Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas is drawing closer to its debut in August 2025 by starting sea trials.

The company's second Icon Class ship departed the shipyard in Finland on Monday to begin tests. The vessel has been under construction at Meyer Turku shipyard.

"Star of the Seas departed our shipyard early Monday morning to begin her sea trials. We wish her and her crew sunny skies and smooth sailing!" is what the shipyard posted on Facebook.

This is an important milestone in the construction of any new ship.

The first real test

Think of sea trials like putting a car through its paces.  It's a necessary step to ensure all of its systems work the way they should, while putting stress on the vessel itself.

While a lot of work can be done while the ship is docked, certain navigation and technical systems need to be tested in real world situations.

Sea trials are the final step of a ship's construction prior to being delivered to the cruise line. It ensures the vessel is functionally ready before officially joining the fleet. 

Onboard the ship, there will be a combination of shipyard employees and crew members. 

Icon of the Seas had two sets of sea trials, but Icon was the first in the class.  Typically subsequent ships in the same class usually have one sea trial.  No word yet if Star will have one or two sets of sea trials.

Less than three months until her maiden voyage

Star of the Seas will have her first cruise with paying passengers in August.

Her first cruise has been moved up a few times with a series of showcase sailings being added.

Technically, her official maiden voyage is a 7-night cruise on August 31, 2025.  However, there is a 3-night cruise on August 20, followed by two four-night preview sailings.

Star of the Seas will join Icon as being the two biggest cruise ships in the world, and a ship that size has lots to do.

You'll find the world’s largest waterpark at sea that has six water slides, and it's designed to be like a floating resort with different pools and over 40 ways to dine, drink and be entertained onboard.

The ship weighs in at an estimated 248,663 tons and measures close to 1,200 feet long. It also holds about 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew members

"Icon will be the best family vacation in the world," said Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer.

There are 20 decks across the ship, featuring eight neighborhoods that help divide up the ship into distinct areas.

Icon has been a commercial and critical hit, and now Royal Caribbean wants to repeat that success with Star.

The Star of the Seas will set sail from Port Canaveral on 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations all year round, where passengers can visit popular tropical destinations like the Bahamas, Mexico, St. Maarten and Honduras, as well as Royal Caribbean's private island, CocoCay. 

Royal Caribbean revealed more of what we see and eat on its next new cruise ship, Star of the Seas.

Debuting this summer, Star of the Seas is the second ship in the Icon Class.  Not only is this one of the biggest ships in the world, but it's going to offer even more to love than the original Icon of the Seas.

The cruise line formally announced its dining and entertainment changes that will differentiate the ship from Icon, and there are a few new offerings cruisers are going to quickly notice.

Here's a breakdown of what's new and different coming to Star of the Seas.

Revamping the best restaurant

I think Royal Caribbean hit a homerun with its first food hall, and it's looking to make it even better on Star of the Seas.

The AquaDome Market will have five food stands, including a few new ideas.

• BBQ: smoky pulled pork and beef brisket
• Southeast Asian regional favorites like pad thai and beef panag
• South American staples like empanadas and arepas

This is a complimentary venue, and it's open late night. Best yet, it's custom made on the spot so the food is fresh.

I ranked Aquadome Market my favorite included restaurant and it looks like it's going to be even better on Star.

Other included restaurants returning to Star of the Seas include:

• Surfside Eatery family buffet
• Basecamp grab-and-go snacks
• Windjammer buffet

Bringing a hit Broadway show to the sea

You'll be able to see "Back to the Future: The Musical" on Star of the Seas and it will be included in your cruise fare!

This is the hit Broadway musical based on the incredible first film.

It's the signature show on Star of the Seas, and highlights the ways you can be entertained during your vacation.

