This was my first cruise on NCL. I usually cruise Royal Caribbean or Celebrity. I was a little apprehensive when I booked this cruise since I've been on NCL. This was a 4 day cruise to Key West and Havana Cuba and left out of Port Canaveral which is the closest port to us. My hubby wanted to go to Cuba so I booked it. The ship is smaller than the ones we are used to going on and everything seemed a narrow and tight. Some little things that were big pluses to me was the water pressure in the shower it's amazing! and the ac in room worked very well. This ship's beverage package is was great too! Premium brands like Grey Goose and JW Black were included. And I loved not having to use my room key every time we got a drink. The downside is that bottled water is not included, however we bought a 6 pack of premium 1 liter bottles for 14 bucks which was well worth it as it lasted the entire cruise and then some. For dinner we enjoyed all the wine we wanted, the food was pretty good at both dining rooms and the buffet. No lobster night though, which I was hoping for. We really enjoyed the buffet at the Garden Café, the food was good and the service was great. The Maitre'D Carina was very friendly and pleasant. Always stopped to talk to us and made sure we had everything we needed. The only negative experience was the process to get tickets to disembark in Key West. Hopefully they will figure this out soon since many people were very upset about it. I would definitely return to ship when looking for a short cruise again. Read Less

We have been on several cruises from Carnival, Royal Carribean, and Disney Cruise Line. We have spent as little as $200 to as much as $1,000 per person on cruises. Before leaving we made sure we dotted all our “I’s” and crossed all of our “t’s” as far as passport and visas go. My husband has dual citizenship (Brazilian, and American) and his American passport was expired so we made sure that we could leave the country and come back with his Brazilian passport and naturalization certificate. We called a total of six times to the port and NCL to make sure we were good to cruise with those documents. Both the port of Canaveral and NCL customer services assured us that we were good to go with those documents. On May 20th we were ready to go (so we thought)…. We arrived at the port and the lady that was taking care of us seemed a little confused. Her name was Miranda. She was a very sweet lady however didn’t really know how to input our information etc… She asked a very nice lady (I’m assuming a manager) and the lady said our documents were fine etc…. Miranda continued to be confused as she had other questions so another manager by the name of David Johnson came to us and immediately urged us to go to the managers desk. We gladly went assuming that he would help us and expedite our check in. We reach the managers desk and another lady by the name of Kathleen Bianchi kept asking us if we could go home and get his “American passport”. We explained that it was expired and that we called six times to make sure we could travel with the Brazilian passport blah blah blah….. She insisted on us giving her names of people that we spoke to which we didn’t have. In the mean time Mr. David made copies of all of our paperwork and asked me bluntly, “Mam, I need to know if you will be boarding today without your husband?”. I was in shock!!!! I didn’t even know that it was a possibility that my husband couldn’t get on the boat. They NEVER apologized and acted in any way sorry for what was happening to us. There were NO lamentable feelings from them AT ALL…. We remained calm and very politely asked them to please check with immigration because we knew that we were ok to travel to Cuba with his Brazilian passport. Mr. David said it wasn’t “his job” to make sure of anything. It was “our” duty to ensure we had the appropriate paperwork. In the meantime, I advised my husband to call the duty officer at “custom and border patrol” (located downstairs from where we were). We called and spoke to officer Dusan who assured us that we were good to travel with the documents we had. He even advised us to ask Mr. David to look up the website page where it specifies the necessary documents. Again Mr. David refused. At this point Im done. Im thinking we’re not going to board and we should have just cancelled our cruise. My husband saw the young manager that initially helped us going to the bathroom. He ran to wait for her outside the ladies bathroom so that when she came out he explained our situation. She quickly spoke with Kathleen (whom at this point felt she could do something to help us) both ladies went downstairs and within FIVE minutes came back with the okay for us to board. O.K…… at this point, 3 hours later, I am exhausted, but relieved! Now it was time to enjoy our very much-needed vacation. We purchased our cruise for $1,546.18 (for two). We had done a Disney cruise a couple months prior for about the same price. I mention that because we expected this to be just as nice as the Disney Cruise. To our dismay…. It WASN’T!!!! We went to customer service every single day asking for the gift that our travel agent bought us and they denied the gift. Customer service kept saying the gift was never purchased and we needed proof. Unfortunately we didn’t snap a picture of the “proof” so we never received our gift. NO biggie….. Then, we purchased the water bottle package on our second day of the cruise. We only received it on the last day of our cruise. Everyday, I would walk to the bar and remind them that we didn’t get our water bottles and they kept saying it was on the way but we only got it the last day. When we looked up our cruise there was a deal going on that we had an option to receive one out of five perks for free. Since this was an open bar cruise, we decided to opt for free wifi. Again, customer service looked me in the eye and said we were not eligible for the free perk since we paid the cheapest rate for our cruise. Cheapest rate??? Really???? I didn’t think that almost $800 per person was the cheapest rate for a cruise. Oh…. Since this was an open bar cruise the service at the bar was horrible to say the least. I wont even get into those details. Food was “okay”… hit or miss. I was given a butter knife to cut through a steak that was super chewy and inedible. Server never checked back after food was served. Buffet food was disgusting. We ate at the buffet just once and couldn’t even go back because it was gross. I NEVER fill out surveys, I NEVER give bad reviews… I just don’t have the time to do it. However, the rollercoaster of feelings that occurred before we even boarded was so disheartening that I couldn’t let this go without saying something. It’s interesting that in the end, Kathleen (one of the managers) said this to us, “you know, in hindsight, I regret not taking 5 minutes of my time to go downstairs and gather the correct information for you guys”. That’s my whole point in writing this review! It would have all been a very different story if they had only taken 5 MINUTES of their “clock time” to make sure there was nothing that could have been done for us. We are hard working middle class people that was looking forward to a little getaway, and without any regards for us, NCL was quick to deny our cruise and never even offered any remuneration of any kind. For the reasons stated above, I would NEVER suggest anyone getting on the Norwegian cruise line…. EVER….. and I am writing this in hope that this never happens to anyone else. If we had “given up” we would have been out of luck. We would not have boarded and we would have lost our money. Read Less

