Sun-Drydock

[Italy52]

Does anyone know when the next time the Sun will go into drydock? Also, while in drydock, what will be done to her?

[TrumpyNor]

If she goes in to dry dock in 2015, then I am pretty certain it will be for technical reasons only, since she had a large upgrade in guest areas only 3 years ago.

Edited April 18, 2014 by TrumpyNOR

[newmexicoNita]

If she goes in to dry dock in 2015, then I am pretty certain it will be for technical reasons only, since she had a large upgrade in guest areas only 3 years ago.

 

If it was 3 years ago and we are talking 2015, she will need more than just technical attention. We were on her 4 months ago, she looked ok, we live the ship, but it was time for some tweeking, like carpet that matched throughout the ship, not 3 different kind, all running together.

[herdingdogmom]

Several recent cruisers on the Sun have posted that they were told by crew that the Sun will have suites added on deck 12 like they were on the Dawn and the Star. Timing isn't known yet, but the South America itineraries are not available yet and it seems like a good time for a dry dock would be Fall 2015.

Edited April 18, 2014 by herdingdogmom

[Sauer-kraut]

Several recent cruisers on the Sun have posted that they were told by crew that the Sun will have suites added on deck 12 like they were on the Dawn and the Star. Timing isn't known yet, but the South America itineraries are not available yet and it seems like a good time for a dry dock would be Fall 2015.

 

Oh NO!!! :(

[CruisinMaterial]

Several recent cruisers on the Sun have posted that they were told by crew that the Sun will have suites added on deck 12 like they were on the Dawn and the Star. Timing isn't known yet, but the South America itineraries are not available yet and it seems like a good time for a dry dock would be Fall 2015.

 

I was wondering the same thing about the lack of a repositioning announcement for the Sun when she was going to South America. It would make sense to have a dry dock slated for then. It would stink if they dead head the ship to Chile for the first run of the season instead of one that hits Lima for Macchu Picchu.

[NMLady]

Oh NO!!! :(

 

I agree. I loved the outdoor bow area and the Spinnaker lounge on that deck.

They'll ruin the Sun for me by putting suites there. IMO the Star was ruined by putting suites there.

[DMH15]

I am glad to have one more booked on the Sun as she stands. But I am not surprised, saddened but not surprised.

[don't-use-real-name]

Other than for absolutely necessary maintenance the "IDIOT" that wants to

convert the 12th deck lounge/observation into suites while the ship is Dry

Docked should be made to walk the plank over shark invested waters !

If suites are required by popular demand place them on deck 9 midship.

But DO NOT take the best viewing and entertaining place on the ship and

convert that into limited use by suite dwellers !

 

There is nothing wrong with this ole girl - You want party fun go jump on a

Carnival ship ! You want Senior sedate cruising take a Holland-America cruise !

This ship is just perfect absent a few bells buzzers & whistles.

 

Hope someone (everyone) from NCL reads and follows along on this post !

May the posts be numbered in the thousands protesting any changes to the

structure of the ship.

Simple put "IF IT AIN'T BROKE NO FIXEN IS REQUIRED" !

Leave well enough alone !

 

AND ANOTHER THING - NCL get with it releasing information about what is

happening with this ole girl !

South America cruises ?

Positioning of ship for the above ?

Don't keep secrets about Dry Docking of any ship in the fleet ?

 

I have been in the travel industry for over 45 years and I sense:

"THE NATIVES ARE GETTING RESTLESS " !

Pay heed to the vibes you are getting here !

And remember to feed the fish with "IDIOT" planners & Bean Counters !

[TrumpyNor]

Other than for absolutely necessary maintenance the "IDIOT" that wants to

convert the 12th deck lounge/observation into suites while the ship is Dry

Docked should be made to walk the plank over shark invested waters !

If suites are required by popular demand place them on deck 9 midship.

But DO NOT take the best viewing and entertaining place on the ship and

convert that into limited use by suite dwellers !

 

There is nothing wrong with this ole girl - You want party fun go jump on a

Carnival ship ! You want Senior sedate cruising take a Holland-America cruise !

