NORWEGIAN STAR TO SAIL INTO ISLAND WATERS.

Byline: Richard Irwin Staff Writer

A new star will shine in Hawaii just before Christmas, when Norwegian Cruise Line's newest and largest vessel weighs anchor. The Norwegian Star will be based in the islands and offer weeklong cruises.

Built to accommodate 2,200 passengers, the 91,000-ton Star is so large it will barely fit through the Panama Canal. But its huge girth allows it to offer amenities only dreamed of by other cruise lines.

Passengers will be able to choose from 10 different restaurants - more dining options than any other cruise ship in North America, according to the cruise line. A massive theater built in the fashion of a European opera house will seat 1,150 over three decks. This will be in addition to a movie theater.

Big size also marks the cabins - which should be good news to those who have squeezed into conventional staterooms on cruises. Norwegian promises a much larger bathroom with toilet, shower and washstand separated by sliding doors.

The Norwegian Star, which cost $400 million to build, boasts that some 70 percent of its 1,120 staterooms are outside cabins, and more than 500 have private balconies.

The cruise will debut Dec. 16, with seven-day itineraries offered year- round. Included will be stops at ports of four major Hawaiian islands - at Honolulu on Oahu, Kona or Hilo on the Big Island, Lahaina on Maui, and Nawiliwili or Port Allen on Kauai.

The cruises will also include a visit to the Pacific hideaway of Fanning Island. U.S. law requires the Norwegian Star, a foreign-flagged vessel, to include a port outside the country as part of its Hawaii offering. Fanning Island, a remote part of the Republic of Kiribati south of Hawaii, fills that requirement.

That means two days at sea on the trip to and from Fanning Island. Some passengers might welcome this opportunity to cruise the open ocean, relax and enjoy the new ship.

(U.S.-built cruise ships in Hawaii operated by United States Lines do not have to make this detour.)

A cruise experience isn't complete without ample and ongoing opportunities to eat, and the Norwegian Star certainly has that covered.

It's an indication of the evolution of cruising, in fact, that passengers on this ship can choose a different restaurant every night without ever dining in the main restaurant. The ship will offer 11 different menus nightly.

In the mood for a traditional, six-course meal? Try the elegant Versailles restaurant. Pacific Rim? Stop by the SoHo Room, which features a fusion of Californian, Hawaiian and Asian cuisine. The cruise line's trademark nouvelle cuisine and French classics? They can be found in Le Bistro. Or journey to Las Ramblas for Spanish tapas or La Trattoria for the flavors of Italy.

Passengers who want to work off all those calories will likely gravitate to the Sports Deck, which features a golf driving range in addition to a volleyball and basketball court. The fitness center will be open 24 hours a day. Guests may also use an aerobic and boxercise area with a springy wooden floor. Swimmers can avail themselves of a jet-current exercise pool and a 20-yard indoor lap pool.

And if you wear yourself out with all of this exertion, there is hydrotherapy in the whirlpool, plus a sauna.

Hawaii-based Mandarin Spa, a leading operator of resort spas, will pamper guests with an onboard facility. Their spa offers an exotic mix of spa and beauty treatments.

The Norwegian Star also has extensive facilities for children. The Planet Kids area has a play room, ball jump and jungle gym. Other diversions include a children's cinema and a computer learning center. But the kid's favorite area will probably be Water World, a space-themed children's pool with water slides and paddling pool.

Teen-agers can enjoy their own disco, video arcade and hot tub. The Sports Afloat program and the Internet Cafe are also directly targeted to teens.

At Endless Summer, a Hawaiian-themed restaurant with a performance stage, passengers can take in a Hawaiian show while enjoying a luau.

Later, the whole family can learn to hula or make flower leis. Or listen to lectures on the folklore of the islands.

The cruise has other family-friendly features. Most cabins include a sofa-bed or pop-up trundle bed. Many have a fourth, pull-down berth. The ship also has a large number of cabins that can interconnect to form a two-, three-, four- or five-bedroom area for families.

Norwegian Cruise Line information and reservations: [phone]; www.ncl.com.