cruise.

[toysrme]

Thanks for a very objective review, you did a good job of describing your cruise experience without trashing the entire cruise.

 

 

Thanks. I still have more random thoughts to come. I don't intend to pretend that all of what I say is necessarily "fact", as a lot of it is rather subjective. However, I do have a rant that is simple fact.

 

I'll be posting a few pix (mostly of Cozumell) in another thread.

[toysrme]

After reading here about some missed Bar Set-ups, I decided to hedge my bets. I took my own booze onboard. When we got to our room there was a note saying the set-up would be delivered Monday. It was.

 

The cruise director was just okay. He reminded me of a bad Elton John impersonator.

 

The ship layout was easy to learn, if somewhat awkward.

 

The casino was nice enough to stop at and contribute a few bucks to, but it contributed to the awkward layout.

 

The coffee and tea really are much too strong for my tastes. After the first serving of each, we added 1/4 of the glass/cup capacity with water before filling with the drink.

 

We carried 4 glasses of orange juice back to the room from breakfast each day and kept it in the small fridge. Made a good mixer.

 

I'm used to some of the cleanest water in the country, so believe me when I say the water was good and drinkable.

 

Morning room service was quick. Don't know about later in the day/night.

 

Fred Klett was as funny as he was 2 years ago on the Star. The production numbers were better than they were on the Star, but not great. The singers were quite talented. Staging wasn't always good and I didn't care for the overly subtle lighting techniques. Hot Latin (Que Noche) would have been better served with with a little hotter, brighter lighting. I still give Carnival the edge here, but your mileage may vary.

 

The two main restaurants offer little difference. The only difference I noticed in passing was one night the steak was prepared a little differently. Does anyone really eat barbeque sauce on a steak? The rest of the menu was the same.

 

If you have 5 or 6 people, you may want to google Ray at Extreme Elegance limo in Houston. We were picked up at Houston Hobby and at the cruise terminal. $108 each way, which included the tip. Less than the bus ride that NCL offers, and you don't have to wait for others to board.

 

Belize Excursions - stay away from any excursion with "City" in the title unless you want a bumpy ride down narrow streets in a dirty, truly 3rd world city. Probably best to stick to the water activities. "Beer and the City" was joke, and I'll never understand who approved this as an excursion. The tour of the Beliken beer facility lasted all of 15 minutes and 3 rooms. RIP-OFF!

 

Roatan Excursion - we did one with a tour and 2 hour beach stay where we could snorkle. 10 tourists in a van w/ driver and fantastic local guide. Several great views, even in the sprinkling rain.

 

The barrier reef (Mexico City to Nicarauga) is truly impressive to see.

 

Belize only has 4 traffic lights.

 

Roatan has one main road and zero traffic lights.

 

I was glad to see that Roatan had no Diamonds International!

 

I'll save my bad experience/rant for one final post.:D

[AztecCraig]

Know in advance that many of us appreciate your opinions and value them. The various TA's and NCL defenders will surely jump all over you the moment you say anything negative - don't take offense, they are meerly protecting their livelyhood - even if they are short sighted in not helping NCL correct its deficiencies.

[toysrme]

Know in advance that many of us appreciate your opinions and value them. The various TA's and NCL defenders will surely jump all over you the moment you say anything negative - don't take offense, they are meerly protecting their livelyhood - even if they are short sighted in not helping NCL correct its deficiencies.

 

Thanks. A cruise has been my once a year vacation for the last four years. I enjoy them and have no intentions of letting anything onboard ruin them. My negatives aren't enough to stop me, nor should they stop anyone else, and are purely FYI.

[Zeno]

Nicely detailed review. I was glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself in spite of a few glitches.

Re: the coffee - we get the free capuccinos in the dining room - a LOT better than the regularr coffee.

Re: Belize I agree about "city" tours - the best of Belize (and it is pretty darn good) is out on the cayos or in the countryside. Our Lamanai tour was one of the highlights of our vacation.

P.S. - loved your "special mouthwash" !

[toysrme]

Nicely detailed review. I was glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself in spite of a few glitches.

Re: the coffee - we get the free capuccinos in the dining room - a LOT better than the regularr coffee.

Re: Belize I agree about "city" tours - the best of Belize (and it is pretty darn good) is out on the cayos or in the countryside. Our Lamanai tour was one of the highlights of our vacation.

P.S. - loved your "special mouthwash" !

 

My mouthwash could save a bad cruise, and this one wasn't. Overall, very enjoyable.

Even my capuccinos (2) were really strong. Strangely enough, one morning the coffee was very mild.

Next time I'll snorkle or do a Mayan ruin. Almost anything else would be more enjoyable than "Beer and the City".

 

Guides in both Belize and Roatan were very proud of their homeland. We were shown many (rundown) schools, each with its own uniform, of which the guides were very proud.

 

Roatan only has 2 hospitals. One public, and one private where you must be able to pay in advance.

