We are a couple in our late forties and mid fifties that enjoy cruising immensely. We usually pick itineraries not attractive to having lots of children on-board -- in other words, when school is in session and longer than a week. We sailed on the 9/21 sailing last year out of SF on the Sun and had a good time so booked it again this year as it is so close to home for us and were in need of some time away from work and a relaxing vacation without too much research involved. Also, the freestyle is a huge draw for us as we do not like to always dress up for dinner, especially in such a hot climate. This was our 4th sailing on NCL and our 31st cruise overall.

GETTING TO THE PIER: We opted to arrive to the pier around noon but hit an unusual amount of traffic on the bay bridge so didn't board until 1 PM or so. It was a beautiful, warm sunny day in the City, so assume that is why do many drivers were on the road. We've been cruising from Pier 35 in San Francisco for years and they have improved the port area a lot in these years. We checked our luggage in with the porters (they were a bit over 50 lbs each but no hassle), took our place in a very long but quick and efficient line to check in. Key cards in hand, we took our carry on through the security line and were on-board in no time only to be received with a welcome glass of sparkling wine. We inquired if we could drop off our carry on in our room even though they weren't quite ready yet. Our request was met with a friendly affirmative. After finding our room and dropping off our bag, we headed to upstairs for a light lunch. The lines of people were a bit disorganized at the buffet areas but there was a crew member attempting to direct traffic, which was most appreciated. We found a table in the sports bar area, all other areas were jam packed as they usually are at the port of embarkation. We heard an announcement that all rooms were ready so we headed back to our room instead of touring the ship since we have been on her last year. Before we knew it, it was time for the fire drill so we headed to our muster station. Ramel (sp?) was our muster leader and was hilarious but effective. He made a fire drill as bearable as it could be, even though there were many that were blowing their whistles (norovirus, people) or not paying attention, some not even showing up until 30 minutes late. We returned to our room but still no luggage so headed up to the sail away party where there was a fantastic BBQ in progress, accompanied by the talent of the band Sol Play. Since the wind began to pick up once the party started, the conga line remained very short but the music was fantastic so we stayed up there until well after the fog encompassed the entire ship once we passed under the Golden Gate. Really quite romantic to hear the ship's fog horn blow while it is gliding through the water. Then, ship sailed into some choppy waters as this is quite normal when sailing out of San Francisco. We finally returned to our room to find our luggage had been delivered so proceeded to unpack for our 11 day sailing. CABIN AND ROOM STEWARDS: As we settled into our cabin, we were quite impressed with all the space that we had. Last year, we book a BD cabin, which was quite a bit smaller than the BB category. Although, the BD category had a huge balcony that wrapped a bit around to the aft of the ship. We missed the extra room on the balcony in our room this time but certainly welcomed the extra room inside the cabin. It was a trade off but cannot say I really liked one over the other when all is said and done. They both had their benefits. We were in a mid-ship port side balcony on this cruise and for this Mexico itinerary, I would highly recommend this location. For one, we were on the perfect side of the ship to see the ports at which we were docked (more on this in the Topolobompo review) and mid-ship was good for those that are prone to sea sickness. The room was very comfortable with a very efficient design and as above, quite roomy. We never felt cramped at all. The refrigerator worked like a champ but one big difference over last year, the pillows have been changed and they got it right. I actually brought a softer pillow after last year but didn't need it as the bedding and pillows were nice and comfy....also, just felt very clean and fresh. The chairs on the balcony were very comfortable. We actually sat out there for hours and never complained about the discomfort of these chairs. We were sometimes bothered by the smokers from the cabin a couple doors forward of us. It would be nice to either ban smoking in the rooms and balconies completely or at least on one side of the ship. We paid approx. $1000 more than the pax in an inside cabin only to have our balcony rendered useless when others smoke on their balcony. Touchy subject, I guess. Moving on, the coffee maker in the room is a huge plus and found that if we made a pot with two coffee disks, it was perfect to our liking. Our room stewards were very kind and we were always greeted with a smile and a friendly hello. I actually recognized our head room steward from last year when we were located down the hall a bit. Our room was not equipped with robes (which I like to lounge in) or pool towels on embarkation. We did get robes the next day but not the pool towels we requested. It was not a problem, however, as you could check out pool towels at the pool deck and turn in your wet ones for new ones at any time. Even though we were sometimes missing a bath towel, ice or coffee, the room was kept spotless and had a collection of very cute little towel animals by the last day. All in all, we were pretty happy with the service in our room but it was not quite as good as on last year's cruise. Still, it was above average and they were really very friendly and that goes a long way.

SHIP'S PUBLIC AREAS: We have read that the Sun is in desperate need of updating but we did not find that to be true. I think this ship is kept in very good condition with one exception, the tables in the outdoor cafe in the aft area on deck 11. The overall design might be a bit odd but didn't bother us too much. I think for her age, the Sun is in fine condition, has an exceptionally friendly staff and crew and is kept very clean. I like ships that house about 2000 pax but that is sometimes at the cost of giving up the extras like the mini golf and covered pools, etc. I like the fact that the Stardust Lounge seats a fair percentage of the pax on-board so you can always see the headliner show. I hate being skunked out of a show that you really want to see because you didn't get there an hour early to grab a seat. On the other hand, it is so odd that the nightclub is also the movie theater and used as an additional lounge -- but again, they are doing the best they can with what they have to work with -- just the design of the ship. The temperature of the indoor areas was always quite comfortable -- last year, maybe too chilly in the dining rooms and casino. The public areas, including the public bathrooms were always kept spotless. The gym was also very nicely equipped and clean but were completely out of towels one day. Not a big deal in the scheme of things. The pool area was fabulous and looks like they replaced the tables and chairs on decks 11 and 12 with very nice and useful alternatives. Hopefully, the tables in the Great Outdoor Cafe will also be swapped out soon. Read more