Norwegian Star Review
Rating by category
Additional details
My wife and I took a cruise on NCL Star departing from LA on November 20, 2010 through the Panama Canal and terminating in Miami after fifteen nights. We flew to LAX on November 19. I bid $60 on Price Line for a hotel for one night and used the address of the Crown Plaza at San Pedro. For the first time I got a room for my price but it was the Westin in Long Beach which is about four miles from San Pedro. The area of Long Beach is very nice by the way and we enjoyed walking around the hotel but transportation to San Pedro was an issue I hadn't expected. The hotel staff said that a taxi was our only options but I found that a bus, Rt. 142 would drop us at the San Pedro terminal area for $1.25. When we got off the bus there was quite a walk, maybe .3 miles dragging baggage until we reached a pick up point for the terminal shuttle. Be certain when getting off the shuttle to look around for the luggage drop off point or you will find yourself in the check in queue with all your luggage to tote around on board until the cabins are ready. The cabins were available at two PM. We had a nice lunch in the Versailles dining room first.
The food on Star is noticeably better than on our most recent Mercury cruise which was a very welcome change. The passengers were of the same demographics as the Mercury ship. Our silver Latitudes Club level earned us little in the way of perks (a luncheon with free wine on one occasion). After our next NCL cruise we will move to the next level but that means nothing significant except priority tendering. The frequent cruiser programs on RCL/Celebrity are much more generous. The future cruise deposit program on NCL is a good value because a $250 minimum future deposit yields a $100 credit on ones current cruise. We debated about doing this because of limitations on use described by the future cruise consultant on Star but purchased one anyway.
We booked no excursions through the ship, preferring to negotiate them ourselves on shore on the day of arrival. As long as one uses good judgment this technique will work and will provide one with lots of flexibility.
Cabin Review
Mid-Ship Inside
Our inside cabin was the smallest we have ever experienced. I stepped it off and estimate that there were 127 square feet. Opening the door exposed the entire bed and one would almost fall into bed upon stepping into the cabin. We did get a great price though and this cabin was acceptable given that.