NCL Sun Alaska

[Quilting_Cruiser]

We took the Sun northbound to Seward from May 30 to June 3. After reading that the Sun's dry dock was cut short prior to our cruise & after reading all the negative reviews here we were very hesitant. I can honestly say that we loved the ship. We have been on 2 other NCL ships & a Disney ship and the Sun is comparable. We did not experience any foul odors, the food was good, the service was excellent, and we did not notice any notable signs of aging. We never had to wait for a table in the main dining rooms or the specialty restaurants. Our food was always delivered promptly & was always hot. Actually I would say that the food was the best we have experienced in 4 cruises. The embarkation process was not long & we immediately went to the Four Seasons for lunch instead of the buffet. There were fewer than 20 people there & we had a quiet lunch. Our cabin was ready just as we were finishing lunch. When we got to our cabin it was very warm so we called guest services & they promptly sent maintenance to take care of the problem. It is true the shower is very small but we came prepared with clips to weigh down the shower curtain. We enjoyed the evening shows & the music was good. We especially liked Brian Rath who sang in the Windjammer Lounge. He sounded a lot like James Taylor. it is true that the ship has an unusual layout & the buffet area is small. After sailing on the Pearl to Alaska I never expected the Sun to measure up but it truly did. We would not hesitate to sail on the Sun again. We had a midship balcony room with ample storage area & our cabin steward took really good care of us. I really don't understand all the negative things posted on cruise critic about the Sun. We certainly did not experience any problems.

 

Thanks so much for your report on the Sun. I'm booked for next summer and am really looking forward to it! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. :D

[Love my butler]

It seems to me for those who are planning on cruising on the Sun that are so concerned about the odor there is a simple solution - don't book an aft cabin. We had a midship balcony & it was more than adequate. We ate almost every night in the Four Seasons dining room which is aft & never noticed a bad odor & never noticed any odor in the Stardust which is also aft.

 

The Four Seasons MDR is midship. The Seven Seas MDR is aft. If a person cannot smell the odor while in the aft area, one needs to consult a nose doctor.

[4774Papa]

We did book and aft balcony before we knew about the sewage odor problem. I did check on moving to a standard balcony, but the available balconies are about the same distance from the aft stairwell as our cabin.

[biojeep]

My mistake - we ate at Seven Seas not Four Seasons

[Budget Queen]

I've also sailed the Sun numerous times, including 4 weeks, March/April 2016 just before the dry docking "fix". The odors were pretty much continuously noticeable from the deck 5 open deck, aft, port side. I spent a lot of time out on this deck, and my method was to rush through this portion holding my breath. :) Never did I notice any odors past mid deck.

 

I suspect this is some type of design flaw, that can not be easily eliminated and it's going to remain a problem. It's a fact of some cruise ships. Waste is disposed /processed/burned etc, and there are potential odors. Some ships are better designed.

 

Sorry, but, I disagree that anyone should be demanding "compensation". This "report" has been known for years. There are numerous other ships to consider. The Sun is already one of the lowest priced Alaska cruises. I'm going to be adding a few sailings, for July/August in a few weeks, since, I'm speculating some good upcoming price dumps. (Already happening for June :) ) I'll maintain my "remedy" for getting past the odors, and have a great time on this itinerary.

[Budget Queen]

I've also sailed the Sun numerous times, including 4 weeks, March/April 2016 just before the dry docking "fix". The odors were pretty much continuously noticeable from the deck 5 open deck, aft, port side. dumps. .

 

Correction, it looks to be deck 6 is the open walk around outside deck.

[sfaaa]

Another first world problem. In many other parts of the world and farming communities, a little bit of sewage smell is nothing to get excited and an everyday affair. Give me a good deal and I will be on the Sun in a heart beat.

[MrHaney]

Another first world problem. In many other parts of the world and farming communities, a little bit of sewage smell is nothing to get excited and an everyday affair. Give me a good deal and I will be on the Sun in a heart beat.

Sounds like the Sun must be a third world ship for those people who can't afford anything any nicer. Wish I had known this when I trusted a travel agent to plan this trip. Smelling sewage for seven days is not a good deal at any cost. It's just nasty. Guess it all depends on what you're accustomed to.

[don't-use-real-name]

Correction, it looks to be deck 6 is the open walk around outside deck.

 

DECK -6- is the Promenade Deck with the open walk (jogging track) deck.

It is sheltered by deck 7 above.

