Norwegian Sun

The 2001-built Norwegian Sun cruise ship is the second Sky-class vessel, with sisterships Norwegian Sky and Costa Victoria (1996-2021). Norwegian Sun is currently the company’s only ship operating fully all-inclusive cruises, with fares covering unlimited beverages (including alcoholic drinks).

The vessel (IMO number 9218131) is Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311109000) and registered in Nassau.

IMPORTANT: In April 2025, NCL signed an agreement to transfer its two oldest vessels (Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun) to Cordelia Cruises, respectively in 2026 (to be renamed Cordelia Sky) and 2027 (Cordelia Sun).

History – construction and ownership

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH). Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Miami (Florida USA), NCL is publicly traded on NASDAQ and listed on the NYSE (NYC). NCLH’s major shareholders include Apollo Global Management (USA), Genting Group (Malaysia) and TPG Capital (USA). In 2017, NCL held a global cruise market share of 8.7% (passengers) and 8.4% (revenue). NCLH owns the brands NCL, Oceania and RSSC-Regent.

The 1950-passenger Norwegian Sun entered service in 2001 during a dual christening ceremony in Miami with Norwegian Star. TV host Brooke Burke served as godmother. The ship was built at Lloyd Werft (Bremerhaven, Germany). A 12-day drydock in early 2011 refreshed the ship with bright new décor, upgraded accommodations (including all 33 suites) and enhanced public areas. The vessel also received a Brazilian-style churrascaria, first introduced on Norwegian Epic.

Decks and Cabins

Norwegian Sun staterooms (968 total, in 32 grades) include 52 Suites, 380 Balcony, 213 Oceanview and 293 Inside cabins. Most cabins measure 150-170 ft² (14-16 m²). The largest accommodations are the Owners Suites (570 ft² / 53 m², with a 260 ft² / 24 m² terrace).

The ship has 12 decks, of which 9 are accessible to passengers and 8 contain cabins.

Shipboard dining options – Food and Drinks

Norwegian Sun is NCL’s first ship designed specifically for Freestyle Cruising, offering flexible dining with no fixed times or dress codes. Guests may enjoy gourmet cuisine, sample innovative dishes at Le Bistro, or dine in the two main restaurants—Four Seasons and Seven Seas—both offering flexible seating. Passengers may reserve the same dining time nightly or vary their schedule. One main dining room is open daily for breakfast and lunch. Cuisine and service in the MDRs remain competitive with the specialty venues.

Specialty restaurants including Il Adagio, Le Bistro and Ginza offer Italian, French, and Asian cuisine, respectively (all at an additional charge starting from USD 10 per person).

Follows the complete list of Norwegian Sun restaurants and food bars.

• Seven Seas Restaurant (forward Dining Room; complimentary; Your Time dining)
• Le Bistro (French specialty dining; dinner only; reservations required; USD 20 cover charge)
• Four Seasons Restaurant (aft Dining Room; complimentary; Freestyle dining)
• Il Adagio (Italian specialty restaurant; USD 15 cover charge; reservations required)
• Great Outdoor Cafe (complimentary lido buffet)
• Topsiders Bar & Grill (complimentary poolside venue)
• Cagney’s Steakhouse (specialty steak and seafood; reservations required; USD 30 cover charge; free Kids Menu)
• Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse; reservations required; USD 20 per person; with outdoor waterfront seating)
• Teppanyaki Room (Japanese Hibachi; USD 25 surcharge; located inside Cagney’s)
• Sushi Bar (part of Ginza restaurant)
• East Meets West Steakhouse (specialty steak and seafood)
• Los Lobos Cantina (Mexican restaurant replacing Las Ramblas during the 2018 refurb)
• Garden Cafe (complimentary buffet with multiple cuisine stations); Kid’s Cafe

Shipboard entertainment options – Fun and Sport

The domed, 8-deck-high Atrium with panoramic elevators forms the heart of the vessel. Norwegian Sun features twelve bars and lounges, along with venues suited to more intimate atmospheres. The Promenade Deck includes an Internet Café with 24 stations (75 cents per minute after a one-time USD 3.95 activation fee). The ship also hosts enrichment programs, lectures, computer classes and children's activities.

Evening entertainment includes Broadway-style productions staged in the 2-deck Stardust Lounge. Additional offerings include NCL’s FIREWORKS show (on each voyage), “Rock of Ages”, “Cirque Dreams” and “Illusionarium.”

Other amenities include complimentary 24-hour room service, the supervised “NCL Kids” program, Wi-Fi access, and laundry services. Gratuities are USD 12 per person per day. Weddings are performed in the onboard chapel.

