Star Dec 1 – 14 Trip Report with some pics

[Oakman58]

Oakman58, thank you soooo much taking us with you on this wonderful journey and giving so much useful information! Can't wait to board the Star on 14 Feb in Miami for this tour! Less than 40 days to go :-)

 

Thank you so much. I am planning on a 2019 cruise on the Star and your review was very helpful in making the deck plans of the ship come alive. I appreciate your time.

 

 

Thank you both for your nice comments.

[CincyJen]

Oakman, I'm as sad to see this trip report end as you were to see your ship come into port. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures and for the terrific pictures and stories.

[Oakman58]

Oakman, I'm as sad to see this trip report end as you were to see your ship come into port. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures and for the terrific pictures and stories.

 

Thank you so much for your very kind remarks. I'm slow on a keyboard so remarks like yours make it all worthwhile.

[2bthere]

Thank you Oakman 58.

 

I loved watching your journey pictures and commentary throughout your adventure. While it's still on a bucket list it gave fuel to the fire to bring it forward.

 

My only question would be your overall thoughts of the Star. We have some upcoming trips that may be on her. I trust your views as subjective but we lead the same type of lifestyle.

[steel1203]

Really enjoyed reading your trip report - going on the Star in the summer leaving from Venice, so your report was a great taster for later this year!

 

 

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[Oakman58]

Thank you Oakman 58.

 

I loved watching your journey pictures and commentary throughout your adventure. While it's still on a bucket list it gave fuel to the fire to bring it forward.

 

My only question would be your overall thoughts of the Star. We have some upcoming trips that may be on her. I trust your views as subjective but we lead the same type of lifestyle.

 

 

With the exception of the theater which I detailed in my report, I thought the Star looked great. Keep in mind I’m not one to go looking for things that are wrong with a ship. My sister and wife pointed out that some areas the carpet on the stairs in the Versailles dining room were getting thread bare. I would not have noticed had they not pointed that out to me.

 

Our cabin was in good shape and our bed was comfortable. The coffee maker was the one cup type and I missed the 4 cup coffee makers they used to have on the Star. The balcony door took a little muscle to open and close. Our room steward was excellent.

 

The two water slides on the Star are s-l-o-w and I saw some adults actually pulling themselves along to get to the bottom.

 

With just one or two exceptions, the crew on the Star was outstanding in my opinion. This was especially true of the staff in the dining venues.

 

I would cruise on the Star again in a heartbeat. To be completely honest, I amazed at the number of negative reviews the Star receives.

[Oakman58]

Really enjoyed reading your trip report - going on the Star in the summer leaving from Venice, so your report was a great taster for later this year!

 

 

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Thank you for that very nice comment.

[jimbri]

Great review and photos. Thank you.

[MaryBethV]

LOVED your review - thank you so much for taking the time to share!

[SenatorsFan]

This was such a wonderful review; thanks for doing it and for all the pictures. I'd like to do a Canal cruise in the near future and I always enjoy seeing picture of the actual voyage through the Canal. :)

Heather

[S1Blum]

Thank you for your great review...very talented writer! We will be on this cruise on the 19th and your review has helped us choose some excursions and introduced me to the bushwacker - Will definitely be giving it a try! Happy cruising!!

[Oakman58]

LOVED your review - thank you so much for taking the time to share!

 

This was such a wonderful review; thanks for doing it and for all the pictures. I'd like to do a Canal cruise in the near future and I always enjoy seeing picture of the actual voyage through the Canal. :)

Heather

 

Thank you for the nice comments. For anyone who enjoys cruising a transit of the canal should be a "must do."

[Oakman58]

Great review and photos. Thank you.

 

Thank you for your great review...very talented writer! We will be on this cruise on the 19th and your review has helped us choose some excursions and introduced me to the bushwacker - Will definitely be giving it a try! Happy cruising!!

 

Thank you both for your very nice comments.

