Review of NCL Star Venice/Adriatic Cruise

[Kiri1234]

We returned the beginning of June but I'm just now catching up...

 

Things I wish I had known when planning:

 

Venice- As far as hotels, we stayed before cruise one night at Casa Carbulotto (clean former monastery and short walk from Piazza Roma) and one night after at Casa Sant' Andrea (also clean former monastery, VERY accessible for cruisers...right at people mover to port and across street from Piazza Roma bus terminal...also has water taxi stop right out front). We purchased bus/water taxi pass (24 hrs for unlimited use: 21 euros) at airport and used this to take the bus to Piazza Roma (20 min) to explore Venice. We loved wandering the streets and sitting in St Marks Square for drinks, listening to the live music. We went to mass on both ends of the cruise, at St Marks Basilica and Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (wonderful mass AND you get to skip the line) Download the free audio tours for both from Rick Steve's from the web onto your phone. The audio tours really add alot! We also visited the Doges palace. We read a bit from the internet but this would have been so much better with a tour guide. If I did this again, I'd schedule to visit when they offer the "Secret Itineraries" for the guided tour.

 

On morning of cruise, we took the people mover from Piazza Roma to port (1.5 euro) and walked to boat.

 

Once on board…Get reservations ASAP if you want to dine at the upsell restaurants. We just ate at Aqua, Versailles, Asian, and Pub (the burger here is prime ground beef/much better than elsewhere on the boat) restaurants (all free) but had we wanted to dine elsewhere they were all booked for the remainder of the cruise. Also, ask for activity card and get it stamped when you attend the activities, ie BINGO and trivia. We pooled our stamps and you can go get free Norwegian souvenirs on the last night (we got a free t-shirt and playing cards).

 

Kotor-Prebooked a blue cave boat tour through “Montenegro Pulse” website with an email and paid in person- walked right over bridge from port to park to catch a 3 hour boat ride and quick dip (chilly) in blue cave(so much fun). Tour was favorite part of the cruise. Stopped at Blue Cave, Lady of Rock, Perast, and submarine caves!! Alex narrated each stop. Very pleasant! (30 euros ea)

 

Corfu-Walked to town (15 minutes thru charming streets. I’d taxi if I went again.) Continued up to Old Fort. Gorgeous views!! We went up via the left side (past the music school where you can hear them playing inside old beautiful bldgs). Climbed up to top for photos and then came down other side for pics by cafe with St George Temple. Then headed back to the other side by the sailing club for a dip in the water (small local beach with music students and locals swimming by fort) Time for quick bite in town and hailed a taxi back to boat.

 

Santorini-Tendered to Fira port. Took "speedboat" to Ooyah (15 euros ea). Then they put you in a short chaotic van ride up to Ooyah. Shopped and took pics. Then back to the place they dropped you off and a chaotic large bus ride back to Fira (congested...badddd traffic ride). There were 4 boats in port...TOO MANY. If this is your case, I would highly recommend going up to Fira via cable car and staying there. Plenty of shopping and eating...not quite as pretty as Ooyah but still lovely and you wont waste most if your time traveling. (My friends took NCL excursion to Charming Ooyah and agreed that taking that excursion also was a mistake. In fact, we beat them there because the NCL excursion buses you both ways in horrible traffic). This was the most surprising port of all. I thought it would be my favorite but it was my least favorite.

 

Mykonos-Tendered to town port. Bought 9:00 ferry ticket (20 euros ea) to Delos Island right where we tendered. (Ironically, our friends booked the NCL excursion to Delos and were put on the same ferry). A licensed tour guide approached us once we landed and offered tour (10 euro ea). She did a nice tour for an hour and left us time to wander the museum and climb the hill before the ferry returned. You also pay a ticket to get on the island (12 euros ea). Well worth the visit and price. You get a map brochure that has some info but it was more interesting with the tour guide. Caught the noon ferry back for lunch in Mykonos and shopping!

 

Dubrovnic- Super early port 7-1. Taxis waiting at bottom of gangplank (12 euros ea way) or you can take the NCL shuttle (15 euros ea roundtrip)...10 minute drive, too far to walk, so depends on party size to determine best deal. One note, you catch the taxi return outside the old town gate...in a LONG taxi line. We went there at 11:45 thinking we had plenty of time and joined the line of nervous passengers! The policeman directing traffic really helped keep the line moving steady, but I think I'd get there a bit earlier possible. We used a credit card to purchase wall tickets and walked along for great views. I downloaded a copy of Rick Steve's Mediterranean Port Guide and followed the self walking tour for old town.

 

Overall, wonderful cruise, great ports

[easyboy]

Thank you for you review. Very informative on ports too.

 

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[sailingskyward]

Thank you for your detailed post. I'm boarding the Star this Sunday for the Adriatic and thank you very much for your tips!

[Clarea]

Excellent feedback, thank-you.

[cakeordeath]

Hi, What time were you able to disembark in Venice the last day? I have a friend that is concerned about a flight time.

[New2allofthis]

Many thanks to you Kiri1234 for such an informative review. We will print out your helpful ideas and use them on our upcoming cruise.

[Kiri1234]

Hi, What time were you able to disembark in Venice the last day? I have a friend that is concerned about a flight time.

 

 

 

They offer several times for you to pick from. You choose the day before departure by picking up a colored luggage tag. Unfortunately, I didn't notice the earliest time offered. We chose to get off later so we could enjoy a served breakfast in the Pub.

 

 

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[Kiri1234]

Many thanks to you Kiri1234 for such an informative review. We will print out your helpful ideas and use them on our upcoming cruise.

 

 

 

You're welcome. Bon Voyage to you all!

 

 

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[riclop]

Thanks for the report.