Star of the Seas Cruise Blog – Day 1 – Port Canaveral
How does it feel sailing on the newest and largest ship in the world? I was interested to find out, so I booked one of the 4-day Showcase Sailings of Royal Caribbean’s newest behemoth, the Star of the Seas. I never had a chance to sail on the sister ship Icon of the Seas, because, full disclosure, it was just too expensive, but I really wanted to see how Royal’s newest class of ship compared to everything else out there, so I bit the bullet and tried the new Star of the Seas.
Star of the Seas Showcase Sailing
Originally, the Star of the Seas inaugural sailing was planned as a 7-day cruise in September, but construction finished early. Royal Caribbean added several 4-day “Showcase Sailings” beforehand. These were paid sailings, unlike the free influencer trips two weeks earlier. I prefer these types of sailings because they give a more genuine experience. We’re not a blog that cares about the fancy luxury suites that no one could ever afford or dining experiences people would never pay for. We want to see what our readers would enjoy.
Also, week-long trips on Star and Icon of the Seas have been too expensive, but this shorter sailing was more affordable and finally gave us a chance to try this new class.
It is worth noting these early sailings are not quite the same as what guests will see in six months. The dining manager told me the ship was sailing at about 70% capacity, roughly 5,500 guests, and the timing meant fewer kids since schools were back in session. Sister ship Icon was sailing at about 6,500. These Showcase cruises were also marketed heavily to casino players, many of whom were sailing free, so the passenger mix leaned more adult. I kept that in mind when forming my impressions.
Star of the Seas Day 1 Overview
- Orlando Airport to Cape Canaveral
- Car Rental in Orlando
- Parking at Port Canaveral
- Check in at Port Canaveral
- Boarding Star of the Seas
- Star of the Seas Day 1 Cruise Planner
- Premium Embarkation Buffet at Windjammer
- Category 6 Waterpark in Thrill Island
- Swim and Tonic Swim-up Bar
- Spacious Infinite Ocean View Balcony on the Star of the Seas
- Cloud 17 Pool
- Schooner Bar for Pre-Dinner Drinks
- Dinner in the Main Dining Room
- Central Park and the Trellis Bar
- Abba Trivia in Music Hall
- Sol in Absolute Zero
- 1400 Lobby Bar
- Royal Promenade Dance Party
- Sorrento’s Pizza to End the Night
Orlando Airport to Cape Canaveral
It had been decades since I sailed out of Port Canaveral. It’s one of my least favorite ports because of the distance from the airport, a 45- to 60-minute drive. It’s much less convenient than Fort Lauderdale and Miami, where the port is just 15 minutes away and there are tons of hotels around, making Uber and Lyft easy.
Car Rental in Orlando
We got to Orlando two days before so we could check out Kennedy Space Center before embarking on the ship. I ran the scenarios about 100 ways, and the cheapest way for us to do it was to rent a car at the airport, book a hotel in the Orlando Airport area, and drive back and forth to Kennedy Space Center and the cruise port. Also, because the car rental companies charge extra to drop off at a different location than you pick up, it was actually cheaper for me to keep the car the whole sailing and pay for parking.
When choosing a car rental company, I highly recommend one with a counter in the airport itself. It’s a quick walk from the gates.
Tip: You’ll need to pay tolls to get to Port Canaveral, and they don’t accept cash. But don’t accept the electronic toll pass from the car companies. There are vending machines between the car counters and the garage where you can rent a toll pass for no fee (there is a $10 deposit). You hang the tag in your car and it charges your credit card the toll with no extra fees. It was super convenient. Download the app ahead of time to save time.
Parking at Port Canaveral
As we drove on Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway, we approached the cruise terminal and saw a massive structure in the distance. We debated what it was, with the light and haze playing tricks on our eyes. I could swear it was an offshore oil platform or rig, but as we got closer, it was clear that this massive structure was the Star of the Seas.
Port Canaveral has onsite parking for $17 per day, but instead, I booked with Port Parking Space, which was $14.95 a day and was running a promotion for a free day. The small lot was super convenient, less than 5 minutes from the cruise terminal. The friendly staff greeted us when we arrived, took our bags out of the car for us, loaded them on the shuttle, and we headed right over. They dropped us off right at the porters, so we could check our luggage, and we were set. On the way back, we’d meet them at the same spot. It was a really painless experience and shockingly cheap compared to other options.
