This repositioning cruise was so cheap we couldn't resist: a little over $1000 per person for 16 days in a balcony cabin. But we also love sea days, and a repositioning cruise is full of them.

Although it did seem that Norwegian had skimped on entertainment, the food was similar to other Norwegian cruises. We don't like freestyle dining and prefer to have a fixed dining time, table, and waiter. So we thought that dining in the two main restaurants, Aqua and Versailles, was chaotic. Many evenings there was a 30 to 45-minute wait for a table. That said, the serving staff worked very hard to make things go smoothly. In fact, the entire staff of the Star made every effort to be helpful, friendly, and upbeat.

The real perk of the Star is the spa. Although it costs a hefty fee to use ($215 per person for the 16-day cruise), it has an indoor lap pool (warm water), two huge hot tubs, lounges in the main pool area and two additional relaxation rooms, steam rooms, saunas, and plenty of towels and robes. The Star carries over 2100 passengers, but the spa never felt crowded because only 60 passes are available, and I don't think Norwegian ever sold that many. Using the spa was like having a huge private area away from the crush of the regular crowd. We spent hours there swimming and reading. Oh, and it is in the back on the ship on deck 11, so there are panoramic windows across the entire back wall of the spa and relaxation rooms. Stunning views and serenity - what's not to love.