Star of the Seas

by Donna Heiderstadt

Number of Passengers5,610

Ship Launched Year2025

Ship TypeOcean

Royal Caribbean may be one of the world's largest cruise lines — with several of the largest cruise ships on the planet — but it's also a big-time entertainment company. Its newest megaships can compete with land-based rivals such as Disney, Universal, and the top resorts in Las Vegas for travelers seeking a fun, energetic, and yes, entertaining vacation experience.

Star of the Seas, which debuted in August 2025 as the second vessel in Royal Caribbean's Icon Class, is pretty much a duplicate of its barely older sibling, Icon of the Seas, which launched in early 2024. I wasn't sure what to expect when I first set foot on the groundbreaking Icon — and I'll admit I was totally blown away. I wondered if the wow factor would be diminished the second time around, but that wasn't the case at all. I still felt dazzled by The Pearl, the three-deck orb covered with thousands of ever-changing kinetic tiles that first greets guests as they exit the gangway into the Royal Promenade. And from the sprawling pool areas on decks 15, 16, and 17, my jaw still dropped at the sheer size of this 1,196-foot-long ship — that's more than three football fields — as I gazed down at the open-air atriums of the Central Park and Surfside neighborhoods below.

Other impressive spaces include the two-level Royal Theater, the glass-domed AquaTheater, the Absolute Zero arena for ice-skating shows and laser-tag battles, and Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea with six waterslides. Star of the Seas is also home to more than 20 dining venues and 20 bars (including a karaoke bar, a piano bar, a sports bar, a jazz club, and a comedy club), seven pools and 10 hot tubs, a mini-golf course, two escape rooms, clubs for kids and teens, a spa and fitness center, and Royal Caribbean's signature FlowRider surf simulator and climbing wall.

In other words, even during a week-long cruise — Star of the Seas sails seven-night itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean year-round from Port Canaveral — it will be tough to experience everything that's offered. That said, it sure is fun to try.

What We Love

The Upbeat Energy and Artwork: Icon Class ships are designed to cruise the Caribbean, and the ships' décor reflects that with tropical colors and artwork that's both vibrant and whimsical (be sure to check out the sculptures sprinkled across the Royal Promenade, Central Park, and Surfside). The ambiance is equally upbeat, with DJs poolside by day and in the Royal Promenade at night, a roaming Stowaway Piano Player popping up in elevators and hallways, and nightly dance parties and family-friendly parades.

The Distinct Neighborhoods: Star of the Seas features eight different neighborhoods intended to appeal to distinct demographics. The wide and airy Royal Promenade, which is home to multiple eateries and bars as well as shops, guest services, and a Starbucks, is visited by almost everyone on a daily basis. Central Park, the ship's outdoor atrium on deck 8 that features 33,000 plants, specialty restaurants such as Chops Grille and Izumi in the Park, and several bars, is designed with adults in mind. Surfside on deck 7 is a family fun zone for parents with younger children and has a carousel, a splash zone, family-friendly dining, and appearances by Admiral Awesome and Star of the Seas' First Dog Officer, an adorable golden retriever named Sailor.

Guests seeking to relax poolside can head to Chill Island, which sprawls over three decks (15, 16, and 17) midship and features multiple hot tubs and pools (including Royal Bay, the largest pool at sea, and Swim & Tonic, which has a swim-up bar). You'll also find three The Lime & the Coconut bars serving refreshing tropics-inspired cocktails.

The neighborhood for those seeking an adrenaline rush is Thrill Island, which is located aft on decks 16 and 17 and features the spiraling loops and drops of the Category 6 waterpark, the FlowRider surf simulator, the Adrenaline Peak rock-climbing wall, the challenging Crown's Edge skywalk/ropes course, the Sports Court, and the Lost Dunes mini-golf course.

The Hideaway, an adults-only zone located aft and accessed via deck 15, features the only suspended infinity pool at sea as well as a bar, two hot tubs and sun loungers with a wake view. AquaDome, located forward on decks 14 and 15, is home to the AquaTheater for theatrical diving shows, the Overlook with relaxing daybeds and wrap-around ocean views, and AquaDome Market with more than a half dozen complimentary food stalls (from Thai to Mexican). Finally, the Suite Neighborhood is exclusively for guests who book suite accommodations and features the Coastal Kitchen dining venue and The Grove sundeck, pool, and bar.

Excellent Elevators and Traffic Flow: For a ship with 20 decks and a double-occupancy capacity of 5,610 guests (which can rise to more than 7,500 when every bed is filled), Star of the Seas is surprisingly easy to navigate and has very few bottlenecks where foot traffic becomes congested (outside the Royal Theater before and after shows is the main exception). There are two massive circular elevator banks, one forward and the other aft, each with 11 elevators that use "destination" technology (guests choose their intended deck on tablets that tell them which lettered elevator car to enter). The elevators are spacious and wait times are typically minimal.

The ship's main public indoor space, the Royal Promenade (located on decks 5 and 6), is also conveniently connected to two popular outdoor neighborhoods, Central Park on deck 8 and Surfside on deck 7, and there's an escalator down to the massive Casino Royale and the popular Music Hall located on deck 4.

