Tell Me About Star Princess

[Thrak]

The day you embark is the day we disembark! We can't wait. ;)

 

I know what you "meant" to say but holy cow! It looks like you can't wait to disembark! That's always a sad time for most. :)

[Proseknitic]

Differences from Celebrity:

 

You can go directly to your cabin upon boarding.

 

Buffet is open continuously from 6am-11pm with full dining options.

 

Tables in the buffet are pre-set and there's tableside beverage service from juice in the morning to wine in the evening.

 

All OBC regardless of source can be combined. If you are or were military, you can apply for a very nice OBC.

 

Princess allows TAs to discount fares so you can often save 10-20% plus get OBC and other amenities.

 

Overall drink prices are less than on Celebrity.

 

In my experience, Princess is much more flexible and amenable when asking to modify food in the dining room or order off menu. Princess pizza and Italian food is about the best at sea. The always available Fettucini is delicious and the spaghetti carbonara is to die for.

Pam

 

thanks for the clear reply. I am taking the Star to Mexico in Feb (and so far am the only one on that thread). I'm an Aft balcony person which is why I am on this particular sailing - cabin availability.

 

Since this is my first cruise on Princess, being able to compare it to Celebrity/Royal/NCL really helps. Since food and drink aren't all that important to me (ok, don't be completely shocked) was interested in sports/fitness facilities and lounge space if anyone can comment.

 

(also OAT to Africa, but March...)

 

-Holly

(who is in the process of shipping Household goods to our Berkeley house after more than 21 years overseas. Looking for ships close to SF....

Edited August 3, 2014 by Proseknitic

[shredie]

Pam

 

thanks for the clear reply. I am taking the Star to Mexico in Feb (and so far am the only one on that thread). I'm an Aft balcony person which is why I am on this particular sailing - cabin availability.

 

Did you call Princess or ask your TA to mark your cabin "No upgrade"? I strongly advise you do that since you have the exact cabin you want.

[Keioki]

After looking at that dessert bar, I'm going to have to do extra laps to work off all of the goodies!

[Love.II.Cruise]

I know what you "meant" to say but holy cow! It looks like you can't wait to disembark! That's always a sad time for most. :)

 

LOL Now that I re-read it, I suppose it does sound that way. :o But we will have had a wonderful 19 day vacation. Although the cruise is ending, we are always happy to get back home to our cats and I know there is another group of cruisers starting a great vacation. :) Plus, when a cruise ends, that means we start planning for another! ;)

Edited August 3, 2014 by Love.II.Cruise

[Proseknitic]

Did you call Princess or ask your TA to mark your cabin "No upgrade"? I strongly advise you do that since you have the exact cabin you want.

Its a good thought, hadn't even considered the line giving me an upgrade since it is my first cruise on Princess. There have to be a lot of passengers much more senior to me taking this particular route. Does Princess accept qualified upgrade comments (any upgrade to another category of aft balcony is ok)? Or should I just leave well enough alone.

 

-Holly

who is looking forward to seeing San Francisco in the rear view....

[shepp]

Its a good thought, hadn't even considered the line giving me an upgrade since it is my first cruise on Princess. There have to be a lot of passengers much more senior to me taking this particular route. Does Princess accept qualified upgrade comments (any upgrade to another category of aft balcony is ok)? Or should I just leave well enough alone.

 

Upgrades on Princess have nothing to do with number of cruises taken...or any other factor anyone has been able to definitively determine. You can either allow any upgrade - which may result in a cabin you like less - permit only meta-upgrades to a higher type of cabin (in your case a mini) or specify no upgrade if you're happy where you are. If you're upgraded within the balcony category, you have no control over location.

[tailspintom]

The Star is a happy ship, crew wise, and it is down to the excellent Captain. He is so supportive and respectful of his crew. After any tender day he came on the intercom and thanked the crew for their efficiency and speed. He always took opportunities to talk about how great the crew are he was very visible around the ship. It certainly trickles down and our excellent steward, Eduardo, told us that his praise is sincere and the crew all like him very much.

 

Captain Todd gets my vote as the best Captain we have sailed with!

 

Laurel

 

Allow me to echo your belief. We were on that South American cruise in February of 2013 and were astounded by this Captain's communications and leadership skills. He made himself available, kept the passengers updated, and most of all, communicated his appreciation to the crew for their doing a very exceptional job.