Check in at Port Canaveral
Royal Caribbean has spent a lot of money modernizing Cruise Terminal 1 at Port Canaveral to help get thousands of guests on their massive ships quickly, and it paid off. We were able to secure a 10:30 AM boarding time, so we were in the first group of people allowed on board. Sometimes that means lines and queues, but not at all.
We breezed through security, sending our carry-on bags (backpacks) through the airport-style X-ray machines and the metal detectors. Then we headed over to check in. Our SeaPass cards said we had “express pass,” which was supposed to grant quicker boarding, but honestly, all the lines were moving so quickly. A friendly gate agent scanned our SetSail Pass and passports and directed us to the line boarding the ship.
We were walking onto the Star of the Seas within 10 minutes of getting dropped off at the site. It was super impressive. It was a seamless experience and all the staff were so friendly.
Boarding Star of the Seas
We wound our way up the gangway, which was pleasantly air-conditioned, until we got to the ship, boarding at Deck 5 by the 1400 Lobby Bar.
Immediately, I could see that Royal Caribbean actually thought through the boarding experience. This moment is the start of your vacation and should be an experience, but it’s an afterthought on many ships. On my last sailing on the Celebrity Apex, we boarded by walking through lifeboats and a plain door. My sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas was equally unimpressive.
On the Star of the Seas, you’re greeted by huge doors with the Royal Caribbean logo on display over the doorway. It was much more polished. I passed through the doors, and my jaw dropped as I entered into the middle of the Royal Promenade. I’ve seen tons of pictures and watched hours of videos about Icon-class ships, but none of it could truly prepare me for the actual sight of the expansive Royal Promenade and the absolutely massive The Pearl.
The experience is just so well done. There’s so much space, even with hundreds of people per minute filing into the space. Natural light poured in through the massive windows ahead of us. The inside of The Pearl shimmered as the panels slightly moved around and LED lights illuminated it. It’s really an impressive structure and way more impressive in person.
The Pearl is actually an innovative solution to a structural problem. Royal Caribbean wanted to bring natural light into the Promenade and allow a more open design, but how do you take out pillars and structural support? Instead, they designed The Pearl, which holds up the decks above it. Inside, it’s basically just a staircase that can also be used as seating for events on the Royal Promenade. It’s just incredibly well done.
The next few hours were all a blur, as I explored this massive ship from head to toe. But rather than one massive dump of impressions, I’ll take you through the rest of the day as I actually experienced it.
Star of the Seas Day 1 Cruise Planner
Premium Embarkation Buffet at Windjammer
Embarkation buffets are always hectic. Everyone boards around the same time, many still carrying backpacks since cabins are not ready, and the result is a crowded, noisy space where seating quickly disappears. My top tip for new cruisers is to avoid the buffet on day one if you can.
On Star of the Seas, though, I made an exception. Royal Caribbean only serves “premium” items at the first lunch, and the spread included lobster, crab claws, mussels, and clams. It is a one-time offering, so I braved the crowds to try it.
The Windjammer is on Deck 15 near the aft elevators. The entrance is huge, with multiple handwashing stations where the staff greets you with songs and reminders to scrub up.
Tip: Use the small side hallways by the elevators to enter faster. They still have handwashing stations and are much quicker than the main entrance.
Once you walk in, you’re greeted by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Surfside neighborhood. The buffet splits, with two mirrored setups facing each other.
My first impression was that it felt quite dark and cramped. Even though windows lined all the walls and had natural light pouring in, the ceiling felt low, and the stations felt very close together. It was a stark contrast to a few weeks prior, when I was on the Celebrity Apex, which had such an open feeling with convenient stations.
Signage was above each station at least, making it easy to quickly survey the options. I knew what I wanted, though: the seafood. The carvery station had a setup with clams, crab claws, mussels, and lobster tail. I love crab, so I got a few of those, and a lobster tail as well, because why not? I added a few small scallops and fried fish, grabbed some bread, and looked for a table.
That was easier said than done. The place was absolutely mobbed. There were no tables available anywhere. Staff were quickly cleaning dishes, trying to change tables over, but people weren’t moving (even though there were many announcements asking guests to vacate their tables once done). After two laps around the Windjammer, we had to go outside to find a table at the nearby El Loco Fresh.
