Believe what is written in reviews

[markarm1]

We just got back from the Alaska cruise on the star and wish we didn't take this ship. All the bad reviews posted are so true. The food, ship layout ( for viewing alaska) and the crew attitudes are beyond bad. For the first time in many cruises it was nice to disembark this wasteland.*

Never NCL again!

[sdmike]

How about some details so we can evaluate this for ourselves? Sometimes people post that it was the worse cruise ever because of something stupid, so it's always helpful for you to post more info on why you felt this way.

[umpy10]

FLAME ON ! ! ! ! ! :rolleyes: :p :rolleyes: :p

[che5904]

Hmmm I cruised on the Star in February and loved every bit of it. Ship was wonderful, always had something we like to fill our bellies, crew was warm, friendly and helpful. The only really bad thing I can say, is my cruise ended

 

I guess it's all in perspective, expectations and opinions. I guess NCL wasn't for you.

[STARFISH*4]

i cruised on the STAR 5x my latest in February and my only complaint really OUR OLD BLUE LAGOON was GONE:(

course the Spinnaker being relocated without windows too-didnt much care for but it was okay.

SORRY you didnt like the STAR

[cruiseat50]

We just got back from the Alaska cruise on the star and wish we didn't take this ship. All the bad reviews posted are so true. The food, ship layout ( for viewing alaska) and the crew attitudes are beyond bad. For the first time in many cruises it was nice to disembark this wasteland.*

Never NCL again!

 

And why should anyone believe you when you don't even give any examples?

 

Hope your next cruise is much better.

[bakerintn]

There are all kinds of places to see the Alaskan scenery on the Star...true, the Spinnaker Lounge is no longer a good inside view spot, but that certainly was not the only place to see the scenery from.

 

Are some passengers afraid of being out doors in Alaska?? For those, they would do better to just see a movie of the scenery in their own living room, in my opinion. Not being outdoors in Alaska is missing the point, IMO.

[NinaOdell]

Beyond the fact that there's no detail, what ship is it, even?

 

I was actually thinking of posting a thread titled "why are Norwegian cruises reviewed so poorly?". The highest rated ship is 79% (the Pearl I think) and the Sky has the lowest rating (65%) of any ship I've seen on Cruise Critic. The ships in general average about 74%.

 

I'm glad this thread is here since I can maybe slip it under the radar (this is my first post). I'm planning my first cruise for the Fall and we've pretty much decided on the Spirit leaving NOLA for the Caribbean.

 

I realize that a poor attitude is not the way to get the best cruise, but I'm really, really, wanting this to be a great time because I don't know when I can afford to travel again and I've never been anywhere.

 

I really appreciate Cruise Critic. I've gotten a lot of tips and I've learned quite a deal about cruise culture in general.

[themaxydog]

You can't please all the people all the time.

 

My experience is that all cruises are what you make of them. I have sat next to people who have done nothing but complain about the same cruise I was having the time of my life on.

 

Good luck in the future with other cruise lines, I hope they live up to your expectations.

[jessemon]

You can't please all the people all the time.

 

My experience is that all cruises are what you make of them. I have sat next to people who have done nothing but complain about the same cruise I was having the time of my life on.

 

Good luck in the future with other cruise lines, I hope they live up to your expectations.

Yep and agree....Yours mate will be the best post on this thread....;)

[jessemon]

Beyond the fact that there's no detail, what ship is it, even?

 

I was actually thinking of posting a thread titled "why are Norwegian cruises reviewed so poorly?". The highest rated ship is 79% (the Pearl I think) and the Sky has the lowest rating (65%) of any ship I've seen on Cruise Critic. The ships in general average about 74%.

 

I'm glad this thread is here since I can maybe slip it under the radar (this is my first post). I'm planning my first cruise for the Fall and we've pretty much decided on the Spirit leaving NOLA for the Caribbean.

 

I realize that a poor attitude is not the way to get the best cruise, but I'm really, really, wanting this to be a great time because I don't know when I can afford to travel again and I've never been anywhere.

 

I really appreciate Cruise Critic. I've gotten a lot of tips and I've learned quite a deal about cruise culture in general.

You might try reading the "OP's" first sentence again....The word "Star" is there....:D

[STARFISH*4]

You can't please all the people all the time.

 

My experience is that all cruises are what you make of them. I have sat next to people who have done nothing but complain about the same cruise I was having the time of my life on.

 

.

 

ABSOLUTELY!!!!

THEY are what YOU make of them, and when some go with the attitude of they know they arent going to have a GOOD time......they WONT and DONT!

