NCL Star review

[fayfam]

I have seen the "new name" thing many times and CC doesn't like the comments that ensue when someone does this, so I simply stopped reading reviews.

 

After cruising on the Star over 35 times, I have some pretty firm opinions of this ship and the crew. That is why I keep cruising on her !! I don't need to read someone elses rants.

 

I noticed a comment on the bathroom doors propped open. That is normally a sign that a few cases of gastrointestinal problems have been reported and the CDC procedures are beginning to try to stop it.

 

Wow, 35 times. Great to hear everyone's positive comments on the Star. We can't wait for our cruise on her in April. We are traveling from Australia for this cruise.

 

Kerry :)

[sassyredhat]

Kerry we are on the same cruise ! :)

There is a roll call.

We have an aft facing penthouse on deck 9.

 

Pat

[kirsty_r]

Thanks for your review of the Star… I'm thinking of taking it on the Baltic cruise in September 2014 and just wondering if I'll like it because it's an older ship. But it sounds like it is pretty good shape. And that the crew is nice.

 

Do you happen to know anything about the spa onboard?

 

I visited the spa with a friend - I had my hair cut, which was absolutely great. My friend had a massage which she thought was almost as good as the place she normally goes to onshore. We didn't use the spa relaxation areas though.

[B6ConMe]

Thanks for your review of the Star… I'm thinking of taking it on the Baltic cruise in September 2014 and just wondering if I'll like it because it's an older ship. But it sounds like it is pretty good shape. And that the crew is nice.

 

Do you happen to know anything about the spa onboard?

 

No sorry, we're usually so busy doing other things we never bother with the spa. The Baltic cruise sounds great though, do you think you'll have time to take advantage of the spa?

 

And yes, the crew are really nice and the pax as well. We've met some really nice pax on our cruises.

 

Good luck, enjoy your cruise, wherever you decide to go...

[CruisinMaterial]

If only others had some common sense

 

Doing research for first panama canal cruise. How was it

 

Look forward to your complete review.

 

I had a great time on the voyage. It was different than I'm accustomed too. I like to spend time in the nightclub and on this ship it was largely dead most nights after midnight. The average age was higher than I've ever encountered on a cruise before and lots of grumpy people.

 

The cruise itself and the itinerary were definitely awesome. I'd love to do it again with a less grumpy and possibly younger crowd. Puerto Vallarta, full transit of the Panama Canal and Cartagena were highlights

 

I don't know if it was the luck of the draw for the sailing or what but the crowd definitely put a damper on the cruise for me. I'm very happy go lucky and understand when things don't go right but people were downright pissy over a main course taking a little longer than being served immediately after the appetizer is cleared!!! Get real people... it's cruising... not a McDonalds drive through!

 

I lucked out, when I dined in specialty I avoided most of these grumpy old people. They didn't want to spend the extra money in specialty restaurants which were dead throughout the voyage so I went there and had wonderful dinners from excellent crew members who were friendly!

 

My full review is still being processed or so I heard from one of the hosts so I'll give it a few more days. :)

[phissy]

We were on the Star and just got home. Our experience was that NCL did not want us to have an accurate report regarding the Norovirus outbreak. The reality was that CDC posted that 170 passengers and 51 crew members were affected. We were told only 30 at the most. After the reports of other ship outbreaks, NCL took extreme precautions to control virus. It was the right thing to do. We were offered a cruise credit if we decided to cancel this one. We did not get this offer until our luggage and checking in process had been completed and being held in Terminal for 6hours. Of course, after spending thousands to fly to Miami and after spending hours standing and not allowed water or restroom ( they locked the womens) , this offer was rather gratuitous.

This was our first time on the Star. We have sailed with NCL many times. We cannot recommend this ship. The buffet is really poor quality. The only thing that saved this cruise for us was as Suite passengers, we had breakfast and lunch at Cagney's.

[kirsty_r]

I had a great time on the voyage. It was different than I'm accustomed too. I like to spend time in the nightclub and on this ship it was largely dead most nights after midnight. The average age was higher than I've ever encountered on a cruise before and lots of grumpy people.

 

The cruise itself and the itinerary were definitely awesome. I'd love to do it again with a less grumpy and possibly younger crowd. Puerto Vallarta, full transit of the Panama Canal and Cartagena were highlights

 

I don't know if it was the luck of the draw for the sailing or what but the crowd definitely put a damper on the cruise for me. I'm very happy go lucky and understand when things don't go right but people were downright pissy over a main course taking a little longer than being served immediately after the appetizer is cleared!!! Get real people... it's cruising... not a McDonalds drive through!

 

I lucked out, when I dined in specialty I avoided most of these grumpy old people. They didn't want to spend the extra money in specialty restaurants which were dead throughout the voyage so I went there and had wonderful dinners from excellent crew members who were friendly!

 

My full review is still being processed or so I heard from one of the hosts so I'll give it a few more days. :)

 

I found the age thing also a downer on my TA, that's why I probably wouldn't go on the star again - i think as its an older ship, maybe it attracts that age range. There was a group of about 8, 20's-30's trying to get 'younger' themed activities but the cruise director refused everytime e.g. just having the red lion open a little later with the karaoke, or up to date music for a dance.

