Fresh off the Star Mex Riv Jan 11-19

[DMRick]

We have never really had a problem with the accounts but we don't spend a lot aboard ship. We only spent $0.20 beyond the on board credit we got for putting in the deposit for the next cruise..

That's usually us as well (well, except for tips..we only get $100 credit and that doesn't cover the tips). The problem is, we have been overcharged on two different cruises for drinks we never ordered. We don't drink alcohol, so when we see them on our bill, we have to go to reception. Our last cruise, our son was charged for drinks in two different places, at the same time. They said they would investigate his.

 

I can't wait until this weekend, and we get to enjoy our cruise as well!

[ron46936]

I made an assumption based upon past experience that the on board credit would not apply to tips. Some credits will if purchased by a friend or relative but not necessarily from the cruise line. We once lost part of our onboard credit because we only charged $50 besides tips and we started with $100 credit. If you book shore excursions you will surpass $100 in a hurry but we seldom do that. This time we tried to make it come out even.

[Rivercat]

A question for those recently on the Star: do you remember if they had yoga classes in the mornings? I saw some older dailies that listed yoga classes, but the most recent ones I've found from about a year ago just list Pilates and yogalates.

[deepnite10]

having completed this same cruise a year earlier the wife and i were in a good position compare our experience s..

 

nowhere during the cruise did we experience 2.0..their were a few negative s but, overall the cruise experience was as good or better than the previous yr..

 

the food in the buffet has declined..at time s the food resembled leftover s from the previous night..the wife enjoy s lobster and the SOHO did not disappoint..i luv d the filet in a teriaki style sause..

 

most disappointing was the veal..i really enjoy veal and it disturbed me greatly when they tried to pass a veal cutlet for veal scallopini:mad: the veal stew upstair s was dry..nothing like the moist meat i had experienced in the past..

 

on embarking..it was a huge disappointment..being a latitude member had no advantages at all..and while awaiting in the terminal they served free fruit drinks..the downside was that there were no restroom s..when i enquired they said the only restrooms were outside the security area..

and i was not about to go thru the security line again..NCL TY :mad:

 

there had been complaint s about getting reservation s in the specialty restraunts..we did nt experience any problem s last yr..and did nt experience any this time around..

 

overall..the second time around was a great ride..we spent our time taking in activities and sight s we miss d last yr..

 

the new debarking procedure..i had my reservation s about it when i saw the long line from the Spineker back to the buffet..However, as soon as the door open d..the process was a breeze..we we re out of custom s

by 7:30 and in our cab by 8:00

 

There were a few mini nightmares..nothing having anything to do with NCL..our flight out of Oakland was cancel d and we had to catch a later flight..then the wife was taken out of security for having oversized bottle s..all which was OK..had our prvious flight not been cancel d we would have miss d it..

 

i had forgotten my watch..and all the time was bugging the wife about what time it was..

 

forgot my shaver..needed to buy a set of BIC razars..

 

lost my hat and had to buy a NCL baseball cap :p

 

spent $4 on 10 cigars in PV..and end d up throw them out after tasting the first ..

 

back to LAX finally and made it all the way up to security screening again..i can t find my boarding pass and the wife left her s in the luggage:confused: ..this is another 45min delay..i find mine finally in my camera bag..the wife get another print d..

 

we have an hr to wait befor our flight and need to find a potty..they have 1 restroom for 26+something boarding gates..the other s are being updated..*no respect for the elderly*..finally get up to the urinal and a #1 now turn s into a badly need d #2:o ..the toilet looks like something from

the swamps overfilled..

 

well, finally home saturday afternoon..and sunday morning the wife wake s up with a case a narvo..

[sacway]

Welcome back deepnite10! Sometimes it seems we need a post cruise vacation to get ready to go back to work. My heart's not in it yet, so it's just as well (not planned) that it is a holiday today so rather slow on the work.

 

I mentioned the line at reception because we didn't get any bill at all till debarkation day, it was delivered between midnight and about 4 am. And then any disputes had to be resolved between 5:30 am (I remember this part) and 8 am (?) in the morning before getting off the ship. Can you check your account on the TV? I didn't see it if there was a way. On the last morning, after everyone had got their bills, the line seemed very short compared to most cruises we've been on.

 

Ron's point about Second City refresh is a good one. Even if improvs are "spontaneous" and each is different, like a snowflake, they are all flakes and sometimes we need a whole new snowball. And the skits collection deserves development.

 

We can't say the food is better or worse since this was our first NCL cruise. It looked to me like some leftovers at the buffet, too, we avoided that by eating the curries and crepes that aren't served elsewhere, mostly.

 

Rivercat: yes, there are yoga classes, only on the three sea days, and they have a $10 charge (or $30 for 3) plus 18% gratuity. They are at 9 am. You are correct, the dailies don't list all the classes.

[Tucsoncruisers]

Thanks to all of you for posting about your cruise on the beautiful Star :D

[DMRick]

Wow..what's with all of you that ended up with norvo from this cruise? I guess I will pick up some clorox spray. Yikes!

 

The bad thing is, the cruise ship doesn't know it, because you all showed symptoms once home.

[CanadianTwosome]

I don't think my daughter and husband have noro. My daughter was only sick on the way home, and only threw up. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that noro lasts a lot longer than that and has other symptoms - not to mention being 'double ended'. My husband was a bit more affected, although still not as bad as what I've read about noro, and was also only affected at one 'end'. As for me, I'm pretty sure I was the cause of my own laryngitis... as my posts here indicate, I talk a LOT, and I was also singing and consuming alcohol, which I'm sure kept me relatively dehydrated all week.