Missed out on another sold out business related cruise stopping in Cuba as one of the ports so I decided to do this last minute booked trip solo (paid double for my interior cabin which was midship and near to guest services & all activities) since I did all the research and was intrigued by the Vinales region of Cuba for a day trip. I also needed a mental getaway and break and this was perfect as we also stopped in Key West for a day which was fun! I spent alot of time watching Youtube videos about the Norwegian Sun and others who have done the Norwegian Cuba Cruise and Vinales. Kudos to Scott Singer Cruises on Youtube as he has entire playlists on this exact cruise ship and itinerary. Great for me so I knew what to expect the entire time, even though it was a joy just experiencing it all myself. Took the GoPort shuttle from Orlando airport to Port Canaveral which cost $30 roundtrip and was effortless. Reserved & paid online then called to confirm the meeting location was next to Thrifty Car Rental in MCO along with departure time. Staff was helpful and friendly getting everyone lined up to board the bus and loading luggage underneath. Relaxing ride to Port Canaveral. I had a carryon and napsack so I didn't need to check luggage. No water allowed on the ship so you'll have to discard before going through Port Canaveral security. Be sure to print out your itinerary and proof of all payments made for prepaid gratuities, travel insurance and shore excursions so that you have printed proof to show at checkin just in case their computers aren't up to date. It's $75 for a Cuba Visa if you're getting off the ship in Havana and it's paid through the cruise line. I chose to do the all day Vinales Excursion booked through Norwegian because I didn't want to think, worry or deal with anything once I got off the ship. Price was $175 for the tour which is worth it for the experience described below and the peace of mind to just relax and enjoy the day. I also liked knowing that if anything happened I could complain to Norwegian instead of advocating for myself in a foreign country. Once I got my keycard from the friendly check in staff and walked on the ship in less than 3 minutes, I headed straight to the dining room for lunch around 1:30pm. Washed my hands and proceeded to be pampered by the staff and served lunch. All the food was delicious & of course you can order & sample as much as you want from the menu! And so I did everyday! I loved that the ship was easy for me to navigate all levels and it didn't feel crowded. There were times when I was the only person walking on deck and it was just peaceful. Would do this exact cruise again in a heartbeat. Once we got to Havana, since Vinales is an all day trip with a 2.5 hour ride out to the countryside, I got up early and had breakfast then assembled in theatre to learn which bus I need to find once outside. Staff was there to direct us off the ship through immigration to get my passport stamped. It literally took less than 5 minutes to walk off the ship, through the terminal plus immigration and then out to the bus where my wonderful guide and driver were waiting. No Delays, No Lines, No Stress! You could stop in the terminal to change U.S. Dollars to CUC but I didn't because I'm not a shopper and just wanted to savor the experience. My extremely knowledgeable & professional tour guide was Manuel Alejandro Pozo Calvo with Havanatur.cu (Havana Tours). Manny is a Professor and Highly Educated. He could field any question and give you chapter and verse on every topic. I've traveled all over the world for decades and can honestly say he's one of the best tour guides I've ever had. His knowledge and intention to make sure we had an enjoyable day and learn as much as we can in addition to having a relaxing experience was on display all day. He took us to visit a cigar roller, we sampled coffee, visited the mural, had a delicious lunch and walked around the Vinales Valley with stops along the way. We were a small group so we had the opportunity to sample different fruits, rum and cigars. We had time to stop for photos and enjoy music along the way. We had several stops and walking tours throughout the day so we weren't just sitting on the bus the entire time. From the city to the countryside we got a crash course on this beautiful country and its people. Our Transfur driver was Johnny Toledo who was also helpful and friendly. He safely and masterfully navigated the roadways and the curves in the countryside with our big bus. The bus also had a bathroom in the back which was a lifesaver throughout the day. As a professional and licensed tour guide, Manny does tours for groups from all over the world so I offered to post his email here for anyone wanting to book a Cuba Tour with a PHENOMENAL tour guide. He can be reached at MannyPozoCalvo@gmail.com. All are advised to carry toilet paper off the ship and have on hand as you tour the city. Having a bathroom on the tour bus was an unadvertised bonus as we didn't have to go searching for a bathroom and then worrying about the facilities if we did a private tour. By the time we returned to Havana, everyone on the bus got to know each other so when Manny and Johnny dropped us off back at the terminal, we decided to explore Havana on foot on our own as a small group instead of going back on the ship. We literally crossed the street and just started walking. We walked all over for a couple hours until we ended up at the Malecon then circled back to the ship. The architecture in Havana is gorgeous and though many buildings have structural issues and need renovation, there is much to see and admire. The people were friendly and we felt safe walking around. Some will approach you to engage in conversation with music. Just need to be aware that you'll likely end up being lighter in the pocket as they're engaging and entertaining. Have some dollars you're ready to part with. By the time we walked back to the ship it was dark and we just headed to dinner. Many guests were headed off the ship to get a taste of Havana nightlife since we were leaving at 6am next day and they could have fun at the Tropicana or any of the clubs outside of the cruise terminal nearby in walking distance. It was a long and exciting day and we feel that we got our money's worth between the day trip to Vinales and then freely exploring the streets of Havana. You can always pay to get in the classic cars for a ride or just admire them all as you walk around. It's incredible how resourceful the Cuban people are in using what they have to survive and thrive as tourism is the #1 export for the country. Once back on the ship, I just relaxed and enjoyed the food, music and night entertainment. The Perfect Couple game show and Comedian were particularly fun and we had lots of laughs. Once back to Port Canaveral I had breakfast before getting off the ship. I'm thrilled that I did this last minute cruise and am looking at doing the same again soon as there is so much more to see in Havana. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this to anyone who is adventurous, curious about other cultures and loves to explore. The Cuba Cruise is perfect for that. The Food, the Culture, the Music, the Architecture, the Art and the People will not disappoint. You're only allowed a maximum of 100 cuban cigars if you buy any to bring back to the United States. What I loved about going on Norwegian is that the staff was great and everything was effortless. I didn't have to think or worry about anything the entire time. Got back home totally relaxed and already plotting future cruises with Norwegian's CruiseNext Program and my Personal Cruise Planner. Enjoy your Cuba Cruise! Don't delay. Just Do It. And yes, I'd go again on Norwegian! Read Less

We wanted to see Havanna so this was the best way. We loved the balcony room. Embark and disembark smooth. Only issue you weren't informed which floor to embark. We just happened to follow people to correct level in Key West. In Havanna we could see from our balcony where to go. Arriving back at port Canaveral info sheet said 7:30am to disembark. However, we left our room at 7am and were able to walk off. The info sheet did not include what floor. Found this strange. We had to upgrade to bottled water since my husband has organ transplant and cannot risk infection/germs. Had to pre pay tip for this which is fine except everytime we wanted bottled water or most drinks we had to go to the bar. Lack of bar servers for sure. Only place we had good service was in the 2 restaurants. Brochure online listed coffee bar however I could not use my drink upgrade in the Starbucks. No mention online about starbucks. Should change their infor. Also Champagne bar was supposed to have pate and foie gras. Food was not so so. Nothing wowed us. Couldn't open frig in room and steward wouldn't open so I went to customer service and got it opened so we could put bottled water. Strange to have a lock on frig when there were items in it to purchase. Loved the comedian which we saw 3 nights. Can't remember his name. We went to the casino each night as well. Loved the history in Havanna. So happy we were able to go since 2 weeks after our trip cruises were stopped. We prefer all inclusive over cruises. Must better waiter service and food. Do not like tipping to the cruise line prefer to tip when we get good service which we only got in the 2 dinner restaurants so we tipped them and a few bar tenders like we do at resorts even though resorts say tips are included. we always tip good service. Read Less

