NCL Sun - Pros and Cons

[teacher_md]

Hello everyone!

 

Just got off the Pearl last month and really loved it. I am researching a Baltic cruise next year and I see that the NCL Sun is doing that itinerary. So how is the Sun? How does it compare to the Pearl? I know the basics (smaller, older) but would like some more details.

 

I have been reading reviews and have read both good a bad (big surprise!). Has the Sun seen it's best days?

 

Thanks for any help!

 

-aj

[cliffd64]

The Sun, while it's true is older and a bit smaller than the Jewel class ships, is still very much a viable ship. You will enjoy your cruise on her :)

 

Cabin sizes are a little smaller than what you might have experienced on the Pearl, and the layout is a bit different and odd in some cases, but the crew is fantastic and we really enjoyed ourselves both times we sailed on her.

[DMH15]

Just off the Sun Mar 1 and preferred it to the Jewel. Great crew and Il Adagio! Get aft if you can... Loved it. Since Sun is smaller being aft was great - on too big a ship - farther to events in the bow.

[Queen_Of_Natick]

cabins are smaller, you have to go through some odd places to go from one side of the ship to the next. None of its a big deal though. By day 3 I figured out which way I was going and I'm pretty directionally dyslexic. The ship was sold out when I took her and it really didn't feel lt, until you went on the pool deck.

 

I'm an early morning person, so having deck 6 nearly to myself to walk around was a big plus. The pool deck....well...... Its ok but tight. its probably the place where you really notice how small the ship is.

 

If you don't smoke and/or hate smoke, avoid the casino. I'm guessing its still a smoking casino. Have to say it was pretty nasty smelling no matter what time of day it was...urh! And though our cabin was above it we didn't get any smoke smells in there nor hear any noise. (bonus!!!)

 

 

The Sun was my maiden voyage and so I have a rather soft spot for the ship (So I'm probably not the person to ask then huh;))

 

 

-Q

[DMH15]

Q - I was on Sun 2/15 and casino not that busy so not that bad. I avoided it peak hours though.

 

I sailed Celebrity once who had a non-smoking bank of slots. That was nice.

[electricron]

I really enjoyed my cruise aboard the Sun. I think many Europeans will like her better than the Jewel. The Sun's decor isn't as vibrant as NCL's newest ships; just far more conservative in tastes.

 

Check the photos of my Sun cruise from the links in my signature.

 

The Sun has the best Italian restaurant in NCL's fleet.

[Queen_Of_Natick]

Q - I was on Sun 2/15 and casino not that busy so not that bad. I avoided it peak hours though.

 

I sailed Celebrity once who had a non-smoking bank of slots. That was nice.

 

ORLY? I'm not totally opposed to smoking, I just have a tobacco allergy. (which I found out about when I smoked:o) There are those that hate it to the max and can't stand the smell, which the casino (at least to me) does smell of it, busy or not. But hey, its a casino and I can respect that.

 

I was there for 10 minutes and came out smelling like a carton of Pall Malls. My eyes were bloodshot and well... I'm lucky I was on my allergy meds:D

 

At any rate, its a bit of a warning for anyone that can't stand it. Personally, I like the smell of cigars but well.....

 

 

-Q

[Bennett'sCruise]

Two things ... Il Adagio and Pacific Heights restaurants! Oh my .... :rolleyes::D

[Don Haynes]

Watch the Sun and decide for yourself. The Sun doesn't look out of date to me. A You Tube video:

 

[Cruise Raider]

We sailed on the Sun last fall and have one booked again for this coming fall. There were a couple of things that I didn't like much about the Sun but way more things I did.

 

Things that were disappointing:

• The pool area is in the middle of the ship -- just one, rather small but not too effected as the cruise we went on was only at about 2/3's capacity....so, it was ok. I guess this is because it is really one of the older ships and that is truly the way they used to build them. Anyhow, because there was only one pool area, there were NO pool games and very little entertainmen at around the pool. This was to satisfy all those pax that wanted a quiet escape around the pool. I rather like the entertainment by the pool as if I want a quiet area to enjoy the sun, I would go find a place where others didn't tend to gather....so that is just me, I guess as NCL stated others really wanted this to be a quiet place....and since there is only the one pool area, guess it had to be eliminated.
  
• The venue for the movies, white hot party, some of the shows, etc. is found right in the middle of the ship and you have to walk through it to get to the other side rather than being able to walk around it. Again, I think it is because it is an older ship design but seems pretty chopped up to me. For example, they would set up folding chairs for the movies, newlywed game, etc. .... and if you were passing through, well, seemed awfully distracting. Just a very odd design flaw in my opinion.
  