I enjoyed the crab claws, but they weren’t pre-cracked and didn’t have any shell-crackers or crab tools to get to the meat. I tried my best using the flimsy silverware, but they weren’t making a dent in these solid claws. Eventually, I made do, but it was really frustrating to have to do so much work to get the crab, and not to be able to find a seat in the buffet.
Overall, it wasn’t a great way to start the cruise, so I always try to avoid the buffet on day one. I wish Royal Caribbean would do what Celebrity does and have their seafood extravaganza on the last day instead, when it would be much less chaotic.
Category 6 Waterpark in Thrill Island
After lunch, we still had over an hour before our cabin was ready, so we headed to Thrill Island on Deck 16. The Florida heat was brutal, but this was the perfect time to try the water park since most people had packed swimsuits in their luggage.
Tip: Always wear your swimsuit or carry it in a backpack on embarkation day. It is the least crowded time you will find the pools and slides.
We walked through the pool deck and up the stairs to Thrill Island on Deck 16. A massive, colorful sign greeted us as we walked into the neighborhood. It was reminiscent of the signs you’d see at a theme park announcing the new lands as you crossed them.
We grabbed a pool towel from the stand at the entrance. I was really impressed with how many towel stations Royal Caribbean put on the Star of the Seas; you can find one near almost every pool or water feature. Because of that, we never had a line when checking out or returning towels.
Tip: Towels are free but must be checked out with your room key. Return them before the end of the cruise to avoid charges.
The neighborhood was themed exquisitely, filled with bright colors. Even though the whole ship was pretty colorful, this section was even more vibrant with wood planks adding pops of color as we explored this “island paradise.”
Thrill Island opens immediately into the Category 6 Waterpark, filled with record-breaking waterslides (well, they were record-breaking when they debuted on Icon; these are just copies, so record-tying?). The area is bright, vibrant, and feels like a real water park. The colorful slides twist overhead, providing shade, and plenty of cubbies make it easy to stash shoes and bags without claiming chairs.
Thrill Island technically has six waterslides, but two of them are a racing mat slide, so I’d really count them as one, although the journey is a bit different on each. Also, because of a recent problem with a clear acrylic portion of a waterslide breaking on Icon of the Seas, one of the waterslides, Frightening Bolt, was shut down until they could figure out what to do with it.
Tip: Lines are shortest on embarkation day. We waited 2–15 minutes, while later in the cruise the waits doubled.
Thrill Island is not meant for little kids. For most of the attractions, you have to be at least 48″ (the height of an average 7-year-old), and some have higher height requirements. Younger cruisers will enjoy the Surfside neighborhood more, with a Splashaway Bay and kids’ pool (which is geared for kids 2 to 10).
Before I went down the racing mat slide, the attendant said to keep my eyes open. The whole tube was lined with graphics lit up by the sun, and a clear section extended showing a view of the water. Music pumped into the tube to provide a more exciting experience.
The raft slides were unique; I’ve never seen something like that on a cruise ship. They’re family raft slides that can technically accommodate up to 4 guests. But to fit on a cruise ship, these rafts are much smaller than you’d see at a water park, so if you have adults or older children, it’s more likely to fit 2 or 3. The slides have a weight limit, and each party is weighed together before boarding to make sure it’s safe. If you look at the display, you can see your weight on the scales, but it’s not on display to others.
The green slide, Storm Surge, was fun; shooting up into the clear slingshot portion was a really exhilarating experience. The purple slide, Hurricane Hunter, is a bowl slide that is still fun but not as thrilling. My least favorite slide was the yellow slide, Pressure Drop. While billed as the first open free-fall slide at sea, it was just a quick slide down, nothing exciting.
Overall, I was impressed. Unlike the simple boomerang slide on Norwegian’s Prima Class ships that lasts a matter of seconds, these slides had real twists and turns that made the whole area feel like a proper water park at sea.
Swim and Tonic Swim-up Bar
After we checked out all the slides, we headed over to the swim-up bar, a new concept for Royal Caribbean that debuted on Icon of the Seas. This pool used to be open to all ages, which meant kids were splashing into drinks, but thankfully, Royal Caribbean switched this pool to be adults only starting with the launch of Star of the Seas (it’s similar on Icon now).