Overall, my family had the greatest time, on and off the ship! It was perfect for the eight adults - schools were in session so there were almost no children on board. The evening activities were lots of fun. Karaoke was great and it was crowded each evening. Fun way to have late night entertainment. I lost my cool when we were on the one-hour trolley tour of Key West. The driver was somewhat distracted and never made it clear where to meet for the return trip to the Ship. He pointed out a bus stop near the Navy Station and said you could pick up a return trolley at a bus stop. We tried to flag down buses and trolleys for the return to the ship but no one would pick us up. Finally I met up with other family members who told us to walk back into town and take a different bus with them. I know we were not the only ones confused. We sat down on a brick stoop outside the Aquarium to make a phone call and two different groups of people approached us to ask if this is where we get the return ride. We told them we weren't sure but were going to follow the drivers instructions. BAD IDEA. On the three hour Old Havana tour had an amazing guide named "Andrew." I was a little taken back by the amount of people begging for cash. In one courtyard, a young man sold us some coconut ice cream in a half coconut shell. It was icy and delicious. Other than that, most of us brought our own water bottles. At the spa, the women giving the couples massage were NOT gentle. I could only imagine what a deep tissue massage would have been like. I took two yoga classes for $15.00 extra. The first class was only 35 minutes. The next day it was 40 minutes. Overall, I would take this same cruise again. Read Less

We choose this 4-day itinerary paired with a 3-day Pre-Cruise Tour marketed by NCL as the "7-day Rock and Racing in Daytona Beach". The 3-day Cruise Tour included a stay at the Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona Beach starting on a Friday, as well as a VIP Tour of Daytona International Speedway on the 2nd day of our stay. The 4-day cruise itself sailed from Port Canaveral on Monday. As my husband is a NASCAR fan, this was going to be a vacation which satisfied our bucket lists--his visiting the iconic speedway and my wanting to spend a full day in Havana, Cuba. Our itinerary also included a port stop in Key West, which we've enjoyed before and did again, although the current docking site at the Navy Pier is quite restrictive and certainly not the same experience we had on our previous calls there. Also, we were only in Key West for barely 6 hours, which didn't allow as much time here as we would have liked. Havana is an amazing city of contrasts with some beautiful areas, yet some parts of the city are unfortunately rundown and decaying. It is evident which buildings are maintained by the government and that the Cuban people are very much suppressed. The residents there were very friendly and we had a wonderful driver and tour guide who brought us around all day to see the sights in a classic car. The young man who was our guide spoke excellent English and provided many details of modern day life in Havana, as well as a history of the city and the country. After returning from our excursion to the ship, we showered and dressed and gathered in the theater for an NCL evening excursion to the Tropicana Cabaret. We felt that the entertainment was spectacular and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. We knew the NCL Sun had a recent refurb., did see signs of it and overall enjoyed the ship. Our cabin steward and dining staff were friendly and helpful, but unfortunately, we can't quite say the same for the guest services staff. Although most staff members were polite, they did not do much to help with our areas of concern. Some improvement is needed there. We miss the days on previous cruises when 2 shows were offered in the main theater, early and late. It's now difficult to make the 8 o'clock show if you don't want to eat either very early or very late. There are several other entertainment options throughout the ship, however, for different tastes. The food choices in the buffet were plentiful and our dining room meals were for the most part very good. Our one specialty dining experience was in Los Lobos on deck 12, which we enjoyed. Although the embarkation process started out on the positive side, we did encounter a hitch. As Platinum members, we entered the priority line and had a short wait before presenting our passports, ids and documents. We had paid for our visas through NCL for our Cuba visit, and although the NCL rep at the desk was quick to provide my visa, my husband's was not to be found. We had to wait for a good amount of time until they located his, which was mistakenly put in a folder belonging to VIP guests, sailing in a suite. Once this was resolved, we were then able to continue onto the ship. Now to the not-so-good aspect of our trip. NCL did not communicate with us either at the time of booking (directly with the cruiseline) or when we arrived in Florida regarding transportation options. We expected we would be transported from the hotel to the pier, and were of the understanding that NCL would also cover our hour-plus ride from Orlando Airport to Daytona Beach and the transportation from our hotel to the Daytona Speedway and back again, as we booked the entire 7-day package through NCL, which included airfare, hotel, VIP Speedway Tour and the cruise itself. This being our 10th cruise with NCL, we have previously booked pre-cruise stays with airfare and have not had to worry about any details regarding transportation. I ended up spending a good deal of time on the phone contacting NCL from the hotel and later at the guest services deck onboard the ship trying to get a resolution to the transportation issues, which has not yet been settled and which we are still disputing. The end result was that we ended up paying the transportation costs from the airport to the hotel and for taxi fares to Daytona Speedway from our hotel and back again, even though NCL advised us that an NCL representative would meet us at the hotel the day of our VIP Tour. Although we did have a very enjoyable vacation with lovely weather and met some very nice people, we're sorry to report our disappointment with NCL's lack of communication this time around. Read Less

Freestyle everything. Open bar. Upgrade to Cagneys for one night. Didn’t have to sign for anything. Staff outstanding. Cleanliness of ship outstanding. Very organized. Never waited for anything. Disembarkation well organized and quick. Can’t say enough positive about this cruise. Will do again. Used our balcony quite frequently. Did not go to shows. Did not do excursions. Took a taxi to Atlantis. Did not do the aquarium at Atlantis as we thought it was too expensive. If you get upgraded liquor package go to Windjammer bar as they have nice sipping scotch. Buffet breakfast had everything you want. The only item they did not have anywhere on ship was cookies. The ship had a lot of younger clientele which was refreshing. Looking to do a Xmas cruise with Norwegian. After doing the freestyle I will never do traditional cruise again. We took a few one dollar bills for tips. Staff very appreciative. Read Less