• The service in the dining rooms was pretty hit or miss. Sometimes it was fantastic while other times it was the absolute worst. Sometimes we were able to order cranberry juice with no extra charge and sometimes we were charged....just depended on the wait staff, I guess. Also, sometimes the OJ tasted very watered down and sometimes it tasted fresh squeezed. Don't even know what that was all about.
  
• NCL still allows smoking on their balconies -- which is another hit or miss situation depending on who is located forward of you (smoker or non-smoker). There was no good ventilation in the casino to draw the smoke upwards but they did have some non-smoking nights scheduled, which was nice. Machines, however, did not pay out very well...but we still had fun.
  
• The closets are the worst -- very cramped and no real storage in the staterooms. We did have an extremely small stateroom but a larger balcony, which made everything worthwhile. We did see that other rooms were larger (we knew ours would be smaller going in) but think the storage areas need some serious consideration.
  
• The bedding was not great at all and I am usually not too picky. The pillows were paper thin (I am exaggerating) and not at all soft. We requested some extras -- hopefully something more soft but they were unable to come up with anything that was suitable. I will bring one of my own next time around.
  

Things I liked about the Sun:

• The room stewards on NCL are just about the best in the industry (again, in my opinion). Their only rival being those on Celebrity. I love the fact that they have a coffee maker in the staterooms....never had to order room service once...which was a first for us.
  
• Love the BBQ's on the back deck...now I feel like I am on vacation. They only had them a couple of times and I remember the good old days on the Wind when they had them daily. Anyhow, the ones they did have were fantastic. big kudos on the BBQ's
  
• The showroom is set up well and can actually accomodate the pax onboard. I hate being skunked out of seeing a show because they only seat a few hundred or less and there are over 3000 onboard. I think the size of the ship as well as our cruise not being full played a big part in this ... but it was a very nice surprise. We could sneak into the show and find a seat just 5 minutes before it started...never a problem. Also, the entertainment was top notch -- the funniest comedians ever and even had a world renowned
  
• There was always a place you could find to sit and eat if you went to the buffet...whether it be inside or outside. My DH loved the waffle bar in the morning. We also loved the sports bar in the late afternoon. You could actually just order appetizers or salads in there...make a dinner out of it. The bar tender was very friendly and the service was pretty good in there.
  
• The bar servers around the pool...well, what can I say, they were the best. They were so friendly and so very accomodating. We made friends with a couple of them (Kimi and Rodwell) and they would always have a kind word with a smile for us. Hope they are still onboard when we go again....provided they will still go to Mexico in the fall. We'll see.
  
• Our room was either so well insulated or we had the quietest neighbors known to man. We were all the way aft so thought we might get a lot of engine noise...never heard a thing. Very nice as I am a light sleeper.
  

There is probably more of the likes that I had posted in the ship review a few months back. All in all, a pretty good little older ship with a few quirks but a very nice relaxing voyage.

[teacher_md]

Thank you, everyone, for your responses. They are definitely helping me with my decision. Some thoughts on your responses:

 

Cliff & Donna - glad to hear about the good service on board. My expectations were exceeded on the Pearl, especially after reading all of the negative reviews. Most of the staff really went the extra mile.

 

Q - I'm not crazy about the idea of having to walk through rooms to get from one end of the ship to the other. Sounds like poor design.

 

Electricron - I'm glad the Sun is a little more toned down than the Pearl. Don't get me wrong, the Pearl is a beautiful ship, but my personal taste is for a little less vibrant.

 

Dianne - Is Il Adagio kind of like La Cucina? Or is it a step above? Pacific Heights is the light cuisine?

 

Don - Thanks for the youtube video. Looks like it has a nice atrium and nothing too gawdy. The pool deck looks a little tight... not too many lounge chairs.

 

Cruise Raider - Has all of the bedding been revamped with their Freestyle 2.0 changes? The Pearl bedding was to die for. Thanks for the very detailed pluses and minuses.

 

I went on the Carnival Imagination WAY BACK WHEN and it was just a complete mess. It looked seriously worn and torn (and tacky too)! I think it went through a dry dock since then, but I am always hesitant to book on older ships. I remember the juice stains on the carpets, the duct tape used to held the carpet together in places. Not fond memories. In fact that was the only cruise I really didn't enjoy myself on (believe it or not!). I always want to check in with people to make sure I won't have that same experience with a sad, tired, not-well-kept ship. Last year I went on the Adventure of the Seas and it was 7 years old at the time but looked BRAND new... no signs of wear and tear. Just doing my due diligence in research.

