6 Hits and Misses of Star of the Seas
Star of the Seas is the largest class of cruise ship in the world, carrying up to 7,600 guests at full capacity. We sailed a 4-day cruise on this mega ship during its inaugural season to see if it lives up to the hype. Overall, the ship was very impressive, but we noticed a few areas where it was lacking.
While these hits and misses are based directly on my experience on Star of the Seas, nearly everything I mention also applies to Icon of the Seas. Besides an extra hot tub, some changed-up artwork, different shows, and a few swapped dining concepts, Star of the Seas is not all that different from Icon of the Seas.
Hits
- Great Design Keeps Crowds Away
- The Ocean Is Front and Center
- So Many Food Options (Especially Included Ones)
- Amazing Pools and Pool Area
- So Much to Do Onboard
- Destination Elevators
Misses
- Hard to Find Peace and Quiet
- Adult-Only Space Falls Short
- Bar Layout and Scheduling Kill the Nighttime Energy
- Outdated Casino Layout
- Awkward Layout Around Playmakers
Polarizing
- Infinity Verandah Cabins
Hit: Great Design Keeps Crowds Away
When you tell most non-cruisers, and some old-school cruisers, that you’ll be sailing on the largest cruise ship in the world with 7,600 other guests, the first thing they’ll likely say is, “It’s going to be way too crowded.” And if you look at message boards and social media, anytime a big ship is mentioned, people chime in to complain about crowds and how they’d hate to sail with 5,000+ people. I’ve cruised on 17 different ships and can confidently tell you they’re full of it.
When Royal Caribbean debuted the neighborhood design on Oasis Class ships, it was a game-changer. The principle of having eight different areas was extremely effective at splitting crowds up among the ship. The Icon Class takes that concept even further and evolves the design.
There’s no point where all the guests are in one part of the ship at once.
In the evening, they often have three theaters (AquaTheater, Absolute Zero, and the Royal Theater) running at the same time. During the day, there are seven different pools split across five decks. You have 18 bars and lounges to choose from. And when it comes to dining, not everyone is packed into the Windjammer; there are 11 complimentary and 14 extra-fee restaurants onboard.
It absolutely makes a huge difference. Last year, I sailed on the Liberty of the Seas (see that cruise blog here), a Freedom Class ship that is 37% smaller and holds 3,000 fewer people than Star of the Seas, and it felt so much more crowded. The buffet was always busy, the Royal Promenade felt cramped and congested, and the walkways filled up with people. I never felt that once on Star of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean also made huge strides with the Royal Promenade here. The Royal Promenade is a long strip in the center of the ship with bars, shopping, and restaurants. It first debuted on the Voyager of the Seas and has since been the heart of every new Royal Caribbean ship. On Star of the Seas, they evolved the design to be two stories and much wider, taking up the full width of the ship. That makes it feel more like a public square or street than a small mall, like it does on the other ships. It’s far less crowded as a result.
Hit: The Ocean Is Front and Center
Oasis Class ships could feel like floating malls with limited connection to the sea. The Icon Class fixes that.
The Royal Promenade now has massive midship windows, aided structurally by The Pearl, plus two outdoor promenade areas to sit and get fresh air. Competitors like Norwegian’s Waterfront and Ocean Boulevard, Carnival’s Lanai and Summer Landing, and Virgin Voyages’ The Dock set the standard here, and Royal has caught up.
On the pool decks, many loungers angle toward the ocean. Four pools sit along the sides of the ship, giving sea views while you are in the water.
Aft views also improved. On Oasis Class, the space was dominated by the AquaTheater and Ultimate Abyss. On Star of the Seas, The Hideaway has tiered seating and an infinity pool overlooking the wake. The Surfside Neighborhood has its own infinity pool with great views as well.
Even the FlowRider flips to face the ocean, so your photos have a blue horizon instead of a metal wall.
At the front, The Overlook in the AquaDome offers panoramic views through the massive 4-deck-high glass dome. It’s hard to understand how massive this space is until you set foot in it. You can spend hours just watching the deep blue water as the ship sails toward your next destination.
