HELP,HELP. iMPULSE BOOKING (Sort of)

[Ships R Great]

My granddaughter is flying to FL from CA in August.  I thought it would be a nice  idea to take her and my daughter to Cuba for a "girls trip".  The only time frame that suited was Norwegian Sun out of Port Canaveral on August 24.  I booked it yesterday...impulse, remember?  Now I wonder if I made a mistake. The reviews I have read are horrible!  I need some positive reinforcement, if anyone can give it.

[purpleally]

You’re on a cruise. With your daughter. And your granddaughter. It will be fun. 

[dexddd]

Well, it will be only three or four days, right?

[cruisencrazy]

We did this cruise a while ago. It was great. One tip...you are lead to believe you need to book tours through ncl but that is incorrect. Also you can go into town and walk around, it was very safe. Take candy for the kids and newspapers and magazines for the adults. Enjoy!

[newmexicoNita]

1 hour ago, Ships R Great said:

My granddaughter is flying to FL from CA in August.  I thought it would be a nice  idea to take her and my daughter to Cuba for a "girls trip".  The only time frame that suited was Norwegian Sun out of Port Canaveral on August 24.  I booked it yesterday...impulse, remember?  Now I wonder if I made a mistake. The reviews I have read are horrible!  I need some positive reinforcement, if anyone can give it.

First of all, I doubt all the reviews have been terrible I have read some good ones as well. Don't pay too much attention on the negatives, pay more attention to the positives. It is human nature to let everyone who will listen to know if you had a horrible time as we always expect things to run smoothly. When things do go well, we sometimes just take it for granted and don't take time to do a positive review. My advise though and this has nothing to do with the Sun, which is one of my favorite ships, is going to Cuba is a very different experience than some cruises. Go, enjoy, spend valuable time with your family and don't fret over a few negatives you may have read. 

[noelea626]

I have had this same experience with negative reviews. My first cruise will be on the Encore and this is a new ship, so, the review of it will be my own. The second cruise we are taking will be on the Gem. I have heard so many negative reviews, however, my Aunt has been on the Gem twice and she said she has never encountered a problem. I will go with that review from a family member who has an eyewitness account of the daily day on the Gem. My mom set up this cruise and the next one as an impulse also. I cannot wait and your family will have fun too. 

[debgreg]

Cuba is fantastic, us Brits have been going for years

[FredZiffle]

We did this same cruise in October.  I can't think of a single negative, other than a 5 day cruise is too short for me.

[trish1c]

People have a tendency to post when they are annoyed but not when they are happy.  I have read negative reviews of cruises I was on.  They make me laugh. It's a vacation.  No matter what it's not that bad.  We took one 7 day cruise which started with flights our TA never booked; no heat in the hotel even though it snowed in Miami (yes you read that correctly) where it rained all 7 days & the cruise high temperature was 70; mostly in the 50s.  We still had a blast.  Take all negative reviews with a grain of salt, preferably around the rim of a margarita glass & enjoy your time with your granddaughter.  

[JamieLogical]

The Sun looks lovely post dry-dock. I would sail on it in a heartbeat, but I feel like a 5-Day cruise is just too short for me! I think you will have a wonderful time! Are you stopping in Great Stirrup Cay as well? I stopped on GSC for my first time on the Escape last month and the Sun was anchored there as well. We spent the entire day chatting with a lovely couple who was sailing on the Sun and they seemed to be having a fantastic time.

 

Here's a photo of both ships from our table outside the Bacardi bar on GSC:

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by JamieLogical

[browniegirl]

The Sun is one of my favourite ships, I love that she is older and we had the best time on her!!!  Cuba would be cool to see from a ship lol.... all the luxuries and food and yet you get to go explore a bit.  Like the others have said, have a fabulous time and ignore all the negative stuff, make it fabulous!!!!!!

[Ships R Great]

Well, you have all made me feel better.  Sleeping on it helped, too.  Also got a handicapped cabin right near Customer relations.  All seems better today.  Thanks for the god words.

[graphicguy]

I think the same has been said about all cruise lines.  The complainers will always be more vocal than those who had a wonderful time.

 

While I haven't been on the Sun, I have sailed the Epic, both "Away" ships, the GEM and most recently, the Escape.  That runs the gamut of medium sized ship all the way to "mega-ship".  NCL does indeed take very good care of their ships.  They are always spotless.  While some furnishings might be a bit behind the times, their function and cleanliness are all top notch.