When I first heard of the swim-up bar, I thought it was just a novelty, but I enjoyed Swim & Tonic. It has a large wading area with water a few inches deep and a few loungers. Then, as you get closer to the bar, the water goes waist-deep. It made it easy to walk up to the bar, order a drink, and relax. Royal Caribbean stationed lots of cocktail shelves and stools throughout the pool to relax. I also loved that this space had shade, with the area furthest in being shaded most of the day.
As the name implies, Swim & Tonic heavily focuses on tonic drinks. Royal Caribbean created a really cute floating menu with signature cocktails. If you’re not a gin and tonic fan, they still have beer and seltzers and can grab things from the frozen bar next door.
We spent 30 minutes relaxing in the pool and enjoying the cool water, giving us a break from the Florida heat and humidity. The pool was not too crowded, but that was a rarity; every time I walked by this pool for the rest of the sailing, it was jam-packed (it can supposedly hold 69 people). If you want to do Swim & Tonic, put it on your list for day one.
Spacious Infinite Ocean View Balcony on the Star of the Seas
For this sailing, I booked a guarantee ocean-view balcony cabin. Normally, I don’t like guaranteed rooms, but since this sailing was pricier, I figured I’d save where I could. A week before the cruise, I got my cabin assignment. Rather than a traditional ocean-view balcony, it was an Infinite Ocean View Balcony.
Different Kind of Connecting Cabins
Also, this cabin was a connecting cabin, which I usually avoid because the connecting doors can be less soundproof. I was surprised when I arrived at the cabin to find no connecting door between the cabins. Instead, two more doors could be closed outside the main doors. If the same family booked the cabin, they’d use the outside doors, basically offering two cabins with a small connecting entryway between them. It was a really smart way to do it.
Spacious Infinite Ocean View Balcony
Walking into the cabin, I was immediately surprised by how toned-down the room was. The cabin felt almost monotone after spending hours on the pool decks with vibrant greens, bold purples, and vivid yellows. Not that it was bad, but it felt like a big disconnect from the rest of the ship. Still, the cabin was very light and airy, evoking a resort-like feel.
Infinity Balcony
The Infinite View balcony first debuted on sister cruise line Celebrity’s Edge-class ships. The highly polarizing cabin type made it to Royal Caribbean’s Icon-class ships. Instead of a traditional balcony, the cabin has floor-to-ceiling windows, with a top panel that can lower to create a balcony-like experience. I tried the Infinity Veranda on my Norwegian Fjord cruise a few weeks prior, but that was because the weather outside was cool. I was interested to see how the cabin would do in hot and humid weather.
I was impressed by the size, with the infinity balcony adding an extra 50 square feet of space inside the cabin. Unlike the Celebrity versions of the ship, the “balcony” area doesn’t have any doors to separate it from the main cabin, though there are curtains you can use instead.
On Icon-class ships, the layout of the cabin switches every other room. One has the bed by the window, the other by the bathroom. This cabin had the bed by the bathroom, and I really didn’t like that layout. That specific setup felt lopsided, making two-thirds of the room feel unused. The walkway between the bed and the wall (which had a TV mounted) was just 18 inches, which can make it hard to get into the room for some. In addition, the closets couldn’t even open all the way because the bed was in the way.
Oceanview Balcony Storage
Speaking of storage, I found it lacking on the Star of the Seas. They shoved nooks and shelves into as many spaces as possible, but they weren’t practical; since they were only a few inches deep, only a handful of things fit in those spaces. The full-size closet was narrow, and while it could hold enough clothes for a 4-day cruise, 7 days for the three people the cabin could hold would be a challenge. At the bottom of the closet were heavy metal baskets that made a horrible sound as you pulled them out to use them. I understand that baskets were likely cheaper and lighter, which is important for a cruise ship, than putting in wood drawers, but we did not use them at all.
Tip: Many in our Facebook group missed it, but the mirror opens up for additional storage and the room safe.