Overall, the design of Star of the Seas brings it way closer to the ocean than any of the Oasis Class ships.
Hit: So Many Food Options (Especially Included Ones)
Star of the Seas has so many food options available onboard that you might not even be able to try them all during one sailing; I know I could not on my 4-day cruise.
The food is all over the ship, so you are never far from a snack or bite to eat. When I cruise, I almost never pay extra for food, so I was pleasantly surprised to have so many options on Star of the Seas.
Included Food
For included food, you have a lot of really good options onboard. Previously, I found Carnival to have the best included food options, but Star of the Seas gives them a run for their money, if not surpassing them.
I loved El Loco Fresh, which is a staple on many Royal Caribbean ships. They had delicious tacos, burritos, and my favorite, a make-your-own nachos bar.
Basecamp is a hidden gem that many people overlook. Located in Thrill Island under the Sports Court, this area serves grab-and-go pretzel nuggets, chicken fingers, and a smash burger that is far superior to any included burger I have had on a Royal Caribbean ship.
For families, the Surfside Neighborhood has three venues right in the area, so you do not have to have your kids dry off and trek up to the Windjammer buffet on Deck 15. The grab-and-go Surfside Bites made it really easy to get kids popcorn chicken, fruit skewers, or mini cinnamon-sugar churros while they are playing or on break from the kids club. Then there is the dedicated family buffet, Surfside Eatery, which had a wide selection for both adults and kids, but with a manageable layout.
Tip: On our sailing, Surfside Eatery was much quieter and more enjoyable for breakfast than the Windjammer because many people did not think of it.
The ship also has the AquaDome Market, a food hall with five complimentary food stalls. The food is all made to order, not a buffet, so it can take a few minutes, but except for the crepe station, the lines were never more than five minutes during my visits.
I did miss the Solarium Bistro on other ships. It was my go-to for a quiet breakfast buffet since few people knew about it. Unfortunately, AquaDome Market, which kind of takes its place, is not open for breakfast at this point. It sounds like it may be open for breakfast on the next ship, Legend of the Seas.
Extra-fee / Specialty Dining
You could easily go a whole sailing without paying a dime for extra food, but for those who wish to pay extra, Star of the Seas also has Royal Caribbean staples. Chops Grille provides the usual steakhouse experience, Izumi Sushi and Teppanyaki has hibachi dining tables, Giovanni’s covers Italian cuisine (albeit in a less-than-ideal location with a walkway through it), and Playmakers is tucked away for bar bites. The ship also has the Lincoln Park Supper Club, the most elevated dining experience on any Royal Caribbean ship, with a six-course meal paired with music and cocktails for $200.
Hit: So Much to Do Onboard
One of the benefits of being on a megaship is just how much there is to do onboard. When I was on the Celebrity Apex a month prior, people were struggling to find places for activities, with a makeshift pickleball court in the Rooftop Garden and ladder golf in a walkway next to the pool. On Star of the Seas, there are so many options, with many of them included.
The ship, of course, has the Royal Caribbean staples. That includes a FlowRider surf simulator, ice skating, and a rock-climbing wall that’s been supersized. They also have a sports court that switches between basketball and pickleball throughout the day.
New for the Icon Class is a full waterpark with six different water slides.
In addition, kids will love all the activities in the Surfside Neighborhood like the Splashaway Bay splash park, their dedicated pool, dry play structure, and merry-go-round.
On some sea days, the Absolute Zero ice rink transforms into a laser tag arena, which is also complimentary.
There are a few activities for an additional fee as well. The Crown’s Edge ocean walk is a sky walk and quasi-ropes course where you fly out over the side of the ship (although it’s not really worth it compared to the free versions on other cruise lines). Star of the Seas also has two escape rooms, which are a fun challenge for a group or just a couple who wants to join in (each room holds 12 people at a time).