[fergusonvt]

If I had believed the reviews I read about the Sun before I booked my last cruise I would have run the other way. It was the best vacation ever! We loved the ship, the food, the ports, the crew and just about everything. I hardly read the reviews now and just concentrate on what people post about the ships in the regular boards as I'm thinking that a lot of folks who loved their cruises don't post reviews. Please tell us what made it so bad.

[sparks1093]

We just got back from the Alaska cruise on the star and wish we didn't take this ship. All the bad reviews posted are so true. The food, ship layout ( for viewing alaska) and the crew attitudes are beyond bad. For the first time in many cruises it was nice to disembark this wasteland.*

Never NCL again!

 

I'm sorry you didn't like your cruise but without any detail your post helps no one.

[Planer's Edge]

FLAME ON ! ! ! ! ! :rolleyes: :p :rolleyes: :p

 

We will. ;)

 

OP has been all over the boards just trying to stir something up. :(

 

PE

[che5904]

Beyond the fact that there's no detail, what ship is it, even?

 

I was actually thinking of posting a thread titled "why are Norwegian cruises reviewed so poorly?". The highest rated ship is 79% (the Pearl I think) and the Sky has the lowest rating (65%) of any ship I've seen on Cruise Critic. The ships in general average about 74%.

 

I'm glad this thread is here since I can maybe slip it under the radar (this is my first post). I'm planning my first cruise for the Fall and we've pretty much decided on the Spirit leaving NOLA for the Caribbean.

 

I realize that a poor attitude is not the way to get the best cruise, but I'm really, really, wanting this to be a great time because I don't know when I can afford to travel again and I've never been anywhere.

 

I really appreciate Cruise Critic. I've gotten a lot of tips and I've learned quite a deal about cruise culture in general.

 

Well I will be candid since you asked the question.

#1 My opinion, anyone that does not have any experience in travel really should not be looking at percentages, because they really then don’t understand what they are seeing. Reading reviews – yes, going by numbers – no

There are way too many reasons for review percentages than I can list here but I will give you a couple of examples.

The very first post on this thread should be a good indication how low that particular poster would rate NCL (for what appears to be no specific reason)

Some will rate a hotel at a 2/5 and the only thing negative in their review was it rained all week while they were there (yes I’ve seen that actually a couple of times)

NCL gets a lot of flack because of past traditional cruisers who take NCL because the price is lower and then take issue with the a la carte choices that would bring them up to the price they would have paid on their favorite cruise line. NCL is freestyle meaning that you have many choices to add things to enhance your vacation at charge (some people like to call it nickel and diming). This works for a lot of people who don’t wish to pay for other passenger costs of wanting to eat filet mignon when they may be a vegetarian.

My very first out of country experience back in 1980 was to Jamaica (no internet to reseach at that time). I would have given that trip an extremely low score. Why? I had never traveled anywhere outside Canada & the U.S. It was a major culture shock, I didn’t understand hotel ratings that did not meet North American Standards, I was not prepared for the sellers on the beach or streets. Therefore my score would have been very low due to the fact that my vacation did not reach my (unrealistic) expectations.

A note about reading reviews – when you read a review look for tangible things. Don’t believe subjective opinions, food, shows, activities, cruise directors ability. For example probably about 85% of people love second city, if I was to go not knowing what it was, I would say “I hated it”. Not meaning the show was bad but certainly wasn’t my like in entertainment.

If you want a great vacation, my opinion is

Go with an open mind

Go with a positive attitude

Don’t expect it to be perfect, nothing in life is

Don’t have unrealistic expectations

Expect the unexpected and chalk little things up to great memories for the future.

Research, research, research (and no not just reviews)

Smile at everyone and you will receive smiles back.

[jakenashleysmom]

If you want a great vacation, my opinion is

Go with an open mind

Go with a positive attitude

Don’t expect it to be perfect, nothing in life is

Don’t have unrealistic expectations

Expect the unexpected and chalk little things up to great memories for the future.

Research, research, research (and no not just reviews)

Smile at everyone and you will receive smiles back.

 

 

Thank you for that. I have only cruised RC and a couple of others here and there and am trying NCL Star in April 2012. For every 10 reviews/posts here, it seems like 9 are bad. We are slowly adding family members to our group, and I keep hoping I am not steering them wrong booking this trip. I think I will print out your post and make sure everyone reads it before we board, as I feel responsible for chosing the ship this time around. Lifes what you make it. :)

[sparks1093]

Well I will be candid since you asked the question.

 

#1 My opinion, anyone that does not have any experience in travel really should not be looking at percentages, because they really then don’t understand what they are seeing. Reading reviews – yes, going by numbers – no

 

There are way too many reasons for review percentages than I can list here but I will give you a couple of examples.