Oceanview Balcony Bathroom
The bathroom is an upgrade from the Oasis-class ships. The biggest change is that the glass shower is now rectangular and has a seat at the far side. It was so much less claustrophobic-feeling than the round-style showers on older ships, which felt like a coffin sometimes. Most cruise lines use showers like these now, so it shouldn’t be surprising. The shower wasn’t as roomy as the Prima-class by Norwegian, which feels absolutely massive, but, like Carnival, the shower doors use floating hinges, which means they recess into the shower to make the space work better (something that Virgin Voyages should have thought of).
The sink had lots of space, and even though there wasn’t a lot of storage next to the mirror, drawers underneath the vanity and behind the toilet provided a good amount of space. I also noticed some thoughtful touches by Royal Caribbean here, like a low-powered LED light that is always on serving as a night-light in the bathroom, and a door that you can prop open, making it easy to get in and out of the bathroom while getting ready.
Star of the Seas Infinity Balcony Cabin Thoughts
Overall, I thought the cabin was well designed, but I much prefer the Quantum-class ships’ style, storage, and layout. They felt a bit more elevated and had much better storage. The Icon Class felt like a bit of a step back in that regard, but I think it was a necessity in order to get the square shower. I did not like the bed by the bathroom, though, and would recommend booking a cabin in the other configuration.
Cloud 17 Pool
We headed back up to the pool decks for sail away. It was hot and humid, so we found a pool to enjoy the sail away from. While there were quite a few pools to choose from, we ended up at the Cloud 17 pool, an infinity pool looking out onto the water on Deck 17. Because it’s the only pool on Deck 17, it’s less crowded and less trafficked than the other pools.
The pool here is long and slim, letting people line up against the glass and on the inside of the pool without being too crowded. Skirting the pool was an area with a few inches of water for people who just wanted their feet wet. According to the sign, the pool can hold 37 people.
This pool was a huge improvement over the Oasis-class pools. On those ships, you couldn’t even see the ocean. From the Cloud 17 pool, we saw the landscape pass by as the Star of the Seas headed out to sea. The nearby Lime and Coconut Bar (one of three on the ship) made it easy to get drinks, but servers constantly came to the pool to take orders and bring drinks.
While this pool was open to all guests (the Cloud 17 area was initially supposed to be the adults-only area on Icon of the Seas before it was moved to The Hideaway). While Royal Caribbean really pushes the Icon and Star as the “ultimate family vacation,” this ship didn’t feel overrun with children. In the pool with us were just two kids who were around 10, swimming with goggles and attempting to do handstands.
Schooner Bar for Pre-Dinner Drinks
At 6 PM, we headed to the Schooner Bar to grab a cocktail before dinner. The bar is a staple on nearly every Royal Caribbean ship, with a grand piano and a nautical theme. It’s located on Deck 6 on the Star of the Seas, on the second level of the Royal Promenade. To get there from the forward elevators, we had to walk through Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, which felt like a poor design choice for an extra-fee specialty restaurant.
Like almost every other bar on Star of the Seas, the Schooner Bar is open to the Promenade with no real walls or dividers separating it. Because of that, it doesn’t feel like a dedicated space, but more like a sprawling lounge. The far wall was lined with large windows overlooking the lifeboats. While they weren’t overly scenic, they let in a lot of light, making the space more open. The bar had much less nautical theme than other Royal Caribbean ships, but it still felt true enough to the Schooner Bar vibe.
When we arrived, the bar was pretty empty with just a few tables and barstools taken. The bar is usually popular, but I’m guessing that people were out taking advantage of this amazing new ship since it was day one of a short sailing.
Last year, Schooner Bar added some new drinks to their menu, and I hadn’t had a chance to sail with Royal Caribbean since then, so I finally got to try them. I got the Peanut Butter Tropic, which is made with pineapple juice and Screwball whiskey. It sounds odd, but it worked well and grew on me the more I sipped on it (see the recipe here). We also tried the Toasted Marshmallow Old Fashioned. It was sweet but well-balanced and still tasted more like an Old Fashioned than a sugary drink. The only complaint was that the marshmallows weren’t toasted, as the name would imply.
