Norwegian Star best place to play cards and board games

[MMsteffey]

Hi, am sailing on the Star in a few weeks and looking for good places to meet up to play cards, board games, and Mah Jongg.  Looking for square or round tables, 38-42 inches or so.  There will be talking.   I understand the buffet restaurant has limited seating so that's not a good idea.  Is there a dedicated game room on board, if not, what has been your experience?   Thank you!

[DorothyB]

I haven't been on the Star, but have been on the Sun.  That ship did have a card room but not sure if the tables are quite 38"??  We also played in one of the bars when it wasn't open and in the outskirts of the buffet area (or buffet over-seating area) when it wasn't busy.

[fredflint]

library

[Asawi]

20 minutes ago, fredflint said:

library

Apart from Star's library not having good tables for this, it IS a library. Meant for reading. Not for chatting or playing cards or whatever.

 

[Nataly1982]

There is a space with 3 tables between Garden Cafe and pool area, on the port side of the ship. There was a group of friends playing cards and other board games there on our recent cruise every single day. They were loud and having so much fun without disturbing anyone. 

[julig22]

I believe there are game tables in the internet cafe

[FLAHAM]

On transatlantic cruises, NCL hires a couple (usually) to conduct a daily (on sea days) duplicate bridge game, along with a beginner lesson and intermediate lesson.  These are popular, often drawing 50 or so passengers.  They take over one of the specialty restaurants not in use during the day.

[TheBeardedCruiser]

9 hours ago, Asawi said:

Apart from Star's library not having good tables for this, it IS a library. Meant for reading. Not for chatting or playing cards or whatever.

 

Personally, I've never seen anyone reading in any library on any cruise that I've been on. I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, I've just never seen it. They borrow books and leave.

Every NCL cruise that I've been on has had people using the library as a game room. Personally, I've played many quiet games with my wife in the library. As long as you're not playing apples to apples or another loud party game, I think that you'll be okay in the library, if the tables are big enough.

Edited June 24 by TheBeardedCruiser

[Asawi]

1 hour ago, TheBeardedCruiser said:

Personally, I've never seen anyone reading in any library on any cruise that I've been on. I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, I've just never seen it. They borrow books and leave.

 

I've spent lots of time in the library on Gem and Star and there has always been people reading there. Always! 

[TheBeardedCruiser]

6 hours ago, Asawi said:

I've spent lots of time in the library on Gem and Star and there has always been people reading there. Always! 

Awesome! It sounds like different cruises have different vibes in the library.

To the original poster... YMMV... My thinking is that as long as everyone is respectful of one another, it shouldn't matter what you're doing in the library. Playing a quiet game shouldn't be a distraction to the person reading a book, and the opposite!

[9tee2Sea]

I aways see groups playing Mah Jongg in the buffet during the off hours of operation.  If you chose to do so, please be kind enough to pack up when it becomes busy. Also, many of the lounges are quite ( no entertainment) during the day, and I have seen folks gather in those for board games.

[14pp]

Best place for board games on the Star is in the internet cafe. There are square tables that seat 4 with a chess/checker board printed onto them.

 

Library wouldn't be a great place since people used that as a quiet room when I was on the ship.

[MMsteffey]

Thank you all, Have not been on NCL in a while, from your helpful answers I can tell it's not that different from other ships, particularly the advise about the Garden Cafe.  For reassurance, I agree that the Library is a quiet space, and understand that buffet seating is limited.  

[TheBeardedCruiser]

24 minutes ago, MMsteffey said:

Thank you all, Have not been on NCL in a while, from your helpful answers I can tell it's not that different from other ships, particularly the advise about the Garden Cafe.  For reassurance, I agree that the Library is a quiet space, and understand that buffet seating is limited.  

Thank you for closing the loop! So many times on this site people take time to answer someone's question and the OP never responds or acknowledges that we responded.

 

Cruise Critic is not Google. It's back and forth, which is what makes it fun (for me)!

[dexddd]

On Star I've usually seen folks playing that, as mentioned earlier, by the area outside buffet and pool.  It is covered.

[sunnyday819]

We spent time playing cards and board games in the whisky bar on deck 7. 

[caitlynambrai]

2 hours ago, sunnyday819 said:

We spent time playing cards and board games in the whisky bar on deck 7. 

Same! We would try to get there early on sea days to grab a bigger table to work on our puzzle.

[TheBeardedCruiser]

5 hours ago, caitlynambrai said:

Same! We would try to get there early on sea days to grab a bigger table to work on our puzzle.

Your comment reminds me of a story. I am not implying that you did this!!

 

My parents took a cruise where a lady started a puzzle on day one, on a huge table in one of the lounges. She kept the puzzle on that table all week! She wasn't even working on the puzzle some days. Talk about entitlement!!

[caitlynambrai]

7 hours ago, TheBeardedCruiser said:

Your comment reminds me of a story. I am not implying that you did this!!

 

My parents took a cruise where a lady started a puzzle on day one, on a huge table in one of the lounges. She kept the puzzle on that table all week! She wasn't even working on the puzzle some days. Talk about entitlement!!

I’m definitely not so bold! I’m surprised nobody showed their disapproval by stealing a piece or 2.

We brought a large piece of felt to use as a puzzle mat and rolled it up when we were finished each day. Super convenient!