For shows, Star of the Seas has three different venues for performances: the Royal Theater with “Back to the Future: The Musical“, Absolute Zero with the ice-skating show “Sol“, and the AquaDome with two shows, “Torque” and “Pirates and Mermaids”. The Attic also has stand-up comedy, and the Royal Theater will feature “headliner entertainment” that swaps out every few weeks, along with “The Price Is Right”, where audience members are selected to play for real prizes. All of these are included with your cruise fare, but you need to book reservations as soon as possible using the Royal Caribbean app (typically they open at the beginning of the month before the sailing).
Of course, you’ll also find the standard activities throughout the day, like trivia, karaoke, bingo, and lectures. The schedule is jam-packed, but there really is something for everyone onboard.
Hit: The Pools and Pool Area
The Star of the Seas has seven different pools onboard (MSC’s World Class of ships holds the record for most pools at eight). Rather than just having a few pools in the center, Royal Caribbean split the pools up, putting them on five different decks. This meant there was no “one” pool to go to, giving options and splitting up crowds.
The pools themselves have a great design. Adults in pools aren’t swimming laps or treading water; they’re just relaxing in the water and cooling off. Because of that, many of the pools are shallower and have space for sitting or in-water loungers. For example, the Cove Pool has tiered steps to sit on while in the water, and most of the pools are waist level, making it easier for adults to lounge around in the cool water on a hot day.
A lot of the pools also have amazing views. Whether watching the sail away from Port Canaveral from the Cloud 17 pool or enjoying the view of the ship’s wake from the Hideaway pool, I spent more time in the pools on this ship than on any other cruise ship I’ve been on.
I’ve seen a bunch of complaints that the pools are too small, but I will happily disagree. Water weighs a lot, and ships can only have so many pools. Royal Caribbean put in absolutely as many as they could. And while some are on the smaller side, they’re just some out of seven options. If one is crowded, walk to another.
During peak summer sailings when the ship is completely full (including third and fourth beds in cabins), yes, it will be hard to find pool space, just as on almost any other cruise ship in the world. There’s really no way around that except to have fewer people on the ship but keep the ship the same size, which isn’t going to happen.
Star of the Seas also has ten hot tubs, but because this was a hot sailing, they were almost never used any time I walked by. I wish they had an option to turn them into cooler water when it’s hot and humid outside so they could be used more.
And the pool decks in general were also just so well designed. By every bar there was a towel station to get or exchange your towels. Bars were all over the place, and bar service was coming by every pool. Thousands of loungers were on the deck, and while you might not get one right next to the pool, you could still find one. And I loved that every pool and hot tub had a cubby station so you could put your towels, room key, and shoes while you were in the water, so you didn’t have to take up a chair just to hold your belongings.
The pool area also has four different Lime & Coconut bars, meaning you never have to walk far or wait long for a drink.
Hit: Destination Elevators
It seems silly to consider something as seemingly trivial as an elevator a “hit” on a ship, but on Star of the Seas, the elevators absolutely make a massive difference in the cruise experience.
Star of the Seas and its sister ships use destination elevators. Destination elevators don’t have any buttons inside. Instead, when you call the elevator, you select the floor you want on a touchscreen, and it tells you which elevator to get on. Then you wait by that door until it opens, you hop in, and you’re on your way. The benefit is that the computer systems can better route traffic, so you don’t have an elevator that stops at every floor. Instead, they often stop just once or twice on your journey.
Now, destination elevators are nothing new. They’ve been used in skyscrapers for years. For cruise ships, Carnival debuted destination elevators on the Vista in 2016, but they were so disliked on Carnival’s Vista Class ships that the line reverted to standard elevators on its Excel Class ships. (Note: MSC has also implemented destination elevators on its ships since 2017.)
But it’s not just the fact that they’re destination-based; it’s how Royal Caribbean designed them. The elevator lobbies are massive on Star of the Seas. There’s plenty of room to walk around, preventing crowding and congestion. In addition, the elevator lobbies are in the center of the ship, meaning you have access to both the starboard and port-side elevator banks at once. On Oasis Class ships, they’re separate on each side, meaning the starboard elevator lobby might be jam-packed with long waits while the port side could be empty.
