Review ~ Norwegian Star 4-11 to 4-18 Mexican Riviera (LONG)

[RachelG1016]

I cruised with my best friend and our mothers on the April 10 - April 18 cruise to the Mexican Riviera.

 

My mother was the only one who had cruised before so there were 3 newbies and I had done a lot of research on Cruise Critic so I had a good idea what to expect.

 

Three of us were flying in from Michigan and one from Seattle so the Michiganders flew in on Friday and stayed at the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro. We had a car rental through Enterprise with the one way rental from LAX to San Pedro which was nice since we were able to drive around.

 

We arrived around 11:30 and were able to get the car rental and arrived at the hotel before 1:00 PM. We were able to check in immediately and were very pleased with our room on the 8th floor. The only thing that wasn't pleasant was that the outside of the windows were incredibly dirty.

 

Due to the reviews of the food at the hotel, we stayed away and instead drove to the nearest In & Out Burger to start our adventure out right. Now I know why people eat there. Fantastic burgers and everything fresh.

 

That evening we ate at The Green Onion. The food was great but the drink was WAY too strong so that I couldn't even drink it.

 

The next morning we woke up and looked out the window. We had a perfect view of the Norwegian Star in port along with the Sapphire Princess. Luckily the windows opened about a foot so we were able to get great photos from the hotel room.

 

After picking up my mother at the airport and returning the rental car, we hopped onto the hotel shuttle to the port. We dropped off our luggage and headed to check in. It took less than an hour to check in (the lady that issued us our ship cards was SUPER nice and funny) and then we waited about 20 minutes for our number to be called.

 

There was a "gentleman" that was directing where people should go and he was very loud and quite short with people. I understand that directing people going onto a cruise is probably akin to herding cats, but he could have used a few lessons in courtesy and politeness. He basically hollered the same 2 sentences over and over and would almost yell at people when they were unsure where to go or what they were doing.

 

We finally got through the lines and were offered champagne or orange juice when arriving onto the ship.

 

From the recommendations here, we headed straight to Versailles for our first of many meals there. It wasn't busy at all and we had a fantastic lunch with impeccable service. Everyone was impressed with the food and service of Versailles on the first day.

 

By the time we were done with lunch, our room was ready. We had an ocean view room on deck 5. Someone had said that the rooms were incredibly small and that the 4 of us wouldn't even be able to stand up at the same time so I was worried that it would be claustrophobic.

 

I was overjoyed to realize that once we got things organized (we put the beds in a U shape and never put the trundle away) that we had plenty of room. We had more than enough room for everyones personal items. We had so much room that the over the door shoe rack that we brought was actually used for shoes. We had magnets on the walls to hold papers and plenty of room to store things away. There were 4 hooks on the back of the door and each person had their own mesh basket for their personal bathroom items (got them at Walgreens) so the bathroom was always organized and tidy.

 

Another CC member OhioRookie had a minisuite on deck 11 and other than the bathroom, I actually liked my room a bit better.

 

The first day we were settling in when all of a sudden we saw a pod of dolphins swimming and playing by the ship. There were at least 50 dolphins and we had a perfect view from our room. It was a perfect way to start the cruise.

 

Everyone in our room was cruising on a budget. We chose not to drink any of the alcoholic beverages and brought or own soda. We fit 18 cans of soda in the mini fridge at a time and Golfried, our steward, removed the mini bar items that I had placed in a box.

Dining

 

We did not eat in any of the specialty restaurants and never used room service. Here are my reviews of each of the free restaurants.

 

Versailles ~ This was the fanciest of the restaurants and we enjoyed dressing up on formal night. The menu was varied and quite eclectic. Many of the things available at dinner were items that I wouldn't eat, but there were always the caesar salad, steak, chicken available at every dinner. The portions were relatively small but with an appetizer, entree and dessert along with the bread basket, I never walked away hungry.

Breakfast in Versailles wasn't quite as good as dinner, but by far, the lunch menu was the most appealing.

