This was our second cruise, our first was on the Ocean Village four years ago. We found The Island Star embarkation process and reception to be much smoother than on the Ocean Village. This was the case for disembarking too, but we were left at the airport to clamber into the underside of the bus to retrieve our own suitcases (!). This did seem a bit much, particularly for the wee old pensioners!

Our first impression of the ship was good. It was, like others have said, a bit worn out looking. It needs a good refit! Where the Ocean Village has a flow to it, with one area running into the next, The Island Star has lots of seperate areas, on different levels. This was probably more inconvenient for us with the buggy though. It does lack the waow factor of atrium area of the OV, but this really didn't impact on our enjoyment of the cruise.

We booked a cabin on Sapphire deck (10), a 'deluxe outside cabin'. We tried to book a cabin with a balcony, but weren't allowed as we have an infant. The room was spacious and clean, and the beds were comfortable. The houskeeping was spot on. We did experience some unpleasant sewage smells from the bath when we pulled the plug out, and once it did linger for a few hours (yuck). Also, we did smell cigarette smoke a number of times, but they never figured out who it was.

The food was good. We would strongly recommend going to 'The Island' buffet restaurant, rather than the 'Beachcomber' one (the one next to the pool). The Island restaurant was really good. The staff were attentive and interacted really well with our daughter. The food was fresh, hot and prepared well.

The other buffet restaurant had the same food each night (except on themed nights - The Island one doesn't have the same variety on these nights). However, the Beachcomber just wasn't the same. The staff were just as cheery and just as helpful, but they seemed to cover wider areas and so were much busier. It was difficult to order a drink/get a high chair at times. There was also the stench of the washing up machine wafting through one section of the seating area.

There was also 'The Grill' restaurant, at the back of the Beachcomber. It was great for us - burgers and grilled chicken, salad and daily specials. Oh, and chips :) So it suited us to go there for lunch after a morning off ship. The lunches in the other restaurants weren't very varied, and 'The Island' restaurant shut quite early in the afternoon giving us little choice anyway!

The entertainment on the ship was a bit of a let down. The shows were low budget - no spectacle at all. The staff did their best and really were talented, but there is only so much you can do with a backing track and fancy lighting. The theatre is a great space, but they seemed to use it for solo singers/comedians/kids' activities. This was the main act on a huge stage - seemed a bit strange. The stage could have hosted really top class performances, so it seemed a bit of a waste. In the OV the singers and comedians performed in the bars and other social areas, and it was a great atmosphere.

Also, 'sailaway' was a non-event most nights. There was entertainment on the top deck on the first and last nights. It was fine but nothing compared to the laser shows and acrobatic feats of the OV.

Overall the staff were fantastic. They helped however they could and grinned most of the time! They were really cheery. My husband did NOT complain about being offered a drink every five minutes, as it saved him moving his backside to the bar (it was not harrassment at all - how can you complain about attentive service?). Thee was a rumour going round that the bar staff were paid commission only - reckon it was started by the staff. Our cabin steward (Himawan) couldn't do enough for us. We also saw the Captain a few times - he seems down to earth and happy to socialise, although his dancing leaves much to be desired, tee hee.

We went on one organised excursion, to Pisa. It was well organised but, like most organised tours, left us little time to explore on our own.

For the other ports we toured independently. Genoa was good - you can walk from the port to the town centre, but make sure you get a map.

Marseille was disappointing. If I went back I would aim for a definite tourist attraction, rather than wandering the centre. The town had few pedestrian areas and was infested with mopeds. The shops were mainly the same as the ones at home - so no novelty there either.

Barcelona was Barcelona. Fab. Wouldn't get the tour bus again though - the queues are awful. You spend the same amount on speedy taxis which are plentiful. There is a lovely beach there which I didn't know about until the bus tour, however.

We went to the beach in Valencia. It's a 20 minute walk from the ship. It has lovely cafes where you can buy tapas and the beach is clean and long. You can hire a shade and bed for less than 10 Euros a day.

