Live reports from the Sun - 3/18/06 Eastern Caribbean

[reporterjen]

(I'm a reporter by trade, but no one has ever accused me of being brief.)

 

 

* Day 1 - Saturday, March 18 - Departing Miami *

 

We arrived at Ft. Lauderdale airport at about 11:15 a.m., unsure of quite how we were going to find our NCL transfer shuttle to the Sun. But the baggage claim area was filled with hordes of cruisers -- and cruise staff holding clipboards labeled with their affiliation. Finding NCL's representative was a breeze.

 

We were led outside about 11:45, and stashed our luggage to be checked in a Budget rental van NCL uses to get gear to the ships. We hopped on to the 12 p.m. bus, and we were at the port of Miami at about 12:45.

 

Christopher and I had more carry-on luggage than many other folks, who clearly did a better job of arranging everything. And, we wanted to make sure all our cameras and the laptop made it on board. :) So, we hefted a rolling suitcase, bookbag and duffel through the entire embarkation process. Thank goodness it was a breeze!

 

I didn't know quite what to expect, having read varying reviews on cruisecritic.com; it seemed the average wait time was about an hour. We didn't have to wait at all -- for anything. We were handed customs forms for Tortola and the Bahamas and filled those out before stepping into a line to check in. We handed over our passports and printed e-ticket. The attendant took our picture, presumably for computerized records. And we forked over a credit card to initiate our shipboard account.

 

Then, we headed into a second main room, which was filled with empty chairs. We dodged the photographers and headed to a desk where NCL staffers handed over our ship cards, used for embarkation, to unlock our stateroom doors and to pay for extras onboard.

 

Next it was off to the luggage scanner and metal detector. There was no wait, and we passed through with ease (and no one said anything about the bottle of wine we'd packed, fully expecting to pay a corkage fee, nor a few extra drinks we had stashed about).

 

We walked up the long gangplank to the ship, and we were onboard. The whole process took less than 30 minutes. We forgot to check the time immediately, because we were immediately preoccupied.

 

Right as we stepped onboard, NCL crew members directed us to use hand sanitizer, dispensed automatically from freestanding machines. We got a ship map and headed into the lobby, where a long line had formed at the excursion desk. Christopher got in that (we had been told our first choice for an excursion at Samana was booked, so we wanted to try again for that, or get something else scheduled) while I headed to the restaurant desk to make reservations for le Bistro.

 

As it turns out, we got the Samana excursion we originally wanted, even though Christopher had earlier been told it was booked up. The lesson here is that you should really try to book your official excursions early (that line was a real drag when all you want to do is go and check out the boat), but, if for some reason you don't get what you want, it's worth trying onboard.

 

Later, in our room, we found the champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries (five of them) that came with the romance/honeymoon package we had ordered ahead of time. The $79 package comes with a meal at a specialty restaurant, a bottle of wine, the bottle of champagne in the room, the chocolate-covered strawberries, canapes delivered to your stateroom and a free photo (or $5 credit, your choice) from the ship's official photographers. It's worth noting that you don't choose when the canapes will be delivered; our welcome letter said we'd get them Monday evening.

 

We ate at the Great Outdoor Cafe on Deck 12 inadvertently; we'd meant to go to the Garden Cafe on the same level. Crew members didn't serve us everything, but they insisted on handing us our wrapped silver and plates. A hand sanitizer dispenser was prominently located at the front of the line. The food was fine -- nothing to write home about and similar to dorm fare. I actually really like the iced tea served on board, even though it's not freshly brewed. I think it's the Lipton's mixed kind also available, as it happens, in the take-out cafeteria below the U.S. House of Representatives that I enjoy regularly in 36 ounce quantities.

 

The muster drill was uneventful, though we met a fun couple from Nashville -- Pam and Robby -- who, like us, have a connection to the news business (she's a former photographer/copy editor). So Christopher and Robby talked country music and Nashville while Pam and I talked about journalism.

 

There's nothing quite like hundreds of people walking around in bright neon orange life boats to make you feel like partying, so, of course, that's what we -- and the rest of the ship's passengers -- did next, with a sail-away party around the pool. The ship was set to sail at 5, but apparently, we were going to get a slightly earlier start.