This is my third cruise ever and first with NCL. Had high hopes and expectations after only cruising with Carnival in the past. This cruise went to Key West, FL and Havana, Cuba. IMPORTANT to know…This is touted as one day in Key West and two days in Havana, IT IS NOT. Having left port at 4 pm on Sunday, it arrived at Key West at 1pm on Monday and we were to be back on the boat by 6pm to set sail at 7. Arriving in Havana at 7 am we were to be back on the ship by 5 am the next day for a 7 am departure toward home. Plan accordingly. We thought we had two full days in Havana and were disappointed. Orlando to Port Canaveral: Shuttles are good, UBER is the way to go. If you have 4 people and luggage get an XL Uber. Stay at the Radison Resort at Port Canaveral if you are arriving a day early. Not in walking distance of too many food choices, but Uber is everywhere down there and cheap to eating destinations. Embarkation was super easy. We requested a 12:30 to 1:00 time and arrived about an hour early. The lines were already down so low that check in process took about 30 minutes and we were on board by 12:10. EVERYONE on board is with their luggage and trying to eat buffet at the only open restaurant. It is a madhouse, but only so bad due to the size of the ship. The Good: Updated in 2018 the rooms and décor throughout seemed really nice. The crew was attentive and super friendly. It is only 800 feet long so getting from one end to the other is pretty quick. Once you learn the decks, getting around is not so hard. All the action is on 5-7 and 11 and 12. Our rooms (on the 10th deck, port side balcony) were really comfortable. They were cleaned once a day and our bed was made up mid-morning and turned down in the evening. Shower had a lot of pressure and temperature easily adjusted. CAREFUL! Because you can easily go too far towards HOT and it is scalding. They have warning signs, but if you have children, don’t let them mess with the shower knob. The drinks were all inclusive and well made. The “painkiller” of British V.I. fame was particularly tasty and followed the original recipe with Pusser’s British Rum. We had paid for the premium package which allowed us the top shelf liquor. This was an over-site, however, because somewhere we missed that this was an all-inclusive cruise from the get-go. We really didn’t need it, but since we had it, we drank high quality stuff to get our money out of it. As an example Woodford Kentucky Bourbon (from the Derby) is a top-shelf bourbon. Bulleit Bourbon and the Pusser's Rum were not. The various bars and hangouts were comfortable, particularly the Windjammer which is a really cozy hangout. I found the bartenders here to be the best and when in International Waters, Cuban cigars can be bought here to smoke up on the smoking deck. The rear observation deck and bar was really nice too. Waiting to get off at the ports is the thing to do. We waited an hour or more before we even bothered to try and get off the ship and the result was minimal lines and quick processing. We cruised the second week of May and there were very few kids/children on the boat which was nice. The pleasant surprise was the Butterfly Conservatory at Key West. Really worth the stop and super cheap to attend. The Bad: The communication system is horrible on this boat. There are no speakers in the cabins and where there are speakers they are very hard to understand except in a few locations. Don’t be lazy. If you want to be informed read the daily guides and watch the TV channels that provide cruise information. The food was mehhhhh!!!! The cafeterias are small and provided little more than your really good Holiday Inn complimentary breakfast. Much of the fruit was artificially ripened and tasteless. The made to order omelet bar is your best bet, but it’s still just Holiday Inn free breakfast. Breakfast in the dining room was the same as at the buffet you just didn’t have to go get it yourself and the coffee was better; very disappointed. We only tried two of the several available restaurants where you pay extra. The Churrascaria service was slow and the meats overcooked. The salad bar there was delicious and had a very good smoked salmon on it. The Mexican restaurant was poorly attempted. Mexican food on a boat when you are from Texas is a bad idea although the table side guacamole was very well done and tasty. I have to say that the food experience on Carnival Conquest 10 years ago was 10 times better than this NCL ship in 2019. For a cruise that is going to Cuba and sells Cuban cigars on board, the smoking deck on this ship is in a poor location with some absurd rules. Outdoors, with room for 40, the smoking deck sits on a part of the upper deck of the ship where the winds whip around frantically from just the ship being in motion. Couple it with any kind of natural wind and one can even light their cigar. What appears to be the bar that serves the smoking deck cannot be smoked at and the bartenders shoo you away if you approach with anything lit. One would think, especially with this cruise, that there would be an indoor smoking lounge so you could actually enjoy your cigars. The cruise itinerary could be better. A full day at sea going and coming back, with two full days in Havana would be AMAZING! Key West is not worth the stop for the length of time you are there in my opinion and with no disrespect to Key Westerners. I’m sure it is much better when you drive down from Miami. Conclusion. The food was 3 stars at best and the itinerary should be massaged to get the most out of Cuba. The comfort of the ship, ease of getting around and staff were above average and having very few kids on the cruise was a nice extra that we weren’t necessarily expecting. I took this cruise to have two days in Cuba and got 22 hours of which 9 of it was after dark. There is only so much one can do in Cuba after dark and most of it can be done on the ship. I would honestly say that if you are taking this cruise to go to Cuba you might consider flying there. If you are going for the food, pick a different ship. If you like fewer people on your cruise this is a really nice ship. (1800 passengers, 900 crew) Updated in 2018 does not mean brand new, so there are some things that newer ships have that this one doesn’t. If you like to gamble, the casino is small, but whenever it was open there were available seats for card games and slot machines. Double check if your cruise is all-inclusive on drinks and if so, DO NOT purchase the premium package. The premium dinner package is probably not worth it either unless you eat at Cagney’s every dinner meal. Wait at ports before disembarking and you will have a faster and more stress free transition onto land. 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My wife chose this cruise as she wanted to visit Havana, Cuba. We arrived the morning of departure but didn't check in at the boat until 1pm. Lines were just getting busy. They moved quickly and we were on board after about 15-20 minutes inside the terminal getting our room keys/info. Make sure to have all your paperwork/reservation info and your passports ready to go when you get in line. Once on board our rooms weren't ready. The crew onboard had set up an area within the Bliss Lounge that you could check your luggage at so you wouldn't have to drag it around with you. The crew member gave us a "receipt" for our luggage and my wife and I then walked around the ship. It was raining lightly at the time so the pool deck was closed. We found one of the restaurants and had a nice lunch. While eating lunch an announcement was made that our rooms were ready. After lunch we claimed our luggage from Bliss lounge and found our room. We were on Deck #6 towards the front of the boat. Our hallway only had 7-8 rooms on that side of it so the noise level was very low and foot traffic - none. It was a great spot. Like most ships our room was small but had enough space/storage to handle a large suitcase and a carry on case. My wife also had a large carryon purse/bag that didn't take up much space. Room was very clean and bright with our large window. No balcony. Bathroom is the only downside to these rooms. Very small, but then again you are on a ship. We ate most of our dinners in one of the main dining rooms. We didn't do too much for lunch. Breakfast we did the buffets. The food at both the buffets and the dining rooms were great. The menus in the dining rooms had a nice variety and actually had flavor. If you are a foodie and enjoy nice dinners/lunches, you won't be disappointed. Our cruise did include the free beverage package. There are a few drinks on their menu that you will see a charge for. They usually included a special cup or some other type of special offer with the drink. If you just want a beer, wine, whiskey, mixed drink, or soda, then it was included. You would think that people would take advantage of the package and just cut loose a little too much. To my surprise it wasn't that bad. You had a few that took it a little too far, but for the most part people stayed within their limits and just enjoyed their trip. Our first port of call was Key West. For some reason our ship didn't dock until 1pm. We then had to be back on the boat by 6pm. Our excursion was to start at 1:30pm, but by the time we got off the boat and to our excursion starting point, it was around 2pm. Our excursion lasted approximately 3 hours. My wife and I had basically 1 hour to shop around Key West. We would have liked more time to experience the area. Our excursion was fun though. We did the Key Lime Bike tour. Got a little hot as the weather was in the upper 80's. Our tour guide, James, was fun and full of Key West history/knowledge. The Key Lime pie at the end of the ride was great. The one thing with the Sun is there isn't a lot of night activities scheduled other than the main show. My wife and I aren't big into dancing, and we don't gamble too much. The nightly schedule would include a few couples "game show" type shows. We did watch one called the "perfect couple". Three couples would have to perform certain tasks with their spouse/significant other. It was funny and a good time. The ship also had a comedian on board that week and we caught his "clean" show and the "adult" show. Both were funny and had us in tears at one point. The next morning we were in Havana. The ship sits in the City's harbor and when you exit the pier terminal you step right out into a very busy street of Havana. There are classic cars and horse drawn carriages just waiting to give tourists rides. Some other cruisers on our boat noted that they rented one of the classis cars for a tour of the city for around $40-$50 US dollars. They said the tour lasted about an hour. Havana is not the cleanest place in the world but the atmosphere and the people were great. Old Havana was fun to walk around in. The tight cobble-stoned streets with the tropical colors of the buildings were great. We did an excursion with a company outside of the cruise and had lunch at a local restaurant along with visits to local landmarks. It was a great time. Our itinerary included an overnight stay in Havana. I think it was so the people who wanted to shell out $250 per person for the Tropicana show excursion could do so. My wife and I didn't do that one. We stayed on the ship and enjoyed a nice dinner at Cagney's Steakhouse. Again the food was great. My steak was a little over cooked, but it wasn't terrible. The cut of meat was great and they included the house steak sauce which was very good. We had a nice desert to top off the meal. Because we were celebrating a special occasion, our waitress brought out a second desert for us. The next day we were heading back to Florida. Thursday was basically a day at sea. We didn't do much other than sit by the pool and watch some of the poolside games the activity staff had going on. Would have liked to have the morning hours to explore Havana a little more. My wife and I took advantage of the early disembarkation of the ship. We had an early flight out of Orlando. The ship docked at 7am. For the early disembarkation you have to be off the ship by 8:30am. You also have to carry your own luggage off. This was not a problem given our one large suitcase and carry on bag. The exit off the ship was easy with all walking ramps down into the terminal. No stairs or other issues that would have to worry about. Overall a great trip. Would go back to Havana and Key West again. Would prefer a little more time at each stop. The ship was great and the staff was amazing. Highly recommend the Norwegian Sun. Read Less

