Supplement to Travel Trade
March 2005

Exploring the Mexican Riviera on

NCL’s Norwegian Star

By Carol Eannarino

After having the pleasure of sailing on NCL’s Norwegian Star nearly four years ago during its Hawaii cruises, we were curious to return to experience the new Mexican Riviera itinerary — and to see first hand some of the changes that the ship has undergone after its multi-million dollar refurbishment.

Since that first memorable journey, the Norwegian Star, originally designed and built for Freestyle Cruising in Hawaii, has ranked among our favorites because of its dining flexibility and casual ambience.

We’re glad to report that the ship is as appealing as ever, if not more so — and that the 8-day Mexican Riviera itinerary, which is the first to include an overnight in Acapulco, is a winner. The itinerary, which debuted last fall and runs through April 30, when the Star starts her Alaska season, then resumes on Sept. 30, also includes Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas and Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa plus two full sea days.

While you might expect the cruise to attract mostly West Coast passengers (the ship departs and arrives at the cruise terminal in San Pedro, in our case about a 45-minute drive from LAX), we met people from throughout the U.S., Canada and farther afield.

At 91.000 tons, accommodating 2,240 passengers, the Norwegian Star is the second largest vessel in NCL’s fleet. Her new hull design featuring colored stars and streamers is what NCL calls “a whimsical interpretation of the long-standing cruise tradition of passengers throwing streamers from the ship’s bow as she begins her voyage.”

For us, the highlight of Freestyle Cruising is the freedom to dine at some, if not all, of the specialty restaurants, although a number of fellow passengers were quite content dining in the two main restaurants: the lovely Versailles, with its ornate French décor, and the more contemporary Aqua, featuring an open galley displaying the preparation of pastries and desserts.

The following specialty restaurants are complimentary although all, except for the Market Café, require reservations:
• The Market Café, on the Lido Deck, serves breakfast, lunch and themed dinner buffet style. During lunch, there’s an all-vegetarian buffet option, consisting basically of well-prepared Indian food;
• Endless Summer, a Tex-Mex and tapas-style restaurant arranged around the second level of the central atrium;
• La Trattoria, a casual Italian restaurant located in the Market Café as an evening-only option.
• Blue Lagoon, a 24-hour food court-style eatery serving fish and chips, hamburgers, hot dogs and wok dishes.
The following have cover charges ranging from $12.50 to $20 per person. Each serves top-notch cuisine and are popular venues. Advise clients to reserve early.
• Cagney’s Steakhouse, a 1930s-style American steak house featuring certified Angus beef, lamb, veal, pork and a variety of seafood (and new since my last sailing on the Star);
• The SoHo Room, featuring a modern art gallery with a collection of pop art, is a high-end Pacific Rim Restaurant featuring a fusion of Californian and Asian dishes;
• Ginza, a Japanese/Chinese/Thai restaurant complex offering an à la carte menu, includes a sushi bar, a teppanyaki room and a sake bar;
• Le Bistro, an upscale French Mediterranean restaurant, featuring an a la carte menu of traditional and modern gourmet French cuisine

The Norwegian Star also includes an array of casual snacking and café outlets, including an on-deck grill, an ice cream bar, coffee shop and 24-hour hot and cold room service.

Passengers may wear resort casual every evening, if they choose, and there are optional formal nights for those who like to dress up.

There are a variety of lounges and bars to choose from. The Carousel Bar and Night Club, on deck seven, features karaoke and a lively crowd. Tucked in the corner, formerly the site of the Teen Club, is the sophisticated Pearl Martini Lounge, while Gatsby’s, on deck six, is a glamorous art deco champagne bar. The Star Bar on deck 13 features a pianist and dramatic views of the Oasis pool. On deck 12 forward, the Spinnaker Lounge has panoramic windows and a stage that doubles as a dance floor.

There’s also a cinema on deck 12 featuring recently released movies and, during the day, lecturers on Mexican history.
An Internet Café on deck nine offers 17 computer terminals with Internet (75 cents per word, packages available) and WI-F capabilities. Deck 12 houses a well-stocked library, with a comfortable reading room nearby.

