Victoria, British Columbia Blog
The last day of our cruise, and we get to spend the afternoon in Victoria, British Columbia.
Author: Northwoods Thornes
Skagway Alaska Blog
Skagway is our fourth port town on our 9 day Southern Alaska cruise. We managed not to waste a minute!
Norwegian Sun Ship Review
We cruised on the newly renovated Norwegian Sun in June of 2023. The renovations were concluded in 2021 and we were able to see all of the updates while they were new and shiny. The ship was built in 2001, making it one of the oldest ships in the fleet, and coincidentally one of the smallest. We are going to break down our review into a few key categories to help give the picture of what cruising on the Norwegian Sun is like. We also have a full ship tour posted on Youtube @Northwoodsthornes.
norwegian sun ship layout
This ship in particular can be difficult to navigate. You will find yourself needing to pass through several areas to get around to your intended destination. For instance, our room was located near the stairwell on deck 8. To get from the pool deck to our room we had to either pass through the Garden Cafe or through the Sports Bar (that was often closed), to get to the stairwell. The only other options left us with going all the way to the front of the ship, down the stairs, and all the way to the back of the ship again. There are small instances like that spread throughout the ship. If you are someone who likes to hop from one activity to the next this ship will keep you on your toes. Bring your walking shoes.
gETTING ON AND OFF THE SHIP
When you board the ship from your port of embarkation, you will most likely board onto deck 6 on the jogging track. On our embarkation day we were funneled through the photo gallery and Windjammer Bar before being set free. On port days you will need to head towards the medical center on deck 4 to tender or to disembark the ship at a pier. It is highly recommended to get in line to get off the ship earlier than you need to. The lines can reach all the way up the stairwell at times.
stateROOMS
Decks 4, 8, 9, and 10 are entirely staterooms. Decks 5, 6, and 7 are a combination of shopping, entertainment, restaurants and staterooms. Deck 11 has some suites but is mostly pool deck, and Deck 12 has no staterooms. You have your typical choices of rooms-inside, balcony, suite, club suite, etc. The rooms themselves have been recently renovated but you will notice they are on the older side. Be sure to bring your outlet converters with you if you want more than one outlet. If you are going on an Alaska cruise having a balcony is is very, very nice. If that is not in your budget there are still plenty of places to hangout on the ship that have window access.
eNTERTAINMENT
The ship’s main entertainment areas are the casino, Stardust lounge, Bliss Ultra lounge, Windjammer bar, library, and game room. The casino is located on deck 7 near the shopping areas. The casino is small compared to the larger mega ships but it was always packed with people when it was open.
The Stardust lounge is the theater room where the main performances are held, and if you cruise Glacier Bay they have the ranger presentations here. They hold Bingo and Deal or No Deal here as well. There are two levels of seating and you can enter from two different decks if you’d like.
The Bliss Ultra lounge is located mid-ship on deck 8. It is a smaller performance area with a small stage, and a full bar off the right side. They hosted trivia here on our cruise, and transformed into more of a club scene at night. The Windjammer Bar is right around the corner from the Bliss Ultra lounge. This bar has a speakeasy/ bourbon bar feel to it.
Continuing down the hall from the Windjammer Bar is the library and game room. They are almost hidden, and you could walk right by them if you get distracted by the photo gallery. The library is small and opens up into the game room. They have a few games you can borrow while the library is open.
SHOPPING
Shopping onboard is very limited, but expected per the size of the ship. There are two main hallways with shops, one being the Tradewinds shop and the other being the Shopping Arcade. The Tradewinds shop is your typical souvenir and basic necessity store. They had shirts, sweatshirts, lanyards, etc. and your basics like deodorant and toothbrushes. On the far end of the Tradewinds shop is the duty free shop where you can purchase alcohol and perfume. The shopping arcade consisted of the cruise line’s affiliated jewelry and watches. In this case it was Effy jewelry and watches on the other end. Norwegian listed the portrait studio as shopping online, which it could be if you choose to get your family portraits done. The last spot for shopping is the photo gallery, Park West, that sets up in the main atrium and auctions art. Compared to the larger ships the shopping options are very small, but I would expect this for the smaller ships.
dINING
The Norwegian Sun has 6* dining rooms included in their cruise package that are complementary. The main dining rooms are the Seven Seas and Four Seasons dining rooms. The Seven Seas is in the stern of the ship and the Four Seasons is mid-ship, right next to the customer service desks. These dining rooms serve breakfast and dinner, and have dress codes.
There are “two” buffets onboard, the Garden Cafe and the Great Outdoors. The buffets are located very close together, on the same deck. The Garden Cafe is the main buffet and is completely indoors. You will find the most variety here, and they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Great Outdoors is just that, outdoors. They have much more limited operating hours and a limited menu with more casual foods. Think burgers, hot dogs and simple sandwiches.
