2/27-3/06 STAR Review-3

[regnig]

final ...

 

Elite Benefits – Thankfully no fuss was made at boarding. I’d read that on one of the ships they insist on escorting you to your cabin and I really didn’t want that so I was grateful when it didn’t happen. Although our mini-bar was not set up according to my Circle profile Jeff immediately changed it out. It originally had an assortment of 12 miniatures, two tonic waters, two cokes, two Pierre Waters, and two spring waters. He exchanged the miniatures for 15 beers (hubby is the beer drinker) so all was well. In addition to the bottled bath supplies (shampoo, conditioner, lotion and bath gel) there were two pairs of slippers and upgraded robes. The evening before the days with Formal Nights I was given a slip to fill out with my choice of complimentary canapés to be served at my desired time between 4pm and 6pm. I guess they were good (one can eat just so much food on any given day) as my traveling mates sure seemed to enjoy them. When I got the slip for the second Formal night I decided just to skip them. But, lo and behold at my previously requested time, a tray arrived, again enjoyed by my traveling mates. That same evening, about 30 minutes after they delivered the canapés they also delivered a tray of cookies, the best I’ve had onboard. Don’t know why, but we ate them anyway. How’s a gal supposed to get into her clothes with all this food! Having someone else do my laundry and dry cleaning is probably, in my opinion, the best perk they provide. I packed far less for this trip than in the past. The discount in the boutiques was added with no prompting. I did find it strange that although most of the ship’s employees I talked with knew the black room key was “special” they had no idea of what one had done to earn it. The one benefit I didn’t use was “Traditional Afternoon Tea”. If it was tea with an assortment of the goodies they serve at the regular afternoon tea in the Portofino dining room it would be worth it – provided you wanted to eat again.

 

Disembarkation - We had Red 3 tags so we were in the second group to be called. We walked off the ship at 825a, spotted our luggage, yelled for a porter, he took us through Customs, took us directly to a cab and we walked into the airport at 855am. The real clue here is GET A PORTER! The cost of his tip is the best money you will spend on your entire trip. Also take a cab. It cost $11.75 to the airport. There were vans available but at $6 a person the cab is actually cheaper.

 

Summary – Although we were a bit disappointed with the change of itinerary (hubby missed his golf, long story not important), we really enjoyed our week. The extra time we spend onboard made it a very relaxing cruise for us. The free to all steam rooms and saunas by the current pool are the largest and best we have encountered on a Princess ship and we used them every day. Although it is a sister of the Grand, there are minor differences in the Star that makes her a more comfortable ship for us.

 

If you have any questions just ask, I’ll try to answer the best I can.

 

Barb

[spongerob]

Great review, Barb! I'm guessing your husband planned to play golf at Sandals in Ocho Rios. You'll just have to come up with a good excuse to cruise by there again. The course was just okay when we played it, but it was a lot of fun to play with a caddie.

[coiran]

Where did you find the free steam rooms - we were on the Star recently and you had to pay a fee for the week - or is this an elite perk?

[GezWhiz]

Hi there

 

Thanks for the review. This is our first cruise and I have been reading all and anything that has to do with the ship. Any advise given would be great. :D

 

We are on the Dolphin deck AA mini suite. Are the perks that you are talking about are because you were an elite passenger. You refer to the black key is that something special.??

 

Thanks

[regnig]

Where did you find the free steam rooms - we were on the Star recently and you had to pay a fee for the week - or is this an elite perk?

 

Nope not an elite perk - free to all.

 

After you enter the Lotus Spa area the Spa check-in desk is on your right. On the left is a hallway that I believe goes back to the massage rooms and the "you must pay" Thermal area. About 10 -15 feet in on that hallway are two doors, one men other women, that I believe say Dressing Area. Through those doors are changing areas, lockers, at least 4 large showers, AND large steam and sauna rooms. Also an ample supply of towels. My guess is that the steam room would hold 12 but other than one day when two others showed up it was always empty. I knew it was there but had to ask the gals at the Spa desk. They gave a half hearted attempt to talk me into the Thermal thing (at a cost) but did not fuss when I said no.

It shows up if you look at a diagram of the Star which is different than the Grand. We've booked the Golden for next March and it has them too. Yea!!