[lnrc]

I, too, was on the cruise and agree with Phissy. I have sailed Norwegian many times and this ship was not up to the standards of the others. During embarkation we waited 2 hours outside and was told the ship had a late disembarkation thats why we were delayed. In reality they were cleaning the ship. which I agree was the right thing to do, but why not tell us why. And then when we were registering with our credit cards we were handed a paper saying there was an increased number of a GI illness and we could get a refund if we wanted. They acted like it was a few cases so, we didn't want to blow our vacation (and we were traveling with 4 others who were ahead of us so we couldn't reach them to try to cancel) In fact the people ahead of us never got the letter about canceling so they never had the opportunity to not take the trip.

 

The ports on this Panama transit cruise were amazing as was the panama transit, but as far as the ship goes if you can find another ship doing this cruise, book it. The ship is old and definately needs refurbishing and alot of the staff were inexperinced which showed by the actions and comments. Ex. I asked for beets at the salad bar and was given water chestnuts. Also I asked for cream (half and half) and was told MILK was the same thing. Really? This type of stuff continued the whole 14 days on board. I couldn't wait for each port to get off and get away from the incompetence. Also our room was below a kitchen and every night at about 2AM we heard noises and found it difficult to sleep.

 

As far as the Noro "sanitary" procedures goes, I find that the procedures in place were very inconsitent. You couldn't serve yourself or get a cup of coffee, BUT you could go to the jewelry store and try on rings, bracelets,watches and necklaces and pick up bottles in the liquor store and pick up and touch everything and anything in the stores and that was okay. What's wrong with that picture? That was "OKAY"? Are the Noro germs exempt from the stores? When I asked the salesman in the jewelry store why we could do all this, he said , " You know why.....its all about the Revenue". That ended it for me.......

[jclaceiba]

hi swedish weave was on star with you and your wife 2010. i am john wife anerose philipina young me old we have a young son john about 4 then.. we had coffee a few times very very early am going on star april 13

[fayfam]

Kerry we are on the same cruise ! :)

There is a roll call.

We have an aft facing penthouse on deck 9.

 

Pat

 

Hi Pat

 

We joined the roll call a couple of weeks ago. Look forward to meeting you at the meet and greet :) Not long now. We leave Australia for the US in less than 8 weeks. Very excited. First Disneyland, then our daughter's wedding in Las Vegas then the cruise.

 

See you then

 

Kerry :)

[CruisinMaterial]

I, too, was on the cruise and agree with Phissy. I have sailed Norwegian many times and this ship was not up to the standards of the others. During embarkation we waited 2 hours outside and was told the ship had a late disembarkation thats why we were delayed. In reality they were cleaning the ship. which I agree was the right thing to do, but why not tell us why. And then when we were registering with our credit cards we were handed a paper saying there was an increased number of a GI illness and we could get a refund if we wanted. They acted like it was a few cases so, we didn't want to blow our vacation (and we were traveling with 4 others who were ahead of us so we couldn't reach them to try to cancel) In fact the people ahead of us never got the letter about canceling so they never had the opportunity to not take the trip.

 

The ports on this Panama transit cruise were amazing as was the panama transit, but as far as the ship goes if you can find another ship doing this cruise, book it. The ship is old and definately needs refurbishing and alot of the staff were inexperinced which showed by the actions and comments. Ex. I asked for beets at the salad bar and was given water chestnuts. Also I asked for cream (half and half) and was told MILK was the same thing. Really? This type of stuff continued the whole 14 days on board. I couldn't wait for each port to get off and get away from the incompetence. Also our room was below a kitchen and every night at about 2AM we heard noises and found it difficult to sleep.

 

As far as the Noro "sanitary" procedures goes, I find that the procedures in place were very inconsitent. You couldn't serve yourself or get a cup of coffee, BUT you could go to the jewelry store and try on rings, bracelets,watches and necklaces and pick up bottles in the liquor store and pick up and touch everything and anything in the stores and that was okay. What's wrong with that picture? That was "OKAY"? Are the Noro germs exempt from the stores? When I asked the salesman in the jewelry store why we could do all this, he said , " You know why.....its all about the Revenue". That ended it for me.......

 

I was on the sailing which arrived into Miami the day you were delayed boarding. I was on the ship the latest I've ever been on a ship. When I got off they still had yet to call the last two luggage tags. The ship was still disembarking passengers at NOON! Yes, it was that late in the day. If all passengers are not off the ship then they cannot clear the ship to start embarking passengers. I saw the line outside the cruise terminal when I got off after 11AM. We were still in a very long line in the customs area until just before noon. It was all customs fault. They were already cleaning and had closed significant parts of the ship off to passengers to start the deep cleaning process. It was well underway before we were disembarking. The buffet had an entire part cordoned off and sanitized where passengers couldn't go and finally they asked all remaining guests waiting there to relocate to another place which most went to the atrium.

 

The gift shops are run by a vendor, not Norwegian Cruise Line. They contract with NCL to run the space. It is up to the individual shop to control what is going on in there. Most cruise lines have geared their onboard experiences to generating revenue. If you can't touch something then it takes the fun out of buying it. Dufry is the vendor who operates the shops. :)