The Norwegian Star is officially rated as a 4-star ship, and having recently come off the back of a 5-star cruise—where the bar had been set exceptionally high—I boarded with a very different perspective. This time, I wasn’t looking at Norwegian Cruise Line through rose-coloured glasses.
My expectations were sharper, and admittedly, my eagle eye picked up on the ship’s flaws and shortcomings far more easily than before.
But to be fair, it also made its strengths stand out even more.

The Gripes
Housekeeping – embarkation was impressively quick and painless, which always sets a positive tone for the start of any cruise. However, after boarding, we weren’t able to access our stateroom until around 4pm—almost five hours later.
I completely understand the logistical challenge of turning an entire ship around in just a few hours, but it was the first time I’d experienced cabins being released deck by deck, which made the waiting feel longer than expected.
When we finally got into the room, it wasn’t quite serviced to the standard I’d hoped for, with a few obvious oversights. That said, our room steward addressed everything quickly, and by day two the service was exactly where it should have been.
Gatsby’s Bar – One thing we both noticed quite quickly was that the ship felt a little short on bar spaces. 
Gatsby’s, one of the ship’s central social hubs, was consistently packed—even with the ship not sailing at full capacity. 
The seating area was almost always full, and the noise levels were high enough that conversations often turned into shouting matches across the table. 
What made this more noticeable was the fact that three restaurants feed directly off this space, which meant dining in those venues often came with a loud soundtrack of bar chatter and crowd noise. It’s a vibrant atmosphere if that’s what you’re after—but not ideal if you’re looking for a quieter dining experience.

Entertainment – The onboard production shows were genuinely excellent—high energy, professionally executed, and easily one of the entertainment highlights of the cruise. But, as with all entertainment lineups, not every act landed. There was one guest singer whose performances left us a little puzzled… and judging by the cruise director’s reaction, we weren’t the only ones. 

Casino – A personal gripe, but one worth mentioning. I fully understand that smokers are a significant part of casino revenue on cruise ships, but in this day and age, some form of glass partitioning or improved ventilation for non-smoking guests would make a huge difference. At times, simply walking through the casino meant walking straight into a wall of smoke.

The Praises
One thing that never changes on a cruise—and never fails to impress me—is just how incredibly hard the crew work. From morning until night, every single day, these people keep the ship running with energy, professionalism, and genuine warmth.
And they do it while working contracts of three to six months, seven days a week.
That’s something I don’t think passengers fully appreciate.

A special shoutout has to go to the three coffee ladies at breakfast, who somehow managed to sing while serving coffee and instantly brighten everyone’s morning. It’s those little touches that stay with you.
To the room stewards, waiters, bartenders, and everyone working behind the scenes—you were exceptional. 
The final theatre production, where the crew come out on stage to sing and take their bow, always hits me emotionally. 
By that point in the cruise, the crew feel less like staff and more like part of your daily life. Part of your cruise family. And it’s the moment you realise the journey is coming to an end.

A Standout Moment: Portuguese Border Control Done Right – One thing Norwegian did on this sailing that I’d never experienced before was making a brief technical stop in Madeira to collect Portuguese border control staff. These officers then spent the next day and a half onboard pre-clearing guests for entry into Portugal.
It was an incredibly smart and efficient process that made our arrival into Lisbon seamless.
No long immigration lines. No chaotic terminal delays. Just a smooth, stress-free arrival. 
A big well done to Norwegian for thinking ahead and making entry into a new country such a painless experience.