This was our 4th cruise and our first time to Hawaii. We thought that by cruising to 4 of the islands we would get a real taste for our 51st state. Hawaii was as beautiful as we expected and one island was more beautiful than the next. We arrived on Fri. and stayed in Honolulu until Sun. when we boarded the Star. We found our room #9598 and were amazed at how big the bathroom was. We have never been on a ship with an actual shower stall with a door instead of a curtain. The room was a nice size but creaked something terrible when we were at sea. It must be some kind of design flaw because everyone had the same complaint. The noise would actually wake you up when the sea was rough.

The ship is huge and we had a great time exploring the many bars and restaurants. This was our first time on Norwegian Cruise lines and our first time with Free Style Cruising. It was nice being able to eat whenever you want but we missed the assigned seating and having the same waiter. The dinning experience is very important on a cruise and we enjoy getting to know the waiters and busboys. The extra attention you get makes the experience seem special. We also resented the fact that you had to pay for dinner in several restaurants on the ship. We just stayed in the Versailles restaurants without a charge and enjoyed sitting by the window overlooking the ocean. I don’t think that the food quality was up to Celebrity’s standards but it was good and the service was excellent. I don’t think we will be cruising with Free Style cruising again.

There are so many bars on board that its tough making a decision as to which one to go to. We enjoyed dancing in Dazzles Lounge and listening to Karaoke. We also enjoyed having a drink before dinner in Gatsby’s lounge. We went up to the Star bar and listened to a piano player one night and had a great time. We went to the show 5 out of the six nights and the shows were excellent The best we have ever seen aboard ship. (there is no show the first night because everyone who just arrived has jet lag and go to bed early) . There are so many things to do that you need another 5 days to get it all in.

The pool deck was fun with two slides and 4 hot tubs. The lunch buffet was great with a wide selection, from barbeque beef and chicken to an assortment of lunch regulars. You could eat indoors or out and the service was wonderful.

The best kept secret on board was the spa at the rear of the ship. There is a lap pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, etc. and lounge chairs facing a glass wall looking out the back of the ship. The place is usually empty and we thought it was nicer than any spa we have ever seen on land. The fitness center was adequate but could have used a few more tread mills. It would have been nice to be able to look out over the ocean.

The ports of call….Probably the main complaint from everyone is the trip to Fanning Island. For no other reason than it limits your time in Hilo and Maui. Its not Norwegian’s fault. Hawaii has this stupid law that you must visit a foreign port in order to cruise the other islands. It makes no sense and just cost them money but you have no choice. We actually didn’t mind, we both enjoy the time at sea without having to run out and do something. We could have used more time in port but we made the best of the little time we had.

Overall we had a wonderful time. Aside from the freestyle dinning and the creaky room we had a fantastic vacation. The ship was beautiful and the service was excellent. Everyone was very friendly and always seemed happy to help in any way. The time in port is limited but it gives you enough time to get a feel for Hawaii.