I wouldn't say don't go - we had a fantastic holiday! I would say check out the availability on the Ocean Village first though ;)

This was our first cruise, so high expectations but nothing to compare it with. We had chosen Island Cruises based on the informal and friendly atmosphere that was promised. We drove south to fly from Manchester - one of the disadvantages of a late booking. Our flight to Palma was delayed, as they always seem to be these days. Flights apart, the service level was soon set by a team of folk leading us to the bus, where we had a couple of forms to fill-in. This was effectively the last red-tape we saw, with the room key taking the strain for the rest of the trip. The embarkation process was again new to us, with friendly staff at every turn. We were escorted to our cabin on Coral deck, where our bags were waiting for us. Our outside cabin was certainly spacious and clean, with loads of storage space. I'm not sure what's to be gained by paying extra for a cabin on a higher deck.
With other flights being late, we went up to the Beachcomber (buffet-style) restaurant, where we selected our first meal, which was eaten on the open rear deck, watching the sun set over Palma. Great food and an even greater view. The waiting staff bring you drinks, which reportedly included a 5% tip. It was still t-shirt weather as the Island Star left port at 9pm, with upper decks full of high expectations and high-spec digital cameras.
Like most newcomers (there were a lot who had been on the Island Star before) we explored the ship over the next few hours, to discover a layout which remained slightly confusing to the very last day.
The itinerary included Palma, Levorno, Genoa, Marseilles, Barcelona, Valencia and back to Palma, but the first day was at sea.
We had read reviews on this site suggesting a shortage of loungers on the upper deck, and due to being at sea all day, and presumably a few secret Germans, there were periods of shortage. This problem did not recur during days in port due to excursions etc.
We soon got used to the room being tidied in our absence, and begun to look forward to the odd animal fashioned from towels, a treat which we now realise isn't restricted to just Island Cruises, but fun non-the-less.
There are five main food outlets.
Beachcomber - open 24 hours, with a wide selection of food, and the choice in indoor or outdoor consumption.
The Grill - on the open rear deck. With the ready-to-eat food in the Beachcomber, we never felt inclined to wait for burgers, chips etc.
Island Restaurant - A bit more up-market, with waiters to show you to your table and get drinks. Gents asked to wear long trousers in the evening, to keep the standards up. You can ask to sit on your own, or with random others. We really enjoyed meeting new friends at every meal! A great opportunity to swap notes and get advice.
Oasis Restaurant - we only splashed out the extra £30 for two (including a bottle of wine) on our last night. Fantastic service and superb food.
Steakhouse Restaurant - we never tried it, but heard only good stories from other passengers.
I'm not sure how many bars there are on board, but I know we didn't get to see all of them. You effectively have to stay in your cabin to avoid being offered a drink, not that they are pushy in any way, just attentive.
The entertainers were very talented, from their efforts to get folk dancing around the pool, to the shows in the Ocean Theater. I've seen a friends video from Royal Caribbean, and with double the number of passengers, you can see it in the productions, but just how many entertainers do you need on a stage at any one time!?
I'm not one for watching vocalists, but the "History of Soul" and the "Robbie Williams Tribute" were brill!
Being a lover of all comedy, I had high expectations for Rudy West, and I WAS NOT disappointed! We were soon scanning the daily ships newspaper to ensure we didn't miss any of his other performances, which were all unique. Not the kind of guy you walk in front of when he's performing!
Excursions: Being new to every port, we booked excursions at Levorno, Genoa and Barcelona.
Florence "at your own pace", was just a bit disappointing, as we seemed to have too much time on our own (each to his own) although we did see filming for the sequel to "Room with a View" being filmed on the Cathedral steps. Massive queues prevented us from entering.
Genoa was a very short hop across the harbour by ferry, followed by walking tour. The girl was very knowledgeable and helpful - a great tour! The largest aquarium in Europe is at the harbourside, and as a bit of a "fish geek", I really really enjoyed it.
Barcelona had lots of excursions to chose from. We opted for Montserrat and Cava, which proved to be a real highlight. At £45 per head it seemed steep, but was so worth it. Trying to describe it would not do it justice. Not to be missed!
Marseilles was a bit like any other big city away from the central harbour, but a quick train ride up to Notre Dame de la Gare is well worth it for a spectacular view. After a cheap shuttle into town, we took on a hop-on-hop-off bus, but with only one bus every 2 hours, it didn't really do what it said on the tin. Go for the wee train.
A lot of people get trains, buses and taxis at the port, to see things at there own pace or further afield, but we were told by the girl booking the excursions that the best photo you'll get on any cruise, is the view from the harbour as your ship leaves without you. Well she would, wouldn't she! Anyway, that thought stayed with us, and I'd still be loathed to venture far under my own steam.
We were all excurshioned-out for Valencia, so stayed on board for a change. By this time, I'd figured out just when the large bowls of trifle were introduced at the Beachcomber ;-)
Bags are packed and left outside your room after midnight, to be unloaded for you at Palma. A list of all our purchases was posted under our door on the last morning, and didn't turn out to be too much of a shock at all. With a late flight back, we had a whole extra day on board (minus the cabin if you don't pay a small supplement), so we worked on adding that 8th pound on a 7 day cruise, just to break the pound a day rule.