[don't-use-real-name]

Anyone grabbed a hold of the Hotel Director and asked for a inspection of the

back crew spaces to isolate and determine where this odor issue is emanating

from.

Is the HD even aware of this ?

 

Tell him CC sent your to report on this - demand action - NCL will be getting

a full report to pass on - eye aye or nay.

If found what cabins or areas are suggested to avoid !

Don't accept a GTY Cabin or Upgrade in these areas unless you like to unsmell the roses !

It is a simple although unpleasant issue deal with it and FIX IT !

Maybe NCL needs to blow the ballast fumes etc. at 2 am at sea or tack into

the wind to blow them out to sea.

Have more than a few complaints escalate this matter !

[4774Papa]

I checked with NCL and found a balcony mid-ship, close to the aft stairwell on port side.

 

I don't want to change for that cabin, but they did have some mini-suites on starboard side forward that might work for extra dollars.

[BlueLadyBlue]

We took the Sun northbound to Seward from May 30 to June 3. After reading that the Sun's dry dock was cut short prior to our cruise & after reading all the negative reviews here we were very hesitant. I can honestly say that we loved the ship. We have been on 2 other NCL ships & a Disney ship and the Sun is comparable. We did not experience any foul odors, the food was good, the service was excellent, and we did not notice any notable signs of aging. We never had to wait for a table in the main dining rooms or the specialty restaurants. Our food was always delivered promptly & was always hot. Actually I would say that the food was the best we have experienced in 4 cruises. The embarkation process was not long & we immediately went to the Four Seasons for lunch instead of the buffet. There were fewer than 20 people there & we had a quiet lunch. Our cabin was ready just as we were finishing lunch. When we got to our cabin it was very warm so we called guest services & they promptly sent maintenance to take care of the problem. It is true the shower is very small but we came prepared with clips to weigh down the shower curtain. We enjoyed the evening shows & the music was good. We especially liked Brian Rath who sang in the Windjammer Lounge. He sounded a lot like James Taylor. it is true that the ship has an unusual layout & the buffet area is small. After sailing on the Pearl to Alaska I never expected the Sun to measure up but it truly did. We would not hesitate to sail on the Sun again. We had a midship balcony room with ample storage area & our cabin steward took really good care of us. I really don't understand all the negative things posted on cruise critic about the Sun. We certainly did not experience any problems.

Thank you. We will be sailing on the Sun and is wonderful to read a positive review.

[biojeep]

BlueLadyBlue,

 

You are welcome. We were really apprehensive prior to the cruise after all the negatives reported here. The Sun is not the fanciest ship with all the bells & whistles but the itinerary is great with good port times. We did not expect the food to be great but it was very good & the service was good. Seeing 2 glaciers on one trip was a plus. We had never been to Hubbard Glacier & we were very impressed. It is huge! I walked a lot on deck 6 & never smelled any odors.

 

I read a lot of negative things about NCL ships on cruise critic & after 2 cruises to Alaska & 1 to the Carribean we have not experienced any problems. The food has always been more than adequate & the service very good. Coming from Louisiana were are used to good food so NCL has passed the test for us. We have never had to wait for a table more than a minute or two to be seated. We shared a table one day with a couple who have sailed on Carrnival & RCC and they thought the service & food on the Sun was the best they had ever experienced.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise as much as we did!

[isitmayyet]

Biojeep - Glad to hear good things. Looking at this cruise for 2018 hopefully (sadly so far away). How was the wildlife viewing from the ship? Really interested in seeing whales and trying to decide when to do the trip.

[biojeep]

isitmayyet,

 

We saw humpback whales & a pod of orcas feeding while on the ship. If you want to see whales take an excursion in Juneau. Our favorite 2 excursions this trip were wilderness explorer/crab feast in Ketchikan and Dyea Dave to Emerald Lake in Skagway. Hope you enjoy. By 2018 the Sun should be fully refurbished. We had a midship balcony & used it quite often. Hubbard Glacier was quite impressive & huge. We had been to Glacier Bay before & thought Hubbard was more beautiful. I never thought our Sun cruise would top the Pearl cruise to Alaska but it did.

[Budget Queen]

Biojeep - Glad to hear good things. Looking at this cruise for 2018 hopefully (sadly so far away). How was the wildlife viewing from the ship? Really interested in seeing whales and trying to decide when to do the trip.

