Norwegian Spirit vs. Norwegian Star

[Rachel]

A group of us are planning a cruise to Alaska this August. Right now we are looking at the Norwegian Spirit and the Norwegian Star. The only difference in itinerary is that the Spirit stops in Prince Rupert, BC and the Star stops in Victoria, BC. Do any of you experienced cruisers have suggestions or recommendations based on the ships? (or those stops too, but I imagine the ship is more important)

Thanks!

-Rachel

 

[Don Clark]

The Spirit is a smaller and slightly older ship, although just as nice..... The Spirit leaves Seattle on Saturday and does the Sawyer Glacier, up close to where you can almost touch it.....whereas the Star leaves Seattle on Sunday and does the wonderful Glacier Bay instead the last I checked....

Victoria is a nicer cruise port in almost every way.....however, Prince Rupert does have a few initiaries worthy of doing.....

I did the Spirit last year and will be doing the Star this year..... One trip isn't enough, there is so much to do and see in Alaska......

The Star has larger suites, but if you are going inside or oceanview I have been told the cabins are very similar.....

 

[Hikini]

I have not been on the Norwegian Spirit (but will be on it 09/05) but I have been on the Star. (06/04). I was, however, on the NCL Sky which had the same itinerary as the Spirit, with the exception of Prince Rupert vs Victoria.

The Spirit goes into Tracy Arm and back to Sawyer Glacier which is a beautiful thing to see. Tracy Arm and that journey in and out of there is really, very beautiful. However, the whole thing only lasts a couple of hours and your time of actually viewing the glacier is minutes.

On the Star you will go to Glacier Bay, which is from early morning until mid-afternoon and you see many glaciers, as well as wild life galore. Going into Glacier Bay was a truly magnificent experience and I would love to do that again.

One thing changed from when I cruised to AK in 2003 vs 2004. In 2003, in Juneau we docked right in town. You literally walked off the ship and right to the shops. Now NCL has a dock a little bit further down and when you come off the ship you have to walk to a shuttle bus and ride into town.

All in all, you can't go wrong with either cruise!

Hikini

 

[Luci]

The NCL STAR is the most beautiful ship I have ever seen. The wood is real cherry wood everywhere you look and the dinning room is beautiful. It also has the most beautiful bathrooms I have ever seen. The cabins are small but I had a balcony that is all glass and you will have a beautiful view. All cabins have a hot tea maker. Not too much storage space. The Spa has a secret small warm swimming pool and a couple of therapy type jacuzzi. Hardly anybody notices that area.
Victoria is a beautiful city with a beautiful Castle type hotel where you can have high tea or just tour the hotel.
It is a newer ship so I would choose the Star.

 

[Don Clark]

But the Spirit has so much Asian decor, its a very wonderful ship..... Its just a little bit older and smaller..... I did the Spirit last year and I'm planning to do the Star this year or next....

 

[Luci]

I was told by an employee that the NCL STAR was built for weathy Chinese people but they didn't like the ship. It was supposed to cruise near China. I think they didn't like the small storage spaces and the flow of the energy on the decks. I am only going back on that ship just so I can take photos of it inside. I want to keep the memory alive in my brain through the photos.
That is why it is so expensive looking with real beautiful woods everywhere. Beautiful chanderliers and expensive paintings. A beautiful theater, and beautiful rooms everywhere.
Each cabin has their own beautiful bathroom.

 

[Don Clark]

However, the Norwegian Spirit was built and used by Star Cruises as the SuperStar Leo its first four to five years out of Singapore and Hong Kong.... It has a sister ship named the SuperStar Virgo.... The Norwegian Star was going to be the third newly built and a slightly larger ship for Star Cruises.... Star Cruises is the parent company of NCL..... Star Cruises is the first company attempting to build a standing cruise market in Asia.... While many other cruise companies cruise in Asian waters, they don't year round....previously its been a come and go market reflecting around the world cruises..... It was Star Cruises which wanted to move into the Hawaiian market.... now as NCL America......