Does it make a difference? Absolutely. On the Oasis Class Harmony of the Seas, I resented having to use the elevators, as it meant waiting five to ten minutes to get around during peak times (unfortunately, my cabin was four decks from both the interior promenade and pool levels, making it equally inconvenient in either direction).
On Star of the Seas, I never waited more than a couple of minutes. And when I did board, the elevators were never jam-packed like sardines; the same couldn’t be said for my sailing on Carnival Celebration.
The only downside I experienced was that sometimes you’d hit a button, and it would assign you an elevator that had just opened on the opposite side of the lobby, which was quite a walk. But if you missed it, you could just press the button again and get assigned a new elevator.
Miss: Hard to Find Peace and Quiet
As I’ve mentioned, Star of the Seas is a massive ship filled with thousands of people, but it doesn’t always feel that crowded. But it does feel busy all the time. You just can’t seem to get away from the energy and music on the ship. The pool decks are all pumping music, whether it’s the live Caribbean band performing on the outdoor stage at Deck 16, the DJ at The Hideaway, or music playing in the Royal Promenade; it’s pretty loud everywhere onboard. In fact, getting away from it was probably the hardest challenge.
On two of the sea days, I wanted to sit on the pool deck and read a book. I had no problem finding tons of loungers, both in the sun or shaded, but finding a place quiet enough to relax and read was nearly impossible.
At night, it was also a challenge, although not impossible. You won’t enjoy a quiet cocktail at the Schooner Bar or the 1400 Lobby cocktail bar, because the music bleeds in from all the other venues around, or the massive Royal Promenade parties if it’s later at night. Quieter atmosphere can be found in Central Park, where you might have a harpist or jazz music that’s more subtle, but it is subject to the weather.
I wouldn’t say it was a complete miss, but if you enjoy getting away to a quiet place on a sea day, it will be more challenging on Star of the Seas than on some other ships.
Miss: Adult-Only Space Falls Short
As a cruiser who doesn’t normally travel with children, I often spend quite some time in the adult-only area of the ship. I like being able to get away from the busyness of the kids’ areas and enjoy some quieter time (note: adult-only spaces aren’t always serene; sometimes adults are louder and more rowdy than children).
On Royal Caribbean’s Quantum and Oasis Class ships, they have beautiful adult-only Solariums at the very front of the ship, above the bridge. Originally, the Oasis Class versions were semi-enclosed, but on the Quantum Class ships and the newer Oasis Class ships (Wonder and Utopia of the Seas), the area is fully enclosed and climate-controlled. That made it one of my favorite adult-only areas at sea.
On Star of the Seas, the area that was previously used for Solariums is now the AquaDome, similar in principle but much higher. It houses an AquaTheater, two bars, and the AquaDome Market. But the area is no longer adult-only and has no pools or loungers; it’s specifically an indoor lounge.
The adult-only area on Star of the Seas is The Hideaway on Deck 15. The area has a dedicated bar, two hot tubs, and an infinity pool that’s floating seven decks above the Surfside Neighborhood. While it doesn’t have a dedicated restaurant, Basecamp is only a few steps away.
Unlike the Solariums on Royal Caribbean’s ships, this area doesn’t have a relaxing vibe; they wanted a Vegas pool party atmosphere. While the music is quieter in the morning, they crank it up at 11 AM for a more party-like scene.
The Hideaway also has tiered lounge chairs overlooking the ocean and more casual table seating by The Hideaway Bar but nearly every bit of seating and the pool are in full sun at all times. I also didn’t like that area also has a lot of extra-fee rental areas, like the pool beds in the picture above and the seating closest to the edge in the picture below. On almost any other cruise ship these would not cost extra. It’s even more frustrating because The Hideaway pool gets jam-packed in the afternoons and the rentable day beds take up space other guests can be using.
