Fun and Relaxing

Norwegian Sun Cruise Review to South America

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 4
Helpful Votes: 203

Overall rating:

3 out of 5
Verified Review
Norwegian Sun

20 Night South America Explorer (Santiago To San Francisco)

Sail date: April 25, 2017

Ship: Norwegian Sun

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 9070

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 7 years ago

Review summary

All of it!  We had a friendly group of six, and we were determined, based on previous trips together, that we would have fun.

 

The ship was older and smaller than other NCL ships we've been in, but that was okay because we liked the itinerary.  By older, I mean there was definitely a smell that would not go away.  On 2 days during the cruise, there was a strong smell of fuel in our stateroom.  When I opened the balcony door to let fresh air in, the smell got stronger, so I suspect there was some maintenance going on in our section of the ship.  I told the hotel desk about it.  The manager called to apologize but never explained what was causing the problem.  He followed up the phone call with a plate of canapes. By smaller, I like the larger atrium where people can mingle and dance.

 

It was also my observation that the food was rather salty.  On the night we had dinner at La Cucina, I asked for spaghetti with meatballs.  One bite was all I could handle.  Complained to the server about it.  She asked if I wanted to order something else but I was no longer interested in dinner.  I ordered dessert instead.  I wrote to Igor Futivic, the Food and Beverage Director, to let him know what had happened. Igor met with me so I had a chance to tell him excessive salt wasn't good, and that if they couldn't adjust the salt content on this cruise, do it for future cruises.

 

Most of the ports we docked at were cargo ports, so we had to be shuttled to town.  I would advise women to take along a supply of tissues and wipes if they need to use public restrooms in most of the towns below the equator.

 

 

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5
See my comment above re saltiness of food. The afternoon cookies were good, and the soufflé desserts offered in the Four Seasons and Seven Seas, both complimentary dining rooms, were excellent.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

3 out of 5
The NCL Sun is showing its age. Wear and tear was obvious in the Stardust Theater, in the buffet area, as well as in our stateroom.

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5
Room was okay. Our steward was fantastic, and he always went the extra mile to make sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed.

Ship tip

Bring something to read and games to play! TV has limited shows/movies. Also, the ship is older than most and not digitalized. You cannot view your stateroom bill on TV. Photos from the gallery are all on paper. On other ships, the photos are in digital format and available by room number.

Ports of call

Valparaiso (Santiago), Chile

5 out of 5
Stayed at a Marriott hotel near Las Condes so we were near the big mall. Arrange for a city tour to maximize your time in this beautiful city.

Coquimbo (La Serena), Chile

5 out of 5

Arica, Chile

5 out of 5

Callao (Lima), Peru

5 out of 5

Salaverry (Trujillo), Peru

5 out of 5

Puntarenas, Costa Rica

5 out of 5

Puerto Corinto, Nicaragua

3 out of 5

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

1 out of 5
We rented a van from the dock to Antigua, a 1-1/2 hour ride. When we got to Antigua the roads were all bumpy (cobblestones). Not much to see in the town square but the people are friendly.

Puerto Chiapas (Tapachula), Mexico

5 out of 5
Make sure to visit the port building. Lots of entertainment (local students performing various dances) and a few shops.

Huatulco, Mexico

5 out of 5
Nice port. Make sure to arrange an excursion to get away from the ship. The town has so much to offer!

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

5 out of 5
The ship is docked away from the town, so you will need to ride the ship's tender for about 15 mins to get to town. There is a big building walking distance from the dock, with lots of stores.

San Diego, California

5 out of 5

San Francisco, California

5 out of 5
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