AceDoc

I was on the Star on the Feb 4th cruise, and will chime in with a few observations. I enjoyed the cruise, and cruising (for the most part) is what you make of it. The weather was beyond fortunate, so we were able to make and enjoy all ports, and also get some clear viewing of the few hours in some Antarctic islands. The ship was fine, I sailed on her in Alaska, many years ago, and knew that it was a unique and smaller layout. I found the food to be mostly good, with a few misses-- pretty typical for most cruises. Staff were always courteous and generally helpful, but you could tell that many were in training and struggled at times. Shows were small time productions, for the most part, and were fine. Music in the various bars and lounges was very good. Activities were also sufficient. As to observations regarding this topic: 1. We had only 4 hours instead of 2 days in Antarctica. 2. Every single one of the other port times were also significantly changed. 3. There was a failure to notify passengers of these changes except by a paper handed to us as we boarded. This also caused us to have to scramble to reschedule or change every private tour (all of the ports, in our case) after boarding. This was difficult to do once onboard, because of... 4. ...Horrible, dysfunctional internet. The internet cafe manager told me that they were aware of the problem and had technicians working on it, but it never improved. I was unable to receive a single outlook email during the entire cruise. WhatsApp was spotty, at best, and usually not working. This created problems for the tours, as well as for general comms. 5. There was a failure to provide clear information to the passengers regarding the rationale for the significant changes. 6. Staff made many errors and didn't seem to be well trained, and there did not seem to be any supervision or correction for those errors. Wrong information, wrong meals given, lack of follow-up and often getting things "almost" right was far more common than in my previous cruise experiences. They were generally small things, but just at a high frequency. Generally, I have had good experiences with NCL, and they had previously been my first place to look when planning a cruise. But NCL has not met their usual standards, IMO. The best description is that it came across as somewhat "unprofessional." All that said, it was still a very enjoyable vacation, and I will fill out a review, including all the good stuff, once I get around to getting some pics downloaded. Those annoyances were taken with a shrug and a margarita. I will likely cruise NCL again, but they probably will not be the first place that I look anymore.

This itinerary change has nothing to do with weather, it is a change made for this and all future "Antarctica" cruises on the Star this season; they will be skipping the mainland. Also, the times were changed on all ports. The changes were told to us as we boarded the ship. The weather has been amazing, and hopefully we will reap the benefit of the extra time in Stanley.

A little trick, if you're willing to pay 200%, is to book the cabin with a dummy cabin-mate. Of course, you could probably also ask for volunteers here for an actual free cabin-mate. 😄

Been on MSC in Europe and in the US. Large family groups in both. Been on almost all other mainstream lines as well. 1. It's a cruise! 2. Pricing is usually very reasonable 3. Good deals with inclusive drink packages and wifi are not hard to find 4. European flavor and style 5. Clean ships 6. Management staff on the ships were helpful. 7. Decent vegetarian options (we have a few in our group) 8. Fresh mozzarella and good pizza 9. Ocean Cay. Easy island to enjoy. 10. Decent children's activities 11. Dinner is not rushed (for some that may be a negative) 12. Croissants and coffee, especially while sitting on my balcony. 13. Nice aesthetics in design on interior areas. 14. Hugo Spritz (try one if you haven't) 15. Thermal area in the Aurea spa 16. Generally very attentive and helpful staff on board.

Have a blast! I will be on in a few weeks. Do you have a drink package, and have they changed the drink prices and corresponding amounts covered by the packages (e.g. max of $10 for Easy plus)? Also, if one orders a drink that costs more than the allotment, is it a full charge, or just paying the difference?

Sorry to bump, but may I ask as to which email you sent the requests? I have a family member who is missing points from a previous cruise. Thanks -Doc