Live from the NCL Star July 23-August 15, 2023. Will I survive 23 days without the beverage package?

[YVRteacher]

12 hours ago, www3traveler said:

While you are checking out crew, see waht you can find out about Alvin.

I found out he doesn’t like the cold weather up here in Iceland!

[YVRteacher]

8 hours ago, natefish95 said:

I love reading your reviews so much because I feel like we have similar senses of humor. Love all your pictures and observations! Thanks for taking the time to put these together. 

Thank you!

[YVRteacher]

12 hours ago, www3traveler said:

How are you doing?

Any more meal issues?

BIG BIG BIG BIG HUG

Love and prayers always

 

Mandy

The food is hit or miss. I completely agree that it is substandard. Worst food I’ve experienced on an NCL ship. I am finding some good items but generally I would describe the food as awful. I’m trying not to complain too much in the day to day posts but will write a general review of the Star at the end of my time on board.

[www3traveler]

41 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

I found out he doesn’t like the cold weather up here in Iceland!

Yes, Poor Child is from the Philippines--hot and muggy!!

[SenatorsFan]

Thanks for another set of beautiful photos! Your pastry looked delicious. 😋

[iluvthe-c]

I am really enjoying you photo collages.  Trying not to let them send me into a mini panic attack. 😀 I am afraid I will have to click all photos that have a flower bud or cloud or whatever in them to continue on with your awesome posts!

[LauraAnneC]

Really enjoying reading your review Yvonne! How do you do the photo collages? Is there a special app for this? They are wonderful! 

[Hogladyrider]

@YVRteacher...BRAVO so enjoying your reviews, glad I found them!  You are a woman after my own heart!

So enjoy your photos and the photos of the flowers remind me of photos I took in Alaska of the flowers!

 

Enjoy your time and sorry about the poor food, definitely a bummer!  ....and those parents with babies in hot tubs need to be sent to parenting classes for sure.

[Happy fool]

On our recent sailing, we ate in the main dining room twice. It was not good either time. The only really good meal that I had was in Le Bistro.  The garden café was okay. I think that the food is not up to the standards that I have experienced on other NCL ships. 
 

love the botanical gardens in Akureyri!

[YVRteacher]

1 hour ago, LauraAnneC said:

Really enjoying reading your review Yvonne! How do you do the photo collages? Is there a special app for this? They are wonderful! 

Hi! I use the app MOLDIV for the collages.  I only use the free version.

[YVRteacher]

47 minutes ago, Hogladyrider said:

@YVRteacher...BRAVO so enjoying your reviews, glad I found them!  You are a woman after my own heart!

So enjoy your photos and the photos of the flowers remind me of photos I took in Alaska of the flowers!

 

Enjoy your time and sorry about the poor food, definitely a bummer!  ....and those parents with babies in hot tubs need to be sent to parenting classes for sure.

Agreed! I’m so glad you’re enjoying this review! 

[YVRteacher]

32 minutes ago, Happy fool said:

On our recent sailing, we ate in the main dining room twice. It was not good either time. The only really good meal that I had was in Le Bistro.  The garden café was okay. I think that the food is not up to the standards that I have experienced on other NCL ships. 
 

love the botanical gardens in Akureyri!

I’m actually shocked by some of the items they are serving in the buffet!

[www3traveler]

Hi Sweetie,

Someone was just asking if there was a Pickle Ball Court on the Spirit.  I assume that the answer is no.

 

How are you doing?

 

From what I remember is a Sweet Kid (keep in mind that I am 77, so almost everyone is a kid to me).

 

BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG HUG

 

Love and prayers aways,

 

Mandy

[bstreep]

Does your trip include Seydisfjordur?

[www3traveler]

3 minutes ago, bstreep said:

Does your trip include Seydisfjordur?

I think they just left there a few minutes ago.

[bstreep]

6 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

I think they just left there a few minutes ago.

Ugh.  I put 2 and 2 together, and realized that the very best meal we had on the whole trip, was there.  The food on board the Star was just not good.  The lamb at this restaurant was the best I've ever had. 

[bluesea777]

17 hours ago, Seas2mountains said:

 

what is this drink? And what is the story behind why there are so many? 

 

It was the last night of the cruise and Gatsby's bar was quite packed, and the Super Duo did a few rounds of shots (using low alcohol stuff, no spirits) for us all. Great fun all around.

 

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by bluesea777

[LauraAnneC]

15 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

 

It was the last night of the cruise and Gatsby's bar was quite packed, and the Super Duo did a few rounds of shots (using low alcohol stuff, no spirits) for us all. Great fun all around.

 

 

That’s sounds like great fun!

[Mrhubbabubba]

I am really enjoying following along with you. As a fellow educator already back at work for the year, I might be slightly envious! But seriously, thank you for sharing. 

I’m sorry the food hasn’t been the best. I sincerely hope it gets better. I am considering booking NCL for the third cruise my family takes, and I have gone back and read many of your reviews now, so I know this isn’t the norm (although I have been reading many others say they have noticed a “downgrade” in services lately). 

I hope your dad is well, and I look forward to reading about more of your adventures (both on this trip and hopefully in the future). 

[www3traveler]

Hi Sweetie,

I hope your day has gone well.

Thinking about you as I head out to breakfast

It is slightly cooler but still not nearly enough.  Enough to make a mess out of your windshield

BIG BIG BIG BIG HUG

Love and prayers

[kittyartig]

I love reading your reviews! You take such great pictures. 

[YVRteacher]

Just now, kittyartig said:

I love reading your reviews! You take such great pictures. 

Thank you! 

[YVRteacher]

11 hours ago, Mrhubbabubba said:

I am really enjoying following along with you. As a fellow educator already back at work for the year, I might be slightly envious! But seriously, thank you for sharing. 

I’m sorry the food hasn’t been the best. I sincerely hope it gets better. I am considering booking NCL for the third cruise my family takes, and I have gone back and read many of your reviews now, so I know this isn’t the norm (although I have been reading many others say they have noticed a “downgrade” in services lately). 

I hope your dad is well, and I look forward to reading about more of your adventures (both on this trip and hopefully in the future). 

Thank you! My dad is doing well.  He is enjoying his truffles from Juneau!

 

The food on the Star is not typical for NCL. 

[YVRteacher]

This is from yesterday. 

Seydisfjordur

Extensive archaeological excavation and research shows the first inhabitant of Seydisfjördur was a guy named Bjólf. He built a cabin at the end of the fjord in 870. Today 700 people live in this tiny town which survives on herring and mining for iron. The brochure at the information centre (I think I was the only person there for info, everyone else wanted free WiFi) describes Seydisfjördur as “one of the most beautiful towns in the country.”  

 

It’s a chilly 4 degrees Celsius and even the Canadians are wearing pants! From the tender boat dock I turned right to explore the town and visit an art gallery I had read about. On the next cruise I’ll turn left to hike the waterfall and photograph the domes. I’m excited to tell you about these domes and what they represent!

 

There is another cruise ship here today (Seaventure Limassol) so when 3000+ people descend on a town of 700 it feels busy. The little shops with one aisle are packed so full you can’t turn around. Everyone is in someone else’s photos. I walked the town,

went into the little market that is the town’s only source of imported food

walked the fjörd, walked the neighbourhood

then walked back to the tender point to meet my afternoon tour. 

[YVRteacher]