Norwegian Sun: NCL's first purpose-built Freestyle cruise liner shines in the bright Caribbean - New Ship Review

Cruise Travel, Nov-Dec, 2002 by Georgina Cruz

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.