Review Sun Alaska 8/22 - part 1

[shoreguy]

I just wanted to share some random thoughts/information about the Sun based on my cruise 8/22-8/29

 

Overall – Another very good cruise on the Sun. It remains IMHO one of the best run ships in the NCL fleet. A couple of bumps along they way that I will cover below but in general the crew, the service, the ship, and the trip was great.

 

Embarkation – The easiest yet – Arrived at Vancouver Airport at 10:30 AM and we were in our cabin by 12:15. Cleared Customs and still had a 15 minute wait for the bags. Exited the airport at 11:30. Cab to the pier, handed bags to the porters, no line at security or check in. We had VIP check in but there were no lines for Latitudes or regular check in. My other son arrived at 3:30 on the NCL bus and all but walked on as well.

 

8202 the AD Suite – no complaints. The balcony was huge and could be used even at sea (if you did not mind getting wet when it rained). I was concerned it would be too windy but except for a few hours it was almost wind free. The Bath/Dressing area was larger then some of the cabins I have cruised in. One minor point since the closet and most of the storage is in fact in the bathroom you need to plan ahead.

 

The Food – In general it was very good if you could figure out what it was. It seemed to me and more so to my sons that they have gotten carried away in naming and describing the dishes in the main and specialty restaurants. Once you got it food was better in most cases then described.

 

The buffet is the “Buffet” but they have done some things to make it better. The main area is small and can get congested. According to the Captain in Alaska for some reason almost nobody eats breakfast or lunch in the main dinning room compounding a potential problem. To solve this they supplement the 2 inside and 2 outside buffet lines by using Las Ramblas for soup and sandwich (very good made to order on fresh baked rolls) and Pacific Heights for fresh Pasta and fresh backed pizza.

 

Even with this added space seating at breakfast can be a challenge with some passengers settling in for the day at the window tables books in hand.

 

Some of the lunch/breakfast choices were “interesting” in the main buffet. Baked beans for breakfast ? One day lunch was fish stew and turkey kabobs. I took pictures. But with all the other locations and stations you can always find good food.

 

Service in the main dinning rooms was very good with one exception. Service at the Bistro and Il Adagio was excellent as always. We had one server in Seven Seas that made my comment card. Less then friendly and used the “no” word. My son wanted an extra rack of lamb added to his plate and was told “no”. If you eat first one I bring another dinner. I had a brief conversation with the head waiter and dinner arrived as ordered without a smile.

 

I will add comments on Bar Service, Shore excursions, and disembarkation in part 2.

[shoreguy]

Bar Service – As posted before most of the bar staff was let go in the middle of a cruise at Juneau last month. Nobody will say why but “it was not good”. The bar service is fine. Fully staffed and ready to take your card. It was clear that many were new to the job carefully measuring each drink. I can assure you there were no over pours at most of the bars. Order a drink get 1 measured shot. Order a 10 oz Grey Goose Martini for 10.50 plus tip and watch the bartender pour two less then full shot glasses in the shaker of watery ice not priceless. I did find a few veterans that poured a good martini.

 

Latitudes Discount – unlike prior cruises the 20% discount was restricted to limited hours at the Observation Lounge.

 

Shore Excursions – We booked all thru NCL this trip online prior to departing. All the tickets were in our cabin and correct when we boarded the ship.

 

Sport fishing in Ketchikan – First tender off direct to the dock were boats were waiting. Onboard and off on our fishing trip in less then a half hour. We caught 6 Salmon, four varieties.

 

Tracy Arm Excursion – The best excursion of the cruise (last trip of the season). The boat was boarded from the ship. We headed out about a half hour ahead of the Sun. Stopped to watch 6 humpbacks on our way south (better luck then the whale watching tours). The ice was very heavy but we made far enough to view Sawyer Glacier. The Sun did not get close enough. We re-boarded the ship around 6 PM in Tracy Arm.

 

White Pass RR – glad we booked the 4:30 pm trip as Skagway was fogged in most of the day. The trip up was very interesting with great views. The trip down a repeat. Combining this with another tour would make a lot of sense. Train up, tour, bus down.