Follows the complete list of Norwegian Sun lounges, clubs and entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Stardust Theatre (1000-seat show lounge with Broadway-style productions; two nightly performances)
• Windjammer Bar; Champagne Bar; Champs Bar; Stardust Lounge; Sports Bar; Topsiders Bar; Sprinkles (ice cream bar); Java Cafe
• Bliss Ultra Lounge (replacing Dazzles Disco & Nightclub during the 2018 refurb)
• Spinnaker Lounge (replacing Observation Lounge & Disco during the 2018 refurb)
• Sun Atrium (midship hub with LED screen, dance area and live entertainment)
• Atrium Cafe & Bar (specialty coffee and tea bar)
• LifeStyles Room; TechStyles Room
• East Indies Meeting Rooms; East Indies Library & Conference Room
• Internet Cafe (24-hour); Art Gallery; Photo Gallery & Shop
• Sun Club Casino
• Galleria Shops (duty-free retail)
• Body Waves Spa & Fitness Centre (spa treatment rooms, sauna, herbal steam room, thalassotherapy pool, beauty salon; fitness centre); 2 swimming pools, 5 whirlpools, table tennis
• Kid’s Corner Club; Splashes (kids pool); The Zone Teen Club & Disco; Video Games Arcade
• Sports court; Jogging Track; Golf Nets

Itineraries

Norwegian Sun’s itinerary program was originally based on Caribbean (Cuba) sailings from Florida and South America voyages from Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Valparaiso–Santiago (Chile).

• Beginning May 7, 2018, the ship was repositioned to Port Canaveral (Orlando, Florida) for all-inclusive 4-day Cuba cruises (Monday departures) to Havana and Key West, alternating with 3-day Bahamas sailings (Friday departures) to Freeport or Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay.
• All departures were from Port Canaveral’s Cruise Terminal 10 at 4 pm, returning at 7 am.
• Between September 9 and October 14, 2018, six 7-day roundtrips from Miami were scheduled to Havana, Great Stirrup Cay, Costa Maya and Harvest Caye. In 2018-2019 the ship operated 14-day repositioning voyages between Valparaiso and Buenos Aires.
• NCL’s Cuba program relied on two Florida-based ships—Norwegian Sky (from Miami) and Norwegian Sun (from Port Canaveral). Following the U.S. government’s June 2019 ban on group travel to Cuba, NCL revised all itineraries calling at Cuban ports. All departures beyond September 2, 2019 were canceled. Earlier sailings were modified to replace Havana with alternative ports in the Bahamas (Great Stirrup Cay, Freeport, Nassau) and Florida (Key West).

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, Norwegian Sun was paused for over two years (March 2020 to May 2022), resuming service on May 5, 2022 in Alaska with 7-day roundtrips from Seattle (WA). The planned inaugural Asia season (homeporting in Tokyo) was canceled. A broader Asian deployment planned for 2022-2023 (Singapore, Laem Chabang–Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo) was also canceled and replaced with a winter program in the Canary Islands.

The vessel (built by Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven, hull number 124024) is powered by three MAN marine diesel engines (model 6L58/64) and three MAN diesel generators (model 7L58/64), producing a total power output of 50.7 MW (679,900 HP). The diesel-electric propulsion system is based on two controllable-pitch propellers (CPPs) with a diameter of 5.5 m.

The registered shipowner is NORWEGIAN SUN LTD (a subsidiary of NCLH), while the listed ship manager is NCL BAHAMAS LTD.

The NCL Sun was traditionally christened at PortMiami on November 17, 2001, during a dual ceremony with her fleetmate Norwegian Star. The ship’s godmother was Angela Perez Baraquio Grey (born 1976), an Asian-American and Miss America 2001. Her sisterships are Norwegian Sky and Costa Victoria.

In 2001, two brand-new ships—Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Star—were delivered to NCL. Both vessels were purpose-built to embody the company’s revolutionary “Freestyle Cruising” concept. The three NCL Sky-class ships represented an investment of over USD 1 billion, a significant commitment to the market at that time.

NCL Sun refurbishment 2018 review

The following upgrades were completed during the ship’s three-week drydock in April 2018 (Victoria, BC):

• extensive renovation of all staterooms, public areas, restaurants, bars, and lounges
• stateroom enhancements, including new flat HDTVs (infotainment system), USB ports, carpeting, headboards, artworks, and select furniture
• Bliss Ultra Lounge (formerly Dazzles disco/nightclub)
• Los Lobos Cantina (Mexican restaurant replacing Las Ramblas Bar & Restaurant)
• Spinnaker Lounge (formerly the Observation Lounge)
• renovations to Cagney’s Steakhouse, La Cucina, Le Bistro, Teppanyaki, the Main Dining Rooms (Four Seasons and Seven Seas), Mandara Spa, Stardust Lounge, the Theater, Sun Casino, Splash Academy (kids’ area), and the pool deck
• During the 2016 drydock, Norwegian Sun was retrofitted with new exhaust gas cleaning systems (“scrubbers”). The upgraded technology reduces the equivalent of approximately 1,500 tons of sulfur oxide emissions. Norwegian Cruise Line was the first company to retrofit vessels in service with hybrid scrubber systems. The five new in-line scrubbers are lightweight and capable of operating in dry mode as well as in open- and closed-loop configurations.

Both the 2016 and 2018 drydocks were carried out under NCL’s fleetwide “Norwegian Edge” program, a two-year initiative budgeted at USD 400 million. Each drydock cost approximately USD 35–40 million.