 

The sail-away party was lively, and folks were already showing signs of intoxication. The barbecue was fine; again, the food was sufficient, but nothing more.

 

After the barbecue, we caught the sunset on the sun deck (deck 13) and headed to a cruisecritic.com gathering organized by some board members. It was great to meet some fellow board members and chatters, since there are a lot of folks on this cruise.

 

We also stopped by a "Try it before you buy it" taste-testing of various duty-free alcohols in the ship's main shop. There wasn't any pressure to buy, and we got to try some things we'd never tasted before, including a creamy, fruity liquor, an amaretto-like liquor (that had boozy cream dispensed from a discrete, but attached, container) and sambuca. Can't say licorice does anything for me -- not even licorice-flavored alcohol.

 

We headed to dinner at the Four Seasons restaurant, where we both had mini shrimp cocktails and prime rib. The shrimp cocktails tasted fine but were a disappointment (partly because I normally eat tons of fresh shrimp at home). Also, they weren't normal-sized crustaceans. I'd thought we'd get just a few of the big guys, rather than a bunch of the small shrimp you most often see on salad bars. The prime rib was cafeteria quality; again, passable, but nothing you'd say wow about. Of course, I'm a foodie, and in D.C., Christopher and I have gotten the chance to eat at some really great restaurants, so I'm a tough critic.

 

The free cappuccino with dessert was great. And my dessert -- a chocolate confection with a whiskey caramel sauce -- was quite nice. Christopher's chocolate-raspberry cake was dry.

 

Despite my harsh criticism of the food, I actually thought Four Seasons was fine. That said, the place could use some more lively music. There's some bad muzak piped in through the stereos there; many of the lounge areas have much better offerings. Christopher noted that in le Bistro (which we wandered by), at least the music had words.

 

The day was capped off by some late-night ping pong playing (Christopher won) and basketball (I had no idea I could still make hoops). We also stopped in to check out the last two songs of a performance of `70s music.

 

Tips:

- Book those shore excursions early! If something is booked up when you try to get it, consider trying again on the ship. Folks might have canceled, freeing up space for you.

- There no longer is a batting cage on the Sun. There are, however, three ping pong tables, a shuffleboard court, a basketball court with two hoops and two golf driving stations.

- Bring wire or other light hangers. We only had eight in our room, and though the steward brought a few more, it still wasn't enough.

 

Positives:

- Embarkation was smooth, quick and easy.

- Incredibly friendly staff were everywhere.

- Storage space in our outside stateroom with porthole (4013) was amazing; NCL has done a great job of giving passengers the opportunity to utilize almost every nook and cranny, with spots to hold key cards by the door, hooks in the room and bathroom and shelves and cubbies throughout the place. Also, the bed is sufficiently high and open underneath, making that a perfect space to stash luggage.

- Even our little room had a DVD player.

 

Negatives:

- The "morgue muzak" in the Four Seasons restaurant.

- Mini shrimp cocktail is in fact a bunch of mini shrimp, not a mini bunch of normal-size shrimp. :)

- Duvet covers are really warm when all you want is a top sheet.

- There were only eight hangers in the closet.

[reporterjen]

We are having a blast on this cruise (it's my first since I was a kid and sailed around Alaska with my family, and it's the first ever for Christopher). Everything has been fun -- and it's been even better than I expected. :)

 

 

* Day 2 - Sunday, March 19 - Great Stirrup Cay (NCL private island) *

 

After a light breakfast at the Garden Cafe around 8:30 a.m., Christopher and I filled up our water bottles and headed to the seventh deck to pick up tickets for a tender to Great Stirrup Cay. The tenders started leaving at 7:30 or so.

 

We were able to get tickets for a tender leaving immediately, so we headed down to deck three to board one. Boy was it rocky! The little ship tethered to the Sun was rocking and rolling; it was tricky getting down the stairs to the bottom level. The trip to Great Stirrup Cay -- where we landed right on the beach -- was brief, perhaps lasting five minutes. The sea was calm, and once we were actually cruising, you couldn't feel much pitch and sway.

 

At the island, Christopher and I made a beeline for one of the many, many hammocks. Beach chairs covered the crowded beach, but there were lots of picnic tables and hammocks elsewhere on the island. The hammock was great; it was wonderful to doze between two tall palm trees for a while.