Bearing in mind that this was our first cruise, we were thoroughly impressed by boat, staff, food and itinerary. We would enthusiastically recommend Island Star to anyone, particularly if they are not so keen on the formal or semi-formal nature of many other cruises we investigated. I honestly don't know what was missing, that would make me want to pay much more for it on another ship and can see why there were so many cruisers returning to the Island Star.

We have just returned from a fantastic weeks holiday on board the Island Star

Just like every holiday there were a few little things that slightly annoyed us £1.40 for a can of fizzy juice was a bit on the steep side, however all other drinks were very well priced. As with other comments, we agree that there are not enough sunbeds, however as the capatin said there is no ship that has the deck space for a lounger for everyone.

Well thats the bad bits, now for the good bits.

Arrival at the terminal and then to ship was pretty slick, we were welcomed with an orange juice whilst we waited in the queue and had the obligatory photo taken before we got on board.

We had been in the cabin for no more than 5 minutes when our cases arrived

We booked an outside cabin on Diamond deck and we had very little engine noise, however we met some people during the week who were below us and nearer the back and they felt like they were part of the engine room staff (very noisey)

Our cabin attendanat was Eddie and he was a complete star. The room was attended to at least 3 times a day with clean towels every day for both showering and pool side use.

The ship was very clean and in our view was very modern, we were on the Thompson Destiny last year and the Star is definately much more modern and the rooms are much bigger than the Destiny

The staff, like most ships, are fantastic and have a superb sense of humour and fun,One little off put was the amount of times you were asked if you wanted a drink. They may work on commission who knows, however you can just say no.

We took in a few shows in the Ocean Theatre and these were extemelly well planned and presented. There is tons going on within the ship. As well as the main theatre there is a club at the stern called the Bounty which had all the usual fun and games going on. There are some nice quiet areas too, The Captains Club / Card Room and the Harbour Cafe which had a chap playing the piano and there was the Pub which had a variety of music playing each night.

During the day there is the usual pool side games together with cocktail making, napkin folding etc demonstrations. A good tip if you dont need to be beside the pool for the kids is to get a bed up at the front of deck 12 it is lovely and quiet and you dont even get to hear the tannoy anouncements.

We had Captain John Brocklehust as our master for the week. He works 8 weeks on and 8 weeks off which aint a bad gig. Capatain John is also full of fun and you see him quite a bit during the cruise talking to passngers etc. If you can do the bridge visit (£2.50 extra) it is well worth the extra cash.

Our trip was the Mediterranean Discovery which took in Olbia, Rome, La Spezia, Villefranche and Mahon

Olbia is very nice to sit on deck and watch the ship arrive however the town itself was described my our 13 year old as "a bit of a dump" He was right. We would advise you to take the organised trip to the beach. It is a wee bit expensive however looked worth it. If we went back that is what we would do.

Civitavecchia was next and this is where you take in Rome. Again the trips are a wee bit expensive. We went on Monumental Rome however, on reflection, it was well worth the price.

La Spezia, Dont take a trip at this port as you will miss one of the gems of the Med. We went on a boat trip to Portovenere which was only half an hour away. It cost us about £25 each and was good however you can get a bus from La Spezia for about £3. We would suggest that you have a good look round La Spezia in the morning and then hop on a bus to Portovenere in the afternoon. Both places are a must for a vist.

Next it was Villefranche where you can get the train (a five minute walk to the station from the pier) to either Nice or Monaco. We just stayed in the town and crashed out on the beach however others we met went on trips or made there own way. Whatever you do this is a great port.

Mahon next and you have to get up early and watch the ship sail into this magnificent harbour. Threading the eye of a needle comes to mind. We bearthed right at the town and within 5 minutes we were in shoppers paradise.

Despite the few mumbles mentioned at the start we could not fault this ship and could not sign off without mentioning the food.

Plenty, Plenty, Plenty and of a superior qulity we ate in the Island resturant which is self service however whatever your likes are you will find something to eat. There is another self service called the beachcomber which is open 24 hours and the food is just as good.

There are two other restuarants where you can pay a suppliment however we never felt the need to eat there so we cant comment.

We met some great people on this trip, Brad & Mandy from Engerland and Brian, Sheena and Emma from Scotland.

We had a ball and yes we will go back

Great flights, great ship, great ports (Olbia was nice to look at from the ship), great entertainment, staff,food and great passangers and some new friends.

