NCL Star

Considering the Star for a transatlantic cruise because they do port stops in Amsterdam and Copenhagen. However, looking at the cabins, especially Ocean Views, they look really small, cramped, and not very well appointed. They don't even seem to have a couch or love seat for sitting. Just an accent chair or two. Are the balcony cabins any better? I would not want us to do 14 days in unfavorable conditions.

Can anyone fill me in on this ship and give me tips on cabins? :confused:

The balconies have a sofa (well, a love seat) and some sort of chair for the desk, with the table between for cocktails or to play a game. As well as a floor to ceiling "window" that the door makes! Balconies and up also have a fridge and coffee maker. (insides MIGHT have the coffee maker, IDK) The cabin will seem roomiest with the two twins pushed together as a queen-king. It's still not real roomy in the sense that there is only one nightstand -- between the beds as twins or in the bathroom-wall corner if as a king. The end of the loveseat winds up being the other person's nightstand!

The N.Star was our first balcony and we were very happy!

The balconies have a sofa (well, a love seat) and some sort of chair for the desk, with the table between for cocktails or to play a game. As well as a floor to ceiling "window" that the door makes! Balconies and up also have a fridge and coffee maker. (insides MIGHT have the coffee maker, IDK) The cabin will seem roomiest with the two twins pushed together as a queen-king. It's still not real roomy in the sense that there is only one nightstand -- between the beds as twins or in the bathroom-wall corner if as a king. The end of the loveseat winds up being the other person's nightstand!

 

The N.Star was our first balcony and we were very happy!

Appreciate the info. I'm really interested in taking the Star. First is for the freestyle cruising and second is for the ports of call London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen. However, since we will be booking an Ocean View Cabin, as our budget does not allow for anything more than that, I am somewhat concerned looking at the photos and videos of that cabin, that it is really a very small one. I think that the Star, being a smaller ship, would allow for everything else to be fine for a transatlantic crossing. If we have to increase our budget and book a balcony, in order to get more room, then maybe that is what we need to do. The only other option is to take another ship like the Celebrity Silhouette that has a similar itinerary.

I checked the OV floorplan; sorry it took me a few days; we're under 50 days out from OUR next cruise (!) and I'm getting a little distracted myself!

With that arrangement of space, it will seem roomiest with the beds separated -- otherwise you have to crawl on the bed to look out the window! Only you know if that is tenable for you/two.

Looks like one chair; *possibly* your steward can find you another (but I wouldn't count on it) -- and again having the beds separated provides space for one or two chairs to "tuck in" out of the way at the foots of the beds.

Here's a thought -- we took an inside for our transAtlantic, on the conviction that the view is all the same while you're crossing, and once we get to Europe we'll be busy in ports not out on a balcony... we honestly didn't consider an oceanview... really thought of it as an all or not proposition. Instead, scope out the ship and find your favorite places to look out to sea, and spend the money on whatever else you want to, that might make the crossing more interesting or fun: drinks, spa treatments, dinner in the up-pay restaurant... or on excursions or activities once you get to Europe.

Now most of the insides on the Star have the same arrangement as the OV's, so if that's too small, it's too small -- Except! Wait, what is this??? some of the insides are SIDEWAYS to the hall. The door opens at the foot of the bed, rather than like it was looking down a tunnel. The bed is to one side, the vanity/desk is straight ahead, and the closets and bathroom to the other side. We were across the hall from CC'ers in one of these and had a look on our cabin crawl, and it was bigger feeling than the other ones. You can have the beds either together (each person gets a little aisle to their nightstand) or apart (slightly more room yet, but not so necessary-feeling as the OV). The only thing is -- every one of these rooms is a quad, and the extra beds are pullmans on the wall that you'll have to sidle past on the way in to bed (if together).

I see that at least some desirable ones (9175 or 9671) are still available. You have to pay more because midship and making your choice (over a guarantee), but it's a better deal than a balcony, -- a popup came up trying to sell me a PORTHOLE ov, for $196/person, so that's $400. Here is a thread about these rooms (the Dawn is sister ship to the Star):

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1755562

read down to see several LARGE photos of the room. Just to throw something else in the decision pot.:confused:

I checked the OV floorplan; sorry it took me a few days; we're under 50 days out from OUR next cruise (!) and I'm getting a little distracted myself!

 

With that arrangement of space, it will seem roomiest with the beds separated -- otherwise you have to crawl on the bed to look out the window! Only you know if that is tenable for you/two.

 

Looks like one chair; *possibly* your steward can find you another (but I wouldn't count on it) -- and again having the beds separated provides space for one or two chairs to "tuck in" out of the way at the foots of the beds.

