Star: Tips, tricks, favorite areas and foods?

[shrew]

Yes to O’Sheehans for breakfast. Pass on Le Bistro on the Star - terrible service on all 4 of our cruises. There is no wine bar on the Star just the wine cellar seating area of Le Bistro. Upgrade to a suite if possible.

 

 

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Good to hear it's worth it. I upgraded to a suite from my mini-suite about a month after booking when I saw the prices go down. While the price of the mini-suite also lowered, the price for the family suite was only $75 more person than originally purchased/budgeted and will give our family of four with two teens, so full fledged adult sized, a lot more room. Though might not have been a smart choice for our first cruise because we'll be spoiled!

[OutdoorGirl]

Avoid the buffet on sail away day (O'Sheehans will be open).

 

Thanks for all the tips. Was hoping that the MDR would be open on embarkation day, in that it would be a far calmer place than the buffet. Presumably, from your comments, it's closed?

Sailing in 8 days, yay!

[biker@sea]

Leaving on the Star in 71 days, and I'd love to hear from past Star cruisers!

 

I'd love to learn about the little details, "not to be missed" foods, special areas and experiences, best drinks, favorite places to watch the sunset and sunrise, everything!!

 

Thank you!!!!

 

Do go to your Cruise Critic Meet & Greet.

Ask the NCL Group coordinator to enter you into the " Dinner with an officer drawing ".;)

[cpcanuck]

Thanks for all the tips. Was hoping that the MDR would be open on embarkation day, in that it would be a far calmer place than the buffet. Presumably, from your comments, it's closed?

Sailing in 8 days, yay!

 

One of the MDR’s will be open. Check the Freestyle daily information sheet. It will list what meal venues are open and for how long. You will tend to be encouraged to go to buffet. That’s what they hope you will do on the first day.

[relic2]

We NEVER go to the buffet upon boarding. I want to start being spoiled immediately. Usually you can't get to your cabin right away, and the mdr has room to set your carry on bags near your table, so no problem. In my experience, it is usually the aft dining room that is open on embarkation day.

 

 

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[perspicacious.kae]

We NEVER go to the buffet upon boarding. I want to start being spoiled immediately. Usually you can't get to your cabin right away, and the mdr has room to set your carry on bags near your table, so no problem. In my experience, it is usually the aft dining room that is open on embarkation day.

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We went to the rear dining room on our Alaska cruise (Pearl) the moment we got on board. It was quite, plenty of room, and the perfect way to start your cruise.

[1stimecruiser]

Great information. We sail on the Star in 21 days!!!! Miami here we come.

[cruisingteachers4]

Anyone have any ideas on the star for a pair of teens? I have a 15 year old girl, and a 17 year old boy. When they were little, they loved kids club, but not sure what to expect this time! Thank you!

[Mandat]

Following

[shrew]

Anyone have any ideas on the star for a pair of teens? I have a 15 year old girl, and a 17 year old boy. When they were little, they loved kids club, but not sure what to expect this time! Thank you!

I'd be interested in the replies to this, too. I have a 16-year old girl and a 15-year old boy; it's our first cruise so we have no idea what to expect! :)

[kevybhoy]

Sail on the 30th of September from Venice, BA flights from Glasgow. Looking forward to this as the only other cruise was on the Grand Princess 10 years ago with two kids. Just the wife and I this time. Good seeing all the tips.

[Oakman58]

Does Star have beautiful atrium with glass elevators like Dawn does?

I think Jewel class which we love is missing this feature.

 

Yes, the Star has those same glass elevators. It really adds elegance to the Atrium. It's a shame they didn't continue doing that with the Jewel class ships.

[cruisingteachers4]

Where's the best place on the star to see the sail away?

[dexddd]

Where's the best place on the star to see the sail away?

 

Depends what room type you have. Otherwise go to Deck 13 forward. Bier Garten is one floor up for easy access to drinks.

[CincyJen]

Great tips on this thread... following! Thanks, Norwegian Cruisers and Star aficionados!

[kimandtim]

Don't know if we were just lucky, but we were able to find chairs on top tier near bier garten on our July cruise on sea days. Easy access to best drinks on ship and also easy access to bbq that they set up by pool - really tasty! Sail away from Venice was amazing - once in a lifetime memory...

[ltgilbert]

Following. First time cruising on Star, July 1 Venice. Family Suite.

[vent1020]

Yes to O’Sheehans for breakfast. Pass on Le Bistro on the Star - terrible service on all 4 of our cruises. There is no wine bar on the Star just the wine cellar seating area of Le Bistro. Upgrade to a suite if possible.

 

 

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I hope this was just a fluke. We booked Le Bistro TWICE for our three meals. ONly 24 more days. :D

[Visigoth]

I hope this was just a fluke. We booked Le Bistro TWICE for our three meals. ONly 24 more days. :D

 

Le Bistro is our favorite restaurant on the Star. We have dined there 7 times on our last 3 Star cruises. In our humble opinion, it always has the best food and service on the ship. Last trip 3 of us finished up a fine dinner with a snifter of Hennessy XO that was $6 a shot over the UBP limit and the Maitre 'D waived the extra charge.

[herdingdogmom]

I hope this was just a fluke. We booked Le Bistro TWICE for our three meals. ONly 24 more days. :D

 

 

 

I hope your meals go perfectly. This was our 4th and last time on the Star. I had to get my water glass from the bar near by. Dinners at La Cucina and Moderno were fine. The Le Bistro manager said the dreadful service issue was due to a large group.

 

 

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[vent1020]

Don't show up to the dock before about 11 unless you are in a suite or you just like waiting in a big room full of folks.

 

What time can/should you show up if you are in a suite?

[Visigoth]

What time can/should you show up if you are in a suite?

 

Suites go to the front of the line during boarding but boarding will not start until all of the passengers from the previous cruise are off the ship. That is usually sometime between 10:30 am and noon. Your concierge or butler will then escort you on board either directly to your suite or to the suite-only lunch venue at either Cagney's or Moderno. We usually wait until just before lunch. By then the ship will be available and we can enjoy a nice meal before we head for the suite.

[vent1020]

Suites go to the front of the line during boarding but boarding will not start until all of the passengers from the previous cruise are off the ship. That is usually sometime between 10:30 am and noon. Your concierge or butler will then escort you on board either directly to your suite or to the suite-only lunch venue at either Cagney's or Moderno. We usually wait until just before lunch. By then the ship will be available and we can enjoy a nice meal before we head for the suite.

 

 

Thank you.

[collie1228]

We sailed on Star two years ago out of Tampa, and I think it was my favorite cruise (out of three on RCL and two on NCL). I like the size of the ship, where you get large ship services with less people. H2O is a great place to have a drink, we loved Cagney's and O'Sheehan's, and found the main dining to be very good. The martini bar was a favorite place to have a late drink, especially if you like dirty martinis, which they make to perfection. Our daytime place was the starboard side Promenade Deck on Deck 7. Shady with plenty of loungers (but they fill up by noon and the seat savers were out there in force by the second half of the cruise), with easy access to O'Sheehan's for a drink. I hope you like Star as much as we did.

[cruisingteachers4]

I love this thread!! It sounds like the Bier Garten and O'Sheehans are the most convenient place to get a drink? Any tips on best food places on board?