The Sports Bar is a good dinner spot that opens in the late evenings. This spot is included in the complimentary cruise fare. They serve your typical sports bar spread of foods, and they are open late for the night owls. Moderno is your other a-typical spot to grab a bite to eat. Normally they are in the “specialty dining” category but they do have a breakfast and lunch setup that are complementary. Not many people find this spot so you may find some peace and quiet here.
Specialty Dining
Norwegian does a good job creating a lot of variety in their specialty dining. There is a specialty restaurant that will fit your taste buds. Los Lobos is a Mexican restaurant, La Cucina is an Italian restaurant, Moderno is a Brazilian steakhouse, Cagney’s is your traditional Steakhouse, Le Bistro is a French Restaurant, Teppanyaki is a Japanese Restaurant and finally there is the Sushi Bar. These are not included in your cruise fare and can add up if you eat here regularly. Norwegian does offer specialty dining packages that you can purchase before the cruise and may save you some money.
fITNESS ROOM AND SPA
The fitness center and spa are both located on the 11th deck, in the front of the ship. The gym is a good size compared to the size of the ship. There are several of each cardio machine, a weightlifting area and a stretching area. There is a separate room for classes that are additional charge. The spa is on the smaller side, there are a few nail and hair stations and a smaller section for spa treatments.
kIDS AREAS
This ship is not exactly kid-friendly. There is one pool, and one very small splash pad-jacuzzi area for kids on the pool deck. The arcade and Splash Academy are the only kid-dedicated areas for entertainment. There were a few kids on our cruise to Alaska but not nearly as many as you would see on a different ship. If you are looking to book a cruise for a young family, or have a lot of younger kids this ship may be boring for them.
pOOL DECK
The pool deck has four jacuzzis and two pools. One pool is adults only and the other is open for all ages. The jacuzzis are just that, jacuzzis, not hot tubs. So be prepared to get cold eventually while using them. There is no age limit enforced on this ship to get into the jacuzzis either, so you will run into sharing the space with kids. The Topsiders bar is right in front of the adults only pool, near the doors to the Garden Cafe.
Overall experience
We had a great time on our cruise to Alaska onboard the Norwegian Sun. We loved our stateroom (we had a balcony room), and the overall experience. There are a few things I wished were better.
Ideally there would be a kid-free jacuzzi. Even if there was just one it would have changed the experience entirely. We had a hard time relaxing when kids were constantly climbing in and out, as well as parents dropping their kids off on the pool deck and disappearing. I found myself hoping when I booked this cruise that there would be less kids because the ship didn’t have many amenities for young families, and that they would choose the Encore over the Sun. This was the case for the most part, but that also meant there were no adults only spaces to hide out in.
The flow of the Garden Cafe was so…wrong. It was always incredibly busy and the lines had no direction. If Norwegian were to do another remodel of this ship I would have suggested that they take out the Great Outdoors and turn it all into one area. Staff should have also been more directing of foot traffic during peak hours in the buffet lines.
Those were my two main complaints that stuck out to me on our cruise. Besides those very minor things, we had a great time on our 9 day cruise. The food, entertainment, and destinations were all fantastic. I would certainly sail onboard the Norwegian Sun again.
Alaska Cruise Day at Sea
Our first full day on our 9 day Southern Alaska cruise, onboard the Norwegian Sun. Today is an at sea day as we cruise up to Ketchikan.
Ketchikan Blog
Today we are in port in Ketchikan, Alaska. It is our first port day on our 9 day cruise onboard the Norwegian Sun.
Cruise Port Guide: Victoria, BC
Victoria, British Columbia is a Canadian cruise port located across the bay from Seattle, Washington. Cruise ships dock at the Ogden Point Pier which is within walking distance of downtown. Make sure to check with your cruise line before packing for your cruise if you will need your passport to go here. There are mixed answers floating around on the internet and checking with your cruise line is the best option.
Victoria is an easily walkable city, however, the farther you go the more things are spread out. Victoria has a city bus system that you should utilize if you plan on leaving the downtown or James Bay area. Water taxis are another way that some choose to skip the walk to the downtown area. Don’t underestimate the walking distances if you have limited time in port, it takes time to get around the city.
best things to do
Fisherman’s Wharf
This is a unique stop for any urban explorer. The grassy park opens up to the Fisherman’s wharf where you will find food and drink vendors, house boats and dock seating. You could spend a few hours enjoying the view and food if you so wanted to. The house boats are private residences however, so please be mindful that it is still someone’s neighborhood you’re exploring.
Beacon Hill Park
If you’re looking for a perfect picnic spot, this would be it. There are rose gardens, stone bridges, fountains and ponds to contribute to the natural beauty. Just a fun fact, Winston Churchill planted a tree here in 1929.
