9 Days on the Sun with Kids?

[Generator515]

Debating booking a 9 day trip on the Sun with two kids (9 and 5) to Alaska next year. It will be kids first cruise and our first since 2012 (NCL Dawn).

I know it doesn’t have the bells and whistles but does the Sun work for families? Many of the online reviews seem iffy at best (food, sewage, etc). The price for 9 days (and two extra ports) is less than 7 on the Encore which makes it so tempting to book. 

[www3traveler]

2 hours ago, Generator515 said:

Debating booking a 9 day trip on the Sun with two kids (9 and 5) to Alaska next year. It will be kids first cruise and our first since 2012 (NCL Dawn).

I know it doesn’t have the bells and whistles but does the Sun work for families? Many of the online reviews seem iffy at best (food, sewage, etc). The price for 9 days (and two extra ports) is less than 7 on the Encore which makes it so tempting to book. 

Me, I would choose a different ship.  There may be a few actitivities for kids but not like The Encore or The Bliss.

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, Generator515 said:

Debating booking a 9 day trip on the Sun with two kids (9 and 5) to Alaska next year. It will be kids first cruise and our first since 2012 (NCL Dawn).

I know it doesn’t have the bells and whistles but does the Sun work for families? Many of the online reviews seem iffy at best (food, sewage, etc). The price for 9 days (and two extra ports) is less than 7 on the Encore which makes it so tempting to book. 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

The Sun is one of the oldest and smallest ships in the NCL fleet. And will very similar to the Dawn. 

 

As a frequent cruiser, I think that the kids would not notice the difference between the Sun and the much bigger Bliss or Encore. The key to your success is to register them with the Splash Academy on embarkation day, and take them there every day to hang with kids their own age. There will be [a lot] fewer kids on the Sun and the longer cruise than the 7-days on the big ship, but so long as there are a few kids,,,, it will be fine. 

 

I think that most of the feedback you will get is based on what an Adult wants. 

 

From your brief description, I understand that your priority is value for money, more ports, more days, lower cost. And as long as the itinerary includes Glacier Bay, I think that the rationale is perfectly fine. Alaska is one of the beset cruise destinations and taking full advantage with the 9-day cruise is perfect. Have a great cruise! (BTW: We are on the Encore to Alaska in a few weeks,,,, so we are not looking at value for money)

Edited August 6, 2023 by BirdTravels

[dexddd]

Welcome to CC.  We did 12 days on Sun awhile back when kids 12 and 8.  It was Baltics and port intensive.  The kids had a great time due to the room next door had kids same age and hung out and went to the club.  The club is at the front of the ship and prime location oddly enough but pretty basic unless upgraded.  There were only 48 kids onboard.

 

Have not been on Encore but Escape and Prima.  That being said, Sun is an old school ship built in 2000. I'd never sail on it again.  Buffet is dinky, sports bar has limited hours for food to name a couple downsides.  Pools are decent though.

 

Encore will have much more to do and things to see.  Plus it generally gets good reviews.

 

[seekatz]

Being on the Sun in Alaska earlier this year we saw very few families, and kids.

The ship does not have Children activities that I saw, it seemed more geared to adults.

The good part about the Sun in Alaska is the ship has long port times. If your goal is to do activities in port, this is a good choice. If it is to have a lot of ship board activity, another choice is better. As several have noted, the buffet and pizza offerings other than a few hour's at lunch are not what you find on more modern ships.  

[GORDONCHICK]

First - you said it's the kids' first cruise - so they won't know any different.  My son was fine on the Sun in 2015, where he would have been 14 and far from his first cruise.  But it really depends on your kids.  Mine has always been happy in the kids' program, even the teen one when that applied.  A 9 night cruise with 5-6 port days should be fine.  Unless they plan on swimming.  The pool will be cold though the hot tubs will be fine.  We've done almost 20 with our son (now 22) and honestly, he was harder once he was 18.

 

[Generator515]

Thanks everyone. Thinking will take the plunge and give it a try. Always been a land lover and love port intensive cruises in the past so tough to pass up given all the factors.