Norwegian Star Seattle to Alaska

[marcyjane]

Hello everyone,

New over here on the Norwegian board. Trying to put together a cruise for May 2006 sailing out of Seattle (trying to save some money on air fare) and due too as well vacation time.

I've looked at Royal Caribbean out of Seattle as well. Would like any info anyone can give me on this ship and about it's sailing to Alaska. It will be the Glaicer Bay cruise 7 day. Also would like info on the free style dining on Norwegian and as well your experince with the main dining rooms and buffets.

:) Thanks,

Marcyjane

[Water Logger]

What ship are you thinking about? I took the repositioning cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver last May on the Sun. It was my first experience with NCL. I had taken the Amsterdam on Holland America to Alaska from Seattle last year.

 

I liked the NCL enough to book another cruise on the Star to the Mexican Riviera. I really liked the freestyle dining. There are so many options to choose from! I think the cabins are nice and you definetly get a lot of bang for your buck. The service was fabulous!

 

All I have to compare is Holland America which is a really nice cruise line. A little bit more quiet and older crowd. NCL has a lot to offer in a wide range of activities, restaurants, people and areas of the ship.

 

It really depends on what your looking for.

 

Hope this helped!:o

 

Ally

[cruisequeen10]

Was on the Norwegian Sun last year to Alaska from Vancouver return. The ship was good. The food in the dining room and the buffet was very good. The Norwegian Star was very luxurious in looks. The food in the dining room was excellent and the waiters were very nice and attentive. We always showed up at the time it opened for dinner and was always seated at the back where the picture windows were. The decor in the dining room was awesome. It felt like I was in a French chateau. Of course I have never been in one, but that is the feeling I got. The food in the buffet wasn't very good. The Norwegian Sun's was a lot better. In summary I would prefer sailing on the Star. But of course any ship would do. Just to be cruising is great.

[alderaniandad]

Did the eleven day on Dream out of Seattle and enjoyed every minute. If you have traveled on RCI, the "freestyle" concept might seem strange. All it means is that you eat where and when you want to. For Alaska it is convenient as it allows you more flexibility in planning shore excursions as you are not faced with making a "seating" or missing out. Also you may choose to eat at a separate table or share with others. In particular I like not being stuck with "stuck up" folks sharing my table. If you run into one of those delightful people, well next meal there is a new opportunity. And if you find folks you like then you can plan to hook up and share tables with them. The flexibility is what appeals to me. The "traditional cruisers" sometimes have a hard time accepting the change.

The dining rooms are large and roomy. We just did the Spirit (about the same size as Star) and found the meals and menus to be very good.The buffet on Dream in the Sports Bar could be crowded, however in Raffles on Spirit there was always plenty of room. The quality of food in the buffet will always be the topic of opinion. I happen to think it is pretty good whereas others don't care for it. If you have the scrambled eggs better to take off a fresh pan then one that have sat around and the water settled to the bottom. I normally do not eat eggs but I scarfed down my share on both ships. The waffle station is very good as is the omelet station. You may also go to a main restaurant and order off a menu - if you have the time. Most crowded day at the buffet was debarkation day.

One thing we found was that to avoid the long and tedious lines getting off the ship at each port (and avoiding any delays in arrival), we booked shore excursions to begin at least a couple of hours after arrrival and that way the crowds have left the ship and you can move right along after a leisurely breakfast. For me. I am on vacation and do not feel the need to rush about.

Have fun - Alaska is incredible!!!

[KeystoneCruiser]

The Star is my favorite ship in NCL's fleet and we did the Glacier Bay trip this past July. It was great.

 

The ship is very clean and there is plenty to do.

 

As far as Freestyle Dining:

1.) You don't have to dress up any night in any dining room. Resort Causal is acceptable at all times. (basically, no t-shirts, shorts or jeans) Even on the optional formal night (first sea day), there was less than 50% who dressed up.

