Just off Star. A few disappointments.

[Sthrngary]

14 minutes ago, New2cruise2022 said:

@Sthrngary writes some of my favorite stuff on CC. He self admits that his writings are lengthy, but the detail helps the audience know who he is and how he sees the world.

@New2cruise2022 Well this was super nice of you.  I read the original post and all the comments.  I feel for the author.  There experience was much less than there expectation was.  When you spend your hard earned money, you expect to feel at least satisfied at the end of the journey.  What I really think that happened was disappointment and frustration and the Author wanted an avenue to vent.  Emotionally I can fully understand this.  After 25 plus cruises, some were less than great for sure.  

 

None of us can fix a cruise that went wrong.  I don't think that is the point.  What we can do is take it under advisement for our own future vacation decisions.  Thank you to the Author and here is what I learned from your experience.  NOTE: I am not telling you what you did wrong in your decision to cruise on this ship.  I am learning from your experience.

 

Ports of Call Are Never Guaranteed:  My first trip after the worst of Covid was the Bahama's.  The only port we wanted was the one were we could swim with the pigs which we never did.  It got cancelled.  On the same week cruise, two other ports were cancelled.  Very disappointing but not anyone's fault.  Still, it was a bummer. 

Small Ships in Europe:  The benefit of a small ship is it can go into small ports and dock.  This is great except if some of those ports are cancelled.  The ship is much less of the vacation then the destinations.  On the big ships, the ship is a huge floating hotels with lots to do.  You have to make a choice and sometimes, that choice is wrong.  The other thing to remember is entertainment on smaller ships have a lower budget.  Know that before choosing it.

The Stateroom:  If it is a port intensive sailing, the cabin is a place to sleep and take a shower.  If ports or cancelled, it becomes an issue.  The stateroom is small to save the guest money and allow them to cruise on a reasonable budget.  The cruising gods have no pity on you. We just have to remember why we booked that room in the first place.

Complaining about the Brand:  We as consumer have every right to complain about a brand and share that complaint on social media.  Those that read those complaints needs to take a moment and evaluate how the same things would have affected their cruise experience.  We as consumers are brand loyal to a point.  The issue here was the ship, cabin, ports and that leads to the brand.  If after many positive experiences any of us would have had this type of negative experience, we would consider never using the brand again.  I know, it is the reason why I don't cruise Celebrity anymore. My experience, my choice.  

 

Message to the Author:  I love NCL and only go on their biggest ships.  I prefer newest and largest except when I travel in Europe.  Those are port intensive cruises and I want a different set of experiences.  I choose Oceania because I wanted "Personalized Service", "Really Good Dining", "A Smaller ship that was just drydocked", "Access to the Spa area", and "Mostly adults on the cruise."  I knew through my research that the entertainment would be average to below average, the crowd would be older, feeling would not be the craziness of a Caribbean cruise and the bars would shut down earlier than I am used to.  That research lets me know upfront, what to expect and not to expect.  Your op-ed confirmed the research done was in many ways accurate.  For that, I personally thank you and appreciate the time it took for you to write your review.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[julig22]

I was on the sailing following the op. One of the first times I didn't go to the theater show every night but it was because I just wasn't interested in most of the contracted entertainment.  It appears that the production cast was new for this trip, they did a good job imho. Perhaps the performers on the previous cruise were just burned out and ready to go home. I was also on the Star in August, one of the contracted performers (Shimi Goodman) was phenomenal. So it's the luck of the draw on entertainment.

We didn't have any issues with ports until the very end - the weather was preventing us from docking as scheduled in Liverno.  By the time we got back from our day in Cannes, the Captain/crew had found a substitute port and arranged for a number of excursions, some very similar to the original offerings from Liverno. While the port change wasn't ideal for everyone, I felt NCL went above and beyond under the circumstances.

[detroitlions]

On 10/28/2022 at 10:14 AM, phillygwm said:

I've never gone.  I've read previous reports that it's basically a marketing ploy to sell CruiseNext/book new cruises onboard.  If that's worthwhile to people, great.  I don't find it a good use of my valuable drinking time 🙂 Particularly now that most people have the bar package, we don't need free drinks at the reception.  

 

 

I could not of stated this any better. I went to a couple thinking my wife wanted to do it. When she said this is worse than the last one I said good I cant stand it lets go.

