tulch

Do any recent cruisers on the Sun recall who is currently the ship's Hotel Director? Thank you!

Hi! I'm wondering if there are any recent changes for the NCL Sun.

In particular, I am wondering if Sunar Sarper is back as HD; and who F&B Director is these days. Thanks!

To the OP (and other responders), thank you for posting your review. It is unfortunate although not surprising, that posting negatives on an NCL board would draw out some defensive responses.

We started cruising on HAL. It was recommended to us by a multi-millionaire friend whose family always took HAL, including a "world" cruise every year. We hated it. We switched to RCL which was wonderful. We next tried NCL, which we felt was just as good but less expensive. We tried the CCL Splendor and Dream soon after they were launched. Again, wonderful!

We've found things we like and things we don't on almost every cruise. But we've become die-hard NCL fans because of their crews. The staff we've encountered on every NCL ship seem to "make" the cruise for us.

This will be our first trip on the Sun (three b2b's in January). (We tend toward slightly newer/larger Dawn- and Jewel-class.) We appreciate knowing what's not to be missed and the "skip it if you can" items. That's why these honest reviews really help out even those of us who think NCL cannot be beat. Thank you again for taking the time to post.

It is up to Immigration & Customs on whether you need to get off of the ship. We've done b2b's where we waited in guest services area while our passports were reviewed; and others where we disembarked. The decision of how the ship is cleared is determined each day. Part of the decision may be a random-generated decision sent to the local port that morning; or may be a decision based on that port looking for something or someone special. The ship will be advised regarding clearing when it arrives -- whether passengers must disembark; whether crew must disembark; whether they will bring Customs agents and/or dogs aboard. Either way, NCL tries to make the process as painless as possible for its guests.

My best advice is to call the properties in which you are interested and ask. An important criterion in our choice of Tampa hotel this year is they have not problem with our leaving our car for 21 days (three b2bs!). They also are a bit off of the beaten path and I feel better about leaving my car there than other areas of Tampa.

Hi! I'm wondering if anyone knows who will be the Hotel Director aboard the Sun in January 2015. We have some favorites (Kaj, Sarper and yes, Yannis!) and would be delighted to sail with one of them again.

If you look at the print-outs of the itineraries available on board the ship with care, you may notice several discrepencies. For example, the same ship may be listed with two different itineraries at the same time. I've been told that the ship print outs are copied manually and the ship Cruise Consultants often submit corrections for future printings.

I would go by what NCL posts online. If in doubt, call and ask. Incidentally, Costa Maya is our all-time favorite port.

Leah was our concierge two years ago on the NCL Star. We thought she was wonderful!

For what it's worth: We took the Dawn on this same itinerary last year. New passengers (including some of the entertainers) were boarded as Cozumel then, as well. That did not seem to affect embarkation or disembarkation at all.

Also, last year: One of our party forgot his passport at home. He did have a scan of it, as well as driver's license and other picture ID on him. He was told by NCL at the pier that he would not be able to board unless he could find someone to FAX a copy of his passport to the NCL registration desk at the pier in Tampa. Why they would accept a FAX but not a scan on the screen of his computer (which he took with and could have printed off the scan) was never explained.

Fortunately, his Dad ran over to his apartment and was able to send the fax, just in the knick of time. (We were the last ones boarded.)

Now, I was under the impression that you could provide a copy of a birth certificate along with a gov't issued ID (such as a drivers license) rather than a passport. I guess not and it seemed like passports were required. Whether that had anything to do with Cozumel-boarding passengers...?

My entire family has a Maya Chan addiction -- to the point that we only choose Western Caribbean itineraries that stop at Costa Maya, specifically so we can go to Maya Chan. We have been to other all-inclusives and I'm curious if you find any you like better. (There is a reason why Maya Chan is consistently ranked #1 by Trip Advisor.)

I think what makes Maya Chan unique is (a) strict limits on the number of guests it accepts; and (b) consistent quality of its product, from service to food. For example, Maya Chan uses only top-shelf alcohol in its drinks, which means you won't spend the next day in your stateroom with the world's worst hang-over. Other AI's we've tried are a little cheaper but the difference in price is NOT worth feeling like s**t the next day!

Anyway, sounds like a fun project -- enjoy!

Recently back from mid-January visit to Maya Chan. The resort is highly addictive and we can't wait to go back again!

There were eight of us this time, ranging in age from 25 to 91. EVERYONE had a wonderful time -- great food, fantastic service and a pristine beach. In short, a postcard perfect setting where we were treated somewhere between family and visiting royalty.

We've always believed that Maya Chan distinguishes itself not only by its service but the quality of food and beverage. No change there. All ingredients, including alcoholic beverages, are top-shelf. If you choose to drink, you won’t spend that evening and the next morning in your stateroom. I don't drink a lot but can highly recommend the Oreo Chan -- kind of like a chocolate milkshake with a kick!

