Just Returned From Star Princess

[LostFan#1]

Just got home yesterday from the Oct. 7-14 cruise to Halifax, Saint John, Bar Harbor, Boston, and Newport. I will post a longer review, but if you have any questions, I'll try to answer.

 

Our primary reason for taking this cruise was to see fall color. We missed almost all the leaves in Halifax and Saint John. Colors were just about peak in Bar Harbor, so Acadia was spectacular. Some trees were turning in Boston and Newport, but fall foliage certainly wasn't a draw in either port. Driving home to MD along the NJ Turnpike offered almost as beautiful a view as Acadia!

 

Debbie

[RealDeal]

I'm going on 10/21 and some of the posts I've read aren't very good....What was your opinion? I was on the Dawn in June and thought everything was very good....Hope I'm not disapponted in the Star.

[Bushido]

DJkiser - Glad you had a good trip...Will be going on the Star on October 21st. Have tons of questions but will only ask a few as I'll wait for your review:

 

1. How was the Horizon Court?
   
2. Anything out of the ordinatry on the Horizon Court? Such as special buffets or items because of the itinerary
   
3. Fitness Area - Was it crowded?
   
4. Overall how was the weather in each port?
   
5. Time from ports to attractions in each city?

Sorry I guess the questions got out of hand. Looking forward to hearing from you and your review

[LostFan#1]

Overall, I was quite pleased with the Star - service, food, entertainment. And while I am not a veteran cruiser (4th cruise), I am no novice either, having sailed Carnival and Celebrity, too.

 

The cruise had its rough spots - embarkation was ridiculously long. Someone said something about the Coast Guard, but whatever it was, we waited from 12:30-2 to get on the ship, and the numbering system they used was ineffective. We got into Saint John an hour early and left an hour early, which meant the bagpipers and town crier were not ready for us. The captain warned us ahead of time, blaming the change on the tides. I don't understand that, for weeks before our cruise, I knew the tide schedule, since we wanted to see Fundy Bay at low and high tide. Then we got into Newport 4 or 5 hours late. Again, the captain said we were sailing through breeding grounds of the pilot whale and had to go slowly. How did he not know that ahead of time? Furthermore, we had generator problems and came to a dead stop as we were nearing Newport. That lasted almost an hour. But each of these 4 problems were pretty minor in the scheme of the whole cruise.

 

Horizon Court, after the 1st day, was outstanding in its selection of food. I was quite impressed - vegetarian, hot, cold, salad(s), fresh fruit, desserts. The one item that stood out for me were the vegetarian (black bean) burritos - really good. If you like sushi, one day the sushi spread was incredible (not offered but that one day). Neither in the Horizon nor in the dining room did any of the desserts strike me as "don't miss."

 

Fitness area - only went twice. Once was crowded, once not at all. Since this is a port-intensive cruise, maybe if you went during a port day, you'd get a machine easily.

 

Our weather was superb - the only rain was overnight before Boston. Dress in layers, for it is cool in the mornings. Boston was the only "warm" stop - 75 degrees.

 

The tender ports, of course, take more time than the others - you can wait a good while to get a ticket, then to get on a tender, then 20-25 minutes to the port. Otherwise, we just walked off and into town.

 

I still intend to get a full review in a day or two, so keep asking away!

 

Debbie

[Bushido]

Debbie - That was some awesome stuff...Can't wait to see your full review

[elron]

Thanks for the onfo on the Sushi Deb.

[LostFan#1]

If you like sushi, do not miss this spread in the Horizon. Sorry I can't remember the day it appeared, but likely it was our one and only day at sea because that's the only day I ate lunch there.

 

Debbie

[twocats]

Have you posted your review, perhaps in another link? I would love to read it, interested specifically in the ports and what you choose to see. Princess tours or private, if Princess were they scheduled in the mornings, time to see towns later in the day? Info appreciated, thanks.

[LostFan#1]

Yes, I did post a full review. Here is the link:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=22176

[twocats]

Thanks you, I used the link to find it. Great information.

[agabbymama]

Just got home yesterday from the Oct. 7-14 cruise to Halifax, Saint John, Bar Harbor, Boston, and Newport. I will post a longer review, but if you have any questions, I'll try to answer.

 

Our primary reason for taking this cruise was to see fall color. We missed almost all the leaves in Halifax and Saint John. Colors were just about peak in Bar Harbor, so Acadia was spectacular. Some trees were turning in Boston and Newport, but fall foliage certainly wasn't a draw in either port. Driving home to MD along the NJ Turnpike offered almost as beautiful a view as Acadia!

 

Debbie

 

Debbit,

 

That's too bad. You just never know when the leaves are going to turn. I booked 9/24-10/5 on Constellation. Everyone said that would be too early, but it turned out to be perfect. Didn't see much color in Boston, but the farther North we went there was more, Portland, Bar Harbor, Saint Johns and Halifax had color, but when we hit Quebec, it was magnificent. I bought a post card, then put it in the album next to my photos. Unbelieveable. The Saguenay River also had a lot of color, and there were Beluga whales and Black whales at the mouth of the Saguenay where it joins the St. Lawrence. Couldn't have been better for Fall Foliage Cruise. I was born and raised in Michigan, so I'm familiar with the colors, but I've lived in Southern California for 50 years, so it was nice to see it in it's glory.:p