Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has been in business for more than 40 years, and during that time, they have been pioneers in cruising. In 1979, they introduced the first mega cruise ship, the 1,944-passenger SS Norway. And the rest, as they say, is history.

NCL’s most game-changing innovation was the introduction of “Freestyle Cruising,” a new approach that let passengers choose where, when, and with whom they dined. The concept caught on, and in 2001, NCL launched the Norwegian Star, the first of its cruise ships to be purpose-built for the new style of cruising.

Nine years later, Norwegian Star still seems new. And passengers love the tremendous variety they find onboard. With more than a dozen restaurants, you can try some place new every night of your cruise. And with lots of adjoining cabins, kids programs and facilities, it’s a terrific ship for families.

Norwegian Star

Dining aboard Norwegian Star.

Since dining is such a big part of cruising, let’s start with that. For many people, the best thing about being on vacation is not having a schedule. Freestyle dining gives you the flexibility to eat when you want to. So you can stay ashore, take another soak in the spa, or watch the sunset from your balcony without having to rush off to dinner.

You will have to plan ahead to dine in some of the specialty restaurants since they require reservations. But since you can set the time yourself, it’s not much of an inconvenience. If you don’t have reservations, electronic displays show the capacity and wait time in the restaurants.

Vegetarian selections are always available, and a healthy menu created in part by Cooking Light magazine is an option for those who don’t want to do too much damage.

Most of the specialty restaurants have a modest surcharge, usually between $15 and $25 per person.

At the Ginza Asian Restaurant you can order Thai, Japanese, or Chinese dishes, or have your food prepared before you in the 10-seat Teppanyaki Room. There’s also a sushi bar where you can indulge in impeccably fresh sashimi and a variety of sakes.

Head to Le Bistro for classic French cuisine, enjoy a perfectly cooked porterhouse at Cagney’s Steakhouse, or savor an intimate dinner for two in the SoHo Room, which serves Pacific Rim specialties.

For something more casual, grab a burger or hot dog from Topsiders Grill by the Oasis Pool, choose from a wide selection cold and hot dishes at the Market Café buffet, find Tex-Mex goodies at Endless Summer, or enjoy your favorite Italian dish at La Cucina.

Wherever you eat, try to save some room for the late-night Chocoholic Buffet.

If you get a craving for Buffalo wings, a salad, or even a stir fry at 2AM, try Blue Lagoon – they’re open 24 hours a day. And if you don’t want to leave your cabin, room service is also available.

And of course, eating in the main dining rooms – Aqua and Versailles – is also an option.

Other activities aboard Norwegian Star.

Entertainment aboard the Star is polished and professional with several attractive venues. The Second City improvisational group is always a passenger favorite. If they offer a workshop during your cruise, sign up. They’re a lot of fun.

Norwegian Star’s Atrium Lobby

The huge, two-level Mandara Spa offers a wide assortment of treatments and massages, as well as a 40-foot indoor lap pool surrounded by lounge chairs. There’s a whirlpool, steam room, hydrotherapy pool, sauna, and solarium. There’s a small charge to use some of these facilities.

Those who want to stay in shape can work out in the 24-hour fitness centers or use the jogging track, sport court, or driving range.

If you brought a WiFi-enable laptop, there are hot spots in public areas. If not, you can rent a laptop or WiFi card. Or use one of the terminals in Internet Center. You’ll need a converter to plug your laptop into the outlet in your cabin.

Norwegian Star accommodations.

The Star has some of the most spectacular suites available on any cruise ship. The 5,700-square foot, 3-bedroom Garden Villas have their own private terrace with hot tub, and come with a butler. All the suites have beautiful ocean views.

Basic cabins have a small sitting area, a bathroom with shower, a small refrigerator, tea/coffee maker, Internet connection, and a hair dryer. Most have a third or even fourth berth. And many staterooms, in a variety of categories, connect. So if you’re traveling with family, ask what’s available.

