Welcome to Your Favorites, where you have the opportunity to share your travel experiences with fellow Internet Travelers around the world.

Island Cruises

MS Island Star

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Steve Read
# previous cruises: 21 to 30
Date of Trip: June 3, 2006
Itinerary: Mediterranean

Relaxed, informal and friendly - that's their slogan, and this cruise was exactly as described. All the facilities you'd expect on an ex-Celebrity ship, and no compromise on service - but while everyone was casually smart in the evenings there wasn't a dickie-bow in sight! Perfect for first-time cruisers.

Best thing about the casino? They've switched off those annoyingly noisy beeps and whistles in the slot machines ... bliss! Lively bars and some quieter ones (eg Captain's Club)too. And for the first time, a ship where the "second" showroom isn't a ghost hall (remember the Oklahoma on Sunbird?). Bounty Bar and The Pub are soul of the ship at night.

They've carved off the two wings of the restaurant and made them pre-book speciality diners, a steakhouse and an Italian. Central part remains as the main restaurant, open seating which meant a bit of a queue at peak times. Burger bar aft. Beachcomber (aka Windjammer) buffet consistently excellent. Didn't have a meal I didn't enjoy.

Balcony on Deck 10 aft: Twin beds with balcony door in between. Plenty of storage, and a proper (rectangular) shower instead of those circular things. Here the only criticism - shower temperature erratic at peak times, the occasional unexpected icy blast! Oh, and the best towel-monkeys I've ever seen!

Cruise director Rob Boyd excellent and versatile. Even though he's from Chicago he knows how to please a British audience and over the years has even picked up some of our lingo! Shows were typical cruise fare, performed with spirit. Charming Irish sisters duo, Saffire, in The Pub most nights. Comperes excellent, especially the one who hosted "Mr And Mrs" game.

Palma Majorca > At Sea > Ajaccio Corsica > Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy > Portofino (Genoa) Italy > Nice France > Mahon Menorca > Palma. They're doing bicycle excursions, seemed very popular ... but not for me! Recommendations: At Ajaccio take a No5 bus to Marinella Beach. At Nice take a train to Monte Carlo. At Civitavecchia, if you're not going to Rome (if you've never been, you must go), stay on the empty ship.

All Brits, average age was 45-55. About 200 kids onboard, most disappeared into Palmy's Club and were never heard again ... great! Everyone friendly. Captain John Brocklehurst often seen in passenger spaces chatting with pax. Overall an excellent happy ship and a great cruise. As a veteran of almost 30 cruises this was one of the best and I'll definitely be going back for more.