Thinking about trying NCL on the Star

[2kiwis]

We have cruised many times but never on NCL and are thinking about trying it.

 

We are use to smaller ships (650 -1100 passengers) and wonder how different this might be

 

We would be keen to hear any comments about the ship

Service , food etc, good cabins bad cabins (if any)

 

Does the ship have a guest laundry?

 

We are use to anytime dining and hope that this works well on NCL

 

Thanks

[kirsty_r]

If the star is anything like the epic anytime dining will be perfect... I'm cruising end of next month so can let you know how I get on then. The other threads on here mention stunning service on the star so I don't think that will be a problem. There is a laundry bag service on ncl with discounts towards the end of the cruise.

[Richpontone]

Liked the cruise to Bermuda but there are a couple of shortcomings. Loved the motivated and upbeat staff and very good service. But I found the outdoor pool to be small. Never used it but I saw that it was quite crowded. There are no self service laundries on NCL ships but there is usually a $24.95 laundry special where you fill a supplied laundry bag, leave it outside your cabin door and get it back the next day. However this offer will be made at the middle of your cruise. I found the Spinnaker lounge dance floor to be small, serving 30 or so dancers. The White Hot Party can only serve half the dancers from amongst the willing participants. And there are no outside windows in that lounge which makes it a bit dark. But I would be willing to cruise the Star again if it ever returned to NYC port.

[KevinsCruising]

Don't think about it.... JUST DO IT !!!!!! :D

[WaldosPepper]

The Star is a beautiful ship, and doesn't have that "mega-ship" feel at all, in my opinion. There are countless quiet spaces (like the "Quiet Zone" decks on the bow of the ship, accessible from Deck 13 forward, the Library, and believe it or not even the Atrium can be a very relaxing space. Oftentimes the vibe of the ship can change based upon the itinerary, and the time of year. When are you considering sailing, and to where? Answers to those questions will help us to provide considerably more information regarding what you could expect. ;)

 

There are some cabins which you might want to look at very carefully before considering, such as the aft-facing penthouses and balconies on Deck 8, because the Spinnaker Lounge is directly below those. There have been numerous reports of noise late into the night. Others to be careful of would be some of the SG and SJ suites on Deck 12 forward, as some of those are directly underneath the jogging track, and many report very annoying noise as early as 5am when the joggers start. Mini suites on Deck 11 should be looked at carefully as well, as many are underneath the Garden Cafe, and when the crew is cleaning at night, and dragging metal carts across the tiles it can get noisy (personal experience on this one when we sailed her sister-ship the Dawn).

 

If you like anytime dining, you are going to LOVE NCL, because they are the originators of the Freestyle concept which is now being copied by all the other lines.

 

NCL offers so many varied dining options, along with excellent entertainment in both the theatre and the lounges and pool deck. Generally there is something for everyone's taste.

 

Feel free to ask any and all questions. There's a great bunch here who will be more than happy to provide whatever information you seek. :)

[2kiwis]

The Star is a beautiful ship, and doesn't have that "mega-ship" feel at all, in my opinion. There are countless quiet spaces (like the "Quiet Zone" decks on the bow of the ship, accessible from Deck 13 forward, the Library, and believe it or not even the Atrium can be a very relaxing space. Oftentimes the vibe of the ship can change based upon the itinerary, and the time of year. When are you considering sailing, and to where? Answers to those questions will help us to provide considerably more information regarding what you could expect. ;)

 

There are some cabins which you might want to look at very carefully before considering, such as the aft-facing penthouses and balconies on Deck 8, because the Spinnaker Lounge is directly below those. There have been numerous reports of noise late into the night. Others to be careful of would be some of the SG and SJ suites on Deck 12 forward, as some of those are directly underneath the jogging track, and many report very annoying noise as early as 5am when the joggers start. Mini suites on Deck 11 should be looked at carefully as well, as many are underneath the Garden Cafe, and when the crew is cleaning at night, and dragging metal carts across the tiles it can get noisy (personal experience on this one when we sailed her sister-ship the Dawn).

