zentraveler

I had several talks with management about this. It seems so crazy! Not only is there no good place to sit near the window but the curtain between the two spaces, which used to made two effective spaces, is conpletely sheer in the new version. So no longer can someone sleep and someone read. The new version is now one big room. Apparently some people wanted/liked it although it continues to baffle me.

We absolutely hate the new rooms. The couch is really uncomfortable, and putting the bed by the window just seems crazy. No way to sit on the couch and look at the views. You have to perch on the side of the bed to do that or watch TV. If that were my only option I would pass and wait for a cruise with the original configuration.

I think they are called queen, but we usually have trouble in queen beds and these seem more like in-betweer king and queen. They are taken apart for two separate beds so I suspect they are like some hotels which use non-standard sizes. They are very comfortable for us and I never book hotel or airbnb rooms with queen sized beds.

Sunscreen is a must - everywhere and every weather if you care about your skin, and not just cosmetically but skin cancers. I am a physician and have patients who grew up in southern California in the "lay on the beach" days and are now having skin cancers removed. Should be part of a morning skin routine and more often for water and prolonged exposure.

I want to bring a small consumable gift for my neighbor who is watching our house and mail. I have brought her Kona coffee from Hawaii, jam from Paris in the past and she has brought me truffle spread from Italy, licorice from Amsterdam etc. Any ideas for Norway? I would like something she can consume, and have ideas about jam, rather than "stuff", especially of the tourist variety (reindeer themed etc.). Any thoughts?

Ah, thank you. I did look for an appropriate forum in which to post this but missed this one. I think the jam will do fine and thanks to 6rugrats I may get it ahead of time 😉.

This is not exactly a Windstar question but it is a popular cruise so someone might have ideas. I want to bring a small consumable gift for my neighbor who is watching our house and mail. I have brought her Kona coffee from Hawaii, jam from Paris in the past and she has brought me truffle spread from Italy, licorice from Amsterdam etc. Any ideas for Norway? I would like something she can consume rather than "stuff", especially of the tourist variety (reindeer themed etc.)

REALLY glad to hear it! It was just long enough ago that I have forgotten all the maneuvers needed to switch devices. I have three I will be using so this is good news indeed.

Oops, yes. 5/25 for the cruise. We are flying on 5/23. Thanks for clearing up the changeover day; we have been on several cruises during changeover days but I have never noticed that there are no excursions those days. What is a Star Collector cruise?

I sure hope so. I finally got the hang of it only because one of the staff in an elevator at 6 am must have been one of the IT people and finally showed me (I had been to the desk several times). I don't understand why they don't make an app just like everyone else!

We were on the Star Pride last fall and the ship's wifi was unnecessarily complicated to use to switch between devices. There was no app for the cruise so the information that is available about the cruise (daily program, meal times etc.) was klugy and not like other cruise lines that have an easy to use app. Any improvement by now?

Website has deteriorated also IMHO.

Thank you for that useful history lesson! Nice to learn something new every day. And it now understand why I could find Ireland but not Scotland or Wales.

Thank you and ah, I see. It is listed under United Kingdom. That certainly explains it, but still seems odd to me not to list by country and also that neither WS or the other company have excursions there as they seem to have them at every port. But I am sure we will make our own with this additional information!

[Aplolgies for the duplicate, but I posted this yesterday, saw that there was a ressponse and they both have disappeared for some reason!] We are leaving on the Star Legend 5/23 for a 3 week trip to the British Isles and the Norwegian fjords and were looking at excursion options today and Windstar had nothing for Edinburgh - not one. Another major site has nothing either and What's In Port which has 1200 ports in what seems like every country and they don't even list Scotland! Does anyone know what is up with this?? Seems beyond odd to me. (We will be there from 8 - 5 so it is not for lack of time.) I can't even imagine any reason for this.

Thanks Nearpost345. We only liked one of the two groups last time but it was enough for us to have music we liked during either lunch or Compass Rose. Will hope for the best!

Sailing on the Star Legend this month and wonder if any recent travelers can say anything about the musicians/music on the cruise. We sailed last fall and Jayce (?) and his foursome were great I and am interested in knowing that or any other tidbits about the staff/cruise etc.

Are people using them or they all taken by towels and various "place savers"?

Hate the new cabins (bed by balcony and uncomfortable couch) but there always seemed to be space wherever we wanted to be except perhaps the outdoor patio/deck (8?) on a good weather sea day around lunchtime.

Yes, if memory serves me correctly, but one would have to drink a lot to reach it; I think it is more of a per drinks per day. .And it seemed to me that everything at the bar was included although they may not have top, top shelf there. The wine list does not contain a lot of premium wines; they are available, but not on the all inclusive daily package. They sell wine packages with better wine. One nice thing is that it is clear what is and is not included in the package.

It should be fine. There are laundry bags and the papers to fill out in the drawer underneath the safe (at least in the new rooms; we were in both new and old so just look in the drawers in the closet). Stuff as much you can in the bag, or send two bags. Give them to the room steward early and they came back for us later that day, although that won't work on the first day since you won't be on until 1 or so. So don't count on them coming back until day #3.

The laundry is fabulous. Comes back the next day with everything appropriate ironed (!) and looking better than it looks at home. Worth every penny. Who wants to do laundry on vacation??

In 7 weeks I spent a fair bit of time on deck 8 and as I said never smelled a think. I saw one man, once, chewing on an unlit cigar but that was it. We are not night people so maybe the night crowd includes some smokers but you will easily be able to avoid the open part of deck 8. The "yacht club" is the forward part of deck 8 and is a lovely place to hang out far away from any potential smoke. Great ship; fabulous staff.

We just got off the Star Legend which started on this exact itinerary (after 7 weeks -- LONG story) and never once smelled smoke. Anywhere. And I can smell it a mile away. We found the wine list on the drink package varied and had a fine selection. I suspect your best bet might be to pick up wine at the first shore stop and see if they let you bring it on. The crew seemed fairly relaxed and honestly, they were all great.

I was on the board in advance of my trip and got interested in this discussion. I own the stock and am interested in securities in general. It is the only thread I am following on Carnival. Sorry if this offended anyone; it was a clumsy way of responding to the idea that it would be easy to change the reputation that Carnival has as a "fun" cruise and not a higher end one. But I agree that it would definitely help their bottom line. I chose that Carnival cruise to see if it was a good alternative to more expensive ones.