Apparently, being from the Northeast, I was unaware of a delightful thing known as a “swarm of love bugs”. They were positively everywhere. Inside, outside, in staterooms and dining rooms. Some even survived for several days. Needless to say, the first day was shockingly bad. I am not sure what could have been done differently, but this was outrageously bad. Key West is a lovely place. Many things to do and see. This ship has a bizarre policy requiring tender tickets for a walk off port?!? Luckily we had an excursion and did not have to deal with that. This port stop was far too short. Havana is the opposite of Key West. It was Dirty, smelly, and had wild dogs inside the port! Water in the harbor is very dark due to pollution. Cobblestone courtyard across the street had brown, fetid liquid in between each stone. We took a tour in an antique auto, the driver could not speak English, but he was polite. The ship was in port overnight, it was such a waste. Food in the buffet was “different”, the themes (Asian, Latin) were attempted but they did not succeed. The basics offered late night in the great outdoors were excellent. Sports bar did not show playoff games- very odd things were on instead. Comedian (Jeff Nease) was the highlight of the trip, both shows were extraordinary. Win a cruise bingo was in the Bliss lounge, (far too small) and at the same time as the Latitudes party. Room steward was excellent, he made towel animals every night! He worked very hard to clean up after the bug situation. The ship had a Cuba shop that allowed for purchase of souvenirs. Disembarkation was swift and efficient. Read Less

Went on Key West-Cuba cruise as part of a group.. Very disappointed with customer service both on board and contact with company. First day they closed the pool all day due to love bug infestation as well as Great Outdoors Cafe but did have it ready by Day 2.. Had "handicap accessible" room which was fine-our room attendant was wonderful. Chose the 3 night specialty dining pkg. as one of our choices (also did shipboard credit).All 3 specialty restaurants were good-Le Bistro, Moderno Churrascaria and La Cucina( veal dish was very salty)-all had excellent wait service and food was very good.However, unless you know where they are and how to get to them it can be a challenge. Ate in Main dining room last night-was supposed to eat with our group but the the reservation time was changed by the staff and the person in charge of our group wasn't told, so we ate by ourselves. Food was good-nothing to rave about. Asked for a Coke and got a cappuccino instead. Did eat in the Garden Cafe and Great Outdoors Cafe for lunch a couple of times-food was okay-again nothing to rave about but wait staff were very good. Only one entertainment show nightly in the main theater, except last night had an extra "adult" show. Key West port-we had to be transported by trolley b/c ship pulled into military port and brought back the same way, but there were enough trolleys/trams running every 10-15 min back to ship. Ship was pretty quiet-not many kids on board. Cuba portion was good-ship pulled into main terminal-easy access into town. Did not like the fact that you have to pay for bottled water esp. if you need it for medical reasons-found out after 2 days I could get ice water delivered to room if requested but can't bring back any water/drinks from outside ship back on board-you can bring back empty bottles/travel containers. Also was told I had to pay for regular coffee in restaurant but not up in buffet/cafe (which I found out later on was incorrect-only specialty coffees are a fee). Drinks were okay-part of our pkg. but watered down. No real duty-free shopping to speak of-small place on deck 7 next to smoky casino-1 store divided into sections, and jewelry place across from it. Was a small place selling Cuba-theme items on Atrium level open after we got to Cuba and did have a few table on Atrium selling cheaper jewelry. Ship layout is poor-restaurants all on one side and had to go up/down 1 level to get to Main dining room from Level 5. Had to go through main buffet place to get to Garden Cafe. Too much Cuban/Spanish music-would have liked them to have a variety but the same type every day by the pool was a bit much. Did not partake in the shipboard activities-none really were very appealing or caught our interest. Some of the staff should be able to understand English and seem to not understand at times when I asked basic questions-if they were not sure then they should be told to ask another staff member to help (the coffee issue). I don't think I will travel on this ship again and not sure if I would travel again on Norwegian- wrote to customer service after trip and still haven't heard back from them (it is now July). Read Less

No Lobster at all. Was told they do not serve it any longer Martini at dinner only on the 8th floor. Why would I not be able to get a drink at dinner? Insane No Make up mirror available No shrimp cocktail anywhere. Was told they will not serve it any longer. Unacceptable Wait staff just plain not accommodating to my wants and needs in main dining room. Room floors were worn and soiled Premium drinks now popped up to Super premium Entire cruise was an over priced Onion soup was half a cup with the cheese just dabbed on top. Was told I’d have to eat at the La Bistro to get real baked onion soup Still no martinis available in main dining room Ordered steak median rare. Came well done. Order no spices no garlic no peppercorn. Not only was there peppercorn on the steak it was also on tomato and sweet potatoes. Fish was was dry but everything around it was very oily. 3 1/2 Ordered a shrimp and arugula salad for lunch. Lots of arugula and three super small one inch shrimps. Are they kidding me French Restaurant was fantastic. Top food and even better service. So far for brunch in main dining room I’m waiting 33 minutes for my cappuccino coffee. Are they trying their best to keep me off Norwegian. French specialty restaurant was great. Great wait staff. Great food. Should have eaten there every night. Bottom line was way too expensive for a third rate ship. Norwegian should be ashamed of them selves. Seriously ! Was planning another cruise to Hawaii. Will never again sail Norwegian. They cut my internet off at 10 pm the night before departure even though I paid for it until Friday morning. Sucks. Had to go to the front desk to print my boarding passes. Toilet seat in room was disgusting. Urine stains embedded. Ask cabin Stewart to change it which they did. Just wondering how many other folks sat on it and never said anything. Spirit Air was good. On time both ways. Will try my best to stay away from them also. Coulda flown AA first class by the time I paid for the upgrades. Nothing to do with the cruise itself. Just an extra $1,000 or so dollars to get to the port plus overnight accommodations and transfers. Read Less