 

I had misplaced my brimmed hat, so I headed to the straw market to pick up another one. I found one for $5, and I didn't haggle, since other merchants were starting out their hats at 15 and 10 bucks. Folks who were trying to bargain said they were finding just a little success -- a couple bucks here and there.

 

Lunch was an NCL-provided barbecue, with pizza, hot dogs, burgers, and lots of sides. There were plenty of dessert options: mostly baked goods and a fresh fruit salad. Iced tea and water were available, too.

 

There was entertainment on the island: a band treating us to island music. At one point, they sang "96 degrees in the shade ... but it's not hot."

 

Well, it wasn't quite 96 degrees in the shade, but it was hot -- no matter what the singers were telling us. Thankfully, there was plenty of shade on the island, though unfortunately, it was usually over benches and such. I wish there were more lounging opportunities in substantial shade at Great Stirrup Cay.

 

I applied tons of sunscreen (my friends know I'm obsessed, practically, with the stuff, but then, that goes with the territory when you're a fair-skinned brunette), and amazingly, I ended up with just a few missed patches that are red on the back of my shoulders and back.

 

Christopher and I decided to explore the island a bit, based on the advice of some cruisecritic.com posts. So we headed down a trail to the left of the beach to a lighthouse, which was about a mile away. Great Stirrup Cay used to be home to an Air Force satellite tracking station, and there are remnants of the military infrastructure beyond NCL's portion of the island. About a half mile along the path, you leave NCL's official territory and come to the remains of some military installation. The water here is rich, dark blue, and the area is relatively secluded (except for a few other wandering cruise passengers), so it's a nice spot to check out. Further down the trail, we arrived at the lighthouse, which appears to still be functioning, thanks to solar panels that charge the light.

 

Later, Christopher and I headed down to the beach to get a little snorkeling in before the last tender left, at 2:30 p.m. We both gave it a try, and had a lot of fun. I haven't snorkeled since I was a kid on a trip to Hawaii with my family, and it was a little weird at first; it definitely takes some getting used to. But soon, I was seeing colorful tropical fish -- mostly white and yellow but some blue and yellow -- and floating along.

 

The tender back to the boat was uneventful and efficient. NCL takes care to wash down your feet as you enter the tender, to rid you of excess sand. And when you step onto the Sun, crew members use spray bottles to cover your hands with sanitizer.

 

The pool deck was hopping; deck chairs were filled and tons of people were splashing in the pool and soaking in the jacuzzis. There was a long line at Sprinkles, the ice cream shop near the Garden Cafe. And, many of our fellow passengers were taking advantage of the late afternoon freedom to get their workouts on. The Body Waves fitness facility was packed, and every time I peeked in, the four elliptical machines were full.

 

Christopher and I decided to take advantage of the jogging/walking track on deck six, where we'd had our muster drill. A mile is three and a half times round the ship. Then, we headed directly to the fitness room, where I was able to hop on a free elliptical machine before we did some weights. The room is well-appointed, with at least eight stationery bikes (two different styles) and at least eight treadmills.

 

We rewarded ourself with a scoop of ice cream and some apple cobbler from Sprinkles. Tasty!

 

Later, we headed to Seven Seas for dinner, where we waited 15 minutes for a table. We had quiche (dry, bready), peppered beef slivers with apple-wasabi salad, leg of lamb (very nice flavor), grilled mahi mahi (yummy, huge portion), chocolate cake (above average) and vanilla souffle with a raspberry sauce (eggy, but quite enjoyable). This time, I had two cappuccinos with dinner; they are quickly becoming a favorite.

 

Music in the Seven Seas was livelier than in Four Seasons on Saturday night. Muzak, yes. But this time, it couldn't be played at a somber gathering.

 

Tips:

- Fill bottles with ice and water for Great Stirrup Cay. You'll want to have it handy, and treks to the water/tea station on GSC are not always convenient. Plus, it's invaluable if you're exploring other parts of the island, where NCL doesn't have bar or food service. Also, who wants to buy bottled Evian water?

- There are no lockers on Great Stirrup Cay. If you bring cameras or other valuables, you'll have to keep track of them.