The pool, while nice, is usually jam-packed. When Icon of the Seas first launched, it was the only adult-only pool, but thankfully, with the launch of Star of the Seas, the Swim & Tonic swim-up bar is now adult-only, helping with capacity (although during peak times, both are jam-packed).
Miss: Bar Layout and Scheduling Kill the Nighttime Energy
Having sailed on quite a few cruise lines, I’ve found Royal Caribbean has always had some of the best live musicians onboard. I’ve spent many a night listening to a guitarist in the pub or enjoying the pianist in the Schooner Bar. While they had just as many talented performers onboard Star of the Seas, the layout of the bars and Royal Promenade, and the odd scheduling meant we really didn’t get to enjoy them.
Most of the main bars to enjoy in the evening are along the Royal Promenade. The Latin bar Boleros, the Schooner Bar, and the English pub are all situated right next to each other. But Royal Caribbean made the poor choice of having them all be more like open-air bars. They have no walls, and the seating pours out into the Royal Promenade. While it makes the promenade on this ship feel more like a lively street at night than a mall, it also limits how much can go on at once.
Want some live music with pre-dinner drinks? If it’s before 7 PM, you’re out of luck. The only option is the “Resident DJ” playing across the whole Royal Promenade or the harpist in Central Park. Some music in the bars would start at 6:45, but that’s right around peak dinner time and also flows into most of the show times.
Another problem is that, because of the open design, the entertainment in the promenade itself and the various bands have to trade off. So from 8 PM. to 10 PM, you might have guitar in the English pub, the piano player at Schooner, and the dueling pianos going strong, but then it all has to shut down because of the Royal Promenade party. Not interested in the Y2K Millennium party? Too bad—that’s what’s happening tonight, and you have few options outside of it.
According to videos released by Royal Caribbean, the design was done on purpose to have music and energy throughout the space. I honestly hated it. The bleed was annoying (I’ve had similar issues on the Royal Esplanade on Quantum Class ships), and the schedules meant there wasn’t much time to enjoy the live music.
A last issue with the design is that some of these purpose-built spaces are dark on some nights. So one night, there might be no live music at Boleros or the dueling pianos. Of course, performers need some nights off, but the problem is that by not substituting other music, the venues go empty. Two nights on our sailing, Boleros had the bar open, but it was completely dead because there wasn’t live music there. It was such a waste of space and goes against Royal Caribbean’s philosophy of dividing up crowds into smaller venues, because everyone is flocking to the places with entertainment at that moment.
One thing I didn’t mention yet, but is an issue, is the space for the venue Dueling Pianos. It’s very popular event at night and the space is at maximum capacity for all performances with people having to stand on the Royal Promenade. That being said, it’s already the bar with the largest capacity on the ship. Royal Caribbean really needs to add additional performances, rearrange the space (the bar blocking the view from the Royal Promenade is a really poor design choice), or find a way to increase the size without destroying the intimate experience you’d expect.
Miss: Outdated Casino Layout
The Casino design on Star of the Seas is generations behind other implementations out there, but from other cruise lines and Royal Caribbean itself.
First off, the casino is a mixed-use smoking and non-smoking space, unlike every other new class of cruise ship sailing from North America. Royal Caribbean has powerful vents in the floor, cleaning the area, which makes it feel less smoky, but with no physical barrier between the smoking/non-smoking sections, there is drift between the smoking/non-smoking sides. In addition, if you’re walking in using the entrance at the Royal Promenade, you must walk through the smoking section to get to the non-smoking section.
The casino is laid out poorly as well, without a real walkway through it. You have to wander through machines and tables to get from one side to the other, making it frustrating.
The casino does have a large bar in the middle that services the area well, but I saw minimal drink service while in the casino.
Personally, I’m not a huge casino player, spending maybe an hour a sailing the casino, but the specific sailing I was on was a Prime Sailing with discounted rooms being given to Club Royal Casino Club members. That meant it was absolutely jam-packed the whole sailing, and many in the Facebook group were complaining about the sub-par design. One person posted, “Who approved the design? It’s awful. There are so many thoughtful areas on this ship, and the casino is like a jr high kid threw it together.“
That being said, Royal Caribbean has seemed to understand this issue as they have released that the next Icon Class ships, Legend of the Seas, will have a two-story casino.