 

2.) There are two main restaurants, 8 specialty restuarants, the buffet and Blue Lagoon. Blue Lagoon is basically a short order snack bar but the food is good for a quick meal. The buffet is great for breakfast, ok for lunch but I have heard not very good for supper. The two main restaurants are very nice and serve the traditional cruise meal choices. The specialty restaurants run the gauntlet from Italian, Tex-Mex, Sushi, Steak House, European Bistro, etc. The Italian (La Trattatoria) and Tex Mex (Endless Summer) are free specialty restuarants. All other specialty restaurants have a cover charge of between $15-25 per person. I only ate at the free restaurants and both are very good as are the main dining rooms. (free).

 

3.) Eat when you want. There are no set dining times. The restaurants are open from 5:30 - 10:00 p.m. The Specialty restaurants require reservations that can be made in advance at the Reception Desk in the Grand Atrium. (do this the first day, they do fill up!). There are no reservations for the main restaurants. You just show up and tell the Maitre'd how many in your party and you are seated. Just like a restaurant on shore.

 

4.) Eat with who you want. There are no set table mates. You can have a quiet dinner for two or a party with your large family. There are lots of tables for 2, 4 or 6. If you want to dine with others, just tell the maitre'd and he will set you.

 

5.) No tipping. There is a $10 per person per day fee added to your bill and this takes care of the tips for your servers and stewards. Bar tabs do have a 15% tip/service fee added.

 

6.) Easy Debarkation. Stay in your cabin until your luggage tag color is called and then proceed to the gangway. No need to be herded like cattle into a public room to await your disembarkation call. Stay in your room!!

 

That is basically the story of Freestyle. I love it and doubt I will ever sail on a cruise line that does not offer freestyle or something similar.

 

Please ask any additional questions that you may have.

[3dblouder]

Hello everyone,

New over here on the Norwegian board. Trying to put together a cruise for May 2006 sailing out of Seattle (trying to save some money on air fare) and due too as well vacation time.

I've looked at Royal Caribbean out of Seattle as well. Would like any info anyone can give me on this ship and about it's sailing to Alaska. It will be the Glaicer Bay cruise 7 day. Also would like info on the free style dining on Norwegian and as well your experince with the main dining rooms and buffets.

I was on the star this past Sept and it was the best vacation we have ever been on. I posted a review just search (Star 9/4/05 8170 Aft Suite Questions??) and there is also a link with pictures if your intrested.

3dblouder.

[Mr_Cruise]

I've been on board more than a dozen ships that sail the Alaskan route. To be prefectly honest, as far as the ship design is concerned, the Star doesn't impress me much.

 

That being said, there are many that strongly prefer the likes of the decor, layout, and freestyle dining offered on the Star. It is so subjective that you can't say what's best for cruiser "y" will be best for everyone.

 

As for the 2006 itineraries, the Star sails to Glacier Bay... as do some HAL ships out of Seattle. The majority of the rest sailing from Seattle go to the Sawyer Glacier at the end of the Tracy Arm.

 

Based on itinerary, from Seattle, the Star has one of the best in 2006.

 

...it's a personal decision. ...if booking based on the ship and on board experience, I would not choose the Star myself... but if you like what's offered on board, or your biggest priority is the itinerary, then the Star would be an excellent choice sailing from Seattle.

[JuneauMe]

I sailed to Alaska 4 times. Two of those were on the Star. It's a great ship, and Glacier Bay is so spectacular. Free Style works really well for Alaska because there are so many excursions to choose from, and so much to see and do on your own while in port, that not being tied down to a seating for the dining room gives you much more flexibility.

The only thing that I was alittle disapointed in was that we sailed around the west side of Vancouver island, so we were not on the inside passage as long as the other 2 cruises I was on. Both of the other cruises were smaller ships, so I don't know if that had anything to do with it. You will still be on the inside passage on the Star, just not as long.

Donna

[marcyjane]

Thank you Thank you all so so much;) Your postings have helped so much in making our decision. I understand the "freestyle" better now and feel better about the NCL route to Alaska.

Thanks again

:) Marcyjane

[brunolvr]

Hello everyone,

New over here on the Norwegian board. Trying to put together a cruise for May 2006 sailing out of Seattle (trying to save some money on air fare) and due too as well vacation time.