- If you want to get away from the crowds on GSC, take the trail to the lighthouse and spend some time on the vacant military installation.

- There are some nice reclining deck chairs at the far side of the beach, near the rock that juts out into the water (and on your left side, as you tender in).

 

Positives:

- The rooms are really soundproof, and if you're in the bathroom, you can barely converse with someone outside it. I only wish my home had this much soundproofing!

- Service, generally, has been great. Crew members continue to be very friendly and accommodating.

 

Negatives:

- I really wish NSL would make a few lockers available at GSC.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Tomorrow: Sea day and martini clinic (possibly with the great Gede). :)

[Babyboomer]

Just wanted you to know we will be on the Sun next Saturday and I found your reports including tips interesting & helpful. Thank you.

 

I do have two questions:

 

When dining at the buffet, did they have trays or just large plates?

 

I have read that on some of the NCL ships, they now have signs at the dining room entrances stating something like "ripped jeans are not allowed"? I am interesting because I just told my son-in-law "No Jeans at night!". If the Sun now allows them unless they are torn or ripped, I need to correct myself with him. Groan! Nothing like being the pain the the tush mother-in-law.

 

Hope you have time to keep reporting. We are enoying your posts.

 

Have a great time and think of those (like us) whom are expecting a snow storm tomorrow.

[GoHuskies!]

Thanks, Jen, for taking this time during your cruise to write such great, full descriptions. Although we have to wait a few months (we'll be on the Sun during its Panama Canal trip back to N'Awlins in Sept) we're very interested in the experiences of people on this ship. When we were on the Pride of America last Fall in Hawaii I took my laptop, not to get onto the internet (I spend too much time there already!!) but to write daily logs and descriptions for publishing when we returned. The thing that strikes me on these boards is the pickiness of so many people, particularly well-experienced cruisers who feel so qualified to point out faults. Sure, I found some few problems on the POAm, but I found overwhelmingly pleasant experiences with the crew, the food and the ship. So it's a pleasure to read reviews like yours from someone who is out to enjoy the cruise rather than criticise it.

 

And about that mention of a snowstorm--today, here in southern Arizona less than 50 miles from Mexico, our mountains clear down to the base received a coating of snow. And it was 43 degrees today instead of our normal 75 for this time of year.

[Cosmopolitan]

Jen~

 

Enjoying your dailies.

 

Sounds wonderful.

 

Keep enjoying a great time:)

[Abbotsford]

Hello Jen>>>>

 

I am reading your notes with great interest as DW and I will be on the April 15 cruise. Sounds like it is going great!

 

Maybe they are saving the 'larger' shrimp for the April 15th cruisers. :)

[Cosmopolitan]

Jen ~

 

YES...mini shrimp cocktail is MINI shrimp.

 

We thought it was quite funny.

 

Rest assured...shrimp cocktail IS shrimp cocktail...not mini;)

 

I take shrimp cocktail anyway I can get it:)

[cmdchiefthom]

Jen

 

Keep the reports coming, they are quite informative, and thanks for the info on GSC, especially the old Air Force installation. I can't wait to board the Sun on April first.;)

[BabsM]

Thanks, Jen, for your day to day account. We will be on the Sun this Saturday. We are a family of four from the midwest. We will be joining eight others from Colorado and Tenn. Needless to say, we are so excited.

I will keep track of your postings until we leave this Friday.

Thanks so much.

[Zeno]

Enjoying your review - keep it coming

[Michaelw5]

:D Sounds like you are having a blast.

 

Is the ice cream free or fo you have to pay?

 

Have a wonderful vacation..........

[mngirlandherguy]

Thanks so much for taking the time out to give us reports. We can't wait until it's our turn on the 1st.

[BeeGee]

Having just been on the Sun a week ago I'll weigh in on a few of the questions.

 

First, at GSC we had no issues with lockers. Heck half the ship is there and there is really no one else on the island except for cruisers. I never felt I had to super watch my camera. There were plently of friendly people always around. There are some awesome Stingrays around GSC some near shore.

 

There are NO jeans allowed at night in the dining rooms. or shorts...

 

There are no trays. So you need to juggle or make several trips. IMO the buffet's were the least pleasing part of an otherise good experience.