[detroitlions]

On 10/28/2022 at 12:23 AM, BirdTravels said:

I don't quite understand when someone books a cheap room, then complains that it is not a suite. The Star says that the room is only 158 sq ft and provides a 3D floor plan. Not sure what the expectation was. The floor plan clearly does not show a sofa and love seat in a separate living room and does not show a dining table. The ship had an major overhaul just prior to the pandemic shutdown, so it has the latest features of NCL ships. 

 

 

 

If someone wants a seating area, you could book a suite with a small living room and dining room area. 

 

I was in a sweet on the Star some years ago it was like this pic. But we did not have a balcony.

[rbxlady]

On 10/28/2022 at 9:53 AM, MagnoliaBlossom said:

We were on the Star in August, Southampton to Reyjakvik.   Our cruise was cut from 11 days to 10 in order to accommodate the Prima and her big event.  I found the food t be the worst we have had on any of our 82 cruises.  Even the drinks were not mixed properly. ie, at two separate bars a whisky sour was made with whiskey and lemon lime juice.  Period.  No simple syrup, no cherry.  
they did take on 140 new staff members during our stop in Norway so maybe these bartenders were rookies,  even the specialty restaurants were bad.   Very poor cuts of meat, filled with gristle, fish looked like it was freezer burned.

 

But we didn’t starve and everything else was fine.  One of the best itineraries we’ve ever done and I would certainly do it again.

 

we did not go to any of the shows, but we made a point of listening to the trio of violinists who played in the atrium most evenings.  A great treat.

Just curious, and sorry for possibly taking this post in a different direction, did they give you anything for losing a day of your cruise? That's a pretty big change, especially since that may affect your travel home or other post-cruise plans. I would be pretty sad to lose an entire day on board, for whatever reason.

[IrieBajan54]

Doesn't surprise me! I was on the Star and found it a very tired ship. It was a waste of money, so have no intention of ever booking it again.

[julig22]

6 minutes ago, IrieBajan54 said:

Doesn't surprise me! I was on the Star and found it a very tired ship. It was a waste of money, so have no intention of ever booking it again.

I book for itinerary and the Star goes places I want to go, ship is where I eat & sleep.  Iceland, Western Europe so far, looking forward to Antarctica in a couple of months.

[ChiefMateJRK]

On 10/28/2022 at 3:48 AM, dexddd said:

Lats Rewards was a joke

The "party" or Lattitude Rewards in general?

[ChiefMateJRK]

5 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

The Stateroom:  If it is a port intensive sailing, the cabin is a place to sleep and take a shower.  If ports or cancelled, it becomes an issue. 

On the Star I would agree.  That said, I refuse to book any cruise (other than POA, because I have no choice) on a ship without an observation lounge.  I default to inside cabins, and if I have a nice OL it doesn't matter if I miss a port or have some sea days.

[PATRLR]

41 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

The "party" or Lattitude Rewards in general?

I don't intend to speak for Dexddd here, but, IMO both are a joke.  

[PATRLR]

36 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

On the Star I would agree.  That said, I refuse to book any cruise (other than POA, because I have no choice) on a ship without an observation lounge.  I default to inside cabins, and if I have a nice OL it doesn't matter if I miss a port or have some sea days.

I didn't think the OL would be useful in the Carribean, but I have to say that I made nice use of it each morning.  I'm an early riser so that was the perfect palce for me to escap to while my wife slept.  I love it and I'm glad it was there.

That being said, I never saw many people there.  If there were 50 people in the whole lounge, I'd be surprised.  I also walked through one sea day, mid day, and similar number of people.  Seems like a huge wasted space for a warm weather cruise.  

[ChiefMateJRK]

48 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

I don't intend to speak for Dexddd here, but, IMO both are a joke.  

You don't want boarding prior to group one, free laundry, two extra specialty meals and 10% off shore excursions?

[ChiefMateJRK]

47 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

I love it and I'm glad it was there.

 

47 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

Seems like a huge wasted space for a warm weather cruise.

Well, it sure doesn't sound like it was wasted for you (and me)! 😎

 

My idea of wasted space would be shops, library, exercise room, and all other "no fun" places.

[New2cruise2022]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

 

Well, it sure doesn't sound like it was wasted for you (and me)! 😎

 

My idea of wasted space would be shops, library, exercise room, and all other "no fun" places.

I noticed that all of the wasted space you mention is missing a bar … not a coincidence? 😂

[SeaShark]

4 minutes ago, New2cruise2022 said:

I noticed that all of the wasted space you mention is missing a bar … not a coincidence? 😂

 

There are a number of things that are not found in those places...interesting, though, that what you noticed was "bar". 🤔

[PATRLR]

15 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

You don't want boarding prior to group one, free laundry, two extra specialty meals and 10% off shore excursions?