 

thanks again everyone! -aj

[Cruise_More_Often]

If you book a minisuite on the Sun, you will find that it is larger than those on the Pearl, and the minisuite bathrooms and dressing rooms are to die for! We had an aft mini, and we absolutely loved it. Here's a link to my photos of 0067. The II Superior Interior rooms are also big, laid out in a rectangular fashion rather than square.

 

Il Adagio (Italian), Las Ramblas (Spanish tapas and sandwiches for lunch) and Pacific Heights are restaurants you won't see on other ships -- all really, really good. My favorite of all the Le Bistros is on the Sun. It's high up, on the sports deck and aft, and there are floor to ceiling windows offering a magnificent view of the ocean.

 

The Windjammer Bar is a great place to go after dinner, and there's often a pianist playing there.

 

Here's a professional photo review (done before her hull art was painted) that has some of the best photos I have seen of the Sun!

 

Okay, I'm ready for another cruise on the Sun!

[Cruise_More_Often]

AJ, looks like Dianne is off the board right now, so I'll answer your question about the two restaurants.

 

Il Adagio is a step above La Cucina and the interior is gorgeous. You can see a photo of it in the second link I posted earlier. It, too, has floor-to-ceiling windows.

 

Pacific Heights is the light cuisine restaurant. I didn't eat there, but everything I've read leads me to believe it is really good.

 

Have fun on the Sun!

 

Just looked at the photos of the Sun and couldn't find Il Adagio there, so here's a link to a photo I took on our second Sun cruise.

[Don Haynes]

Thank you, everyone, for your responses. They are definitely helping me with my decision. Some thoughts on your responses:

 

Cliff & Donna - glad to hear about the good service on board. My expectations were exceeded on the Pearl, especially after reading all of the negative reviews. Most of the staff really went the extra mile.

 

Q - I'm not crazy about the idea of having to walk through rooms to get from one end of the ship to the other. Sounds like poor design.

 

Electricron - I'm glad the Sun is a little more toned down than the Pearl. Don't get me wrong, the Pearl is a beautiful ship, but my personal taste is for a little less vibrant.

 

Dianne - Is Il Adagio kind of like La Cucina? Or is it a step above? Pacific Heights is the light cuisine?

 

Don - Thanks for the youtube video. Looks like it has a nice atrium and nothing too gawdy. The pool deck looks a little tight... not too many lounge chairs.

 

Cruise Raider - Has all of the bedding been revamped with their Freestyle 2.0 changes? The Pearl bedding was to die for. Thanks for the very detailed pluses and minuses.

 

I went on the Carnival Imagination WAY BACK WHEN and it was just a complete mess. It looked seriously worn and torn (and tacky too)! I think it went through a dry dock since then, but I am always hesitant to book on older ships. I remember the juice stains on the carpets, the duct tape used to held the carpet together in places. Not fond memories. In fact that was the only cruise I really didn't enjoy myself on (believe it or not!). I always want to check in with people to make sure I won't have that same experience with a sad, tired, not-well-kept ship. Last year I went on the Adventure of the Seas and it was 7 years old at the time but looked BRAND new... no signs of wear and tear. Just doing my due diligence in research.

 

thanks again everyone! -aj

 

All the ships serving the US have to go through a dry dock every three years or so. When a ship is brand new or has just left dry dock the ships look great. But when a ship is about to enter drydock some of the carpets especially in the public spaces begin to appear worn.

 

I am sure when you were on the RCCL ship, she may have recently left dry dock and when you were on a Carnival ship, she may be entering dry dock soon. Its all a matter of what time related to dry dock you cruised on a ship.

 

I have seen reviews of ships only six months old with complaints of worn carpets and stains..... Surely, you don't expect cruise lines to replace carpet daily.....

[stlrboo]

Seems as tho' we have some people who 'know' the Sun on this thread..:)

 

We were 'kicked off' the Jewel TA in 2010, and are now on the Sun TA two weeks later.. We had originally booked AE mini-suites, so were able to keep our pricing, and get two mini-suites together, on the Pool Deck, as nothing was available aft..:( They said there were only 6, and they had all been reserved, prior to my 10 AM phone call..:o We also got a $200. OBC for transferring from the Jewel to the Sun. :)

 

Anyhow, are there any 'benefits' to having 'minis' on the Sun, and am curious why the schematic/pictures of the AE's show different layouts of the cabins.. Every other one looks smaller...:eek: Is this a mis-conception..?? Also, we are sailing with friends who live in the UK, and wonder if the balcony partition between cabins can be opened..???