 

Jeep Explorer, Wrangell – Not worth the $. Listed as 3.5 hours but only 2.5 hours. Got a letter in the cabin explaining that and asking if wanted to cancel. We didn’t but should have. 3 tickets at $119 is an expensive 2.5 hour rental of a jeep. We did not see “wilderness” but drove 15 miles down and 15 miles back on the main road. We spent time on a logging road passing area after area of clear cut forest. They did stop for pictures three times but you could get out of the jeep except at the last stop which had the worst views. You could have a Taxi do the same tour or do it in a rental car. No real off road. Wrote up a negative feedback form but got no response.

 

Disembarkation – just about as easy as embarkation. We did not use the VIP service since our flight was not until 1 pm. No line getting off the ship at 9am, grabbed the bags, cleared customes and headed for the Taxi line. It looked long but was well run with many cabs loading at one time. Took about 10 minutes to get a cab. FYI no more $10 airport fee to get out of Canada. Cleared US customs and spent a few hours in an airport full of cruise passengers.

[Casshew]

Beans at Breakfast... they do that for the British.

 

My hubby is English and thats what they eat with their fried eggs & sausage, a big spoonfull of brown beans... also beans on toast is another favorite

 

Glad you had a nice time with your sons!

[SRUTKO1226]

Thanks for your review. Welcome home!

[shoreguy]

Beans at Breakfast... they do that for the British.

 

My hubby is English and thats what they eat with their fried eggs & sausage, a big spoonfull of brown beans... also beans on toast is another favorite

 

Glad you had a nice time with your sons!

 

Thanks

 

I was amazed when I saw a number of passengers enjoying a plate of beans for breakfast. Something for everyone. Saw a second hand POA review where they used the beans as an example that the ship ran out of food. Go figure.

 

All in All we had a great time. Even the Jeep excursion ! It was so bad we laughed until it hurt while we tried to hit every pothole in effort to get "the wilderness off road adventure" feel :D

 

One last thought - Yes, I would cruise the Sun again

[TheNightDawg]

Hi Shoreguy~

I will be on the Sun for its repositioning from LA to MIA thru Canal Oct 1st. I have been on several NCL ships, but first time on this one. Thanks for the handy information. Any "don't miss" or "you might wanna forget" tips for around the ship? Who was the Cruz Dir on the SUN?

 

Thanks-

Frank

[shoreguy]

Hi Shoreguy~

I will be on the Sun for its repositioning from LA to MIA thru Canal Oct 1st. I have been on several NCL ships, but first time on this one. Thanks for the handy information. Any "don't miss" or "you might wanna forget" tips for around the ship? Who was the Cruz Dir on the SUN?

 

Thanks-

Frank

 

 

nightdawg

 

Linda Minnikin is the Cruz Dir. I really did not see much of her so I can't comment on how good she is. One thing I found with the AD we spent a lot more of our onboard time in the cabin. We ate dinner after nine and missed most of the shows.

 

As always at least one dinner in the Bistro is a must do. Late aftrnoon Tapis in Las Ramblas is great time to grab a glass of wine and snack - never crowded.

[LROBIN]

Shoreguy,

 

Appreciate the more than timely information. Glad you had a great trip and that you enjoyed yourself.

 

Just upgraded to AA 1203 from AC 0065. Hopefully my family will be presently surprised, I haven't told them about our accommodations except that the room has a window.

 

Definitely getting excited after reading yours and Casshew's reviews.

 

LRobin

[shoreguy]

Shoreguy,

 

Appreciate the more than timely information. Glad you had a great trip and that you enjoyed yourself.

 

Just upgraded to AA 1203 from AC 0065. Hopefully my family will be presently surprised, I haven't told them about our accommodations except that the room has a window.

 

Definitely getting excited after reading yours and Casshew's reviews.

 

LRobin

 

You will love your suites. Claudio Schulze will be the Concierge he was very helpful. Last week was his first week on the Sun. Their are two bulters but we only saw Henry. He did a nice job as well. I hosted the other CC members in our suite the first sea day and Henry set things up made sure we had enough food and beverage.

[richtersl]

I'm going on the Sun again in November and it sounds as though it's going to be every bit as nice as the first time I went. Thanks for the report on the AD suite -- we're going to be staying in 8002.

Even with this added space seating at breakfast can be a challenge with some passengers settling in for the day at the window tables books in hand.