I've looked at Royal Caribbean out of Seattle as well. Would like any info anyone can give me on this ship and about it's sailing to Alaska. It will be the Glaicer Bay cruise 7 day. Also would like info on the free style dining on Norwegian and as well your experince with the main dining rooms and buffets.

:) Thanks,

Marcyjane

Marcyjane, we sailed the NCL Star to Alaska in early June and had a great time. In fact we enjoyed it so much that we've booked the Star once again for our 4th cruise to Alaska on May 28, 2006.

 

We ate most of our meals in the two main dining rooms (Versailles & Aqua) and had good food, and even GREAT food several times. We only ate at the buffet one morning when we had a very early excursion in Ketchikan. It was okay but the breakfasts in Versailles were much better!

 

This is Royal Caribbean's first year in Seattle and we thought about trying them, but didn't like their itinerary as much as the NCL Star. Don't miss Glacier Bay!

 

Take a look at my pictures from June and you'll see why we want to return again. Hope you join us on May 28th!

[SailAways]

Marcyjane, we sailed the NCL Star to Alaska in early June and had a great time. In fact we enjoyed it so much that we've booked the Star once again for our 4th cruise to Alaska on May 28, 2006.

!

 

I realize that some are sensitive to this question, but could you please tell me if there were a lot of children on this cruise in June?

I love children, have some, but prefer a cruise ship without hoards of them aboard. Sorry, but I speak the truth!

[cruisingfromMN]

We love the Star and have been on her three times and are thinking about going again in February for the Mexican Riviera. I have attached a link of some very good pictures of the ship.

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/cruisingfrommn

[Happy ks]

We have sailed on NCL Star once, a few years back when she was still in Hawaii. We very much liked the ship.

 

As far as the food goes, we can all only give our personal opinions, based on personal taste. I found the buffets to be typical of all cruise line buffets, lots of mediocre choices. The main dining room Versailles, was very nice for breakfast and lunch, we were not impressed with the room for dinner. While the room is beautiful, it was too crowded and noisy for our tastes. We preferred the smaller Aqua (I think) dining room instead. There were a few other places we liked, some of them have been changed over now, but as I recall, we had wonderful fish and chips in a place called Blue Lagoon. We had dinner a few times in the specialty restaurants and the food in there was so far superior to the regular dining rooms. We will be sailing the repo in March on Star and we will budget ourselves for dinner every night in one of those restaurants.

 

We sailed Alaska last year, but out of Vancouver instead (on Celebrity Infinity). Every Alaska cruise is wonderful and I'm sure we will cruise there again, someday. The next time we would like to do a north or southbound one way and do want to cruise Glacier Bay that time. Our preference is Vancouver over Seattle, but I can understand airfare costs are considerable, fortunately, for us, it's not much of a difference from the west coast.

 

Make sure you visit the Alaska board here on CC, we found so much useful info there!

 

Have a wonderful time planning your cruise!

[KeystoneCruiser]

I realize that some are sensitive to this question, but could you please tell me if there were a lot of children on this cruise in June?

I love children, have some, but prefer a cruise ship without hoards of them aboard. Sorry, but I speak the truth!

 

The children on the Star in July were one of my complaints. I too have a daughter and we make sure she behaved. But what I found was that the kids (especially the 10-12 age group) did not go to the Kids Programs and instead ran all over the ship. Especially by the aft elevators. I had one young man inform me that I could not use an elevator because they were using it for "elevator tag." When I ignored him and got on the elevator, I was treated to a ride full of his filthy remarks directed at me. (I didn't respond, just ignored.) He told me that if he lost the game, he would come find me. (now what he was going to do when he found me was a curiosity to me...lol). The kids also almost knocked several people over on some occassions, one of which was my 75 year old mother. I went to the Reception desk to complain about the kids being out of control back there and I was told by the Reception Staff: "kids will be kids." It is obvious that the crew of the Star has no intention of upsetting anyone by attempting to control these kids.

 

This is my biggest complaint about my cruise.

[SailAways]

. The kids also almost knocked several people over on some occasions, one of which was my 75 year old mother. I went to the Reception desk to complain about the kids being out of control back there and I was told by the Reception Staff: "kids will be kids." It is obvious that the crew of the Star has no intention of upsetting anyone by attempting to control these kids.