[Oakman58]

The full transit of the Panama Canal cruise has a lot of sea days and I know some folks like to read books on those days. While the hours of operation of the ship’s library are limited, there was a book exchange in the library that was open 24 hours a day.

 

FYI, on sea days the library would usually be open 4 hour a day, 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. On port days the library would only be open 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon.

[cpcanuck]

The full transit of the Panama Canal cruise has a lot of sea days and I know some folks like to read books on those days. While the hours of operation of the ship’s library are limited, there was a book exchange in the library that was open 24 hours a day.

 

FYI, on sea days the library would usually be open 4 hour a day, 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. On port days the library would only be open 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon.

 

Does that mean that the library sitting area was not available unless the library was open to take books out?

[Sheshefran]

Enjoyed your review. I am looking forward to your one on the Jade. I will be sailing that ship in April.

[Oakman58]

Does that mean that the library sitting area was not available unless the library was open to take books out?

 

No, sorry for the confusion. The library room was open 24/7. When the library was closed to lending books the glass doors on the bookcases were locked and there wasn't anyone to check out the books but the room was open.

[cpcanuck]

No, sorry for the confusion. The library room was open 24/7. When the library was closed to lending books the glass doors on the bookcases were locked and there wasn't anyone to check out the books but the room was open.

 

Oh! That makes sense... Thanks!

[Oldgoat61]

Oakman.........enjoyed your review very much, thanks! I have a question for you. How long would you guess it took to get through security at the airport?

 

Haven't flied out of LAX in a long time, and I know it will be busy. Thanks:D

[Oakman58]

Enjoyed your review. I am looking forward to your one on the Jade. I will be sailing that ship in April.

 

 

Our Jade cruise is just a 4 night cruise to Cozumel so I think I’ll take more photos of the dining rooms we plan to eat in and perhaps more food pictures. Our shore excursion will be the Reef Explorer Semi-sub. We’re going with two other couples and one of the couples has never been on a cruise.

Of the few NCL ships we’ve been on the Jade is my favorite. She has been refurbished since we were last on her so I’m looking forward to seeing how she looks now.

[Oakman58]

Oakman.........enjoyed your review very much, thanks! I have a question for you. How long would you guess it took to get through security at the airport?

 

Haven't flied out of LAX in a long time, and I know it will be busy. Thanks:D

 

 

We had a TSA pre-check so there was almost no line and we zipped right through security. Even so the regular security line wasn't all that long anyway. This was just before 11 AM and in the Southwest Airlines Terminal.

[Pauser]

Thank you for taking the time to post your great review! I really enjoyed reading it. Sounds like you had a great cruise!

[Oakman58]

Thank you for taking the time to post your great review! I really enjoyed reading it. Sounds like you had a great cruise!

 

 

Yes, it was a great cruise for us. The crew was great, the food was good, the weather cooperated as much as could be expected, and most of the excursions were very good. Not everything was perfect but on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being perfect this was an 8.5 or 9.

[johnrich]

Thank you for a wonderful review! A PC Cruise is on my bucket list but neither my wife nor I can get two weeks off of work so it looks like it will be at least 15 years from now when we retire that we’ll be able to check it off. Until then, reviews like yours allow me to live the cruise vicariously through your writing. Thanks again!

 

 

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[Oakman58]

Thank you for a wonderful review! A PC Cruise is on my bucket list but neither my wife nor I can get two weeks off of work so it looks like it will be at least 15 years from now when we retire that we’ll be able to check it off. Until then, reviews like yours allow me to live the cruise vicariously through your writing. Thanks again!

 

 

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Perhaps when you finally have the chance to cruise the Panama Canal you might have two canal choices. The Nicaraguan Grand Canal is still being planned.

 

Although many experts question the viability of the Nicaraguan Grand Canal, planning continues on this project. I believe the projected completion is still 20 years away. This canal would connect the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. I think right now studies are being conducted on the environmental impact on Lake Nicaragua. Whether or not this canal turns out to be just a pipe dream or reality only time will tell. Here's an image of the projected canal route through Nicaragua.