We returned from the Star to Alaska yesterday and had a great time. We are a family of 4 with 2 children ages 13 and 9. We have sailed 3 times prior (once with the kids) all on Princess. I will try and touch on the different aspects of our cruise and will do a separate review of the ports on the Alaska boards.

Overall - We enjoyed NCL and the Star, but not quite as much as Princess. This didn't make for a bad cruise, but at the end of this review I will touch base on a few comparisons. The Star was in great shape - yes there are a few signs of wear and tear, but what do you expect with over 2,300 passengers on board each week. The layout of the ship is great with things spread out enough to keep the congestion down (with the exception of the shopping area - but I am sure that is by design). There was very little smoke smell with the exception of the casino. There is a smoking area near the pool and the crew made sure no one lit up in the non-smoking areas.

Embarkation - We arrived Friday evening and stayed at the Hyatt Town Place near the Space Needle - great location and hotel with a free shuttle to the pier. We arrived at pier around 11:30 and things where just starting to get busy. We were staying in a suite and had VIP check-in. Things really appeared unorganized until we were informed that there was an inspection taking place and no one would board the ship until 12:30. At that point we walked down the pier for a snack and returned shortly after 12:00 and were escorted personally through security to the VIP room. We filled out our paperwork, had photos taken for our ID cards and then were escorted to Cagney's for lunch. 20 minutes tops after our return and we were on board. Read more