The Fun and Varied Music Spots: With its seven complimentary music venues, Star of the Seas delivers a lineup of nightly entertainment that offers something for everyone. A favorite is the two-level Music Hall, where guests can hit the dance floor to classic rock and pop hits performed live by a cover band or boogie late into the night to current DJ-spun hits. Boleros is the spot for live Latin-style music, while the band in Lou's Jazz Club channels sultry music from bygone eras. Dueling Pianos pits two expert players against each other in a high-energy showdown, and Spotlight Karaoke lets guests belt out their favorite tunes. There's a piano player nightly in the Schooner Bar and an entertainer in the British pub Thorn & Thistle. Guests able to splurge on dinner at Lincoln Park Supper Club will be transported back to 1940s Chicago with a live band performance.

The Terrific Complimentary Dining Options: Yes, guests will pay a premium cruise fare to sail on Royal Caribbean's newest Icon Class ships, but once on board, there's plenty of appealing complimentary dining that the whole family will love. A total of eight sit-down and grab-and-go eateries are included in the cruise fare for all guests, with two additional venues (Coastal Kitchen and The Grove) for suite guests. Beyond the three-level Main Dining Room and Royal's largest Windjammer Marketplace buffet restaurant, both of which serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, 24/7 options include The Pearl Café, which has a three-story panoramic window and serves coffee, sodas, breakfast items, sandwiches, and sweets, and Sorrento's Pizza, for pizza by the slice. In AquaDome Market, guests can savor international flavors such as zesty Thai, savory Texas BBQ, healthy Mediterranean, and sweet French crepes. Meanwhile, Basecamp on deck 16 serves cravable fare like burgers and pretzel bites; El Loco Fresh on deck 15 is the spot to enjoy tacos and burritos; and Surfside Eatery on deck 7 is a great place for families to refuel with kid-friendly fare. Tip: Don't miss Royal's soft-serve ice cream, available for free around the ship.

Best Known For

Spectacular Entertainment: Each night, Star of the Seas offers a new way to be entertained — all of it complimentary. In the Royal Theater, guests can reserve seats for an action-packed time-travel journey with Marty McFly and Doc Brown in "Back to the Future: The Musical," where the special effects and the stellar cast both shine. A robot-themed production, "Create!" is also set to debut in the Royal Theater later in 2025.

In the Absolute Zero ice venue, the high-energy ice show "SOL" celebrates fun in the sun across the U.S. and features a cast of professional skaters who execute impressive lifts and jumps. In the AquaTheater, guests can get revved up by "Torque" as dancers, swimmers, slackline acrobats, and high divers perform for a captivating 45 minutes. The family-oriented "Pirates & Mermaids," featuring high-seas escapades, will be added to the AquaTheater line-up later in 2025.

The Royal Promenade is the setting for "Ocean Odyssey," a sea-themed parade featuring the casts of the Royal Theater, the AquaTheater, and Absolute Zero. Guests can also reserve a spot in The Attic for both adult- and family-friendly comedy shows.

Onboard Thrills: Star of the Seas features plenty of action for guests who crave it. Category 6's six towering waterslides include Pressure Drop (an open free-fall slide), Hurricane Hunter and Storm Surge (two family-friendly raft slides), and Storm Chasers (dual mat-racer slides). The FlowRider surf simulator is also a favorite high-energy challenge.

Prefer to get your kicks while dry? Laser Tag: The Rise of Poseidon, which takes over Absolute Zero with its inflatable maze, as well as Lost Dunes mini-golf and two "Back to the Future"-inspired Royal Escape Rooms (one set in a 1950s diner and the other in a 1980s record store) all appeal to families.

Lots of Accommodation Options: With 2,805 staterooms in 28 different categories to choose from, Star of the Seas' guests can opt for small and cozy (like the 157-square-foot Interior Plus cabins that sleep two) or splurge big-time (like the 1,772-square-foot Ultimate Family Townhouse that sleeps eight and is loaded with high-tech in-suite amenities and Star Tier perks like a Royal Genie personal assistant).

The vast majority of the ship's accommodations are Balcony rooms, most with ocean views. Some have an Infinite Balcony, which is a part of the room with floor-to-ceiling windows in which the top half lowers at the touch of a button, while others feature traditional balconies that overlook Central Park or Surfside. Suites range from 322-square-foot Junior Suites to the 656-square-foot Icon Loft.

Port Call at Perfect Day at Coco Cay: Every Star of the Seas itinerary calls on Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas. The island is home to several white-sand beaches and coves, a large freshwater pool with a swim-up bar, and multiple eateries and beach bars (with complimentary food for all guests and included drinks for guests with beverage packages). Extra-cost features include overwater cabanas, water-based excursions such as snorkeling and Jet Ski tours, Thrill Waterpark, which features seven slides and a wave pool, the Up, Up and Away tethered sightseeing balloon that rises 450 feet into the air, and adults-only Hideaway Beach with its swim-up pool bar and in-water hammocks.

Star of the Seas

What We Love

Best Known For

Who It's Good For

Don't Say We Didn't Warn You