Other shows on Star of the Seas include:

• Create: The must-see show follows the soul-searching journey of a curious robot, KRE-8 – harnessing song, dance, visual arts and all forms of expression.
• Pirates & Mermaids: Fun-filled show combines dance, artistic swimming, and thrilling diving skills, all set to a comedic vibe, as the pirates meet the mermaids, culminating in a heartwarming lesson about the true treasure of life.
• Torque: A revved-up aqua show featuring athletic artists, synchronized swimmers, dancers and slackliners for an action-packed show of thrilling stunts, cutting-edge tech and immersive visuals.
• SOL: The all-new ice show follows the sun’s path, complete with mind-blowing stunts and visuals

A new supper club experience

Another hit dining concept from Icon of the Seas is getting a plus up with the Lincoln Park Supper Club.

Located in Central Park, this multi-course intimate dining experience is about the fusion of food, cocktails, and music.

Inspired by 1930s Chicago, you'll find a pairing of live jazz music with the food. Each course has a paired cocktail and dish that matches up perfectly with the music.

Royal Caribbean found inspiration from Chicago hot spots, from the Chez Paree club to the famed dining spot, The Pump Room.

Other specialty restaurants returning on Star of the Seas are:

• Chops Grille steakhouse
• Izumi Hibachi & Sushi
• Celebration Table, a private dining experience perfect for every occasion

Late night fun

For those seeking to stay out past sunset, Star will have fun choices to go well into the late night hours.

More than 20 bars and nightlife spots are on Star of the Seas. You'll find a large casino to try your luck, a comedy club at The Attic, or karaoke bar.

The fun Dueling Pianos bar is back again, where you can watch as two pianists compete with each side of the bar rooting them on.

Other bars to check out include:

• Rye & Bean coffee-infused cocktail bar
• Lou’s jazz club
• Bubbles champagne window

Coming this summer

Star of the Seas will have her first cruises beginning in August 2025.

Beginning with the August 31 sailing, the new ship will sail 7-night cruises to the Caribbean.  There are a few showcase sailings prior to the official maiden voyage too.

Star will sail will sail year-round, 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations from Port Canaveral.  Every sailing includes a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

Bookings are open now through early 2027 for cruises on Star of the Seas.

Prices for a cruise on Star begin at $1,042.23 per person for the 3-night showcase sailing on August 20, 2025 for an inside cabin.

We are just four months from the launch of Star of the Seas, and the ship is quickly taking form as it readies to debut.

This isn't just another new ship, it's the highly-anticipated follow-up to the incredible Icon of the Seas. Icon set a new standard for all cruise ships, and similar to a blockbuster movie, the question is can the sequel measure up.

Royal Caribbean is still working on the ship as it's under construction in Turku, Finland, but photos appeared online showing much progress is being made.

Instagram user aleksandrjackov shared photos from around the ship as it's being worked on.

If you're like me, you're so excited for the new ship to launch and these photos are a glimpse of what's coming.

Building on Icon's success

One thing you'll notice about Star of the Seas is just how much it continues with what worked the first time with Icon of the Seas.

Both ships started construction around the same time, similar to how Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas did two decades ago.

We'll know more once the ship allows the public onboard, but we can expect a number of tweaks and enhancements from Icon.

One thing that's clear from the photos is how much progress has already been made on the ship.

While the Royal Promenade is still being worked on, it has the look of being what we'd expect once it opens.

This is the area of the ship you'll first encounter when you board Star of the Seas.

Compared to other Royal Caribbean ships, the Royal Promenade on Icon is different in size and scope. At 362 feet long, the Royal Promenade is longer than a football field,

It's two decks high and also has ocean views with floor-to-ceiling windows.

One change we can't see yet is The Pearl, which Royal Caribbean said would be visually improved.

The Pearl on Icon of the Seas

This three-deck high sphere is a multi-sensory experience built with 3,000 kinetic tiles. 

Expect multi-color rings, which provides richer color that extends throughout the iconic feature of this ship class.

Of course, it's also home to Giovanni's Table and Spotlight Karaoke.

The placement of Giovanni's on the Royal Promenade was a controversial change given they moved it to such a public and loud space.

It's a bold idea, but it does offer a great people watching wine bar that comes with it.

Down on the first level of the Promenade is the English Pub, and it's one of my go-to spots each evening.