 

The service was almost always good, but one night, which happened to be the birthday of my best friends mother was by far the worst. We waited an extremely long time for our appetizers (the people that sat down after us were on the entree before we got our appetizer) and although I told the maitre de and our waiter about the birthday (he even asked her name) he apparently forgot and when I asked him about it, he denied that he was even aware of it.

 

Aqua ~ We ate there one night and I was not impressed. It was very dark and extremely noisy. They sat my mother and I with 3 other couples at a table for eight. The dinner took about 2 hours to complete. It was busy and it was also lobster night, but it seemed to drag on forever.

 

Blue Lagoon ~ I ate there only one time for lunch by myself. It offers comfort food. The buffalo wings were good, the burger passable and the dessert of pound cake with strawberries was very good. I was there right before the other dining rooms closed so halfway through my meal it got packed. It is very small with only about 10 tables and I felt like a fish in a bowl and quite uncomfortable as people were waiting in line less than 6 feet away from where I was eating.

 

Market Place ~ I was leery of this dining area due to the reviews but I was pleasantly surprised. People complained of how busy it was and that it was a thoroughfare to the spa and kids area but I found that there was always plenty of seating and if I went to the smaller side of the dining room it was much quieter. The options were endless and almost overwhelming at times. Yes it was cafeteria style dining, but there were always endless options so I never felt like I had to settle. I did find it quite strange to just leave my dirty dishes on the table but that is what were were directed to do and they always cleared the tables very fast. Towards the end of the trip, I was actually starting to prefer the Market Place Cafe because I could get a quick meal and get on with my day.

 

The Grille ~ This was located on deck 12 out by the pool. It is the only place that you can get made to order omlettes and waffles. I always enjoyed breakfast at The Grille but lunch was not always good. The burgers were terrible. The buns were hard and the burgers were pre-cooked and left in a heating tray. I never tried the seafood pasta as I don't eat shellfish but it smelled great. The pork chops and chicken they grilled fresh and they were both great.

 

Entertainment

I am the kind of person that likes to have options. I would get the Freestyle Daily every night and highlight the things that I found interesting. Unfortunately, there were many times of each day (morning and afternoon) that there wasn't anything that was appealing to me. They had a lot of NCL - U(niversity) classes about shopping, jewelry, skin care, acupuncture etc. but they were basically glorified product pushing opportunites. Most of the time I found myself bored and ended up napping the afternoon away in my room. The evenings were more enjoyable. The shows were mostly good. I wasn't impressed with the juggler Raynaldo Freidiani. It was an incredibly self indulgent show and I left about 3/4 of the way through.

 

The Jean Ann Ryan troupe was very good. I enjoyed all three of their shows: Music of the Night, Band on the Run & Cirque Pacific. The only comedy shows were by The Second City. I love sketch comedy and Improv so I enjoyed all three of their shows. I never saw the magician but heard that he was great.

 

Ports & Excursions

Cabo San Lucas ~ We did a snorkeling excursion on a Catamaran called the Tropicat. It was fun and the drinks (including alcoholic ones) and snacks were free but the trip to the cove (Santa Maria) was long and choppy. It took 3 1/2 hours and when it was done we had almost no time in port. I never left the pier but did go into the flea market and bought a few trinkets and a really cute hat. This is a tender port and it was the shortest port of call so it flew by and I never really got to see much.

 

Mazatlan ~ We did not do an excursion on this port but decided that this would be our shopping day. We got some great advice from fellow passengers about where to go and where to eat and had a great day. We had gone to the shopping seminar on the ship and all they pushed were Diamonds International and a few other places that they get a cut of the profits. Basically the most valuable info I got was from a wonderful gentleman that worked at the reception desk (Fernando Colado) and fellow passengers.

 

We took a pulmonia (golf cart/taxi hybrid that cost $10 for 4 people) and went to Seashell City in the Golden Zone. We shopped in the markets to the side of that store and then crossed the street, ate at Pancho's and then enjoyed the beach right outside of Pancho's. There were LOTS of roaming sales people on the beach but they didn't harass you once you said "No Gracias". We just had to say it lots of times to lots of different people. Since the pulmonia is only used in Mazatlan, we took another one back to the ship. They were a lot of fun.

