Anashoo

My family was on the Sun in Aug. we had a great time! Only thing I’d do differently would be get at least an oceanview, but that was more due to the lack of light waking up. It was our first inside, so was a bit of a test case for us. We had all 5 of us in a family, though, and it was plenty of room. My teens hated the couch bed, though, so I don’t recommend that one to the person who asked. We even asked for a topper, but the steward put only one in the center, so they each got half of one to sleep on? Besides the head scratcher that was, it didn’t help enough, either. The drop down bed was fine, though. Lack of towel animals was tragic as we have a 10 year old who didn’t remember them on our last cruise with him when he was 2. It’d be nice if they’d at least give you one on your journey. 
 

entertainment options were great! My husband gets bored easily on cruises, wants to not sit around but always be doing things, but he had fun as well. My oldest tried to get into any show that it was an option, and we all loved going to the Bliss lounge to see what was going on. 
 

I booked this one in part due to its size. Our last couple of cruises were both on Carnival ships where it was wall to wall people. I never felt that crowded on the Sun, no need for mdi reservations (I really hate the idea I’d ever have to do that, we like being flexible), never hard to get a seat in a show. I would definitely sail her again! We’ll probably get two cabins, though, just to be sure no one has to sleep on the couch lol

I just walked off the Sun today. It was on our menus all cruise, and my husband and I ordered the filet to use up the last of our on board credit our last night aboard. It was delicious!

So weird. We checked in and I literally uploaded random selfies of my kids and I that were on my phone. All but one was accepted, and that one had a notation we needed to do a retake there, and then we finished check in. I saw nothing about white backgrounds, etc lol. My youngest is eating ice cream in his pic. I fully expect they’ll want to retake them all 😆

11 hours ago, Shidah said:

I always put everyone under me for online check in, then at the port, we put different people under their own credit cards or do not give charging privileges to them.  They get that all squared away at that time.

Thank you! I’ll do this, too, then, and make sure it’s clear at the pier.

Question: first timer on NCL, never done online check in and can’t seem to check my kids in completely because it tells me they need to reject their own addons and travel insurance with their own accounts, but I can add them to myself on the check in tab. I see no place to add them, unless they mean where I checked for credit card permissions. I’m not letting my 10 year old and teens have free access to our credit card, so I’m not going to do this. Does this mean it’s impossible to check in online and I have to finish on the dock? Or I really have to make multiple accounts for my kids? This is really bizarre to me. I added all other info just fine.

I live near Seattle and getting farm fresh produce is not difficult at all. Tons of farms all around us, and farmers markets are pretty huge. Curious why you think it’s not available here.

7 hours ago, WexIrl said:

You can buy them pre cruise (if you cannot find the option on the NCL site, call NCL and they will assist), otherwise you can purchase it on board (just go to the casino area and there will be a stand to sign up).


As for price vs value, my son had the price used up in about 3 days... it was approx $5 per game of pool alone and he played many games

I intend to buy one pass for my three to share (if they are too hasty, they can just wait out the lock out time, learning experience ha). Between them and us, I bet we can make it worth it. 

Even if they do, my kids aren’t the same age group spans, so they wouldn’t be able to play together. 

We’ll be in a family interior on the Sun in Aug (although I bid for balcony do maybe we get lucky lol). 3 kids, two of them teens, but we’re a (now retired) military family that’s spent months at a time living in hotel rooms on moves waiting for housing, so we know how to do tight quarters. Would rather spend that extra money on excursions, because excursions in Alaska for 5 is $$$$$.

7 hours ago, TampaGambler said:

 

In November, it was $199 for the entire cruise, they do not all you to just buy one day, its all or nothing...

 

For some strange reason, we can buy it ahead of time now for our Alaska sailing next week for $175. 

 

As an FYI, they also have a limited number of unlimited galaxy pavilian cards so they can do unlimited VR.

 

Thank you, much appreciated! I did expect we’d have to pay all week. I’ll keep looking closer to our cruise to see if we can get it beforehand. Is the VR on all ships? They would definitely get our money’s worth out of one of those passes. 

Yeah a password manager is almost essential today. If they ever make biometrics the actual password instead of just a way to access your passwords, I’ll be so happy

4 hours ago, TampaGambler said:

On our last cruise they didn’t show up as being able to purchase ahead of the cruise, but we were able to buy once onboard, ironically at the casino lol….

Lol the casino huh? Good to know, thanks! How much was it per day? I was also hoping to see that when it showed up, buuut

We are 89 days out from an Alaska cruise on the Sun. I intend to buy my gamer children arcade passes, but they are still not showing up as available to buy. Is this something I have to get onboard? Or it’s just still too far out?