The family vacation alternative to Orlando

Star of the Seas isn't just a new cruise ship to make you think twice about other ships, it's being positioned to compete with the family vacation capital.

Royal Caribbean is homeporting Star of the Seas in Port Canaveral, which is less than an hour from the Orlando theme parks.

Success for this new ship is defined as luring new cruisers to try a cruise at the expense of a Disney World or Universal Studios trip.

Cruises offer a better value proposition than land resorts, but it also is packed with lots for families to love.

The new ship has an entire waterpark onboard and will have a revamped family area.

Royal Caribbean is updating the Surfside neighborhood and will tweak its offering to appeal to older school kids.

Plus, the kids club areas are getting freshened up as well.

When you add in the incredible shows and entertainment, Royal Caribbean thinks they have the perfect array of ways to have fun every day of the cruise.

Guests patiently awaiting their cruise aboard the new Icon Class ship have a lot to look forward to, as Royal Caribbean released Star of the Seas' entertainment lineup. 

From original stage productions to ice skating spectaculars, here's everything you can expect to find on the Star of the Seas, starting with the AquaTheater.

Torque is Star's high-diving spectacle and will feature "the most synchronized swimmers of any AquaTheater show." The aquatic show will also showcase cutting-edge technology, according to the infographic shared by Royal Caribbean.  

First launched on Oasis of the Seas, the AquaTheater has become a fan favorite. An enhanced indoor version debuted on Icon of the Seas in January 2024. 

Supposedly, Pirates & Mermaids will finally debut on Star of the Seas. The new AquaTheater show was supposed to launch on Icon, but as of April 2025, it has yet to make an appearance. In the family-friendly show, pirate escapades will meet mesmerizing mermaids. 

Another favorite entertainment venue is the ice skating rink. Sol, the brand-new show designed for Star of the Seas, will "trace the sun's path from coast to coast...with extreme stunts and out-of-this-world projects," as well as the largest ice skating cast in the fleet. 

Royal Caribbean introduced the first ice skating rink at sea aboard Voyager of the Seas in 1999. Like the AquaTheater, the venue got a major upgrade when Icon of the Seas launched. Absolute Zero is now the largest ice rink at sea and was carefully designed to ensure that every seat was strategically positioned for optimal viewing. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean will add Back to the Future musical to its next new cruise ship

Moving onto the Broadway musical, Star of the Seas will be home to Back to the Future: The Musical. This was first revealed in September 2024 after the Royal Caribbean Productions Facebook page posted that it was holding auditions for the musical. Better yet, the musical will be accompanied by the largest orchestra at sea. 

Icon of the Seas also received a brand-new musical. However, Royal's adaptation of The Wizard of Oz is an original version of the classic story, rather than the 2011 musical by Andrew Lloyd Weber. 

Another new show is coming to the theater aboard Star: Create. According to the infographic, "Artistic creation [will come] to life through dance, visual arts, music, and more in the Royal Theater."

Finally, a new parade will debut in the Royal Promenade. Dubbed "Ocean Odyssey," it'll take the audience on a quest to find the lost Royal Scroll with King Atlantis and his crew. 

Plenty of late-night activities 

From comedy shows in The Attic to salsa dancing in Boleros, lively shows in Dueling Pianos, and sultry jazz, the evening lineup on Star is impressive. 

Overall, it's similar to what you can expect on Icon of the Seas today. You can sip on craft cocktails at 1400 Lobby Bar, listen to electrifying rock and roll tributes in the Music Hall, relax to calming harps in the Overlook, or sing along to your favorite tunes at the Thorn & Thistle Pub. 

With so many places to listen to music, you'll have to hop between venues to hear it all — not to mention the unique cocktails available throughout the ship. 

Read more: 8 changes coming to Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship (and 1 returning favorite)

Star of the Seas will launch in August 2025

Star's construction is moving along so well that Royal Caribbean has bumped up its first voyage not once, but twice! 

