(Semi?) - Live From the Sun | Panama Canal | MIA to SEA 04/21 - 05/11

[smillerholmes]

Hello All!  I’ve always enjoyed following along on the cruise adventures of others and I think it’s time I try to give back, so here we go.

 

• It’s a new ship for me.  I know the Sun is one of the older ships in the fleet, but I am actually looking forward to “less” stuff to do.

• I’ve never been through the Panama Canal.  I’m excited about that and I specifically chose the Sun because I wanted to go through the old locks.

           I have since found out that the smaller ships simply go through whichever set of locks is most convenient.

• This is my 2nd comped cruise from Casinos at Sea.   Looking forward to some of the perks.

• This cruise is port intensive so I did not take the beverage package.  This will be my first time relying solely on the casino for drinks.  My casino level is Sapphire so I should be getting premium drinks.

• I am traveling solo.  I was comped an inside cabin, but I have bid for a balcony using Upgrade Advantage:  ($100X2)

• 20 days onboard entitles me to:

•   2 specialty dining credit

•   $250 shareholder OBC

•   $200 casino OBC

 

My Latitudes level is also Sapphire which will entitle me to several benefits, but there are a few specific ones I will be looking to take advantage of.

 

• Laundry - 1 free bag.  Hopefully this will be offered more than once fingers crossed! I’ll be happy with an additional ½ price bag.

• Spa discounts - gotta love the hot stone massage!

• Priority Tender Tickets

• 2 more specialty dining credits

• Wines around the World Tasting

• Behind the Scenes Ship Tour

• Dinner with Officers

 

A few more things I will be taking note of:

 

• CAS priority check in

• I bought a transfer from MIA to the ship

• Water - I will get my main supply from the casino, but what about the 2 cartons that should be in my cabin? Oh the potential for drama…

• Internet - 300 minutes granted via FAS -  still trying to decide on an upgrade to unlimited - hence the “semi-live” designation

• Also considering getting the thermal spa, but I see no listing for the cost of access to the suite

 

Here’s the promo codes from my confirmation:

 

DISC50

DISXIN

EASYFARE

LATDBLX

LATREW*

META

NCLHBENE

PPSRVCHG

SHX50
 

I typically buy travel insurance on an as needed basis, but this time I worked with the people at the tripinsurancestore and I was very pleased with the pricing for an annual policy with GeoBlue.  So good to go on insurance.

 

I also purchased an additional 2 meal specialty dining package which brings the total to 6.  And something I have never done - an excursion for every day in port with the exception of Miami and the overnight at the Canal.  I figure 4 sea days at the end will give me more than enough time to recover.

 

Twenty days is a long time so hopefully I will be able to answer any questions that are asked.  And anyone else on this cruise is welcome to chime in on this thread with their experiences as well.

 

[mking8288]

Happy cruising ... our friends currently onboard her doing TA, 16 nights and disembarking NYC on April 18th - their booking code should yield them 48 points, your code should add up to 60 points for 20 nights ... could take you up to next higher tier of Diamonds.  

 

Ship loaded up with plenty of fresh produce, vegetables & provisions in Libson, Spain before they sailed - last heard from them using WhatsApp.  Possibly hear from them again in the morning when they dock at Funchal for the day.  Ship apparently sailed near capacity and their upgrade bid(s) did not go thru, unlike previous TA in December 2022.  Will see if I can relay any practical & useful info to share here on CC.  

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by mking8288

[smillerholmes]

Thanks! I will take any inside info I can get.

[JIMESOPUS]

 We will be boarding the Sun on 5/11, following along.

 

Jim

[mking8288]

Very limited heads-up from the Sun's current TA, ship at Funchal today - relayed from our CC friends on WhatsApp: 

 

" Good morning ... Strolling around Funchal and enjoying the beautiful weather. Sunny and warm with a shirt ( not really shorts weather ). Wifi is Ok it died for a few hours a few days ago. We stumbled upon the M&G but the officers didn’t offer to take any questions. So no idea about passenger count. I would guess about 75% as there are few line ups. Service and food is not bad, good presentation. May be one third of the passengers has mobility issues. Just sent in one bag of laundry yesterday, plan to do one more next week. The Sun set up is very strange as the main kitchen sits midship on deck 6 which break the walkway into two part. One had to go down to 5 across then back up to 6. We had dinner at the sushi bar only one other couple Dinning. The Teppanyaki had 2 couples at two separate group for dinner. Not busy at all. " 

 

and that's their snapshot or preview for this day ...