The piano player at the Schooner Bar played some background music as we sipped on our cocktails. Unfortunately, he wrapped up his set at 6:15 PM and promptly left. Entertainment on the Star of the Seas was oddly scheduled in something that would become a trend for this sailing. During prime pre-dinner drink time, there was no live music anywhere on the Royal Promenade. Instead, the live music in the Schooner Bar, Boleros, and the English Pub all stopped, and a DJ played pop hits across the Promenade for an hour. While the DJ was talented (actually mixing songs rather than playing a straight playlist), it still felt impersonal and not the same level as live entertainment that I was used to before dinner.
Dinner in the Main Dining Room
For this sailing, we booked Anytime Dining, which meant we could go for dinner anytime between 6:45 PM and 9:00 PM. But it’s not as flexible as cruise lines like Carnival, where you check in using an app, or Norwegian, which gives you a pager if there’s a wait. Instead, they encourage you to book a reservation ahead of time in the app or once you board, getting rid of the “anytime” part of “anytime dining.” Still, before the cruise, we were able to make reservations for our desired time (around 7 PM) for 3 of the 4 nights.
The main dining room on Star of the Seas is a massive 3-story venue with a huge chandelier and contemporary art between the floors. The tables are lined with white linen tablecloths, which brings a feeling of fine dining to the space (Carnival got rid of theirs years ago). The tables can be close together in parts, but for the most part, the seating looked spacious, and people didn’t feel packed in. Square windows lined the dining room to let in a good amount of light, a nice difference from some older Royal Caribbean dining rooms with no outside view. Still, it pales in comparison to the views of the main dining room, Hudsons, on Norwegian’s Prima Class ships.
Since we had a reservation, we were directed to the middle lane, which had no line (although the walk-up line was also short). They promptly took our room number and had someone show us to our table. The ship was still so new that the hostess had to use a seating chart to find our spot. She took us to a quiet section in the back of the dining room for a table for two. While it wasn’t directly next to the window, the natural light was still visible, which I enjoyed.
Tip: Even if you have Anytime Dining, you can still request the same waiters / table every night. I had never done that before, but my waiter asked if we’d like the same section the rest of the sailing and he had the hostess make notes. Having the same staff every night really improves the experience.
We were immediately greeted by our waiter and assistant waiter, both greeting us by name. I ordered a glass of wine from the wine list; I liked how they described some of the wines with subsections like “Adventurous Reds.” About 55% of the wines by the glass were covered by the Premium Drink Package we purchased (which has a limit of $14; you pay the difference for anything over that).
Royal Caribbean uses a daily themed menu; tonight’s was the “Welcome Aboard” menu. It was a pretty diverse lineup with something for most diners.
To start, I ordered the Crab Cake and Spinach and Artichoke Dip. The Crab Cake was crunchy and flavorful with a decent amount of crab compared to filler. The Spinach and Artichoke Dip was piping hot and very rich, although the portion was a bit small. For my main course, I got the Prime Rib, which was served medium rare as ordered and felt absolutely massive. The peanut-caramel bar was tasty for dessert, almost like an elevated Rice Krispies treat with rich peanut butter and a light caramel on top.
Knowing this was a Showcase Sailing and the ship had only been sailing for 2 weeks, I went in with low expectations for dining. I couldn’t believe how wrong I was. Everything went without a hitch for dinner, with total service taking only 45 minutes. The food was hot and delicious. I was really impressed.
That said, after just sailing on Celebrity, I could see the differences in dining quality. Celebrity had new breads and fresh-made dips every day, while Royal Caribbean had the same rolls and packets of butter each night. Celebrity’s menu was more elevated, and appetizers were full portions, but I wasn’t upset with Royal Caribbean’s options this evening. Everything we tried was of good quality.
Central Park and the Trellis Bar
After dinner, we headed to Central Park, the massive garden in the middle of the Star of the Seas. If you’ve sailed on an Oasis-class ship before, the concept is the same on the Icon-class. Thousands of live plants and trees line the interior courtyard of the ship. Since Star is relatively new, the plants are still young, but as they grow in, it’ll be even more impressive. It’s one of my favorite aspects of Royal’s Oasis and Icon-class ships.
Central Park on Star of the Seas has a few changes from the Oasis-class. The space still has the piped-in crickets, live music, and meandering paths I loved in Central Park. The Rising Tide Bar is gone, replaced by a section of glass windows overlooking The Pearl and even some ocean views from the Pearl Café. The Italian restaurant has been moved downstairs, and instead, there’s Izumi Hibachi and Sushi in Central Park on Star. They also added a new indoor/outdoor bar, Lou’s, and a walk-up champagne bar called Bubbles.