At first, Royal planned for Star to debut with two 4-night "showcase cruises" ahead of the official inaugural cruise on August 31, 2025. Now, the first sailing is scheduled for August 20, 2025. 

The 3-night cruise will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Royal Caribbean is making so much good progress on its next new cruise ship, that it's once again bumping up the first sailing.

Star of the Seas will debut in August 2025, but will now have her first sailing August 20.

"We have an updated timeline for the arrival of Star of the Seas at Port Canaveral," Royal Caribbean said in an email to guests booked on the first sailings. "Building such a large and incredible ship is no easy feat, but lucky for us, there are times when we get to embark on our new ship ahead of schedule, and that time is now!"

The plan was for Star of the Seas to debut with a pair of 4-night "showcase cruises" before the official maiden 7-night cruise on August 31, 2025.

Those 4-night cruises will still take place, along with an extra showcase 3-Night Perfect Day Cruise on August 20, 2025.

According to Royal Caribbean, the three showcase sailings will take place before the August 31 sailing.

It's been an interesting game of changing first sailings for Star, which pushed back its inaugural voyage in February 2024, but has since moved up the first sailing two times now.

The initial Star of the Seas inaugural was scheduled for August 17th, 2025, and with this new sailing being added, the ship is even closer to getting back to that original timeline.

Anyone that was booked on the showcase sailings received an email on Tuesday to inform them of the new sailing, and to get first dibs on booking rooms on the new cruises.

Choice to change

If you're booked on either of the 4-night showcase sailings, Royal Caribbean is giving you the choice of staying on them, moving to the new 3-night sailing, or going on all of them.,

As you may have booked your Star of the Seas sailing to be first onboard and may have moved to one of our other two showcase sailing options or both, you’ll now have the opportunity to book the new showcase sailing OR to move your existing booking(s) to the first 3-Night Perfect Day Cruise as of today!

You could also do nothing and remain on either August 23rd or August 27th sailing.

If you want to move up your sailing, Royal Caribbean will make it as easy as possible.

Suite guests will have their same suites held for them as a courtesy, first come, first served. Guests in the Interior, Oceanview, and Balcony staterooms will have like-for-like staterooms available to choose from.

Royal Caribbean will transfer your current booking to the new sail date you choose, in the exact same suite or like-for-like stateroom currently booked – at the current prevailing rate.

The cruise fare rate will be adjusted to the current prevailing rate, and if there’s an overpayment on the booking, you’ll be refunded for the difference.

You can expect to receive any refunds, current taxes, fees, and any pre-paid gratuities, tours, and amenities to your original form of payment within 14 business days, though some banking institutions may take longer.

You have until next week to decide

If you want to move reservations, you need to act quickly.

Royal Caribbean is giving everyone about a week and a half to contact the line to make the change. Change requests must be made no later than March 25, 2025.

If you do not make a change by March 25, 2025, anyone booked on the showcase sailings will remain booked on that sailing, and you can still choose to add the new 3-night Star of Seas showcase sailings based on availability.

A brand new Icon Class ship coming this summer

The second in the Icon Class, Star of the Seas is currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland and has high expectations to follow-up on the success of Icon of the Seas.

Star will share similar dimensions with Icon of the Seas, coming in at approximately 250,800 gross tons. It is expected to accommodate around 5,610 passengers at double occupancy and up to 7,600 at maximum capacity. When factoring in crew members, the total number of people onboard could reach an impressive 10,000.

Once the showcase sailings are complete. the new ship will offer 7-night Caribbean cruises from its homeport in Port Canaveral. Its strategic placement directly competes with the mega theme park market in nearby Orlando, positioning itself as a top-tier vacation alternative.

Designed as a floating family resort, the ship aims to rival—if not surpass—the experience of a theme park vacation. "Icon will be the best family vacation in the world," said Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer.

The ship will feature an entire area dedicated to families, a massive water park, thrilling attractions, multiple live shows, and more pools than any previous ship. With an abundance of entertainment and experiences, it's shaping up to redefine family cruising.

