North Star - What's the difference

[PCWalton1]

Can someone tell me the difference between the complimentary North Star Experience and the $40 North Star Extended Experience? Beside the price.

[xpcdoojk]

Nope. We did it and it was free. You go up, you go right you go left you go center you go down. We did it on the Anthem in 2016 it took about 20 minutes, and I didn’t even consider doing it again on the Ovation. Since that is really all it does, I can’t imagine paying an extra fee for it. My guess is that it is not free on Asian cruises from China returning to China. Our friends travelling with us did it on the Ovation and I do not remember the conversation any evening about how spectacular it was. It is fine, it is cool, and it is not particularly memorable.

 

JMHO and YMMV

 

JC

[reallyitsmema]

Can someone tell me the difference between the complimentary North Star Experience and the $40 North Star Extended Experience? Beside the price.

 

Northstar on Anthem no longer takes you out over the ocean, it just goes up, angles a little to each side and then comes down, total of 9 minutes. The extended experience could be the longer ride that swings out over the ocean and is a 15 minute ride. I know they charge on Ovation so maybe they just give you the longer ride because of that.

[PCWalton1]

Nope. We did it and it was free. You go up, you go right you go left you go center you go down. We did it on the Anthem in 2016 it took about 20 minutes, and I didn’t even consider doing it again on the Ovation. Since that is really all it does, I can’t imagine paying an extra fee for it. My guess is that it is not free on Asian cruises from China returning to China. Our friends travelling with us did it on the Ovation and I do not remember the conversation any evening about how spectacular it was. It is fine, it is cool, and it is not particularly memorable.

 

JMHO and YMMV

 

JC

 

Nope, both options were offered at the same time on our upcoming April Ovation cruise. Needless to say those of us booking early grabbed the free option which filled up quickly. :D

 

Online the only difference in the descriptions are the pay choice talks about cancellation policy

 

North Star Extended Experience $40

Take yourself to new heights with the jewel-shaped capsule that gently ascends over 300 feet above sea level. Breathtaking 360° views of the sea and our destinations make the North Star - now in the Guinness Book of World Records for the "Highest Viewing Deck on a Cruise Ship" - one of the most exciting features on this ship. *NOTE: Due to the popularity of Ripcord by iFLY and North Star, appointments not cancelled 12 hours in advance will be subject to a $25 no show fee. You may cancel your reservation through the Royal iQ app on your device or by visiting the Sports Desk on Deck 15.

 

North Star Experience $0

Take yourself to new heights with the jewel-shaped capsule that gently ascends over 300 feet above sea level. Breathtaking 360° views of the sea and our destinations make the North Star - now in the Guinness Book of World Records for the "Highest Viewing Deck on a Cruise Ship" - one of the most exciting features on this ship.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

On our upcoming Ovation cruises they are offering a North Star Extended Experience for $40 in addition to the complimentary North Star Experience. The description doesn't describe what is offered other than a ride on North Star. Anyone know what the Extended Experience offers?

[LMaxwell]

The lighter your wallet gets the longer you float ;)

[LMaxwell]

I wonder if your reservation is limited to one "free" experience and "extending" that is $40 for additional rides? Maybe royal figures some will pay for it anyways so offer it up along with the free one? Or could be where you ride with your own party or longer?

 

Maybe one of those three things; try Royal, see if they come up with a fourth! Or take your free one and ask onboard what the $40 one covers too.

[PCWalton1]

I wonder if your reservation is limited to one "free" experience and "extending" that is $40 for additional rides? Maybe royal figures some will pay for it anyways so offer it up along with the free one? Or could be where you ride with your own party or longer?

 

Maybe one of those three things; try Royal, see if they come up with a fourth! Or take your free one and ask onboard what the $40 one covers too.

 

I thought that too about the one free time but according to people on the roll call that have no North Star reservations, they are not getting that option for the free reservation, just the pay one. That why we were wondering what the difference would be.