This was my 5th Norwegian Cruise, previous 4 were on other ships. The Sun was disappointing; service and amenities were below what I enjoyed on other Norwegian ships. I was in a suite which has always included water and liquor in the room, but not on the Sun! Had to pay extra for bottled water. Many of the bars were never opened. So, yes, they claim unlimited drinks, but hard time finding one on the Sun. The pool and hottub area was surrounded by a low redwood wall. Very ugly and not sure of the purpose. There were no openings, you had to CRAWL OVER the wall to access the pool or hot tubs. The entire area was bland and unattractive. The staff was not as friendly or helpful, slow service in restaurants and bars. Staff seemed to forget that the customer comes first, always trying to change what was promised with the excuse it's beyond their control. Very disappointed in their customer service and the Sun. Read Less

A friend & I decided seeing Cuba was a priority on our bucket list. Cuba was the main reason we took this cruise, Key West (which we loved) was just a bonus. UNFORTUNATELY we only saw Cuba for 6 hours, all on a bus with three half hour stops. Hardly time to see anything. The ad on the NCL website said 2 DAYS-our plan-we would do the tour on Day 1 and go back on Day 2, having decided what to visit further based on the previous day’s tour. So that was the biggest disappointment. But to the cruise itself-Planning was simple and the price was reasonable. We had a balcony cabin (aft, deck 10) which I LOVED and will definitely choose again if I cruise in the future. The staff making up our room daily were wonderful. (I asked for ice only once and had a full bucket each day-thank you -gotta stay hydrated) BEAUTIFUL room, very spacious. The food was fantastic in the complimentary restaurants, much to my surprise. The buffet was pretty good, basic fare, good breakfast variety. We paid extra for the teppanyaki dinner and it was entertaining & delicious. I’m not much of a drinker but the bars were always full ;) so must have been good. The activities on board were fine but not what I came for-there were two Trivia games which we played (first game, add some ‘fun’ questions next time, we’re not scientists) The comedian was funny and the International dance show had some real talent. I was prepared to be seasick (I brought 3 Scopolamine patches, Bonine pills & ginger candy) but wasn’t for one second. Very calm seas and/or just a great Captain. Boarding and disembarking were both seamless, just follow instructions on where to go-it’s clear NCL has it all figured out so be a good passenger, they’ll take good care of you. All in all, great cruising experience-just wish I’d seen more of Cuba. Read Less

The ship and crew were exceptional, great cruise director Jamie, lots of entertainment, attention, loved the all inclusive package. We were extremely disappointed in the 2 main restaurants and the buffet, the food was terrible, the service was o.k. at best. At the Four Seasons and Seven Seas dining rooms the food came out cold, overcooked, tough and the coffee was like mud, even dessert was just o.k.. At the buffet the lines were long and the food was not up to the standard we have come to expect on a cruise. The cabin was nice and everywhere else, pub, bars night life was all fun, with good food and drink. We spent one day by the pool and the service was above and beyond what we expected. We also had the opportunity to go to two of the specialty restaurants (Mexican and French) and they were exceptional, the food was great and so was the service, the staff treated us like royalty. Read Less

We decided to take this cruise to see Cuba while we had the opportunity to do so. It stared off on a bad note, when we were informed that that the 2 bottles of wine we bought and were bringing on board would costs us an additional $30. At no time were we informed that we had free onboard alcohol access to the bars/lounges. We found this out when we ordered drinks and tried to charge the drinks to our room. Most of the staff was friendly and helpful, but there were a few who acted as if we were bothering them when we asked questions. Since this was our first time cruising with Norwegian, we wanted to make sure that we didn't miss anything. We had 3 meals in the main ding room and for the most part had excellent service. However, we had a bad experience with 1 server who decided what we should order and he would not bring us what we wanted. We ended up leaving our meal. Specialty dining is definitely the way to go on this ship. Food/drinks and service were excellent. Excellent choice of shore excursions, rooms and the ship were clean at all times. Overall, this cruise was good with just a couple of bumps along the way. Read Less

A visit to Cuba was on my bucket list. Open seating in the Seven Seas Restuarant was wonderful. The staff was very attentive especially Gretchen and Lee. I was very pleased. I went on two tours one in Key West and one in Havana, both booked through the ship. I enjoyed both. Angelia was my cabin steward and everything was clean and beautiful. Our cabin shower had a major leak and it was repaired immediately. The shows were first class. The singers and dancers were fantastc. I also liked that drinks were included. I also liked that this ship was smaller and more intimate space. I am sorry I didn't write down the names other other ientertainers not in the shows but I attended all and loved them all. The All White Night was great fun. I didn't use the fitness center only walked the deck every morning and it was peaceful. Read Less

I was really excited to go on this cruise since it was my first cruise with NCL. This was my 10th cruise overall. I was happy to see that it was recently remodeled but it still lacks amenities that other competitors have. The buffet area is so small and crowded on this cruise ship and the food offerings are that of a basic cafeteria. The upgraded restaurants particularly the steak house and French restaurant are NOT worth the money. The steak house cooked my steak wrong 3 times and the French restaurant served me cold food. It was not worth the upcharge. The Italian restaurant was good and the sushi was good. The room was nice and updated and the pillows were soft and the bed was comfortable. The entertainment was okay but again subpar to its competitors. The NCL owned island was pretty and offered lunch but that about it. The excursions on this island are extremely high and I feel they take advantage of the cruisers especially since they own the island. There is no shopping at this port if you are a shopper. Its more of a lounging day if that is your thing. The comedian was not very good and again i've seen better on other ships. I feel this cruise line is for cruise beginners or those looking for a cheap get away. Its definitely not for the avid cruiser and definitely not worth the dining package upgrades they offer. Spend a few more bucks and get a memorable experience in another line. Read Less

Cuba and Key West ports from Port Canaveral. Very organized embarkation and disembarkation. Loved seeing Havana. We did our own tour witha private tour group and was very interesting and informative. Key West was great to see as well. We did the Trolley Tour through NCL to get an overview of the Key and then after, walked around on our own. We stayed in the Deck 6a cabins and was very quiet and sufficiently spacious and comfortable for 2 people with adequate storage. The staff were particularly attentive. Any issue was addressed immediately and with follow-up. They seemed to go above and beyond to make sure guests were enjoying their cruise. The open bar was great and there was plenty of staff available to serve. We have cruised Royal Carribean, Holland America and Celebrity and I would have to say that the service on the NCL SUN was outstanding. Nicely renovated ship too. The entertainment was also very good. Enjoyed the comedian and the big dance show, karaoke, as well as the numerous musical venues. Overall very pleased!! Read Less