Construction is going so well for Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship that it is moving up the first sailing.

The plan was for Star of the Seas to debut with a 7-night cruise on August 31, 2025.

Guests booked on that sailing received an email to inform them that the new ship will enter service sooner than expected.

"We have an updated timeline for the arrival of Star of the Seas at Port Canaveral! Constructing such a large and amazing ship is challenging, and while delivery can sometimes be delayed, there are other times where we get to sail our new ship earlier."

Royal Caribbean is adding two shorter sailings before the August 31st sailing, calling them "showcase sailings."

There will be two additional 4-Night Perfect Day Cruises on August 23rd and August 27th, 2025.

According to the cruise line, the August 31, 2025 sailing will still take place, "as the first full sailing and inaugural with all of the events and goodies."

What this means is the two four-night cruises that are being added are being treated as pre-inaugural cruises, but the August 31st sailing is the official inaugural sailing.

Those that were originally booked on the August 31, 2025 sailing received an email on Tuesday to inform them of the addition, and to get first dibs on booking rooms on the new cruises.

What's interesting about the addition of the two new sailings prior to the official inaugural, is Royal Caribbean previously pushed back the inaugural sailing in February 2024.

The original Star of the Seas inaugural was scheduled for August 17th, 2025, but then had to be delayed until August 31. 

Sister brand Celebrity Cruises did something similar with new cruises prior to the inaugural with the launch of Celebrity Ascent.

Before its official inaugural sailing, Celebrity Ascent added "pre-inaugural sailings" before its official maiden voyage.

New choices

Guests booked on the original sailing have the choice to book either (or BOTH) of the new showcase sailings, or to move their existing booking to one of the new inaugural 4-Night Perfect Day Cruises as of January 30, 2025.

They could also do nothing and remain as-is on the 7-night sailing to take place on August 31, 2025 as previously scheduled.

Those that were booked in a suite on the original inaugural sailing will have their same suites held as courtesy until February 6, 2025 to make a decision.

Guests in the Interior, Oceanview, and Balcony staterooms will have like-for-like staterooms available to choose from.

If you opt to transfer your reservation to the new sail date in the same room originally booked, Royal Caribbean will prorate the cruise fare for the change in sailing nights, meaning, they'll adjust the cost of your cruise fare to reflect 4 nights instead of 7 nights.

Those that already prepaid will get a refund for 3 nights worth of the cruise fare.

This complimentary transfer covers the cruise fare for the new sail date only and does not include taxes, fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise fare items.

Guests have until next week to decide

If you want to move reservations, you need to act quickly.

Royal Caribbean is giving everyone about a week and a half to contact the line to make the change. Change requests must be made no later than February 06, 2025.

If you do not make a change by February 06, 2025, anyone booked on the August 31 sailing will remain booked on that sailing, and you can still choose to add the new Star of Seas showcase sailings based on availability.

What you can expect on Star of the Seas

The new cruise ship is under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, and it's expected to be a sequel to Icon of the Seas.

It will be the second in the Icon Class, so she should be right around the same dimensions as Icon of the Seas, so it should be about 250,800 gross tons and carry approximately 5,610 passengers at double occupancy or up to 7,600 passengers at maximum occupancy.

When you add crew members, that brings the theoretical total amount of people up to 10,000.

Beginning with the August 31 sailing, the new ship will sail 7-night cruises to the Caribbean. Her placement with a homeport in Port Canaveral is a shot across the bow of the mega theme park market a short drive away in Orlando.

Star is designed to be a floating family resort, just as compelling (if not better) than a theme park vacation.

"Icon will be the best family vacation in the world," is what Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider said about the plans for this ship.

It's going to have an entire area designed for just families, plus it will have a water park, thrill attractions, multiple shows, more pools than ever, and plenty more.

Royal Caribbean has a new ship coming out in 2025 and they want feature the work of aspiring artists on it.

Star of the Seas will enter service later this year and it's one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, which includes a large art collection.