The very first post on this thread should be a good indication how low that particular poster would rate NCL (for what appears to be no specific reason)

Some will rate a hotel at a 2/5 and the only thing negative in their review was it rained all week while they were there (yes I’ve seen that actually a couple of times)

NCL gets a lot of flack because of past traditional cruisers who take NCL because the price is lower and then take issue with the a la carte choices that would bring them up to the price they would have paid on their favorite cruise line. NCL is freestyle meaning that you have many choices to add things to enhance your vacation at charge (some people like to call it nickel and diming). This works for a lot of people who don’t wish to pay for other passenger costs of wanting to eat filet mignon when they may be a vegetarian.

My very first out of country experience back in 1980 was to Jamaica (no internet to reseach at that time). I would have given that trip an extremely low score. Why? I had never traveled anywhere outside Canada & the U.S. It was a major culture shock, I didn’t understand hotel ratings that did not meet North American Standards, I was not prepared for the sellers on the beach or streets. Therefore my score would have been very low due to the fact that my vacation did not reach my (unrealistic) expectations.

 

A note about reading reviews – when you read a review look for tangible things. Don’t believe subjective opinions, food, shows, activities, cruise directors ability. For example probably about 85% of people love second city, if I was to go not knowing what it was, I would say “I hated it”. Not meaning the show was bad but certainly wasn’t my like in entertainment.

 

If you want a great vacation, my opinion is

Go with an open mind

Go with a positive attitude

Don’t expect it to be perfect, nothing in life is

Don’t have unrealistic expectations

Expect the unexpected and chalk little things up to great memories for the future.

Research, research, research (and no not just reviews)

Smile at everyone and you will receive smiles back.

 

 

Well said!

[che5904]

Thank you for that. I have only cruised RC and a couple of others here and there and am trying NCL Star in April 2012. For every 10 reviews/posts here, it seems like 9 are bad. We are slowly adding family members to our group, and I keep hoping I am not steering them wrong booking this trip. I think I will print out your post and make sure everyone reads it before we board, as I feel responsible for chosing the ship this time around. Lifes what you make it. :)

 

You are welcome.

 

Yes you are very right that it does seem that way. Reading the threads though you get a different perspective. If people are unhappy about some aspect even of their vacation they will sing it to the world (hense the reason the 9/10). I personally never wrote a review after either one of my cruises, but if you see me in a thread responding it will be pretty well nothing but positive.

I've went to a land restaurant for dinner with 10 people 6 raved about the meal and service, 4 didn't like one or the other or both for whatever reason. hmmm that should give the knowledge that it is certainly based on perspective.

We met a man on our last cruise that was so ticked with NCL "having the worst vacation of his life". His problem: Apparently the ocean was rougher than he anticipated and the ship rocked a bit from front to back (not a lot we had moderate at worst, most days were mild seas). Now I did look at him like he was from Mars, all the while thinking to myself and what pretell would you like NCL to do about this you are on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Sorry I can't help but shake my head at statements like that.

[ladyjane]

I just got off the Star last Saturday and we loved it. We've only been on one other cruise and it was with Carnival. I loved the freestyle dining that NCL provides. The ship never felt over-crowded and I think part of that was because there are so many dining options. The outside decks were never crowded either - not sure where people were, but there were plenty of spaces to view the scenery from both inside and outside.

 

Everyone likes different things when they travel. We took a cruise to Alaska because it was an economical way to see 3 different cities.

 

We are not into gourmet food or dressing up for dinner. We loved the casual atmosphere. We did see many people dressed up so that is always an option.

 

The entertainment was fine, but I'm not into magicians so I could've done without the Extreme Vegas show - others we talked with loved it. Elements was alright, but we preferred the Band on the Run show as we liked the music. We prefer music that we can sing along with so Kenny in the Red Lion pub was fun - there are other options for everyone - jazz music, piano and the Star band every night.

 

All of the staff from our steward to Jamie the cruise director and the Captain were very friendly and willing to talk and answer any questions we had. I would definitely cruise NCL and the Star again.

 

PS - I posted my cruise review on the member review page.

[LocalTracks]

Well I will be candid since you asked the question.

 

 

There are way too many reasons for review percentages than I can list here but I will give you a couple of examples.

 

 

Che5904, I agree with everything you said. I'd like to add a few of my own observations.

 

In general, people will take the time to complain rather than compliment. That's true not only on Cruise Critic, but also on just about every on-line "review" site for any product. Of course, there is a percentage of folks who "love everything" as well, but I believe their numbers are smaller.

