Your feedback on Norwegian Sun to Alaska

[Vanina]

Hi,

we are planning to take a cruise for the first time to Alaska on Aug 17 on the Norwegian Sun.

We'd love to have some feedback from all you experts and frequent cruisers here if you have had any good or bad experiences on this cruise ship.

We're trying to decide between a cabin with a balcony and a cabin with a view. Does it make a lot of difference? :confused: Decisions ... Decisions...

I am a vegetarian. Does anyone know if there are good food options for vegetarians in the restaurants on this ship?

Thanks and Happy Cruising.:)

[plumie]

I can't tell you about the food, but I loved the Sun. I went in June of 2006, and the ship was really, really clean. The crew was fantastic, everyone seemed to be really happy to be there and were all super helpful. With regards to a balcony though - I think it's essential to have one when cruising Alaska - there's nothing better than standing on your own balcony with your mug of coffee while cruising past the most beautiful scenery you'll ever see with icebergs floating by. I had an AD penthouse with a balcony on the stern, and although it was windy, I loved it anyway. Either way, you'll have a fabulous time - good luck! :)

[InTheCruisingYearsOfLife]

Hi,

we are planning to take a cruise for the first time to Alaska on Aug 17 on the Norwegian Sun.

We'd love to have some feedback from all you experts and frequent cruisers here if you have had any good or bad experiences on this cruise ship.

We're trying to decide between a cabin with a balcony and a cabin with a view. Does it make a lot of difference? :confused: Decisions ... Decisions...

I am a vegetarian. Does anyone know if there are good food options for vegetarians in the restaurants on this ship?

Thanks and Happy Cruising.:)

 

There's one category AE mini-suite left for that date, room 0267, right on the ship's rump. We had 0067, the one next door. If you can afford the splurge, it's really nice sailing. The view can't be beat from there, and the sound of the ship's wake is so soothing.

 

As "experienced cruiser" goes, my wife and I have just done the one. But from my perspective, we did it right. It was a great trip. Do what you can afford, though.

 

I'm pretty sure there were vegetarian selections. You should be able to prowl around and find the menus somewhere.

 

By the way, whatever you decide to book, I think the next step in the fuel surcharge hits on May 1st. I don't know what other pricing changes might be afoot, but that particular one represents a $28 bump if there are two of you.

[Vanina]

I can't tell you about the food, but I loved the Sun. I went in June of 2006, and the ship was really, really clean. The crew was fantastic, everyone seemed to be really happy to be there and were all super helpful. With regards to a balcony though - I think it's essential to have one when cruising Alaska - there's nothing better than standing on your own balcony with your mug of coffee while cruising past the most beautiful scenery you'll ever see with icebergs floating by. I had an AD penthouse with a balcony on the stern, and although it was windy, I loved it anyway. Either way, you'll have a fabulous time - good luck! :)

 

Thanks. I think we will splurge on that cabin with a balcony.

I have another question: Did you take any excusions on your trip? Any worth recommending? Or did you just do the places where they stopped on your own?

Thanks again. Cheers

[Carnac767]

We really liked the Sun. Definitely get a balcony if you can.

[CC Help Michell]

Thanks. I think we will splurge on that cabin with a balcony.

I have another question: Did you take any excusions on your trip? Any worth recommending? Or did you just do the places where they stopped on your own?

Thanks again. Cheers

 

 

The Sun sails a Tracy Fjord itinerary to Sawyer Glacier(s) -- North and South, maybe if conditions permit. The concensus on the Alaska Ports of Call board here at CC (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55) is that NCL (and no other cruiseline) offers an optional jetboat excursion to these glaciers that gets you much closer than the cruisehip can, and is worth it. I haven't done that, but if you think you might be interested, that's one to book in advance.

 

Additionally, if you visit the above link to the Alaska board, you'll find one of the most knowledgeable, least contentious, helpful communities here at CC (along with Hawaii, Europe, and a few others). Again, the concensus is that you should book excursions in advance, whether via ship or independent, to be sure that what you really want to do is available.

 

Welcome to CC, and have fun planning your Alaska trip!

[plumie]

I did the Misty Fjords cruise - and I really wish I wasn't so cheap and had sprung for the plane. The ride to the Fjords was just too long (I think 2-3 hours each way), but the scenery was still amazing. I don't regret going, because even with the long boat ride, it was worth it. What I did sign up for but couldn't go on was the helicopter ride and dogsled - we signed up for the one in Juneau and the weather just didn't permit it. However, what you could do is just sign up for a helicopter ride to see the glacier from a different perspective. We managed to travel to Mendenhall glacier and really wished we could see it from the air.

The White Pass train in Skagway is a must do - once again, the scenery is just awesome. We did the excursion thru NCL with the salmon bake (sounds cheesy, but was fun), a show and gold panning, and visited the Red Onion Saloon, what was once a real brothel. I could have done without the Red Onion or the gold panning, but I enjoyed the train ride and the salmon bake. (they have fabulous cornbread and if I remember correctly, did have some vegetarian offerings). Just remember, if you take the bus up to meet the train, sit on the left side when you get on the train for the best views.

[InTheCruisingYearsOfLife]

The concensus on the Alaska Ports of Call board here at CC (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55) is that NCL (and no other cruiseline) offers an optional jetboat excursion to these glaciers that gets you much closer than the cruisehip can, and is worth it. I haven't done that, but if you think you might be interested, that's one to book in advance.

 

We did that jet boat up the Tracy Arm. You hop the jet boat and it takes you up close and personal to both arms of the glacier. You see tons of wildlife, get right up to the spray of incredible water falls, and get pretty close to the calving glaciers. Eventually, the cruise ship lumbers up to the same area and you rejoin the ship, but they don't get any closer than the intersection of the two arms, about a mile away from the glacier. By all means, do this excursion. It is THE highlight of the trip.

 

 

We booked the jet boat up the Misty Fjords, too, out of Ketchikan. But unfortunately, the day we got there, one of the four engines was defunct, and they weren't going to be able to pull off the gig in the alloted time. They didn't even entertain the notion because the particular engine that was awol was the one that also operated the pump for the head.

 

 

In Skagway, we did the White Pass rail ride up several miles, and then hopped off and rode bicycles back down into Skagway. This was a must-do for me, as I had last been on that rail when I was seven years old. The scenery is marvelous, and though taking a motorcoach up the highway would be cheaper, there's just something about that rail line.

 

Do the excursions. You won't be sorry.