For those who may not be aware, the cruise previous to the 2/2013 South American 29 day cruise came down with Norovirus. Captain Todd and the entire crew handled the food and cleaning activities beautifully. Multiple reports were given each day with the plan to lift the restrictions and if there were any reported illness. It was an an example of how one should properly handle an abnormal situation. To see both crew and supervisory personnel managing the extra work of cleaning and serving while keeping a positive attitude reinforces our decision to keep Princess as our preferred cruise line.

[HRPro]

We were on the Star for a Hawaiian cruise in February and loved sailing her. They have a well equipped gym, which wasn't very crowded except early in the morning. They also have zumba classes in the Vista Lounge--great instructor. There is a wonderful promenade deck if you like to walk, which I did almost everyday. We had excellent service from the crew and CD staff and wonderful waiters in the traditional dining room--we had early seating.

 

You'll enjoy the Star. We were also aft in a mini suite on Emerald deck--great location and you'll love the wake view from your aft balcony. Very quiet back there too. There is also a convenient self service laundry facility that was very handy to the aft section of the ship.

 

Susan

[Nancyquilts]

Its a good thought, hadn't even considered the line giving me an upgrade since it is my first cruise on Princess. There have to be a lot of passengers much more senior to me taking this particular route. Does Princess accept qualified upgrade comments (any upgrade to another category of aft balcony is ok)? Or should I just leave well enough alone.

 

-Holly

who is looking forward to seeing San Francisco in the rear view....

 

You probably have a better chance than those of us who are already hooked.:D

[richsea]

Just after we booked the Star, I received an email from our TA advising us that Princess was known for upgrading without notification, & that if we wanted to keep our present room, to let them know & they would advise Princess "no upgrades". We picked our room because we wanted to be towards aft for close proximity to the Terrace pool, then after booking, I found out the Caribe deck has larger balconies. Lucky us! Now I see the remarks here, & am glad that I told them no upgrades. Normally I would be grateful for an upgrade. I've been on Celebrity about 25 times, & never ONCE been upgraded!

[gertz]

[quote=Croptop; It will be interesting to discover how the Star compares to the Caribbean and Ruby Princess. A first glance at the deck plan makes me think that more will be familiar than strange on this ship.

 

Come on January!

 

We will be on the Star in October just for a short get-a-way after a long summer in tropical Colorado. And in our opinion, and I think a few others, there is no way you can compare theses ships.

Edited August 4, 2014 by gertz

[Proseknitic]

You probably have a better chance than those of us who are already hooked.:D

 

 

I went back and looked at the deck plans. I don't see why they would upgrade me, but if they do the odds are incredible that it would take me to mid-ship which is exactly where I don't want to be.

 

Much thanks for the advice. The other lines on which I have cruised all have clear guidelines which include total number of cruise points and no more than one category of upgrade.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[shredie]

We will be on the Star in October just for a short get-a-way after a long summer in tropical Colorado. And in our opinion, and I think a few others, there is no way you can compare theses ships.

 

Well, in basic layout (give or take a deck) they are pretty much the same. Sure, there is the odd difference here and there, but I've sailed all three and don't remember much difference among them. I guess foremost for me would be Adagio on Ruby, but that's about it.

[ParadiseSue]

We're on the Jan 28 Mexico cruise too. See you

Sue and Dick

[Thrak]

Differences from Celebrity:

 

You can go directly to your cabin upon boarding.

 

Buffet is open continuously from 6am-11pm with full dining options.

 

Tables in the buffet are pre-set and there's tableside beverage service from juice in the morning to wine in the evening.

 

All OBC regardless of source can be combined. If you are or were military, you can apply for a very nice OBC.

 

Princess allows TAs to discount fares so you can often save 10-20% plus get OBC and other amenities.

 

Overall drink prices are less than on Celebrity.

 

In my experience, Princess is much more flexible and amenable when asking to modify food in the dining room or order off menu. Princess pizza and Italian food is about the best at sea. The always available Fettucini is delicious and the spaghetti carbonara is to die for.

 

Pam, I love the Fettuccine Alfredo but have never had Spaghetti Carbonara. I had to look it up to see what it is. :)

 

Can you tell me if the spaghetti is available as an appetizer or perhaps for lunch?

[4cats4me]

Differences from Celebrity

 

Princess pizza and Italian food is about the best at sea. The always available Fettucini is delicious and the spaghetti carbonara is to die for.

 

 

Have you tried the made to order pastas on the Celebrity Solstice-class ships?

