Norwegian
Star
Norwegian Cruise Line
November 17-19, 2001
Christening 'Sneak Preview' Cruise
by Linda Coffman
Welcome to Hawaii's newest
heavenly body—Norwegian
Star
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~ Grand Atrium ~
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Warmed by Miami sunshine and the excitement of the
morning's dual ship christening festivities, I gratefully accepted a
traditional Hawaiian orchid lei greeting and stepped aboard
Norwegian Cruise Line's gleaming new ship—Norwegian
Star.
First impressions are lasting and I won't forget
mine as the Norwegian Star's Grand Atrium overwhelmed me.
This is NCL?
Purpose-built for NCL's Freestyle Cruising
concept, quite simply Norwegian Star has more of everything. More
dining options, a variety of entertainment selections, an enormous
spa, and expanded facilities for children and teens. All of this on
a ship dedicated to the freedom of choice. Finally, passengers can
tailor a cruise vacation to fit their lifestyle, not someone
else's.
Warning—this
is not the NCL of old. Norwegian Star is bright and vibrant.
She pulsates with energy.
Dining
Norwegian Star's array of traditional and exotic eateries
tempts even the least adventurous palate to try the cornucopia of
international cuisines. Ten restaurants with eleven menus and only
seven nights to nosh through them all—it's
a floating food festival! What's your pleasure?
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Versailles—One
of two main dining rooms with an elegant French-inspired decor
and six-course menu of traditional fare
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Aqua—The second main dining room serving contemporary cuisine in
an equally contemporary atmosphere and featuring a "display
galley" where guests can watch the preparation of pastries and
desserts
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Endless Summer—Overlooking the Grand Atrium, this
Hawaiian-themed restaurant features island favorites
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Le Bistro—NCL's signature upscale French Mediterranean
restaurant featuring gourmet French cuisine served on Versace
Rosenthal China in Art-nouveau style
(cover charge)
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Ginza—Japanese restaurant with a sushi bar and teppanyaki room
(á la carte pricing)
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The SoHo Room—A modern art-inspired, intimate high-end Pacific
Rim restaurant serving Californian and Asian specialties,
including live lobster from the dramatic lobster tank
(á la carte pricing)
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Las Ramblas—Authentic Spanish Tapas bar with live entertainment
and a menu of hot and cold tapas that changes daily
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La Trattoria—A casual Italian restaurant where pasta, pizza, and
other traditional Italian dishes are specialties
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Market Café/Kid's Café/The Grill—Buffet style indoor/outdoor
eatery open around the clock with special kid-sized serving
buffet and tables
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Blue Lagoon—Diner-style eatery offering snacks and fast-food
around the clock
For attacks of the munchies, try the Bier Garten overlooking the
Oasis Pool for Bavarian snacks such as wurst and pretzels with your
favorite brew or satisfy your sweet tooth with ice cream, sherbets,
and sundaes at Sprinkles Ice Cream Bar. Of course, room service
never closes and dining on one's private balcony is a sublime
treat.
While there is a charge for the upscale restaurants, no one is
forced to pay it. Colin Veitch, President & CEO of NCL, explains the
dining fees are levied for capacity control, not exclusivity. On my
short cruise, the specialty restaurants were booked solid. I sampled
Ginza, as well as the Versailles and Aqua restaurants, Market Café,
Java Café, and room service. I haven't been able to look at my scale
without guilt—I think it was the caviar and goose liver pâté canapés
that did in my diet, though.
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Endless Summer Restaurant ~
My choice for prettiest meal setting
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This is Freestyle Cruising and passengers can choose resort
casual attire every night or dress up for a special dinner. Formal
attire during one evening is optional with one or more restaurants
set aside for those who don't want to forgo this shipboard
tradition. The only "dress code" caveat is that no jeans, t-shirts,
shorts, cut-offs, tank tops are allowed in any of the restaurants at
dinner. Most of my fellow passengers selected an array of "country
club casual" outfits, ranging from pant-and-top ensembles to
cocktail dresses. Except for a handful of gentlemen in tuxedos, I
spotted very few ties but numerous sport coats. Pack light and think
mix 'n match with various accessories. Without assigned dinner
partners, it's unlikely that anyone will notice a "repeated"
garment.