 

Puerto Vallarta ~ This was the longest and by far the most enjoyable port of call that we had. The mom's decided on a bus/shopping tour which they enjoyed. Myself and my best friend went on the Outdoor Adventure because of recommendations on the CC website. It was worth every penny ($129). It was 6.5 hours and consisted of a speed boat ride, a trip up the mountains in Unimogs, riding burro's up the rest of the mountain and then zip lines and rappel's down the mountain. I am afraid of heights but never felt unsafe. The guides (team F) were hilarious, great conversationalists and totally made the tour not just exciting but fun. Jorge was absolutely gorgeous so there was always eye candy. Armando loves Monty Python (as does my best friend) so there was a constant stream of Pythonisms to keep everyone laughing. The cost of the photos wasn't bad. It was $19 for one but for a group of two it was $79 for all of the photos (54) so we split the cost and bought the package.

 

After the tour we returned to the port and found an internet cafe (outside of gate 10). It was $1 for an entire hour of internet access. Much better than the 75 cents a minute on the ship.

 

We still had a few hours so we went to the Malecon and did a bit more shopping. I strolled on the beach and collected some really cool rocks (my son collects them). There were some AMAZING sand sculptures that someone had built. There was one of Moses and of The Last Supper. Before catching a taxi back to the port, we stopped at Mr. Taco and got some authentic mexican food. It was fantastic and very cheap $7 for 2 people including beverages. The port inspector confiscated my rocks when we returned to the port so if you are a rock collector, put some in different places so that you will get some back onto the ship.

 

Back on the ship we had 2 sea days. The wind kept me below decks on the first day and the cold the second day forced most people inside. Towards the end of the trip it seemed that the kids were getting bored and they were acting up. Things like smearing food on the inside of the elevator doors and running around in herds. There were 900 kids on the trip and it was only the last couple of days that they seemed to run out of things to do. They also seemed to always be without adult supervision from about age 9 on up which I found slightly disturbing.

 

After midnight it seemed that only the teenagers and very young adults were up. This was disappointing to me because I enjoy dancing and staying up late but at 35 I felt that I was too old to be hanging out with 18 year olds.

 

Overall the trip wasn't what I expected. Not to say that it was bad, just not as fun and exciting as I anticipated. I thought that there would be more things to do. I seemed to be on a different page than the majority of the passengers. I was told that I might enjoy Carnival a bit more because although I am not someone that likes to drink and get drunk, I enjoy dancing and having lots of fun. This was a bit too staid for my taste.

 

What made the trip for me were the people that I got an opportunity to meet. I met some of the nicest, sincere, wonderful people that I have ever had the priviledge to encounter. That alone was worth every penny.

[karatemom2]

Hi Rachel from Mary(karatemom2) and family. We were on the trip with you and enjoyed meeting you and your wonderful traveling companions. I think that your review was truly excellent and right on the mark, especially considering that this was your first cruise. Although it was an enjoyable getaway for our family, we came away feeling slightly let down. As you pointed out, the lack of activities was a disappointment. Besides enjoying the trivia, we found ourselves at a loss for things to do. We are frequent Princess cruisers and are used to having a jam packed list of diverse activities for the whole family. Our problem is usually narrowing down what we want to do because we can't fit it all in. This was the first cruise I have ever been on where we actually felt like there was a lot of time with nothing to do. I agree that most of the schedule seemed to be around disguised sales pitches for things I was not at all interested in. I'm not much of a sun worshiper, so one day by the pool was plenty for me, and as you point out, the two sea days home are not really conducive to outdoor activities. I agree about the Jean Ann Ryan company and Second City. Those shows were a real highlight of the trip for us.

 

We also were a little disappointed in the service level. Although we ran across a few people who were pleasant and helpful, we also for the first time on any cruise were actually treated rudely by some of the crew. We had a similar experience when my husband ordered an item and when it wasn't served and he inquired about it, the response was "You didn't order it, but I'll bring it anyway." That was just one example, but there were a few others as well, and just a general sense in many instances when I felt that I was being a bother for just asking for things like a drink with my soda card or an extra pillow. I just didn't get a very friendly or helpful vibe from most of the crew we encountered. That's unusual as every other cruise we have been on, the great service has been a highlight even when everything else might not be perfect.

