I thought the Star was a very pretty ship. The officers were great as was our room steward and the cruise director. Sometimes the service in the dining areas was great; other times it was horrible. One night we were seated at 5:35 but did not get dessert until 7:39!! We were seated 22 minutes before our order was taken and 19 minutes before our salad arrived. The wait staff is either poorly trained or overworked or both. On the other hand, we always had well trained staff in the Blue Lagoon. Sometimes the food was very good such as our snapper which was served along side overcooked lobster. However, another passenger who ate later said her lobster was great and her fish was terrible. The only items that were consistently good were the breads, pastries, and desserts which were usually excellent. We are definitely not fans of free style dining. If we weren't there before 5:45, there was often a 20-30 minute wait. NCL did serve champagne but I would have rather had a place to sit while we waited.

The entertainment also earned mixed reviews. The ship's singers and dancers were excellent as was the entertainment in the lounges and atrium.

The main reason we took this particular cruise was the ports and they did not disappoint. They were great! We especially liked Costa Maya with Native Choice and Israel. The young man who guided us at the ruins was outstanding and the highlight of our trip! I'm sorry I don't recall his name but I think it also began with an I. Read more