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Cruise Ship Reviews : Norwegian Cruise Line Reviews

Norwegian Star reviews


Norwegian Star reviews

Average customer rating:
3.97 / 5

Average Rating based on 13 Reviews:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 3.85
Cabin Design = 3.38
Entertainment = 4.15
Fitness Center = 3.33
Food Quality = 3.85
Ship Maintenance = 4.08
Spa = 4.20
Specialty Restaurant = 4.45
Staff and Service = 4.31
3.85
3.38
4.15
3.33
3.85
4.08
4.20
4.45
4.31







annweiner saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 5
Cabin Design = 5
Entertainment = 5
Fitness Center = 5
Food Quality = 5
Ship Maintenance = 5
Spa = 5
Specialty Restaurant = 5
Staff and Service = 5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

Fantastic vacation, happy ship, friendly crew and great food, February 12, 2013
Reviewer: annweiner

Pros: So many activities, willing to please the guests

Cons: Having to go home

Date of cruise: February 3, 2013

Departure port: New Orleans

Region visited: Caribbean - Western

Cabin category: Inside

Cabin number: 9219

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

Having been on over 40 cruises since 2004, I found this ship to be extraordinary in that the crew is so friendly, willing to please and making sure you have the best vacation. The entertainment is great, each night something new. The cruise director Kyle and his staff know how to please and make cruising fun. The hotel director Sean is out there pursuing your individual needs. You can call their four digit-number any time if you have queries. In a bigger suite, I had a wonderful concierge, David, who took care of all my reservations. The staff at Cagney's for breakfast could not do enough for you. Much interaction between the officers and crew with the guests. Chef's Table dinner at extra cost was fantastic and would do it again. The specialty restaurants, although at an extra reasonable cost, were all good. The main restaurants, Versailles and Aqua, served the same menu in both restaurants and offered many signature dishes that were available in the specialty restaurants. So much to do. I just signed up for the transatlantic cruise, can't wait. It is in April, a cruise to the Baltic countries from New Orleans.


snorkelfreak saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 4
Cabin Design = 3
Entertainment = 4
Food Quality = 4
Ship Maintenance = 4
Specialty Restaurant = 5
Staff and Service = 4
4
3
4
4
4
5
4

Enjoyable entertainment staff that kept us laughing most of the trip!, October 19, 2012
Reviewer: snorkelfreak

Pros: Entertainment staff is top of the line!

Cons: Some wait staff needed more training

Date of cruise: October 7, 2012

Departure port: NYC

Region visited: Bermuda

Cabin category: Balcony

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

We were pleased when we arrived on board, a little disappointed in the bathroom size, but overall had a great experience on ship. The entertainment staff kept us laughing most of the trip and the food was great - ate too much, of course! Some of the wait staff were new and needed more training, but the management saw their faults and made up for it. Overall, we enjoyed everything on the ship and will return again!


dwburris saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 3
Cabin Design = 2
Entertainment = 4
Food Quality = 2
Ship Maintenance = 2
Specialty Restaurant = 3
Staff and Service = 4
3
2
4
2
2
3
4

Needs total refurbishment, May 8, 2012
Reviewer: dwburris

Pros: The Italian restaurant

Cons: The cabins are like sardine cans

Date of cruise: March 25, 2012

Departure port: Tampa, FL

Region visited: Caribbean - Western

Cabin category: Balcony

Boarding went smoothly and we were able to go directly to our cabin and drop off our carry ons. Went up to the buffet and the food was so-so. Surprisingly there was plenty of seating. Our bags came quickly and we put everything away. Our cabin was so tight for space. There was a couch that you could make into a bed that was so bad I don't think Goodwill would take it. The balcony was small and had many rusty spots. They did work on the ship one day while we were in port that covered the balcony with considerable dirt. That was never really cleaned well. The bed had a matress that felt like an old gym mat and the sheets were short and not good. The ship was run down with spots the carpet was thread bare. After watching Kevin Sheehan on "Undercover Boss", I expected more. I guess only the new ships count. The main restaurants had roadside diner quality food. One day we were rushed through dinner in under an hour and another we thought we would never be through. We ate a few nights in the buffet and didn't feel like we lost anything compared to the main dining rooms. Like all cruise lines they are skimping on everything. I had a 1/2 lobster tail that I ate in 4 bites. They also snuck lobster night on the first evening when many people skip the dining room. Breakfast and lunches were fine everywhere we ate. At Le Bistro my meal was so salty I couldn't enjoy it. I complained and got it for 1/2 price. This was still too much. The plesant surprise was the Italian restaurant. The food was very good. It's a shame you have to pay a cover to get a decent meal (sometimes). We found homemade pretzels in the buffet that were super. We stocked up on them everyday. The ports were the usual Caribbean fare. We only left the ship twice. The shows were OK. One with only the females was not well done and one with the entire cast was excellent. Considering what we paid and the $175.00 cruise credits we got, I guess it was worth it. I don't think NCL will be our mainstay cruising. We do like the no dress up concept. Debarkation was easy. We took the walk off with your bags and immigration was a breeze.


