Places to sit comfortably in Star's Atrium?

[ClimberMom]

You people who have been on the Star, let me know something. Is the Atrium a good use of space? It seems silly to have a coffee bar with small wrought iron chairs in the ship's most spectacular area instead of a bar with cushy, comfortable seating. It seems more people would come hang out and more dollars would be spent in a bar than a coffe shop. :confused:

We were on the RCI Serenade last year and we really enjoyed the Atrium for before dinner drinks and the seating was inviting and comfortable. It was the social center of the ship.

Just curious how that area works on the Star.

[Cruise_More_Often]

You're right -- the Atrium on the Star is not a "social center" as you had on RCI. On the only RCI ship I've been on, the restaurants were just off the Atrium, so you had a reason to be socializing and having a pre-dinner drink there. Because of Freestyle, the restaurants are spread all over the ship, and there are delightful bars all around, too (where people hang out and spend money).

 

One of my favorite places to hang out before dinner is Gatsby's, on Deck 6, amidship. Around dinnertime, threre's a pianist in the lounge there, and it's right outside Le Bistro and Soho, and right downstairs from Ginza and Teppanyaki.

 

Another place to sit and people watch is the Red Lion Pub, on Deck 7, right off the Atrium. People pass through the Pub on their way to the shops at the aft of Deck 7 or to Versailles, one of the main dining rooms, which is right downstairs. Every time we went there, we met people we knew on the ship. For us, that was the "social center."

 

Oh, boy! Four months and I'll be back on the Star.

[Cruise_More_Often]

You're right -- the Atrium on the Star is not a "social center" as you had on RCI. On the only RCI ship I've been on, the restaurants were just off the Atrium, so you had a reason to be socializing and having a pre-dinner drink there. Because of Freestyle, the restaurants are spread all over the ship, and there are delightful bars all around, too (where people hang out and spend money).

 

One of my favorite places to hang out before dinner is Gatsby's, on Deck 6, amidship. Around dinnertime, threre's a pianist in the lounge there, and it's right outside Le Bistro and Soho, and right downstairs from Ginza and Teppanyaki.

 

Another place to sit and people watch is the Red Lion Pub, on Deck 7, right off the Atrium. People pass through the Pub on their way to the shops at the aft of Deck 7 or to Versailles, one of the main dining rooms, which is right downstairs. Every time we went there, we met people we knew on the ship. For us, that was the "social center."

 

Oh, boy! Four months and I'll be back on the Star.

[jerhardt]

One of my favorite places to hang out before dinner is Gatsby's, on Deck 6, amidship. Around dinnertime, threre's a pianist in the lounge there, and it's right outside Le Bistro and Soho, and right downstairs from Ginza and Teppanyaki.

 

Another place to sit and people watch is the Red Lion Pub, on Deck 7, right off the Atrium. People pass through the Pub on their way to the shops at the aft of Deck 7 or to Versailles, one of the main dining rooms, which is right downstairs. Every time we went there, we met people we knew on the ship. For us, that was the "social center."

 

I would have to agree that the main atrium on the Star is not a good use of space and for the most part is hogged by the photographers most of the night. The Red Lion Pub is nice, however it's a smoking area, so if you aren't a smoker, then it's not a good choice - Blue Lagoon is great to people watch as well.

 

Boy, I miss that ship.

[Cruise_More_Often]

jerhardt: I have only a vague recollection of the smoke in the Red Lion Pub, and we aren't smokers. I think the majority of smokers congregated in the interior portion rather than in the "hallway" areas where we always sat (or maybe there was just better ventilation there). Come join us in February!

[Toyz711]

i saw a lot of people just sitting, relaxing and people watching... over by the piano. then you have the grand staircase to go up and down from.

at any time of the day their were people sitting, reading in the spinnaker lounge. it way up on deck 12, out of the way of the main dining rooms.

not too far from cagney's or the buffet.