Not sure if this was sarcasm or not.  Sure, some of those things are nice, but they would have no influence on my decision to cruise NCL vs some other line.  I think a good loyalty program should encourage loyalty.

 

By the way, I learned last week that in Miami anyone can board with group 1 regardless of the group number they hand you.  So that "board before group 1" thing is kinda worthless.

[Goldconnection]

On 10/27/2022 at 11:23 PM, BirdTravels said:

 “a cheap room”

Regardless how much the cost of the cabin the poster spent their money and have every right to feel the way they feel. They never complained that the cabin was not the size of a suite. He never mentioned disappointment about not have a sofa or loveseat. I believe he mention a chair. When one spends one’s money I feel you have the right to voice your opinion on what you spend your money on no mater how much you spend. 

[Goldconnection]

On 10/27/2022 at 11:23 PM, BirdTravels said:

 “a cheap room”

Regardless how much the cost of the cabin the poster spent their money and have every right to feel the way they feel. They never complained that the cabin was not the size of a suite. He never mentioned disappointment about not have a sofa or loveseat. I believe he mentioned a chair. When one spends one’s money I feel you have the right to voice your opinion on what you spend your money on no mater how much you spend. 

Edited November 24, 2022 by Goldconnection
Correct

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, PATRLR said:

Not sure if this was sarcasm or not.

Not at all.  I don't know why you would think that.

2 hours ago, PATRLR said:

y the way, I learned last week that in Miami anyone can board with group 1 regardless of the group number they hand you.  So that "board before group 1" thing is kinda worthless.

Then isn't boarding before group one even more valuable than boarding with group one?

[dexddd]

18 hours ago, PATRLR said:

I don't intend to speak for Dexddd here, but, IMO both are a joke.  

I meant Lat Rewards in general.  But that is a good point about the party as I used to drag wife to them then she refused, then I got it why.  That being said, we have met a couple wonderful folks there over the years that are still active here and one couple maybe no longer with us.

 

Escape got constant great reviews for the party so we went and it was great.

[PATRLR]

12 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Not at all.  I don't know why you would think that.

Obviously you and I value those "perks" much differently. 

 

18 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Then isn't boarding before group one even more valuable than boarding with group one?

Not really.

[ChiefMateJRK]

34 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

Obviously you and I value those "perks" much differently. 

Probably not a lot differently.  To summarize, you feel that they are a "joke."  I feel that they have some value.  The laundry and extra specialty dining are probably worth a couple hundred bucks or so to me.

34 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

Not really.

Again, to summarize.  Platinum gets to board before group one.  You claim that all other passengers can board when they call group one.  Wouldn't it then be valuable to board with the first 100 or so passengers, instead of the second mass of thousands of passengers?  What am I missing here?

Edited November 24, 2022 by ChiefMateJRK

[PATRLR]

15 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Probably not a lot differently.  To summarize, you feel that they are a "joke."  I feel that they have some value.  The laundry and extra specialty dining are probably worth a hundred bucks or so to me.

Again, to summarize.  Platinum gets to board before group one.  You claim that all other passengers can board when they call group one.  Wouldn't it then be valuable to board with the first 100 or so passengers, instead of the second mass of thousands of passengers?  What am I missing here?

giving me $100 worth of stuff I can buy myself doesn't inspire loyalty.  Hence, my consideration of it being a joke.

As for the boarding early, that is something I can't buy and IMO a legitimate perk.  But the fact that boarding isn't enforced devalues it tremendously.  I have no problem finding my way to the front of the masses so I'll board within the first 100 or so of the masses (at least in Miami).   My airline loyalty gets me early access to board the plane.  Airlines are good about enforcing their boarding groups, so, that perk has significant value to me.  Upgrades are the other legit airline perk.  If NCL Latitudes included something that prioritized Latitude levels in the upgrade process, that might inspire loyalty.  The other perk that Latitudes has, the 125 day reservation window, is a legit perk but I've not had a problem getting reservations at 120 days so no value to me.
 

[ChiefMateJRK]

7 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

But the fact that boarding isn't enforced devalues it tremendously. 

Has anybody else witnessed this situation where NCL just lets anybody board once they call group one?  I've never heard of this before.

[New2cruise2022]

3 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Has anybody else witnessed this situation where NCL just lets anybody board once they call group one?  I've never heard of this before.

Curious about this but I assume there will be no definitive answer here …