[deepnite10]

ahh..were nt those creapes great ? :p

 

each nite i went to the front desk to ask for a copy of our OBC s..found

just 1 mistake..though i add d a gratuity to the bar bill, they did nt charge my account..i point d it out to them but, they did nt seem to care either way :confused: ..from that point on i tip d with cash..

 

the wife was just happy that she did nt come down with the narvo symtoms while on the plane.:o but, she s still bum d from the whole ordeal..she still a bit feverish and is on a diet of bottle d water and crackers..

[carontori]

I don't think my daughter and husband have noro. My daughter was only sick on the way home, and only threw up. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that noro lasts a lot longer than that and has other symptoms - not to mention being 'double ended'. My husband was a bit more affected, although still not as bad as what I've read about noro, and was also only affected at one 'end'. As for me, I'm pretty sure I was the cause of my own laryngitis... as my posts here indicate, I talk a LOT, and I was also singing and consuming alcohol, which I'm sure kept me relatively dehydrated all week.

 

It sounds like you really did have a great time!!!!

[deepnite10]

for those on the way to the MR..here s a slide show i just post d up..

i think i ll be reliving this week over and over again for some time..

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=13080518#post13080518

[retiredonthesea]

Hi all you Jan. 11th Star CC gang---Didn't we have fun?!!

 

I've beern thinking about what to post, but our experience with the penthouse makes for hard writing without sounding snobbish. Everything from ck-in to leaving was a breeze. It was like taking the back alley and avoiding all the congestion, from making reservations for Cagneys and Ginza, VIP tender tickets, Butler service awesome. I think I was propably overwhelmed by the BAGS service--first time we did that and I will never go back to lugging luggage again. Awesome!! Especially with a 21/2 yr and 31/2 yr olds and an 85yr old. We put our bags out at 10:30PM the last night and didn't see them until our final destination where they where almost the first luggage off the plane. Your boarding tkts are pre-printed so you go right to your gate after going thru security.

 

I better get off and try to do a little of my own review later---what you guys have done so far is great!

 

Retiredonthesea

[hazeleyez3]

ahh..were nt those creapes great ? :p

 

 

Just to be sure... when/where were the crepes?

[deepnite10]

you can tell my spelling is nt one of my strong points..the crepes were up in the buffet s dessert section..a cook was making To Order crepes stuff d with either strawberry s or peach..

 

i end d up dropping a scoop of ice-creame over mine:p

[Jana]

for those on the way to the MR..here s a slide show i just post d up..

i think i ll be reliving this week over and over again for some time..

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=13080518#post13080518

 

 

I just looked through your photo show. OMG, they are fabulous! You have some prize-winners in there, honestly!

 

Four things:

 

1. First I saw a photo of your wife and said to myself: "I know that woman." Then I saw a photo of you and said "Oh my gosh, I know him too!" I don't know how, but I do. We must have traveled together at some point.

 

2. It looks like you were in Acapulco on a day that wasn't too smoggy. LUCKY! I've never had that pleasure.

 

3. Thank you so much for the photos of Zihuatanejo. It's one of my favorite places, and they convinced me that I need to go on the Star again before it switches to the Classic Seven. How sad that Zihua won't be on its schedule when that happens :(

 

4. What camera did you use? It takes fantastic photos.

 

Jana

[CanadianTwosome]

Deepnite - get your wife some Gatorade or other drink designed to help balance electrolytes. She'll need more than just water. :)

 

Carontori - I couldn't have asked for a better birthday - and it lasted for 11 days!!!!

 

Retiredonthesea - We DID have fun!! I wish we could get that CC here that you used to get the fare discounts, but then we use our AirMiles card to pay for the flights, and honestly I'm not sure which costs us more! Sadly, we couldn't have taken advantage of the BAGS service even if we'd wanted to... we weren't finished packing until midnight!!! :p Perhaps on a future trip, though... it sounds wonderful after all the lugging we did!!

[CanadianTwosome]

Great slideshow Deepnite! I have to ask though... where'd ya get that hat in the last shot? Did you 'Quest' for it? :p

[sacway]

for those on the way to the MR..here s a slide show i just post d up..

i think i ll be reliving this week over and over again for some time..

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=13080518#post13080518

 

Great pix! and I hope the missus is feeling better. She sure looks like she's having fun in these shots. Some nights after a crepe Mr. Sacway went back for an ice cream chaser. Ha. Good thing we were in the gym so much.

 

We too are trying to adjust to "regular" life after such a fun trip. Bought some avocados and made guac & cheese dip as a weak substitute.

 

Welcome back retiredonthesea -- don't be shy about waxing poetic on your cabin and service, people book all types of cabins and wonder if they are getting a fair value. Glad BAGS worked well for you, it's the same principle as the cruise boat moving our luggage from port to port, just extended home.

[jjb415]

Thanks Sacway for the great review and deepnite10 for the link to the great slideshow. I was aboard the Oosterdam when we were both in Puerto Vallarta on January 16, 2008, and it was fun to see those pictures. We were wondering why the Norwegian Star was tendering when we had heard that there was room for 3 ships to dock at the pier in Puerto Vallarta. Thanks again! :)

[Jabby]

Deepnite10,

You pictures were really wonderful. Incredibly good camera work, your shots were very interesting, with great composition and clarity. We enjoyed them very much. Wonderful reminders of a fantastic time. Thank you for posting.

 

To all the rest of you that have such great reviews and postings. Thank you.

 

Don’t have much to add other than we had an absolutely fabulous time.