Edited April 8, 2023 by mking8288

[Turtles06]

12 hours ago, smillerholmes said:

• I’ve never been through the Panama Canal.  I’m excited about that and I specifically chose the Sun because I wanted to go through the old locks.

           I have since found out that the smaller ships simply go through whichever set of locks is most convenient.

 

Where did you "find that out"?  It's just not correct.  Panamax ships -- those that can fit through the original locks -- will go through those locks except in very unusual circumstances.  

 

If you haven't already discovered it, the Panama Canal forum here on CC is a great resource for learning about the Canal and what to expect during your transit, and for asking questions.   And I hope you've read David McCullough's "The Path Between the Seas" -- you will appreciate the Canal even more.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/54-panama-canal/

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[mugtech]

Agree with "The Path Between the Seas" as a great source of history about the canal.   Perhaps if you don't want to read all the history you could skip the French failure part.  We did the canal on a 19 day on the Sun back in 2015, got some good historic info on the ship, which was unusual for an NCL cruise.  The sun did not measure up to the Jewel or the Gem, was a bit boring, but We got new entertainers after going through the canal,that helped.  Helps if you like trivia, join a good team.

[smillerholmes]

10 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Where did you "find that out"?  It's just not correct.  Panamax ships -- those that can fit through the original locks -- will go through those locks except in very unusual circumstances.  

 

If you haven't already discovered it, the Panama Canal forum here on CC is a great resource for learning about the Canal and what to expect during your transit, and for asking questions.   And I hope you've read David McCullough's "The Path Between the Seas" -- you will appreciate the Canal even more.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/54-panama-canal/

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Thanks for the link - learning the difference between Panamax and NeoPanamax was very enlightening!

 

And I am currently reading "The Path Between the Seas".

[smillerholmes]

I joined the roll call for this cruise a while ago and I’m signed up for the Meet & Greet.  Lots of activity over there now that the cruise is getting closer.

 

Today I received my international SIM card from Consumer Cellular.  Anybody else have them?  For international service you have to request a SIM card approximately two weeks before your trip and they have to activate it.  This will be my 3rd international trip with them and I can’t get a straight answer on why I need a new SIM every time and why it doesn’t stay active. Annoying!

 

I had been really hoping to get one of the coupons for 50%/20% off an Alaskan cruise so I could add it on the tail end of this cruise, but alas it was not to be and I will have to enjoy Alaska following @graphicguy on his Bliss cruise.  Each time I’ve gone to Alaska it has been in the fall.

 

Back to reading “The Path Between the Seas”...

[Turtles06]

12 hours ago, mugtech said:

Agree with "The Path Between the Seas" as a great source of history about the canal.   Perhaps if you don't want to read all the history you could skip the French failure part.

 

Since @smillerholmes is in the process of reading it, and is transiting southbound, I just want to point out to them that soon after sailing under the Atlantic Bridge, as the ship is approaching the Gatun Locks, they can see off to starboard the only visible remnants of the original French excavation.  It will look like a creek, and easy to miss if you aren't looking to starboard.  Here it is:

 

 

(photo by turtles06)

[cruiseny4life]

Ooooooo my first "meet in real life" Cruise Critic friend! I can't wait to follow along or hear more after the cruise depending on if you get tied up living the cruise life or if internet is blah. Have an amazing time and looking forward to being with you through CC.

[smillerholmes]

9 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Ooooooo my first "meet in real life" Cruise Critic friend! I can't wait to follow along or hear more after the cruise depending on if you get tied up living the cruise life or if internet is blah. Have an amazing time and looking forward to being with you through CC.

Awww yeah, the Getaway seems so long ago, but that was just last September!  I had no idea I was your first meet IRL.  Following you and your husband and your Haven loving ways is always "interesting".  Appreciate the follow and I am hopeful I can provide some valuable insights for future cruisers as 

[smillerholmes]

well that was weird...

 

Just hoping I can add something to the cruise community that continues to provide so much to me.

[smillerholmes]

Alright, it's T - 8 days, I'm about 1/3 of the way through "The Path Between the Seas".  I have learned that the Sun does not have a Thermal Suite (I kept hoping to see pricing).  Looks like the spa area is just for actual spa services.  I do see both sauna and steam rooms so all is not lost.  I guess that means I can go ahead and splurge for unlimited internet!  

 

I have not started packing just yet - probably Wednesday; and I am toying with the Starbucks package.  I am not a fan of that god-awful burnt tasting coffee, but their mixed concoctions are pretty good.  