 

We did meet some very nice people like you and your Mom and friends which helped make the trip a pleasure. We love cruising and found that this was not the best cruise experience so I would encourage you to give it a try again on another line. We really like Princess so if you have a chance you might give it a try. I think you would find it more to your liking.

[electricron]

I enjoyed reading your review. Thanks for taking the time to write it.

[RachelG1016]

Hi Mary! It is great to hear from you. How is your arm doing? Hopefully it is back to normal.

 

I am glad to see that I wasn't the only one that had a hard time finding things to do. I wonder how many other people felt the same way.

 

I enjoyed the times that I saw you and your family. I only saw your son a couple of times so didn't get much chance to talk to him, but your daughter was delightful. She was very polite and engaging.

 

I wish that the trivia had been at more convenient times but it always seemed to be going on when we were at breakfast or lunch.

 

I don't plan on giving up on cruising. I am going to try another cruise line though. I can't make an informed decision about cruising in general without exploring other options.

 

I will definitely put Princess on my list.

 

It was so wonderful to meet you and your family.

 

Rachel

:D:D

[rsohn65820]

Versailles ~ This was the fanciest of the restaurants and we enjoyed dressing up on formal night. The menu was varied and quite eclectic. Many of the things available at dinner were items that I wouldn't eat, but there were always the caesar salad, steak, chicken available at every dinner. The portions were relatively small but with an appetizer, entree and dessert along with the bread basket, I never walked away hungry.

Breakfast in Versailles wasn't quite as good as dinner, but by far, the lunch menu was the most appealing.

 

Market Place ~ I was leery of this dining area due to the reviews but I was pleasantly surprised. People complained of how busy it was and that it was a thoroughfare to the spa and kids area but I found that there was always plenty of seating and if I went to the smaller side of the dining room it was much quieter. The options were endless and almost overwhelming at times. Yes it was cafeteria style dining, but there were always endless options so I never felt like I had to settle.

 

Great review RachelG1016 I have not cruise on the Star yet we go in October and from what I had read on here about the menus for the Versailles I was wondering if there would be anything there that I would like to eat. I always thought the buffet sounded more my style. When other people reviewed the food in the MDR they were saying how wonderful the food was in Versailles and that the Market Place food was terrible. I am glad to hear that you thought it was good. I am feeling a little more comfortable about the food after reading your review. I think that I will be just fine eating in the buffet and the Blue Lagoon.

[Zeno]

Quite a useful good stuff/bad stuff review. I think it will really give people a feel if this cruise is for them.

[mactrio]

Great review. Thanks!

[RachelG1016]

for the kind words on my review.

 

I realized after I posted it that I forgot to mention that that the same "gentleman" that was directing traffic for embarkation was standing right outside the doors past customs barking out over and over again in a very loud and slightly rude/bored voice "Do not block the door. Taxi's and shuttles to the left. Keep moving."

 

He definitely needs some ettiquette lessons.

[t1965a]

Would have to agree with the vibe of the above review. Here's my quick 2 cents:

 

Service wasn't that great. Seems like they don't spend time really "serving" you in the dining rooms since they won't be seeing you the next night. The freestyle concept didn't do it for me at that level. Went to Endless Summer one night and the service was way better... more like you would normally see in a traditional setting (but still not quite as good).

 

Couldn't stand the Jean Anne whatever dancers. 'Course I don't like any of the cruise ship dancers on any of the cruise lines. So, I'm biased. Loved the magician, the juggler was so-so, but worthy, and the 2nd City folks were funny.

 

Didn't mind all the kids and didn't see any mischief going on. I was amazed at how many there were. I've never been on a cruise with so many, but it didn't bug me at all.

 

The buffet (Market Cafe?) layout/design/ambiance was awful. Felt like a school cafeteria. Did not like going there at all.

 

The wings in Blue Lagoon are overrated. They were good, but based on what I read here, I expected something else. Maybe 'cause they're free they taste better to some ;).

