Looking for Sun Baltic Feedback 2011

[okie_traveler]

Ok here was our experience on Day 1 - Such a great cruise and lots of fantastic memories. Glad you all got back on time from your tour of Berlin - 400 of us on an NCL tour (many tours combined) got back 15 minutes after All Aboard. It was a long day.

 

Freestyle Daily Highlights

Where to have lunch on embarkation day (Garden Café Deck 11 Aft 11:30-3:30PM, Great Outdoors Deck 11 Aft, 12 – 4PM, Seven Seas Deck 5 Aft, 11:30 – 2PM)

Temporary luggage storage, while waiting for staterooms, can be found in Dazzles Disco Dec 6 Mid 11AM – 2PM

ATM/ Cash Machines located inside Sun Club Casino Deck 7 Mid

Muster Boat Drill (4:45PM)

Sale Away Party after Boat Drill (Poolside Deck 11 Mid)

Kids Crew (Parents register kids for youth & teen programs (5PM – 7PM Deck 12 Mid)

Freestyle Dining for dinner begins at 5:30PM

Comedy Ventriloquist Steve Hewlett (9:30PM Stardust)

 

:)Copenhagen Denmark Norwegian Sun June 4, 2011

Weather – Sunny 68 F

Sunrise: 4:30AM – Sunset 9:47PM

All Aboard 3PM

Sail Away 5PM

Arrived at CPH at 7:30AM – The Norwegian Cruise personnel were at baggage claim at this hour. We had purchased a transfer from the airport to the cruise terminal. (Pick up a Copenhagen Map – In language of choice for free by luggage pickup OR inside arrival area at IT)

The first bus transfer to leave each day is 9:30AM. Those who arrived on our flight or any subsequent flights before 9:30 waited at the Starbuck’s in the arrival area of CPH with your luggage. We placed our own luggage in a trailer which was pulled behind our bus to the terminal then retrieved our luggage before checking in. As our bus drew closer to the port, we saw a number of people rolling their suitcases behind them (young and old) from the public transportation stops to the terminal. Depending on where you got off, Metro, bus or train, this could be 10 minutes of rolling to 30 minutes of rolling. Norwegians transfer from the airport was well worth the cost. We purchased ours with the package, but some people were purchasing this after they arrived. I do not know the cost, all I know was that they had to wait until all of the people who had purchased their transfer ahead of time before taking the transfer. Still cheaper than a taxi and faster than walking. My husband and I are in our early 50’s, fairly adventurous, have rolled our suitcases miles before but both gave a sigh of relief on choosing the Norwegian Transfer.

Arrived at the port by 10:30AM. Though we had been awake for 24 hours we had planned on going into Copenhagen before boarding. Arriving this early allowed for time to explore. We left our luggage with a Norwegian Representative outside the check-in area. The only piece of luggage that they would not take was our laptop computer. Both my husband and I have business that requires daily internet check-ins so we could not leave home without the laptop. My husband gallantly lugged our laptop for the next4 hours throughout Copenhagen and to the top of Round Tower.

The Norwegian Sun docks at Freeport Terminal in Copenhagen – here is the site for the port http://www.cruisecopenhagen.com/passenger/transport/cruise-terminals. There are taxis available at the port, we chose to walk (follow the blue line) to the Nordhavn Station approximately a 10 minute walk. We had purchased Kroner before leaving the US for Denmark, Sweden and some Euros for Germany and Estonia. Russians gladly took US dollars. Right next to the Nordhavn station there is a “7 11” convenience store. In this store you can use your local currency to buy train tickets. We could not figure out how to use the machine in the station. Some of the entertainment staff from the Sun were also walking into town and they pleasantly showed us the store so that we could purchase tickets. The is the S-Train Map http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:S-train_diagram.svg - would have loved a copy of this before we left the US. Not understanding the S-Train we hopped on the first train that stopped at the station. Then tried to make sense of the map of the wall. Unable to make sense of the map we decided to get off sooner than later knowing we only wanted to go a short distance. Our ultimate destination was Nyhavn (New Harbor). Two stops from Nordhavn we exited at Norreport – Exit the station onto Norre Voldgade to a large collection of abandoned bikes, at the intersection of Frederiksborggade turn right this turns into Kultorvet then into Kobmagergade (look for names of streets on the side of buildings at corners). If you are lucky you will shortly run into the Round Tower/ Trinitatis Church. The church is free to enter and the Round Tower is 25 Danish Kroner to climb.