Roll on next July

We booked this cruise four days before sailing to get away from the rain there were only three cabins left so we had a outside in aqua deck. As this was our 4th cruise on the Island Star we were a little concerned regarding the cabin. From start to finish it was a fantastic trip very organised transfer to the ship, luggage waiting outside .The cabin was a little smaller than we had before but was excellent it appeared brand new and had all we needed, it was kept spotless by the staff.I wrote a review in June where I thought the food was not as good as it had been, on this trip the food was excellent plenty of everything hot food was hot and the cold food was cold, the ship was kept spotless.Unlike in June , the pool area had far more youngsters, and the Captain did appeal to parents to control the kids due to complaints, During some of the shows i saw very young children running up the aisles and onto the stage during the acts, the parents just seemed to switch off and let the kids run riot.
The old chestnut about sunbeds always appears, despite a first day appeal from the Captain people still hogged the sunbeds with towels, one member of staff timed the beds for an hour then removed the towels allowing people to use them, well done island star.
The weather was hot the ports of call ok but we did not park up at Nice as we thought we were but four miles down the coast. Mahon harbour has got to be one of the best to sail in and out of it is really stunning.
The shows were good with a motown singer Steve Simone really something, the ship staff put on fair shows but if you want better you have to pay Royal carribean prices.
Captain John Brocklehurst was a very friendly man he bought us a drink at the bar and was interested in our opinions of the product. We both like casino's and the Island star has a good one however the manager Nic was forever trying to get young kids out who were running around in there. I may be biased about the casino as on the second night a slot machine was kind enough to present me with £3000 jackpot which is a nice start to any vacation and no, I didnt give it back.
A point of interest was the Captain announced they were ceasing the winter Brazil trips and going to the Carribean next year.
In conclusion the cruise was excellent value for money the best staff we have known in over 15 cruises, we were made to feel welcome and special I would recommend this cruise to anyone, and if it is your first cruise you will love it.

the island star curise ship was amaising .
Our children enjoyed it so much as the had the aracade and kids club .
Us adults loved it cos we got a break away from the children so we could do our own thing it was wonderful.
The staff was excellent and the food was perfect.
And the shows in the ocean theatre was also 5 stars very very good as they all put in so much effortinto the shows .
And our cleanyer that done room 6175 was excellent at tindying the room .
All our family would go on it again.
thank you for the wonderful stay on your ship 4 2 weeks .
good uck in the furture.
xxxx

We booked this cuise just a week before we sailed. This was our very first cruise and can I say will not be our last! It was fantastic! We flew into Palma where we boarded the ship, as we arrived at our cabin so did our bags. The only downside of the holiday would be the noise in our cabin, but I doubt they can help that.

Ports of call were: livorno and genoa in Italy, marseille in France, barcelona and valencia in Spain.

They were fantastic, we only did two excursions as they very highly priced.

Everything about the ship was brilliant, the cleanliness, the food, the staff.

The entertainment team put on shows each night which were amazing and a joy to watch.

We hav just got back from our mediterranean explorer itinerary on board the island star and we loved it.

We ate mostly in the beachcomber restaurant but also dined in the island restasurant and both were excellent. The downside being that for the island restaurant you have to queue up to 15 minutes to get a table we thought this a bit unnesscery as there was always plenty tables they mainly serve the same food anyway so we avoided queues by dining in the beachcomber.

The staff on board were all very friendly and always wished you a good day or a have a nice evening and they could not do enough to help you.

The entertainment onboard was excellent with robbie williams tribute act and the uk comedian leading the way for me but there was also shows of grease and broadway which were both great.

The only downside to the cruise was that on our day at sea the sea was very rough and many people including my family were seasick however this was not island stars fault.

overall we had a fantastic time and will definitely be cruising again!

We cruised on the Island Star twice last year,and told everyone we know how fantasic it was, my previous review was 5 suns for everything, sadly this is no longer the case. Cost cutting was obvious from the first day of the cruise,there was no live band playing on the poolside stage,occasionaly a member of staff would put some music on, One member of staff told me the area was dead,when it should have a party feel. We had two meals in the steak house last year and they were perfect,this year the price had gone up some 75%.My steak had obviously just come out of the freezer as had the sushi.The buffet which we always raved about was ok but had lost its sparkle the food quality and choice was no where near as good as last year.
The staff were excellent always cheerful and helpful, it was sad to see that captain John Mc Neal has left the company also a great loss was the cruise director Rob Boyd who was the best we have ever seen.The new cruise director and his assistant reminded me of Butlins in the 60s and I did not feel they were up to the job.In the past there was always something to do or see on rainy days, on this occasion they were just trying to sell spa products so we ended up playing draughts in the library. In conclusion we were disapointed and I no longer can rave about this ship apparently they have moved their operations to Brazil. If Island star turns the clock back and returns to what was a high standard I would book today.