The Star Club Casino was a new addition since our last cruise on the Star, since gambling wasn’t permitted on the Hawaii sailings. It’s large and lively with something for both high and low rollers.

The three-level Stardust Theatre, designed in a traditional European opera house style, features nightly entertainment, including Jean Ann Ryan productions as well as comedians and singers.

The Starlight Chapel can host wedding ceremonies, marriage vow renewals and other special celebrations for up to 24 guests.

Accommodations range from 142-square feet inside staterooms to the two awesome 5,350 square feet multi-room Garden villas, each with a roof terrace and private garden and all the luxuries you might expect, including a state-of-the-art entertainment center, piano, computer access, kitchenette, whirlpool tubs and more. There are also four Owners Suites, 750 square feet, 26 Penthouse Suites ranging between 300 and 493 square feet; four Romance Suites, 287 square feet; 107 Mini-Suites, 229 square feet; 366 Ocean View with balcony, 166 square feet; and 250 Ocean View staterooms, 159 square feet.

We loved our Mini-Suite, especially the sitting area, the rich cherry wood finishings, the tea and coffee makers and the large bathroom, containing separate WC, shower and washstand compartments.

The enlarged Barong Fitness Center on deck seven features the latest exercise equipment and an aerobics room with group yoga, spinning and aerobic/step classes. There’s a juice bar that is open 24 hours (where, for some reason, ice cream is also served.)

On deck 11, the Mandara Spa offers 21 treatment rooms, three specifically for couples, a full menu of offerings and a unisex beauty salon. The Barong Spa Pool, located in the spa area, features one of the largest indoor lap pools at sea.
Active cruisers appreciate the sports deck on 12, featuring two golf driving nets, shuffleboard, horseshoes, chess, volleyball/basketball court and paddle tennis.

For the 13-17 year old set, the Teen Club, which has been moved to deck 12, features a modern disco, a TV room with multiple plasma screens and a video arcade. Planet Kids, a supervised facility for ages 2-5, 7-8, and 9-12 offers a play gym, movie theatre, computer center, arts and crafts area and sleeping area. There’s also a Splash Down Kids Pool on deck 12, with slides and a wading pool.

Spending an evening in Acapulco was a treat. A daytime ship shore excursion included the famous intrepid cliff divers (we were told they range in age from 15 to 50). That night, after asking some previous visitors for recommendations, we headed to Madeiras restaurant, a local favorite, dining on a charming porch overlooking the glittering bay. Almost on cue, fireworks burst over the bay just as the entrees arrived. Passengers who stayed onboard the ship were treated to a colorful folkloric festival, with local talent performing celebratory dances and storytelling.

In Zihuatenejo, a small fishing village that hasn’t changed that much since our visit some 12 years ago, we decided to head off on our own. A stretch of curving beaches starts right at the pier and there are lots of vendors selling colorful wares. Eventually, we hailed an air-conditioned cab with a driver who was fluent in English and took us around the area, including Ixtapa, Zihuatenejo’s upscale neighbor some ten miles away. We had lunch at the modern marina there and stopped by some of the sleek, beachfront hotels to peek in the lobbies.

In Puerto Vallarta, which, with 300,000 residents still retains the flavor of Old Mexico, we toured the old city with its hilly, cobblestone streets, charming buildings (including the villa Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor inhabited while filming “Night of the Iguana”) and interesting restaurants. Bougainvillea of all colors tumbled from rooftops. It’s just a short walk from there to El Malecon, the seaside promenade, with beaches and sculptures, shops and restaurants lining the way.

Since we had been to Cabo San Lucas several times, we decided to take NCL’s shore excursion to the town of Todo Santos, about an hour and a half drive through dramatic desert watching waves pounding on deserted Pacific Coast beaches.

In addition to superb surfing and an assortment of art galleries and shops, as well as a cultural center worth a visit, Todo Santos is home to the Hotel California, rumored to be THE Hotel California of Eagles fame. Some locals claim that tale is merely an urban legend. Still, the Hotel, its bar and outside courtyard is charming and certainly worth a visit.

After an authentic Mexican lunch, which included tamales, we headed back to the Norwegian Star for the voyage home.