As the title states, this will be a full review and an almost complete guide to the NCL Star as of February 7, 2016. It is a work in progress and I will post when I update sections.
We Embarked on Sunday, January 31, 2016. Debarkation was on Sunday, February 7, 2016. The NCL Star currently sails out of Port of Tampa, FL for a 7 Night Western Caribbean sailing. The NCL Star itinerary is:
Day 1 - Port of Tampa, Depart 4:00pm
Day 2 - Sea Day
Day 3 - Roatan, Honduras, 11:00am – 7:00pm
Day 4 - Belize City, Belize, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Day 5 - Costa Maya (Mahahual), Mexico, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Day 6 - Cozumel, Mexico, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Day 7 - Sea Day
Day 8 - Port of Tampa, 8:00am
2016 Dates for above Itinerary:
2/14, 2/21, 2/28, 3/6*, 3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/3, and 4/10
* 3/6 Sailing Day 4 is Harvest Caye, Belize, 10:00am – 6:00pm
All the information included in this guide and review is for the 7 Night Western Caribbean sailings listed above. I cannot say whether menus, freestyle events, and other information will be pertinent to sailings after 4/10/2016.
Here is a link to my Google Drive shared ‘2016-01-31 NCL Star’ Folder:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?...k0&usp=sharing
The link above contains:
- All Freestyle Daily and Inserts
- Menus for most of the restaurants (I recreated many in Publisher and saved as PDF files)
- Other Documents given or found throughout the Cruise
- A pictures folder with shots of the ship
About Us My wife (44) and I (42) live in central Florida just south of Orlando. We have been on 6 cruises together since 2011, 4 Norwegian (Dawn, Pearl, Getaway, and now the Star), 1 RCL, and 1 Carnival. We are about 2 hours from Port of Tampa and Port Canaveral, and 2.5-3 hours from Port of Ft. Lauderdale and Port of Miami so we have a good selection of cruises to the W/E/S Caribbean and Bahamas.
On this sailing, we had the Ultimate Beverage Package (UBP) and 4-night specialty dining package (SDP) included for free. We never had the UBP since we aren’t big drinkers, but to pay just the 18% gratuity which was $80/pp, we knew we could do 1-2 drinks a day and come out ahead! The dining package service charge was $13 each – again we got 4 specialty meals for less than 1 person’s meal that usually cost $25. On top of the packages, we received $25 on-board credit to use.
We did this same itinerary in November 2012 for our honeymoon on the NCL Dawn, which is a wonderful ship and was a fabulous trip. We like to go with the flow and not schedule excursions at every port. We feel the vacation should be relaxing and we should not need a vacation after our vacation like you do after a trip to Disney! We like to get off the ship at our convenience, do a little shopping, and maybe take in the nearby sights. We meet so many nice people on NCL and sometimes they hang with us or we hang out with them. It’s always nice to have someone that can take a picture of US instead of just one of us being in the pictures or having that selfie couple shot!
Arrival at Port of Tampa
Parking – We reserved with ‘Park 4 Cruise’ which is just next to the port. We could see our car from the ship. It is a dirt lot, but it is gated. You don’t leave your keys with them so they aren’t sandwiching cars together like sardines. It’s setup like a normal parking lot and they have a shuttle which takes about 3-5 minutes if there is port traffic. It may be easier to walk to the ship if you don’t have too many bags! We pulled in around 10:30am, gave them our name, they showed us where to park, helped unload the 3 bags into the shuttle, and whisked us off to the unloading zone. When we returned, the shuttle was right where he said it would be and we were at our car and headed home in 15 minutes. Total price for Sun-Sun was $64.
Going through Security – We unloaded at the curb and gave our 2 big bags to the port loaders. I had 1 carry-on roller with cruise documents, electronics, and misc stuff. My wife had a backpack with her stuff along with important items like pills and eyeglasses. We got in line about 11:00am with about 30-40 people in front of us to go through the metal detector and baggage scanner. It went pretty quickly and we were in the terminal. They first made us fill out the “Are you sick” heath questionnaire, then take that to the line to check in – there was no one in front of us and we walked up to the counter. After showing documents and swiping the billable cc, she took our pictures and gave us our cards and welcome aboard flyer with deck plans and information about the ship (see Other Documents on my Google Drive). We were guided to the waiting room and given a boarding group #4 card and sat down. There was water and orange juice out so we each got a cup.
Norwegian iConcierge Program – while waiting to board (or before you get to the port), I would suggest downloading the Norwegian iConcierge program on your smartphone. Then, before boarding connect to the ‘NCL_Star_Internet’ Wifi to check out the program. I will do more in-depth on the program later.
