Trying to find out everything you all know about the Sun

[Clay Clayton]

Included on my pre-printed room steward list is a request for a second ice bucket. This usually results in a wine cooler which provides plenty of ice and lots of delicious ice water. Other items on our list are requests to empty the minibar, a couple of extra pillow, removing the robes (one size does NOT fit all:mad:) and a bar of soap (I don't like shower gel).

 

We have a very small lunch size cooler we have taken along if we know we are going to have a daylong excursion. It's great for packing a few drinks on ice.

[snorkelinggirl]

The Sun has doors to the bathroom.

[snorkelinggirl]

I have cruised on her multiple times. Not a crowded ship. Space for everyone. Crew is always very sociable and friendly. Food is plentiful and excellent. Smooth sailings.

[griz400]

Where is the designated area to store carry-on luggage before cabins are ready?

 

Not sure on this question , when we sailed before our room was ready when we got on, i seen others leave their luggage outside their doors, thats where they left our checked luggage when we got back from lunch, it was there, and then about 2 hrs later, last bag was there

[don't-use-real-name]

Where is the designated area to store carry-on luggage before cabins are ready?

 

If boarding a couple of hours before sailing your cabin should be available -

just take your carry on baggage and unload it there.

If boarding way early then you take your carry on with you to the buffet or

main dining room and have a bite to eat waiting for announcement that your

cabins are ready.

Somewhere in between then gather in any open space and relax till the cabins

are ready. It is requested that you not block stairwells elevators and passageways.

I have found that if boarding early just take your stuff to your cabin and see

if it is available and go from there - if not the cleaning crew should be around

just put your stuff in an area they have already cleaned - no doubt you will

run into your cabin steward and things will work out fine without a problem.

 

The disembarking of passengers and boarding of the next cruise is timed pretty

good that you don't wait too long with your carry on baggage to unload it.

 

Your checked luggage should arrive at your cabin door somewhere around two

hours before sailing if not check with the registration (pursers) desk !

 

As an after thought try to keep your carry on baggage to a manageable level

until your cabin is ready you will have to lug it around with you and keep an

eye on it.

 

NCL SUN is a small ship so your cabin accommodations should be available

when boarding a couple three hours before sailing.

 

Storage for carry on - none that I was aware of on the NCL SUN other ships

YMMV.

[zounds]

To answer your question; on some previous NCL cruises we've been able to check our carry-ons in the dance club while we had lunch on embark. day. steve

[MaryL31]

Just off the Sun on Monday :( She is a lovely ship. Had a balcony on 9th deck. Flat screen TV. No ice on embarkation; steward said he would bring it but that we needed to call room service for wine glasses. Room service was very fast, and brought the ice with them. Shrimp cocktail in Cagney's; did not see it on MDR menus. Was not impressed with MDR menus. Ate there once. Agree with the complaint that there is not much variety. The Garden Buffet seemed okay; for the couple of times I actually got there, the menu did n ot appear to me to be the same thing every day. DH disagrees with me, which I why I did not get to eat there more than twice. Best meal of the week was at La Cucina. Also ate at Cagney's, Le Bistro, and Moderna. All were very good!

[Sauer-kraut]

Just off the Sun on Monday :( She is a lovely ship. Had a balcony on 9th deck. Flat screen TV. No ice on embarkation; steward said he would bring it but that we needed to call room service for wine glasses. Room service was very fast, and brought the ice with them. Shrimp cocktail in Cagney's; did not see it on MDR menus. Was not impressed with MDR menus. Ate there once. Agree with the complaint that there is not much variety. The Garden Buffet seemed okay; for the couple of times I actually got there, the menu did n ot appear to me to be the same thing every day. DH disagrees with me, which I why I did not get to eat there more than twice. Best meal of the week was at La Cucina. Also ate at Cagney's, Le Bistro, and Moderna. All were very good!

 

The buffet food is NOT the same every day, if you look at the board by the entrance (from the elevator side) you'll see what is the theme of the meal. You might see some repeats, i.e. breakfast they switch out the tater tots with something else every other day. For the most part there will be different foods each day. My fav was German Night .... Kassler at the carving station and other excellent things. :D

[debnjoe1438]

I was checking out cabin pictures on cruisedeckplans.com. Most cabins show a small, old TV. Are these pictures just old or have TV's not been updated?

 

Pretty sure my last cruise on the Sun the TV was flat screen.

[MaryL31]

Sauer-kraut- I never said the buffet was the same each day. The "n" is separated from the "ot", as in not the same. By the way, you do realize that all caps indicates raising one's voice, I hope? Some folks just might take offense when that is done ;)

[don't-use-real-name]

Pretty sure my last cruise on the Sun the TV was flat screen.

 

July 2013 NCL SUN SB Alaska - mini-suite had flat screen.

Two couples part of our tour group were on deck 9 starboard - flat screens also.

 

In this day and now age of High Definition the old boob tube ain't cutting it

and are taking up way too much useable space in a small cabin. The Flat

Screen is the only way to go. Then again not all cruise lines have retrofitted

their cabins with the latest - it is only a matter of time and dry dock !

[debnjoe1438]

At embarkation, is there ice in the ice bucket in the cabin or do you have to request it?

 

There is an ice bucket, don't remember if there was ice in it on embarkation. I don't believe I ever requested ice, it just seemed to always be there.:)

[Clay Clayton]

DDP and I both like a lot of ice so we usually request a second one and it too is kept full all the time.

[griz400]

Schedule says we leave at 4:00 , and NCL says to be on board at least 2 hrs early, what is the earliest time you can board ??? Noon or so ??

[Out to sea!]