[regnig]

Great review, Barb! I'm guessing your husband planned to play golf at Sandals in Ocho Rios. You'll just have to come up with a good excuse to cruise by there again. The course was just okay when we played it, but it was a lot of fun to play with a caddie.

 

Thanks Rob. No, he was going to play in Cozumel but the day before we arrived they sent notice that the time had changed from 750a to 1030a. We had plans for the afternoon, it's that jewelry buying thing, so he cried a bit and then canceled. He's played there a couple of times before so it wasn't too much of a disappointment. He had originally decided not to play Sandals due to the stagering (his words) cost.

[regnig]

Hi there

 

Thanks for the review. This is our first cruise and I have been reading all and anything that has to do with the ship. Any advise given would be great. :D

 

We are on the Dolphin deck AA mini suite. Are the perks that you are talking about are because you were an elite passenger. You refer to the black key is that something special.??

 

Thanks

 

Princess issues you a plastic room key that is also used for all onboard charges and for getting on and off the ship. Once one has sailed with Princess once you become a member of the Captain's Circle Club. You start out Gold and your room key is gold, then you become Platimum after 5 cruises and your room key is gray. Once you are really old and have sailed at least 15 times you go to Elite and the room key is black.

 

The perks I was talking about were those of the Elite Captain's Circle Club. I don't believe any of them come with a mini suite, but you will love your cruise regardless. I had a mini-suite on the Dolphin when I took my Mom and sister to Alaska and loved it.

 

Tip - don't miss the pool aft on deck 16. Just don't tell others about it we want to keep it a secret.

[cruiserforlife]

Thanks for the great review!

 

We were on the Star in 2003 and loved every minute of it.

[regnig]

You are welcome!

 

Funny I dislike the Grand but really like the Star - with the exception of getting to the Amalfi Dining room that is!

[coiran]

Thanks for the steam room info - this was our first on the Star - 15th Princess overall - when we took the Spa tour they said nothing about the free steam room? We get the elite perks next cruise - South America on the regal in February unless we get the fever and do something this fall.

[cruiserforlife]

larsen,

 

I will never bash you for missing the muster drill...(you may remember a thread I started awhile back where I got FLAMED for admitting the same thing) but I actually did attend on my 1/28 Sun sailing.Lucky for you,Princess doesn't call roll like most other lines.

 

We too didn't care for the "Caribbean themed" dinner,probably the only meal the whole cruise we weren't "wowed" over.

 

I certainly agree with you regarding the free laundry/dry cleaning service,this is the BEST perk at sea along with the free internet...Princess certainly treats it's most traveled pax well.

 

Thanks again for re-living your cruise for us through this thread.

[GezWhiz]

Hi there

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I can't wait till we leave. My husband was wondering if he will be able to take a case of beer on board (or will he have to purchase it when aboard the ship). We are flying down the day before so he was going to go to the store to buy beer( he only drinks beer). Should he put it in his luggage or just carry it on. Any info on that would just about make his day:D

 

Thanks

[cruiserforlife]

Sixpk,

 

You should be OK if you purchase beer in FL and just carry it on.I doubt seriously if you even have to disguise it,Princess is pretty liberal regarding their policy.Others will probably be better equipped to tell you whether you should "smuggle it" or just walk on with it proudly.

 

I used a service located in FL called "Just Because of You" which will deliver to your room beer,wine,or soft drinks & water.It's a great service and far cheaper than you'd pay onboard.

[colin v]

Thanks for the great review....we are sailing the STAR Western itinerary on Sunday.

 

This post just makes it that much more exciting.

 

Colin

[GezWhiz]

Hi there

 

Thanks Cruise for Life

 

He will carry it proudly LOL;) you made his night. He says hes going to carry it in a soft sided carry on.

 

Have a good one

[GezWhiz]

Hi there

 

Colin when ya get back post your thoughts on the ship. We are sailing soon and like to hear other peoples thoughts on the ship. We are sailing the Western in a couple of weeks. And believe me it can't get here fast enough.

[regnig]

Sixpk, I agree with cruiserforlife about carrying beer on board. My DH has done so in the past with no problem. He's never tried smuggling it, just carried it in a brown grocery back. I was not paying any attention to anyone else when we boarded this time but if I had to bet money I'd say no one had a problem.

 

Speaking of betting did I mention I won $82.50 at a slot machine the last night. That's a first for me!