edelosmont saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 3
Cabin Design = 2
Entertainment = 5
Fitness Center = 2
Food Quality = 1
Ship Maintenance = 2
Spa = 3
Specialty Restaurant = 3
Staff and Service = 1
3
2
5
2
1
2
3
3
1

The star is less than stellar in comparison to other cruise ships, April 14, 2011
Reviewer: edelosmont

Pros: Excellent shows and Le bistro restaurant great!

Cons: Poor food quality and selection, inattentive staff, poor buffet -- cold food

Date of cruise: April 2, 2011

Departure port: San Pedro,CA

Region visited: Mexico

Cabin category: Outside

Cabin number: 8116

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

You get what you pay for. A cheap price for this cruise meant poor service. The cabin and ship decor looked very dated, not elegant. The food in the buffet was always cold including breakfast everyday. The only two specialty restaurants that are worth paying for are the Mexican and Le Bistro (French). Skip the chocolate buffet, very disappointing. The only dessert that was primarily at the chocolate buffet was sponge cake decorated with different color chocolate icing on top of each. The sugar-free desserts at the chocolate buffet were better than the ones with sugar. Excellent Shows!!! Very unorganized disembarkation process, one of the worst. Leave your travel iron, fans and alcohol at home. NCL x-rays all the luggage and will take it away from you.


Gene40 saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 3
Cabin Design = 2
Entertainment = 3
Food Quality = 5
Ship Maintenance = 5
Staff and Service = 5
3
2
3
5
5
5

Great fun one on a one-night cruise., November 27, 2010
Reviewer: Gene40

Pros: Fast dining service.

Cons: Confusing ship layout.

Date of cruise: November 19, 2010

Departure port: Los Angeles, California

Region visited: Cruise to Nowhere

Cabin category: Inside

Cabin number: 8595

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

Very smooth and quiet ship, did not notice the storm raging outside. No soda cards and small selection of canned soda for sale, so bring your own. Liquor was average price and quality. Dining and ballroom areas were beautiful. Chairs were the most comfortable of any ship I have been on (over 15), larger than most. It was difficult to walk from one public area to another without changing decks. Food was of high quality and served rapidly. I would recommend a one-night cruise to any first time passengers.


SantaNellie saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 4
Cabin Design = 3
Entertainment = 4
Fitness Center = 3
Food Quality = 4
Ship Maintenance = 4
Spa = 3
Specialty Restaurant = 4
Staff and Service = 4
4
3
4
3
4
4
3
4
4

Staff very friendly; free style dining good for the dress-down types, November 24, 2010
Reviewer: SantaNellie

Pros: Entertainment was above address

Cons: The food in the buffet was not always warm

Date of cruise: November 4, 2010

Departure port: Miami

Region visited: Panama Canal

Cabin category: Outside

Cabin number: 5110

This is my first experience on NCL in 25 years. The ship was in great condition and the stage shows were above average. The smokey casino was a turn-off to a non smoker. We would have preferred to see a couple of non-smoking evenings in the casino. The Cruise Director, Ray, was very funny and his staff always were accommodating to the passengers. Lack of activities on sea days was noticed by many. If you wish to relax and sunbathe then this is a good ship for you. I enjoyed the Panama Cruise and would certainly sail on the Norwegian Star in the future. The Red Loin Pub is a good place to hang out to catch up on your sport teams or watch a game. The bartender and waitstaff knew your favorite drink and name after the first couple of days. The Pub is not big, but a nice place to meet your friends for a drink.


jrichards627 saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 4
Cabin Design = 4
Entertainment = 5
Food Quality = 4
Ship Maintenance = 4
Spa = 5
Specialty Restaurant = 5
Staff and Service = 5
4
4
5
4
4
5
5
5

Great cruise, September 14, 2010
Reviewer: jrichards627

Pros: First time cruising, new ship

Cons: None

Date of cruise: June 1, 2006

Departure port: Hounalulu

Region visited: Hawaii

Cabin category: Balcony

My wife and I sailed the Norwegian Star in Hawaii. It was our first cruise. We enjoyed the ship and her staff. As she is not U.S. registered, we went to NCL's private island (in international waters) for a BBQ which was nice. We heard other travelers complaining about not being told they needed a passport at which time I interjected that was their trave agent's fault not the cruise lines. Plus I told them if they would have read the website it did state that you needed a passport. We enjoyed the ports although we missed one port due to weather. In return, the captain opened the bars for two hours for free beers and half-priced mixed drinks. Overall, it was a great cruise and lovely ship. We had a balcony room which spoiled the wife and I so now when we cruise it will be with a balcony or ocean view room. We had dinner in the specialty restaurant which was nice as they catered to my wife's taste and were extremely attentive to our requests. The cabin was a nice size for two people and quiet. Loved watching the game shows that were done in the late evenings on the ships TV in the mornings.


