We decided to take a March cruise with the family, and the prices for this NCL couldn't be beat. We have sailed NCL before with Holland being our favorite. We came in with low expectations, and NCL exceeded all our expectations. I wouldn't hesitate to cruise the Star again if the price was right.
We sailed from Nola and embarkation was a breeze. Our cabin was a pleasant surprise. We had booked an Obstructed View, but realistically it was full ocean. The room was immaculately clean, and we especially loved the split shower/toilet area. It was a definite plus from other lines we've sailed. (RCL, Holland, & Disney). We were pleasantly surprised with the bed comfort, linen quality, and pillows. We do like fine mattresses and pillows, and we slept extremely well. The setup for the kids is a little awkward with a trundle next to the queen, but it worked for us just fine. Our steward was the best we've had on any of our cruises. Our room experience far exceeded our expectations.
We dined in both specialty restaurants and main dining rooms. We are foodies, and we didn't find the food to be good in the main dining rooms. They tried hard, presentation was good, but flavor was bland and lacking. This is typical of every ship we've been on except for Holland for MDR, so we were not surprised. Pass on the lobster, steak, and prime rib. The specialty restaurants really shined. We loved LeBistro, Cagneys, and the Teppenaki/Sushi. They were of quality as any fine dining in the city. When we return, we will most definitely book specialty restaurants nightly. The buffet was surprisingly good as well. They do have an outdoor grill by the pool which was okay too.
Very good Ocean View. Very clean. Good location.