Norwegian Star, South America
5
NCL STAR Cruise Chile to Argentina – 1st Jan 2023
The below is a personal view of the above cruise and all comments are a view from the writer.
Getting to the port.
The departure of the above cruise was on the 1st Jan 2023 from San Antonio Chile. As such no public transport is available on a bank holiday, so booking private shuttles are the only way to get to the port say from Santiago. At an average of 200 US dollars quite an expensive way just to get to the ship.
Check in process.
Having pre checked in and received the check-in details to be honest makes little sense. In reality it’s for the convenience of NCL to try and spread the loading etc.
We were due to get to the port by 12.00 to 12.30. Due to a few transport issues, Not a NCL issue, we managed to get to the port by 13.45. There was a queue however the staff handed out a numbered ticket for our check-in. In short the queue moved smoothly and we were all checked in within 45 mins of actually arriving at the port.
They keep ones passport and hand a receipt so that at the end of the cruise one can collect ones passport. They do this as this cruise stops at 3 countries and the ship is able to process all at their time, and hence not passenger by passenger.
Towards the end of the cruise one receives by notice within ones cabin how passports are returned. A simple effective process.
Departure and check out after the cruise
A couple of days before the end of the cruise, one receives a very detailed departure set of instructions. Easy to follow. As we are express then we just depart at any time after we have had breakfast and have had to depart our cabin. Just easy and relaxed.
Make sure one checked ones on board account on the last day of the cruise. Any credit left is paid back in CASH and not paid back to ones credit card. So check.
Cabin
We had a club balcony so a very nice and very comfortable cabin. One can see the cabin details on the NCL ships info, or slightly more details on cruise deck or cruise mapper webpages. We were on the starboard side midships, so very quiet and stable. The bed is very comfortable with good underbed storage. The hanging wardrobe offers amble hanging and shelving. There are 2 side tables. One by the bathroom, with a couple of plugs and a wall mounted hair dryer. Underneath are 2 large storage draws. There is a tall sideboard mirror with top lighting, and opposite on the wall is a tall mirror if one wants to see ones full shape in that evening dress or tux.
The other sideboard offers a good side where one has the coffee machine with the under fridge again a good size.
The cabin Stewart was really good in proving us with a coffee machine and every day keeping this well stocked.
Having a bath with shower was great. And the shower was powerful so even better. Hand and soap dispensers are on the bathroom sink sides, and in the bath shower there is a bath shower dispenser and a shampoo dispenser.
Over the bath is a single pull out washing line. If like us that carry a travel washing line then with the shower holder and the opposite end small towel rack, we were able to get a couple of extra line lengths.
A club cabin offers 1 free laundry bag for the cruise, so with some hand washing one is able to keep clean. Hint, put ones cloths in a plastic bag first, then just slides into the paper bag.
2 good bedside lights with USB’s underneath so another benefit.
The cabin provides 2 full length curtains, one by the balcony door, the other that separates the lounge area and the bed area. With both closed the cabin is in almost total darkness. We just shut the balcony curtain at night as this provided enough blackout to sleep etc.
The balcony itself offered a total private outside sheltered area, with a couple of deck chairs and a small deck table.
NCL App usage and internet access
After a short technical set up, the NCL App works semi ok. If one has an iPhone then all the facilities seem to work. However with Android, any feature that links to a pdf form IE Adobe, then the app does not open that file. So to be able to read the daily sheet via the app on Android is useless. The ship said they know about the issue, but have no idea if it will be fixed.
The facility to then log into the internet, check ones emails etc is straight forward, via the Internet icon within the App. Just remember to log out to save ones allocated time if not on a all inclusive internet net package.
During our cruise we were unable to make 1 stop, hence had another full day at sea. But NCL don’t offer any compensation re internet usage so a couple of pointers here. 1. See my below point re shore side internet access etc. 2. Pre plan ones internet usage.
Away from the ship and port internet access. Forget about any internet access in the Falklands as if one really can’t survive without it, it is mega expensive and only available via the purchase of a SIM deal. Don’t bother, and either use ones ships package or just relax without the outside world knowing where one is.