Miss: Awkward Layout Around Playmakers
Any cruise ship aficionado can’t help but appreciate the incredible amount of planning and thought Royal Caribbean put into introducing the Icon Class. But one of the glaring exceptions is Playmakers, Royal Caribbean’s very popular sports bar. I’ve tried looking at it every which way, but I can’t think of one reason why they put Playmakers where they did and designed it the way they did, except for “we have no space anywhere else.”
Playmakers is tucked away at the back of Deck 6. When I say tucked away, I mean it. The only way to access it is by walking toward the Surfside neighborhood and through a store to get to it. You’d think its isolated position would make it kind of private, but it’s also the only way to get into Absolute Zero, the ice-skating rink and home to other activities on the ship, as well as the Teen Club.
The walkway to get to these areas literally cuts right through the venue. It creates lines and crowds before ice-skating shows and popular activities.
The space itself feels very cramped, even without lines going through it. Tables are scattered somewhat haphazardly. The area also has a secondary “arcade” with some extra-fee games and pool tables as well. It’s really dark, giving it more of the feel of a sports bar in the basement of your favorite local pub—and not in a good way. I’d much rather spend time in a Buffalo Wild Wings than in this establishment.
Like the other Playmakers in the fleet, the sports bar has a good amount of seating and lots of big-screen TVs playing various sporting events. It also serves food that can be purchased à la carte. We visited one evening when we were onboard Star of the Seas, just after 11 PM (when the kitchen closed), and the place was nearly empty except for some entertainment staff enjoying their night off and a few teens in the arcade area. To be fair, no major sporting events were on, and it could have been much busier during the day, but the pitch-dark feel of the space wouldn’t make me want to visit during daylight hours on a beautiful day.
When it comes to Absolute Zero, guests have to go through Playmakers and walk down a flight of stairs to get into the entertainment space, an odd path when you need masses of people moving in and out. Thankfully, Royal Caribbean seemed to anticipate what a mess the mass exodus from this venue could be, as they let guests exit through the sides and walk along the outside jogging track to enter the Royal Promenade at midship.
Polarizing: Infinite Balcony Cabins
Star of the Seas has 28 different types of rooms, offering cabins that suit everyone, from sprawling suites to standard inside cabins. But the most controversial type of cabin on Star of the Seas (and first debuted on Icon of the Seas) is the Infinite Balcony.
The concept of the Infinite Balcony first debuted on Royal Caribbean’s sister cruise line, Celebrity Cruises, on its Edge Class ships, to mixed reviews. Rather than a cabin with a standard balcony, these cabins have floor-to-ceiling windows instead. The glass is split into two panels. With the push of a button, the top panel will lower to form a balcony-like experience. When it’s in the down position, the window drops to about the height of a standard balcony railing.
This new class of balconies is especially polarizing, with people seeming to either love or hate them. So it’s surprising that Royal Caribbean decided to adopt them on the newest ship. But, in an attempt to split the difference, not all balcony cabins are Infinite; roughly 40% have Infinite Balconies, and 60% are traditional balconies. (Note: On Star of the Seas, there are also interior-facing balconies in Surfside and Central Park, so make sure to book an ocean-view one if you want to see the ocean.)
For my sailing, I booked an Ocean View Balcony Guarantee and was assigned an Infinite Balcony. Having just had a similar cabin on my Norwegian Fjord cruise on the Celebrity Apex and really enjoying it (read about that cruise here), I was curious to see how it would be on a warm Caribbean cruise.
Infinite Balconies have a few positives. First, you get extra space in your cabin. Standard balcony cabins are usually around 200 square feet inside with 50 square feet on the balcony. Infinite Balconies have that extra 50 square feet in the cabin, making it feel especially spacious. The cabins also feel much more private; you don’t hear neighbors while on the “balcony” like you do on regular balconies. The windows are also massive, letting in more light than a standard balcony, so the cabin feels brighter when you’re indoors.