 

Ice Cream was near buffet area and was free. But because there is NO self serve anywhere the line can get pretty long in th heat of the afternoon on "at sea" days.

[Babyboomer]

Having just been on the Sun a week ago I'll weigh in on a few of the questions.

 

First, at GSC we had no issues with lockers. Heck half the ship is there and there is really no one else on the island except for cruisers. I never felt I had to super watch my camera. There were plently of friendly people always around. There are some awesome Stingrays around GSC some near shore.

 

There are NO jeans allowed at night in the dining rooms. or shorts...

 

There are no trays. So you need to juggle or make several trips. IMO the buffet's were the least pleasing part of an otherise good experience.

 

Ice Cream was near buffet area and was free. But because there is NO self serve anywhere the line can get pretty long in th heat of the afternoon on "at sea" days.

 

Thanks for answering my questions regarding the trays & jeans. I don't mind the "No Jeans" rule at all, but wish we had trays back. I don't do a good juggling act, so will just make a couple of trips.

[newmexicoNita]

you are making me wish April 15th would get here. We will be on the Sun then. I look forward to your next chapter. NMnita

[atlmichelle]

What a FUN report, Jen! Just wanted to say THANKS.....(and try out my SWEET new countdown sig! ;) )

[reporterjen]

* Day 3 - Monday, March 20 - At Sea *

 

The day started off with confusion. What time was it? 8:30? 9:30? Or -- gulp -- 10:30? We couldn't tell, because, despite a warning about the need to set our clocks forward an hour, we hadn't managed to follow through on the task.

 

Since we thought -- mistakenly -- Seven Seas had already closed for breakfast, we headed to Las Ramblas and the Pacific Grill to take advantage of omelette and waffle stations. I've discovered that Belgian waffles with chocolate syrup and cheesy omelettes are a great way to start the day.

 

After all those calories, a visit to the gym was in order, so we spent some more time on the elliptical machines before making our way to the crowded pool deck. Incidentally, I've read all the posts on cruisecritic.com about folks saving deck chairs early in the morning, but that didn't prepare me for the reality. Virtually every deck chair in a prime location on the pool deck had been claimed with beach towels, and, in some cases, books, when Christopher and I headed to breakfast. Only a few chairs were physically occupied by cruisers, and at that time the pool was almost vacant.

 

On the pool deck later, crew members were great about clearing away dishes and trash. The drink pushing hasn't been too heavy. Announcements about various entertainment, shopping or spending opportunities on the ship were incessant.

 

The 4 p.m. martini clinic in the Windjammer was well-attended. The head bartender -- and clinic leader -- was August, not the famed Gede. August's presentation wasn't great (he had to read the history of martinis off a crib sheet) but his martinis tasted great. And boy, were they potent. The event now costs $15. For that, you get four different martinis, each served in 4 ounce glasses. In our cases, the drinks were a classic dry martini, followed by a sour apple martini, a cosmopolitan and a French martini.

 

I'd be tempted to blame my lightheadedness on the booze, if only I hadn't been feeling it since Sunday night. We've had good conditions -- "slight" according to the bridge reports on the onboard television -- but today and last night, I could feel the boat moving. Although I used to get sick on mountain drives as a kid, I've never had problems the few times I was on a boat, so I didn't anticipate having any issues this time around. I'm feeling fine, but there are times where the lightheadedness is disconcerting. I've noticed this gets better when I'm out and about on the ship, rather than in our room or elsewhere deep inside the Sun.

 

Christopher and I received the canapes that came with the romance/honeymoon package we'd ordered. There were 10 cold canapes (two each of five different varieties) and some strawberries and grapes. One canape had brie and apple. Another had smoked salmon. Another featured big orange roe.

 

Monday night was our formal dinner. Like the vast majority of our fellow cruisers, we dressed up (Christopher in a black suit with a grey tie and me in a long black and khaki flowered halter dress).