This ship is just perfect absent a few bells buzzers & whistles.

 

Hope someone (everyone) from NCL reads and follows along on this post !

May the posts be numbered in the thousands protesting any changes to the

structure of the ship.

Simple put "IF IT AIN'T BROKE NO FIXEN IS REQUIRED" !

Leave well enough alone !

 

AND ANOTHER THING - NCL get with it releasing information about what is

happening with this ole girl !

South America cruises ?

Positioning of ship for the above ?

Don't keep secrets about Dry Docking of any ship in the fleet ?

 

I have been in the travel industry for over 45 years and I sense:

"THE NATIVES ARE GETTING RESTLESS " !

Pay heed to the vibes you are getting here !

And remember to feed the fish with "IDIOT" planners & Bean Counters !

 

I totally agree with you about this - on everything you have stated. :)

[umpy10]

Other than for absolutely necessary maintenance the "IDIOT" that wants to

convert the 12th deck lounge/observation into suites while the ship is Dry

Docked should be made to walk the plank over shark invested waters !

If suites are required by popular demand place them on deck 9 midship.

But DO NOT take the best viewing and entertaining place on the ship and

convert that into limited use by suite dwellers !

 

There is nothing wrong with this ole girl - You want party fun go jump on a

Carnival ship ! You want Senior sedate cruising take a Holland-America cruise !

This ship is just perfect absent a few bells buzzers & whistles.

 

Hope someone (everyone) from NCL reads and follows along on this post !

May the posts be numbered in the thousands protesting any changes to the

structure of the ship.

Simple put "IF IT AIN'T BROKE NO FIXEN IS REQUIRED" !

Leave well enough alone !

 

AND ANOTHER THING - NCL get with it releasing information about what is

happening with this ole girl !

South America cruises ?

Positioning of ship for the above ?

Don't keep secrets about Dry Docking of any ship in the fleet ?

 

I have been in the travel industry for over 45 years and I sense:

"THE NATIVES ARE GETTING RESTLESS " !

Pay heed to the vibes you are getting here !

And remember to feed the fish with "IDIOT" planners & Bean Counters !

 

 

You need to be a little more outspoken, say what you mean and mean what you say. Don't hold it in, let it go......... say it with conviction and don't take no for an answer.

 

Of course I'm J/K ......... love your reply and agree with you 100%.

 

cheers...the Ump...:D

[fishin' musician]

Unfortunately, NCL gets huge revenue from the suites and if it has paid off on the other retrofitted ships it will likely be done to the Sun. The bean counters typically trump the natives.

[omc329]

Putting suites in the observation lounge will ruin the ship as an Alaskan cruise ship. Wonder if they are dumping that itinerary? It wouldn't be worth booking without that area on any scenic cruise.

[BabsinTX]

Putting suites in the observation lounge will ruin the ship as an Alaskan cruise ship. Wonder if they are dumping that itinerary? It wouldn't be worth booking without that area on any scenic cruise.

 

I agree absolutely.

[Italy52]

After a long absence from NCL, we will be cruising the Sun to Alaska in June 2015. Looking forward to NCL's 14-day cruise itinerary. Hopefully, drydock schedule will not cause our cruise to be cancelled.

[polySeraph]

If suites are required by popular demand place them on deck 9 midship.

But DO NOT take the best viewing and entertaining place on the ship and

convert that into limited use by suite dwellers !

 

If I could be CEO for a day, this is the option I would choose if more suites were needed on the Sun. The Sun has no Haven, no Garden Villa, and no 2-bedroom suites. On my 2012 Norway-Iceland-Faroes cruise, most of the suites were booked a year in advance, with SBs priced at $13Kpp. If that was typical, repurposing some of the midship BAs into 2-BR suites would make more higher-end cabins available on the Sun, increasing her revenue without increasing her capacity too much.

