American Star Review

Great Rivers of Florida Cruise - March 18-25, 2017

Review for North America River Cruise on American Star
User Avatar
aferrari
2-5 Cruises • Age 70s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Mar 2017
Cabin: Single Cabin

I chose this cruise because I was impressed with my previous cruise with American Cruise Lines from New Orleans to Memphis on the Mississippi in June 2016, and I wanted to travel in this part of Florida. Most of the good things from the previous cruise carried over to this one. The crew and housekeeping staff were top-notch, offering efficient, attentive, and friendly service. The food, both in terms of quality and selection, was superb. One of my dietary requirements--soy milk--was cheerfully accommodated. Cocktail hour offered ample opportunity to socialize and enjoy the food and drink. My single cabin was small but serviceable, with enough space for two dressers, twin bed, small closet, two nightstands, a chair, and a luggage stand. The bathroom was clean, but my room was not always made up at the same time each day--sometimes early morning, sometimes mid-to-late morning. As for entertainment, I went to five of the seven shows and liked them very much. Two involved solo singers performing American standards. One involved a film and accompanying discussion by the ship's guest lecturer. Two involved duos who sang and played, excellently. I skipped two shows because I needed some downtime to relax from a full day of onshore touring. I did all the tours, which cost $320. I liked nearly all of them, especially Blue Springs State Park, Palatka Murals and City Tour, Tram Tour of St. Augustine, Alligator Farm and Zoological Park, the Lady Jane Shrimp Boat Tour, and the Sea Turtle Center & Jekyll Island Tram Tour. The only one I didn't care for--the only complimentary one--was the Green Cove Springs Narrated Tour. There wasn't much to see. I didn't even take any pictures there. I'd recommend deleting this tour. My only other suggestion for improvement would be to give the guest lecturer more opportunities to share his knowledge of the area. On last year's Mississippi cruise, the guest lecturers--a husband and wife team--were much more visible and active than the lecturer on this cruise. I would have preferred a lecture to the bingo game that was offered one morning. All in all, though, a very good cruise. I've already signed up for another cruise in May, 2018.

Cabin Review

Single Cabin

Cabin SB

Small but serviceable for one person. Housekeeping did a good job. The housekeeper introduced himself and made himself available if I needed anything. Once, he forgot to provide clean washcloths. When I mentioned this to him, he took care of it right away.

4 Helpful Votes
previous reviewnext review

Find a cruise

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.