Very, very good, yes, Princess does some pastas quite well. We've had a couple of klunkers though, like the gnocchi

My Italian husband is not that impressed by Princess pastas. Celebrity's pastas are his preference ;)

Edited October 26, 2014 by 4cats4me

[Pam in CA]

Pam, I love the Fettuccine Alfredo but have never had Spaghetti Carbonara. I had to look it up to see what it is. :)

 

Can you tell me if the spaghetti is available as an appetizer or perhaps for lunch?

It's usually on the menu at least once per cruise. You can always order it as an appetizer that night or you can pre-order it the night before you want it. Just tell your waitstaff and they'll have the Maitre d' come over to take your pre-order.

Have you tried the made to order pastas on the Celebrity Solstice-class ships?

Very, very good, yes, Princess does some pastas quite well. We've had a couple of klunkers though, like the gnocchi

My Italian husband is not that impressed by Princess pastas. Celebrity's pastas are his preference ;)

As above, you can always request any made-to-order pasta on any Princess ship. You don't have to sail on a particular class of ship.

 

Unlikely (although I wouldn't say, "Never") I'll cruise on Celebrity again. I paid a relative small fortune ($2,300 for a 7-day cruise) and overall, the food in both the dining room and buffet was sub-standard. When you order a meat and you can't cut it or even make a dent with a steak knife, you know something's wrong. When you order beef and it's literally grey, it's not very appetizing. I'm not a glutton for punishment nor would I pay that kind of price for a possibly better experience.

Edited October 26, 2014 by Pam in CA

[pocketfulofsunshine]

I've been on the Star twice (Alaska and Hawaii) and it's the only Princess ship I've been on, but I love it. I like to go up to the very top deck, overlooked the pool where they do MUTS and read. It's usually relatively quiet up there (although not in Hawaii when there are so many sea days). The International Cafe is great, but I believe multiple ships have that, so maybe you've experienced that before.

[ParadiseSue]

Any suggestions.

 

Are there any quiet places for lunch on the Star? Thinking about avoiding the boarding crowd at the buffet on embarkation day. On Celebrity the Spa café was recommended and was great for a quick bite.

[TucsonRick]

 

You'll enjoy the Star. We were also aft in a mini suite on Emerald deck--great location and you'll love the wake view from your aft balcony. Very quiet back there too.

Susan

We were recently in E728 (aft mini on Emerald deck) on the Star. It is above the stage of the Vista Lounge. Some of the shows were so loud that the floor and walls of the cabin vibrated. We could not go to sleep until the shows were over at night. Naps in the afternoon were not possible some days. I would never want this cabin again, very unpleasant!

 

Rick

[nedward]

I love the fettuccine but have never had the spaghetti carbonara. I had to look it up to see exactly what it is. Wow. I think I'll have to try that. Why is November so dang far off?

 

Would have to agree that the Fettucchine is the star of their pastas. However, DW would disagree regarding the Carbonara, which seemed to be made by someone from Mars who had no clue how to prepare it properly.

 

Rgds, Ned

[nedward]

One of the great things about the Star is the special dessert area' date=' at the buffet. It is separated out from the rest of the buffet, and it is fantastic. The color is white and it is squeaky clean and bright and cheerful.

 

Enjoy![/quote']

 

The desserts are indeed displayed beautifully. However, I overheard one passenger ask what was in the Mixed Fruit Crumble, and the attendant answered "fruit". She passed... if you had an allergy issue, this could become a problem!

 

Regards, Ned

[RickEk]

Any suggestions.

 

Are there any quiet places for lunch on the Star? Thinking about avoiding the boarding crowd at the buffet on embarkation day. On Celebrity the Spa café was recommended and was great for a quick bite.

 

If you arrive before 1:30pm or so... you can have lunch in one of the main dining rooms. It's generally very peaceful there. You could also go to the International Cafe in the Piazza. There's quiet seating in the Vines wine bar next door.

Edited October 28, 2014 by RickEk

[pompeii]

We were recently in E728 (aft mini on Emerald deck) on the Star. It is above the stage of the Vista Lounge. Some of the shows were so loud that the floor and walls of the cabin vibrated. We could not go to sleep until the shows were over at night. Naps in the afternoon were not possible some days. I would never want this cabin again, very unpleasant!

 

Rick

 

We had this same cabin on the Star on our Alaska cruise and only noticed noise one afternoon. It was during a rehearsal and for some reason the back door to the crew staircase had been left open. We usually turn in pretty early, by 10:30 or so, and I don't remember being disturbed by noise from the Vista Lounge. But maybe different itineraries are different. I had taken along earplugs just in case, but never used them. Anyway, we loved the cabin!