Freestyle Cruising offers the flexibility of dining when you
wish and with whom you choose. What a concept... eating when you're
actually hungry! However, cruise traditionalists who prefer the same
table and waiter every night at a certain time can simply inform the
Maitre d' and those arrangements will be made. For parents who
want to share a romantic dinner for two, the Kid's Crew program and
group babysitting solves the problem of child care.
Staterooms
So many categories, how can you pick one? Although there
are over two dozen fare categories listed in the brochures,
Norwegian Star's accommodations boil down to standard Inside and
Oceanview Staterooms, Oceanview staterooms with Balconies,
Mini-Suites, Penthouses, Romance Suites, Owner's suites, and the
fantastic Garden Villas. More than 70% of all staterooms are
outside.
All staterooms have gleaming light cherry wood cabinetry and
paneling accents, a small refrigerator and personal safe for
valuables, as well as in-cabin coffee service to heat water for tea
or instant coffee. (Oddly, there was no appropriate outlet to plug
it in.) A professional style hairdryer with real power is mounted
over each dressing table. Bathroom amenities include shampoo and
soap dispensers and hold your hats... most bathrooms are split into
sections! Yes, the toilet is separated from the sink area by a wall
and sliding glass door. The shower is roomy and also has a sliding
glass door. No more clinging shower curtain!
At 172 square feet, the standard Oceanview Staterooms are generous.
Even Inside Staterooms are cheery and the clever use of
primary colors and strategically placed mirrors achieves an open
feeling.
One of the most desirable of all stateroom amenities is a balcony
and a whopping 70% of Norwegian Star's outside staterooms have them.
Book yours fast—I predict Oceanview Staterooms with Balconies will
be a hot seller in Hawaii. Mini-Suites with a balcony are even more
desirable with additional square footage, generous storage, and
bathtubs.
Stepping up in posh and space, Penthouses and Owner's Suites are
some of the chicest digs at sea. To tempt newlyweds and couples
celebrating a second honeymoon, the choice of elegant Romance Suites
with their soft billowy fabrics afford a luxurious hideaway for two.
Penthouses, named for gems and artists, come in a variety of decor
styles and a knowledgeable travel agent is a necessity when
selecting one.
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Garden Villa ~
Private Hot Tub
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The pièce de résistance are the two Garden Villas. High atop the
Norwegian Star, they are the ultimate in opulence. With living room,
dining room, three bedrooms with luxury baths, and more toys than I
could count, they are a floating fantasy. Occupants need only step
outside to enjoy a relaxing soak in their hot tub or al fresco
dining in their private garden. Have the butler serve cocktails
while I slip into my specially-designed robe (a silky fabric lined
in terrycloth). Okay... I'm through daydreaming, but it is a lovely
castle in the air. Mr. Veitch confided they are not at a loss for
occupants, even at rates that make my gold card tremble.
For large families, interconnecting standard staterooms and suites
can create a two to five bedroom area and passengers with
disabilities haven't been overlooked—twenty cabins of various types
have been designed for their special needs.
Public Areas
She's bright, she's glittering, and she's big! Most of
all, though, Norwegian Star is open and expansive. Even so, the
intimate size and nature of many public rooms belie her size. It was
easy to forget I was on a ship with over 2,000 other guests!
The Grand Atrium hums with activity as guests sip specialty coffee
at the Java Café, shop in the boutiques, and discuss tour options
with the Shore Excursion staff. A second, and smaller atrium is
surrounded by Ginza on one deck, while one deck below, Gatsby's
Champagne Bar anchors the entries to The SoHo Room, the Wine Cellar,
Havana Club (for cigar aficionados), and Le Bistro French
Restaurant. These rooms each have a distinctive style, reflected in
their decor.
For sheer exuberance, the Karaoke Circus is unparalleled—the singing
rather matches the primary colors and wild animal nature of the
surroundings. If you don't consider publicly humiliating yourself
fun, check into a private karaoke room where you can exercise
your pipes and retain a bit of dignity.
