Caribbean cruise ship review

Early one morning, as the gleaming white hull of the Norwegian Sun approached the downtown pier in Cozumel for a 12-hour stay, a passenger planned her day. She wanted to take an island tour to see the Mayan ruins of San Gervasio and a folkloric show, next enjoy lunch at one of the oceanfront cafes and hit the beach for a siesta, and then snorkel in the island's famous crystal-clear waters. As if all this were not enough, she wished to shop for silver, sombreros, and other souvenirs in the town of San Miguel. Then--returning to the ship around 7:30 p.m.--she wanted to get cleaned up for a margarita in one of the lounges followed by a leisurely sit-down dinner.

Busy agenda, !No hay problema! And there was no need to rush, as she was sailing on the Norwegian Sun. NCL's first purpose-built ship for Freestyle Cruising, this 78,309-gross-register-ton/1,936-passenger vessel, launched in September of 2001, has two main restaurants that were taking orders for dinner until 10 p.m. that night--and every night. Which made it possible for that passenger and others with similar ideas for Cozumel to dine whenever and with whomever they chose (and to dress casually)--in other words, freedom and fiesta all rolled into one like the chicken-and-cheese enchiladas being served at a Mexican dinner in the ship's buffet-style cafe for those who wished to grab something quick and delicious.

Originally designed as a sister ship to the Norwegian Sky, the Sun is not a twin. Modifications were made to the design when NCL introduced Freestyle Cruising in May of 2000. The changes included an expanded embarkation foyer and wider hallways to improve passenger flow. And above all, the numbers tell the story for this sparkling and successful Sun: instead of the six restaurants on the Sky, there are nine on the Sun. So it is very easy to satisfy an appetite aboard this ship--maybe even eating at a different place every night of the week if you wish.

From 5:30 p.m. to midnight, the two main restaurants, the Four Seasons and the Seven Seas, are ready and waiting--the last orders are taken at 10 p.m. Both of these main dining rooms are located on Atlantic Deck and both have big picture-windows; the Four Seasons features traditional decor and menus, while the Seven Seas offers a contemporary look and cuisine.

We found service in both main dining rooms to be exceptional--friendly and very attentive. And this was the case throughout the ship, in the 24-hour buffet-style Garden Cafe/Great Outdoor Cafe on Pool Deck, as well as the reservations-only specialty venues: Il Adagio, a formal Italian restaurant for 84 diners (fee is $10 per person); Le Bistro, a French restaurant featuring table-side cooking for 90 diners ($10 per person); Ginza, offering a teppanyaki room and sushi bar (among the best we've sampled; a la carte pricing); East Meets West, serving California/Hawaii/Asia cuisine and including a live lobster tank (a la cane); Pacific Heights, on Pool Deck, featuring Cooking Light dishes (the vegetarian lasagna was delicious, but steer away from the meatloaf; no fee); and Las Ramblas, on Sports Deck, with a tapas bar (free hot and cold Spanish appetizers) and authentic entertainment.

"We have increased space and we've added personnel to be ready for our guests, since we have nearly 2,000 passengers wandering around and we don't know when or where they're going to have dinner," said Michael Klieverik, hotel director.

It has worked brilliantly. The Norwegian Sun crew is 968 (yielding a magical ratio of roughly one crew-member per stateroom), and the presence of service staff was indeed very noticeable throughout the ship--in the restaurants, in the pool areas, in the lounges and in reception--so there were fewer and shorter waits, for instance, when you wanted to break a $20 or buy a postcard at the purser's/reception desk.

The reception/shore-excursion-desk/concierge hub is also easily accessed, located amidships on the Atlantic Deck level of the Atrium, a soaring, glass-domed, eight-deck-high space with four panoramic elevators. There is a second hub, the Seven Seas Atrium, located aft and adorned with a beautiful bronze sculpture of birds flying, and a grand spiral staircase that links the main indoor public-room decks: Atlantic, Promenade, International.

