Note: The sushi bar offers a $10 "all you can eat" special but the variety is extremely limited. My mother and I ordered a la carte, had the sushi rolls and sashimi that we really wanted, ended up quite full, and paid a lot less than the $10 per person charge for the special.

The SoHo Room serves an eclectic mix of items based on Pacific Rim cuisine. The lamb with a pistachio coating was so good that I regret not going back to that restaurant for another round ... and everyone, just once, has to at least see the tempura cake presentation. I opted for poached pears with mascarpone, which was just light enough to keep me from exploding after such a wonderful meal. The surcharge is $15.

Le Bistro, NCL's signature French restaurant (surcharge $15, $20 if you get the surf and turf), specializes in Continental dining. It is a small, dark, intimate, restaurant. The signature dessert, a fruit and chocolate fondue, is so good that it's a shame to leave it for last.

Cagney's Steakhouse is located at the top of the ship and replicates a typical high-end steak-and-chop house, with white linens and a clubby feel. The Star Bar, located adjacent, is a nice place to sit before or after dinner, overlooking the neon palms that line the pool area.

Blue Lagoon, the 24-hour dining spot, is wonderful despite its limited menu.

The Bier Garten, located high above the pool deck, serves Bavarian fare (wurst, pretzels) during the afternoon. It's a great place to sit when it isn't too windy outside.

The Garden Cafe, the ship's buffet/cafeteria restaurant, serves the usual breakfast and lunch fare, casual dinners, and light snacks the rest of the day and night. Omelet and waffle stations are available for breakfast, and at lunchtime, the port side becomes a vegetarian station, with fresh salads, steamed vegetables, Indian, and Middle Eastern dishes. That same port side is transformed into La Trattoria at night, the pasta and pizza restaurant.

Room service is minimal with mostly cold items, sandwiches and salads available 24 hours, and Continental breakfast ordered with a door-hung card the night before.




Entertainment

As usual, the entertainment is wonderful. There is bingo, art auctions, karaoke, and fantastic Jean Ann Ryan company production shows at night in the Stardust Theater. The nightly shows include magicians, comedians, production numbers, and a Cirque du Soleil-type of gravity-defying extravaganza.

The ship also has a host of talented individual performers who add to the ambiance of relaxation. Whether it's jazzy piano cocktail music, boogie-woogie and 1940's standards, the Beatles, calypso and reggae, salsa or classical, you can find it aboard Norwegian Star. On its Mexican Riviera sailings, the Antonio Remirez Folkloric Festival comes onboard during the ship's lengthy stop in Acapulco.

Daytimes (and sea days) are made enjoyable with the many contests and activities available on almost all of the public decks, including movies in the Deck 12 theater, enrichment lectures highlighting the history and cultures of the region, golf chipping contests, and hairy legs contests at the pool (men only, please).

NCL has a "Star Search"/"American Idol"-type program that allows guests to strut their stuff and possibly win a cruise or a chance to appear as a performer onboard one of the company's vessels.

The Ship 'N Males Review, which features service personnel strip-teasing a la Chippendale's, is a fun night out for the ladies. The best, though, is the staff and crew show, which showcases the talents of the multinational employees with acts that highlight their national heritage.

Fitness & Recreation

This ship is so long that it only takes three and a half laps on the Deck 13 walking and jogging track to make a mile. When you're done with your jog, you can flop into one of the chaises which are close at hand.

The big pool has a pair of twisty slides, and hot tubs at each end. There is an indoor lap pool in the Barong Spa, 40 feet long and 13 feet wide.

The well-equipped fitness center is open 24 hours, and has a large variety of new weight training and cardio-vascular equipment, all situated at the aft of Deck 12 looking over the stern's wake.

The Mandara Spa is equipped with a lap pool, whirlpool, a hydrotherapy pool, steam and sauna, plus a solarium with wicker chaises and a terrific view. There are several treatment rooms where you can get facials and massages, and a salon for hair and nails. The spa special, a $59 sampler, is a great deal because it includes a mini-facial, a scalp and neck massage, and a mini-back massage.

Elsewhere on the ship there are two golf cages, basketball, volleyball, horseshoes and Ping-Pong. There are also classes in yoga, pilates, spinning, aerobics, and toning, some of which cost $5 to $10.

Public Areas

Although this is a large vessel, most of the bars, lounges and restaurants are centrally located so you can just go steps from one to the other and have an immediate change in atmosphere.

Decks 6 and 7 are home to the Carousel Lounge, Pearl Martini Bar, Gatsby's Champagne Bar, Wine Cellar, Havana Club (Cigar Room) and the Star Club Casino. All of these areas lead to the restaurants surrounding them, and to the Stardust Theater.

Note: This ship, originally designed with Hawaiian itineraries in mind, was built without a casino since they are not permitted in Hawaiian waters. Dazzles Nightclub (in the original design) was transformed into the current casino, with a variety of table games and slots that range from nickel denominations to one machine at $100.

The Java Cafe is located in the middle of the Grand Atrium, serving specialty coffees at a la carte prices, along with cookies and pastries, some at no charge. The Red Lion Pub, with a fabulous singer of oldie pop standards, is located just before the entrance to the supermarket-sized Galleria Shops, which carry everything from logo items and toys to the shipboard equivalent of haute couture.

Deck 12 holds the library and reading room, a card room and a small chapel. There is a movie theater which doubles as a conference/presentation room, and several rooms for business activities or private functions. The Spinnaker Lounge serves as an observation lounge, a room for daytime activities, and a nightclub at night.

The Internet Center is located in a mezzanine and is only accessible from two doorways located on Deck 9. Packages can bring the Internet rate down to as low as .35 cents per minute, with a $3.95 start-up charge. Wireless Internet service is available for those with Wi-Fi-equipped laptops, or the center will rent you a laptop or Wi-Fi card. "Hot spots" are located in public spaces in the center of the ship but not in staterooms.

Almost all of the ship is wheelchair-accessible. Elevators have buttons that are reachable by guests in wheelchairs and they "ding" before they arrive so sight-impaired guests can find the one that is opening; deck numbers are listed in Braille.

Smoking is limited to the port side on outside decks, the casino, and to certain areas of bars and lounges. There is no smoking in the Grand Atrium, in any of the restaurants, or in the Stardust Theater.

Kids

This is a ship that is designed for families, and its recent refurbishment added to the already great amenities for kids and teens. On Deck 13, at is Planet Kids, with activities for all age groups through 12, including five computer stations, a movie theater, a nursery and a playroom. Kids are welcomed from age two, and if they aren't yet potty-trained, the parents will be issued a beeper so they can be called when it's time to change a diaper.

Note: No diapers of any kind, including "swim" diapers, are allowed in any of the pools.

On Deck 12, there is teens-only area, with a dance floor, several computer stations and a living- room-like space for mingling. Just across from this space is the Video Zone, with several high-tech (and loud) video games. Behind the Barong Fitness Center is the Splash Down Kid's Pool, with two rocket-shaped slides, a wading pool and a hot tub. This area is accessible to all, including adults.

Since meal times are flexible with Freestyle dining and there are so many activities on the ship for everyone, children of all ages can be happily accommodated. Mom and dad can have some alone time, too, with Mom and Dad's Night Out, and group babysitting is offered for a small hourly charge ($6 per child; must be planned in advance).

Expert Norwegian Star reviews are edited by Michelle, and provided by Ian and Cruise Critic.com, an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation.

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Norwegian Star cruise reviews