Even though it's been nearly a year since we took our cruise, I still feel that our review could help anyone planning on a Western Caribbean or NCL Cruise on the Star. I figure it's better late than never!

We booked the cruise in May 2011 and we booked an outside balcony stateroom. We chose NCL because of 1)freestyle cruising and 2)as silly as it sounds, they had the nicest floor to ceiling sliding patio doors. I had previously sailed with Carnival 20 years ago.

My husband had never been on a cruise before so he had no idea what to expect. Our room was plenty big enough for the two of us and having a balcony was fabulous except that I had wanted to leave the door open at night to hear the ocean and it was way too humid to leave the door open. We had coffee in the mornings on the balcony and dried our bathing suits outside; those were really the only times we used the balcony. Was it worth it? I don't think so...not for the small amount of time we spent in our room but it was lovely. Read more