Where You Will Sail From and How to Get There
NAME OF PORT: Port of Los Angeles
www.portofla.org
NAME/LOCATION OF PIER:
World Cruise Center
Berth SP-92
San Pedro, CA 90731
www.lacruisecenter.com
WHEN TO ARRIVE:
Not before 12:00 noon. You will not be allowed to board the ship before 1:00 pm. You will be waiting on the dock, and that is not fun. Ship will sail at 4:00 pm, so get there well before that time. You must be onboard the ship by 3:00 pm. At the pier, you will check in. If you have completed your EDocs in advance at www.ncl.com, then you will "sail through" the registration process. If not, please arrive by 1:00 pm in order to complete your registration at the dock. When you register at the dock, you will present either a credit card or cash to set up your onboard account, which will pay for your service charges of $12 per day, and any other incidentals.
TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM AIRPORTS:
23 miles from LAX airport, approximately 50 minutes.
12 miles from Long Beach airport, approximately 20 minutes.
(Travel times depending on traffic conditions)
TAXIS AND SHUTTLES:
Taxis are available inside LAX terminal, about $60 to/from LAX.
Shared Van service per passenger:
About $16 to/from LAX on Primetime Shuttle: Reservations and Inquiries: 800-733-8267.
About $17 to/from LAX on SuperShuttle: Reservations and Inquiries: 800-258-3826.
PARKING:
Overnight parking is available and no reservations are required. Most lots are open seven days/week, 24 hours/day. Courtesy shuttles are provided to and from the cruise terminal on scheduled ship days. Shuttles are not wheelchair accessible. Parking rates are $1 each hour for the first 10 hours, with a $12 daily maximum. Cash, Travelers Checks, and Credit Cards are accepted. For more information, call Parking Concepts at 1-800-540-PARK.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
The World Cruise Center at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro is approximately 18 miles (29 kilometers) south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of downtown Los Angeles and 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of Long Beach, with easy freeway access from both directions.
From LAX: Travel southbound on the San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405), then southbound on the Harbor Freeway (Interstate 110). Exit at Harbor Boulevard and proceed straight through the Harbor Boulevard intersection. Turn right to enter the World Cruise Center.
From downtown Los Angeles: Travel southbound on the Harbor Freeway (Interstate 110). Exit at Harbor Boulevard and proceed straight through the Harbor Boulevard intersection. Turn right to enter the World Cruise Center.
From Long Beach: Travel westbound on Ocean Boulevard, Seaside Avenue and the Vincent Thomas Bridge (State Highway 47). Exit at Harbor Boulevard and proceed straight through the Harbor Boulevard intersection. Turn right to enter the World Cruise Center.
HOTELS NEAR CRUISE PORT:
Best Western Sunrise Hotel
525 S Harbor Blvd.
San Pedro, CA 90731
Phone: (310) 548-1080
Distance: 0.64 miles
Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor Hotel
601 S. Palos Verdes Street
San Pedro, CA 90731
Phone:(310) 519-8200
Distance: 0.82 miles
Doubletree Hotel San Pedro
2800 Via Cabrillo Marina
San Pedro, CA 90731
Phone: (310) 514-3344
Distance: 2.64 miles
PASSPORTS
If you are a USA citizen and you are cruising to Mexico, a passport is not required. However, if you have no passport, then you must carry a valid government-issued ID, such as a driver's license, plus you must carry a certified birth certificate, issued by the state health department. If for any reason, you happen to miss the ship sailing off while you are at port, you will not be able to get back into the USA without a passport. Please check with NCL if you are a citizen of a country other than the USA.
Onboard Experience:
NCL has become synonymous with innovation in the cruise industry, and this is one of the newer NCL ships that proves it. As the the second ship purposely built to offer the "Free-style" concept of dining there are ten different restaurants onboard. Obviously, this is not a cookie-cutter cruise ship. There is a variety of accommodations, with many interconnecting cabins ideal for family cruising. Sixty-five percent of outside cabins have private balconies, while several inside facing cabins overlook the Grand Centrum.
