Thinking of Straying to NCL from RCI April 2012 on Star

[Sugar*Magnolia]

We live in NJ and prefer to leave out of the northeast, NY or NJ primarily. We have mostly sailed on Royal Caribbean and found the voyager class (& above) have suited our kids throughout the past 10 yrs.

 

I think it is time for me and DH [sans the kids] to check out another nearby cruise port and cruise line.

 

Thinking about booking the Star out of NY April 2012.

 

Can anyone compare NCL to RCI in the food and entertainment areas?

 

Also, we're as familiar with the voyage class ships on RCI as we are our home neighborhood, lol the Star deck plans looks like it is easy enough to navigate.

 

I didnt notice a Solarium (Or Adults only pool area) but thats okay, its just a mention.

 

Anything you can tell me about the Ship, the crew, and is this an Itinerary you have done before? I Love the idea of 3 full days in my favorite place!

[searoses]

i really missed the solarium on my recent gem cruise with 3 sea days. i prefer the radiance class ships-serenade is my favorite. i would sail ncl again based on itinerary and plan to next june with my kids and grandson.:)

[ce2000]

Give NCL a try. It is a little more casual than Royal Caribbean. In the interest of full disclosure, I am not loyal to any cruise line, I like to try as many different cruise lines and ships as possible. I have always got more than my monies worth on every cruise that I have been on.

[DAGVBSB]

I have been on both the Explorer of the Seas (Voyager class) and the Norweigan Star and I much prefer the layout of the Star. The Explorer had a lot of dead end decks where you had to go up or down to get around it. The Star has very few of these.

 

Of course no Studio B on the Star and no rock climbing wall, but still plenty to do.

 

The biggest difference is Freestyle Cruising... no set dining times and no mandatory dress up nights. (polo shirt, kahki, tennis shoes are fine every night in every dining venue.) There are more specialty restaurants on the Star than on the Explorer and the kids pool area is much nicer. Of course no Solarium.

 

As far as food, our family much prefers NCL over RCCL's main dining room food. I find that NCL has a much better and varied selection than RCCL. On the Explorer, it seemed that it was the same things over and over, just with different names and slightly different preparation. NCL has a much better appitizer and salad selection. (make sure to try the chilled fruit soups...mmmm). My mother, who is allergic to most spices, has to have a special meal prepared for her when she is on NCL cruises but she found the food on RCCL to be so bland that she didn't need special orders.

 

Now, the one place where RCCL blows NCL away is with their buffet. The Windjammer has such a larger selection and is laid out so much better than the Garden Cafe on the Star. Windjammer on the Voyager class ships is also larger than the Garden Cafe on the Star.

 

Hope this helps.

[bsblindab]

I have been on both the Explorer of the Seas (Voyager class) and the Norweigan Star and I much prefer the layout of the Star. The Explorer had a lot of dead end decks where you had to go up or down to get around it. The Star has very few of these.

 

Of course no Studio B on the Star and no rock climbing wall, but still plenty to do.

 

The biggest difference is Freestyle Cruising... no set dining times and no mandatory dress up nights. (polo shirt, kahki, tennis shoes are fine every night in every dining venue.) There are more specialty restaurants on the Star than on the Explorer and the kids pool area is much nicer. Of course no Solarium.

 

As far as food, our family much prefers NCL over RCCL's main dining room food. I find that NCL has a much better and varied selection than RCCL. On the Explorer, it seemed that it was the same things over and over, just with different names and slightly different preparation. NCL has a much better appitizer and salad selection. (make sure to try the chilled fruit soups...mmmm). My mother, who is allergic to most spices, has to have a special meal prepared for her when she is on NCL cruises but she found the food on RCCL to be so bland that she didn't need special orders.

 

Now, the one place where RCCL blows NCL away is with their buffet. The Windjammer has such a larger selection and is laid out so much better than the Garden Cafe on the Star. Windjammer on the Voyager class ships is also larger than the Garden Cafe on the Star.

 

Hope this helps.

