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

[LauraAnneC]

13 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Yes to that! The bakery is also a chocolate shop and has sandwiches, pizza and salads. It also serves as the town’s very elegant home store, wool store, crochet needle sales place (they had an entire case of crochet needles behind glass) baskets, blankets, candles, soap, lotion and woollen booties. It’s a beautiful place with many tables inside and outside, a coffee and tea bar as well as wine and beer.

Wow, that sounds like an amazing store. So glad you found it and were able to spend time browsing and eating while waiting for your nighttime tour!

[Norwegianprincess]

16 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Does this mean I might find this cake at other bakeries in Norway? We have several ports in Norway coming up!!!

 

Have you had it before and did you like it as much as I did?

 

World’s Best is not an understatement!

Unfortunately I must say haven’t seen that cake in many bakeries, it is a typical cake to make at home, for parties, birthdays etc. But you may be lucky in smaller, independant bakeries.

I have had that cake several times,homemade mostly, it is soo good (I really have a little to much of a sweet tooth…)

It is not the easiest cake to bake, though, so haven’t made it lately. 

[LauraAnneC]

2 minutes ago, Norwegianprincess said:

Unfortunately I must say haven’t seen that cake in many bakeries, it is a typical cake to make at home, for parties, birthdays etc. But you may be lucky in smaller, independant bakeries.

I have had that cake several times,homemade mostly, it is soo good (I really have a little to much of a sweet tooth…)

It is not the easiest cake to bake, though, so haven’t made it lately. 

I’m curious now. Is it pastry or sponge, or maybe meringue?

[Norwegianprincess]

2 minutes ago, LauraAnneC said:

I’m curious now. Is it pastry or sponge, or maybe meringue?

It is kind of both sponge and meringue, meringue on the top and in the middle, plus thick layer of vanilla custard 😊

[LauraAnneC]

3 minutes ago, Norwegianprincess said:

It is kind of both sponge and meringue, meringue on the top and in the middle, plus thick layer of vanilla custard 😊

OMG - that sounds amazing! 

[Asawi]

1 hour ago, YVRteacher said:

The library is dark and there are no windows.

There must be two libraries then...

[Turtles06]

@YVRteacher I know how much effort is involved in detailed posting and especially when one includes photos, and I want to thank you for sharing your adventures with us. I’m sorry about the hassles you’ve encountered with food, and I hope things are better for the remaining part of your cruise. 

[www3traveler]

Hi Sweetie,

I hope your day and the rest of your cruise goes well.

BIG BIG BIG BIG HUG

A little cooler in the Pacific Northwest but not much.  Another very big wildfire burning on both sides of the border about 90 miles west of Vancouver, B.C.

Love and prayers always

[Muckyduckway]

4 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Does this mean I might find this cake at other bakeries in Norway? We have several ports in Norway coming up!!!

 

Have you had it before and did you like it as much as I did?

 

World’s Best is not an understatement!

We had this cake on the Hurtigruten ships - so yummy!

And, I believe, in a coffee shop somewhere along the coast. 

We also got it in the Norway pavilion at Epcot, but while good, it wasn't a patch on the others.

As you enjoy cinnamon, the freshly baked cinnamon buns in Norway are an absolute must.

[ziggyuk]

3 hours ago, Asawi said:

There must be two libraries then...

 

Although the Library on the star is an internal room, you are right, you can see a window across the corridor, there is no actual window in the Library itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vufHFICmSVU

 

[YVRteacher]

On 7/30/2023 at 4:03 PM, graphicguy said:

@YVRteacher…love….LOVE the pics.  The service/food situation you’re going through POs me to no end.

 

This is a total failure of the GM, the Capt, and ultimately NCL for letting that happen.  I know NCL takes CC members’ opinions seriously.  Maybe worth a chat with the GM.  Show him a couple of your posts here (say the LaCucina and Garden Cafe posts) and give a link to this review.

 

To me, the Capt and GM need to be accountable.  

 

The rest?  You’ve done a wonderful job and I’m enjoying it immensely.