Open-seating dining is offered in the two main restaurants and the French, Japanese and Chinese alternative choices. Don't forget the Market Cafe Lido Buffet. There's a wrap-around promenade, expansive kids' and teen facilities, a two-deck 1,000-seat show lounge, disco, cinema, casino, Roman Spa & Fitness Center, and observation lounge. The sports deck has a jogging track, golf driving range, and a court that basketball, volleyball and tennis enthusiasts alike can use.
From traditional fine dining to endless buffets with custom-order action stations, there is a host of delicious options included in your cruise fare. For an additional cover charge, you’ll have access to a world of possibilities including gourmet French, Japanese teppanyaki and an upscale steakhouse – 14 different dining options in all.
Second City® comedy troupe, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a sports court, bars and lounges of all kinds, pools, hot tubs, kid’s centers, teen discos and more are all on board and included in your cruise fare.
Flexible accommodations ranging from the affordable to the over-the-top opulence of our Suites & Villas.
Public Rooms:
Although this is a large vessel, the public areas are designed in such a way that makes many areas of the ship feel cozy and intimate. 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.
The six-deck-high central atrium, the Grand Centrum, is the ship's social focal point. A black marble floor leads to a grand and elegant staircase, which ascends to the shops above, and to Carousel Bar & Nightclub, which features music in the evenings. There are upholstered chairs and divans for conversation on the starboard side of the Grand Centrum, and, on the port side, the Java Cafe, a small lounge serving coffee, cakes, cookies and other bar drinks. Behind the staircase is a black marble fountain that can be admired from the atrium's three glass-enclosed elevators as they rise to higher floors.
The core area just slightly forward of the atrium elevators on decks six and seven is home to The Carousel Lounge, Pearl Martini Bar, Gatsby's Champagne Bar, The Wine Cellar, The Havana Club (Cigar Room) and the Star Club Casino. All of these areas lead nicely to the restaurants surrounding them and to the main showroom at the front of the ship, Stardust Theater.
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, a dark, quiet spot with a fabulous singer of oldie pop standards, is located aft on the port side, 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. For that double, vanilla, extra hot latte with extra foam, the Java Café is at your service with a wide variety of specialty coffees, teas, pastries and cookies.
Our Seminar:
Our seminar-at-sea will take place in the Aqua Restaurant and/or Spinnaker Lounge and in the Conference Center.
Cuisine:
Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered the concept of Freestyle dining, with multiple large restaurants and intimate specialty dining venues. Guests who prefer standard dining, same time every evening, same table and table mates, can notify the maitre d' upon boarding and arrange to do just that. For the rest of us, Freestyle offers a flexibility that allows for a more relaxed dining experience. On the Mexican Riviera itinerary, for example, the ship doesn't leave Acapulco until the wee hours so rather than rush back, you can dine in the main restaurants until 10 p.m., in the Garden Cafe until 9 p.m.(and have snack items until midnight), or in the Blue Lagoon all night. And there is 24 hour room service in case you are just too exhausted from your day's activities to make it to any of the restaurants.
There are two main dining rooms for traditional-style dining, Aqua, located midship, and Versailles, located aft. Both are lovely, with Versailles looking very much like its namesake (lots of gold and gilt and French Renaissance flourishes) while Aqua is contemporary, calm and cool. They each serve the same menu items but cooked slightly differently, with Aqua adding a contemporary flair to old traditions. There are several tables for two in each restaurant, or you can ask to be seated with others if you prefer.
Aqua Restaurant: You are onboard a ship, but that's no reason not to enjoy all the creature comforts of the big city. Our daily menu also includes a selection of healthy, light choices.
NCL's "Freestyle Cruising" allows passengers to choose when and with whom to dine. Beyond the traditional dining rooms, there's Cagney's Steakhouse, on Deck 7 behind the Grand Centrum, which serves steaks and chops and whole lobsters in a 1930s-ish setting. Cagney's Steakhouse replicates a typical high-end steak-and-chop house, with white linens and a clubby feel.
Le Bistro, NCL's signature French restaurant, specializes in Continental dining with atmosphere being almost as important as the food. Small, dark, intimate, the ambiance is quiet and romantic, making the menu choices taste all that much better. The signature dessert, a fruit and chocolate fondue, is so good that it's a shame to leave it for last.