My wife and I booked a cruise/stay 36 hours before the day of travel with Hayes Travel and paid £695 each for a week on the Island Star and a week in a 4 star hotel, half board in Majorca.
Having cruised on the quality cruise line RCI on several occasions in the Caribbean, our expectations of what we were to experience on the Island Star were well below to RCI.
Having experienced the cruise with island Star, our feedback to all is as follows:-
Checking in at Palma Port: Seemless & Efficient
Outside Cabin on Deck 5th: Comfortable, clean & lots of cupboard space etc
Cabin Steward: Nivia was 1st class
Restaurants: First class, the buffet offered quality food, with variety and cleanliness
Entertainment: Some night better than others, but in the main, certainly of high quality. Eve Sherrat was 1st class.
Shops: Yes, they want you to spend as much money with them - as all shops do!
On deck: 40% of deck chairs need replacing, however, sufficient chairs where available to all who required one.
Majority of fellow travellers: Aged 25+
Would we go again: Yes
Value for money: 9 out of 10
As for the Hotel: Don't stay in Magaluf, its the pits! Full of drunken, noisy & unfortunately some nasty revellers - great if you're under 20, nots so great if you're not!
First Choice plane: Probably the worst I have been on in 10 years - the seat space was ridiculously small. Having flown 7 times this year both in the UK and abroad, I can definately equate the standard of seating as "Cattle Class" - if you are 6 foot+, slash out on an upgrade. Food was good though, albeit, eating in such a limited space was a pleasure I could have done without.

This is our fourth cruise, having sailed with Royal Caribbean, MSC and Carnival previously. We picked this cruise because of the itinerary as we hadn't been to any of the ports of call, and we certainly were not disappointed with any of them. Having read loads of reviews after we booked it we were a little apprehensive about what to expect, but we thoroughly enjoyed our cruise.

It is certainly the shabbiest ship we have been on, but the largest cabin, it was huge, although I think we just got lucky as we didn't see any other cabins like it on our deck. We had an inside cabin on Bronze Deck.

Some of the public areas could do to be refurbished, especially the carpets.

Some of the sun loungers are way past their best and it was also difficult to get one on the day at sea. We didn't manage to get one until later on in the day, although this didn't bother us, as we are not great sun worshippers.

My husband and I are vegetarian and this ship had by far the best choice of any ship we have been on. We ate in the Beachcomber Restaurant all the time as it had everything we needed. It was great not having to clock watch as we have had to do on previous cruises, especially when you are on first sitting for dinner. We loved being able to eat when we felt like it. Having done the formal dressing up for dinner on all of our other cruises we loved the 24-hour buffet and not having to get really dressed up. If you like fine dining and silver service then this ship is probably not for you.

The entertainment was good, definitely not West End standard as some reviewers have said, they have obviously never been to a West End show, but it was very good. Everything was geared to the Brits and they did have bingo, karaoke, quizzes and all the tacky game shows but there was always plenty going on.

The staff were excellent as they have been on every cruise, always smiling and very helpful, we couldn't fault them.

We are not really big drinkers, but the drinks prices were the cheapest of any ship we have been on. There was no 15% service charge on top of the prices quoted. Our only gripe would be that the soft drinks are expensive in comparison to the alcoholic drinks, £1.40 for a can of coke.

We went on two organised excursions to Mount Etna and St Tropez, as these places were a long way from the port. They were both excellent. In Naples we did the Hop-on Hop-off bus tour for 22 Euros each, which covered you for two tours lasting about 1 hour 15 mins each. In Livorno we went to the Leaning Tower of Pisa by ourselves on the bus and train and it cost 15 Euros for the two of us, it would have cost us £68.00 with the ships excursion! In Barcelona we went to the Nou Camp on the Metro and it cost us 30 Euros, the ships excursion would have cost us £60.00! The excursions are expensive, but I think that if you are going a reasonable distance from the port then you are safer doing them.

We booked this cruise in February and were annoyed to find the price coming down quite considerably as the departure date got nearer. We could probably have saved about £400 on the total price of our holiday if we'd waited until about 4-6 weeks before booking.

We would definitely travel on the Island Star again, but wouldn't book as early next time.