At the 2nd of may 2012, I had the opportunity to visit the Norwegian Sun while she was docked in Amsterdam. On this page, you will find a photographic tour of her interiours.

Like most modern cruiseliners, the central hub on Norwegian Sun is The Atrium. This light space, topped by a round skylight, is very bright. Four glass elevators connect deck 5 (Atlantic Deck) to 11 (Pool Deck). A split staircase that is surrounded by plants and marble edges, connects the Atlantic Deck to the Promenade Deck. On Atlantic Deck, The Atrium feautures the reception and excursion desk as well as the Java café. One deck higher, on Promenade Deck, the internet café is situated within The Atrium. At deck 8 (International Deck), the champagne bar is feautured.

At the Atlantic Deck, the two main restaurants of the ship are situated, the Seven Seas Restaurant is overlooking the stern and you enter this restaurant through a mini atrium called the Seven Seas court. Through a small Italian restaurant called Il Adagio (for which you have to make a reservation and pay an additional fee of $10, you will reach the other main restaurant midships, called the Four Seasons Restaurant. Both restaurants are just one deck in height, giving a little more intimate atmosphere as the restaurants aboard the truly large cruiseliners, that sometimes are a dramatic three decks in height.

Below, the Seven Seas restaurant is shown.

On some evenings, the Seven Seas Restaurant is the venue for the Midnight Buffet an its decor is very diferent from the classical Four Seasons restaurant, that is done in high carpeting and has some Roman sculptures within its decor. The Seven Sas restaurant is bright because it has three sides of windows and looks more contemporary. The Seven Seas court, that is a replica of the Neptune court aboard her sistership Norwegian Sky, has a large sculpture of a flock of seagulls as the central piece and above the entrance to the restaurant a large mural of stained glass feauturing a galleon at full sea presents a nautical feel.

The large mural above the entrance to the restaurant.		Central piece within the Seven Seas court, that spans two decks in height.

One deck above, at Promenade Deck, a large number of public rooms are situated. Aft is the lower part of the Stardust Lounge, where the main shows are performed. This lounge has also a balcony, of which the entrance is two decks higher at International Deck. Furthermore, the large club Dazzles is located midships at the Promenade Deck, as well as the classic nautical Windjammer Café, the photo gallery, library and several converence rooms. Also, hence the name, the outside promenade deck is situated on this deck.

The Stardust Lounge, pictured above, seats 1000 and is totally redesigned from the earlier lounge aboard Norwegian Sky, because the sightlines there were not all that well. Topped by two great chandeliers, the lounge offers the broadway style shows that Norwegian Cruise Line is known for since the introduction of Norway, the former transatlantic liner France.

The windjammer café, shown below, again has a very nautical atmosphere. Comfortable leather seating in a dark environment, surrounded by classic shipmodels and pictures of former liners like Queen Elizabeth. This lounge is one of the favorites aboard to have an evening drink and one can understand why.

Also, the ships very small library, that gives also access to the three conference rooms, has a very classic feel. The library is located behind the wide photo gallery, that also has some classic oceanliner posters on its walls.

The East Indies Library is a quite small space, decorated with artefacts from East India. It gives access to three conference rooms that are decorated in the same style.		One of the classic advertising posters that gives even the Photo gallery a classic touch. Within the gallery, a lot of these posters are shown, from companies like Holland America, French Line and Cunard.

 

Next to the entrance of the Stardust Lounge balcony, the International Deck has some public spaces available. The largest one is the Sun Club Casino midships and the shopping arcade, that leads up to the casino from the Stardust Lounge balcony. At the most forward part of the deck, the teen club and the kids corner, with its own stage, are situated. Below, the shopping arcade is shown. Of course it was closed at the time, due to the tax-regulations.

Below, tow pictures give an impression of the Sun ClubCasino, as well as its entrance, that is decorated in Roman style and flanked by several Roman statues.

The Pool Deck feautures of course the Oasis Pool midships. There are two pools available, as well as four whirlpools that are topped by a canopy. Next to those pools the Topsiders Bar offers several refreshments. There also is a small stage and a dancefloor next to the Oasis Pool. The forward part of the Pool Deck houses the fitness center and Spa, as well as the most luxurious suites aboard. Aft, several restaurants are located, as well as a video zone and the sports bar. At the outside deck overlooking the stern, the Great Outdoor Café is situated.

The Great Outdoor Café is shown above, offering a relaxed atmosphere overlooking the stern of the ship. It is decorated by hedges and lampposts that gives the café the style of a streetside café. It offers a full-size bar so while you nip at a cocktail you can see the ship sailing throught the sunny Caribbean or, like today, located in the windy port of Amsterdam. The route to Amsterdam took the ship through a very stormy North Sea, so the special cocktail of the day was named in an appropriate manner.

Next to the outdoor facilities, Pool Deck also offers her passengers a the Body Waves Spa, with massage salons, a beauty salon and sauna's and steam rooms. Also, an aerobics and fitness center are available here.

Body Waves Aerobics...		...and Fitness Center.

The informal buffet-style Garden Café is located between the Great Outdoor Café and the midships pool deck at the starboard side of the ship. For a buffet-style restaurant, it is nicely decorated with large murals picturing gardens and nature areas. The café is quite narrow so everyone has good seavieuws through its large windows.

At the port side, the same space is divided in three parts. Closest to the pools is the Pacific Heights informal restaurant, then followed by the video zone and last is the spacious sports bar, that gives access to the Great Outdoor Café. The Pacific Heights Restaurant is shown below.

The sports bar gives a relaxed atmosphere where on large screens several sports are broadcasted. Also, the room is decorated by a large mural where popular sports and sportsmen are pictured and several attributes are on display.

At the highest deck of the Norwegian Sun, the Sports Deck, several speciality restaurants are located, like the Asian East Meets West sushi bar, that also gives access to the Tepanyaki Japanese restaurant. There is the French Le Bistro and the Spanish Las Ramblas restaurant. There also is the exotic Ginza restaurant, where large blue portholes gives a little nautical touch. An outside promenade deck overlooks the pools one that are situated one deck lower and around the Atrium's skylight and the champagne bar is located beneath the ship's mast. A childrens pool is on the forward starboard side of the ship, close to the entrance to a large observation lounge overlooking the bow of the ship that includes a dancefloor as well as some nautical instruments. The ship's chapel is also located on this deck.

East Meets West Asian dining...		...next to Ginza, with her large portholes.

Colourfull Spanish style dining...		...or sophisticated French cuisine

The Observation Lounge is the place to be when the ship enters port or when she sails into a great sunset. Through its large windows and small outside promenade, the sea seems always close.

As you maybe noticed, the ship offers a great number of dining options, from informal buffet-style to several specialities or of course more formal style restaurants like the main ones. The Norwegian Sun was the first ship where Norwegian Cruise Line introduced Freestyle cruising and this is the main reason for the wide choice, especially for a ship of this size. On the larger ships, the Freestyle options of course are still wider and the newest ships of the line offer even more to their passengers. But Norwegian Sun still has this nautical touch and friendly size, although she is also close to 80.000 tons. My first impression was that the ship had some nice spaces aboard, but it felt a little plain. But now I rethought and think she is a great ship inside when you do not expect too much more then a good cruiseproduct in a friendly environment.I almost feel that when you cruise aboard Norwegian Sun, you'll have a great time but you do not exactly know why. That is sophistication Below, I will show a little idea of her cabins. On the portside, the outside suite with forward balcony 8202 is shown, at starboard outside cabin 8205, just around the corner, is also shown.

Detail of suite 8202, with balcony...		...and an overview of cabin 8205.