covingtonpr saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 2
Cabin Design = 2
Entertainment = 5
Fitness Center = 3
Food Quality = 3
Ship Maintenance = 5
Specialty Restaurant = 4
Staff and Service = 3
2
2
5
3
3
5
4
3

Patchy service and food quality, August 19, 2010
Reviewer: covingtonpr

Pros: Dining whenever you want, fun cruise director, great magician

Cons: Patchy service in main dining rooms, food quality could be better

Date of cruise: May 15, 2010

Departure port: Seattle

Region visited: Alaska

Cabin category: Inside

Cabin number: 8591

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: No

We went on a seven-day cruise to Alaska in May on the Norwegian Star. Overall, we had a great time. Ziplining in Skagway is fabulous. Whale watching with Captain Larry in Juneau also very good. We had mixed feelings about Star. The food in the main dining rooms was only okay. It was as if they were trying to push you into the specialty restaurants by deliberately serving blah food in the main dining rooms. Service in the main dining room was also patchy. Several other people on board mentioned it to me so I know it wasn't just us. There was one Jamaican server in the dining room who had been with the line for 25 years and he was fabulous. All the rest fell far short of his example. The waiters, however, in the speciality restaurants were quite good. The food in the speciality restaurants was good, but not fabulous. I've been in speciality restaurants on Celebrity and the speciality restaurants on the Star weren't even close to the experience you get from Celebrity. I really liked how they had a tiny kid-sized buffet section in the casual buffet restaurant. That was a nice touch. My cabin had some issues. As the ship moved the dresser drawers would swing open. The door to the bathroom would also swing open at random moments. This wasn't very helpful if one was sitting in the bathroom at the time. Our cabin steward smelled like alcohol and his service was sketchy (not suprising). NCL did a horrible job at letting people know that they needed to close out there casino accounts and cash in their tickets before around 11 p.m. on the last night. It wasn't mentioned in the daily newsletter and while I was told they had announced it on the intercom a couple of times the last day, if you were in a show (which we were) you were not able to hear the announcement. They will not cash out the tickets at the main desk so I lost all that money. Makes me wonder if they did that on purpose just to make a few bucks. Trying to close out my account at the Purser's desk was a nightmare. They would not let you close it out the evening before. You had to get up early in the morning to close it out. They only had two people helping those in line and one of those people was brand new (and very slow). I've never seen such a long, drawn out process for something that should have been very easy. They were so slow that I'm amazed everyone got off the boat on time. I got down there at 6 a.m. I was about the eighth person in line. It took 1.5 hours to get helped. I've been on lots of cruises and I've never seen anything like it. Entertainment was fabulous. OVED the magician. Definitely do the murder mystery dinner. We had lots of fun trying to figure out WHODUNIT. Definitely do the margarita tasting at $15. You get five margaritas, chips and homemade guacamole. It was fabulous. Quite a bit of alcohol for one person though, so you might want to share a $15 tasting between two people. Getting off the boat was a snap (once I got away from the Purser's Desk). We did the "walk off with your luggage yourself" option and it only took us about 15 minutes to get off the boat. The Red Lion Pub was wonderful. It had the BEST bartender and it was also the best place to just relax in the evening. It's very low key and the seating is quite comfortable with a nice view outside. Free popcorn, too! There aren't a lot of dancing venues onboard. One of the lounges gets converted to be the nightclub. There really isn't anywhere else to dance, which was really disappointing. We like ballroom dancing and there was only one evening where that was an option. I didn't expect it on a NCL cruise, but the boat was mostly full of retired people. I had my daughter and niece along (both 21) and they were one of only a handful of people in their 20's. I think there might have been less than 10 people in the 20 to 30 age range. I'm sure that's not the case when the Star is sailing in other regions, but it's something to keep in mind if you're bringing younger people along on an Alaskan trip. I worked out most days in the Fitness Center. The only disappointing thing about the configuration of the Star is that the eliptical machines face a wall. On other ships those types of machines face the ocean. It was boring just facing an inside wall.


Browniegirl saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 5
Cabin Design = 5
Entertainment = 4
Fitness Center = 3
Food Quality = 5
Ship Maintenance = 4
Spa = 5
Specialty Restaurant = 5
Staff and Service = 5
5
5
4
3
5
4
5
5
5

Great cruise!!!, August 19, 2010
Reviewer: Browniegirl

Pros: Great food and service!