We chose the Norwegian Sun with the encouragement of a friend who wanted to see Havana. The four of us had a good cruise on this recently refurbished ship. The public areas were updated with cheerful colors and yet remained comfortable and welcoming. The cabins were clean and comfortable, and the cabin stewards were very attentive and efficient. We had one inside cabin and one balcony room. The inside was comfortable and definitely designed for only 2 guests. The shower and water pressure were great even if the bathroom felt small. Decent cabinet/closet space and even had a small refrigerator. The balcony cabin was wonderful - on the front of the ship, overlooking the bow. Plenty of room and great cabinet/closet space. Designed with a connecting door for the suite next door, I think the standard furnishings were a bit upgraded to match the suite. The food was good. There was always something I liked on the menu. Service in the dining room was professional and efficient. We ate most of our meals in the dining room mostly because we like the service. It's a vacation - why not have someone wait on you? And having basic drinks, beer and wine included in the cabin price was wonderful. I doubt we drank more than usual but it was nice to have no bar bill at the end of the cruise! Only one stop - Havana, Cuba. We had almost 22 hours there, more than enough time for a single stop. The city shows some growth areas, lots of construction, and many areas looking hard pressed for development. The people were friendly, mostly, and not as pushy as some Caribbean ports. Knowing Spanish though would have made getting around easier. While some people speak English, many have only minimal phrase knowledge and getting directions or asking for help was not always easy. This was out first experience with NCL and good enough to add NCL to future cruise options. Read Less

Despite this being an Open Bar cruise, I was not allowed to bring my six pack of Diet Dr. Pepper onboard in case I was trying to smuggle alcohol onto the ship. I fully understand and support all efforts to stop guests from bringing on alcohol when the ship is selling it. But when they are giving it away to all guests of age, why stop someone from bringing in a soft drink that isn’t available on the ship? I couldn’t even bring in two 16 oz bottles. This type of unyielding policy making makes no sense at all and is not conducive to the guest experience. We had the dinner package and found the dood to be lacking in taste. The prime rib in the steakhouse had no flavor whatsoever but the server didn’t ask why I left 3/4 of it untouched. It was worse in the French restaurant as the cream of mushroom soup was so strong in flavor that it was not edible. The chocolate fondue for two was cold and had the consistency of water. We could not eat it. They gave us different desserts when we brought it to their attention but it never should have been served. The Teppanyaki restaurant was the best dining experience. The food was great and our chef, Mario, worked hard to entertain us! The room was nice and the room steward was outstanding. Read Less

Norwegian sun review ... All ... A 13 day cruise was long but we packed plenty of clothes, no problem there. Went with the all you can drink alcohol package and would to that again, so much easier. The cruise director, jaimy, is weak with very little communication skills, as is her assistant. Saw them around the ship but they offered very little. *entertainment was limited to only a few talented people and one steel band that was really good. Alyssa harris is awesome, the best aboard the ship. This gal really rocks it. The bliss (main lounge) is in the wrong part of this ship. One must go through here to get to the other ends, or go to the floor below or above. Variety of entertainment here, but not night club style. The comedy/ juggling shows that took place in the main theater were really good and funny. *bars: the champagne bar was our main area where we gathered with the other couple we traveled with. The tall bartender makes the best drinks than anywhere else on the ship. The girl, may, waits on you at the champagne bar is awesome. *casino: the main problem we had aboard ship was the smell of cigarette smoke creeping in on you everywhere on ship. The casino is in the center with large areas of access and no doors. Smoke seems to wonder around, even in the corridors where the rooms are. The sun is not a large ship, and they should have doors on the casino to accommodate those of us who do not smoke. *speciality dining: they have a good number of specialty dining restaurants aboard. We went to le bristo (french) twice, it's that good. Everything there is superb compared to the others. Great service and delicious with every dish. Murray, the head guy, is the best. He straightened out the confusion on our billing when the dining desk messed it up. Tappanyaki (japanese steak/ prepared at your table) was a lot of fun and really good food, but was really noisy. La cucina (italian) should read a book on what an italian restaurant should serve, and how to prepare italian food. Cagney steakhouse served a very tough bison steak to me, were told about it and they never offered to replace it. Top customer service would of replaced it immediately instead of saying, sorry. Five people were informed and when the billing was corrected, murray (of le bristo) corrected it, a few days later. Le bistro rocks with service, deliciousness and customer satisfaction. *dining room: the dining rooms food is pretty good overall, and love the desserts. The service lacks in a number of spots. Sometimes you get large portions and other times it so tiny you think you're actually in a $150.00 a plate restaurant with more fanciness around a spot of food. *ships buffet: lots of choices here that you can choose from. It's your fault if you can't find anything good to eat. They always have an abundance of food displayed for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Staff that clears the tables are always around. *staff: the staff, everywhere, are awesome. They know how to do their job and assist you any way they can. Guest services, excursions, or just help in general ... These people rock. *messaging: we paid $9.95 for this and it hardly worked. *250 minutes of internet free: norwegians carrier is not good at all. We could not get this to work on our phones and the internet guy tried and tried. Only time it worked was when you're on their computer where the internet guy was. They have a serious server provider problem. *docking ports: norwegian sun docked at some of the crummiest ports you could imagine. The only one that was decent was in aruba. All the others were shipping container docks, construction areas, and just plane filth. *EXCURSIONS: ++cuba: the old colonial/havana excursion (3 1/2hrs) this was very interesting and we had a lot of fun. Our guide was very knowledgeable and had interesting things to say about everything, everywhere we went. It's a walking tour, but ended with a short bus ride that was very interesting. ++honduras: semi-sub & village (3 1/2hrs) very informative and you are really below water looking out at the beauty of the sea. Our guide on the bus was chatting constantly about what we were seeing and the semi-sub was awesome. We also had time to take a tour of a chocolate factory and it was really cool. ++costa rica: rainforest/canal cruise (4hrs) very interesting. The time just flew by. Lots of fun, enjoyable and informative ... And deliciousness provided when it was over. ++panama: the shaping of panama excursion (5 1/2hrs) when we dropped anchor in gatun lake, went ashore and met up with our tour guide. The tour was to be 5 1/2 hrs long, but it took 7 hrs. We traveled by a bus/van with 14 of us aboard, along with the driver, tour guide and an excursion employee from the ship, all of us heading toward panama city. This was a very long drive, about 1 hr & 20 min, at least. It started to rain very hard and you could not see that well where you were going, and the driver was speeding ... With us without seat belts. The tour guide did an excellent job describing what we were seeing, etc... But as i said, we were speeding along and it's hard to take pictures of importance when your traveling at 60 mph. Oh well. Lunch was not listed, but the tour guide provided sub way sandwiches, power bar of sort and something else (forgot). Seems that norwegian forgot to list the lunch provided in the wright up. Anyway, it was good to have some food. This excursion should not be listed on norwegian from gatun lake ...it's waaaay toooooo far. If they would of docked in panama city, then have this tour ... The guide is very knowledgeable about panama and panama city, etc, it was informative. ***getting onto and off the ship was easy everywhere we went, from the first day all the way to the last day. Norwegian knows their stuff. We had fun on our little 13 day cruise and ate some pretty darn good food and enjoyed the all you can drink package. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable trip with smoooooooth sailing every day. Read Less

