Star of the Seas is here and you're probably wondering what's different about this ship compared to Icon of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean's second Icon Class ship is days away from welcoming aboard its first paying passengers, and the ship has lofty expectations from both them and the cruise line itself.
I'm lucky enough to be invited by Royal Caribbean to come get a first look at Star of the Seas before she begins sailing, and I've kept a careful eye out for what's new or different.
Here's a list of the changes you'll find on Star of the Seas that I've found so far.
All new shows
You can always count on Royal Caribbean to never be content with its entertainment lineup.
Star of the Seas has new shows in each of its three theaters.
By far the headliner show is Back to the Future: The Musical, which is the full Broadway production and included on this ship.
There's also a new high-diving spectacle in the Aquatheater, as well as a new show in Absolute Zero.
I always recommend everyone check out the new shows when they go on a ship, because each show is impressive in its own right.
Kaleidoscopes
Hidden around the ship are what look like whimsical telescopes.
The idea is similar to the Small Wonders on Oasis of the Seas or Allure of the Seas.
So far I've found two, one on the Royal Promenade and the other in Surfside, and each has a different design when you peer through them.
Robot vacuums
A really neat idea is there are a few robot vacuum cleaners on Star of the Seas.
There are two types, with Bob responsible for hard surfaces and Betsy taking up carpets.
I'm used to seeing robots in supermarkets and BJ's stores, but it's fun that Royal Caribbean is getting in on the trend.
I suspect these robots can help augment the hard work crew members do in cleaning up, especially after hours.
New hot tub
Royal Caribbean was able to add a new hot tub on Star of the Seas, near the entrance to Aquadome Market.
The hot tub was originally intended to be on Icon, but the company was concerned about water weight. As it turned out, it wasn't a problem, so they added it to Star of the Seas.
Another pool deck change you'll notice are the bungee chairs on Deck 15 across from Royal Bay pool have been removed.
Instead, there are regular loungers on there. Some crew members told me those bungee chairs on Icon had too many kids climbing and jumping on them, which likely lead to this change.
Lincoln Park Supper Club
The only new dining spot on Star of the Seas is the Lincoln Park Supper Club.
The supper club on Icon of the Seas was New York based, but this one is going to be Chicago based.
Royal Caribbean found inspiration from Chicago hot spots, from the Chez Paree club to the famed dining spot, The Pump Room.
Dining here will cost you $200 per person, and you'll get a pairing of live jazz music with the food. Each course has a paired cocktail and dish that matches up perfectly with the music.
Meet Sailor
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention there's a new Chief Dog Officer on Star of the Seas.
Sailor is the Golden Retriever that lives on the ship as the family dog.
You can meet Sailor if you're lucky enough to be in the right spot when she walks by for a belly rub. Usually I've seen her near the Overlook, in Surfside, or even on the Royal Promenade.
Royal Caribbean got a lot of attention when it put a dog on Icon of the Seas, and it's such a lovely idea.
A more colorful Pearl
The Pearl has been upgraded visually.
Instead of a single color light ring in the back of each of those 3500 plus tiles, this version has full multicolor rings.
This allows arguably the top photo spot on the ship to have a much richer color palate.
New bar menus
I've noticed a few menus have gotten updates to at the least the look of them, and a few new cocktails too.
The fleetwide menu has been updated with new drinks and a new look.
Every few years the bar menu changes, and this is the bar menu you'll find in places like Casino Bar, The Overlook, and other bars without a specialized menu.
In the Pub, there's a new menu and each table as a ring toss game to help you pass the time.
I believe the Yuzu the One and Love Story are two new drinks on this menu.
Over at the Lime and Coconut, there's been a change to the lineup to offer more non-alcoholic drinks too.
There are are series of frozen drink machines, and two of them are now non-alcoholic.
In addition, a dedicated painkiller frozen drink dispenser has been added.
The tequila lineup as been improved at El Loco Fresh's Cantina.
You'll find a new Teqkil-ya Zombie drink, as well as higher quality tequilas to choose from.
Upgraded water fun in Surfside
Royal Caribbean said they wanted the kids only neighborhood on Star of the Seas to lean a bit more mature to appeal to slightly older kids.
The changes are subtle, but I think the 7-10 year olds may find more to enjoy in Surfside compared to Icon of the Seas.
Specifically, Splashaway Bay and Playscape received new features and more play activations to appeal to older kids.
In addition, the Water's Edge pool is dropping the idea it could be a haven for parents too, and instead is enhanced to be more kid-friendly.
This change was done because in reality, kids took this pool over on Icon.
New art
You can also count on any new cruise ship for there to be new art all over the ship.
Royal Caribbean is proud of its artwork, and you'll find lots of it to catch your eye in every hallway, public venue, and bar.
I think the art in the elevator lobbies and on the Royal Promenade might be among the most noticeable, because they're so large.
Changes that I can't tell if they really did change
There are some changes that at one point were supposed to change, but perhaps it's being held back for a future ship.
Pier 7 remains in place. Right after Icon's launch, executives talked about it would be something else on Star.
Personally, I always liked eating at Pier 7 because it offers food you don't usually find elsewhere on the ship.
There is much more outdoor seating too.
Something else that doesn't appear to have made it to Star are the first facial recognition cabins.
It's my understanding there aren't any cabins yet with that feature.