 

As others have said, you're with your family.  I'm betting you'll have a wonderful cruise.  You'll come back and think "why did I worry?"

[rmurray847]

2 hours ago, Ships R Great said:

Well, you have all made me feel better.  Sleeping on it helped, too.  Also got a handicapped cabin right near Customer relations.  All seems better today.  Thanks for the god words.

Good!  Every cruise we've been on, we enjoyed, and we enjoyed the ships too.  EVERY one.  And yet, when I read some of the reviews...my goodness, it sounds like the ship was the Black Hole of Calcutta!  I find in many cases, those who had a bad time will write page after page of vitriol to purge themselves, and the folks who had a great time often just say:  "It was a great cruise.  So much fun.  Would go again in a heartbeat!"  and that's it.  (Always exceptions to both, of course).  So I tell myself that it's highly unlikely the cruise lines would allow the experience on any of their ships to be akin to a Soviet-era gulag.  Yes, sometimes a certain person might not be the friendliest, or a line might get long, or a tender is chaotic...but really, the overall experience and what these hard-working folks manage to pull off is amazing.  I do feel bad for the folks whose expectations are apparently at unrealistic levels and are unable to emotional accommodate any shortfall.

[Ships R Great]

Okay, Murray I have been restored to my usual optimistic self.  I guess yesterday was a bad day!  I am looking forward to this cruise and spending alone time with "the girls".  I even had a pleasant surprise earlier.  I thought my passport had expired but it is good for another two years.  My husband and I cruised 66 times between 2000 and 2016.  Since he is gone I don't enjoy it much.  BUT...I plan to enjoy this short get-away.  Power to the people, baby!

[newmexicoNita]

18 hours ago, rmurray847 said:

Good!  Every cruise we've been on, we enjoyed, and we enjoyed the ships too.  EVERY one.  And yet, when I read some of the reviews...my goodness, it sounds like the ship was the Black Hole of Calcutta!  I find in many cases, those who had a bad time will write page after page of vitriol to purge themselves, and the folks who had a great time often just say:  "It was a great cruise.  So much fun.  Would go again in a heartbeat!"  and that's it.  (Always exceptions to both, of course).  So I tell myself that it's highly unlikely the cruise lines would allow the experience on any of their ships to be akin to a Soviet-era gulag.  Yes, sometimes a certain person might not be the friendliest, or a line might get long, or a tender is chaotic...but really, the overall experience and what these hard-working folks manage to pull off is amazing.  I do feel bad for the folks whose expectations are apparently at unrealistic levels and are unable to emotional accommodate any shortfall.

Not to mention quite often those who have only negative things to say about a ship or a line have a favorite line they are pushing. I have seen this over and over. I am not saying everyone posts negatives just to scare people away but many of them do. If you read other posts the particular poster or reviewer have posted you see a picture. I can think of a few who post her periodically.  

[bluesea777]

You’ll have a fantastic time!!

 

Only negative thing is you need to bring your own hair dryer as the ones on the Sun are the box types with hose in the bathroom - horrible and difficult to dry style your hair.

 

Other than that the ship is great. We have been on her 3 times.

 

[OzCanuck]

On 5/10/2019 at 6:26 AM, cruisencrazy said:

Take candy for the kids  

 

And please don’t do this. Imagine a bunch of cruise ship guests giving candy to your kids in your hometown. A bit weird?

[cruisencrazy]

28 minutes ago, OzCanuck said:

 

And please don’t do this. Imagine a bunch of cruise ship guests giving candy to your kids in your hometown. A bit weird?

I take it you haven’t been there. We walked our candy to the school and they could not have been more excited. They specifically asked for Tourists to bring those things. Giving those kids a treat was a hi light of our trip. 

[OzCanuck]

4 minutes ago, cruisencrazy said:

I take it you haven’t been there. We walked our candy to the school and they could not have been more excited. They specifically asked for Tourists to bring those things. Giving those kids a treat was a hi light of our trip. 

 

I have been many places where tourists have been specifically asked to not bring candy. Glad it was a hi lite of your trip. Obesity and tooth decay will be a hi lite of their childhood I am sure. 

[Ships R Great]

Where can I find a list of real do's and don't's for visiting Havana?  There are so many posts.  I need a definitive list.  I operate better with specific.  Help,me please!