We had some credit left from our Irma NCL Escape cancelled trip from a year ago. Used it on the mid September NCL Sun voyage to Cuba. Embarkation and Disembarkation was easy and well run. 20 to 30% vacancy level meant no crowds all week in any lines or venues. Ship is older but the recent refurbishment was well done. Inside and out, the ship felt brand new. I suspect we have done 30 cruises over the years. Our standard balcony was one of the more spacious cabins we have had. Balcony nice as well. Service, from stewards to restaurant servers was very good throughout our trip. MDR for most meals and we thought selection and quality was good. 2 nights at specialty restaurants very nice. Cuba was disappointing. Much like other poorer Caribbean islands. Everything in disrepair. Took two ship sponsored excursions. Tour of city was expensive and we saw very little. Trip to the Parisian show a little better. My advice would be to take the earliest am. And cheapest sm. tour, then use your visa/passport to see Havana on your own in the afternoon. Costa Mayo port went to town to the beach. A real value. Free umbrellas and chairs...cheap beer and good bar food. Key West...did the Truman museum on our own. Very good. Harvest Cay was a good beach day. Read Less

We were planning to take a vacation, my fiance and I. We made our reservations 2 days prior to ship and we had no problem at all. Our emails were responded very quickly and our reservation was confirmed that same day. Our guide was awesome, he gave us a lot of useful info, funny facts and he wanted us to travel around more "freely", so we took walks (being cautious of course) without interrumptions. He recommended us a great place to take lunch and he adapted the excursions according to our needs. We loved Teppanyaki's restaurant, awesome steaks and a great atmosphere, but my partner says she prefered Cagney's, just because of their cheesecake. There are several activities, she enjoyed yoga classes the most. I personally just loved to chill looking at the sea. Our cabin had a great balcony, a living room and a bedroom, it was really luxurious, the bathroom had an hydromassager in the balcony! So you could just relax your massage while enjoying the incredible view. The personnel was appropiately trained, they were very polite, very helpful and overall we had a great experience with them. I know most young couples like us want these 2 things: privacy and enterntaiment. Privacy is good, as I mentioned before, a spacious cabin to make some thing (haha), and enterntaiment was incredible, we were just not expecting it, it blew our our minds (specially Atlantis Strings). We had a really fun cruise and we will do this again, hopefully. Read Less

NCL Sun to Cuba! Our drive from SW Florida to Port Canaveral was easy. Once on I-4 we got off onto rt-417 south of Orlando, saving at least 15 minutes in traffic. It connected to rt-528 for a straight shot to pier 10. With thanks to Michelle H at check in, went from the garage at 1130 to lunch on board at 1155. A very pleasant discovery at lunch, all alcoholic beverages, except call shots, were free for the whole cruise! We’d had upgrade offers for the drink package precruise but don’t drink that much. Yeah, we drank more than usual this cruise. Only served lunch was Seven Seas main dining room. Liked our table so much we reserved it for 5:30 early seating the whole cruise, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Very few people used it embarkation day, and only the last night was it full. We did eat at the buffet twice for lunch, when we got back too late from our excursions. Besides the great service, we prefer the controlled portions in the dining rooms. Some food notes. Most dishes were well prepared and tasty. Smoked salmon eggs Benedict is a personal favorite. I had it for my first breakfast and the muffin was too tough to cut. Ate what I could and alerted our server. When I had it later in the cruise it was better. I had tuna salad open face sandwich for a lunch that was good, but a little dry. Two nights they had special Cuban menu additions that were very interesting and good. One breakfast I had broiled scotch kipper, (fish). I’ve had it on other NCL ships, (eat like a Norwegian), but was disappointed this time. In Key West we docked at the Navy pier. From my research I thought we could walk to the old fort or the USCG museum 200 yards away. No way. The adjacent Navy base is active, and people could only take shuttles directly downtown. And no pictures allowed of the base from the ship. My lady and I had already BTDTGTTS. We stayed on board. I got a good shady spot by the pool with enough room to practice my tai chi after visiting the gym for a workout. Did I mention adult beverages were free? After a great cuban style steak we went to the single show that night. “The Who” would be proud. The main event, Havana, Cuba. We believe the best way to see the highlights of a place is a good bus tour. We took the Ultimate Havana tour and were not disappointed. Our tour guide was a professional, happily maintaining the party line. She pointed out all the free hospitals and clinics as we passed them. (She and our driver quietly accepted the bottles of ibuprofen I gave them, as suggested in my research. Plenty of healthcare, short on medicine). The ship docked right at the base of the downtown area, and the tour took us around town, and across the harbor to the Christo de la Habana statue. To get there the bus went through a tunnel under the harbor. We prayed during this part of the trip, because most buildings in Havana are so neglected, they’ve been known to collapse. The most depressing sight were the cathedrals that could not be entered due to poor condition. The white Christo statue is at least 40 feet tall, and visible from most of the harbor. Other reviews have mentioned the night lights of Havana, but the statue is not lit. Our tour also passed a park with weapons from the cold war and Bay of Pigs. Included was a USAF plane wing. The bus was notably quiet passing that. In the evening, we did a little OYO exploring. We took a 20 minute ride in a lime green 1953 Chevy convertible. Awesome ride for only 10 CUCs. (Pronounced “cuke”). Then we took a walk for a few blocks. The locals come out in the evening cooler temps to dine or drink in the local pubs. About a third of these pubs have street tables and bands. The locals all seemed happy and pleasant. Free socialist beer, maybe? We got back to the ship at dusk. Originally I had thought we were overnighting and had the next day in port. Finally found out we were leaving at 0600, thus being noted on our cruise documents as a day in Cuba instead of a sea day. The most notable thing occurring on this sea day was a diversion at full speed at dinner time to Miami to send a very sick person ashore for medical treatment. We made a big wake. Our last stop was the NCL private island, Great Stirrup Cay. Again for us, BTDTGTTS. Not a bad thing. If you haven’t been there, it is worth the tender ride. The snorkeling is great, and the BBQ tasty. Again, I got a great spot on deck. It got so hot in the afternoon I went to the Spinaker lounge at the front of the ship. There I found the dance troupe taking an art class on their afternoon off. Our return to Port Canaveral was routine. We had a leisurely breakfast in the dining room. NCL still has the best corned beef hash anywhere! Disembarking went smoothly. We really enjoyed the new verbal declaration at customs. On our drive home we stopped at our favorite fruit stand at the Branch-Forbes exit of I-4. Great price on bananas. Read Less