Cons: Ship showing signs of aging.

Date of cruise: April 10, 2010

Departure port: Los Angeles

Region visited: Mexico

Cabin category: Suite

Cabin number: 9732

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

We did the Mexican Riviera Cruise in April of 2010 and had a fantastic time. We stayed in an aft penthouse suite on deck 9 and absolutely loved it! We love the aft suites and ours had a wonderful butler and a cabin steward we rarely saw but they kept our suite perfect, clean and always lots of food and goodies and great towel animals! Food on the ship was excellent, no complaints at all. Entertainment was so-so......excursions were great! The ship is showing some signs of aging, ie., the carpet and some minor little things kept breaking on the ship, but other than that we had a wonderful cruise and would highly recommend Norwegian cruise Line!!!!


pat5554 saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 5
Cabin Design = 4
Entertainment = 4
Food Quality = 4
Ship Maintenance = 4
Specialty Restaurant = 5
Staff and Service = 5
5
4
4
4
4
5
5

Alaskan Cruise in July 2010. Great experience!!, July 29, 2010
Reviewer: pat5554

Pros: Free style cruising is the best thing since sliced bread.

Cons: Older ship but well kept.

Date of cruise: October 7, 2010

Departure port: Seattle, WA

Region visited: Alaska

Cabin category: Suite

Cabin number: 9732

Seven-day Alaskan cruise on the NCL "Star" was fantastic. The ship was comfortable, relaxing and fun. Plenty to do if you wanted to but free to do nothing if you like. We dined in a different resturant every night. The food and service were great. The upcharge is insignificant when you consider the quality of the food and the ability to eat when you want to and not when you are scheduled to. Free style cruising is the way to go.


Hersheychunk saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 2
Cabin Design = 3
Entertainment = 2
Fitness Center = 4
Food Quality = 4
Ship Maintenance = 5
Specialty Restaurant = 5
Staff and Service = 5
2
3
2
4
4
5
5
5

Second trip to Alaska with NCl. It was a memorable experience, July 11, 2010
Reviewer: Hersheychunk

Pros: The wonderful crew

Cons: Nightime shows. Some were great and others were terrible

Date of cruise: June 26, 2010

Departure port: Seattle,Wa.

Region visited: Alaska

Cabin category: Balcony

Cabin number: 10666

The NCL Star is the sister ship to the Dawn which we had been on before. We cruise a lot, and on many different cruise lines, and I like the concept of an adults-only indoor pool which the Star did not have. Especially when going to a colder climate like Alaska, and with many children on board, a tranquil indoor pool would have been appreciated. Two of the shows were way below par, but a few were excellent. I requested the same set of waiters nightly as they were A+ in personality and professionalism. I could not have asked for more attentive room stewards. This time Alaska was much colder than our first visit, so don't forget to bring a warm jacket and clothes that you can layer. All our tours were better than we expected - Duck Tour in Ketchikan, rafting in Skagway, White Pass Railroad in Juneau, and Cruising with the Eagles in Prince Rupert B.C. Except for the tour, Prince Rupert was disappointing. Very few shops and little to do if you had not booked a tour. Our first Alaskan cruise brought us to Victoria, B.C., at a much earlier time of day. There was so much more to do there and we had most of the day to enjoy it. In conclusion, it was worth the money I paid, but it was very obvious that NCL had cut back and now charging for things (like restaurants) that were free on the Dawn. On a daily basis, their wonderful employees made my trip worthwhile. Oh yes, our first day(getting on) and last day(getting off) the ship was excellent - enough staff to make it quick.


dwhitsons saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 5
Cabin Design = 4
Entertainment = 4
Food Quality = 4
Ship Maintenance = 4
Staff and Service = 5
5
4
4
4
4
5

Loed it!, June 22, 2010
Reviewer: dwhitsons

Pros: Feestyle dining

Cons: Rnovations going on while cruising

Date of cruise: May 29, 2010

Departure port: seattle

Region visited: Alaska

Cabin category: Jr. Suite

Cabin number: 11126

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

Wold definitely do this again.


sfenner saw things this way:

Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Value For Money = 5
Cabin Design = 5
Entertainment = 5
Food Quality = 5
Ship Maintenance = 5
Specialty Restaurant = 5
Staff and Service = 5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

This was a great ship and a vacation of a lifetime.., June 20, 2010
Reviewer: sfenner

Pros: The staff, the shows and the whole ship was beautiful.

Cons: Day activities while on board were limited

Departure port: Seattle

Region visited: Alaska

Cabin category: Inside

Cabin number: 4553

Good for children: Yes

Good for teenagers: Yes

We had the vacation of a lifetime on this cruise. The staff was wonderful and helpful. We were never left wanting more then we got from them.

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