Royal Caribbean is no stranger to art, as all of their ships have rather large collections featured onboard. The art is more than just paintings, in many cases it defines the look and feel of areas of its ships.

The "Artist Discovery Program" is the cruise line's new search for artists across the Caribbean to submit their art for consideration.

Artists that are selected could get as much as $100,000 in commission budget if selected.

The selected winners of the discover program will head to Turku, Finland to work with the Royal Caribbean team in integrating their visions for Star of the Seas.  Finland is where Star of the Seas is currently under construction.

The goal is to promote local artists around the Caribbean and provide them with exposure to grow their craft.

Royal Caribbean International Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider sees this as a tremendous opportunity, "We are excited for this next edition of The Artist Discovery Program and can’t wait to be awestruck by visionary artists across the Caribbean."

"Our goal is to connect our guests to the enduring beauty and creativity of the Caribbean, and this immersive program is a pathway to celebrating and exploring local culture while onboard the next Icon of vacations – Star of the Seas."

How to enter the contest to be considered

In order to be considered for the Artist Discovery Program, an artist must submit the following:

• Five samples of previous works: The work must be original.
• A brief artist statement that helps explain their work, inspiration and other details regarding the pieces submitted.
• A copy of their CV / resume.

You can apply via the program website.

Royal Caribbean wants to commission painting of large-scale murals in four key areas of the ship:

Royal Promenade

Embarkation area

Suite Sundeck Lobby

Suite Sundeck

Joining a collection onboard that includes an array of pieces created by local artists and inspired by the region, each creation will invoke the vibrancy of the Caribbean.

Star of the Seas begins sailing in August 2025

The new cruise ship will begin offering cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida on August 31, 2025.

Star will sail will sail year-round, 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations from Port Canaveral.  Every sailing includes a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

Star follows up on the incredible success of the first Icon Class ship, Icon of the Seas.

Icon of the Seas blew away expectations when she launched in January 2024 and is not only the biggest cruise ship in the world, but also one of the most popular ones for the amazing features onboard.

The new ship will have 20 decks and manned by 2,350 crew members.

We're less than a year away from the launch of Royal Caribbean's newest mega ship, and there are already a lot of changes coming.

Star of the Seas might be the second Icon Class ship, but she's not going to be exactly the same as Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean has sprinkled updates here and there, but you might be curious what exactly the company has lined up for the ship.

There will be more reveals coming leading up to the ship's launch, but here's a list of what we definitely know will be different about Star of the Seas.

A new Broadway musical

Perhaps the biggest reveal so far has been the announcement that Back to the Future: The Musical will be performed on Star of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean has a history of integrating Broadway show musicals on its ships, but it's been a few years since the last one.  In fact, the last few new Royal Caribbean ships did not get a Broadway musical.

With Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is looking to make big a splash, and they will offer a hit musical on the ship.

There will be slight adjustments to the running time of the show, but it will be the full musical and the best part is it's included with your cruise fare.  There's no additional cost to see the show onboard.

Royal Caribbean is working alongside the original creatives from the musical to make the iconic production come to life.

The first facial recognition cabins

Star of the Seas will be the first cruise ship to embrace facial recognition as a way to make it easier to get to your cabin.

Before you get too excited, this will be a limited test. Royal Caribbean likes to embrace new technology by easing into it first.

A small amount of cabins will serve as a pilot program. Beyond that, no other details are known at this time.

Based on a patent that Royal Caribbean filed, the idea is you could open your stateroom door with your face instead of a SeaPass card.

Star won't be bigger than Icon

It may come as a surprise that Royal Caribbean won't make Star of the Seas the biggest cruise ship in the world.

It's been Royal Caribbean's pattern to always build bigger and bigger cruise ships, but that won't be the case here.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider confirmed this back in January 2024, "Star will not be a foot bigger. It will be 1198ft long."

"We don't feel a need to do that right now. Maybe we'll change our mind. Never say never. But that isn't the design intent."

The chief dog officer will also be on Star

Of all the things Royal Caribbean introduced on Icon of the Seas, arguably the addition of a "family dog" was one of the biggest hits with guests.