P.S. if anyone happens to know how the inside cabin that sleeps 5 is actually configured, I’d love to hear! All the NCL pics show the one that sleeps up to 4, and I’ve searched online quite a bit and still have no idea if its’s two drop down bunks or a roll away bed or something for the 5th.

I’ve seen pics on fb of ppl hanging those smaller desk type fans from the ceiling with either magnet hooks or duct tape sooo I’m guessing this kind of behavior prompted the ban. Must be nice to come in the cabin and have one of those fall on your head. Then they just blanket banned because that’s easier than carving out exceptions.

It is a giant chunk of change if you are doing multiples, we just renewed 4, 2 of them child with slightly lower fees, and it was still about $500. The kids will need new ones in 5 years, too, not 10. I think we are one of the very few in our large extended families that have them, and that all started from being a military family and moving overseas after being stationed near a border we crossed occasionally on leave. No one else travels that much, many are low income, and yeah the US is a big place most haven’t even been to the other side of, so there’s that, too. 

Okay, I booked on the Carnival site. Went with an 8 day, Carribbean cruise out of Port Canaveral. It was 4500 with all fees and gratuity included. So, well within budget and we are all in an ocean view room, one of the last they had available. I am pretty happy with it overall.

I did have one question, though - I clicked military rate and thought that's what I got. The break down, though, doesn't really give me any info on rate or deals, etc, although they came up as I was going through the choices. Does this mean I ended up with some other rate? I hate their interface - it's not very clear what's going on. Or I just don't understand it. This is sort of the "did I get he best deal I could have" worry, but, as I said, I'm happy to have worked out something at all. Now I need to buy trip insurance with the last of the budget in case the Navy messes things up for us.

:D There is a very good option if you like Vacations. Sometimes you have to

look very hard to find one that you would like to go

on. Sometimes you have to (dot) all the "i's" and cross all the tees. com'on. You can do it.

Lol, thanks! Got an inquiry sent out tonight.

another option is a certain motor vehicle service that you can find as the first entry of any dictionary. booked our first cruise through them. between the military free upgrade to the highest category Balcony and their personal one of being a member, we did very well.

I do believe I know what you are talking about, ;) lol

see what ITT has. sometimes one of them is a certified TA

Hadn't even thought of that. Didn't think they dealt with cruises, but, then again, you can find all kinds of stuff there.

I hear you. mine is haze grey at the moment. due back this fall. did you get funny looks when you mentioned a sailor going on a cruise?! heheheh

 

we are quick to point out the two major pros: booze on board and no standing at as oh dark thirty.

 

if you are in Norfolk, again I suggest looking at what Baltimore offers. the Bermuda cruise on either ship that sails out of there is pretty nice with an overnite on the island.

I will take a look! Mine is a submariner, so his "cruises" involve 18 hour days, low oxygen, and no view, lol. Plus a decided lack of entertainment. I do see the irony, though.

To an earlier poster: June 28 is about the earliest we can do, based on leave dates and our son's summer camp. I will look after the 4th, though. We have about a week after that I can consider. I do wish ppl could share travel agent recommendations. I hate googling and hoping for the best...

I'd love to talk to a travel agent, but can't find any near me.

Just saw the last reply: the 5k is just for the cruise itself. We will have another budget for extras. We are coming from VA, and have family in NE we could stay with, as well as friends in Orlando. So, we should be able to avoid airfare if we find something East Coast. We can leave from about June 29 onward, and have a couple weeks to work with. The 4th is in the middle, which is what most worried me with cost, etc.

Thank you for all the kind thoughts! And ideas. I will focus on those. Unfortunately, as active duty, we never have the luxury of planning ahead or picking the ideal times. He's scheduled to be back out at sea this fall, and I have no clue when this chance will come again. On the bright side, there is never a dull moment!

So, I've been on one cruise, but it was years ago for a honeymoon. We now have 3 kids, 2, 7, and 10. My dh is on deployment and left me to plan the trip for his return. We really, really want to do a cruise (and everyone has a passport!). Problem is, his leave period is over the 4th of July. Plus the aforementioned three kids. And a budget of about 5k. I've spent some serious time searching cruise sites, but I feel really lost. Is this even sort of possible? We don't care much about destination as long as it's outside the US, and the departure port can be pretty much anywhere along the East Coast as we live in the middle and will drive to save some money.

Tips? Hints? Can you even fit three kids in a room? I really want to make this work, but I'm really discouraged...