 

On the other hand, converting that wonderful (beautiful, glorious, spectacular) Observation Lounge into suites (and probably a few interior cabins, to boot) would increase the number of passengers and decrease the number of public spaces, making the ship feel more crowded. (Imagine the Sun's Garden Café with even more people packed into it.) When I was on the Dawn which has had its forward lounge replaced with suites, I thought the ship felt a little crowded. While I enjoyed my Dawn cruise, it would never be my first choice for a 2-week cruise or for a scenic itinerary.

Edited April 19, 2014 by polySeraph

[DMH15]

Now that I am platinum on NCL hearing this makes me more curious to other ships this size. Azamara? Older on Celebrity?

 

Il Adagio is perfect for suite b&l. But it is small. More suite pax? Oh no.

 

Twenty suites for the concierge is a good number. We have loved the attention for the concierge on the Sun.

 

What next?

[CruisinMaterial]

Unfortunately' date=' NCL gets huge revenue from the suites and if it has paid off on the other retrofitted ships it will likely be done to the Sun. The bean counters typically trump the natives.[/quote']

 

You're right. Money trumps anything loyalists want or come to expect from cruise lines in the last 7 years. When I started cruising with NCL it was a much different vibe. Now it's turned into an era of corporate greed squishing out the customer's satisfaction to save money, build new ships and the latest to cater to stock market investors who only care about their wallets and how to inflate them. While Colin made an EPIC ship with some kinks, his one ship wonder is much better than the newer Breakaway ships. It scares me to think where NCL will be in a few years when their older ships need more attention. How will the knife cut them and will we be nothing but cattle herded around like the airlines have made us? :(

[CruisinMaterial]

On the other hand, converting that wonderful (beautiful, glorious, spectacular) Observation Lounge into suites (and probably a few interior cabins, to boot) would increase the number of passengers and decrease the number of public spaces, making the ship feel more crowded. (Imagine the Sun's Garden Café with even more people packed into it.) When I was on the Dawn which has had its forward lounge replaced with suites, I thought the ship felt a little crowded. While I enjoyed my Dawn cruise, it would never be my first choice for a 2-week cruise or for a scenic itinerary.

 

The Dawn does feel crowded since the change, especially in the buffet area during peak times. Otherwise it's not so bad. What really gets me about the Dawn and Star is the location of Spinnakers. By placing Spinnakers under the aft suites and balconies, you've essentially castrated it as an entertainment venue in the evening because of noise complaints. It was the worst decision ever to put it there all for the sake of getting more revenue for suites. Maybe the bar revenue isn't enough to make up for what they charge for suite life.

 

At least if they do take the Observation Lounge on the Sun, it will not cause the problem with noise complaints because the real disco is mid-ship and down further away from passenger cabins. I liked the disco on the Sun and Sky for it's location and layout. The tapas bar is awesome and unique for the Sun. I hope they'd leave that alone.

[medicalma'am]

Yes, I am quite sure it is about the bottom dollar. What company is not about the bottom dollar and making the investors happy? It could be that they are forced to retrofit her with the suites of get rid of her.

 

I agree about the dark closed in Spinnaker is not attractive. I never went there on the Star after I checked it out in daylight. What a shame if they do this.

 

I will be sailing on the Sun this year because my sister raves about that ship. I only sailed the Star after her suite addition, so I never saw the lounge. I did LOVE the lounge on the Spirit! My DH and I sailed her in our only experience in an inside cabin and the lounge made all the difference.

[bobg529]

Yes' date=' I am quite sure it is about the bottom dollar. What company is not about the bottom dollar and making the investors happy? It could be that they are forced to retrofit her with the suites of get rid of her.

 

I agree about the dark closed in Spinnaker is not attractive. I never went there on the Star after I checked it out in daylight. What a shame if they do this.