The Trinitatis Church was commissioned by King Christian IV in 1637 initially as a church for the students of Copenhagen University. The Round Tower was built in conjunction as an observatory. There is a very ornate altarpiece in this church, today it is called a common National Church. The Round Tower is worth the climb (even if you are carrying a laptop computer and you are sleep deprived and starving) This 210 meter spiral ramp is wide enough for the first seven spirals for the King to drive his horse and carriage to the top. But if you want to get to the very top the staircase does narrow, Magnificent panoramic view from the top of Copenhagen skyline.

After descending it is a short walk to the Stroget the main pedestrian street and just a bit farther to our destination and lunch. Stay on Kobmagergade till Stroget turn left. Stay on Stroget which is also called Østergade if you are going in the correct direction and eventually come out at King Square (Kongens Nytorv) In the middle of the square look right and you will see Nyhavn. This is not how we got to Nyhavn. We will admit to getting lost. But this is the quickest way. There are numerous places to eat here. Just look for something you like, can afford or can translate.

We walked all the way back to the ship after lunch. The first part of the walk was very refreshing. Once we exited the Kastellet our energy level dropped and we had wished we had taken the S-train back or hailed a cab.

To walk back to the port from Nyhavn turn left on Toldbodgade walk to the entrance of Amalienborg Palace (http://www.copenhagenet.dk/CPH-Map/CPH-Amalienborg.asp) then cut over to Amaliegade and head toward the ship. You will pass The Museum of Danish Resistance (which we fully intended to tour but this is where the energy level dropped off the edge) http://www.copenhagenet.dk/CPH-Map/CPH-Resistance.asp. They you will come to the Gefion Fountain cross the moat and walk the grounds of the Kasellett. When you come out at the other side, make the decision as to going to see the Little Mermaid (follow the sign to the right that says Den Lille Havfrue – Here is when we should have hailed a cab. Or walk. We walked using what was left of our senses to get back to the ship (about 2 miles).

If we had any senses, when you come out of the Kasellett turn left at Ved Norgesporten then left at Folke Bernadottes Allé and right at Oslo Plads turn right (grand total of ¼ mile) to S Osterport Station ride one stop to Nordhavan get off and follow the blue line to the ship.

We arrived back at the ship around 2:30PM – easily checked on. No crowds at all. Our room was ready and the luggage had been delivered. Our room was mini-suite 1201 Deck 11. We met our steward who was wonderful through our entire trip.

Note on how to get an upgrade: We booked our trip months ahead of time as a balcony ocean view room. About 5 weeks out we started to watch the NCL site to see the prices they were offering for our cruise and what was left in terms of rooms. There were mini-suites listed for the same price that we paid, so called our NCL cruise specialist Miguel Sanchez (866 – 936-9722 x 5620) and he upgraded us to our new room a mini-suite at no additional cost.

Our biggest challenge was to stay awake until the muster drill at 4:45PM. We did – had an early dinner at the Garden Café Deck 11 Aft.

Tomorrow Berlin - :)

Could you tell me about your jr suite. Had it been refurbished during the dry dock? Are there curtains or doors on tub? If curtains, is there enough room that the curtains don't get in the way? Wife is concerned about the tub. She leaves everything else to me!

[okie_traveler]

Is there time to shop at the flea market if on a group tour (not shipbexcursion)

[jdvmd]

Glad you had a good time. Thinking about this ship in may for Baltic. Concerned about the conditions of the cabins and it's bathrooms. What type of cabin did you have? We are looking at a balcony or jr suite. Bathroom in balconies seem very outdated. What's your thoughts

 

We have sailed on the Sun twice and never found the bathrooms to be outdated. We did a 14-night South American sailing two years ago in a mini suite and it is still one of my favorite cabins we have ever had, mainly because of the bathroom set up. I want to say the bathtub has doors that slide. It is a huge tub, not like your standard size tub at home.

On our last sailing (Baltic, June 4), we had an inside cabin. The bathroom was small especially the shower.

[okie_traveler]

thanks so much. I think we are going to get a mini suite instead of a balcony just to give my wife a bit more room. We've never had issues on all the cruises we've been on and I'm sure we wouldn't on the Sun but no reason starting out the 9 days with a negative. Our first ever cruise was on the Sky and enjoyed everything just fine.