Food and service were great. The STAR is not a mega size (like the Breakaway class) such that getting on and off at the various ports is efficient.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
The Venice port handles this size ship adequately.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Cagney's continues to serve the best Steak on the Ocean...my "steak chef" was Dennis, he repeatedly prepared my Fillet perfectly. After this cruise and at the start of the next Cruise, Cagney's had a menu change.. the new Ahi tuna as an appetizer is superb.
The buffet choices seem to be fewer than in the past, I rarely ate there. However the few lunches I had there I had the freshly prepared pasta (to order) it was good. The numerous Maitre d's were accessible and engaging.
Breakfast in the MDR (Versailles) was run efficiently, the MDR (Versailles) lunch menu had shrimp on the menu daily and periodically Calamari as an appetizer..
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Trivia was quite popular, the evening "gameshows" were fun.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Band on the run was exceptional, the acrobatics were very good... other shows were not up to the normal NCL standards.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Service and sincere friendliness was top tier.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The Star recently underwent NCL Edge refurb. The update eliminated the O/s buffet dining area aft and made it Spice H2O, a minus (for me). The aft spinnaker lounge is reconfigured as the Bliss lounge..New b=carpet and Mattresses throughout.. the new mattress was comfortable.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Similar in size to the Balcony rooms on the Jewel class ships. Larger room and hallway compared to the Breakaway class
Ship tip
The Star is the same length and width as the Jewel class ships, lacks a spinnaker lounge. The crew to passenger ratio is superior to the Breakaway class and Epic. Therefore service is better / on par with the Jewel class ships. Similar to the Jewel class, some of the features for kids are non-existent..i.e. no ropes course, no crazy water slides, nor a splash park. If you are bringing kids the Breakaway class is more appropriate for them.
Train is about a 20 minute walk and an economical way to get to Athens and the sites...The busses were challenged returning to the ship due to a demonstration in Athens, some passengers opted off the busses to take a cab to make it back.. the train was unaffected. The Acropolis is a must see item if you've never been there.
Stay away from the aggressive and expensive cabbies.. the metro (subway) is relatively close to the port, construction will likely bring it closer. The subway will take you just about anywhere in Naples, a=including the train station, making destinations like Pompei and Sorrento an economic train ride away, sadly there is not an express train to Sorrento, so you'll need to keep track of your time. The express train to and from Pompei is the way to go.
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