But there are some downsides. In a regular cabin, one person can sit in the warm sun on the balcony while the other naps in the cool air conditioning. The Infinite Balcony removes that separation of space, so it’s all or nothing (the air conditioning turns off when the window is open). Unlike the Celebrity ships, there aren’t folding doors separating the spaces, just a curtain you can use to shield some of the light from coming in. While air does flow into the room when the window is open and the ship is moving, it’s not the same as the rush of air you get while sitting on a traditional balcony because the side walls block some of the airflow.
Overall, I can see why it’s polarizing. While I really enjoyed the Infinite Balcony on my cold-weather cruise on Celebrity Apex, I noticed some of the drawbacks in the Caribbean. The minute I slid down the window, humidity rushed into the cabin, fogging up the mirrors. The powerful air conditioning was able to cool down the cabin in less than five minutes after closing the windows.
Verdict: A Thoughtful Mega Ship for All Ages
Overall, when I left Star of the Seas, I couldn’t help but be completely impressed. It blew my preconceived notions out of the water. It didn’t feel like a massive theme park at sea. The ship is incredibly well thought out, and they went to almost a Disney-level of planning and attention to guest needs and expectations to deliver an amazing cruise experience. Even when making this list of “misses,” I struggled to find flaws and most can be easily overlooked.
I think Royal Caribbean has done a disservice to itself by advertising these ships as the “ultimate family vacation.” It makes many people, especially those without kids, think these ships are just for families. As someone who doesn’t often travel with children, I found myself really enjoying the ship. It’s not that the ship isn’t for adults; it simply has the benefit of offering plenty for kids to do, and by keeping them in a dedicated kids’ neighborhood, it provides a superior experience to the Oasis Class.
You Might Like Star of the Seas If
- You like things to do and activities
- There is no way to be bored on an Icon Class ship. Pools, activities, food, and shows are everywhere.
- You have kids
- Star of the Seas is excellent for families, possibly one of the best family ships at sea outside of Disney. The Surfside Neighborhood clusters food, wet and dry play, an arcade, and the kids clubs in one convenient zone.
- You like ships with bells and whistles
- If you enjoy modern cruising with the latest tech and design, this ship checks nearly every box.
- You are planning a multi-generational trip
- There is something for everyone. Kids can live in Surfside while adults relax at Swim & Tonic. Those seeking exclusivity can even book in The Grove suite neighborhood, while others choose standard cabins.
You Might Not Like Star of the Seas If
- You like quiet
- The ship is energetic and can be loud. If your ideal day is a book and the sound of waves, finding serenity may take effort.
- You want fewer kids onboard
- Even though I believe Star of the Seas is good for all ages, there’s no getting away from the fact that there will be a few thousand children sailing with you on this ship. If you prefer fewer kids, you’re better off with Royal Caribbean’s older ships sailing longer itineraries, or looking at sailing Celebrity, Virgin Voyages, or Princess Cruises.
- You like small ships
- No amount of traffic planning or ship design can get away from the fact that Star of the Seas is huge. While I still think that it doesn’t feel crowded, some people prefer the allure of a small ship. They like seeing the same people everywhere, having a couple “regular” bars, and not having to walk a lot.
- You are on a budget
- Icon Class pricing carries a premium right now. Better deals exist on older ships or other lines. That may change as Legend of the Seas and future Icon ships enter service and the class becomes less unique.
Follow Along on our 4-Day Star of the Seas Cruise
Star of the Seas – Cruise Blog - Day 1 – Port Canaveral
Star of the Seas – Cruise Blog - Day 2 – Sea Day
Star of the Seas – Cruise Blog - Day 3 – Perfect Day at CocoCay
Star of the Seas – Cruise Blog - Day 4 – Final Sea Day
6 Hits and Misses on Star of the Seas
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