 

Anyone..????:D

[teacher_md]

Don -

 

I don't expect cruiselines to replace carpet daily, however I don't want to be on a ship that's worn and tattered. It matters to me. Out of all the cruises I've been on, I've only noticed this carpet-issue once, so maybe I've been lucky (or not that observant)?

 

- aj

[Stillfloatin']

Have sailed both, loved both, but prefer the Pearl for the following reasons:

 

1. Mini-suites on the Sun are more like real suites and cost much more than mini-suites on the Pearl which are our usual cabin category. Therefore, we booked a regular cabin on the Sun and it was TINY. Small bathroom, small cabin, limited storage. The closets are MUCH larger on the Pearl and there are more storage drawers.

2. We're gamers and spend a lot of time in the casinos. The Pearl is a large casino with a decent selection of machines and tables. The Sun casino is much smaller and more limited.

3. More dining options on the Pearl.

4. Better selection of entertainment/bar venues.

5. No wi-fi in the cabins like there is on the Pearl. This is a biggie for us because we hate lugging our laptop up to the Internet Cafe or out to the Pool Deck to send and receive email. Much nicer to do it first thing in the morning still in our jammies, drinking coffee out on the balcony. :D

 

I will say this though about the Sun; you absolutely cannot find a greater crew. Very friendly, very helpful. The best crew we've encountered on all of our cruises.

 

I do want to stress that we really enjoyed our Sun cruise, I'm just stating the reasons we prefer the Pearl. Our reasons may not be important to you but they can help you decide.

[Stillfloatin']

Also, we are sailing with friends who live in the UK, and wonder if the balcony partition between cabins can be opened..???

 

Anyone..????:D

 

No, you cannot open the balcony partitions on the Sun. We sailed with a group of 6 and that was a disappointment to us. Guess I should have added that to my reasons why I prefer the Pearl.

[Cruise_More_Often]

I do want to stress that we really enjoyed our Sun cruise' date=' I'm just stating the reasons we prefer the Pearl. Our reasons may not be important to you but they can help you decide.[/quote']Sounds like Stirboo had no choice but to switch from the Jewel to the Sun for the TA, since the Sun is replacing the Jewel in Europe next summer. Not sure about the itinerary teacher_md is looking at on the Sun, but maybe it's one of the Baltics cruises????

[stlrboo]

Sounds like Stlrboo had no choice but to switch from the Jewel to the Sun for the TA, since the Sun is replacing the Jewel in Europe next summer.

That would be the case...! No choice, or switch from NCL to either Celebrity, RCI or Princess to stay within our pricing limits...:o

 

NCL actually gave us an upgrade of sorts, from an AF Mini on the Jewel to AE's on the Sun, however our beloved 'afts' were all spoken for..:( We also were able to keep our original pricing, as the Sun (for some reason) has been priced higher than the Jewel...:rolleyes: An OBC of $200.00 per cabin was also 'in the mix' to accept the Sun vs the Jewel, so we took it...

 

I'm sure we'll be happy on the Sun, even tho' it is our first time on NCL.. We are looking forward to "Freestyle 2.0"..:D

[kruzkid]

http://smillay.cruisesinc.com/travel/cruises/virtual_tours.do?ITINERARY_ID=801|09|||

[Stillfloatin']

NCL actually gave us an upgrade of sorts, from an AF Mini on the Jewel to AE's on the Sun,:D

 

Now, that's a great score! You won't have the same small cabin, storage issues we had. In fact, you'll have a great cruise, no doubt. I do feel your pain regarding the aft-facing cabins. We always get those when available!

[stlrboo]

Now' date=' that's a great score! You won't have the same small cabin, storage issues we had. In fact, you'll have a great cruise, no doubt. I do feel your pain regarding the aft-facing cabins. We always get those when available![/quote']I tried... Really tried, and had the Rep. check several times.. NO aft available... (within class)..:o

 

There is always the chance for rough weather, so the side AE may be a better choice, but then, they are pretty far forward, so I don't think we'll be that much better off... Basically the same deck....:rolleyes:;)

 

We are sailing with our friends who live in the UK, so any trip to their 'home' will certainly be wonderful!:D

[Stillfloatin']

You'll have a fantastic trip!!!

[DMH15]

stillfloatin' - when I was in an AC aft on the Sun 2/15-3/1 they were in the process of putting internet access in the suites. Not sure if JUST suites or suites first. But that is a plus for future Sun suite pax, at the least!