 

I always see a lot of wildlife from a ship- BUT, I invest a LOT of time "looking" and specifically know the areas that are more successful. Necessary- a good pair of wide angle binoculars, you need the wide field of view.

 

Whales are seen the entire cruise season.

 

Of course, I am ALWAYS on wildlife tours and what I see from a cruise ship, no way replaces a tour. You can be out hours and get less than a minute of viewing. You have to be accepting of this norm.

 

Best option for wildlife with the Sun- is to invest time and money mainland Alaska. Seward has the jackpot of varied wildlife with a Kenai Fjords boat tour, and Denali Park is a wildlife and scenery highlight. Do NOT underestimate TIME, for both of these, I never recommend less than 5 days, a week preferably. A big mistake a lot of people make is not knowing the details and not having enough time. If you are already there with a cruise ship, consider taking further advantage with more touring opportunities.

[3Fluffies]

Biojeep - Glad to hear good things. Looking at this cruise for 2018 hopefully (sadly so far away). How was the wildlife viewing from the ship? Really interested in seeing whales and trying to decide when to do the trip.

 

Glacier Bay is your best bet for seeing wildlife from the ship. We saw puffins and a variety of seabirds on the trip into the inlets to view the glaciers (and the glaciers themselves are stunning), as well as mountain goats, humpback whales breaching, many, many stellar sea lions, and upwards of 100 sea otters.

 

The park rangers stay in and around the Observation Lounge forward doing their narration for the crew, and then wander the decks answering questions and giving tips about the landscape. They kindly identified all the various seabirds for me (I'm a birdwatcher, but from the east coast) and told us where and what kinds of wildlife to watch for. They said that black and brown bears are the most common sight on the shoreline, though we had no luck on that particular day, they come to sniff around the rocks during low tide for easy meals. Rarer are wolves, moose, caribou and/or elk. We also saw many bald eagles.

 

It was very busy in the Observation Lounge, but everyone was in good spirits and considerate of each other - since it was so cold on deck especially when we got up to cruising speed, people would save seats and run out onto the deck to endure the chilly wind as long as we could, then scramble back inside for some coffee. The bar was open, so we could buy drinks as well as enjoy the complimentary coffee, cocoa, tea, and pastries early in the morning. Many people who staked out a seat would still invite others to use them while they were out on deck.

 

It was a truly marvelous day, and the key to sighting wildlife was patience and keeping eyes (and ears open). People would announce what they saw (there was quite a stampede out onto the deck for the breaching humpback) share binoculars with those who didn't have them, and trade places in the prime spots on deck so everyone could get a look.

[AquaMarineFerret]

My goodness! Aren't forums just a double-edged sword?! So full of useful advice, information and opinion, yet so full of material to make you doubt your decision! We are sailing on the Sun in August, which has prompted me to spend time seeking out nuggets of advice. It's our first cruise of any real size or duration and, naturally, we are excited to be seeing Alaska (the reason I chose to give this form of holiday a try). The NCL Sun seems to be our kind of cruise ship, given the Freestyle theme and more relaxed mood/dress code. However, I have to say that the potential for a malodorous experience (particularly as we find our cabin to be in the 'danger zone') gives me some grounds for disquiet and the recent announcement regarding soft drinks being brought aboard by passengers (or rather, not brought aboard) raises further questions.

 

I truly hope that we will have a thoroughly enjoyable two weeks aboard the Sun and can sit back afterward having submitted a glowing report and read the exchanges on the forum with a smile.

[pspercy]

I'm following with interest too as we're booked on Sun for the 14dy "ultimate Alaska" next May. In an OC at present, hoping balconies come down but I doubt they will.

[lynxfire]

Thank you. We will be sailing on the Sun and is wonderful to read a positive review.

 

I enjoy the positive reviews. We will be on the Sun for 2 weeks on Aug 15th. Luckily we have a balcony in the front on floor 10. I know many things can ruin a vacation but it really comes down to a choice to allow it or let it go and go with the flow. We will enjoy our cruise!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I enjoy the positive reviews. We will be on the Sun for 2 weeks on Aug 15th. Luckily we have a balcony in the front on floor 10. I know many things can ruin a vacation but it really comes down to a choice to allow it or let it go and go with the flow. We will enjoy our cruise!

 

I agree. I also chose a balcony that's forward after reading a few reports about the odor in the aft. No matter what happens on vacation, I try to not allow it to impact everything. That includes one cruise on which I sprained my ankle on the second day of it. I still had a great time though I was on crutches! LOL. :D