jertom

Thanks for your review !

We are going on this cruise in April, so very helpful.

Star

Copied from original posting: (Thanks!)

Captain – Konstantinos Fafalios

Hotel Director – Hugo Vanosmael

Cruise Director – Iain Bagshaw

Chief Engineer - Sergey Gorshkov

Staff Captain – Marin Vucetic

Staff Chief Engineer – Andrea Meli

Food & Beverage Director – Vikramraj Parthasarthy

Executive Chef – Orwill Saldanha

Executive Housekeeper – Cesar Hapa

Concierge – Ruth

Staff Captain: Marin Dobrila

Guest Service Manager: Claudia Condurachi

Restaurant Manager: Adine Barret

Beverage Manager: Aldo Candare

Guest Service Coordinator/Access Officer: Ronald Roca

Differences from above list on Jan 19 Star:

Guest Services Manager: Ray Espina

Executive Chef: Barrington Burke

Guest Service Coordinator/Access Officer: Ligaya Dagasdas

Chief Engineer: Julius Forsberg

Staff Captain: Marin Yucetic

In addition, Denis Prguda was acting as Hotel Director but explained he was filling in temporarily.

Of course, Star is going into drydock in March so maybe further changes around that time.

A few random comments on our Jan 19 cruise:

No 2 for 1 Happy Hours on this cruise.

Taxi drivers at Cartagena port were really aggressive about their fares. They were insisting on $20 to town when we had the impression from research that the normal fare was $7.50. The vendors in town were willing to negotiate well down.

The ship library was very well stocked, but irritating that the shelves were locked most of the time.

The shower in our balcony cabin was very good sized. I think the OV cabins are the same.

In Puntarenas, there was supposed to be a free shuttle bus from the ship to the end of the long pier, but we never saw one. Also the Tourist office just past the pier was closed. I think both closures were because it was a Sunday.

Food was generally good if you read the menus carefully. We ate at the MDRs most nights, and didn't eat at specialty restaurants. The good thing about the buffet is you can see the food before deciding. We do miss the salmon which used to be on the MDR menus every night.

The Oh What a Night (Four Seasons inspired) shows were good. 2 shows during the cruise, each different. The only other show we liked was the violinist Gary Lovini.

We watched the Super Bowl in the Spinnaker lower deck lounge. Lots of small TVs, one projected TV, and flexible seating. Needless to say, an exciting experience !

Tom

On our cruise on the Star, a ship photographer got off and took shots from alongside the canal of people on decks or on their balconies. The individual shots of people on the ship were posted in the photo shop.

We had a very nice cruise with weather cooperating. Our first time at all of the ports. Also our first time on the Star, after 5 cruises on other NCL ships. We thought the crew was pleasant and attentive.

We did miss the Great Outdoors and Observation Lounge of most of the other similarly sized NCL ships, but overall we enjoyed the ship.

I will post some other comments, and if any questions please fire away.

Tom

Chicaguapa,

Thanks for starting this thread. It will be useful to many of us. We are doing this itinerary in April.

Go to the pub and find out if they have a drinkable beer.

Good one ! An oxymoron: drinkable beer on cruise ships ...:(

Find 2 comfortable chairs, relax and tell each other how lucky you are to be on a cruise, where there is nothing you MUST do ! :)

I agree with those who prefer not to have to pay for included alcohol and shore excursions. I think Oceania has the right balance.

I don't know about NCL, but Holland America offers a cruise with a shore excursion to Machu Picchu.

Thanks for the tip. We have not been on Holland but will look into it.

And thanks for your informative and entertaining review !

Oakman,

Thanks for the great review !

It has gotten us excited for our Jan 19 PC cruise, as well as provide a wealth of helpful insights.

Good luck to you on future cruises !

We were on the Dream in December of 2002. Very interesting itinerary that left out of Miami and after doing the Panama Canal, we went on a side trip to Machu Picchu (through NCL) for three days mid-cruise finally disembarking in Valparaiso, Chile. Great first cruise... I think it was 16 days.

Great that you could do that...I wish that combination was offered now !

The Dream was indeed an odd-duck of a ship... and it did have the middle section inserted after being cut apart!

 

I was on it in 2002 (my first cruise ever) and there were stories about her having an "incident" in 1999:

 

Interesting... our first ever cruise was also on the Dream, in spring of 2002, in the Baltic/North Sea (when were you on her?). We were so new to cruising that we never heard of the 1999 incident. If we had, we might not have signed up!

Our day going through the Kiel Canal was memorable: people waving all along the shore, and the folding Dream funnel to get under a bridge.

And yes, we know about the ship being cut apart but might have learned that after the cruise. Another thing we were probably better off not knowing! :)

What additional items did your trip insurance cover?

I would also like to know that. Seems it might be important in judging the total costs of the cancellation.

Thanks Biker@Sea for bringing the review forward. I had never read it.

And thanks Sailor Jack for the review ! What a classic. Made my day (well actually, night).

And if no one else has said the mantra yet: take half the clothes and twice the money ! :)

I agree with the poster who said to make your own list.

You may have needs that are unique to you.

I make 2 lists: Things to Do (before the trip) and Things to Take.

Things to Do list includes securing the house, stopping mail, getting cash, paying bills, buying things to take, renewing meds, etc.

Then I save the lists to help with future trips.

Quote:

"and afterward went to the Stardust Theater for the show, Oh What a Night, a musical tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The show was very entertaining."

Great to hear that. We saw the show on another cruise and we would see it again if it is on our Jan 19 cruise !

Thanks OP,

We are enjoying this thread as we get ready for our Canal cruise Jan 19.

 

As to news reports. They copy from each other. Whatever the first writer produces, that's what is being reported everywhere.

Well said. And worse, one could conclude that since all reports agree, they must be true. :mad:

Sometimes I imagine a frown but I think it is just feeling guilt about not being social. But I quickly get over it. Sometimes we feel social, sometimes not. Freestyle !!

There is one thing that has not been mentioned in any of the threads about the new menu. The old menu had slight differences between the two MDRs, ie: one would have rib steak and the other would have strip steak.

 

Can someone that has cruised with the new menus address this--are the new menus exactly the same, or are there some differences?

 

Thanks.

On the Sky Nov 3-7 the 2 MDR's had the same menu. And we were disappointed that no longer is there salmon as a standard MDR choice every night. It was always a reliable choice if no other entrees looked appealing.

Dessert crepes with banana or apple filling, and chocolate sauce over, with side of scooped ice cream. Makes a big dessert !

We both finished ours it was that good, but we said in the future we would order one and split it.

Just got off the Sky and we had breakfast in Crossings MDR one time.

In addition to Eggs Benedict, they had Salmon Benedict which was excellent. Also waffles were excellent.

Of course, the meal takes longer than in the buffet, so you have to work it into your schedule.

We have usually brought our carry ons with us and rather than wait in a line to store our baggage, we just took it with us to restaurants or anywhere else, until cabin was ready. Easy !