Panama Cruise

[Cruisearcher]

Wife and I are interested a Norwegian Star Panama cruise in November 14-30th. Sailing from Miami to Cartagena through Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Mexico, Baja Peninsular and disembark at Los Angeles. We need advice if that's the right timing for that cruise and thoughts on Norwegian Star. We are not too keen on mega cruises, and we love Central America region but never been cruised at the Pacific Coast. Thanks

[dexddd]

Wife and I are interested a Norwegian Star Panama cruise in November 14-30th. Sailing from Miami to Cartagena through Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Mexico, Baja Peninsular and disembark at Los Angeles. We need advice if that's the right timing for that cruise and thoughts on Norwegian Star. We are not too keen on mega cruises, and we love Central America region but never been cruised at the Pacific Coast. Thanks

 

Been on the Star twice. Overall not the newest or biggest ship in the NCL fleet but we liked it well enough. It had a remake a couple years back where they moved the front facing large lounge and replaced it with rooms (mostly suites). That could be a downside for a longer cruise unless you have one of those new rooms. From what I've seen they also let you go up by the crew only pool area during portions of the crossing through the canal.

 

The only thing I recall the couple times I've sailed up from the canal to LA is very rough seas.

[Cruisearcher]

Thanks dexddd for your quick reply.

[dexddd]

There should be quite a few more people to chime in who have actually done the canal on the Star recently as NCL has increased the sailings the last couple years. They were only doing it in the spring and fall as they did a repo when the Star was sailing Alaska but they added the winter routes so there have been quite a few more people able to do this trip.

[Ilovesailing]

Wife and I are interested a Norwegian Star Panama cruise in November 14-30th. Sailing from Miami to Cartagena through Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Mexico, Baja Peninsular and disembark at Los Angeles. We need advice if that's the right timing for that cruise and thoughts on Norwegian Star. We are not too keen on mega cruises, and we love Central America region but never been cruised at the Pacific Coast. Thanks

 

I think your stating the wrong date maybe it's 11/17 to 11/30.

If so go and join your roll call or at least read through posts.

Go back to main page and scroll down till to you see "roll calls" then look for NCL once you find it scroll to you find roll calls for the Star then click on it, then look for your sail date (it's about half way down the page).

[NMLady]

Wife and I are interested a Norwegian Star Panama cruise in November 14-30th. Sailing from Miami to Cartagena through Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Mexico, Baja Peninsular and disembark at Los Angeles. We need advice if that's the right timing for that cruise and thoughts on Norwegian Star. We are not too keen on mega cruises, and we love Central America region but never been cruised at the Pacific Coast. Thanks

 

We did that cruise on the Star last October. It was great, a good time of year.

I would think your November dates would also be a good choice.

We really enjoyed the Star except for the fact there is no Forward viewing area.

[hpecorari]

We really enjoyed the Star except for the fact there is no Forward viewing area.

 

They open up the forward crew area for viewing.

 

Harriet

[www3traveler]

I have done the Panama Canal twice once in each direction except I did both cruises on The Pearl. Had a wonderful time. If you are at all a history buff, read David McCullough's book The Path Between The Seas-The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914. It is well woth taking the time to read.

[hamrag]

Wife and I are interested a Norwegian Star Panama cruise in November 14-30th. Sailing from Miami to Cartagena through Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Mexico, Baja Peninsular and disembark at Los Angeles. We need advice if that's the right timing for that cruise and thoughts on Norwegian Star. We are not too keen on mega cruises, and we love Central America region but never been cruised at the Pacific Coast. Thanks

 

Nov through Mar are perfect months for this cruise. We did the 2 Feb earlier this month, fantastic cruise.

 

Our thoughts on the Star - it is one of the older NCL ships, and showing its age in some areas although public areas are very well presented. Probably the best way to sum it up is to say we would do this again, in a heartbeat, and on the same ship! The itinery has a great mix of port and sea days, enabling relaxation as well as serious port time. The crew, and certainly the senior officers, are excellent.

