Shadowmeboy's NCL Sun 12-Night Christmas New Years Caribbean Cruise Adventure

lepidoptera · May 2

I just read the thread. Very excited to see your trip, I’m on the Sun in 36 days, not that I’m counting the days or anything 😉

This will be my first trip on her.

vacation44 · May 2

17 hours ago, SeekingKillerWhales! said:

I'll take Wedge Salad, Cheeseburger, and Creme Caramel? For $500 Alex.

Well, darn. Someone forget to refresh for new posts, and now can't delete. 😄 Sorry! But at least I was right!

13 hours ago, shadowmeboy said:

That is the correct answer!

Had to inject a bit of humor into the review!

I had the dessert wrong with my guess.

shadowmeboy · May 2

22 minutes ago, vacation44 said:

I had the dessert wrong with my guess.

nice!

shadowmeboy · May 2

6 hours ago, lepidoptera said:

I just read the thread. Very excited to see your trip, I’m on the Sun in 36 days, not that I’m counting the days or anything 😉

This will be my first trip on her.

We have done 4 sailings on her! She is our favorite!

shadowmeboy · May 2

As it was quite chilly, the sailaway party did not have very many early attendees. I made my way to the Great Outdoors to enjoy sailaway!

oops! A little blurry

Topsiders

Gingerbread House display inside the Garden Cafe

The Great Outdoors was not very full either.

Cargo Ship being unloaded off our stern.

Still pretty sparse on the crowd

It was a beautiful night! Just because it was 38 degrees, everyone stays inside like their cold or something. Compared to home, this is warm!

pano

Time to throw lines!

shadowmeboy · May 2

Pulling out of the Port of Maryland.

A few more people, but they are only interested in the bar!

Goodbye Baltimore!

Fort McHenry

Point Breeze and the Port of Baltimore

It is roughly about this location that Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner aboard the British Ship.

shadowmeboy · May 2

This post is going to be the toughest one for me. I was deeply saddened when I awoke on March 26th, 2024 to the News reports of the Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse. This post will share the photos I took of the FSK Bridge as we sailed out of Baltimore on December 21st, 2023. I am saddened by the loss of such a beautiful structure.

The FSK Bridge coming into view

This was my favorite photo!

shadowmeboy · May 2

While I was out Chilling on deck 😉 Susan went to the Spa Raffle!

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Spa Menu

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Here is the video of our Baltimore Sailaway!

lepidoptera · May 3

I love the ginger bread display! Watching more and more decor get put out was one of my favorite parts of my December cruise on the Breakaway.

Great pics of the Francis Scott Ket! Last year my sister and I took a girls trip to Baltimore for a knitting festival. We talked about doing a cruise and the knitting festival if we could get the dates line up when we driving near the cruise port. It is weird to think that so much has changed in less than a year. I was definitely shocked when I saw the video…Im already not a fan of heights and bridges.

I am hoping Susan won something and spent some time in the Spa. I know the Sun doesn’t have a traditional thermal suite, but am interested in hearing about it. I usually get a spa pass-can’t buy one online so I plan on touring it on embarkation but any info or pics would be awesome.

shadowmeboy · May 3

19 hours ago, lepidoptera said:

I love the ginger bread display! Watching more and more decor get put out was one of my favorite parts of my December cruise on the Breakaway.

Great pics of the Francis Scott Ket! Last year my sister and I took a girls trip to Baltimore for a knitting festival. We talked about doing a cruise and the knitting festival if we could get the dates line up when we driving near the cruise port. It is weird to think that so much has changed in less than a year. I was definitely shocked when I saw the video…Im already not a fan of heights and bridges.

I am hoping Susan won something and spent some time in the Spa. I know the Sun doesn’t have a traditional thermal suite, but am interested in hearing about it. I usually get a spa pass-can’t buy one online so I plan on touring it on embarkation but any info or pics would be awesome.

I love seeing the ships all decorated around Christmas! Taking a Christmas Cruise has become a tradition!

Yeah it was a shock to me as well, especially after such a beautiful picture.

Unfortunately, Susan got skunked. She did a massage during the cruise, one of the spa combo specials they offered. I thinks I have one or two pictures later on of the Spa.

shadowmeboy · May 3

We got ready for dinner and then headed for the Welcome Aboard Art Event the Park West Team was doing,

Looking down from Deck 7

A few pieces outside the gallery.

I won a Buying credit certificate! Yippee! More Art!

Time for dinner at Los Lobos!

Margarita!

shadowmeboy · May 3

Guacamole time!

Totopos - Nachos

Aguachile de Camarones - Shrimp Ceviche

Betabel - Beet Salad

Al Pastor Tacos

Carne Asada with Rice & Beans

Side of plantains

Dessert Menu

Chocoflan

Bunuelos de la Abuela

On our way back to the room, we checked out our boarding photo.

Atrium Christmas tree

We stopped by Customer Service, because some of our stuff that should have been in our room hadn't arrived in our room. They said we needed to talk to Latitudes in the morning.

We stopped by the Atrium Bar. We asked for a bottle of water, since we had the package, for the evening. They asked which one?? We said the boxed one, we didn't know there were others. One of the guys looks at our card and goes, no no no. Let me get you something better. So we came back to the room with two Acqua Panna's. The first of many on this cruise!

ashleyriley · May 7

Do you sail NCL exclusively or have you tried any other cruise lines? NCL and Celebrity are our favorites. Great review!

shadowmeboy · May 7

15 hours ago, ashleyriley said:

Do you sail NCL exclusively or have you tried any other cruise lines? NCL and Celebrity are our favorites. Great review!

We sail NCL exclusively. We enjoy the perks we get as Sapphire Latitudes members. Plus with the newly released Teacher Discount, we will get discounts on future cruises and OBC just for Susan being a teacher! I am excited for that.

shadowmeboy · May 7

December 22nd, 2023

Sea Day

Location: Atlantic Ocean - off the coast the coast of North Carolina

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shadowmeboy · May 7

Hi Ho; Hi Ho: It's off to the Great Outdoors I go!

Its a bit quiet at 6:30 in the morning!

I grabbed a coffee from Starbucks.

Up to the pool deck - Mandara Spa

It was nice and quiet up here!

The temperature was only like 45 degrees this morning.

Garden Cafe

shadowmeboy · May 7

Maersk Tennessee in the distance

Gorgeous Sunrise

Bulk Cargo Ship

Another Bulk Cargo Ship

taking some waves

Great Outdoors Buffet

We are the Orange mark closer to land, the other ship is the Norwegian Getaway.

First Breakfast!

Edited May 7 by shadowmeboy

shadowmeboy · May 7

Susan finally got up and met me in the Great Outdoors.

With another Starbucks!

Seven Seas for 2nd Breakfast

v

Seas were a little choppy, but not too bad.

Oatmeal and a Yogurt parfait for Susan

Half Grapefruit with Orange Slices and a bowl of Cottage Cheese for me!

Eggs to Order with a Bagel and a side of bacon for the table!

Edited May 7 by shadowmeboy

shadowmeboy · May 7

It was then time for the Meet & Greet.

Here is a look at Le Bistro

Treats!

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We headed down to the Wines around the world event for Sapphire & above

La Cucina being long and narrow, was a difficult venue for this event. The Cavern Club on the Bliss where we had it on the Pacific Coastal cruise was a better venue.