I may be premature in saying this, but I think things have turned the corner for the better. It took 7 days of advocacy and being persistent on my part and with help and persistence from Garry (restaurant manager) I think we are at a place where my needs are being met.  
 

The GM did check in (he read my letter) and he knows I’m meeting regularly with Garry.  Yesterday and today a chef met with me in the morning. (I was off the ship for over 12 hours yesterday so didn’t eat lunch or dinner on board.)

[YVRteacher]

3 hours ago, Asawi said:

There must be two libraries then...

Why are you arguing this point? There are no windows in the library. Full stop. If you have sailed on other NCL ships such as the Jewel class ships you will know that the libraries on those ships have windows and gorgeous views. There are no windows in the library on the Star. 

[YVRteacher]

3 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

@YVRteacher I know how much effort is involved in detailed posting and especially when one includes photos, and I want to thank you for sharing your adventures with us. I’m sorry about the hassles you’ve encountered with food, and I hope things are better for the remaining part of your cruise. 

Thank you so much!

[cruiseny4life]

On 7/29/2023 at 6:01 AM, YVRteacher said:

This is the maître d and the special diets liaison and he couldn’t get my order right. I have made a decision not to accept food that I didn’t order or that is not acceptable. He asked if it was ok. I said no, I ordered eggs and toast. He fixed it.

For this, I just have to say thank you! More folks need to not accept mediocre. You've had to deal with a whole lot of mediocre on this cruise so totally understand that you are no longer accepting it. 

 

But, your post "just now" says 

1 minute ago, YVRteacher said:

I may be premature in saying this, but I think things have turned the corner for the better. It took 7 days of advocacy and being persistent on my part and with help and persistence from Garry (restaurant manager) I think we are at a place where my needs are being met.  

I truly hope you're right! You should be receiving good food that has the nutrition you need. Especially when adventuring way up on the top of our planet. 

Thanks for continuing the review, showing us Svalbard! I love that you take photos of things that aren't right in your face. We get to see a little of the "real" place through your photos and narration. 

 

Truly hoping the rest of your trip is wonderful, with - at least - decent food. 

[www3traveler]

It has been reported on a Dawn thread, that they were having some food issues because of supply chain issues.  Ships sailing in Europe especially, are supplied by Miami with huge cargo shipping containers.  Whether or not the supply containers arrive where they are supposed do or arrive at a given date could easily be an issue.

 

What has happened to you is above and beyond that however.  It sounds like to me, that some staff retraining needs to be done.

 

BIG BIG BIG BIG HUG

 

Love and prayers always

 

 

[graphicguy]

29 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

I may be premature in saying this, but I think things have turned the corner for the better. It took 7 days of advocacy and being persistent on my part and with help and persistence from Garry (restaurant manager) I think we are at a place where my needs are being met.  
 

The GM did check in (he read my letter) and he knows I’m meeting regularly with Garry.  Yesterday and today a chef met with me in the morning. (I was off the ship for over 12 hours yesterday so didn’t eat lunch or dinner on board.)

Great to hear!!!!!!

[GALSews]

28 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

I may be premature in saying this, but I think things have turned the corner for the better. It took 7 days of advocacy and being persistent on my part and with help and persistence from Garry (restaurant manager) I think we are at a place where my needs are being met.  
 

 

Thank you for your persistence. It seems to benefitting you and, as a result, I am hoping that it will benefit me as well because I'll be on the Star in December. 

 

Thank you also all your postings. It is a pleasure viewing your pictures, learning from your insights, and getting a chuckle from some of your remarks.

[cruiseny4life]

9 minutes ago, GALSews said:

Thank you for your persistence. It seems to benefitting you and, as a result, I am hoping that it will benefit me as well because I'll be on the Star in December. 

 

Thank you also all your postings. It is a pleasure viewing your pictures, learning from your insights, and getting a chuckle from some of your remarks.

