Norwegian Sun Review
Rating by category
Additional details
I choose this cruise as it is a great way to see part of South America in a safe and secure environment. Given the crime levels in South America and not speaking Spanish or Portuguese the cruise is the obvious choice to get a flavour of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. The cruise started off in Buenos Aires and visited Montevideo, Punta del Este, Santos, Isle Grande, Buzios and Rio de Janeiro.
The embarkation for the cruise went extremely smoothly boarding from 12:00pm and by 12:30pm you were on the ship. This was good after a 14 hour overnight flight from London to Buenos Aires.
SHIP
Cabin Review
Family Inside
I had a large family inside cabin for a solo passenger.
The cabin was 172 square foot and the second largest inside cabin I have ever stayed in. This cabin can sleep although more than 4 people in it would be claustrophobic.
It had all the amenities required. The bathroom with w/c was excellent. My only gripes were that you could not view you account on the TV and the TV was dated. But who goes on a cruise to watch TV. Also no tea and coffee making facilities in the cabin but it is an American ship and Americans have different tastes. The bed was soft and comfortable and the sofa was very good.
Port Reviews
Montevideo
Booked a tour with Uruguay 4 U which you can pick up at the Museo del Carnaval at 9.00am. This is a 4 hour tour covering the city highlights and is much cheaper than the £47 equivalent NCL Montevideo city tour.
A friendly city ideal for walking, the ship docks about a 20 minute walk from the city centre.
Buenos Aires
Booked an excursion with Grayline Argentina on the internet.
They picked me up at Dock Gate 4 at the Buenos Aires Cruise Terminal.
An excellent half day tour cost £17 compared to the £35 if booked with NCL.
Visted La Boca, Recoleta and San Telmo. Also visited the Parliament Building.
If your cruise starts or finishes in Buenos Aires I would recommend a 2 nights stay giving your one full day to explore the city.
Santos (Sao Paulo)
I got a taxi from the cruise port to the city centre costing £8 each way, £16 return.
I then explored Santos on foot. The highlight was the tram touring the city.
The tram ticket cost 16 Real, roughly £4. NCL's excursions cost £79.
The coffee museum was dull and lacked an interactive display, also you need a guide that speaks English as all the information is in Portuguese.
Rio de Janeiro
I stayed for three nights in a hotel at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.
I would recommend tours to Corcovado, Christ the Redeemer Statue, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Favela's and a Samba Dancing Show.
It is cheaper to book them locally with your hotel than online before you go or with NCL. The full day tour with NCL costs £279, a similar tour booked locally with a hotel will cost you £100.
If your cruise starts or finishes in Rio de Janeiro I would recommend booking three nights in a hotel giving your two full days to explore the city.