[PCWalton1]

Sue,

I was already asking the same question. :D

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2603645

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Sue,

I was already asking the same question. :D

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2603645

 

Guess we're thinking the same thing. I didn't see your thread when I started mine. Doesn't look like anyone really knows what the Extended Experience is.......even RCI. ;);););)

 

I emailed CC and asked that my thread be merged with yours.

[Saab4444]

It is a new approach by Royal to make money out of something that was free before.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Chiliburn]

Forget it the North Star is a let down.

I’ve been on it four times and each time we got off it we thought what was that all about?

[888sydney]

Talked to some of the crew operating North Star on why we seem to get a shorten version compared to previous years (went up and very small turn may be 10degrees turn at most).

They said that in Asia, you get the full turn (180, turn both sides) as it is paid...

Imho, not worth paying... difficult to take good pictures... reflection...

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[WaveSplasher]

Talked to some of the crew operating North Star on why we seem to get a shorten version compared to previous years (went up and very small turn may be 10degrees turn at most).

They said that in Asia, you get the full turn (180, turn both sides) as it is paid...

Imho, not worth paying... difficult to take good pictures... reflection...

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I reckon its going to be as you said. But Rcl in China is only charging USD 25 for the full experience. Not sure why the increase to USD 40 unless they have increased the price.

[Kristal Blade]

Having been on Ovation from Singapore to Sydney in November last year and having been in the North Star twice, for free, can I suggest this? Take a ride at dusk. The view of the ship, lit up below you is great. For good photos hold your camera as close to the glass as possible, to avoid reflections and do not use flash.

 

We enjoyed it, but wouldn’t pay to have a longer ride. We also just went up and down, no sideways full turn, just the 10 degrees mentioned by 888sydney.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[welshy74]

I was on Ovation last year on a cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore and it was free. I enjoyed it ( did it 3 times) but it’s certainly not worth $40! We only went up and down, no overhang out to sea, but I can’t see an extended experience worth paying for. At $40 it just turns into an expensive gimmick.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[The_Big_M]

According to our planner it's a longer ride, 15 min as I recall, and goes out over the sides of the ship.

 

May be worth it if you're going to pay for it anyway, and really keen on it, but not if it's not for any particular reason.

[Leslie K]

Can someone tell me the difference between the complimentary North Star Experience and the $40 North Star Extended Experience? Beside the price.

 

 

 

Was on Anthem earlier this month and was not aware of this option forNorth Star. However our reservation for We Will Rock You was rescheduled the week before our cruise because the website suddenly had a for a fee option for the show that included drinks and photo op with the cast and they apparently needed some seats. In actuality, there was no show presented at the original time. Even the CD wasn’t aware of the change when people onboard the cruise before us asked at our roll call request. I honestly think RCL is looking for every possible option to make additional income by imposing fees and the fee you’re seeing is just one of those efforts to see if people grab at it.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Sue,

I was already asking the same question. :D

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2603645

 

Both threads have been merged. Thanks for the input. I'm guessing the Extended Experience will be longer and the pod will swing out over the ocean. We're still opting for the "complimentary" North Star ride. :)

[xpcdoojk]

Both threads have been merged. Thanks for the input. I'm guessing the Extended Experience will be longer and the pod will swing out over the ocean. We're still opting for the "complimentary" North Star ride. :)

 

I think you will find it completely underwhelming. Unless you have a fear of heights, then it might be the worst/best experience of your life.

 

I can’t think of anything it can do that would make me want to pay for it.

 

JC

[The_Big_M]

I think you will find it completely underwhelming. Unless you have a fear of heights, then it might be the worst/best experience of your life.

 

I can’t think of anything it can do that would make me want to pay for it.

 

 

 

The thing I don't get is why they hype it up so much, at least over here. It's probably the most hyped feature of the Quantum class here, yet all it is is like going up to a slightly higher deck - and not even in the open.