There’s no denying that newer cruise ships get most of the attention. Between flashy attractions, stylish cabins and seemingly endless restaurants, it’s easy to see why cruisers gravitate toward the latest and greatest vessels.
However, I’ve always felt that older cruise ships deserve some consideration. Sure, you might find outdated decor and fewer amenities, but you can also enjoy a more intimate ship that allows you to connect with the sea and your itinerary’s incredible ports.
That was part of the appeal when I booked a 2-night cruise onboard Norwegian Sun with my best friend, Hayley. Our sailing traveled from Malaga, Spain to Lisbon, Portugal, with a stop in Cadiz, Spain. With an advertised fare of just $99 per person, I couldn’t resist the opportunity!
Norwegian Sun was built in 2001, putting her at around 25 years old in 2026. Norwegian now lists her most recent refurbishment as 2024, although my sailing took place before that refresh in the spring of 2023. This makes her one of the oldest ships in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet.
And more recently, Norwegian Sun has been experiencing technical issues that forced itinerary changes on several Baltic sailings. Although these problems occurred after my cruise, they would give me more hesitation than dated decor or a lime-green bathroom, especially if I were booking the ship specifically for her destinations.
With Norwegian Sun also approaching the end of her time in the fleet, you might wonder whether she’s still worth booking. After sailing onboard, I wouldn’t avoid the ship just because of her age. However, I would be particular about the type of cruise I booked.
Norwegian Sun made a better first impression than I expected
Before boarding Norwegian Sun, Hayley and I weren’t entirely sure what to expect. She had sailed on larger Norwegian ships, including Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Getaway, while my only previous experience with the cruise line had been on Pride of America.
However, we were immediately impressed with Norwegian Sun’s exterior. The paint looked very fresh, and the ship appeared to be in very good condition.
Boarding was quick and seamless, too. Within about 10 minutes, we were walking up the gangway for our quick 2-night cruise.
Friendly crew members greeted us with cooling towels and fruit-infused water. After a stressful standby adventure flying to Europe for our cruise, and carrying our large backpacks around in the Malaga heat, this was just what we needed!
The thoughtful welcome left a great first impression. During our stop in Cadiz, the crew also welcomed returning passengers with music, popsicles, and dancing. These little touches from the crew were among the most memorable parts of the cruise, and they had nothing to do with how old the ship was.
The design felt more bland than outdated
As we explored Norwegian Sun, Hayley and I agreed that she was a no-frills type of cruise ship.
The public spaces had a classic, traditional ambiance. Some areas felt elegant, but nothing about the design left a lasting impression on me. I found myself wishing the ship had a little more character.
Having also sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, which was built just two years after Norwegian Sun, I couldn’t help making comparisons. For instance, Mariner of the Seas has a Royal Promenade that felt like a dazzling design feature, even on an older ship.
Norwegian Sun didn’t really have that same effect, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
On the other hand, she wasn’t overwhelmingly dated in the way Carnival Ecstasy had been, with bright neon colors and decor that felt like entering a time machine. Norwegian Sun was more understated, although perhaps a little too understated for my taste.
Our inside cabin was more comfortable than I expected
To take advantage of the cheap fare, we booked an inside cabin guarantee. I often choose interior cabins because the price is right, as I rarely spend much time in my room.
After our hectic journey to Europe, we were excited to turn the stateroom into our home-away-from-home.
Fortunately, the cabin was spacious and comfortable. We had a small vanity, closet and chair, along with everything we needed for our short stay.
In fact, the room felt more modern than some of the cabins I had experienced on similarly aged ships. For instance, we found the lamps above our bed to have USB ports, which we really appreciated. I was shocked to find such a modern amenity in an old ship!
It was a good reminder that an older ship doesn’t necessarily mean an uncomfortable cabin. For a 2-night cruise where we spent most of our time exploring, I was perfectly happy with our choice.
The lime-green bathroom certainly showed the ship’s age
While the cabin itself was comfortable, the bathroom was another story.
We were pretty surprised to find bright lime-green decor! Colorful bathrooms must have been quite the trend when these older ships were built, as I had experienced a similarly bold bathroom on Carnival Ecstasy.
Unfortunately, the color wasn’t my biggest complaint.
Our shower had the dreaded, clingy curtain that never seemed to properly contain the water. After showering, we were left with water on the bathroom floor, which was frustrating even during a short cruise.
I would much rather have a proper shower enclosure, like those I’ve used on some other older ships.
The bathroom didn’t ruin our stay by any means, but it was the part of the cabin where the ship’s age felt most apparent. I could overlook the lime-green color more easily than the impractical shower setup!