 

Incidentally, I have been surprised every night so far with how much people are dressing up. I really anticipated folks would take advantage of the Freestyle concept and wear more casual clothing to dinner, but many women are wearing skirts and dresses, or nice tops and pants. We have seen a few young women wearing jeans. I actually wish I'd brought more pants, since I find the dining rooms get kind of chilly after you've downed three or four glasses of iced tea. :)

 

At the formal dinner, I had escargot. My introduction to this delicious, garlicky buttery goodness actually came on my first and only other cruise, as a kid with my family in Alaska. Ever since, it's been a treat for me, and NCL's version was no exception. Christopher and I both had lobster tail. Based on cruisecritic.com posters' advice, I asked for the sauce to be served on the side (the menu mentions the sauce and drawn butter come with the lobster). But, the sauce ended up coming to me on the plate. We had to ask for drawn butter, and it was poured on our lobster for us, rather than in a cup for dipping.

 

The lobster was served with an asparagus quiche that, unlike the quiche we'd had on a previous night as an appetizer, not only actually resembled quiche but also was really tasty.

 

Dessert was a creme brulee, which was yummy (it's pretty hard to screw that up). The consistency was great, too. My only quibble? I prefer my creme brulee cold, and these were served lukewarm. I suspect the sugar on top is caramelized in an oven for the sake of convenience, and the sacrifice is the temperature of the custard.

 

Tips:

- Iced tea is not available at breakfast in any of the buffets (I don't know about Seven Seas, the main dining room that is open for breakfast). So, if you want a cold beverage in the morning and orange juice, apple juice, milk or water doesn't cut it, make sure to fill a bottle with iced tea the night before and stash it in the fridge in your room.

- The hair dryer in stateroom bathrooms are pretty weak (about what you'd find in most hotel rooms). If you have a hairstyle that demands precise blowout, or you have thick hair, you will want to bring your own.

- Sprinkles, the ice cream spot at the edge of the Garden Cafe, always has some kind of cobbler or bread pudding available. It's kind of hidden away, but so far, these have made for tasty treats, with or without ice cream.

- It looks like there are sugar-free dessert alternatives available at most food stations and in the main dining rooms each night.

- Sea days might be the best opportunity to sleep in (a little), but be warned: plenty of stuff starts happening very early on board.

 

Positives:

- Getting our first towel animal (we declined turn-down service our first night, and today, we tipped our room stewards). For the record, it was an elephant, with Andes mints for eyes. Rest assured, there is photographic evidence.

- Our room stewards have been great -- pleasant, efficient and accommodating. They are not overly solicitous, but they are always ready to assist. We asked if we could get a corkscrew for a bottle of wine on Wednesday or Thursday night, and we were given a manual, NCL-branded one tonight and told to keep it.

- I'm a bit of a television addict. I like having it on as background noise at home. (I know, it's horrible, but it's a habit I haven't been able to break). So, it was refreshing to have the just-released "Walk the Line" playing on the internal cable today. Other selections have included "Speed," "Dirty Dancing" and "The Constant Gardener." You're not on a cruise to watch television, but it's nice to see some variety on the movie channels. Otherwise, television includes CNN international, an international/Spanish version of ESPN and an international/Spanish version of TNT, as well several ship-focused channels showing video of onboard performances and lectures.

 

Negatives:

- Getting stuck in the time-out room (or so it seemed) in the Four Seasons restaurant. The place was secluded (one other couple was dining there) and set off near the kitchen, so we got a lot of foot traffic from servers and little ambience.

- Someone on NCL must be a fan of "Wind Beneath My Wings," because the muzak version of it is in heavy rotation in the main dining rooms. Christopher and I heard it at least twice (two different instrumental versions) in the Four Seasons tonight, and we heard it once last night in the Seven Seas. It's not surprising that one of the waitresses walked by singing along. :)

[reporterjen]

Babyboomer:

 

- The buffets don't have any trays, and actually, the plates are standard-issue (not exceptionally large). It's a bit of a drag, because just carrying your plates and drinks to a nearby table can be tough. If you're heading a few rooms away or back to your stateroom, it's even trickier. For what it's worth, it is helpful to have some kind of bottle with a carrying strap, so you can carry a beverage and keep that hand free.

 

- The sign in front of the Four Seasons and Seven Seas restaurants is the same. It reads: "Valued guests, please, no jeans, shorts, t-shirts or beach wear after 5:30 p.m." So, rest assured, you're safe warning your son-in-law to ditch the jeans each evening. That said, we have seen a few young women wearing jeans. By and large, though, people are dressing up for dinner, far more than I expected, given the Freestyle concept and previous postings here on cruisecritic.

