Norwegian Sun Review
Rating by category
Additional details
Just back from this Cruise from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires with the NCL Sun, all together: cannot recommend.
I have seen another comment on an earlier date for this cruise, where someone said "worst cruise ever", well I wouldn't share this, but when I had to put the about 15 cruises we have been to in an order, it would probably end on the very bottom of the list.
Ok, let's start with the ship: 15 years old, you will see a certain amount of wear and tear, however generally it is well maintained but the interior is somehow old fashioned. Cleanness on board was not really good, e.g. I have never seen one of the glass tables in the theater really clean. Same in our stateroom, the cabinet doors had fingerprints on arrival and throughout the whole tour. I don't blame the stateroom attendant, it just seems that he had too many staterooms to take care for, so he couldn't go that extra mile to make the room really clean. Same for the tables in self service restaurants which looked sometimes dirty. During the cruise we have seen much less cleaning going on in the general areas compared to other cruises.
Cabin Review
Family Balcony
Good located, closet door did not close properly, during rougher sea door opened in between and bang-closed after. Shower has only curtain, whole bathroom pretty small. Cabin itself good size for two as it has an extra pullout-sofa. With 4 persons not really spacey. No table on balcony just 2 chairs and small stool. TV reception on ships own channels very bad.
Port Reviews
Santiago (Valparaiso)
Santiago is nice, however it's a pretty big city, compared to Buenos Aires its smaller and more nice old houses with interesting architecture.
Valparaiso ? Well with some imagination you can imagine that it must have been a very nice city once. Today many buildings are just ruins, the downtown area of the old city is full of heavy traffic. Uptown got some pretty renovated houses and lovely views.
Good point to stay before cruise is the ibis hotel, as long as you book a room facing the waterfront (don't take street or side view, there is a discotheque across the street with very loud music until 5 a.m.). Behind Hotel is a metro which takes three stops to cruise terminal, better and cheaper than taxi. Mind, for Metro you need to buy a charge card and load the tickets on to the card. Card fee is non refundable, but you can ride with multiple persons on one card!
Puerto Montt
Booked own excursion with G&V Travel, you will find them on Internet, good organized good price value ratio and you only pay after the tour
Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego)
Some nice views, but Puerto Montt was better
Punta Arenas
In our view best town on the tour, lot of nice old buildings, very interesting mansion museum. Everything easy to reach by walking.
Montevideo
There is a hop on hop off bus across the cruise terminal, 21 USD per person. We took this, just round trip, did not get off anywhere and walked then through the old city. Had a very good steak in the Market Hall close to the harbour