The tiny buffet surprised me with how good the food was
Food is one of the most important aspects of a cruise for me. It’s the heart and soul of any cruise vacation!
When we first walked into Norwegian Sun’s Garden Cafe, I said, “This is one of the smallest cruise ship buffets I had ever seen!”
Hayley and I actually looked around to make sure we weren’t missing another side of the venue. The food-serving area was compact with limited indoor seating, and the layout created congestion. However, there was additional seating and food available outside in the Great Outdoors, which was a space we did enjoy!
Regardless of the buffet’s small size, the food itself was a pleasant surprise! We ate breakfast and lunch here both days, and I enjoyed everything I sampled. The quality and variety were excellent during our short sailing, even if the space itself left something to be desired.
This was one area where Norwegian Sun really impressed me more than expected. I’ve sailed on bigger ships with larger buffets that served much less memorable food, so this was a highlight for me.
Dinner in the main dining room left me wanting more
Unfortunately, my enthusiasm for the buffet didn’t quite carry over to the main dining room.
Hayley and I ate there both evenings during our quick cruise. The menu was expansive, and I tried multiple appetizers, entrees and desserts to get a better taste of what was offered during our limited time onboard.
The food was decent, but nothing really left me wowed.
Even Hayley felt that some familiar Norwegian dishes weren’t quite the same quality she had experienced on other ships. I remembered being impressed with the dining room on Pride of America, so this was a bit of a bummer.
Of course, I wouldn’t blame a ship’s age for an underwhelming meal. Maybe if we had more time onboard, I would have a different experience. And because our cruise was so short, we also didn’t have time to try Norwegian Sun’s specialty restaurants, so my dining impressions were limited to the complimentary venues we visited.
I would hesitate to book an itinerary with too many sea days
Norwegian Sun’s top deck felt pretty basic compared to the attraction-packed ships being built today. This might be a good fit for travelers who like a more subdued experience, but it could be boring for those who like a little more energy.
There were rows of sun loungers, pool areas and a small basketball court, but little that would appeal to someone seeking onboard thrills. It looked like a perfectly good place to relax in the sunshine, but I wouldn’t choose the ship for its activities.
The theater was also one of the smallest I had seen at sea. We attended a production called Cosmopolitan, which we enjoyed, and listened to a live musician on the pool deck.
We also discovered that our sailing was the final two nights of a longer cruise. Most passengers had already been onboard for nearly two weeks, and the atmosphere felt subdued as their vacations came to an end.
Because of that, I wouldn’t assume our brief experience represented the entertainment on an entire Norwegian Sun sailing. However, the limited onboard attractions would make me hesitate before booking an itinerary with numerous sea days.
I would choose Norwegian Sun for the itinerary, rather than the ship itself
At the end of the day, cruising on an older ship is all about perspective. I wouldn’t avoid Norwegian Sun just because she was built in 2001.
During my sailing, she was comfortable and appeared well maintained. Our inside cabin had everything we needed, the crew made us feel welcome, and the buffet was better than I expected.
However, I also wouldn’t go out of my way to sail on Norwegian Sun for the ship alone. The design was a little bland, the bathroom was dated, and I would have wanted more onboard variety during a longer cruise with several days at sea.
For a port-intensive itinerary, I would be much more interested in booking Norwegian Sun. After spending the day exploring somewhere like Cadiz, having a comfortable place to eat, relax and sleep was more than enough for me.
If the destinations and price were right, I would definitely consider another Norwegian Sun cruise. Her age wouldn’t be the deciding factor, but how I planned to spend my vacation certainly would.
And after this experience, I would rather cruise on an older Norwegian ship than aging ships from Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line.
Norwegian Sun’s recent itinerary disruptions would make me think twice
While I can overlook outdated decor and a clingy shower curtain, missing ports would be much harder to brush off. Although this wasn’t an issue during my cruise, Norwegian Sun has been experiencing technical problems that continue to disrupt several itineraries.
During her 2026 Baltic season, a technical issue required the ship to sail at a reduced speed, leading to canceled ports, replacement destinations and adjusted arrival times. Norwegian said the issue did not affect the safety of guests or crew, but it certainly changed the vacation passengers had planned.
The disruptions affected three consecutive sailings in June and July. Additional time in Copenhagen was needed for repairs, and a later maintenance-related change also removed Oslo from a September itinerary for a longer stay in Copenhagen.
For me, this matters because the destinations are what would convince me to book Norwegian Sun again. I was happy spending our day exploring Cadiz and returning to a comfortable cabin and good food.
However, replacing port visits with unexpected sea days would leave me spending more time onboard a ship that already felt limited in terms of activities.