No word yet on my Upgrade Advantage bid - not expecting to hear anything until Monday, maybe even Tuesday.  🤞

 

Nothing in writing, but many first hand accounts of "free bag of laundry" every 7ish days for Platinum and above, so I am hoping to squeeze everything into my regular roller board that does not require being checked instead of my big Bubba which will definitely hold everything and will also definitely have to be checked.

 

According to my roll call probability is high for cancelled port(s) as the State Department has upped the threat level for Americans travelling in a few of the South American countries on the itinerary.  This was actually one of my reasons for going with NCL only excursions.

 

I've got my Consumer Cellular SIM card activated.  This was the first trip I was going to pre-book my Lyft ride to the airport.  They want $27 to pre-book.  Typical rate is between $15-$20 when requesting same day.  Not a huge discrepancy, but I'd rather tip heavy than pay more for a scheduled ride.  I use both Lyft and Uber so I'm sure it won't be an issue since the airport is less than 5 miles from my house.

[mking8288]

23 hours ago, smillerholmes said:

Alright, it's T - 8 days ... 

 

Happy cruising and bon voyage to your PC crossing on the Sun.  Just heard from our CC friends currently onboard via WhatsApp using their "free" ship WiFi airtime minutes - they are currently less than a day from arriving at the final stop on the TA crossing, an overnight stop tomorrow calling on Bermuda at Dockyard - before reaching NY next Tuesday where they'll disembark (as NY is their hometown) instead of continuing to Miami (originally, they booked it as 19 nights & was going to plan on how to "jump" ship or get permission to disembark "early" without being fined or getting into trouble with CBP - then, learned it has the 16 nights option, rebooked it, etc.) 

 

Sun is currently, per their report, sailing at 90% double occupancy with 1,760 being the pax counts, and confirmed that the Sun is on the 21 days NCL dining menu rotation - gallery planning the daily ones based on provisioning, no shortage and out-of-stock items reported.  Behind The Scene tour is being offered as well as Dine With Officers, for Latitudes members at their proper tier(s) - signed up & they are doing it ... 

 

Perhaps, you will come across pax that boarded from Lisbon and continuing onward, doing B2B2B ... maybe, even B2B2B2B   Meanwhile, we need to get ready to go east.  Cheers on the final countdown & have a great one !

 

 

[lepidoptera]

Following! This sounds like such a fantastic cruise. I had a longish itinerary that I was very much looking forward to on the Sun that was canceled in the dark days of cruise shutdown and I really want to cruise the locks. I am always especially interested in other solo cruisers reviews of things. 

[Travel Junkie Judy]

On 4/7/2023 at 8:21 PM, smillerholmes said:

Hello All!  I’ve always enjoyed following along on the cruise adventures of others and I think it’s time I try to give back, so here we go.

 

• It’s a new ship for me.  I know the Sun is one of the older ships in the fleet, but I am actually looking forward to “less” stuff to do.

• I’ve never been through the Panama Canal.  I’m excited about that and I specifically chose the Sun because I wanted to go through the old locks.

           I have since found out that the smaller ships simply go through whichever set of locks is most convenient.

• This is my 2nd comped cruise from Casinos at Sea.   Looking forward to some of the perks.

• This cruise is port intensive so I did not take the beverage package.  This will be my first time relying solely on the casino for drinks.  My casino level is Sapphire so I should be getting premium drinks.

• I am traveling solo.  I was comped an inside cabin, but I have bid for a balcony using Upgrade Advantage:  ($100X2)

• 20 days onboard entitles me to:

•   2 specialty dining credit

•   $250 shareholder OBC

•   $200 casino OBC

 

My Latitudes level is also Sapphire which will entitle me to several benefits, but there are a few specific ones I will be looking to take advantage of.

 

• Laundry - 1 free bag.  Hopefully this will be offered more than once fingers crossed! I’ll be happy with an additional ½ price bag.

• Spa discounts - gotta love the hot stone massage!

• Priority Tender Tickets

• 2 more specialty dining credits

• Wines around the World Tasting

• Behind the Scenes Ship Tour

• Dinner with Officers

 

A few more things I will be taking note of:

 

• CAS priority check in

• I bought a transfer from MIA to the ship

• Water - I will get my main supply from the casino, but what about the 2 cartons that should be in my cabin? Oh the potential for drama…

• Internet - 300 minutes granted via FAS -  still trying to decide on an upgrade to unlimited - hence the “semi-live” designation

• Also considering getting the thermal spa, but I see no listing for the cost of access to the suite

 

Here’s the promo codes from my confirmation:

 

DISC50

DISXIN

EASYFARE

LATDBLX

LATREW*

META

NCLHBENE

PPSRVCHG

SHX50
 

I typically buy travel insurance on an as needed basis, but this time I worked with the people at the tripinsurancestore and I was very pleased with the pricing for an annual policy with GeoBlue.  So good to go on insurance.