Boarding the Ship
I believe we started boarding at noon and the process was fast going up a few escalators, out on the gangway and across to the ship where we entered on deck 7 in the Atrium, but not before we got the Washy Washy hand spray – get used to it as you will (and should) do it often. The Grand Atrium is a large room with the customer service desk to the left and a stage to the right where a lot of music is played throughout the cruise. When you look up, you see the overlooks of deck 8 with O’Sheehans Bar & Grill, and deck 9 with the internet café. Since the rooms wouldn’t be ready until at least 1pm, we explored the ship. I had most of the ship memorized, but it still takes some time to get your bearings.
Quick directional tip for NCL – the fishes on the carpets point to the forward of the ship – “Fishies Front”. The left side of the ship is the Port – LEFT and PORT both have 4 letters. The right side of the ship is Starboard – if you remember LEFT, you will know what right is!
We headed to the elevators at mid and went up to deck 12 to the Market Café buffet which was open, and found TopSiders and each grabbed a drink.
Stateroom - 4561
We booked a Guaranteed Inside (IX) cabin in November, and didn’t receive our stateroom number until mid-January. We were put in the bowels of the ship on deck 4 room 4561, port inside cabin near forward. It was perfect for us. We have had balconies, and with the extra cost we feel we have to use it… but how often are you in your stateroom other than to change and sleep. Also, we are working on 2 cruises a year so the savings on an inside cabin allow us to do this. We are loyal to NCL because we love what they have to offer on all the ships, although we did the Getaway (review here: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberre...EntryID=269948) and are not too fond of the mega ships right now.
The stateroom was very accommodating for our needs. It had all we needed – bed, bathroom, lcd tv, refrigerator, desk, plugs for our electronics, a safe, ample closet space, and 3 drawers. We put our suitcases under the bed after unpacking and had plenty of room to move around. We are a good normal weight and size – me 5’10” 185 lbs, her 5’4” 120 lbs.
Garden Villa - 14500
Thanks to Cruise Critic, from our roll call we met some nice people. One of them got the upgrade from an Owner Suite to a Garden Villa and hosted a meet & greet. There were about 15 of us all together and we were just all amazed with the GV’s 8800 square foot size. Along with the 3 large rooms (14501/14502/14503) within the GV, there was a living room and dining room overlooking the topsiders pool decks 12 and 13. Also, a huge “backyard patio” that could probably fit 20 to 30 people – with private hot tub, sauna, and steam room. From the patio were stairs that led up to deck 15 with more deck chairs, a hammock, and an overlook of everything below. We all watched the Star pass under the Skyway bridge from here and it was an amazing view. I know our new friends took advantage of the suite life for a week!
Food/Dining - Complimentary
Versailles Main Dining Room – Deck 6 Aft (B/L/D)
Aqua Main Dining Room – Deck 6 Mid (L/D)
Market Café – The Buffet – Deck 12 Mid/Aft (B/L/D)
This is the buffet…
Topsiders Bar & Grill – Deck 12 Mid
Poolside burgers, hot dogs, fries, and other options – didn’t mom tell us to not eat and swim? Check the Freestyle for hours.
O’Sheehans Irish Pub – Deck 8 Mid (24 hours) – Menu(s) on Google Docs
This is the 24 hour food and bar location setup in the theme of an Irish Pub. The menu includes “Irish Favorites” along with wings, hot dogs, burgers, and other staples you might want even at 2 in the morning!
Ginza – Deck 7 Mid/Fwd (L/D) – Menu on Google Docs
Ginza is the Asian noodle bar which is mostly complimentary, and includes the Sushi and Sake bar which are a la carte.
Food/Dining – Specialty ($) and A la carte
There are 5 specialty (additional cost) restaurants on board which include: Le Bistro, La Cucina, Cagney’s, Moderno, and Teppenyaki. These restaurants range in price from $25/pp and up or now have a la carte pricing, and you [should] make a reservation either from the iConcierge app, at the dining desk, calling the dining desk from your stateroom, or using one of the touch screens around the ship. There are also several a la carte dining options such as the Sushi Bar, and coffee/desert stations like Atrium Café & Bar
Teppenyaki – Deck 7 Mid/Fwd
Teppenyaki is the Hibachi (think Bennihana) grill which is located inside the Ginza Noodle Bar. The
La Cucina – Deck 6 Mid (Next to Gatsby’s) – Menu on Google Docs
When you’re here… you’re… oh wait, that’s another Italian place. La Cucina is Italian cuisine on located on the ship.
Cagney’s Steakhouse – Deck 13 Mid – Menu on Google Docs
Moderno – Deck 13 Mid
Next to Cagney’s is the Moderno Churrascaria.
Le Bistro – Deck 6 Mid
Opposite Gatsby’s (next to the piano) is the entrance to Le Bistro.