Norwegian Star has two repositioning cruises in 2010. She sails from Los Angeles to Vancouver on May 1 and returns on October 2, 2010.

Read more about NCL repositioning cruises here.

Read our review of NCL Pride of America here.

Norwegian Star Image Flickr: Tom Mascardo 1
Norwegian Star’s Atrium Lobby Image Flickr: zionorbi

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It’s been a long, wet winter, and a vacation sounds pretty good right about now.   But there’s not a lot of discretionary income left over this year, and it’s hard to take much time off from work because things are so busy.

If any of this strikes a chord with you, we have just the solution — a repositioning cruise from California to Vancouver, British Columbia.  Fares start $149, and that includes all your meals, transportation, accommodations, and entertainment.   And if you watched the Winter Olympics, you know that Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Vancouver

At press-time, one-way fares from Vancouver to LAX were running under $150, so the total cost including airfare runs as little as $300.  Dollar for dollar, a repositioning cruise is a terrific way to get out of Dodge and add some excitement to your life without breaking your budget.

Holland America Line (HAL) is offering four west coast repositioning cruises this spring, and their cruise ships are some of the nicest at sea.

Their 1,432-passenger Zaandam sails from San Diego on Wednesday, April 21, 2010.  You can tour San Diego or visit the world-famous Zoo in the morning, and then board the ship in the late afternoon.  San Diego is a beautiful city to sail in and out of, and you’ll likely be treated to a spectacular sunset as you leave.  If the weather’s fine, you can enjoy a dip in the pool or one of the spas before dinner.

In addition to the main dining room, Zaandam serves Pacific Northwest specialties like Dungeness crab cakes in the intimate, reservations-only Pinnacle Grill.  During your days at sea, you can watch cooking demonstrations in the innovative Culinary Arts Center, see a movie at the Wajang Theater, or enjoy a treatment in the spa.    If you’d like to get some exercise, there’s a jogging track, fitness center, and sports court.  At night, enjoy a show in the lounge where hydraulic lifts and a revolving stage add to the excitement or have a quiet drink in the Crow’s Nest.

Catalina Island

The first morning, you call at Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island.  You’ll have a full day to explore the island.  Rent a bike or golf cart to get around.  You’ll spend the next two days at sea before arriving in Astoria, Oregon.  In Astoria, you can take a biking tour, go to Cannon Beach and Seaside for shopping, or enjoy a wine-tasting and cooking demonstration.  The next day, you’ll call at Victoria, British Columbia where you can see Butchart Gardens in springtime splendor, have high tea at the legendary Empress Hotel, or visit a local brewery.  You’ll disembark in Vancouver the morning of Tuesday, April 27.  Fares for this cruise start at $299 per person.

Cruisers who choose the 1,316-passenger Amsterdam will leave from Los Angeles on Thursday, April 29, 2010.  One of Holland America’s flagships, Amsterdam has an old-world, traditional ambience that seasoned cruisers appreciate.  With no port calls, this cruise is perfect for those who just want to get away from it all and enjoy some quiet time at sea.  Passengers disembark in Vancouver on Sunday, May 2.  Fares start at $149.

HAL’s  beautiful Ryndam has a wide, teak promenade deck that’s lined with old-fashioned deck chairs.  It’s a lovely, traditional cruise liner with a three-story atrium and a grand staircase.  Ryndam sails from San Diego on Wednesday, May 5th and spends two days at sea before arriving in Victoria.  She sails from Victoria at midnight, so guests can enjoy Victoria at night when the Empress Hotel, Houses of Parliament, and other buildings on the Inner Harbor are all illuminated.  Passengers disembark in Vancouver on Sunday, May 9.  Fares start at $199.

Statendam

With a fountain that cascades 26 feet down through the three-story atrium, the 1,258-passenger Statendam is a beautiful ship with excellent service.  She sails from San Diego on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 and arrives in Port Angeles after two days at sea.  In Port Angeles, you can tour spectacular Hurricane Ridge or go wine tasting at 15 Olympic Peninsula wineries.  Statendam arrives in Vancouver on Sunday, May 16.