What most folks don't realize is that they can "hunker down" in the Observation Lounge during the day. When I was on the Sun I observed that it was empty during the day and it looked like a good place to curl up with a book. If folks took advantage of these other locations, it would free up tables & chairs in the eating areas.

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip. Hope you enjoyed the bottle of bubbly left behind for you from Casshew.

[jojo48]

Thanks for the review - we are really looking forward to our 1st trip on the Sun on 10/16. Also have an AD. Was thinking of trying to upgrade, but based on your review and Casshew's, I think we'll stay put! We're in 9201! Got our docs on Saturday - so I know we're getting close.

 

Welcome home - glad you enjoyed the trip!

[shoreguy]

I'm going on the Sun again in November and it sounds as though it's going to be every bit as nice as the first time I went. Thanks for the report on the AD suite -- we're going to be staying in 8002.

What most folks don't realize is that they can "hunker down" in the Observation Lounge during the day. When I was on the Sun I observed that it was empty during the day and it looked like a good place to curl up with a book. If folks took advantage of these other locations, it would free up tables & chairs in the eating areas.

Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip. Hope you enjoyed the bottle of bubbly left behind for you from Casshew

.

 

The Observation Lounge as usual was almost empty most days unless they were having an event there. The pressure on the buffet/Pacific Hieghts space is unique to Alaska. Think of all those passengers that fill the poolside lounges looking for a place to spend the morning.

 

I took a funny picture of the pool area. Every chair was empty but there on two chairs were towels reserving somebodies selected spot.

 

I meet folks the last sea day that did not even know where the Observation Lounge was. If you are not looking for it you will not stumble across it.

 

I mentioned before limited discounts for Latitudes in the Observation Lounge. On past cruises it was every day on all drinks. This trip it was 20% only for well drinks, wine, or beer on Wed & Sat from 5pm to 8 pm. No 2 for 1 in any bar anytime. No big deal but one more sign that there has been a major change in the bar service area.

 

We all enjoyed the bottle of bubbly left behind by Casshew. I served it at the cc gathering.

[snorklinbarb]

Hi Shoreguy!

Thanks for posting your review. Makes the 2+ week wait until we get on the Sun just a little sweeter. We're on the 9/19 last cruise of the year so it could be an interesting weather experience.:eek: I was all excited about your "Tracey Arm experience" until I read that you were on the last one of the season.:(

 

You said you missed most of the shows, but could you comment on any of the entertainment you did see? If you have your Dailies handy, could you tell us who the various acts/singers/ were? Of course, I realize things could still change in the next couple of weeks.

 

Also, do you have the name of the Hotel Dir.? Would the Ramblas be a nice spot for our CC mtg? We are planning to meet after sailaway as that seems to be our group's wishes and that seemed like a pleasant area for a drink and a few tapas. (Not expecting Salsas like the Dawn though).

 

It's our first time on the Sun and I know how highly you regard this ship. Can't wait!

 

Congrats on winning the blackjack tournament! Thanks for your tip a couple of months back about the Players Club. We both registered after reading your thread! Now let's hope the casino gods look down on us!:D

 

Welcome home and you've got a lot of POA reading to catch up on!!;)

[shoreguy]

snorklin'barb

 

Las Ramblas would be a great place to meet. It is small, out of the way, and should be easy for everyone to find each other.

 

I do have the Freestyle Daily for each day at home and will post some of the entertainers later. Michael Klieverik is the HD.

 

Now the bad news - The sun is not wired for the Players Card yet :mad: They will rate you but you do not accumulate points on your account.

[brunolvr]

Shoreguy, great review. Are you going to be posting some pictures?

[carolannmc]

We are back from our first cruise so I thought I would add a few thoughts to Shoreguys comments.

We have nothing to compare it to but for sure this will NOT be our last cruise.

We had a wonderful time and it was worth every penny! I'm sure I've gained 5 lbs. from eating, eating and more eating! We had no complaints about the food, as there were so many choices of places to dine.

I loved the fact that I could be comfortable in my jeans and not have to dress up, except of course, no jeans for dinners.

We didn't take in the shows but only because we had a balcony cabin and spent so much time enjoying the scenery. The best part of all was thru the Tracy Arm. We were disappointed that we couldn't get to the glacier, but it was understandable. Glad they didn't risk our lives for that!

