Adriatic Cruise on a Star
Norwegian Star Cruise Review to Europe - Eastern Mediterranean
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 60
7 Night Adriatic & Greece & Turkey (Venice Roundtrip)
Sail date: October 22, 2017
Ship: Norwegian Star
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 10198
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 7 years ago
Review summary
Cruise ship is very comfortable and the weather was exceptional. Our suite was good and the cafes and restaurants were good. The ports along the Adriatic coast are interesting and well worth a visit. As always, due to departure times, it is not possible to spend as much time as desired in most of the ports. We have sailed on other cruises which offered more appealing theatrical entertainment and classes on topics such as Microsoft photo software.Embarkation
Excellent process - it seems this ain't their first rodeo. Queues, of necessity, lead to some waiting, but the process is quick and painless, considering the number of people to process.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Good, especially the Versailles Restaurant (excellent), where we enjoyed many meals. Breakfasts at the buffet were good. Didn't locate an upscale dining room which I believe that we enjoyed on a previous cruise on this same ship.
Onboard Activities
Did not participate in onboard activities that I recall. Limited periods of time when the library was open to check out books or review reference books makes it virtually useless, as most of the times occur when cruisers are on shore for excursions and touring. I suggest having educational sessions on the evening prior to each port of call - probably on the on-board television.
Entertainment
Rating is due to a lack of imagination in regard to onboard entertainment. Can't really rate the entertainment in the ship's theater, since they did not have the appeal of that on other cruises we have taken. Only actually attended one, after reviewing the descriptions in the daily information sheet. Other cruises that we have taken offered interesting classes which were well-attended on topics such as common Photo software, Microsoft software, and smart phones. The class provided to review the ports of call was very uninteresting, as the presenter merely read a handout which we had received and did not really educate as to the ports of call. Other cruises that we have taken had a session in the early evening before each port which was narrated by a person with lively discussion about the port and tours and provided good Q&A to exchange information about them with the attendees. The ship could certainly sell a lot more excursions if they informed of their advantages. The vendors on board could provide some interesting classes on the merchandise that they hope to sell, especially on precious stones, zirconia, the creation process, etc. They should be glad to provide it gratis because of the impact on their onboard sales. Other cruises that we have taken, provide some interesting merchandising, such as sales in the pool deck area and, on this same vessel, a Russian merchandise sale in the sushi bar area.
Service and Staff
Great service in the Versailles and Aqua restaurants. In the buffet area, I mostly had breakfast - had an omelet every morning. One of the cooks - (name starts with a Z - from the Philippines) - was very cheerful for early morning and did a very good omelet. My wife, on the other hand, really enjoyed room delivery for her daily breakfast and it was always on-time. Jeb, who attended to our cabin, did an excellent job - the room was always cleaned well, and he was almost invisible, never intrusive, and took care of every request promptly.
Ship Quality
Sometimes had difficulty selecting the right elevator bank. For some reason, had more difficulty in determining where we were in the ship than on other cruises we've taken. Very clean and well-maintained.
Cabin / Stateroom
The stateroom was the best that we've experienced - large enough and comfortable, with an efficient layout. The bathroom was large and the bed was very comfortable. Although we didn't spend much time on the balcony, we did enjoy it.
Ship tip
Take advantage of the restaurants. We really enjoyed the Versailles and the food and service were excellent.
Thumbs up
0
Ports of call
No excursion taken. Vaporetto travel (public transport by water - 20 Euros for 24 hr pass) to points along the Grand Canal was used because walking is difficult for handicapped travelers due to large numbers of bridges and steps. Although they are charming and appealing, it is difficult to carry a wheelchair over them. The views, however, are just what one visits Venice to enjoy.
No excursion taken. Engaged a taxi (owned by Marin ??) for a ride and services as a guide above Dubrovnik to the views from the Y bridge and the cable car station with stops along the way, and to the Old Town. Great place to visit.
No excursion taken. Walking tour was very enjoyable. Interesting old town with many tourist shops along the way - especially for T-shirts and other souvenirs. Would rate a 5 Stars if it were separated further from the visit to Dubrovnik.
No excursion taken. Suffers by comparison to other ports, although enjoyable break. Lots of souvenir & clothing shops within walking distance of the docks. Prices were reasonable. The whole town near the docks had the feel of a Mexican border town without so many bars.
No excursion taken. Since my wife was in a wheelchair, we were not planning to climb the hill to the Acropolis. However, the information desk informed us that there was a lift available near another entrance. After a difficult climb over a rough street to the entrance and waiting in a long line to purchase tickets to the site, we were informed that the lift was not operational, so we passed on visiting a historical site which my wife, a retired history teacher, would have really enjoyed. Traffic and the distance to the Acropolis leave little time for anything else around the city. There was a customs-type station upon return to the port which was unlike anything we've experienced on any other cruise. It was poorly run and resulted in spending well over an hour in a bizarre, probably totally unnecessary, uniquely Greek process.
Enjoyable walking tour around town and to and from port. Open air shops just outside the town walls offer reasonable deals and the areas outside the walls offer shops and restaurants. A nice town to visit, very attractive.
Disembarkation
Only had carry-on luggage. Easy departure.
Traveler Photos
