In search of …. Freestyle Cruising, NCL Sun May 11 thru 22, Trip Report / Semi Live

[JIMESOPUS]

From NCL

“Experience Freestyle Cruising

Imagine cruising just the way you want it: with no schedule to follow but your own. That is what Norwegian's Freestyle Cruising provides for all our ships and itineraries.”

 

Freestyle_Cruising_Overview_02172011.pdf

[JIMESOPUS]

After our two cruises in January 2023 on the Getaway out of NYC and the Breakaway out of NOLA, we had it with all the lines, pagers, super busy bars, and congested public areas. So much, so that we canceled several booked cruises. We did have one left that was already paid for, this past April on the Escape. This cruise was that “ Special Latitudes Cruise”, while there was a vast improvement to the ones in January you had to wonder why?

 

One month later, in February 2023 we got this email from NCL about a special discount for Alaska cruises, was this one of those famous switch and bait offers? Contacted our TA and she confirmed that this was an actual offer. Here in CC, there was a very active thread discussing this offer but for us, it was an opportunity to sail on a smaller ship, where Freestyle started, and check off an Alaska cruise.

 

The Sun, one of two ships in the Sun class ( the Sky is the other one ) was built in 2001 and recently rehabbed in 2021. This will be the first cruise of the Alaska season for the Sun, so we are expecting less than a full situation. I’m not expecting a great internet connection so we are not going beyond our free minutes but will try to update as often as possible. Uploading pictures will be a challenge while aboard, so those along with the dailies will be posted once back at the home office. 

[JIMESOPUS]

So we have been following this thread, 

Guess that was a bad idea for DW to follow, with the power issues that they had back in Cartagena DW's concerns slightly elevated about an older ship but I had to remind her of a similar issue on the Prima TA in Southhampton last September, yes there was a momentary outage while docked.

 

Looks like the attached link is making this post jumpy, at least that's what I'm seeing. Unable to remove the link, so I'm going to ask for help

 

 

[mking8288]

Checking in ... by the time our post-cruise stay in Barcelona is done & get home, should quickly recover from our slight jet lag and to follow your journey.  We are overdue doing Alaska again and smaller ships always have a special space in our hearts.  

 

Happy, safe & healthy travel ahead and best wishes for Bon Voyage - 

 

Henry / mking8288

Edited May 4, 2023 by mking8288

[JIMESOPUS]

2 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Checking in ... by the time our post-cruise stay in Barcelona is done & get home, should quickly recover from our slight jet lag and to follow your journey.  We are overdue doing Alaska again and smaller ships always have a special space in our hearts.  

 

Happy, safe & healthy travel ahead and best wishes for Bon Voyage - 

 

Henry / mking8288

Thanks, always enjoy your and Dan's " live " reports. Keeping up with your current Epic review, we will be visiting almost the same ports on the Viva this fall. 

Jim

[JIMESOPUS]

This time we booked our own flights thru Southwest, having an opportunity to use some of our points and almost fly free. In early April we received a gift from them, never understand how we get these but will gladly accept them. 

Also, we never miss an opportunity to visit Vegas, so our layover will last a couple of days before flying to Seattle on the day of the cruise. We have several backup flights out of Vegas just in case something goes awry.

[JIMESOPUS]

Another strange gift from NCL, we have been getting some strange things recently from NCL. This will be our seventh cruise since the restart but they welcoming us back anyway.

[JIMESOPUS]

It's almost time to check in with Southwest, and right now no software glitches. Vegas right now is predicting sunny and in the upper eighties for the next week, and it looks like Seattle will be warm and sunny on Wednesday. Currently, the Sun is just southwest of Ensenada Mexico.

Almost packed, the final decision of what to wear is upon us.

[JIMESOPUS]

Always great to have a plan B or even a C. Thanks again SW for changing flights, now booked on Alaska Airlines. Use to enjoy flying but anymore it has become a chore.

[depplep]

Since you mentioned Freestyle Cruising I'd like to ask if it's possible to be sat at a table for 2? We've never done NCL and this October will be the first for us. I'm concerned about all these reviews that mention pagers and waiting 45min for a table. Is it possible to just avoid that and book a time every night?

