Norwegian was a big disappointment! After a great Baltic cruise last year, we booked with Norwegian to do this Mediterranean cruise, then get on the Epic for a transatlantic cruise. Three days before the cruise, my travel agent notified me of a change in the itinerary. For this change, Norwegian would give each stateroom a $100 shipboard credit. Two ports were cancelled and all but two ports had the arrival and departure times changed! $100 credit! Are you kidding me? To change the entire itinerary and not give customers any options is irresponsible. We will never cruise with Norwegian again. The ports we visited were great and other cruise lines offer them. We will be looking at other cruise lines for our future cruising plans.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Very easy, organized checkin
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Food was OK. We had dinner almost every night in Versailles and never had an over-the-top meal. We did not go to any of the specialty restaurants.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
It was too chilly to use the outdoor facilities. The fitness center was nice.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Had a nice variety of shows that we enjoyed.
Children's Programs
No kids
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Our stateroom steward was very good. She was friendly and accommodating. The wait staff in the buffet was great too - always cleaning up dirty plates.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Ship was fine. Areas were kept clean.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
This was a mini suite accommodating 3 adults. There is a curtain to draw to separate the two sleeping areas which was great, but the sofa bed was always down so there was no sitting room. Storage was minimal but there was a lot of counter space. Cabin was roomy, bathroom was big.
Ship tip
The Star itself is fine, my issue is with Norwegian. They cancelled two ports and changed the time in port for all but one port resulting in having to cancel shore tours and activities. We should have been given the option to cancel and our money refunded. We’ll never cruise Norwegian.
Venice is a great city to walk. Unfortunately the city was flooded in many places so getting around was a challenge. We could not get to St Mark’s Square but crossed the Rialto Bridge and had a gondola ride.
Dubrovnik is a great old town! Loved walking the wall even though we were caught in a storm with gale force winds! We managed to make it down and find a cozy restaurant to get out of the rain and enjoy a beer and lunch.
Took a private tour and had a great time. Be sure to visit the Acropolis Museum. Gives you a chance to see the intricacies of the Acropolis up close and personal since you can no longer get close to the buildings. The changing of the guard was very interesting as well.
Since our port arrival was changed, we did not go to Pompei or the Amalfi Coast. Had to settle for a 3 hour tour of Naples. It was OK; hard to enjoy because of the cancellation of our original tour.
Did our own thing! Took the train and then the bus to the Tower. Such an amazing site. Then, back on the train to Florence which is always a treat. Walked around, had lunch, then back to Livorno. None in our group were art lovers so we didn’t visit any museums.
Did not want to pay $15 RT for the ship’s shuttle to old town. We took a free shuttle to a newer part of town and due to time constraints we didn’t catch a bus into old town. Raining again, so just went back to the ship.
You should have used your $100 credit for the $15 bus then you wouldn't have had to complain about that cost. So were the changes in time at ports longer than advertised? How could anyone be upset about getting more time in port?
Sounds like someone didnt read their cruise contracts. Every cruise line has that. Your lucky there was any type of compensation. Most companies dont. You just get a couple extra hours at some other cruise port.
Did this cruise on the Jade years ago. We couldn’t tender to Santorini due to weather. The winds were too strong. The captain made the decision. We got no onboard credit. When you cruise, things happen and comes with the territory! We just made the best of it and went on. Would you feel the same way if it was weather related instead of mechanical? At least you got some compensation for it.
I am so sorry that you were disappointed in your cruise ,but sometimes conditions just don't permit all that we want,don't give up however on trying to see the areas that you missed,it doesn't matter what cruise line that you choose, just do !
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