 

If you are interested I have posted a review, which should be in the member review area once the moderators approve it. I was a little bit OTT in my rating of entertainment, as some of it was very good. If you cannot be bothered reading the reviews, scroll down the list and you will see the average rating is about four stars. There are some one or two star reviews, and a small number of five + star reviews. The secret is to ignore the extremes and see what the middle ground opinions are.

[cherry30]

I just sailed on the star from January 19th to February 2nd. We were on noro lock down the whole cruise and I still loved it and would do it again on the same ship in a heart beat. The passengers are a bit older. I am 34 and felt like a baby but that actually suited me well as the restaurant were practically empty by 8:00 so there was never a wait.

 

The new rooms on deck 12 are amazing (I think there are some insides as well as the suites) but the cost of a suite was very reasonable for 2 weeks.

 

I have been on the Jewel, the Epic and the Breakaway and while I love newer ships, I really didn't feel like I was missing anything. The spa was still great, there were the new restaurants like morderno etc... I am not big into waterslides or rockclimbing walls so I didn't miss them.

[Cruisearcher]

Thanks Ilovesailing

Yes, one of those days my brain just not here (getting old :o). 14th is the day we plan to fly down Miami for pre-cruise stay. 17-30th is the cruise. If it is a go, we most likely will stay in LA for several days before home.

We travel only between October to February. Just hope the recent “extreme weather” won’t bring rough seas.

Thanks to other fellow cruisers for information. I certainly will research more regarding Norwegian Star and the ports.

Edited February 24, 2014 by Cruisearcher

[spirit rev]

We did a Canal cruise a couple ofyears ago on another line. While we went in the oopposite direction than you are planning we found the Pacific smooth. We also saw a lot of marine life - dolphins, turtles, sea birds and eve a whale or two from the ship.

Wonderful cruise and I highly recommend it.

[Ilovesailing]

Thanks Ilovesailing

Yes, one of those days my brain just not here (getting old :o). 14th is the day we plan to fly down Miami for pre-cruise stay. 17-30th is the cruise. If it is a go, we most likely will stay in LA for several days before home.

We travel only between October to February. Just hope the recent “extreme weather” won’t bring rough seas.

Thanks to other fellow cruisers for information. I certainly will research more regarding Norwegian Star and the ports.

 

We too are in Ontario (Toronto) and usually fly in the day before but starting next winter with Panama cruise we are flying in two days earlier.

For the same reason.

Also if we miss the ship we would have to flt to Cartagena day 4 to catch the ship, just too much money invested for the risk.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Ilovesailing

[HokiePoq]

Wife and I are interested a Norwegian Star Panama cruise in November 14-30th. Sailing from Miami to Cartagena through Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Mexico, Baja Peninsular and disembark at Los Angeles. We need advice if that's the right timing for that cruise and thoughts on Norwegian Star. We are not too keen on mega cruises, and we love Central America region but never been cruised at the Pacific Coast. Thanks

 

We just got back from 28 days on the Star...Miami to LA to Miami.

We had a great time and we chose a bargain inside cabin deal.

The timing should be o.k. but sometimes hurricane season extends into November. The Star, as someone said, is not the newest, but it is generally well maintained and the crew is excellent.

My two reviews have been submitted and I'll link them as soon as they get published.

[Oldgoat61]

We did the PC Oct 2013, but from LA to POM....loved every minute of it. We were on the Pearl though. As one poster mentioned, it is a good mix of port and sea days. You have to remember that it will be hot and humid, all the time. We ran into some rain, but all in all, not much. It will be older folks on board because it's a 2 week cruise, and school is in. If it is anything like the Pearl, they will show different films about the explorers of the region, to the Canal itself.

 

We were on the Star back in 2008, and enjoyed her very much, it is not a mega ship by any means. You should enjoy her very much.

The seas were very nice to us.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Oldgoat61