[Zeno]

My mouthwash could save a bad cruise, and this one wasn't. Overall, very enjoyable.

Even my capuccinos (2) were really strong. Strangely enough, one morning the coffee was very mild.

Next time I'll snorkle or do a Mayan ruin. Almost anything else would be more enjoyable than "Beer and the City".

 

Guides in both Belize and Roatan were very proud of their homeland. We were shown many (rundown) schools, each with its own uniform, of which the guides were very proud.

 

Roatan only has 2 hospitals. One public, and one private where you must be able to pay in advance.

 

3rd world countries like Belize and Honduras (Roatan) tend to be proud (and rightly so) about what they have been able to achieve with minimum resources. I remember being in the Dominican Republic about 15 years ago and they were very proud that grade school education was free (However due to a shortage of actual school buildings, children had to attend either the morning shift or the afternoon shift. Our guide (rightly so) thought that instituting 2 shifts (6AM-12 noon and noon-6PM) was a pretty clever way to get around the lack of facilities.

[newmexicoNita]

Know in advance that many of us appreciate your opinions and value them. The various TA's and NCL defenders will surely jump all over you the moment you say anything negative - don't take offense, they are meerly protecting their livelyhood - even if they are short sighted in not helping NCL correct its deficiencies.

AztecCraig, this is the farthest from the truth as anything you have ever said. So far I think the op has done a great job. If the final review is negative that is just fine as long as it isn't a total blasting which I doubt it will be. Everyone has a right to his/her view. that is what makes our country and CC so great. Why are you throwing something like this in before the final view is even written? Could it be, thinks have been to quiet around here in the last week or so and you think it is important to stir things up? NMnita

[toysrme]

By Friday, I decided to check my onboard account. I received a copy and quickly scanned it while standing at the desk. I noticed a strange charge. On Monday night I bought a cheap bottle of wine in Seven Seas for $24 plus the added 15% gratuity making it $27.60. There was the charge, but the next line showed a $27.60 credit. Then the next line showed a charge of $103.66. I asked the young lady what the charge was for. She pulled the receipt number and looked at it for a few seconds, then cocked her head quizically, raised an eyebrow, and while smiling, said "You didn't leave a $75.66 tip, did you?" I couldn't help but smile back and say, "No". She said she would remove the charge, so I went and sat down to look at the remainder of the bill. After roughly subtracting the $75.66 tip in my head, I was momentarily puzzled as to why my bill was still $100 higher than I expected. Then I noticed that the $50 per person onboard credit given to those who had stayed with it after NOLA was missing.

 

I had read here on CC that someone else had this problem, so I had printed a copy of my original booking dated 01/24/05 and brought it on the cruise.I went to the room to retrieve it, then back to the credit desk. This time the young lady said she couldn't help with this problem, so she sent me to the asst. credit manager. I again explained the credit I deserved and showed her my dated booking. She said there was nothing she could do because it had not been submitted by corporate office. I was getting a little riled, and mentioned how poor the customer service and accounting was. She fired that she didn't make the error, that she had no way to contact corporate in Miami (uh....can you say "telephone"?), and that I would have to call customer service when I got home. Strangely enough, I received a letter from her the next day saying she had been in touch with Miami, that there was nothing she could do, and that I would have to call customer relations.

 

Okay, I'm back home and I called the number she had given me. Nothing on the automated phone menu addressed anything close to the correct department, so I chose "New Booking". I talked to a guy, gave him the pertinent booking number, etc. He pulled it up and said that I would have to have my travel agent call to correct it. I call my online booking agent and again explain the situation. She puts me on hold while she calls accounting at NCL. Twenty minutes later she comes back on and apologizes and tells me that it sometimes takes NCL 45 minutes to answer agent calls. She takes my phone number to call back when she gets an answer. She calls back 20 minutes later and tells me that the response from NCL was that they will open a file and examine the situation! What is there to examine? I booked in January and satyed with them to sail from Houston. End of story! BTW - the other two couples and I all got online and booked this cruise within 2 minutes of each other. Both other couples received their onboard credit.

 

When I originally went to the credit desk, I took traveler's checks to pay my account in full. After this snafu I decided to let it roll to my charge card for obvious reasons. I'll let NCL deal with Mastercard when I challenge the bill.

 

This kind of nonsense is why it is doubtful I will use NCL again. Too bad, cause I was looking at the Star in April and Hawaii again in December.

[newmexicoNita]

first of all you are very smart not to pay in cash, it is always better to put these things on a Credit Card, especially when there is or could be a dispute about the charges. Keep us informed as to the outcome. I hate to see you write NCL off because of this as you have said the other couples got there OBC. Obviously yours is one that seemed to slip between the cracks. Would you have chosen to go out of Houston if there had not been a compensation given? I think that is a question you need to ask yourself. If it were me, I would be as upset as you are and might react the same way, but I still think you need to think the entire scenero through. Again, keep us informed. I will be anxious to see about my clients who are now on the Sun. I had others that cruised her a couple of weeks ago and no trouble with the OBC.