Craigdarroch Castle
The castle was built during Queen Victoria’s reign, between 1887 and 1890, and is now a historic site. Take a trip back in time to the Victorian era by taking a guided tour of the mansion. Admission is $20 per person, they do offer child and senior discounts.
Miniature World
Miniature World has over 85 miniature dioramas on display and a wide variety of themes. From Camelot to Swiss Family Robinson, they have the scenes. Admission is $19 per person and they offer child discounts. A thing to note: if you visit Victoria in the evening, they close rather early.
View the fairmont empress
The Fairmont Empress makes it onto most travel guides, but for the most part it is a photography stop. The hotel is a National Historic Site that overlooks the bay. If you want to venture inside they have several bars and restaurants to visit.
view the parliament buildings
These beautiful buildings are the home of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. If you want to take a self guided tour of the buildings, they are open weekdays 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Be sure to check online before you visit in case they are closed for a special event.
Victoria, British Columbia is a beautiful stop on an Alaska cruise. No matter how long you have in port you will be able to find something to do. If you visit in the evening and have a chance to see the lights on the Parliament buildings it is even better.
Alaska Cruise Boarding Day
Today we traveled from Leavenworth, Washington, to Seattle to board our cruise to Alaska. We made some beautiful pit stops along the way.
Cruise Port Guide: Juneau
Juneau is Alaska’s capital and one of the most popular cruise ports in the State. If you’re visiting on your next cruise, this is the guide for you!
Cruising Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park is located in Alaska’s Inside Passage and covers a little over three million acres. The park began its legacy as a National Monument in 1925, became an official National Park and Preserve in 1980, and integrated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992.
The geographic location of the park makes it difficult to visit by normal modes of transportation. Point Gustavus is the closest town to the National Park headquarters in Bartlett Cove. If you were to visit the park by land you would pass through Gustavus. If you cruise into the park, this is where the rangers will board your ship.
There are 26 named glaciers in Glacier National Park, though that number will dwindle as time goes on. For reference there were roughly 80 glaciers in 1850. You would think that there are way more than that in the park, but the definition of a glacier narrows it down. To be a glacier it must be a mass of ice big enough to flow on its own weight, which generally is about 25 acres worth of ice.
Cruising Glacier bay
There is so much to see when cruising into Glacier Bay. Often Park Rangers will board your boat first thing in the morning as you pass by Gustavus. You most likely won’t even know they’re there until the meet and greets start as their tender is very small and your ship won’t stop moving.
Be on the lookout for wildlife on your way into and out of the bay. You’ll have the opportunity to see grizzly bears, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats from the ship-if you bring your binoculars that is. Once you’ve reached the inner part of the bay there will be two main glacier viewing areas. The Margerie and Grand Pacific Glacier are in one and the John Hopkins Glacier will be in the other. These are can’t-miss glaciers and you have to find yourself outside as your ship passes by them. On the way in (or out) of the bay you will also pass by the Lamplugh, Reid, Rendu, and Carroll Glacier. These glaciers seem a little bit farther away as they are tucked into their respective inlets.
onboard ship tips
Attend the Ranger Talks
Often, the Rangers will give several opportunities to attend a Q&A session or informational presentation on the park. Attending these will give you more insight into the land you’re visiting, and they have insider knowledge at what to look at as you sail by.
Get Outside
If you have a balcony suite, this is your day to utilize it. If you don’t have a balcony suite I highly recommend camping out in an area next to a window or outdoors if you can brave the weather. The downside to the balcony room or a spot on the side of the ship is you may miss a wildlife sighting. We were parked on our balcony when there was a grizzly bear sighting on the other side of the ship. Later on in the day we were out on our balcony and overheard our neighbors come outside to realize that they had missed all of the glaciers because they were inside the ship!
Bring Binoculars
Without binoculars it will be very difficult to see any wildlife on the shore. You will be able to see the details of the glaciers better with binoculars and you won’t regret bringing them. I used my telephoto lens on my camera while Ben used the binoculars, but the job still gets done.
Dress Appropriately
When we visited at the end of June it was still very cold out in Glacier Bay. I had a hat, coat, and gloves and still didn’t want to linger outside that long due to the wind. I saw a lot of people running outside for quick photos because they dressed for summer.
Enjoy Your Time in the Park
The day goes by incredibly fast. Sitting inside enjoying breakfast, the pool, arcade, casino, etc can be done anytime on your cruise. Be sure to enjoy being in the park while you are able to and participate in the activities to create memories of the park.
Alaska Cruise Travel Day
This travel day started in Boston, and ended in Leavenworth, Washington. All to head back to Seattle to board our cruise the next day.