The Ginza Asian Restaurant Features an a la carté section, a sit-up sushi and tempura bar, and a teppanyaki room. Through the show kitchen in the entrance area, passengers are visually introduced to traditional styles of preparation. Ginza, specializing in Asian recipes, has a teppanyaki bar that only seats 12 at one time, so reservations early in the trip are critical, and a sushi bar with a mechanical "train" that delivers a rotating array of morsels.
The Soho Restaurant - Savor cuisine as artful appetizers, entrées and desserts in this high-end Pacific Rim restaurant. There's even a cold-water tank where you can pick your own lobster. Exceptional value, worth the price. The SoHo Room serves an eclectic mix of items based on Pacific Rim cuisine, all of which are beautifully prepared and superb. The lamb with a pistachio coating is so good that one might regret not going back to that restaurant for another round ... and everyone, just once, has to at least see the tempura cake presentation. Poached pears with mascarpone, is just light enough to keep one from exploding after such a wonderful meal.
Two of the specialty restaurants, Endless Summer (serving a Tex-Mex menu with items like ribs and burritos) and La Trattoria (Italian pasta and pizza) require reservations but no surcharge.
The Star Market Cafe, the ship's buffet/cafeteria restaurant, is located on the Lido Deck aft, serving 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, and a variety of freshly prepared Indian and Middle East dishes. That same port side is transformed into La Trattoria at night, the pasta and pizza restaurant.
Topsider's Bar & Grill is on deck near the Oasis Pool, The Grill, and two hot tubs. All you need now is a deck chair.
Late-night snacks are available in the casino.
The Blue Lagoon food court serves up burgers, fish and chips, and wok dishes 24 hours a day. Blue Lagoon (free), the 24-hour dining spot, is wonderful despite its limited menu. It's located in a passageway so people wander through it as you munch, but the table areas are separated from the walkway and it's a great people-watching spot. It's also a great place to get big, juicy chicken wings at 3 a.m. if you want them, or a bowl of chili, fish and chips, or a big burger and fries, all cooked to order and fresh.
Room service is available 24 hours a day.
Entertainment:
Stardust Theater: It's showtime! And we've got a really big show for you. Enjoy Broadway and Vegas-style shows with cocktails before or after dinner in a traditional European opera house style auditorium reaching up three decks. Located on Decks 5, 6 and 7 with a capacity for 1,150 persons.
The Stardust Theater, with excellent sightlines, presents elaborate, colorful and sometimes even exciting shows. NCL's Las Vegas-style revues and staged Broadway musicals have been keeping Jean Ann Ryan Productions in chocolate and nylons for years. JAR shows generally feature themes like "Salute to Hollywood" or Broadway, or the Fifties. Whatever they are saluting, the shows offer ongoing medleys of popular songs, lively dance-steps, costumes that look like costumes, unusually tall dancers, and an adagio duet who perform beautiful pas de deux.
The aptly named Cinema & Auditorium offers movies throughout the cruise.
The Sports Bar & Grill is almost always packed with sports fans gathered to ogle live ESPN broadcasts on banks of huge TV's.
The inviting Spinnaker Lounge offers a live band at night. There's music in disco at night as well, of course, with a D.J. spinning popular dance tunes.
Popular on-board activities range from craft lessons (beaded geckos!) to learning a foreign language (Spanish and Tagalog, the language of the Philippines) to games, trivia contests, and bingo. The casino, Star Club, offers a huge array of slots and table games. The art auctions are popular too.
Internet Cafe: Computer, Internet facilities and computer lecture/training area. The Internet Center onboard Norwegian Star is located in a mezzanine perched above the Grand Atrium and is only accessible via two doorways located on Deck 9. It's a hard-to-find space but once there, it is quite nice, separated from the activity but allowing you to witness the goings-on in the atrium lobby. 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.
Havana Club: Cigar club offering hand-rolled premium cigars, cognacs and spirits. Located on Deck 6.
Meeting Rooms: Four rooms named for major cities: London, New York, Paris and Rome. Located on Deck 12.