On those three decks and others, there are 12 bars/lounges including some to suit intimate moods. Our favorites were the Windjammer, a piano bar with rich wood paneling, forest-green upholstered furniture, nautical memorabilia, and a special martini menu; and the Champagne Bar with caviar/pate service. The Observation Lounge on Sports Deck forward has floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, pleasant wicker furniture, and is ideal for elegant high tea at sea, such activities as team trivia with the cruise staff, and cocktails and dancing in the evenings.

The Sun Club Casino (with VIP card area) offers 193 slots, seven tables for blackjack, one for dice, two for roulette, two for Caribbean stud poker, and one let it ride. Refreshingly, there is a separate corridor for those who do not want to walk through the casino to get from one side of it to another.

The Galleria shopping area--larger than the shopping arcade of the Norwegian Sky--is a joint venture with Colombian Emeralds and includes boutiques selling Lladro figurines, perfumes, liquor, Gucci and other designer labels, ship's logo souvenirs, and additional merchandise. Other public spaces include an intimate chapel for wedding or vow-renewal ceremonies and an Internet Cafe on Promenade Deck with 24 computer stations.

True to her name, the Sun offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun. Two pools and four hot tubs are just the beginning. Passengers also find lots of open deck space for catching rays, a jogging/walking track, a sports deck with golf driving, basketball/volleyball, batting cage, and shuffleboard. Body Waves is the Mandara spa, complete with exotic treatments, unisex beauty salon, 24-hour gym/aerobics area outfitted with Lifecycles, Lifesteps, and more state-of-the-art gear.

Other daytime amusements include computer classes and further enrichment programs in the Lifestyles Area on Promenade Deck. There's a small but nicely stocked library, and a card room with games and puzzles to while away an afternoon at sea. When the sun goes down, guests may opt for a Broadway show, two musical revues, and variety in the two-deck/14,000-square-foot/ 1,037-seat Stardust Lounge complete with proscenium stage. With the Freestyle concept, fewer people attended the first show than the second--which made it very easy for early diners (or late diners who wanted to catch the show before going to dinner) to get good seats even at the last minute.

After the shows, there was music and dancing in the lounges including Dazzles Cabaret on Promenade Deck. The Sports Bar on Pool Deck has multiple television screens with live transmissions and videotapes of sports events.

When passengers head to their cabins for the evening (or for a nap in the daytime), they find that "spread out, and let the sunshine in" could be the motto of the Norwegian Sun accommodations. Cabins are larger than usual, and there are a larger number of outside cabins than on the Norwegian Sky: more than 650 outside staterooms--or 67 percent of the cabins.

Cabins with verandas (432 in all) are a roomy 172 square feet. Ours, #8274 on Viking Deck, was attractively decorated in jewel tones and warm cherry woods with a large sitting area with sofa, table, desk, and television, as well as art on the walls.

The Sun has 30 mini-suites that are an expansive 267 sq. ft. Four Owner's Suites, located forward, above the ship's bridge, are an impressive 502 sq. ft. and the lap of luxury with private balcony with hot tub, bedroom, living room with sofa bed, bar, separate dining area, butler and concierge service. Inside staterooms are a good value--spacious at 176 sq. ft.

Every stateroom has refrigerator, personal safe, duvet, television, radio, telephone, individually controlled air-conditioning, and twin beds that convert to queen-size. Cabins on Promenade Deck (Category EE) open up to the promenade that encircles the ship--so your view may be of walkers and joggers.

If you bring the children, they'll have a bail. Their large playroom, Kids Korner, is located on International Deck, forward, and offers activities supervised by trained youth counselors. A year-round Kid's Crew Program is offered for four age groups: 2-5, 6-9, 10-12, and teens. Teenagers have their own club on International Deck, with activities during the day and disco in the evenings. There is a shallow pool for little kids with a fountain and slide. Children's menus and babysitting are available. One family-friendly feature we wished the ship had was a self-service launderette. But laundry/dry-cleaning service is available.