Sushi – Deck 7 Fwd/Mid – Menu on Google Docs
Bars/Drinks
Gatsby’s Champagne Bar – Deck 6 Mid
Wine Cellar – Deck 6 Mid
Sake Bar – Deck 7 Fwd/Mid
Atrium Café & Bar – Deck 7 Mid
5 O’clock Somewhere Bar – Deck 7 Aft
Spinnaker Lounge – Deck 7 Aft
O’Sheehan’s – Deck 8 Mid
Barong Juice Bar – Deck 12 Aft
Topsiders Bar & Grill – Deck 12 Mid
Sugarcane Mojito Bar – Deck 13 Mid (Inside the Moderno)
Bier Garten – Deck 14 Fwd
Entertainment
Star Club Casino – Deck 6 Fwd
Stardust Theater – Deck 6/7 Fwd
Spinnaker Lounge – Deck 7 Aft
Video Zone – Deck 12 Aft
The Library – Deck 12 Fwd
The Game/Card Room – Deck 12 Fwd
Golf Driving Net (2) – Deck 13 Aft
Sports Court – Deck 14 Mid
Stateroom TV Channels – There is a small selection of channels on the TV in your stateroom. The first 8 are devoted to the ship – Safety, Shopping, Entertainment, Ship Info, Bow Cam. Then you have 2 or 3 news channels, a sports channel, a ‘TV Shows’ channel, and 2 movie channels.
Staff
Guest Services
Shore Excursions
Cruise Director
Entertainment
Spa & Fitness
Jogging Track – Deck 13
Mandara Spa – Deck 11 Aft
Spa Thermal Suite – Deck 11 Aft
Barong Fitness Center – Deck 12 Aft
Internet Café – Deck 9 Mid
Shopping
Gift Shop – Deck 7 Atrium
Tradewinds Tax & Duty Free Shops – Deck 7 Fwd
Photo Gallery – Deck 7 Aft
Daily Log
I kept a pretty good daily log in notepad on my iPhone of everything we did along with notes and extra information. I will post some of it below under each day. - See Freestyle Daily on Google Docs for each Day's full ship event list
Day 1 – Port of Tampa Embarkation, Set sail at 4:00pm
Day 2 – Sea Day
Day 3 – Roatan, Honduras – 11:00am – 7:00pm
Day 4 – Belize City, Belize – 8:00am – 5:00pm (Time Change)
Day 5 – Costa Maya, Mexico – 8:00am – 5:00pm
Day 6 – Cozumel, Mexico – 8:00am – 5:00pm (Time Change)
Day 7 – Sea Day
Debarkation Day
CruiseNext Deposit
Each NCL cruise, we buy a future cruise credit for $250 and get $100 in ship credit to use. Now it’s called CruiseNext and it is an even better deal if you buy more than 1 credit. We ended up buying 4 for $1,000 and received $500 ship credit (which we used to pay towards the $1,000). They are good for 4 years and can be used for 6 day or longer cruises as a deposit, but only 1 per stateroom booked. They can be transferred to friends or family as well so you can give them as gifts -- or charge them $125 and break even and they get a free $125 towards their stateroom. See the CruiseNext Form in Google Docs and also the 2015/16/17 NCL Itinerary Guide.
Service Charge (a.k.a. gratuities/tips)
A daily service charge for gratuities of $13.50/pp/pd (up from $12.00/pp) for anyone over the age of 3 in your stateroom. The charge in the Owner Suites and Garden Villa is $15.50/pp/pd. This is supposed to get distributed to staff on board. Where/who it goes to you will never see and there are controversies as to the distribution. No matter whom it goes to, you either pre-pay the fee online for the trip ($94.50/pp for 7 days), or let it rack up on your bill and pay it when the bill is settled on the last night. You cannot have it removed or waive the gratuities anymore. They will gladly give you a form to fill out and send it to dispute or refund them, but it will be after the fact and you may or may not get a refund.
However, if you’ve found a good bartender, or your steward has taken good care of you, or you’re just feeling generous, be sure to give them something extra for a tip. I know everyone feels like they are nickel and diming you to death on the ship, but reward good service!
Tips for Packing
We learn new tips and tricks with each cruise and add or remove items from our cruise list every year. I will post our packing list to Google Docs and list some things we do to make life easier on the cruise. While we can pack more and carry on more than those that have to fly, we like to keep it as simple as we can. We know for our Alaskan and Panama Canal cruises we will have to fly, so what we can learn to do with/without now will help later.
- Magnets – did you know most of the walls on the ship are metal and magnetic? Bring some magnets to hang your Freestyle on the wall to look at it, or hold other papers or items instead of getting lost on the desk.
- Duck tape – it’s good for repairing everything so bring a small roll with you.
- Back of the door shoe hanger – sure you can use it for shoes, but we use it to hold all our bathroom essentials and other small things in all the pockets. Easy to get to and your counter space and drawers won’t be cluttered.
Other Notable Notes
- Print out your luggage tags with your cruse docs ahead of time. If you have a color printer, use it so the color shows for the baggage folks. Also, fold them using the extra paper on the sheet and use clear packing tape to make the tag stronger and waterproof. When you wrap it around the luggage handle, don’t staple it 50 times. Use the clear packing tape again to tape the ends and about 3-4 inches up from the end. Do it twice and it won’t be coming off anytime soon!