Thankfully our favorite librarian at sea has not lost her sense of humor, despite practical malnourishment! I think those bakeries are sustaining her. 🙂 

[YVRteacher]

Before my evening tour I had time to browse the grocery store which didn’t open until 3:00pm.  
 

This store is huge and so well-stocked!

In Ísafjördur, Seydisfjordur and Djúpivogur the grocery stores were tiny with a minimal selection and hardly any fresh fruits and vegetables. Not the case in Longyearbyen!

 

@TrumpyNor and @Norwegianprincess what is in the can with the giraffe on it? The label says protein but I’m assuming it’s not powdered giraffe! Also what is the product in the middle on the left?

 

Both the grocery store and the bakery sell wool! This is in the grocery store

and this is in the beautiful bakery.

 

 

[QuattroRomeo]

6 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Yes to that! The bakery is also a chocolate shop and has sandwiches, pizza and salads. It also serves as the town’s very elegant home store, wool store, crochet needle sales place (they had an entire case of crochet needles behind glass) baskets, blankets, candles, soap, lotion and woollen booties. It’s a beautiful place with many tables inside and outside, a coffee and tea bar as well as wine and beer.

Excellent! So it IS a food tour with shopping on the side!!😁

[QuattroRomeo]

maybe the ship's chefs should be shopping here??

 

[mking8288]

On 7/30/2023 at 8:45 AM, YVRteacher said:

California Rolls contain imitation crab ...

Real crabmeat are expensive (it's always like that) so that's to be expected nowadays, no matter where we go and order them, especially buffets and AYCE places, unless specifically indicated.  OMG, that tray of powdered eggs served in the cafe / cafeteria 😳 ... and, I for one, always caution that opinions on food are personal, and subjective and subject to our own preferences & biases.  But, who can find that tray of eggs ... well, some can and will and, to each her/his own.  

 

Thank you for your time and sharing with another come along live cruise adventure ... continue to follow & lurk here.  Great pictures as always, they are unique, different and special in many ways, not the usual ones that we've seen often ... why do I think of our IKEA store, haha.  

[LauraAnneC]

2 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

I may be premature in saying this, but I think things have turned the corner for the better. It took 7 days of advocacy and being persistent on my part and with help and persistence from Garry (restaurant manager) I think we are at a place where my needs are being met.  
 

The GM did check in (he read my letter) and he knows I’m meeting regularly with Garry.  Yesterday and today a chef met with me in the morning. (I was off the ship for over 12 hours yesterday so didn’t eat lunch or dinner on board.)

IMHO the general manager should be organizing some future cruise credit for you. Who wants to spend their holidays going to meetings to ensure they get palatable food with some protein? It’s absolutely ridiculous!

 

if you had a list two pages long of all the foods you were allergic to, there might be some excuse, but as a vegetarian, there is none!

[TrumpyNor]

2 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Before my evening tour I had time to browse the grocery store which didn’t open until 3:00pm.  
 

 

 

@TrumpyNor and @Norwegianprincess what is in the can with the giraffe on it? The label says protein but I’m assuming it’s not powdered giraffe! Also what is the product in the middle on the left?

 

 

 

 

 

The "giraffe can" contains brewer's yeast and the product in the middle on the left is cane sugar. 😊

[jrleader]

10 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Yes to that! The bakery is also a chocolate shop and has sandwiches, pizza and salads. It also serves as the town’s very elegant home store, wool store, crochet needle sales place (they had an entire case of crochet needles behind glass) baskets, blankets, candles, soap, lotion and woollen booties. It’s a beautiful place with many tables inside and outside, a coffee and tea bar as well as wine and beer.

Making note! 
 

I greatly enjoyed your review of the Jewel (we will be boarding in 50-ish days and have made note of your suggestions in Alaska).

 

And now a bakery/chocolates/wool/tea and crochet place? Do I need a fourth set of hooks? Why yes, yes I do. No, sweetheart, don’t worry about that totally empty suitcase I’m bringing to Iceland…..

 

And that cake looks amazing… off to find a recipe.

Edited July 31, 2023 by jrleader