To Seattle to pick up the Boat
Trip Start
May 12, 2011
1
10
17
Trip End
May 29, 2011
Where I stayed
Norwegian Pearl Cruise Ship
Seattle, Washington
Saturday, May 21, 2011
It was incredibly busy at the US border and luckily because we were under a tight time constraint we were given priority and allowed to push in. At customs we had to take everything off the bus to be scanned and found out that we need ed to fill in a visa form even though we had done this online before we left. Apparently this is only good at airports not here at the border. A $6 cost was also charged.
We finally reached Seattle and the pier where the Norwegian Star was berthed. It was pretty straightforward to board although we couldn't get into our stateroom until the afternoon.
The Norwegian Star is huge and there are lots of different restaurants to suit every taste. The nicer restaurants do have a cover charge though and we found the heavy marketing of them over the top particularly when someone is trying to sell you one when you are trying to order and eat in one of the free restaurants. For lunch we did the Market Cafe a self service restaurant that was OK but did feel a little like a school cafeteria. It did have a lot of choice of food though. For a smaller and nicer experience we liked the Blue lagoon for lunch, the selection is limited but the cafe was nicer. In the evening we always went to the Versailles Dining Room with tables accommodating nearly 500 it is large but I liked it much more than Aqua the other main dining room. The meals were very good considering this was a free restaurant. NCL operate what they call freestyle dining which means you can eat when you want and where you want. Dress is smart casual but it was nice to dress up a little in the evening when going for dinner.
Of an evening we tended to go to the Gatsby's Champagne Bar as we liked the feel of it and Stan Sykes the singer and pianist was excellent. There are other bars such as the Red Lion an English type pub, the Spinnaker Lounge featuring a dance floor and the Endless Summer Bar. The Atrium area is lovely as it stretches up 3 decks with glass fronted elevators and sweeping staircases.
There is a fitness centre, internet cafe, 4 pools, a casino, a theatre and even a basketball court. You can jog around the jogging track or try out your golf swings in the driving net. If you want a quiet area there is always the library where you can borrow books. There are shops on board selling jewellery and souvenirs and a few vital supplies such as headache pills etc. Wifi is quite expensive and slow because it is satellite internet.
Our stateroom was on the 9th floor and consisted of a Queen bed and a sofa that could be made into a bed for a third person but it would be quite cosy!. There was adequate wardrobe space and an en suite bathroom with toilet and shower. A hairdryer was supplied but no iron although you can get garments washed and ironed on board for a price. There is also a safe to put all your valuables and tea and coffee making facilities and a TV. We were really glad we upgraded to a room with a balcony as it enabled you to enjoy the scenery much more without having to share it with everyone else. The floor to ceiling windows were great as they made the room light and you could see the views without going out on the balcony if it was a little cold.
The ship holds over 2,000 passengers and over a 1, 000 staff!