Again, we can’t wait to go back and have already booked our 2014 cruise with, of course, a planned stop at Maya Chan.

Although we have been on a variety of cruise lines and itineraries, we now opt only for Western Caribbean trips that stop at Costa Maya. The reason: so we can go to Maya Chan! That one excursion makes the trip for us!

As for choosing where to go: I guess I would rely on reports of travelers who actually have been to the resorts mentioned. Several posts on this thread give the impression that they are based solely on pictures or some other reason that is not first-hand experience.

For our family, there is only one choice and that clearly is Maya Chan. Yes, the water color can vary. Snorkeling is different than most reef snorkeling. (I was surprised by the fresh water holes from underground streams that are in the ocean floor there.) But there are a range of activities (free!) to do -- or not do, if you prefer lying around in hammocks or lounging under a palapa or floating in a chair with a beverage. I don't understand how anyone could not have a wonderful time there -- which is why Maya Chan consistently is rated #1 by all kinds of groups.

We found that there may be other resorts in the area that are less expensive -- but there is a reason for that. For example, Maya Chan uses only top-shelf alcohol in its drinks. My husband drinks straight shots and appreciates that Maya Chan offers only high quality brands. The liquor going into a mixed drink is just as important if you don't want a hang-over. I don't drink a lot but I also appreciate that I could try different drinks (including a chocolate "dessert" drink - yum!!) and not experience any ill effects.

Tastes in food, of course, vary. We thought the food was outstanding. (I wish someone could talk Mark into giving out some of those recipes and posting them online for the rest of us!) We also loved feeling like "family," right from the get-go.

The main downside of Maya Chan is getting a space reserved. They indeed restrict the number of guests and it you don't reserve early, you can be disappointed. Our party of 8 is not only booked for our January 2013 cruise but for January 2014 as well! I'm sure other resorts in the area are excellent, but if you want the best, you can't go wrong at Maya Chan!

For anyone interested, Sun Country has opened their 2013 calendar which includes Tampa and Orlando. Mostly non-stop flights that are cheaper than the legacy carriers.

Have you also checked fares on Sun Country, Southwest and AirTran They often beat Delta on competitive routes from the Twin Cities. You also can almost always find a cheaper fare to Orlando. If you have AARP, AutoClub or some other discount, you should be able to get a reasonable discount on a rental car. I believe that Orlando is no more than 3 hours from almost any port. You would want to check whether drop-off and pick-up are from the pier or from the airport.

Since I don't know how to edit a previous post, just to clarify: We now have a NOON flight from Tampa to Minneapolis in late January at $119 + fees = $137. I paid almost double last year!

We booked our Tampa to Minneapolis return flight on AirTran. The fare was very inexpensive at $137 (with fees) but the best connection for THAT fare leaves in the evening. The noontime flight we really wanted was priced at $441.

The price for both flights dropped to $123.

AirTran will issue credits for price drops against future reservations. When I spoke with the AirTran agent, I mentioned that we really wanted the earlier flight but it was so much more than the flight we booked.... She was willing to swap our whopping $8 credit on the evening flight we booked for the more desirable noontime flight. (She said it was easier to change the reservation than do the paperwork!) So, we now have Tampa to Minneapolis in late January at $137! (This includes the FAA fee which we hope to see back.)

I just wanted others to be aware of the credit (hey, money is money!); and have a shot at a better flight time. Good luck!

There is a HUGE difference between acquiring a business (which can be run as a wholly owned subsidiary) and two companies merging. A merger of companies and/or schedules eventually may happen as a result of Southwest acquiring AirTran but the parent company may decide to keep the two lines separate. There are several comparable situations in the cruise and car industries. Also, the two airlines may have different schedules. Depending on the routes, it may not be advantageous to merge or discontinue some routes.

Until this evening, sites like Orbitz and Expedia were listing the Jan 22 flight I am looking at for $135 on AirTran while AirTran itself has the same flights posted for $441. The Jan 20 fare -- two days before what I need -- was $119 until yesterday and rose to $123 last night.

Those non-AirTran sites no longer list the cheap fares. I believe their computers just pick up whatever AirTran is posting. AirTran itself could be mid-process in loading the next block of fares but is using the current prices as place holders.

My personal belief is that AirTran prices will drop on Monday or Tuesday or whenever Southwest posts its next block. But I plan to grab our tickets the first thing when I see those fares posted!

I was able to find AirTran flights through Jan 20 2012 on Orbitz (but not on AirTran web site when I checked earlier today). I called and was told that flights can be booked through Jan 20 and in about two weeks, they will open up the next block.