 

I thought the food in the free dining rooms was actually very good in most cases. In fact, the presentation was excellent and the portion size just right.

 

Ports were good. Didn't have enough time in Cabo and was glad to make a quick pit stop there on the way back, though it was to drop someone off that wasn't feeling well. Hope they're ok.

 

Weather was beautiful, but it was cold and windy in the am and pm. Definitely not the Caribbean, but Cabo almost made up for that :). Loved that place.

 

The folks at the Aqua entrance kicked out my son for wearing shorts on the last night of the cruise. He'd packed all his stuff, including his pants. He didn't look shabby, but they absolutely would not let him in. I was shocked and amazed. I didn't raise a stink, but I had a hard time keeping my mouth shut while I watched others in tanks and shorts come in. Not sure why they didn't like him, but it was a major turn-off for me. My wife took him back to our room to dig out some wrinkly pants for him. They looked horrid, but they let him in. Kinda ironic, given the freestyle approach. Didn't think it would be a problem, but evidently....

 

Thought there was plenty to do, but I'm content finding a secluded place just to read, which I did. That was nice.

 

In all, I would not sail with NCL again. The freestyle idea is great for some, but not me. I love being wined and dined and I didn't get that at all on this cruise. We had a great time, though, and I'm glad we had the experience.

 

TJ

[texascat]

Thank you for your honest review! We loved the Star in Alaska last year and am looking forward to traveling to Mexico on her next April!

 

I am excited to see your pictures!!!

[t.t.]

Thank you Rachel for your review.

 

Question about rental car in San Pedro. We are returning our rental to Budget Car Rental in Long Beach and I understand it is approx. 6 miles from the San Pedro dock. Did you rent from Budget, how did you return to your hotel after returning your rental? How much would you estimate a Taxi to cost from Long Beach to San Pedro. We were hoping to visit San Pedro in the morning before boarding the NCL Pearl around 2:00pm - any suggestions of interesting sites to visit.

 

Thanks for your reply

T.T.

[karatemom2]

Hi Mary! It is great to hear from you. How is your arm doing? Hopefully it is back to normal.

 

I am glad to see that I wasn't the only one that had a hard time finding things to do. I wonder how many other people felt the same way.

 

I enjoyed the times that I saw you and your family. I only saw your son a couple of times so didn't get much chance to talk to him, but your daughter was delightful. She was very polite and engaging.

 

I wish that the trivia had been at more convenient times but it always seemed to be going on when we were at breakfast or lunch.

 

I don't plan on giving up on cruising. I am going to try another cruise line though. I can't make an informed decision about cruising in general without exploring other options.

 

I will definitely put Princess on my list.

 

It was so wonderful to meet you and your family.

 

Rachel

:D:D

 

Thanks for asking about my arm! It is getting a little bit better everyday, but it is still swollen and really bruised. I look like I was beaten! It's so ironic that fellow passengers like you and others we met showed more concern than anyone from NCL. After the initial fall once they sent me to the Medical Center and confirmed it was just a bad sprain I never heard another word from anyone. I didn't expect anything special, but a phone call to just follow up on how I was doing might have been a nice touch. Just to show some good customer service. Those are the little things that don't take much effort but leave people feeling good about their cruise experience. It was wonderful how many of the nice people I met on board kept asking how I was doing and I will always be so grateful to the gentleman and two nice young boys who came running to my aid when I fell. It really shook me up!

 

Thanks for the nice comments about my daughter. She gets frustrated with me sometimes since I won't allow her to go around on her own, but I agree that it is really disconcerting to see fairly young children just wandering freely throughout the ship. It bothers me too. Some people would probably call me overprotective, but I don't mind. I have always kept a close eye on my kids and they know I do it for their own protection.

 

Hope you are getting all settled back in after your vacation!

[Don Haynes]

Very nice review. Wait another ten years and you will turn in earlier too. Many of us older folks do dance, at 8 or 9 or as late as 10, but not after midnight.