This is my biggest complaint about my cruise.

 

Thanks for an honest answer.

I too, being 70ish, was almost knocked off my feet by an overly rambunctious boy.

So, I guess we will stick to times when the school age kids "should" be in school.

I realize that the cruise lines cannot police everything, but running, and abuse of elevators as you have described should be addressed immediately, IMHO.

Where in the world are the parents always pops into my mind.

Thanks again, and happy cruising-!!

[brunolvr]

I realize that some are sensitive to this question, but could you please tell me if there were a lot of children on this cruise in June?

I love children, have some, but prefer a cruise ship without hoards of them aboard. Sorry, but I speak the truth!

I know there were quite a few children onboard, but we hardly ever saw them or heard them. They were either involved with the kids programs or were well-behaved that we encountered no problems with them.

[KeystoneCruiser]

So, I guess we will stick to times when the school age kids "should" be in school.

Where in the world are the parents always pops into my mind.

 

 

Anymore that can be hard to do since parents are so willing to pull kids out of school for a week or more for a vacation. Then they turn around and complain about their childs grades or the school systems failure to teach their children.

 

I have never pulled my child out of school for a vacation nor would I! I would love to take one of the New England cruises or most of the Panama Canal cruises, but I can't because they are only offered when school is still in session, and I will not sacrifice my child's education for my pleasure.

 

I know people like to Whine: "we have to go on vacation when we can" or "we want to go when it is cheaper." You know what I was always told, when you choose to have children, you have to make sacrifices!!

[Polish Falcon]

Did any of these cruises ever have the Glacier Bay Day canceled?

 

PS - As to children missing school because of cruises....

I send a request to the principal 30 days prior to the cruise asking that they be excused. I point out that the children will be participating in "Vast Multi Cultural Experiences Not Available In The Classroom". They are given assignments to do while on the trip.

[sweetmommieof4]

I also let my children miss school for our cruises. My kids are all doing very well in school. They get their assignments before we leave and turn it in when we get back. Never had a problem. The schools are very understanding.

[Don Haynes]

The Star did miss Glacier Bay for one cruise time last summer. The National Park Service rangers were concerned about an apizod problem which might be leaking oil. The apizod was quickly fixed and the Star resumed sailing into Glacier Bay for the rest of the summer.

[nycruise]

Did any of these cruises ever have the Glacier Bay Day canceled?

 

We were the "lucky" ones to be on the 7/31 Sailing that missed Glacier Bay. We got Sitka and $200 instead.:mad:

 

NCL was very liberal on a future cruise, so I guess they ultimately made up for it.:)

[Polish Falcon]

We are considering another cruise to Alaska for June 06.

I want to leave from Seattle and visit Glacier Bay.

We would consider the Star - IF - we like the Spirit and Freestyle Cruising in November.

I like the itinerary and prices......

 

PS to Don - Thanks for the info about "purpose built" Freestyle ships a few days ago.

[marcyjane]

Just once again want to thank you all for all your post on the Star and Alaska.

Have a few more questions about cabin location, please let me know what you feel is best deck and cabin and which side of the ship is the best starboard of port side.

Off to work will check back in tonight have a wonderful cruising day;)

Marcyjane:)

[brunolvr]

Just once again want to thank you all for all your post on the Star and Alaska.

Have a few more questions about cabin location, please let me know what you feel is best deck and cabin and which side of the ship is the best starboard of port side.

Off to work will check back in tonight have a wonderful cruising day;)

Marcyjane:)

Marcyjane, on the Star to Alaska I highly recommend a balcony cabin on the port side. Your views in Glacier Bay will be fabulous!

[cruisingfromMN]

Did any of these cruises ever have the Glacier Bay Day canceled?

 

PS - As to children missing school because of cruises....

I send a request to the principal 30 days prior to the cruise asking that they be excused. I point out that the children will be participating in "Vast Multi Cultural Experiences Not Available In The Classroom". They are given assignments to do while on the trip.

 

Yes, we did not make it to Glacier Bay due to Azipod trouble.