 

Your point about "traditional cruisers" and NCL is spot on. If a person goes into ANY situation expecting it to be exactly like an earlier one, they are setting themselves up for disappointment. If I go to a hotel that serves a full breakfast included with the stay, and then I go to one that only serves coffee and donuts, does that make the second hotel automatically inferrior? There are many other more important considerations.

 

After reading the boards here off and on for a few years, I have to chuckle at what some people feel is important. Many times I've read a post asking asking about particulars like is a certain brand of breakfast cereal is available on a ship, or do they have avacado juice, or do they have a particular brand of bottled water, or do the waiters automatically bring coffee.... you get the idea. If those particulars are important, and the ship does not provide them, does that count as a negative for the entire experience?

 

I also question what some people expect overall. I've only been on two previous NCL cruises, and found that the entire crew went out of their way to treat the passengers well. From some of the posts I read, I think some folks expect to be treated literally like royalty - to have personal servants waiting on their every whim for the entire cruise. Yes, we pay a lot for our cruise vacations, but that does not guarantee a "flawless vacation."

 

Like many have said, "you can't please all of the people all of the time!"

[ShipShape4me]

I just got off the Star last Saturday and we loved it. We've only been on one other cruise and it was with Carnival. I loved the freestyle dining that NCL provides. The ship never felt over-crowded and I think part of that was because there are so many dining options. The outside decks were never crowded either - not sure where people were, but there were plenty of spaces to view the scenery from both inside and outside.

 

Everyone likes different things when they travel. We took a cruise to Alaska because it was an economical way to see 3 different cities.

 

We are not into gourmet food or dressing up for dinner. We loved the casual atmosphere. We did see many people dressed up so that is always an option.

 

The entertainment was fine, but I'm not into magicians so I could've done without the Extreme Vegas show - others we talked with loved it. Elements was alright, but we preferred the Band on the Run show as we liked the music. We prefer music that we can sing along with so Kenny in the Red Lion pub was fun - there are other options for everyone - jazz music, piano and the Star band every night.

 

All of the staff from our steward to Jamie the cruise director and the Captain were very friendly and willing to talk and answer any questions we had. I would definitely cruise NCL and the Star again.

 

PS - I posted my cruise review on the member review page.

 

I look forward to reading your future reviews when you have sailed some addtional lines besides Carnival. The reviews form folks who have a wider experience range to include some upper end experiences tend to provide a broader experience. It is nice to have choices! It is also nice to read lots of different view points and thank you for sharing your's too!

[che5904]

Che5904, I agree with everything you said. I'd like to add a few of my own observations.

 

In general, people will take the time to complain rather than compliment. That's true not only on Cruise Critic, but also on just about every on-line "review" site for any product. Of course, there is a percentage of folks who "love everything" as well, but I believe their numbers are smaller.

 

Your point about "traditional cruisers" and NCL is spot on. If a person goes into ANY situation expecting it to be exactly like an earlier one, they are setting themselves up for disappointment. If I go to a hotel that serves a full breakfast included with the stay, and then I go to one that only serves coffee and donuts, does that make the second hotel automatically inferrior? There are many other more important considerations.

 

After reading the boards here off and on for a few years, I have to chuckle at what some people feel is important. Many times I've read a post asking asking about particulars like is a certain brand of breakfast cereal is available on a ship, or do they have avacado juice, or do they have a particular brand of bottled water, or do the waiters automatically bring coffee.... you get the idea. If those particulars are important, and the ship does not provide them, does that count as a negative for the entire experience?

 

I also question what some people expect overall. I've only been on two previous NCL cruises, and found that the entire crew went out of their way to treat the passengers well. From some of the posts I read, I think some folks expect to be treated literally like royalty - to have personal servants waiting on their every whim for the entire cruise. Yes, we pay a lot for our cruise vacations, but that does not guarantee a "flawless vacation."

 

Like many have said, "you can't please all of the people all of the time!"

 

Good add ons.

[klingoncruiser]

Can we have some details? Just curious why it was so bad.

[yoyocruiser]

This post makes absolutely no sense. Out of curiousity I went to look at the reviews posted for the STAR. Of the past 25 reviews 17 gave a rating of either 4 or 5 stars. There were only 4 ratings of 1 or 2 stars. (3 middle of the road folks.)

 

So what's the point? If you read the reviews, the reviews are for the most part positive.

 

An interesting factor on the boards is that posters often start with some premise that isn't even true. It was a matter of curiosity that led me to go to the review page because I was thinking, "Gee wonder why the STAR IS getting such poor reviews?" And only after doing that did I see that the basic premise wasn't even true.

 

Not sure what to make of a poster who literally doesn't even make sense.