Star of the Seas is the second of Royal Caribbean's Icon Class cruise ships.
Launched in 2025, Star of the Seas is a close follow-up to the wildly successful Icon of the Seas, although there are a few ways she will be different from Icon, such as improvements to the family features, dining changes, and more.
After Star of the Seas, there will be at least two more Icon Class cruise ships. Legend of the Seas is on order and due in 2026, and a fourth unnamed Icon Class ship in 2027.
Here is a look at the most important things we know about Star of the Seas.
This page will be updated periodically when Royal Caribbean reveals what the ship will offer to guests.
Star of the Seas facts
Star of the Seas is based in Port Canaveral, Florida, and offers 7-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
Homeporting Star of the Seas near Orlando was a purposeful choice, as Royal Caribbean is targeting one of the biggest family markets for its ultimate family vacation cruise ship.
The official inaugural voyage is a 7-night cruise on August 31, 2025. This will be a 7-night Western Caribbean sailing that visits Perfect Day at CocoCay, Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel.
Star of the Seas is right around the same size as Icon of the Seas.
Icon of the Seas is 20 decks high, 1,198 feet long, and measures 250,800 gross tons. She has more than 40 dining venues and bars, a waterpark, seven pools, and can handle 9,950 people (2,350 crew and 7,600 guests at maximum capacity).
Royal Caribbean is fond of making new ships just a little bit bigger than the previous vessel so they can market the new ship as the "biggest cruise ship in the world." However, this is not the case with Star of the Seas.
According to Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer, Star of the Seas will not be slightly larger than the world's biggest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas. He said, "The world's best family vacation was never about size for us. It still isn't."
New Star of the Seas features
Family
Much like Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas has a heavy focus on the family experience.
Surfside, a neighborhood just for families, appeals to those 0-6 years old, but on Star of the Seas, the age has increased that to 10 years old. Splashaway Bay, Playscape, and The Water's Edge Pool will be updated to reflect this change.
Located near Surfside is Adventure Ocean, where there are more "analog play" offered. The teen club has also been rebooted. In addition, Royal Caribbean is offering a "Find my kid" option in the app so parents can track where their kids are on the ship.
Plus, there's a family dog on Star of the Seas! Sailor is the name of the Chief Dog Officer, and you can meet her if you spot her around the ship.
Dining
There is a supper club on Star of the Seas, but it's not the same as the one on Icon of the Seas. Instead of the Empire Supper Club, which had a New York City theme, Star of the Seas has a Lincoln Park Supper Club with a Chicago theme.
Schneider said, "It's our flagship intimate fine dining entertainment concept [that] will bring forward that same formula that's worked so well in the Empire Supper Club. But again, themed menu, music, all paired to the Chicago and Chicagoland area."
Royal Caribbean has also improved one of its new restaurants, AquaDome Market.
The complimentary food venue has three new food halls: Mai Thai (Thai), Pig Out BBQ (American BBQ), La Cocinita (South American).
It still has two original food hall concepts retained: Feta (Mediterranean) and Creme de la Crepe (crepes).
Cabins
Royal Caribbean is testing out facial recognition cabins on Star of the Seas. This is a pilot program, so Royal Caribbean isn't sure how many cabins will have this new feature.
Also, The Ultimate Family Townhouse will receive a "new look" and "uplift" according to Schneider.
Entertainment
Cruisers can expect to find similar onboard amenities as Icon of the Seas, including Crown's Edge, Category 6 waterpark, multiple swimming pools, and more.
There will be an extra hot tub onboard. "We are adding a little bit of incremental water weight back in a hot tub that will be adjacent between Lime and Coconut and the AquaDome Market that was originally planned on being there [on Icon of the Seas], but got pulled at the last minute due to water weight," Schneider said.
Incredible demand
The demand for this new ship has been incredible because of its follow-up to the ultra-successful Icon of the Seas.
The company saw the largest booking day in its history when reservations for the Icon of the Seas opened in October 2022. Royal Caribbean President & CEO Michael Bayley said Icon of the Seas was "the best-selling product in the history of our business."
Michael Bayley thinks Star of the Seas will build on the impressive legacy Icon of the Seas has already. "The idea of combining the best of every type of vacation into one ultimate adventure has created more excitement than ever anticipated, and Star of the Seas will be the next bold answer to the record-breaking consumer demand we’ve seen for Icon of the Seas."
Read more: Royal Caribbean ship classes
Next-gen power
Like Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas will take advantage of cleaner fuel options.
This will be Royal Caribbean's third cruise ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as using some of the cleanest-burning marine fuel available to date with a proven lineup of industry-leading environmental programs on board.
With applications ranging from waste heat recovery systems to shore power connection, Royal Caribbean’s most sustainable ship will advance parent company Royal Caribbean Group’s journey to introducing a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.
When do bookings open for Star of the Seas?
Royal Caribbean opened bookings for Star of the Seas on December 5, 2023.
You can now book a cruise on Star of the Seas between August 2025 and April 2026. The new ship will offer 7-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. All sailings visit Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
There are four different itineraries:
- Perfect Day at CocoCay, St. Thomas, St. Maarten
- Perfect Day at CocoCay, St. Thomas, St. Kitts
- Perfect Day at CocoCay, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten
- Perfect Day at CocoCay, Cozumel, Roátan, Costa Maya
Read more: Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship prices are more expensive than Celebrity's new premium ship