 

Stay warm in that snow!

 

Jen.

[reporterjen]

Thom:

 

The ship provides a supplement to the Freestyle Dailies on each port of call. The one for Great Stirrup Cay was just a page long, but it had some more detailed information on the island's history. The one we just received for Tortola, tomorrow, is an 11 by 17 sheet completely filled with shopping information, a couple of basic maps and a history of the island. I will scan and post these, along with Freestyle Dailies, after we return from our trip.

[Babyboomer]

Your reports are not only enjoyable to read, but contain a wealth of information. I am printing out your reports before we leave to take with us on the 3/25 cruise. Can't wait! Save some escargot, lobster tail and creme brulee for us. :D

 

Thanks for answering my questions re. trays & jeans. Relieved to learn my son-in-law isn't going to "ditch" his mother-in-law for telling him to "pitch" his jeans.

 

You are a delight! Hope you are feeling better?

[Michaelw5]

Jen-

 

Keep up the good post. They are very enjoyable to read.

 

If you can post any of the specialty menu's that would be great.....

 

Have a wonderful vacation.:cool:

[jen&samcantwait]

OK Scoop..................

 

 

You're the best :D from one Jen to another.

 

We are lovin you're posts, and can't wait to hear more. But kind of feels like we are all cramping your style.................Just be sure to have fun!!!!! You're not covering a story, you're on vacation girl! Have you and Christopher found the hot-tub yet ;):rolleyes: :p

[newmexicoNita]

Jen, I feel like we are on the ship with you; could you answer one question, or maybe someone else who has sailed the Sun in the past few months can: I know they serve breakfast in both Pacific Heights and Las Rambles, but do they serve omelette in both or just Las Rambles? What else is on the breakfast menu at these 2 places if you know?

 

Thanks a bunch,

 

NMNita

[reporterjen]

* Day 4 - Tuesday, March 21 - Tortola, British Virgin Islands *

 

We started out the day with breakfast in the Seven Seas, where a cappuccino and brioche were a perfect complement to very nicely done eggs benedict (the eggs were not too runny and not overcooked).

 

We were at sea half the day cruising into the Virgin Islands. The scenery was absolutely amazing, and of course Christopher and I spent ages on deck six shooting photographs and video of the journey.

 

In a very pleasant surprise, the Sun docked at Tortola, instead of anchoring offshore and using tenders to transport passengers ashore. There was only one other cruise ship docked in Tortola during our visit.

 

Because the ship arrived so late -- 1 p.m. as scheduled -- we were unable to count on ferries on the island to make it to the Baths by ourselves. So Christopher and I booked the NCL shore excursion to the Baths, which was just a tad pricier than it would have been had we gone it alone. But, in exchange, we also got some rum punch and a couple of very helpful guides.

 

At the end of the pier, we met representatives, who put us on open-air buses to take us a half mile to another small dock, where we boarded a ferry. The ferry ride lasted about 45 minutes; we were dropped off at the port of Virgin Gorda. From there, we were transported in another set of open-air buses to the Baths (a ride that took about 10 minutes). Unfortunately, when it was all said and done, we didn't begin hiking down to the Baths until 3:20, and we had to get back on the buses back to the Virgin Gorda port at 5 p.m.

 

You get off the buses at the very top of the park. There are amazing views all around, particularly looking down at the ocean below. The path down to the first beach would take a fit person three minutes, but when the path is crowded with scores of fellow sightseers who have just stepped off a bus, it can take a while. Once we made it down to the first beach and snapped a few photos, we headed off to a system of caves that led to a second, more remote beach with no amenities, fewer crowds and even better sights.

 

To get to that beach, you have to navigate the caves, where there are puddles of water (presumably, these are the namesake baths) and great rocks all around. There are some very tight squeezes, and anyone who is larger or claustrophobic probably would want to avoid this. (There is an alternative path down to the second beach, which wasn't promoted to us. See my tips, below, for more).

 

We had been told that you needed good shoes for the journey, but in fact, my sandals were fine for the trip down to the first beach, and from then on, my bare feet did the trick.

