Norwegian Star Review
A Fun Cruise, but with Some Significant Caveats
Rating by category
Additional details
We found a good deal on the NCL Star for the week following Thanksgiving out of Tampa visiting Western Caribbean ports. The ship was a bit more than half full ...or so I was told...and that is what makes this review to be taken with a grain of (sea) salt.
The embarkation and debarkation was relatively painless in spite of previous reviews I have read. This may have been affected by the less-than-full ship and that we arrived early at both occasions. We got off very quickly but because we were in line 30 minutes early. We bumped into fellow cruisers at the airport who complained that it took them hours.
Several previous reviews of prior trips mentioned frustration with the ship's departure being delayed due to repairs. This trip continued the streak. Our ship was supposed to depart Tampa at 4pm but did not leave until 4AM the next morning due to needed repairs. Some patrons were frustrated by this but not as much as NCL because the ship had to keep its casino and shops closed while still in port. So there was some frustration all around.
Cabin Review
Balcony
Most cruise cabins are snug but this one seemed a bit cozier than the last balcony cabin I had on NCL. Please keep in mind that there is only one electrical outlet; so you may want to bring a power strip and/or extension cord with you.
Port Reviews
Roatan
A bit of a drive (30+ minutes) but very nice people and a good way to see the rest of the island.
Belize City
It's a good drive from the port so you get to see the countryside.
Costa Maya
Erick our guide was very good. The tour starts with a tour of the temples but then ends with a delicious lunch at a local Mayan village.
Tampa
Tampa is a nice town. The best part of it was catching up with an old friend there.
Cozumel
Cozumel is a tourist trap and I did not see any tours that interested me. We just walked around a bit checking out the local shops.