There will be another dog that lives on Star of the Seas. The dog's name is Sailor, and guests will be able to see and meet Sailor around Star.

Why a dog? The idea is since the Icon Class ships are so family focused, it makes sense to have a dog that makes it feel like home.

Enhancing the family area of the ship

Icon of the Seas introduced the first family neighborhood, but Star of the Seas will expand it.

The idea is to "double down" on the family component to this ship, and to do that, they want Surfside to appeal to older kids as much as younger kids.

Royal Caribbean thinks Surfside was originally intended for ages 0-6, but Star will increase the age range appeal to about 10 years old.

They'll do that by adding new features to Splashaway Bay and the Playscape. 

Moreover, the Water's Edge pool will transition from parent and kid space to more of a kid pool. Originally the cruise line wanted to give a space for parents and kids to enjoy together, but in practice, kids took it over.  So it makes more sense to embrace that trend.

A new theme to the supper club restaurant

There will be a new theme to the supper club restaurant on Star.

Instead of a New York theme that was found in the Empire Supper Club on Icon of the Seas, Star will have a Chicago theme to it. 

Known as the Lincoln Park Supper Club, this will be a glitzy extra cost restaurant with themed menu, music, all paired to the Chicago and Chicagoland area.

Royal Caribbean also let slip that on the unnamed third Icon Class ship, this restaurant will be themed to Hollywood.

A new hot tub

One of the primary focuses of Icon of the Seas was more aquatic offerings than ever before, and Star of the Seas will up the pool fun with a new hot tub.

It's not a major change, but Royal Caribbean had originally planned to add this hot tub on Icon of the Seas but removed it for fear the ship was too heavy.

As it turns out based on sea trials, it could have worked.

As a result, there will be a new hot tub on Star that doesn't exist on Icon.

The Pearl will look even better

The signature Pearl on the Royal Promenade will be even more impressive.

The Pearl will be improved to be more spectacular visually. Instead of a single color light ring in the back of each of those 3500 plus tiles, this version will have full multicolor rings.

The advantage is the Pearl will have much richer color throughout the entire Pearl, and that means Royal Caribbean can do more with utilizing it as a show element.

A new specialty restaurant concept

There's one restaurant that won't make it from Icon to Star, and that's Pier 7.

There's no word what will replace it, but we do know something else will be offered there on Star of the Seas.

For now, it's a white space reserved for something to be revealed later.

It's official: Royal Caribbean will bring Doc Brown, Marty McFly, and Biff to sea.

Royal Caribbean Blog was the first to report on the new musical being licensed by Royal Caribbean last month, but the cruise line confirmed it on Monday.

"Blast to the past and introduce the entire fam to Marty McFly’s high-flying adventure, as Back to the Future: The Musical travels straight from Broadway to Star of the Seas, coming summer 2025," is what Royal Caribbean posted on social media.

The Royal Caribbean entertainment team is working alongside the musical’s original creative team to bring the musical to the Royal Theater stage on Star, and after two successful weeks of auditions in London and NYC, the team is excited to begin rehearsals in the next year.  

The show on Royal Caribbean's ship will be a reworked 100-minute version of the show. Royal Caribbean is working alongside the original creatives from the musical to make the iconic production come to life.

This includes:

• Bob Gale, Screenwriter/Co-creator of the film
• John Rando, Director of the Broadway musical
• Chris Bailey, Choreographer of the Broadway musical

Like Royal Caribbean's other musical productions, the cost of the show is included in the cruise fare.

Star of the Seas is under construction and will debut in August 2025.

Star of the Seas will be the second Icon Class cruise ship, and similar in size and features to the record breaking biggest cruise ship in the world, Icon of the Seas.

What is Back to the Future The Musical about?

Inspired by the 1985 film from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, the musical tells the story of teenager Marty McFly, who is unintentionally sent back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean created by Dr. Emmett Brown. The show’s book is written by Bob Gale, with original music and lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard. It also features well-known songs from the movie, such as “The Power of Love” and “Johnny B. Goode.”