 

The second beach is beautiful, and the caves down to them are just amazing. There are some beautiful sights all along the way (so much so that Christopher and I barely had time at the second beach because we spent so much time snapping pictures in the caves).

 

Christopher and I spent about 15 minutes snorkeling at the second beach. I didn't see any fish, but Christopher saw some small black and yellow ones.

 

Roosters and some other animals (cows, goats) are all over Virgin Gorda. The island is an odd mix, with some large homes and quite a few new SUVs sprinkled among old, dilapidated houses.

 

As we got ready to take a ferry back to the port of Virgin Gorda, one of our guides warned us to "watch ourselves" on St. Thomas. The island, she said, is full of "conniving people." Where a bottle of beer might be a buck on St. Maartens, she said, it's sure to be two dollars on St. Thomas. I wonder if there's inter-island rivalry throughout the region.

 

Our ferry back tried to hook up to the Sun and unload us directly on the cruise ship, but after three or four tries, the ferry drivers decided to abandon that plan and sped along to the dock we'd initially departed from. This actually worked out better, because it gave Christopher and me time to walk through the town (and stop in Pusser's for a "painkiller") on the way back to the ship.

 

Back on the ship, it was "Caribbean Night," with themed dinners and a party on the deck, complete with drinks in carved coconuts. The meal served in the main dining rooms to match the theme was disappointing, however -- and not just to us. As we perused the menu posted outside Seven Seas, several other passengers complained loudly about the offerings.

 

Instead of dining in Seven Seas or Four Seasons, Christopher and I headed to Las Ramblas for free tapas (I had lots of chevre and we had some tasty crab coquettes) and took advantage of the Garden Cafe. Later, Christopher snagged a personal-size pizza from the Sports Bar, which serves complimentary food from 3 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. The pizza was great!

 

Tips:

- While local and other regulations bar you from bringing food off the ship, generally, it's not a bad idea to snag some fresh fruit from the Garden Cafe to have on hand (if you aren't in a stateroom with a fresh fruit basket). It comes in handy when you need a light snack, as was the case for Christopher and I just before disembarkation. We zipped through two apples and two pears before leaving the ship.

- Check out the "painkiller" at Pusser's in Road Town, Tortola. Yum!

- There is a shortcut path down to the second beach at the Baths. Christopher and I took it to come back, on the advice on one of our guides who was anxious to get everyone to the buses on time. The path would still be tricky for some, but it doesn't meander through tight, rocky passages. So this would be a nice alternative for folks who are uneasy about that.

 

Positives:

- The Baths National Park is absolutely amazing. I can't remember ever seeing anything so beautiful.

- The brioche available in the main dining room at breakfast is light and tasty.

- The other passengers on the Sun have been really fun. You end up seeing some of the same people frequently throughout the cruise, and it's nice to bump into folks periodically. For us, it's been fun to check in with a woman who was quite intoxicated (and mad at her boyfriend) on day one, as well as folks from cruisecritic.com, Pam/Robby from the muster drill and many others). Today, we shared a nice chat with a fellow cruiser who has the same camera both Christopher and I do (a Nikon D70) but has a much more impressive lens. With very, very few exceptions, everyone has been really friendly and kids have generally been well behaved (and entertaining).

 

Negatives:

- The Caribbean dinner didn't hold much appeal -- at least to me and Christopher and a handful of other cruisers who were complaining bitterly about the selection (and the fact that all the specialty restaurants were booked for the night). The Garden Cafe was unusually full, and there were no crowds outside the Seven Seas, as has been the case on other nights. Offerings included baked meat tortellini, chicken supreme (stuffed with ham, prunes and eggs on spicy fava beans), West Indian oxtail stew (crisp fried onion rings, Caribbean roasted vegetables, fried plantains and sweet potato mash), crisp crouton-crusted tilapia on island ratatouille and island sweet potato and cassanova quiche.

[WKM]

I second Babyboomers Your reports are enjoyalbe and do contain a lot of information.

 

We are going on the Sun May 27 to Alaska. My daughter asked if they had a indoor pool that is heated. She is quite the swimmer, will have withdraw if she can't swim. Told her I would check.

Carol