 

Many have complained about cruise ships inability to keep their outside windows clean.... Everyone sees the window washing equipment and can't understand why the windows are so dirty. Being from a small town with very hard and salty water, if you don't use bottled water or water filters to brew coffee the machines plug up in less than a month. While the manufacturers say clean the machines with vinegar, my machines still clog up anyway a month later. A lot of white stuff grows on the machines. That is why CPAP machines inform us to use distilled water.

 

Now consider a cruise ship. They are dealing with salt water spray, not distilled water. I hope this answers some questions....Please give the cruise lines a break.....

[RachelG1016]

t.t. ~ I actually rented from Enterprise at the airport and dropped it off in San Pedro. They have a free shuttle service to the port as does the Crowne Plaza, the hotel that we stayed in.

 

Look into the price for Enterprise as they are the only decent option. I priced it out from Budget and Long Beach and the taxi cost was between $20 - $30 to the pier. It might save you some money and headaches to call Enterprise. I even have a decent discount code if you want it.

 

 

Don Haynes ~ The dirty windows that I was referring to were actually the hotels windows, not the ships. The ships windows were very clean the first day and got slowly cloudier during the trip, but I expected that. The hotel windows were on the 8th floor and they were pretty coated with dirt. They may only clean them once per year and if so, it might be close to the time that they wash them. It was difficult to actually see out the window.

 

Mary ~ It is always disappointing to feel a lack of concern from the people that should be the most concerned. You were injured on that ship because of a wet, slippery floor. They should have double and triple checked that you were ok. I felt that lack of caring and concern from almost the entire crew. It was almost like I was a burden, not a guest. Of course there were exceptions, but it seemed a bit pervasive.

 

Good for you that you keep your daughter close. There were too many kids roaming around unattended. I only saw a few kids with walkie talkies which I thought would be more prevalent around the ship. My son is 11 and I would probably let him go off on his own for short periods of time with a walkie talkie to keep in contact, but never without it for long periods of time like a lot of those kids were.

[suzyed]

for the kind words on my review.

 

I realized after I posted it that I forgot to mention that that the same "gentleman" that was directing traffic for embarkation was standing right outside the doors past customs barking out over and over again in a very loud and slightly rude/bored voice "Do not block the door. Taxi's and shuttles to the left. Keep moving."

 

He definitely needs some ettiquette lessons.

It is amazing how one rude person can color your view of the cruise...esp. if you encounter them right at the beginning. Our family(7of us) had the same experience last summer when we sailed on RCI Sov. of the Seas; on the checkin line and prior to that at the door entering the terminal at Port Canaveral.

 

One of the security people actually put his hands on my daughter(24) and kind of pushed her through the door.

Then the guy where we were lining up to check in was rude and obnoxious, and this was on the line for Platinum and above Crown & Anchor members!

 

We reported both and were given sincere apologies. It was not a great way to start our cruise, but we put it behind us and went on to enjoy our cruise!

 

We sailed on the Star to Alaska last year and the staff couldn't have been more helpful and friendly (with the possible exception to the reception staff, who, while pleasent, pretended not to understand us several time)

 

Thanks for your review...I hope your next cruise is all your hope it will be.

[hello]

Thank you for your review -- I enjoyed reading your comments!!

[t.t.]

Thank you Rachel for sharing your info.

If you are able to share your discount code it would be appreciated. Saving $20-$30 for the taxi to the pier would be appreciated.

Thanks,

T.T.

[RachelG1016]

T.T. ~ absolutely. The discount code I used was FAR888. It saved me a decent amount. (about 15%)

 

Also if you are super nice to the person taking your reservation (you do need to call to make a one way reservation) they are authorized to add an additional 10% discount at their discretion.

 

There was one person who didn't know what they were doing and said that I couldn't do a one way drop off at San Pedro, but they were wrong. If you get the run around, just call back and get someone else. I talked to 4 people and only 1 didn't know that it was available. Apparently it isn't available at most locations, but LAX and San Pedro allow it.

[RachelG1016]

T.T. ~ I re-read your post and just wanted to clarify. The discount code is only for Enterprise rentals, not for the taxi. But, if you rent from Enterprise and do the one way drop off, you don't have to get a taxi because they will take you to the pier.