 

Here's a thought -- we took an inside for our transAtlantic, on the conviction that the view is all the same while you're crossing, and once we get to Europe we'll be busy in ports not out on a balcony... we honestly didn't consider an oceanview... really thought of it as an all or not proposition. Instead, scope out the ship and find your favorite places to look out to sea, and spend the money on whatever else you want to, that might make the crossing more interesting or fun: drinks, spa treatments, dinner in the up-pay restaurant... or on excursions or activities once you get to Europe.

 

Now most of the insides on the Star have the same arrangement as the OV's, so if that's too small, it's too small -- Except! Wait, what is this??? some of the insides are SIDEWAYS to the hall. The door opens at the foot of the bed, rather than like it was looking down a tunnel. The bed is to one side, the vanity/desk is straight ahead, and the closets and bathroom to the other side. We were across the hall from CC'ers in one of these and had a look on our cabin crawl, and it was bigger feeling than the other ones. You can have the beds either together (each person gets a little aisle to their nightstand) or apart (slightly more room yet, but not so necessary-feeling as the OV). The only thing is -- every one of these rooms is a quad, and the extra beds are pullmans on the wall that you'll have to sidle past on the way in to bed (if together).

 

I see that at least some desirable ones (9175 or 9671) are still available. You have to pay more because midship and making your choice (over a guarantee), but it's a better deal than a balcony, -- a popup came up trying to sell me a PORTHOLE ov, for $196/person, so that's $400. Here is a thread about these rooms (the Dawn is sister ship to the Star):

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1755562

 

read down to see several LARGE photos of the room. Just to throw something else in the decision pot.:confused:

Looks promising. I will check out some of the cabin configurations on the NCL website. Never really considered an inside cabin. But, maybe I should. The most important thing to me, outside of the seating configuration, is that one can get a good night's sleep. We are too old to stay up past 11 pm and too old to put up with noise at night.

Yes, that is why I looked at Deck 9 (both 8 and 10 have sleeping floors above and below them). We were just across from 9175 and there is essentially NO traffic to the Internet Cafe, or if there is, they are quiet! Some people who stayed in one of the "sideways" are pretty definite about the "more noise from the hall" but I really think it would be minimal in those two cabins I referenced.

You turn your TV to the bow camera and turn the volume down to nothing -- voila, a window!

We hope to get a "J" interior on the HAL Nieuw Amsterdam in April. It too is a square'er cabin with the illusion of more room!

Getting ready to book an Ocean View. I am being given options on Deck 8 with an Obstructed View, which doesn't bother me. Cabin 8618 which is situated sideway instead of length wise like most cabins. Is this configuration pretty decent. It is somewhat near the Blue Lagoon Restaurant. Will there be a noise problem? It's also above Deck 7 the Promenade which has some public activity such as a couple of specialty restaurants. Will this be a noise problem? If this is not a satisfactory cabin I will move up to a higher category to get something acceptable

There are photos of this numbered cabin on the Star's sister ship Dawn HERE:

The third one is with the pullman bed down! I don't think you're going to do that.

This thread says a similar cabin "is awful" for things like lights at night and noise when the lifeboat is lowered for use as a tender, but message #4 gives a more balanced view. You have to decide if it's AWFUL for you!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1990801

The Blue Lagoon is a 24-hour snack bar, and you would be right by the elevators on the way to it. The elevators themselves are not noisy but you might hear a few more voices of people coming and going. I don't think you're close enough to the BL to hear it. Being close might be convenient in fact!

There are photos of this numbered cabin on the Star's sister ship Dawn HERE:

The third one is with the pullman bed down! I don't think you're going to do that.

 

This thread says a similar cabin "is awful" for things like lights at night and noise when the lifeboat is lowered for use as a tender, but message #4 gives a more balanced view. You have to decide if it's AWFUL for you!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1990801

 

The Blue Lagoon is a 24-hour snack bar, and you would be right by the elevators on the way to it. The elevators themselves are not noisy but you might hear a few more voices of people coming and going. I don't think you're close enough to the BL to hear it. Being close might be convenient in fact!

Thank you so much. What a wealth of information. When we're considering a transatlantic, where we have so many days at sea, possibly an unobstructed ocean view might be more plausible. Although I am not a big fan of watching the ocean go by (6 years in the Navy) maybe my wife would appreciate it. Since there will be no tendering on this itinerary the boats will not be used. So, there will be a limited noise factor. The lights on all night can be alleviated by the curtains. I'm quite sure that the crew members would be doing their thing with the boats during the day when we are out exploring the ship. Hopefully people going to and from the BL would be courteous enough late at night.