Other spots to freestyle the nights away should appeal to a
wide array of tastes... the rollicking Red Lion Pub, the Star Bar
and its piano melodies, Dazzles Nightclub for dancing, and the
Spinnaker Lounge.
Reminiscent of a European opera house with its red and gold color
scheme and sparkling crystal chandeliers, the Stardust Theater is
one of the most beautiful at sea. Theater style seating is made even
more comfortable by air conditioning vents built into the seat
backs. With the exception of the last row of the top balcony,
sightlines are good throughout. It's a grand setting for the lavish
production shows presented on its proscenium stage.
Finally, there are meeting rooms, a library, card room, reading
room, chapel, and a PROPER cinema—a real treat for those of us who
enjoy watching first-run movies on a large screen.
Active Lifestyles
Follow the soothing sounds of the waterfall in a third mini-atrium
to Barong Spa. Staffed by the acclaimed Mandara Spa, it boasts a
full menu of salon treatments and spa indulgences. For those who
consider perspiration a sign of good health, the Norwegian Star's
24-hour fitness center sports state-of-the art equipment and a wide
range of classes taught by certified instructors. For sheer
serenity, the Barong Spa Pool beckons. It's the world's longest
cruise ship indoor lap pool... following a swim, relaxation is king
here. Try a sauna, steam bath, the therapy pool, or Jacuzzi (all
complimentary). Then lie back on a chaise lounge and watch the
lights overhead turn from white to blue—heavenly!
Joggers are sure to admire the unique wall murals while doing their
laps on the wrap-around Promenade Deck. If sunning is your thing,
the Oasis Pool has ample deck chairs on terraced landings. The Oasis
Pool's water slides and light pillars are somewhat incongruous...
until the sun goes down. That's when the lights twinkle and the
laser show begins! Then, it makes sense.
The Norwegian Star Experience
From the caviar and pâté de foie gras offerings in
Gatsby's Champagne Bar to ale and darts in the Red Lion Pub,
Norwegian Star's Freestyle Cruising should satisfy the tastes
of even the most discriminating passenger. Couch Potato to Type "A"
Personality, there's a little something to appeal to everyone. When
you're not ashore exploring the beauty of Hawaii, if nothing
appeals to you, there's always your private balcony, a quiet corner
to read, or a deck chair from which to contemplate the sea.
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~ The high-tech Teen
Club ~
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Parents can relax, knowing their children are well entertained in
the "Kid's Crew" Program at Planet Kids and well fed from one of the
special menus designed to suit even the finickiest junior
passengers. Families have the flexibility to dine at their own table
or mom and dad can savor a "Night Out" while their youngsters are
having a pillow fight at a pajama party. Teenagers, always difficult
to please, can opt to participate in a wide range of sports, dance
parties, and entertainment options or simply "do their own thing"
with new-found pals in the Video Zone or Teen Club.
What You WILL Find:
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Abundant choices
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Tasty meals, creatively presented
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Service by an attentive staff
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Activities to suit a wide range of interests for all ages
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Freestyle Cruising "Active Decompression" lifestyle &
enrichment programs, including personal finance seminars,
cooking, mountain biking and computer classes, and genealogy
discussions
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Well stocked duty free shops and a "department store" where men
can relax at the bar while the women shop 'til they drop
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A chapel for weddings, marriage renewal of vows ceremonies, and
religious celebrations
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Numerous connecting staterooms and suites for families
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Huge, well-equipped areas for children, including Planet Kids
and their own Splash Down Kids Pool with water slides
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Duvets on supremely comfortable beds
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Children under two sail at no charge with two or more paying
guests
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Concierge and butler service for suite guests
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The very best entertainment afloat, presented by the Jean Ann
Ryan Company and guest performers
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Theme evenings
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Gratuities are automatically added to all accounts
What You WON'T Find:
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A self-service laundry
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Structured dress codes
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Rigid dining schedules
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Boredom
Fast Stats
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91,000 tons
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965 feet long
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105 feet wide
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Speed 25 knots
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2,240 guests, double occupancy