[MamaToMany]

So happy to see you starting this thread! I’ll be on this sailing with you. Hoping we cross paths!

[JIMESOPUS]

1 hour ago, depplep said:

Since you mentioned Freestyle Cruising I'd like to ask if it's possible to be sat at a table for 2? We've never done NCL and this October will be the first for us. I'm concerned about all these reviews that mention pagers and waiting 45min for a table. Is it possible to just avoid that and book a time every night?

I'm starting to see more passengers booking the MDR's, some are just couples. This past cruise on the Escape we were able to get a table without waiting for breakfast or lunch, only once did we get a pager for dinner, unlike the cruises on the Breakaway and Getaway, total failure.

 

Jim

[JIMESOPUS]

1 hour ago, MamaToMany said:

So happy to see you starting this thread! I’ll be on this sailing with you. Hoping we cross paths!

Shouldn't be a problem, most of the time aboard we will be at the Spinnaker. See you at the Meet and Greet, nice birthday gift. 

 

Jim and Carol

[depplep]

49 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

I'm starting to see more passengers booking the MDR's, some are just couples. This past cruise on the Escape we were able to get a table without waiting for breakfast or lunch, only once did we get a pager for dinner, unlike the cruises on the Breakaway and Getaway, total failure.

 

Jim

Do you know if you can book pre cruise for MDR or once you get onboard? Thanks.

[goldmom]

1 minute ago, depplep said:

Do you know if you can book pre cruise for MDR or once you get onboard? Thanks.

There seems to be mixed results on this.  I've made dining room reservations before my cruise.

 

If you are within the time frame to make dining reservations, then go to your explore and plan page and under dining select the Main Dining Room.  If it gives you the drop down option to make reservations then you can make them before boarding.

 

Good luck!

 

[depplep]

Ok, no, we're still 167 days out. Just trying to get an understanding on how NCL works. We never liked the way Royal did their Anytime Dining so I was hoping NCL might have a better system.

[ggTexasGal]

1 minute ago, depplep said:

Ok, no, we're still 167 days out. Just trying to get an understanding on how NCL works. We never liked the way Royal did their Anytime Dining so I was hoping NCL might have a better system.

Depending on your room type (Suite/Haven can book at 130 days prior), Platinum and above status (as well as those in Club Balcony suites), can book at 125 days prior.  The most notable problem is the booking is capped at six nights of dining!  Any other dinners, or tweaking that is needed, can be done once onboard.

[depplep]

We're in a regular balcony and first time NCL so we have no benefits. Worst case scenario we wait 45min for MDR. ☹️Thank you.

[ggTexasGal]

2 minutes ago, depplep said:

We're in a regular balcony and first time NCL so we have no benefits. Worst case scenario we wait 45min for MDR. ☹️Thank you.

My apologies! I forgot to add: all others can log-in (or call NCL) at 120 days prior!!!

[goldmom]

1 hour ago, depplep said:

We're in a regular balcony and first time NCL so we have no benefits. Worst case scenario we wait 45min for MDR. ☹️Thank you.

You can still make reservations at 120 days out.

[depplep]

13 minutes ago, goldmom said:

You can still make reservations at 120 days out.

For the MDR for two? Right?

[JIMESOPUS]

4 minutes ago, depplep said:

For the MDR for two? Right?

Did you book directly thru NCL or a Travel Agent? Our TA was able to make reservations when we were not able to, anyway, you should be able to once aboard. When you booked did you get " free at sea "? That will give you 2 specialty dinners that you can book thru MyNcl once you reach 120 days out. 

[depplep]

I bought through NCL. Yes, we got free at Sea and we are going to upgrade the package so we will have another 2 nts. specialty dining. Thanks to everyone for the answers.

[goldmom]

9 minutes ago, depplep said:

For the MDR for two? Right?

As I mentioned, probably.  Sometimes the website will let you make the reservation for the main dining room and sometimes it wouldn't.  Just go into your reservation and check at the 120 mark.

[ChiefMateJRK]

I will be very interested in hearing about the entertainment on the Sun, particularly the smaller lounge groups.  We'll be sailing on her in a few months.  Thanks.