Find more Holland America repositioning cruises here.

Vancouver Image Flickr: PoYang_博仰
Catalina Island Image Flickr: GeeSeeBee
Statendam Image Flickr: axiepics

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MSC started out as a cargo shipping company. In the late 1980s, they began carrying passengers, and today, they’re one of the fastest growing cruise lines in the world – with one of the newest fleets.

They add new ships and itineraries to their repertoire often. Most of their programs are in the Mediterranean, and the Baltic has recently been added. For more exotic ports, their repositioning cruises are just the thing.

Because so many of MSC’s passengers are European, they’re best for Americans who enjoy other cultures and continental cuisine. Italian language classes are a popular on-board activity. And the Euro is often the currency used on board.

The ships are clean and modern, with an Italian sense of style. Polished wood and marble set the tone. Given the overall quality of the experience, cruise fares and incidentals are very well priced. Wine and cocktails on the ships are especially reasonable.

The dining rooms serve seven-course dinners with an emphasis on authentic Italian and Mediterranean specialties. Vegetarian and healthy options are also available. The breads baked each day are always tempting. And unlike most cruise lines today, MSC still offers a full midnight buffet.

To work it all off, there’s a fitness center with basic classes, a jogging track, and a spa.

Repositioning cruises on MSC Sinfonia.

Acquired in 2004 from now defunct Festival Cruises, Sinfonia has a musical theme. In addition to the usual fitness facilities, there’s also a tennis court and a whirlpool and sauna.

Cabins are on the smallish side, but all have a desk, small fridge, in-room safe, and ample closet and storage space. Suites have balconies, bathtubs, and sitting areas.

Sinfonia sails from Durban, South Africa on April 1, 2010 and visits Cape Town, and then spends ten days sailing up the west coast of Africa, calling at Walvis Bay in Namibia, and Dakar, Senegal along the way. From there, she visits Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Funchal, Madeira, Malaga, and Rome before arriving in Genoa on April 22.

This repositioning cruise is a great chance to visit some off-the-beaten ports in Africa that you wouldn’t otherwise see.

Repositioning cruises on MSC Orchestra.

Those who love the sea will enjoy the 3,000-passenger Orchestra. With 80% outside staterooms, and 60% of cabins having balconies, there are plenty of places to enjoy the view.

Launched in 2007, she’s one of the new breed of MSC vessels and she’s pretty impressive. From the Zen Garden to the Sushi Bar to the LED screen for movies under the stars, she has pleasant surprises in store for passengers who board for the transatlantic repositioning cruise.

On April 20, 2010, she sails from Sao Paolo, Brazil and calls at Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Recife in Brazil before transiting the Atlantic. After the crossing, she arrives in Tenerife, and calls at Funchal, Lisbon, Vigo, and Dover before disembarking passengers in Amsterdam on May 7.

With ten ports and eight sea days, this itinerary has a nice balance of sightseeing and relaxation.

Repositioning cruises on MSC Poesia.

A sister ship to Orchestra, Poesia’s atrium lobby has a waterfall that cascades down three decks. She offers one transatlantic repositioning cruise in April, but you can embark or disembark in different ports.

She leaves Fort Lauderdale on April 27, and spends two days sailing up the U.S. east coast before arriving in New York. Passengers can also board the ship there on April 30. She spends five days crossing the Atlantic, and then arrives in Ponta Delgada, Portugal.

She arrives midday in Lisbon and sails at 2AM the next day. Then calls at La Coruna, and Bilbao before arriving in Dover. Passengers can disembark there on May 13 or stay aboard and disembark in Hamburg two days later.

Americans looking for an authentic European cruise experience will enjoy MSC.

Find more transatlantic repositioning cruises here.

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