 

If you like anytime dining, you are going to LOVE NCL, because they are the originators of the Freestyle concept which is now being copied by all the other lines.

 

NCL offers so many varied dining options, along with excellent entertainment in both the theatre and the lounges and pool deck. Generally there is something for everyone's taste.

 

Feel free to ask any and all questions. There's a great bunch here who will be more than happy to provide whatever information you seek. :)

 

Thank you to you and all others who have provided information - it is very helpful as we have only ever cruised with Oceania.

 

We are considering a suite on deck 9 forward and doing the 38 day cruise from Los Angeles to Copenhagen April 2014

 

Cheers

[madibeme]

Thank you to you and all others who have provided information - it is very helpful as we have only ever cruised with Oceania.

 

We are considering a suite on deck 9 forward and doing the 38 day cruise from Los Angeles to Copenhagen April 2014

 

Cheers

 

 

Great ship. We loved it. Only complaint was we were in one of the deck 8 cabins over the Spinnaker and it was horrible to try to sleep to. Everything else was great. The suite life is amazing. You will be spoiled.

[camz]

We love the Star! The crew is absolutely amazing and very friendly. The Hotel Director, Sean is one of the best in the business. We had an aft facing penthouse suite on Deck 9 and it was very quiet. The only time we heard anything from the Spinnaker was the night of the White Hot Party. However, I know Deck 8 is a different situation with the Spinnaker right below. The ship is very beautiful and really kept in good condition. It is also very user friendly.

[WaldosPepper]

Thank you to you and all others who have provided information - it is very helpful as we have only ever cruised with Oceania.

 

We are considering a suite on deck 9 forward and doing the 38 day cruise from Los Angeles to Copenhagen April 2014

 

Cheers

 

On that itinerary, you can expect there to be very few (if any) children with the exception of very young ones, as each leg of that itinerary is lengthy. That means the ship will have an older and more relaxed vibe for the majority, if not all, of you sailing. Both the PC and Transatlantic portions will likely have a large number of retired folks (as they have the time to take extended vacations).

 

The suites on deck 9 forward are a tiny bit smaller than those on deck 10, however they have larger balconies, and offer a tiny bit more privacy from the bridge. What a perfect location for viewing the canal transit! When at sea, it will be windy on the balcony if you are standing at the rail, but if you sit in the loungers and place them closer to the back wall, you will be amazed at how sheltered you will be. ;)

 

Your Concierge will be the same throughout the journey (unless they are at the end of their contract at some point, which is possible) however it is likely that your Butler will change as they do work on rotations around the ship. This should not cause you any issues, as all of them are very well trained, and we have not noticed much difference in the level of service from one Butler to another.

 

Let us know what other questions you have, so we can all help you make the very best of what would be a dream vacation for most of us!

:D

[2kiwis]

On that itinerary, you can expect there to be very few (if any) children with the exception of very young ones, as each leg of that itinerary is lengthy. That means the ship will have an older and more relaxed vibe for the majority, if not all, of you sailing. Both the PC and Transatlantic portions will likely have a large number of retired folks (as they have the time to take extended vacations).

 

The suites on deck 9 forward are a tiny bit smaller than those on deck 10, however they have larger balconies, and offer a tiny bit more privacy from the bridge. What a perfect location for viewing the canal transit! When at sea, it will be windy on the balcony if you are standing at the rail, but if you sit in the loungers and place them closer to the back wall, you will be amazed at how sheltered you will be. ;)

 

Your Concierge will be the same throughout the journey (unless they are at the end of their contract at some point, which is possible) however it is likely that your Butler will change as they do work on rotations around the ship. This should not cause you any issues, as all of them are very well trained, and we have not noticed much difference in the level of service from one Butler to another.

 

Let us know what other questions you have, so we can all help you make the very best of what would be a dream vacation for most of us!

:D

 

Thank you . . . . you are making us feel really excited about it all.

Haven't any more questions at the moment but are sure we will have some more

Cheers