Internet access at the other ports was there but very slow. Yes even slower than the ships internet. May be free. But waiting or wasting one’s time to download, upgrade apps etc, just takes away that ports activities. Advice enjoy the port, and manage ones ships app internet time. We had 500 mins as part of our cruise package, and with time management, it provided all the time to send those tantalising pictures to ones friends of how get one is enjoying ones cruise.
Ships entertainment.
The main shows are brilliant. Best part of the ships entertainment by far. Entertainment by venue differed. The Antrim music was good. The bliss band was good. The individual’s by the Le Bistrow let’s say could have been better.
As this cruise sails either to or from Argentina they seem to put on an evening show of real Argentina Tango. The shows we saw were very good and showed the true Tango. So saved say an evening dinner and Tango when in Buenos Aires. Great value.
During the day when at sea, there are a number of both inside and outside events. Every morning there was the morning quiz, test the old grey cells. Basic dance steps. Also short shows by the evening show staff.
Music within the pool area, could be a little on the loud side, hence not easy to sit-down and relax with just back ground music.
The q and a by the captain and senior staff was interesting along with a video walk through of the behind the scenes of life as a staff member.
On the outside top decks are a set of golf nets, a deck shuffle board area. With a netted basketball court on the top deck. The table tennis was also outside but useless if any wind, which was windy on the days at sea.
Excursions and ships views
Ships excursions are over priced. Yes one get the security that if an excursion is cancelled one gets the refund right away. But....
In Puerto Montt we did the same falls tour as offered by NCL, But via Viator who used Gv tours, at half the cost of NCL ship tour. When speaking with other guests that did that tour with NcL, they were again not impressed. However the views were impressive of the falls and then the German town with the wooden pier and lake view.
Our second tour was at the port Puerto Chacabatu. This was supposed to be a scenic tour of the soundings and the local national park, along with a stop at the virgin falls. What we got was a 2 hour rushed bus trip to the park, a rushed 30 mins walk along the river walk. No time to see the lodge information. Then a ride back to the ship, without stopping at the falls, as the tour guide said they did not have time. To add to the whole bad trip. The microphone in the bus did not work. The tour guide was unable to say anything re the surrounds. In reflection, a very expensive total waste of time. To then be told from other guests that managed to hire a taxi for 50 US dollars and did the same trip with time just compounded the sad trip experience.
I complained to NCL, and am waiting for any response. Due to the tour wording, no refund or even partial refund. Not surprised re this tour. Advice, read what the tour does, read between the lines, and if one has any doubts, then don’t book it, and do ones own thing.
In Puerto Arenas we did a 7 mile self city tour, that covered the majority of the city views. The tender process was smooth, as it was at the other ports.
In the port of Ushuaia, we did another short self walk. This covered the local town area and sights. From the ships dock, which is right in the centre of the town, there is the local town sight seeing tour busses. The ship docked here, so very easy to get off and on.
In the afternoon we did a ships tour to the national park area and the world’s southernmost steam train. Again due to time, the tour company did not do the whole tour, having cut out the second part, a visit to the lake etc. So again a very expensive NCL Tour. Again spoke to NCL, and waiting was a response and partial refund. Update offered a 20 percent per person off the total cost of the trip, but for everyone that was on our coach.
US dollars are accepted everywhere.
After leaving Ushuaia we sailed to the world’s end and cape horn. At 07.00 the ship arrived and in calm waters we managed to see the cape and the most southern lighthouse.
We made it to the Falklands and the day was bright and sunny. A real bonus. The tender process ran smoothly with a half hour ship to shore time travel. As our ships excursion was not till 13.30, we used the morning to walk all around Stanley. We did our own self walk and saw all the main attractions. The old dock museum is a real must see.
The ships excursion to bluff cove and the penguins was the best run of our 3 ships trips.
For those not on a ships excursion there was a blue penguin bus that ran on a circular route. Some guests took this at around 40 US dollars for 2 and still saw loads of penguins.