Fitness Center and Spa:
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. The view from here is great, too, looking down on the pool and the gallery that rises above it at the forward end. And when you're done with your jog, you can flop into one of the chaises which are close at hand.
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 carry a small surcharge.
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.
Spa Area: This recreation and wellness area is located aft on Decks 11 and 12. The reception area features a waterfall descending though its own atrium. Passengers can work out in the gymnasium, relax in the extensive health facilities. The Spa is lovely, with a lap pool, a whirlpool and a special hydrotherapy pool, steam and sauna, plus an aft-facing solarium with comfy wicker chaises and a terrific view. There is a charge to use the lap pool, Jacuzzi and Hydropool (sauna and steam room are complimentary). There are several treatment rooms where you can get facials and massages, and a salon for hair and nails. Check the Freestyle Daily for specials.
The Spa, operated by Mandara (Steiner of London in disguise), offers treatments ranging from hot stone massages to body-cleansing wraps, albeit in tiny treatment rooms. The mid-range for massages seemed to be around $100, but specials are regularly mentioned in the Freestyle Daily, especially on port days.
The outside promenade on Deck 7 circles the ship and is the ideal place for a walking circuit; the Sports Deck has a running track (pleasantly unobtrusive, as it is set off from sunning areas by a wall; six circuits to a mile), basketball and volleyball courts, and a golf cage. Ping-Pong tables are located at the aft of Deck 11. The ship's Sports at Sea program offers logo items to those who complete their programs.
The Oasis swimming pool on the Lido Deck, big enough for early-morning lap swims, is nicely laid out and attractive. The big pool is flanked on the aft end by a pair of twisty slides, and at each end with hot tubs. If there are too many people in the main pool for you to feel comfortable swimming laps, not to worry: There is an indoor lap pool in the Barong Spa, 40 feet long and 13 feet wide.
Kids and Teens:
This is a ship that is designed for families, and its recent refurbishment just added to the already great amenities for kids and teens. On Deck 13, at the aft of the ship, 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, part of the aft portion of the Garden Cafe, on the port side, was scooped out to make a teens-only area, with a dance floor, a jukebox, air hockey table, several computer stations and a living-room-like space for mingling. Just across from this newly created space is the Video Zone, with several high-tech (and loud) video games.
Behind the Barong Fitness Center is the hugely popular Splash Down Kid's Pool, with two rocket-shaped slides, a wading pool and a kid-sized hot tub. This area isn't limited to the children in the Kid's Krew program, it's 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; must be planned in advance).
Teen Disco: Modern discotheque for teenagers. Features a video wall showing the latest music video hits. Located on Deck 7; accommodates 51.
Planet Kids Childcare Center and the kids' pool areas are as good as you'll find on any cruise ship this size. A virtual shipboard amusement park, it features tunnels and tubes, a pool complex with slides and fountains and pirate muskets blasting water, and the best game arcade on the seven seas.
Attire:
The designated dress code is "resort casual," which for ladies means sundresses, blouses, sweaters, slacks and skirts, and for their male companions shirts with collars, such as polo shirts, and khakis or trousers. Dressing up for formal nights is optional, as informal attire is permitted in several areas, but jeans, shorts, T-shirts, swimsuits and beachwear are forbidden in the restaurants after 5:30 p.m. On the one formal night per one-week cruise, most men say to hell with it and put on a dark suit instead of a tux.
We're not kidding when we say we've got everything onboard. Norwegian Star was built for Freestyle Cruising, with a long list of options for every Tom, Dick and Jane out there. You'll have 13 superb choices for dining, with tempting selections that range from Asian fusion and French Mediterranean to all-American. We've got a wide array of staterooms and suites to accommodate however you choose to spend your time on board, so treat yourself with a no-rules, freedom filled cruise north to Alaska's pristine waters or south to the Mexican Riviera.
Tipping:
Each passenger is automatically billed a daily fee for tips, which supports an incentive program for the service staff. Passenger who prefer to tip individually can fill out a form at reception. A gratuity is automatically added to fitness classes and bar drinks and in the spa. For passengers using concierge and butler service, NCL recommends a gratuity "commensurate with the services rendered." The bill can be paid in cash or with credit cards or traveler's checks.
