Norwegian Cruise Lines' Norwegian Star was christened in a festive dual ceremony in 2001 at the Port of Miami with fleetmate Norwegian Sun. Although Norwegian Sun represents an improvement on Norwegian Sky, Norwegian Star is the most innovative of the three. It was one of the first ships to participate in NCL's move into Freestyle Cruising, which offers a wide choice of dining venues and a broad window of hours to enjoy lunch and dinner.

This 91,000-ton, 965-ft ship is, along with the 2002-built sister Norwegian Dawn, accommodates up to 2,240 passengers and an international crew of 1,100. The two ships are also NCL's fastest, with a maximum speed of 25 knots.

Norwegian Star currently sails weekly May to September from Seattle round-trip to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Prince Rupert and Sawyer Glacier. From October to April, weekly cruises operate from Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta with three full days at sea. Two Panama Canal trips between Los Angeles and Miami are inserted in the late fall schedule.

The Star's flexible dining concept allows passengers to dine wherever, whenever and with whomever they wish between 5:30 pm and midnight. Although several dining venues are included in the cost of the cruise, others either command a surcharge (usually US$10) or offer an a la carte menu. A central reservation number gives access to them all, including: Le Bistro for Mediterranean French; The Soho Room for Pacific Rim; Ginza for Asian; Endless Summer for Hawaiian; La Trattoria for informal Italian; Las Ramblas for Spanish tapas; and Versailles for French-inspired fare (this is the main restaurant). Other options include on-deck grilling of steaks and shrimp, a coffee and pastry shop, an ice-cream bar, a German biergarten for weisswurst and pretzels, and room service.

The onboard theater spans three decks and seats 1,150 in a traditional opera-house setting. The ship has both a quiet reading room and a separate library. A wedding chapel is on this ship, too.

Recreation focuses on the two-deck fitness center and spa, the driving range, paddle tennis, horseshoes, volleyball and basketball courts, jet-current exercise pool, indoor 60-ft lap pool, and whirlpool and hydrotherapy facilities. Curiously, a woefully small lido with a single pool is a hold-over from Star Cruises' short cruise design. A second pool is located all the way aft on the deck below. This ship is especially child-friendly, with a huge children's center complete with playroom, movie theater, video arcade, teen area, computer rooms, outdoor pool, and a nursery and toddlers' nap room.

The ship set new NCL standards in cabins, with rich cherry accents and much larger baths than on the other ships. Some 70% of the cabins are outsides, and most have balconies. Most cabins include third berths, and many have a fourth. A large number of interconnecting staterooms and suites offer up to five bedrooms. There are 20 cabins designed for passengers with disabilities.

Two of the largest suites afloat, measuring 5,350 ft, are a pair of Garden Villas located on Deck 14. Each offers three double bedrooms with separate bath facilities, a large dining lounge and a grand piano. Each looks forward down to the lido pool and waterslides deck, whirlpool bath and an outdoor garden patio. The space comes off as great fun for a large family or a group of friends.

The Norwegian Star is a winner on West Coast cruise routes from the Mexican Riviera north to Alaska. Competitors are Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean.

Review Updated:   May 2009

Cruise Line:	Norwegian Cruise Line
Ship Type:	Cruise Ship
Registration:	Bahamas
Year Built:	2001		Gross Tonnage:	91,000
Year Refurbished:	2004		Length (ft):	971 ft
Deck Quantity:	15		Beam (ft):	107 ft
Passenger Capacity:	2,683		Speed (knots):	25
Number of Inside Cabins:	361
Number of Outside Cabins:	761
Nationality of Officers:	Norwegian
Nationality of Crew:	International		Number of Crew:	1,100
Number of Indoor Pools:	1		Spa:	Yes
Number of Outdoor Pools:	1		Casino:	Yes
Dining Versailles Restaurant Room Capacity: 381 Aqua Restaurant Room Capacity: 392 Endless Summer Restaurant Room Capacity: 130			Entertainment Stardust Theater Description: European opera house ambiance Capacity: 1037 Red Lion Pub Description: English pub,darts,pool,large screen TV Capacity: 92 Spinnaker Lounge Description: Dance floor Capacity: 504 Gatsby's Champagne Bar Description: Art Deco Capacity: 76 Internet Cafe Description: Computer, Internet, lectures Capacity: 49 Star Club Casino Description: Casino