Due to weather conditions, we were unable to stop in at Puerto Madryn. So no self walk, and for those that had pre booked ships tours a full refund was placed back upon their onboard account. Now if not used by the end of the cruise ones credit card is refunded. For all those that had booked non ships tours, then unless that tour was canceled within 24 hours one normally would get a refund. If after that time no refund, and the captain did not make his announcement till midday. This is not the captain’s fault, as he has to make decisions based upon facts and he works to the latest facts. NCL refunded 10 US dollars per person for a missed port, which was not expected.
The last port stop was at Montevideo. The ship got in 2 hours ahead of schedule, mainly as we were at sea that extra day. Having a dock and walk off facility enabled easier access to the town. We did our last self walk tours, again it has been posted in the files section of the Facebook page. The actual walk was just under 8.5 miles, however very easy and pleasant.
Also the walks are available if one just drops me a msg via Facebook and I will then send the respective walk etc.
I posted all of our cruise self walks for this cruise on the Facebook group page. As this group page will disappear after the cruise, a copy has also been posted within trip advisor and other forums pages.
Food and catering.
A mixed bag here. We tend to have breakfast and lunch in a ships buffet restaurant. And then dinner in one of the main restaurants.
So on this ship NCL Star we kept to this strategy, good move.
Breakfast from the buffet garden cafe, was or provided a very good selection of breakfast food, with the staff actually cooking the hot food on order. Items like toast one did oneself. Overall very happy with the breakfast facilities and food as provided within the garden restaurant. Other guests that started with breakfast within one of the sit down restaurant venues, moved to the buffet restaurant due to better food choices and service. However some guests commented that having a serviced breakfast and or lunch, was what they wanted, even though the choice may not have been as wide as within the garden restaurant.
Lunch within the buffet again offered a good selection. And overall had good seating, with either just my wife and myself, or one could join a larger table if one wanted too. Where we were sitting on a few occasions other guests asked to join, no issues, as then it’s a good opportunity to just meet other fellow cruise guests. I would however recommend that there were slightly more veg selection when eating within the main restaurants.
During the cruise, we had 4 speciality dinner offers. We opted to use the French Le Bistro for 2 meals, then the Italian, la Cucina, and finally the American steak house, Cagneys. The 2 meals within Le Bistro were very good. Great venue, great service, great food.
The meal within La Cucina, again was well presented and good quality. Service was again good. The actual venue is ok, mainly as the restaurant is on the inside of the ship.
Our final speciality dinner was in the American steak house and Cagneys. The venue is up on deck 13 and has windows overlooking the sea with a great ambiance. The staff were fantastic. The starters to the main steak and side dishes were well presented and just perfect. Overall, by far the best speciality restaurant on the ship. Highly recommended.
Food quality overall was good.
Ships views and facilities
So far the views from the ship as we sailed through the fjords have been brilliant.
The views as we sailed through the Beagle straight was just awesome. Seeing the Glaciers with the waterfalls just added to the views.
Bliss lounge – A lovely lounge where in the morning various quizzes are run. Along with simple dance lessons etc. In the early evening, the lounge turns into a cabaret lounge with a lounge band playing everything from rock to easy listening.
Versailles main restaurant - We had our evening meals in the rear Versailles restaurant that offered the main meals. A good selection of menu with the quality being varied. Some of the meals were really good, whilst others let’s say a bit bland.
Seating – we spent most evenings sitting within the o’Sheehans bar area. This provided window seating, and a place to either sit and watch the views and drink coffee etc. Also, it was a good place to sit, have that final evening drink, whilst listening to the easy listening band that played within the Atrium area.
Deck 7 offered a full under cover promenade walk, whilst deck 13 had a full walking and running track around the ship.
The H2O adults only pool bar area at the back of the ship was great to relax under cover and enjoy the jacuzzi.
The sky bar on deck 14, is another great place to have a drink with the open views across the ship and surrounding areas. The sky bar offers smoking facilities with a selection of cigars.
Within the Atrium area are the various ships shore excursion desk, a small desk that covers any specialist restaurant bookings and the main ships enquiry desk. There is also the ships next cruise desk area, where one can book ones next cruise with the usual onboard savings etc.
The shops are on deck 7 and offer the basic cruise items. Reasonably priced.
Keith
Post Date: 28/02/2023
