Our 14 day Panama Canal cruise on NCL was an unforgettable experience.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was a breeze due to the priority boarding perk that came with our Owners Suite.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
I will say that out of our 4 cruises with Norwegian, the buffet on the Star ranked dead last. I am aware of the logistics of feeding 2200 passengers on a cruise ship, but the Garden Cafe was a bit of a disappointment. Not the variety that we experienced on NCL Pearl or Sky. The bright spot was being able to eat breakfast in Moderno's and lunch in Cagneys. The food and service in these two restaurants was outstanding. We did eat dinner one evening in the Aqua main dining room, and found both the food and service to be very good. Hands down the finest specialty restaurant on the Star was Cagney's Steak House, followed by Le Bistro. Moderno's and La Cucina were not to our liking. Service was excellent but the food was just average.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The on-board activities were what you'd expect on a cruise ship. We found ourselves in the Casino far more than I would liked, but it was enjoyable entertainment.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The singers and dancers were some of the most talented folks we have ever seen on a cruise. The final show they put together on day 13 was simply incredible.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The entire staff on the NCL Star could not have been more professional. Putu, our butler, was a perfect gentleman in every sense of the word. Always smiling, always there if we needed his excellent service. Rolly, the cabin steward, was a joy to be around. I will never forget his sense of humor. Alex, the pool bar waiter, provided us with drinks, along with some of the most interesting pool side conversations.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The NCL Star is an older ship that is set to go into dry dock in May 2018. The ship is quite nice considering its age. The Garden Cafe is badly in need a face lift, and the main pool deck needs to get rid of the giant yellow slide that takes up a third of the pool area. All of the other areas of the ship were very good condition.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The Deluxe Owners Suite was fantastic! The 800+ sq ft really spoiled us for future cruises. The only criticism I had was the well worn carpet and couch. I'm sure they will be replaced in May.
The transit through the Panama Canal wasn't the most exciting part of the cruise, but the narration by a crew member made it interesting. I was quite surprised to learn that it costs NCL about $460,000 to transit the Panama Canal.
We did the Pacific Ocean Horseback ride excursion and had a great time. Cabo San Lucas was a very nice, modern location. We did not see the poverty that was prevalent in much of Central America. The weather in February was perfect for this 14 day cruise.
We had booked a bus tour of Los Angeles County, but unfortunately it rained all day long. The only time we left the bus was when we stopped for an hour at a very impressive local farmers market. Still, it was a pretty nice way to end a 14 day cruise.
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