Let's start by saying that I've long ago lost track of how many cruises I've been on. I've sailed on most of the mainstream cruise lines. I also will say that I've never been on a cruise I didn't like, so my intention here is to be informative, not critical.

My wife and I tend to book cruises on two lines, Norwegian and Celebrity. There are aspects of both lines that we find attractive. Later, I will discuss what attracts us to Celebrity, but first Norwegian and the Norwegian Star.

The Norwegian Star has a number of qualities that make it a good choice. This was our second trip on the Star. It has a bright color scheme that works surprisingly well. Although quite large, crowds are not a problem unless tendering. The food is good to very good. The entertainment is a crowd pleaser. The Star is also known for having an unusually good children's program. Like all Norwegian ships, it has a very welcoming crew that likes to interact with the passengers. In my opinion, many Norwegian passengers seem genuinely appreciative of their cruise opportunity and are not looking to pick at service issues, which I think is a plus. There is nothing worse than having to listen to someone rip at a cruise line when they should be thankful for what they have. It's good to try and avoid those passengers when possible. Overall, Norwegian is a good choice, especially since it is generally a value. Many find it to be comparable to or better than many lines that charge more. Read more