Panama Canal on the Star

[calladon]

Shortly we about to go on the NCL Star thru the Panama Canal. Anyone been on the Star for this voyage recently. How was entertainment, weather and of course the ship?? Have been lead to believe that it has gone thru renos.

[terrymtex01]

We have never done the PC cruise, but we have been on the Star, both before and after the reno's. So I might can help you a little bit there. The Star is a beautiful ship, almost small by todays comparisons. The staff is some of the best in the business. They have, on all of our cruises onboard, made us feel like we were visiting friends. The MDR (Main Dining Room) is beautiful. I will tell you I am not a fan of the althernate dining room, I believe it's called Aqua. Of all our time on the Star we ate there once and that was too much for me. I felt crowded there and the noise level was just too much. The changes to the Star made during the reno were contraversial, but we loved them. The two main changes were they elliminated a main lounge, which we never used except to see a show, which now are held in a lounge on the Aft of the ship. Where they put the lounge at the Aft used to be the gift shop, and of all the NCL gift ships I hated it (its the same on the Dawn). I much like how they have the gift shops on the Pearl, and now the Star's gift shops are set up like they are on the Pearl.

 

I am jealous that you are getting to do the PC cruise on the Star. Our next cruise will be 2012 and we could not find an NCL PC cruise that we could fit with our schedule. You picked a great ship. I hope you enjoy your cruise. Please come back and tell us all about it.

[sacway]

On the Star before & after renovations, and have already booked another cruise.

 

Done the Panama twice, not on the Star. It is very hot Panama and sun is intense, people tend to get burnt crispy if not careful. Watch the lock passages from Deck 7 public areas if you aren't planning to spend the day on your balcony. Topside will be too hot and sunny and crowded. Watch from the back through the first locks (everyone runs to the front) and then the afternoon locks you can go forward (by then everyone else is either sunburnt or tired). Bring binocs if you like to bird watch, you will be that close to the vegetation...

 

It can rain, too, did one or two days on one of our trips, but it was only part of the day, not on either crossing, maybe that's typical don't know.

 

Love that cruise, it's one of our favs!