Please note that all tips, drinks, internet access, and all other extras are billed to your individual onboard credit account. Divine Travels is not responsible for any of these charges.
Lounges, Clubs, and Casino:
Nightlife aboard the Norwegian Star is never boring, thanks to the ship's 10 bars and lounges, disco clubs, karaoke rooms, and Star Club Casino. Whether you want to grab a martini, dance the night away, or play the slots, no night will ever be dull. Nightlife options include:
The Gatsbys Champagne Bar - Known for a premium selection of champagne and vodka, caviar, Pate, and Foie Gras. The cool sophistication and charm of this establishment makes it an ideal venue for an intimate cocktail party or an evening of intrigue and fun.
Going down to the pub takes on new meaning at the Red Lion, a traditional English Pub featuring English pool, large-screen TV's, Fish n' Chips, and proper beer on tap.
Las Ramblas Tapas Bar & Restaurant: Authentic Spanish Tapas restaurant and bar with full selection of hot and cold Tapas dishes and authentic entertainment.
The Karaoke Circus Bar: Circus- themed Karaoke Bar with private Karaoke rooms so you can sing your favorite tunes with your favorite group of friends.
Casino: This could be your lucky night. Try your hand at one of our many slot machines. Or play Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, Caribbean Stud Poker and Let It Ride and enjoy a full service bar. For a detailed list of slots and games offered, please visit the game types page in the NCL Casinos at Sea section.
Pearl Martini Lounge, Star Bar, Topsider’s Bar and Grill
The Star Bar, located adjacent to the Cagney's Steakhouse, is a quiet, dark, intimate place to sit before or after dinner, looking out at the neon palms that line the pool area.
The Bier Garten, located high above the pool deck, serves Bavarian fare (wurst, pretzels) during the afternoon. It's a lovely place to perch when it isn't too windy outside.
Amenities:
Norwegian Cruise Line provides endless entertainment options aboard the Norwegian Star. There's a giant outdoor pool with two spiral waterslides, a basketball court, and an outdoor jogging track. Other entertainment options and activities include:
Volleyball Court
Baron Spa & Fitness Center: Fitness Center Is Open 24-Hours A Day
Stardust Theater
2 Golf Driving Nets
6 Hot Tubs
Indoor Pool & Jacuzzi
Shopping
Splashdown Kids’ Pool
Internet Café
Borong Juice Bar
Planet Kids: A Great Place For Toddlers To Play Games
Wine Cellar: Come Down For A Wine Tasting Or Two
Library
Wedding Chapel
Teen Club
Havana Club
Video Arcade
Photo Gallery
The forward part of the ship on Deck 12 holds the library, a quiet, elegant space (and the library has a terrific selection of books). There are several rooms for business activities or private functions.
Staterooms:
There are six basic cabin types: insides, portholes, windows, balconies, junior suites and suites, all of which feature more assertive colors than the public areas. Indeed, the bedspreads are downright garish. Almost all of the rooms on this ship are interconnecting, making them ideal for friends or family groups. Double metal doors (as opposed to the single composite doors in most other ships) minimize sound seepage between adjoining rooms. But although they are virtually soundproof from adjacent cabins, cabins on Deck 11 can be particularly noisy, with scraping chairs from the Lido Deck midship and aft, or loud nighttime music from Galaxy of the Stars forward.
Outside cabins have a large picture window. Balcony staterooms have a full-wall sliding glass door, floor to ceiling, side to side, and an exterior balcony enclosure made of glass. Balconies are narrow (40 inches), but wide enough to accommodate a white plastic chair, a short lounger and a little table.
Because the ship was designed and built for the Asian market, chairs and handrails, the bathroom sink is lower, and the beds are all lower than most strapping native English speakers are accustomed to, and the furniture just slightly smaller. It isn't that someone's slipped something in your drink!
Category II - Inside Stateroom
Category F, H, HH - Oceanview Stateroom with Porthole
Category C, D, E, G - Oceanview Stateroom
Norwegian Star Balconies:
Categories AF and AG - Mini-Suite
Category AJ
Category AH
Category AC, AD, AE - Penthouse Suites and Romance Suites