 

Thanks cruiserforlife I do remember your thread. I had to bite my tongue and not add to that thread for fear of being eaten alive.

 

Connie your South America cruise on the Regal sounds great. Have you sailed the Regal before? We really loved her.

 

In case they get lost Part 1 of this review can be found at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=146971

 

and Part 2 can be found at

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=146973

[colin v]

Larsen,

 

How was the weather??

 

Colin

[regnig]

Sixpk I just remembered something - Beer purchase in Montego Bay. We did get off the ship just to go into the shops at the docking pier. Hubby bought 2 six packs of Red Strip beer at $5 each and simply carried them back on board. I'm not a beer drinker so I can not attest to it but he always buys Red Strip when available and claims it is good. This might reduce the amount your other half brings on in Fort Lauderdale. The shop we went into also had other beer - didn't check the prices.

[GezWhiz]

Hi there

 

Thanks for the reply. Hes strickly a beer drinker so its been an issue with him:D

When I read him the price of $5 he almost fell off his chair.

The weather today in Ontario, Canada is -22c so the hot weather is looking better each and everyday.

Good for you winning at the slots. Every little bit ya get back is always good.

Our dollar is getting pretty good lately. Was on a bank site today and its only $.81 to buy a $1.00 US.

 

Have yourself a good one

 

;)

[regnig]

Larsen,

 

How was the weather??

 

Colin

 

Weather really was good. It was a bit overcast the morning we set anchor at Montego Bay which is part of the reason we didn't go to the beach, but other than that we experienced sunshine the entire week.

 

By the by, getting off the ship at Montego Bay was pretty much a mess. If hubby hadn't wanted to get the Red Stripe beer we would have gotten right back on the tender and headed back to the Star. Once you got off the tender you had to get into a van/bus to go anywhere including the dock terminal shops. There seemed to be mass confusion as the Jamaican authorities, not Princess, would not let you leave the tender area on foot claiming it was "too dangerous". There was transportation directly to the dock terminal, the beaches and the downtown shopping area. The van ride to the terminal was only about a 1/4 of a mile but since it was through a gate no one was allowed to walk. Had we have docked we wouldn't have encounted the mess. I did hear several folks complain that they had been directed to the wrong van/bus and ended up going places they didn't want to be so make certain you get on the correct van/bus. The return from the dock terminal to the tender landing was not a problem. The Jamaican screening of hand carried items back on the return was a stitch! :D The guy who was supposedly looking at the xray screen was gazing into a cardboard box (I guess intended to reduce the glare) and it really looked 3rd world and silly.

[Crockett Man]

Larsen,

 

What's the deal with the Amalfi dinning room? I'll be on the 3/20 sailing of the Star, first time, and I'm curious.

[regnig]

Larsen,

 

What's the deal with the Amalfi dinning room? I'll be on the 3/20 sailing of the Star, first time, and I'm curious.

 

There is nothing wrong with the dining room itself - it is getting to it that presents quite a challenge. :eek: For whatever reason they stuck the galley between the Amalfi and the Portofino Dining rooms on the Star and Golden (different names same places on the Grand) far aft on Deck 6. There are only two ways that I know of to reach it. The far outer elevators that at the aft of the ship go all the way down and stop at Deck 6. Be careful as the two in the middle do not. Kind of like this - if you are standing at the aft elevators on an upper level you will see 4 sets of elevator doors - XX XX - the dark red will take you to the Amalfi while the dark green will not. The other way to get there is to walk to the aft set of stairs on Deck 7 and walk down to Deck 6. While neither of these methods is terribly difficult to master after about 5 days on the ship, the crowd that gathers in the very small hall/entry way of the dining room can get to be chaotic and unruly. Many of us have wondered how no one has gotten seriously hurt on the stairway. Our traveling group always plans on showing up for dinner at least 10 minutes late just to avoid the congestion. It's just not up to Princess's standard excellent ship layout.

[Northender]

Thanks for the great review. I just copied and pasted the directions to the free steam and the tip about the pool on deck 16 aft. (and mum's the word)

 

We are going to be on Aloha deck and I believe there is also an adult pool on that level too. :)

 

Already you have something to look forward to for next year. Did you book on board?

[Crockett Man]

We are on deck 5, Plaza. Can you tell me what is the dinning room on that deck and which dinning room do they use for traditional late seating?