We went on 3 excursions. In Ketchikan we did a Heritage Village Bus tour and we had the greatest tour guide ever. Her name was Pebbles and she was a sweety. You could tell she loved doing her job and made it so pleasant and educational for us. In Juneau we went whale watching with Tom and got to see 4 humpback whales, sea lions, seals, and eagles. Definetly worthwhile. In Skagway, we went on the Rail but unfortunatly was very foggy and missed alot. My suggestion is to go later in the day as Jim did. Also they should slow down so that picture taking is easier.

We walked to a beach in Wrangell and just explored the beach and the rocks. It poured on our way there, but when we got to the beach it stopped raining and then as we stepped back on the gangway it started to rain again. We were very lucky, but we were dressed for the rain, so it didn't matter.

We loved our cabin. We had an Aft stateroom and the balcony sort of wrapped around to the back so you were able to see beside you and behind.

The service was impeccable! No complaints here!

It was great to meet Jim and his boys and PC MOm and her family. I hope they had as wonderful a trip as we did.

:D We had a "little" incident on our way home. We left Vancouver airport at 3 pm. to fly to Edmonton then on to Toronto. We were 10 min. into the air, when the pilot came on and told us we had to return to the airport because they had a hydraulic problem. When we were landing he told us not panic when we saw all the safety vehicles. Then he told us that we lost the steering because of the hydraulics and had to be towed to the gate. I asked my husband if he saw his life flash before him! Of course, by then we've missed our connection, so we had to stay in the airport till 9 pm. to fly to Calgary and then on to Toronto and got in at 6:30 in the morning. I guess it just wasn't our time, thank heavens. I don't think I want to be on a plane for a while now!

[shoreguy]

I have posted a few of the 700+ photos on Webshots. The CC grop on the balcony of 8202, some interesting shots of the Sun, and the whales on the The Tracy Arm Excursion.

 

more to come

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/jimalaska

[ute_fan]

Nice pictures Jim. Just curious, when you saw the whales were you already in Tracy Arm fjord, or was it before you got there?

 

Also, were there lots of seals up near the glacier? When we were there, the icebergs were covered with seals. Couldn't tell from your pictures if there were any there.

[shoreguy]

Nice pictures Jim. Just curious, when you saw the whales were you already in Tracy Arm fjord, or was it before you got there?

 

Also, were there lots of seals up near the glacier? When we were there, the icebergs were covered with seals. Couldn't tell from your pictures if there were any there.

 

The whales were about halfway down to Tracy Arm. A real surprise to the Captain. He saw one so we stopped and the next thing you knew there were 6 . We did not get close enoung to the base to see any seals. We did see mountain goats. I have pictures of the white dots :)

[ute_fan]

We saw 3 humpbacks on the way down to Tracy Arm, but they were before we ended the actual fjord. We stopped and idled for about 15 minutes 2 different times to watch them. They are fascinating creatures!

 

Next question -- did you get to both North & South Sawyer? I'd read from other postings that the Sun hadn't been getting to the glacier because of the ice. Just wondered what the catamaran was able to do.

[shoreguy]

We saw 3 humpbacks on the way down to Tracy Arm, but they were before we ended the actual fjord. We stopped and idled for about 15 minutes 2 different times to watch them. They are fascinating creatures!

 

Next question -- did you get to both North & South Sawyer? I'd read from other postings that the Sun hadn't been getting to the glacier because of the ice. Just wondered what the catamaran was able to do.

 

South only - and not that close. We got to where the ship normaly goes. As you can see we never got far past that last island.

[sbcs5390]

The thing about the lamb-- we were told that NCL does not allow the waiters to alter the presentation of the food. If the entrees are precooked, there may not be time to get a chef to special make a double. That may have been the intention, to bring a 2nd whole dinner after, but I'm not sure.

 

Glad to see you had a nice time!

 

-Brian

[yellownovawife]

NIce pic, Shoreguy. I think I can see Steve and I out on our balcony taking pics of you!

[sbcs5390]

Do you have a yellow Nova? My dad has an '86 Grey hatchback Nova. :)

 

-Brian

[yellownovawife]

My DH has a '69 Nova. It's plate reads TOY4STEV. (It is yellow!)