 

Nmnita

[cod]

Thanks for your review Toysrme. We will be on the Sun a week from Sunday so I am taking in all comments regarding her.

 

I've seen one or two other posts from folks who did not get their obc. I will be as upset as you were/are if ours 'falls thru the crack' as yours did. We booked in January too. I was planning to bring a copy of our our confirmation with the January deposit date and a notation from our TA that we are entitled to 1) a latitudes sailing obc of $50 each & 2) a moved sailing obc of $50 each. Doesn't look like it will do me much good but I can wave it anyway!

 

What I can't understand is why these NCL employees can't use a little diplomacy. You are obviously entitled to it so why can't they acknowledge that, apologize for the mix-up and, if unable to correct it immediately, at least have a procedure in place to start the ball rolling. Instead, they invaribly get on a high-horse and give you a # to call so that you can really stew while on hold for hours! Who's teaching them 'customer relations' anyway!? Just MHO.

 

Yes, I am using my NCL credit card (nothing else on for now and won't be) and if I have a problem I am sending MBNA all my 'proof' and will them sort it out.

 

Good luck Toysrme. Let us know how it turns out.

[toysrme]

first of all you are very smart not to pay in cash, it is always better to put these things on a Credit Card, especially when there is or could be a dispute about the charges. Keep us informed as to the outcome. I hate to see you write NCL off because of this as you have said the other couples got there OBC. Obviously yours is one that seemed to slip between the cracks. Would you have chosen to go out of Houston if there had not been a compensation given? I think that is a question you need to ask yourself. If it were me, I would be as upset as you are and might react the same way, but I still think you need to think the entire scenero through. Again, keep us informed. I will be anxious to see about my clients who are now on the Sun. I had others that cruised her a couple of weeks ago and no trouble with the OBC.

 

Nmnita

 

The short answer is NO, we would not have chosen to go without the credit. The two couples who cruised with us were going to drive to NOLA but we had decided to fly. The additional cost for them to fly was $460 per couple, less for us. The OBC was a way to help offset this additional cost. Oddly enough they got the credit, so it worked for them.

[WaldosPepper]

toysrme,

 

Thanks for sharing your review. I enjoyed reading all of it, and appreciate all the detail!

 

I'm sorry your OBC situation is all fouled up, and sure hope that you are able to get this situation resolved quickly.

 

I can certainly understand how upsetting a situation like this is, particularly since it all started as a result of having to change ports, etc, which starts the vacation off in a stressful way. That said, I still hope that over time you'll consider giving NCL another try, and have a much better experience.

 

Whatever you choose, I truly hope your next vacation is completely stress-free, and thoroughly enjoyable!

 

Thanks again for such a detailed review.

[cod]

I agree about the extra cost sailing from Houston. We live less than an hour from NO. Our daughter was going to drive us and she or another daughter planned to pick us up. Less gas (for us), no parking fee, and no over night motel..all of which are now in our plans! A $100 obc doesn't come close to off-setting all that but eases the pain a little. To not get it is very maddening and very thoughtless of NCL.

 

If I had to guess, this is the type of thing that loses more future cruisers for NCL than anything else!

[newmexicoNita]

The short answer is NO, we would not have chosen to go without the credit. The two couples who cruised with us were going to drive to NOLA but we had decided to fly. The additional cost for them to fly was $460 per couple, less for us. The OBC was a way to help offset this additional cost. Oddly enough they got the credit, so it worked for them.

thanks for responding, I was only asking to see how much difference it made and obviously it made quite a bit of difference. Believe I do understand your feelings: twice we have booked packages at hotels that were not honored in the way we had interprited them at the time of booking. In one case and it had to do with attitude we never returned to that hotel: the other time we accepted what we were given and have stayed at the hotel again, but still remember the experience. NMnita

[travelmoxie]

ToysRMe;

 

I was on the Sun the same week as you were. I have to tell you I agree with 90% of your opinions. Coffee was weirdly strong - I thought maybe it was an American thing (I am Canadian - no offense intended). I'll take my Tim Horton's anytime over anything I tasted on the ship.

 

I've never been thrilled with any of the entertainment on the ships I've been on. You've seen one, you've seen them all pretty much.

 

I also agree with the strange layout of the ship - it was difficult to get anywhere on deck 11 without trapsing through either a buffet or restaurant. The fitness room is pretty good - no universal machines however.

 

We had no problem with the onboard credit - there was a letter waiting for us on arrival in our cabin.

 

All in all, I was well satisfied with my cruise. I had no problems with anything all week. We had a balcony cabin on BA - first time with a balcony (I think the saying about once you've had a balcony, you'll never go back to an inside cabin is true). We did one excursion in Belize - tubecaving.com which was outstanding.

 

Felt the drink prices were a little steep - $8 for the drink and take-home cup and a real bargoon at $7 if you got a refill, but I think that is pretty standard across the cruiseline board (so to speak).

 

If I can be of any other assistance let me know.