 

I also purchased an additional 2 meal specialty dining package which brings the total to 6.  And something I have never done - an excursion for every day in port with the exception of Miami and the overnight at the Canal.  I figure 4 sea days at the end will give me more than enough time to recover.

 

Twenty days is a long time so hopefully I will be able to answer any questions that are asked.  And anyone else on this cruise is welcome to chime in on this thread with their experiences as well.

 

 

Hi,

There is a roll call for this cruise & you should check it out if you haven't already.

There is no thermal spa on the Sun, so no need to look for it.

It looks to me like you got many, many perks!  Good for you. 😋

The Sun is an amazing ship and her officers and crew are wonderful.

You will find that you will get to know more folks on this smaller ship.

Annual travel insurance is the best way to go.  You should be covered any time you are 100 miles from home - on land, sea or air.  It's the only way to go if you travel at least 2 times a year at least 100 miles from home.

Water - the tap water in your cabin is probably cleaner and better than most  bottled water.

Filtered multiple times.

I know I'd like you - I read between the lines that you are a very positive and fun person.

We don't have all of the perks you have, but we (hubby and I) will make Ambassador on this cruise.  2 free cruises.  Woohoo!!!

Judy

[smillerholmes]

So, was checking to see if I could determine if my upgrade was a possibility...OV, Balcony and Club Balcony all showing sold out - this may be my first time actually in an Inside...

 

There are a few suites left so maybe bidding will open up a few of those lower level cabins.  We shall see.

[smillerholmes]

14 hours ago, lepidoptera said:

Following! This sounds like such a fantastic cruise. I had a longish itinerary that I was very much looking forward to on the Sun that was canceled in the dark days of cruise shutdown and I really want to cruise the locks. I am always especially interested in other solo cruisers reviews of things. 

I will do my best to keep it interesting...

[SailAwayWme]

I’ll be on the Panama transit cruise. This will be my first and I booked it 10 days ago, sort of last minute. I’m booked in an inside cabin and have booked an excursions at every port. Seeing that this was impromptu I’ll be sailing solo. I’m hoping to meet some people at the solo meetups but seeing this is my first I’m unsure if this happens. The night prior to my booking they sold out of balcony and port rooms. Hopefully you’ll get your upgrade. I’ve been listening to cruise videos and reading blogs and heard inside has some positives in terms of quietness and being able to black out the inside cabin.

[smillerholmes]

2 hours ago, SailAwayWme said:

I’ll be on the Panama transit cruise. This will be my first and I booked it 10 days ago, sort of last minute. I’m booked in an inside cabin and have booked an excursions at every port. Seeing that this was impromptu I’ll be sailing solo. I’m hoping to meet some people at the solo meetups but seeing this is my first I’m unsure if this happens. The night prior to my booking they sold out of balcony and port rooms. Hopefully you’ll get your upgrade. I’ve been listening to cruise videos and reading blogs and heard inside has some positives in terms of quietness and being able to black out the inside cabin.

Welcome! To Cruise Critic, Cruising and all it entails..there is a pretty active roll call for this cruise so please join if you haven't already and if you would like to attend the Meet & Greet I'm sure you'll meet ALOT of people.

 

 

[SailAwayWme]

Do you have any links to join? I’ll be looking at the itinerary and joining what I find. Any suggestions? 

[smillerholmes]

3 minutes ago, SailAwayWme said:

Do you have any links to join? I’ll be looking at the itinerary and joining what I find. Any suggestions? 

Here's the link to the google sheet tracking all the activities.

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uIFTMPHSpbQePEz1CVBe_SOdWlmcJlWZp2aS1OyE9nc/edit#gid=1815695239

[SailAwayWme]

I appreciate that. I’m trying ti navigate the site, which I’m not winning at. Is this a spreadsheet of sorts, that I can join?  I’m adding this as fellow cruisers.

[smillerholmes]

2 minutes ago, SailAwayWme said:

I appreciate that. I’m trying ti navigate the site, which I’m not winning at. Is this a spreadsheet of sorts, that I can join?  I’m adding this as fellow cruisers.

OK - I think I misunderstood.  Let's start over.  For the roll call there's a blue box upper right corner with the Itinerary and date of the rule.  That will allow you to "follow"/join the roll call.