Royal Caribbean International revealed new details Tuesday about its second Icon Class vessel, Star of the Seas. The ship will set sail from Florida’s Port Canaveral near Orlando in August 2025.
“Us really bringing the world's best family vacation to one of the world's best family markets felt like a natural synergy,” Jay Schneider, chief product innovation officer and senior vice president for the line's parent company, Royal Caribbean Group , told USA TODAY.
The ship’s onboard offerings will build on what has resonated with guests on Icon of the Seas since it debuted in January – with some twists.
“One thing about this class is the class is coming out very fast, and it doesn't give you a whole lot of time to adjust,” Schneider said. “And so we wanted to learn as much as we could about what is successful on Icon as we kind of look ahead to Star.”
Every cruise on Star of the Seas will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay. Rendering courtesy of Royal Caribbean International
Where will Star of the Seas sail?
The 5,610-guest ship will operate seven-night Caribbean cruises, including destinations like Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, Cozumel in Mexico and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Every cruise will also stop at the Royal Caribbean’s Bahamas private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay .
Packing your bags? Sign up for USA TODAY's Travel newsletter.
The ship will have a capacity of 5,610 guests. Rendering courtesy of Royal Caribbean International
What can passengers expect?
The ship, a sister vessel to Icon, will include many of its familiar spaces, from the Category 6 water park to the enclosed glass-and-steel AquaDome and the adults-only Hideaway pool and lounge area. There will also be more than 40 dining and beverage options.
For comparison, Star – like Icon – will have 20 decks and measure 1,196 feet long. Royal Caribbean's newest Oasis Class ship, Utopia of the Seas , has 18 decks and measures 1,188 feet.
But Star will feature new takes on some features that launched on Icon. Empire Supper Club, an intimate space serving multicourse meals with live entertainment, will be reimagined as the 1930s Chicago-inspired Lincoln Park Supper Club. The “eatertainment” venue was always envisioned as an evolving concept, Schneider said.
“So, Icon is New York, Star will be Chicago, and once we get to Icon three, which we haven't released the name of yet, (it) will be Hollywood,” he said. “And so we're following the sun as we create this class.”
The Hideaway neighborhood will have an infinity pool at the ship's aft. Rendering courtesy of Royal Caribbean International
The line will make similar adjustments to some family-focused programming, such as its Adventure Ocean kids club . Even as the line has offered increasingly advanced gaming technology, children have also requested more analog options like foosball and pingpong. Icon’s Surfside neighborhood, originally designed with kids 6 and younger in mind, has proven popular with children as old as 10 and will cater to a wider range of ages on Star.
Royal Caribbean is also concept-testing new cuisine types for AquaDome Market, the line’s food hall that serves Mediterranean fare, crepes and more on Icon.
Schneider noted that like Icon’s Chief Dog Officer Rover, a golden retriever who makes appearances to “surprise and delight” guests, Star will have its own resident canine named Sailor (likely of the same breed). “So Rover is excited to have a sibling, who hopefully they'll be able to meet on Perfect Day at CocoCay.”
The line will roll out new technology on board, too. A waterproof bracelet that allows parents to track where their kids are via the cruise line’s app will be available after a pilot on Icon this summer. Schneider said the cruise line has also been working on facial-recognition stateroom doors “for a while” and expects them to be piloted on board Star.
Prices vary by sailing date, room category and other factors, but 2025 cruises now start at $1,654 to $1,705 per person based on double occupancy. Fares include many meals on board, drinks like regular coffee and lemonade and more.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Most Popular
Comments / 0