It's a relatively new show, having made its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House in March 2020.

The West End production opened in London September 13, 2021, and subsequently won the Best New Musical Olivier Award.

It opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre in August 2023, and continues to play there today.

The musical is also currently playing a North American national tour, and will open a Tokyo production in 2025.

Star of the Seas debuts in 2025

Royal Caribbean will homeport Star of the Seas at Port Canaveral, with her first sailing scheduled for August 31, 2025.

Her first cruise will be a Western Caribbean sailing calling at Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas; Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan Island, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico.

The 248,663-gross ton Star of the Seas is under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland and is slightly smaller than the 250,800-gross ton Icon of the Seas.

There will be eight distinct themed neighborhoods on Star of the Seas, including the popular Central Park and Royal Promenade. It will also feature Thrill Island, home to the largest waterpark at sea, named Category 6.

If you prefer a quieter pool day, Chill Island has multiple pools spread across three decks. There's also live music performed daily, and food options nearby.

Young families will enjoy a special area of the ship dedicated to them at Surfside. In Surfside, Splashaway Bay and the Playscape will get new features. The Water's Edge pool will be more kid focused. The kids clubs will get updates too.

Don't worry, there's an adults-only area on the ship at the Hideaway that has a great infinity pool.

At the AquaDome neighborhood, you'll find shows inside the Aquatheater. There's also great dining choices and amazing views to enjoy.

Star of the Seas is sitting in water for the first time.

Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship is being built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, and has reached an important construction milestone. It's taken 19 months to reach this milestone, and represents thousands people's collective effort to reach it.

Star of the Seas is the second Icon Class ship, following up the wildly successful Icon of the Seas.

The new ship has been floated out, which means the ship has its dry dock is filled with water and it becomes a wet dock. 

A ceremony was held to commemorate the occasion because this means Star of the Seas is well on her way to enter service.

During the ceremony, there was a shot from a canon that took place in the Meyer Turku shipyard.

At that point, 92 million gallons of water was added to the dry dock, which took overnight to complete. After nine hours, Star of the Seas was successfully floated out and the next phase of work can commence.

Delivery of Star of the Seas should take place in 2025, with her first cruise scheduled for August 31, 2025.

What's different about Star of the Seas?

While Star of the Seas may be the second Icon Class ship, she is not a direct copy of Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean has revealed only a few details so far, but we know a few key areas will be updated.

The Surfside family neighborhood will expand its scope to offer more for slightly older kids too. Instead of catering to young children, Surfside will offer more for elementary school aged kids too. That's because Royal Caribbean noticed older kids were hanging out there.

While unconfirmed, it appears Star of the Seas will have a Broadway musical onboard.

Back to the Future The Musical appears to be headed to Star, based on a post on Royal Caribbean's website seeking auditions.

It is adapted from the 1985 film Back to the Future by Robert Zemeckis and Gale. The show features original music, as well as songs featured in the film.

The supper club venue will have a Chicago theme to it on Star of the Seas, which incorporates music, food, and a Chicagoland motif.

Two other restaurants will get updates: Aquadome Market and Pier 7.

Aquadome Market will get updated in some capacity, while retaining its core approach.  Pier 7 will be completely overhauled with a new concept that the cruise line is still working through.

Adventure Ocean will get some updates to be less tech focused, and embrace play more.

The cruise line is also experimenting with facial recognition by offering a handful of cabins that have the ability to open the cabin door with your face.

One other stateroom change is an update to the epic family suite on Star of the Seas, known as the Ultimate Family Townhouse.

This is the most expensive suite ever that covers three floors and has an in-suite slide, movie-viewing room, karaoke machine and a "backyard" with a ping pong table, outdoor seating and a white picket fence leading directly to the Surfside area.

Sailing from the Orlando area

Star of the Seas will sail year-round from Port Canaveral, Florida. That's a short drive from the Orlando area.

The new ship will offer seven-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, starting in August 2025.