Thank you for your insight. While we have the STAR booked for Oct 2012, We thought of giving the RCCL cruise a try out of Bayonne. While the cruise is cheaper on NCL..We won't have to pay the extra $$ to get transportation into NYC for 4 of us..we can drive and come and go as we please into Bayonne (would not attempt NYC) so it is a bit cheaper. I may tell my kids to suck it up and go NCL since we already booked. I've sailed both Pearl and Gem..so the STAR will be my 3rd cruise ship within NCL

[Sugar*Magnolia]

I have been on both the Explorer of the Seas (Voyager class) and the Norweigan Star and I much prefer the layout of the Star. The Explorer had a lot of dead end decks where you had to go up or down to get around it. The Star has very few of these.

 

Of course no Studio B on the Star and no rock climbing wall, but still plenty to do.

 

The biggest difference is Freestyle Cruising... no set dining times and no mandatory dress up nights. (polo shirt, kahki, tennis shoes are fine every night in every dining venue.) There are more specialty restaurants on the Star than on the Explorer and the kids pool area is much nicer. Of course no Solarium.

 

As far as food, our family much prefers NCL over RCCL's main dining room food. I find that NCL has a much better and varied selection than RCCL. On the Explorer, it seemed that it was the same things over and over, just with different names and slightly different preparation. NCL has a much better appitizer and salad selection. (make sure to try the chilled fruit soups...mmmm). My mother, who is allergic to most spices, has to have a special meal prepared for her when she is on NCL cruises but she found the food on RCCL to be so bland that she didn't need special orders.

 

Now, the one place where RCCL blows NCL away is with their buffet. The Windjammer has such a larger selection and is laid out so much better than the Garden Cafe on the Star. Windjammer on the Voyager class ships is also larger than the Garden Cafe on the Star.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

Thanks for your input!

[Socref124]

NCL, Royal, Carnival and Princess are all more alike than different. Each has an area or two where they excell more than the others. :D We were he is a beautiful ship with a lot of dinning choices. The chocolate extravaganza was to die for. I hope they still have it.:D The entertainment was top notch as well. I would give the Star a try. I don't think you will regret it at all. Right now we are trying to get info on the POA for a return Hawaiian cruise in 2013.:D

[newmexicoNita]

We live in NJ and prefer to leave out of the northeast, NY or NJ primarily. We have mostly sailed on Royal Caribbean and found the voyager class (& above) have suited our kids throughout the past 10 yrs.

 

I think it is time for me and DH [sans the kids] to check out another nearby cruise port and cruise line.

 

Thinking about booking the Star out of NY April 2012.

 

Can anyone compare NCL to RCI in the food and entertainment areas?

 

Also, we're as familiar with the voyage class ships on RCI as we are our home neighborhood, lol the Star deck plans looks like it is easy enough to navigate.

 

I didnt notice a Solarium (Or Adults only pool area) but thats okay, its just a mention.

 

Anything you can tell me about the Ship, the crew, and is this an Itinerary you have done before? I Love the idea of 3 full days in my favorite place!

 

I can't imagine any cruise being really bad and it is fun to experience different ships and different lines. There will be things you will like better about NCL and things you will wish the Star that are standard on RCI. If you end up missing RCI you can switch back.

 

Nita

[chadman]

We live in NJ and prefer to leave out of the northeast, NY or NJ primarily. We have mostly sailed on Royal Caribbean and found the voyager class (& above) have suited our kids throughout the past 10 yrs.

 

I think it is time for me and DH [sans the kids] to check out another nearby cruise port and cruise line.

 

Thinking about booking the Star out of NY April 2012.

 

Can anyone compare NCL to RCI in the food and entertainment areas?

 

Also, we're as familiar with the voyage class ships on RCI as we are our home neighborhood, lol the Star deck plans looks like it is easy enough to navigate.

 

I didnt notice a Solarium (Or Adults only pool area) but thats okay, its just a mention.

 

Anything you can tell me about the Ship, the crew, and is this an Itinerary you have done before? I Love the idea of 3 full days in my favorite place!

We sailed on the Star last year out of Miami Had a wonderful time. Will agree with other post about the Buffet didn't change much in 10 days, but there are a lot of resturants on board. Don't know if they still do the taste of the nations on lasts sea day if so, sign up for it. It's a sampling of foods from all the specialty rest. Have a great cruise:D:D:D

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Thank you, everyone for your great input!

 

I am thinking the same, RCL, CCL, NCL are more alike then not.