Norwegian Star Review

4.0 / 5.0
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Review for the Mexican Riviera Cruise on Norwegian Star
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CounselorCruiser
6-10 Cruises • Age 20s

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Sail Date: Feb 2011
Cabin: Mini-Suite with Balcony

If you've sailed other cruise lines, make sure you lower your expectations ... and then lower them more. We arrived at 10:30 for embarkation with the hope of getting on early ... to check the ship out, get the lay out, etc. Don't bother ... they don't let you go on until 12:00 and then by numbers ... until they started doing that and then 'someone in authority' said that all could go aboard, and then everyone there did. Our advice would be not to go to the buffet that they push, rather, go to the Versailles Dining room. Although there are fewer choices, the food is better ... just don't get your hopes up. We received a call from NCL on Thursday night that our ports had been changed. Mazatlan has been removed from the itinary for the rest of the season and you now have 2 days in Cabo ... tendering doesn't cost as much rather than adding a different port and Puerto Vallarta. I'm a Caribbean guy, so the western coast of Mexico just doesn't do it for me!!

Embarkation was hectic. We tried to get into the 'Latitudes' line (NCL's former cruiser line), but it was blocked. On the other side of the terminal, which wasn't being used yet, had passengers embarking based on their cabin type. There were many of us there early, 10:00-10:15, but they had us sit after checking in until 12:00 before we could get onboard ... so don't bother getting there until 11:45 or so as those that came late tended to get on before those of us who had been waiting.

Food ... lower your expectations if you've been on other cruise lines. The chilled soups stand out along with the 'Best of Brunch' on Friday. Other than that, we were disappointed. Freestyle doesn't work for us and we much prefer having our set time, set table with our set wait staff. After a night or two, they know what your preferences are. We had to ask for coffee every lunch or night rather than having it delivered or at least asked if we wanted it. We brought 6 bottles of wine aboard and paid the $15 corkage fee that allowed us to bring it to the dining room ... now if you could only get a 'wine steward' to come by. We had to ask at a minimum of 3 times to get glasses and our wine opened each night. That wouldn't happen in a traditional setting. I gotta compliment NCL in that in the Red Lion Pub, they had popcorn!!

Cabin Review

Mini-Suite with Balcony

Cabin MB

We had 11686 which was at the back right next to the spa and

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