blambition Posted August 4, 2017 #1 Share Posted August 4, 2017 Does anyone have information as to when this is scheduled and what they are planning to do to the ship? TIA Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro Flyer Posted August 4, 2017 #2 Share Posted August 4, 2017 (edited) This unofficial but generally accurate website doesn't have any definite information yet on what will be done. You could periodically check for additional information beyond the scheduled dates & location: 12/3-12/15/17 in Victoria, BC https://sites.google.com/site/princesscruisesfaq/ships/fleet-drydock-schedule Here's what they're guessing will be done but there's no official statement that I've read from Princess. The Princess website does state that the Luxury Beds will be added in December 2017. December 3rd, 2017 to December 15th 2017 - 13 days - Victoria (most likely) Drydock is longer than typical for a first generation grand class ship however the Grand has received the updated "Coffee and Cones" concept, redesigned Sabatini's, and redesigned kids area, so this is likely for the Star as well. The anticipated list of new features is as follows: 1200 new chairs and tables Princess Luxury beds Redesigned Sabatini's (capacity improvement) Coffee and Cones venue (in the location of the former ice-cream bar Camp Discovery for children New MUTS screen Club class mini suites. Edited August 4, 2017 by Astro Flyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwokpot Posted August 4, 2017 #3 Share Posted August 4, 2017 I was on the 4/21/17 Hawaii Cruise on the Star and unfortunately it was one of my least favorite cruises ever (68 cruises & counting). The Star is OLD! Let me repeat the Star is OLD. The worst areas? The fitness center and Casino. The casino was such a sad, lifeless area. It's pretty large space, but for some reason all of the machines are pushed up against the walls. The ship obviously hasn't been touched for years. We had a mini-suite and it was old looking and in disrepair. The Solarium pool area was always cold - they never heated the space. So during the crossing from Vancouver to the Hawaiian Islands my guess the temperatures was in the low to mid 60's Fahrenheit. kids were in the pool but adults had winter down coats on! The buffet area is annoying. They never improved on the original design of the space, so they use ropes to manage the traffic so you can only enter the main food area from one direction and exit from another. You compare that ship with Celebrity's Millennium Class ships which were built the same time and you will see Princess really let that ship go. This unofficial but generally accurate website doesn't have any definite information yet on what will be done. You could periodically check for additional information beyond the scheduled dates & location: 12/3-12/15/17 in Victoria, BC https://sites.google.com/site/princesscruisesfaq/ships/fleet-drydock-schedule Here's what they're guessing will be done but there's no official statement that I've read from Princess. The Princess website does state that the Luxury Beds will be added in December 2017. December 3rd, 2017 to December 15th 2017 - 13 days - Victoria (most likely) Drydock is longer than typical for a first generation grand class ship however the Grand has received the updated "Coffee and Cones" concept, redesigned Sabatini's, and redesigned kids area, so this is likely for the Star as well. The anticipated list of new features is as follows: 1200 new chairs and tables Princess Luxury beds Redesigned Sabatini's (capacity improvement) Coffee and Cones venue (in the location of the former ice-cream bar Camp Discovery for children New MUTS screen Club class mini suites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocklinmom Posted August 4, 2017 #4 Share Posted August 4, 2017 I'm looking at the Star for next summer so thanks for this info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiserkenn Posted August 4, 2017 #5 Share Posted August 4, 2017 Had a great cruise on the Star to Hawaii in March 2015. Enjoyed the dessert area in the buffet. Also enjoyed Crown Grill and Sabatini's. Enjoyed my mini suite, E729, the one with the extended balcony. A great trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro Flyer Posted August 4, 2017 #6 Share Posted August 4, 2017 (edited) We first sailed the Star in 2009 & had a great cruise to Hawaii in January 2017 from LA. Nothing we experienced was old & worn out and we have no complaints about the ship or the experience. We've enjoyed a total of 73 days on the Star & would not hesitate at all to sail the Star again. Edited August 4, 2017 by Astro Flyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiserkenn Posted August 4, 2017 #7 Share Posted August 4, 2017 We first sailed the Star in 2009 & had a great cruise to Hawaii in January 2017 from LA. Nothing we experienced was old & worn out and we have no complaints about the ship or the experience. We've enjoyed a total of 73 days on the Star & would not hesitate at all to sail the Star again. For sure and well said. Me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KyOh Posted August 6, 2017 #8 Share Posted August 6, 2017 Our first Princess cruise was this summer in Alaska on the Star. It was horrible!!! There wasn't a stable chair in the bars or the dining area. The couch in our mini-suite was so scuffed it was pitiful. The balcony furniture was terrible and the outside needed to be stripped. I only wish I had known it was going into drydock this winter. I would never have booked it. Maybe it was a wonderful ship but that was years ago. And maybe it will be a wonderful ship again after this renovation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blambition Posted August 6, 2017 Author #9 Share Posted August 6, 2017 I last sailed on the Star four years ago and it was in perfect condition. My next sailing is not scheduled until after the drydock! Certainly hoping it will be up to what we are used to from Princess. Our past two Cruises have been on Oceania, and we have been quite spoiled. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiserkenn Posted August 7, 2017 #10 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Astro Flyer is a veteran cruiser and a reliable commentator here on Cruise Critic. Astro Flyer enjoyed the Star in 2017. I am sure that future Star cruises will be great! Enjoy😀 I know I will😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwokpot Posted August 7, 2017 #11 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Astro Flyer is a veteran cruiser and a reliable commentator here on Cruise Critic. Astro Flyer enjoyed the Star in 2017.I am sure that future Star cruises will be great! Enjoy😀 I know I will😳 With all due respect I'm also a veteran cruiser and have been a Cruise Critic member for a longer time. What does that mean really? I average 12 cruises a year across 5 lines; Royal' date=' Celebrity,NCL, Carnival & Princess. Each line has its strengths and weaknesses - there's no perfect cruise line since travelers are not a homogenous group but seek different experiences from their cruise holiday. For me, l like each cruise line for their strengths but are also acutely aware of their weaknesses. To not acknowledge weakness is to have blind loyalty. Princess can be you favorite cruise line, AND the Star Princess can be your favorite ship. But that doesn't mean you have to be blind and not acknowledge certain deficiencies with the ship. As one of the other posters pointed out in agreement with my assessment, many of the Star's staterooms are shabby and in disrepair. People come to these forums for advice and opinions. I know you meant well but unfortunately your statement discounts opinions of actual passengers of the ship. If anything, I tend to discount opinions of fierce loyalists to a particular cruise line because to be frank they become blind to the fact that MAYBE things are not as great as they want to believe. To be honest, if that poster believes that The Star is in great condition and there's no issues I will now discount everything that person says because that is clearly not true. Is the Star Princess a dump? No, but it is in severe need of a top to bottom refurbishment. I was lucky, my sailing on the Star was via FREE cruise certificate from a land based casino program,so basically it was a 'free' cruise a and I only had to pay taxes and gratuities. If we had paid full price for the mini suit, it would have been close to $8,000 for the cabin! I would have been FURIOUS if I spent that kind of money for the condition of the cabin I had. In fact I was so disappointed with the condition of the ship we actually canceled a second Hawaii cruise on the Star that we had booked for end of September, and that WAS also a free casino certificate cruise. So literally I didn't want to sail on that ship even though it was 'free'! I even paid a penalty for redepositing frequent flyer points I had used to book my flights for that cruise. We have instead booked a 'free' casino cruise on NCL to the Baltics. Bottom line, just let everyone post their experiences and let readers decide for themselves how to use the information provided. Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matadams4u Posted August 7, 2017 #12 Share Posted August 7, 2017 I will be on the Vancouver to la cruise right after dry dock. I am looking forward to being one of the first to experience the changes. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimiq Posted August 7, 2017 #13 Share Posted August 7, 2017 The star is far from being a dump but yes it does need repair here and there but to me it needs to be also given a bit more of a modern look as it's showing it's age. Not that aging is not nice lol Would I sail here again yes of course but after a refurbishment. Sea ya Eric Envoyé de mon iPad en utilisant Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blambition Posted August 7, 2017 Author #14 Share Posted August 7, 2017 We will be sailing to Hawaii round-trip out of Los Angeles in March, I only wish that they would Alfredo's to the ship. I am sure they have no plans to do that at this time. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiserkenn Posted August 7, 2017 #15 Share Posted August 7, 2017 I like the Star's promenade deck. I like the Princess Theater. I like the pizza on deck 14. As I mentioned earlier, I like the dessert area at the buffet. I like it when there are cool days at sea on Hawaii cruises. I sure don't want extra heat. Yikes. I don't care about the casino, so I can't comment on that. I am looking forward to my 2018 Hawaii cruise on the Star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiserkenn Posted August 7, 2017 #16 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Another great thing about the Star is that it has Skywalkers. High up aft. What a great spot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpareBrew Posted August 7, 2017 #17 Share Posted August 7, 2017 We were on the Star last Feb/March 2017 to Hawaii and really enjoyed the ship, much less crowded and the staff was wonderful! I didn't see it as run down at all, just a little worn and in need of some TLC. Our mini-suite furniture was fine. We loved it so much we're doing it again next March! Looking forward to seeing the upgrades, including the new mattresses! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiserkenn Posted August 8, 2017 #18 Share Posted August 8, 2017 We were on the Star last Feb/March 2017 to Hawaii and really enjoyed the ship, much less crowded and the staff was wonderful! I didn't see it as run down at all, just a little worn and in need of some TLC. Our mini-suite furniture was fine. We loved it so much we're doing it again next March! Looking forward to seeing the upgrades, including the new mattresses! Thanks for the good thoughts! Enjoy😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colfireman Posted August 12, 2017 #19 Share Posted August 12, 2017 I have the luxury to be on her pre drydock ending in Van, too bad they won't take me to Victoria the next day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IECalCruiser Posted August 12, 2017 #20 Share Posted August 12, 2017 (edited) This unofficial but generally accurate website doesn't have any definite information yet on what will be done. You could periodically check for additional information beyond the scheduled dates & location: 12/3-12/15/17 in Victoria, BC https://sites.google.com/site/princesscruisesfaq/ships/fleet-drydock-schedule Here's what they're guessing will be done but there's no official statement that I've read from Princess. The Princess website does state that the Luxury Beds will be added in December 2017. December 3rd, 2017 to December 15th 2017 - 13 days - Victoria (most likely) Drydock is longer than typical for a first generation grand class ship however the Grand has received the updated "Coffee and Cones" concept, redesigned Sabatini's, and redesigned kids area, so this is likely for the Star as well. The anticipated list of new features is as follows: 1200 new chairs and tables Princess Luxury beds Redesigned Sabatini's (capacity improvement) Coffee and Cones venue (in the location of the former ice-cream bar Camp Discovery for children New MUTS screen Club class mini suites. She already has Club Class mini suites but the rest, except perhaps for the new MUTS screen, is probably a pretty good guess. For better or worse, it might include converting Prego Pizzeria to Slice Pizzeria, the Trident Grill to the Salty Dog Grill, and the Horizon Court to the World Fresh Marketplace. These were added to the Caribbrean and it will be interesting to see if they are rolled out on other ships. Sent from my iPad using Forums Edited August 12, 2017 by IECalCruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astro Flyer Posted August 12, 2017 #21 Share Posted August 12, 2017 She already has Club Class mini suites but the rest, except perhaps for the new MUTS screen, is probably a pretty good guess. For better or worse, it might include converting Prego Pizzeria to Slice Pizzeria, the Trident Grill to the Salty Dog Grill, and the Horizon Court to the World Fresh Marketplace. These were added to the Caribbrean and it will be interesting to see if they are rolled out on other ships. I don't understand why Princess heavily promotes changes to some ships but not to other ships. :confused: That may be an indication that those modifications being speculated about on that drydock website may not happen. We're sailing the Sapphire next summer in Norway after the 14 day drydock in Singapore but there are no details for that one also. The Princess website shows that the Luxury Beds will be installed in March 2018 when the drydock is scheduled before sailing to Europe. I don't know the sources of their information which in general have been quite accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omynameistaken Posted September 28, 2017 #22 Share Posted September 28, 2017 I will be on the Vancouver to la cruise right after dry dock. I am looking forward to being one of the first to experience the changes. Sent from my iPhone using Forums OH perfect.... please let us know as we are on her in March 2018 sailing to Hawaii :cool: :* SaveSave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttiger1968 Posted October 2, 2017 #23 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Does anyone know if they will ever do the Ocean Medallion for the Star? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggs Posted October 5, 2017 #24 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Wow, now I am worried....we are probably taking our last cruise because of my husband health (his oncologist may tell us he can't go) and we've booked the Star HI trip October 25th. We've loved the HI trips in the past and this summer we enjoyed immensely the new Princess beds, on our trip to Alaska so we're disappointed they wouldn't be on the Star yet. The only handicapped room we could get was an inside and have done OK in them in the past, but wished we could have found a balcony one this time. That's what you get for booking late. Please give me some "good news" about our upcoming trip. I trust the Adult Spa pool will be open and functioning???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IECalCruiser Posted October 5, 2017 #25 Share Posted October 5, 2017 This unofficial but generally accurate website doesn't have any definite information yet on what will be done. You could periodically check for additional information beyond the scheduled dates & location: 12/3-12/15/17 in Victoria, BC https://sites.google.com/site/princesscruisesfaq/ships/fleet-drydock-schedule It appears that that website has not been updated since mid April of this year. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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