Norwegian Star Review
Rating by category
Additional details
We wanted to see the Scandinavian/ Baltic cities and this was the easiest way to do it. We were traveling with adult sons, so they were interested in the ports more than the cruise itself.
We've sailed with Royal Caribbean several times, so we are mostly comparing our experiences to those ships.
The best: Ports were great (Tallinn a surprising favorite) but DON'T pay for the cruise excursions. Ridiculously over-priced. They try to make you believe that you can't see St.Petersburg unless you take one of their excursions because of the required visa but the fact is that almost any tour group can get your visa as long as you book in advance. (We booked with Guide Guru and they were terrific.)
Cabin Review
Mid-Ship Inside
We booked late and got a good deal on 2 inside cabins. Compared to Royal Caribbean, these inside cabins were much better. Better layout, bathroom with adequate space to shower, etc. On a Baltic cruise you spend so much of your time out of your cabin that an inside cabin is fine.
HOWEVER, both of these cabins were located under the buffet, where staff was working all night and the loud thumping and crashing of carts made it impossible to sleep. Trust me, I've slept in war zones and this was far worse. We complained and they finally changed us to 2 other cabins, one on the 4th level, which was quiet, the other on the same level but a balcony across the hall. The balcony room wasn't much quieter and frankly, the layout was better in the interior rooms, but by then we were so exhausted that we stayed. So the take away is, don't book a mid-ship room on deck 11, but don't waste money on a balcony room on this particular cruise because you're hardly there except to sleep.
Port Reviews
Copenhagen
Great city. Get away from the port and enjoy the rest of this wonderful place
Tallinn
This was a wonderful surprise. A truly magical city full of artsy stores and wonderful sites.
St. Petersburg
We booked with Guide Guru and ended up having a private tour for the 4 of us with a wonderful tour guide who spoke perfect English and also taught history in the university. For a smaller fee than just one of the ship tours, we saw everything in 2 days and were able to take a ride on the amazing metro and the hovercraft as well. An incredible city.
Helsinki
We just road the city trolley and saw most of the city & sites. It was fine. The market on the water is fun and the various stalls sold great art and food.