 

I will be sailing on the Sun this year because my sister raves about that ship. I only sailed the Star after her suite addition, so I never saw the lounge. I did LOVE the lounge on the Spirit! My DH and I sailed her in our only experience in an inside cabin and the lounge made all the difference. [/size']

 

 

I agree that this is all about $. We know NCL reads these boards and has to be aware of how beloved the Sun and it's features are. But a move like this, to add a few more bloated suites and take away the CHARACTER of a lovely ship will be proof that NCL does not give a damn about the majority of its patrons. Our only weapon in response will be to stop sailing ANY NCL ships. I understand that they are in business to make a profit, but they still have a moral obligation to serve EVERY customer, and not just the lucky few. I don't mind flying in "steerage" to get from point A to point B because it is only a short term conveyance. But when I cruise, the ship is the destination for me. I will visit the ports, but it's not really that important. If I really want to visit a particular destination, I can fly there and spend a week. I really don't like ships that are nothing but floating hotels. Please excuse my rant, but in think its vital that NCL knows how many of its customers feel. I have two cruises set up for the Sun, one this November out of Tampa, and one in May '15 to Alaska. It seems from the rumors posted here that I will be safe with both, but I can't really be sure. I planned sailing on her because of all of the wonderful things I have heard. Please NCL, LISTEN to your customers. You are on the verge of destroying your business long term, for some very short term profits. If you continue to do things like this, you WILL LOSE YOUR CUSTOMERS! :mad:

[Italy52]

Wow! Didn't think my simple question would be the subject of so many posts. Still curious to find out if the drydock date will affect our cruise.

[sparky3w]

Is converting the Sun's observation lounge to suites a sure thing? Or is this just being speculated?

 

We first sailed NCL on the Spirit a few years ago. Our favorite memories of that ship was our time spent in the Galaxy of the Stars lounge which was equivalent to the Observation lounge on the Sun. Then, the next year we sailed the Dawn and learned that its similar lounge had been converted to suites. This really detracted from our experience. We found the Dawn to be crowded and lacking in public areas and quiet spaces to enjoy a book or see the sights.

 

We are looking forward to our cruise on the Sun next month mainly because of its Observation Lounge. We like quiet places to sit and watch the world go by. We enjoy cruising. But if NCL continues to take these spaces away from its regular guests we will be finding another cruise line.

[DMH15]

Is converting the Sun's observation lounge to suites a sure thing? Or is this just being speculated?

 

We first sailed NCL on the Spirit a few years ago. Our favorite memories of that ship was our time spent in the Galaxy of the Stars lounge which was equivalent to the Observation lounge on the Sun. Then, the next year we sailed the Dawn and learned that its similar lounge had been converted to suites. This really detracted from our experience. We found the Dawn to be crowded and lacking in public areas and quiet spaces to enjoy a book or see the sights.

 

We are looking forward to our cruise on the Sun next month mainly because of its Observation Lounge. We like quiet places to sit and watch the world go by. We enjoy cruising. But if NCL continues to take these spaces away from its regular guests we will be finding another cruise line.

 

 

Could not agree more.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BabsinTX]

If I could be CEO for a day, this is the option I would choose if more suites were needed on the Sun. The Sun has no Haven, no Garden Villa, and no 2-bedroom suites. On my 2012 Norway-Iceland-Faroes cruise, most of the suites were booked a year in advance, with SBs priced at $13Kpp. If that was typical, repurposing some of the midship BAs into 2-BR suites would make more higher-end cabins available on the Sun, increasing her revenue without increasing her capacity too much.

 

On the other hand, converting that wonderful (beautiful, glorious, spectacular) Observation Lounge into suites (and probably a few interior cabins, to boot) would increase the number of passengers and decrease the number of public spaces, making the ship feel more crowded. (Imagine the Sun's Garden Café with even more people packed into it.) When I was on the Dawn which has had its forward lounge replaced with suites, I thought the ship felt a little crowded. While I enjoyed my Dawn cruise, it would never be my first choice for a 2-week cruise or for a scenic itinerary.

 

You've read my mind. I, too, think they should convert some midship cabins into a variety of suites. And, convert some forward near the stairs/elevators to suit those with mobility issues. Princess has suites in similar locations.

 

In Alaska we were in and out of the Observation Lounge constantly while in Glacier Bay, warming up for more outside viewing.

 

I can't imagine where the Glacier Bay park ranger will give his/her talk if the Observation Lounge is gone--Dazzles or Stardust, with no view to the outside? :(

 

I'll be on the Sun next week and hope to learn more.