Schedule says we leave at 4:00 , and NCL says to be on board at least 2 hrs early, what is the earliest time you can board ??? Noon or so ??

 

I'll probably be there at 8 am kicking the last weeks passengers off the ship so we can board as soon as possible. :D

[Clay Clayton]

Schedule says we leave at 4:00 , and NCL says to be on board at least 2 hrs early, what is the earliest time you can board ??? Noon or so ??

 

We like to get our full value so we like to be among the first onboard. We typically arrive between 10:30 and 11. Get checked in and then have to wait "over there" until we can board...usually crossing the gangway around noon. We head directly to the MDR and have our welcome aboard cocktail and a leisurely lunch. Typcially get finished just about the time they announce the rooms are ready.

 

If you don't want to cool your jets, "over there", then you should wait until later to arrive. According to most postings, if you get to the dock around 1:30, then you can walk right onboard....BUT it also means you miss having lunch.....so not a good value. LOL

[don't-use-real-name]

We like to get our full value so we like to be among the first onboard. We typically arrive between 10:30 and 11. Get checked in and then have to wait "over there" until we can board...usually crossing the gangway around noon. We head directly to the MDR and have our welcome aboard cocktail and a leisurely lunch. Typcially get finished just about the time they announce the rooms are ready.

 

If you don't want to cool your jets, "over there", then you should wait until later to arrive. According to most postings, if you get to the dock around 1:30, then you can walk right onboard....BUT it also means you miss having lunch.....so not a good value. LOL

 

Picky point:....BUT it also means you miss having lunch.....so not a good value.

Yes you do miss the sit down lunch served to you in the MDR but the buffet

is open - you won't starve until din-din.

 

Note you got the boarding drill down to an art - You are maximizing your

time on board to the ultimate. Jolly good timing mate !

[Clay Clayton]

Picky point:....BUT it also means you miss having lunch.....so not a good value.

Yes you do miss the sit down lunch served to you in the MDR but the buffet

is open - you won't starve until din-din.

 

Note you got the boarding drill down to an art - You are maximizing your

time on board to the ultimate. Jolly good timing mate !

 

Agreed about not starving, but if we boarded later and had a late linch, that might ruin dinner! And once I was introduced to civilized lunch in the MDR on embarkation day, I haven't considered going back to the buffet until everyone learns their way around and calms down from their "we're on vacation" craziness.

[medicalma'am]

We like to be among the first to board so we get to the pier around 10:30. We also go to the main dining room for a leisurely lunch, then to our rooms before exploring the ship before sail away.

 

This cruise there will be no 'mad rush' to book the Chef's Table or the Spa Pass (there is no spa wet area on the Sun) so we will have fun on deck with drink in hand for sail away I suppose.

[medicalma'am]

Tell me about the internet on the Sun. Is it still the slow as dial up, or has it been upgraded at all. I know the new builds have the data packages. Just thinking ahead about staying connected with those at home.

[MaryL31]

The internet is still very very slow. I wouldn't have even bothered with it but I had some work issues to deal with.

[Clay Clayton]

We like to be among the first to board so we get to the pier around 10:30. We also go to the main dining room for a leisurely lunch' date=' then to our rooms before exploring the ship before sail away.

 

This cruise there will be no 'mad rush' to book the Chef's Table or the Spa Pass (there is no spa wet area on the Sun) so we will have fun on deck with drink in hand for sail away I suppose.

[/size']

Why no mad rush for chef's table?

[griz400]

On our previous cruise we took a 12 pack of water and a 12 pack of Coke Zero and that was pretty much sufficient (was a 5 day cruise though) ..we are not really fans of Pepsi, but considering the soft drink package ... did the math and it comes out 15.00 a day for 2, which is good on sail days, but other days, we probably wont drink a soda till after re-embarking ship after going to ports each day ...

On carnival , you had to take it a carry on, and was sorta pain, but not too bad .. i hear you can just put a luggage tag on it on NCL .. true/false ??? we will still buy sodas throughout cruise .. when convenient .. dinner, lunch, etc ..

But when we leave room seemed like we always fill our "coolie glasses" and sometimes refill on pool deck with soda, iced tea, water ...

 

these here are the best beverage cups -- http://www.fattuesdaykeywest.com/drink-menu

3rd cup over ... these are all over the keys .. and in Ft Lauderdale but didnt see em in Cozumel

Edited September 21, 2014 by griz400

[debnjoe1438]

On our previous cruise we took a 12 pack of water and a 12 pack of Coke Zero and that was pretty much sufficient (was a 5 day cruise though) ..we are not really fans of Pepsi, but considering the soft drink package ... did the math and it comes out 15.00 a day for 2, which is good on sail days, but other days, we probably wont drink a soda till after re-embarking ship after going to ports each day ...

On carnival , you had to take it a carry on, and was sorta pain, but not too bad .. i hear you can just put a luggage tag on it on NCL .. true/false ??? we will still buy sodas throughout cruise .. when convenient .. dinner, lunch, etc ..

But when we leave room seemed like we always fill our "coolie glasses" and sometimes refill on pool deck with soda, iced tea, water ...

 

these here are the best beverage cups -- http://www.fattuesdaykeywest.com/drink-menu

3rd cup over ... these are all over the keys .. and in Ft Lauderdale but didnt see em in Cozumel

 

I can't speak for the "luggage tag" however we have put soda's and water in a small suit case and put with the rest of the luggage. It's always arrived at the room ok.

[Clay Clayton]

I've regularly stuck a luggage tag to a refrigerator pack do caffeine free diet Pepsi and they've always magically appeared in the cabin a few hours later.