CRUISE HAWAII ON THE NORWEGIAN STAR
By Paula Hughes Court
The Norwegian Star, a $400 million supership, is the largest cruise ship ever to
set sail in Hawaii, accommodating 2,200 passengers, and 1,100 crewmembers.
Built for the specific purpose of freestyle cruising, the ship has 10 restaurants and
14 bars. The 7-day Hawaii itinerary includes stops in Maui, Kauai, Hawaii (the Big
Island) and Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati.
FREESTYLE CRUISING
“Freestyle Cruising” is the theme on the Norwegian Star and it’s all about choices.
The concept works like this. For meals, instead of two main dining rooms with an
assigned seating time, you can now choose from a selection of ten restaurants
open from 5:30 p.m. to midnight. Choose Spanish tapas one night, gourmet
French the next. Eat whenever, wherever, and the best part-with whomever you
choose.
The choices aren’t limited to dining. Norwegian has eliminated the mandatory
formal dinners and personal attire is left up to each passenger’s discretion with
resort casual being the preferred attire.
Another change introduced to smooth the way for passengers is pre-paid tips. No
more scrambling around for cash the last night to divvy up among room stewards
and restaurant servers. And if you wish to tip more or less, simply contact the Front
Desk to make any appropriate adjustments.
Since this was our first cruise on Norwegian Cruise Lines, we were curious about
how well the freestyle concept would work. After a seven-day Hawaiian cruise
aboard the Norwegian Star, I’m happy to say it’s a resounding success.
CRUISE HAWAII
Norwegian Cruise Lines advertises this cruise as a “Taste of Hawaii” and that’s
exactly what it is. Know this beforehand so you won’t be disappointed. The actual
time spent in port on the Big Island of Hawaii, Maui and Kauai is shorter than most
people would prefer. But after all, this is Hawaii. You could spend a lifetime here
and never get your fill.
The Norwegian Star makes up for this by extending the Hawaii theme onto the
ship. Hawaiian music plays continuously and June, the superb Hawaii
Ambassador instructor, offers a variety of Hawaii theme classes, such as hula
dancing, lei making, sarong tying, and palm frond weaving. There are
performances by the famous Matangi Polynesian Dancers in the Stardust Theater
and lectures on Hawaiian history. There’s even a sculpture of endangered Nene
Geese, the state bird of Hawaii, flying high above the atrium.
Links for more information...
NORWEGIAN STAR CRUISE REVIEW, PAGE 2
NORWEGIAN STAR DINING & ENTERTAINMENT
OVERVIEW OF HAWAII CRUISE PORTS
FANNING ISLAND
MAUI
KAUAI
By Paula Hughes Court
The Norwegian Star, a $400 million supership, is the largest cruise ship ever to
set sail in Hawaii, accommodating 2,200 passengers, and 1,100 crewmembers.
Built for the specific purpose of freestyle cruising, the ship has 10 restaurants and
14 bars. The 7-day Hawaii itinerary includes stops in Maui, Kauai, Hawaii (the Big
Island) and Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati.
FREESTYLE CRUISING
“Freestyle Cruising” is the theme on the Norwegian Star and it’s all about choices.
The concept works like this. For meals, instead of two main dining rooms with an
assigned seating time, you can now choose from a selection of ten restaurants
open from 5:30 p.m. to midnight. Choose Spanish tapas one night, gourmet
French the next. Eat whenever, wherever, and the best part-with whomever you
choose.
The choices aren’t limited to dining. Norwegian has eliminated the mandatory
formal dinners and personal attire is left up to each passenger’s discretion with
resort casual being the preferred attire.
Another change introduced to smooth the way for passengers is pre-paid tips. No
more scrambling around for cash the last night to divvy up among room stewards
and restaurant servers. And if you wish to tip more or less, simply contact the Front
Desk to make any appropriate adjustments.
Since this was our first cruise on Norwegian Cruise Lines, we were curious about
how well the freestyle concept would work. After a seven-day Hawaiian cruise
aboard the Norwegian Star, I’m happy to say it’s a resounding success.
CRUISE HAWAII
Norwegian Cruise Lines advertises this cruise as a “Taste of Hawaii” and that’s
exactly what it is. Know this beforehand so you won’t be disappointed. The actual
time spent in port on the Big Island of Hawaii, Maui and Kauai is shorter than most
people would prefer. But after all, this is Hawaii. You could spend a lifetime here
and never get your fill.
The Norwegian Star makes up for this by extending the Hawaii theme onto the
ship. Hawaiian music plays continuously and June, the superb Hawaii
Ambassador instructor, offers a variety of Hawaii theme classes, such as hula
dancing, lei making, sarong tying, and palm frond weaving. There are
performances by the famous Matangi Polynesian Dancers in the Stardust Theater
and lectures on Hawaiian history. There’s even a sculpture of endangered Nene
Geese, the state bird of Hawaii, flying high above the atrium.
Links for more information...
NORWEGIAN STAR CRUISE REVIEW, PAGE 2
NORWEGIAN STAR DINING & ENTERTAINMENT
OVERVIEW OF HAWAII CRUISE PORTS
FANNING ISLAND
MAUI
KAUAI
CRUISE-INFORMATION.COM
CRUISE HAWAII ON NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES
CRUISE HAWAII ON NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES
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