Another change is that the Trellis Bar has been supersized. On the Oasis-class, it felt like a small setup, almost like an afterthought. On Star of the Seas, the bar has been expanded to a proper setup with a roof covering the bar area and seats. Unfortunately, because of the way Central Park is laid out, the Trellis Bar was incredibly hot and humid. On that evening, the rest of Central Park had a nice breeze, but the poor bartender Johanna said how stuffy the bar felt, and I have to agree. They should put some fans here like they did at some of the other outdoor venues.
Live harp music filled the space as we ordered cocktails from the Trellis Bar. The bar no longer has a dedicated menu and instead uses the fleet-wide menu, which was recently revamped with an emphasis on non-alcoholic options. The Trellis Bar on Icon-class ships also offers small bites during lunch and dinner, although I never saw anyone ordering them.
Abba Trivia in Music Hall
Next, we headed to the Music Hall for some trivia. Music Hall is a two-story dance and event space on the ship’s Decks 3 and 4. The space feels almost hidden. In fact, if you’re not looking for it, you might miss it because it’s only accessible by walking through the casino (and through a cloud of smoke) on Deck 4 or by the forward elevators and stairs down to Deck 3.
The venue feels massive, with a large dance floor, two full bars, and lots of seating. They set up tables and chairs on the dance floor for trivia and games, but for live music and events in the evening, the floor opens up and guests can enjoy the two large lounge areas. The space is great for performances, with a stage for a live band and a screen that can be lowered for events. The setup is far better than the band venue Norwegian uses on their Prima-class ships (Syd Norman’s), which is small and cramped. Music Hall still has an authentic feel for live music, but it can hold far more people and has the flexibility to host other activities.
This evening was Abba Trivia, and it was well attended for a nighttime trivia event, which is usually less popular. The entertainment host ran through 20 song samples where guests had to guess the title. It was pretty challenging since they didn’t play the most obvious parts of the songs. The host did a good job interacting with the audience, better than some of my past experiences on Royal, where the staff just read questions and moved on. Throughout the event, servers circulated, taking drink orders, which was nice even though the bar was just steps away.
Sol in Absolute Zero
Star of the Seas has a lot of entertainment, but trying to see it all in just a 4-day sailing was going to be tough. This evening, we were able to score reservations for the ice show.
Tip: Make reservations ahead of time to guarantee shows. Royal Caribbean says reservations are generally available the first day of the month before your cruise. For example, for an August 15 cruise, reservations open July 1. But that’s not always consistent. Join the Facebook group for your sailing; others will likely post when they open, so you can grab them.
Royal Caribbean first debuted an ice rink, called Studio B, on Voyager of the Seas. On the Icon-class, they rethought the space and introduced Absolute Zero, a round ice rink with theater-in-the-round seating that holds about 5% more people than Studio B. The circular shape helps all guests feel closer to the action and gives performers new ways to tell their story.
Forty-five minutes before the show, we headed to Absolute Zero at the back of Deck 5. But in one of the worst design choices on the Icon-class, you can only access it by walking through the Park West desk, a retail store, and then Playmakers. Once you pass Playmakers, where guests are eating and watching sports, you then have to descend steps to Level 4 to get to the entrance. Its clunky navigation, and I’m surprised Royal thought this was acceptable on such a well-designed ship.
Walking in, the blast of cold air hit me, and I immediately noticed that the round space feels more open than Studio B. Sightlines are much improved. Behind the stage is a massive LED screen used for visuals (although it was acting up a bit during our performance). Based on the renders, I thought the area above the seats would also be a screen, but it turns out they’re just wall-washed with color LED lighting.
We arrived 40 minutes early, and there were plenty of seats available. About 20% of the seats were open fifteen minutes before the show, so staff started letting in standby guests. By the time the show started at 9:45, the theater was completely full.
Tip: Absolute Zero doesn’t have a bar. If you want a drink, bring it with you. Servers circulate before the show, but flagging them down as the seats fill up is hard. I wish they had bar carts like Celebrity does before shows in their theater.
The show, Sol, is described as bringing “the absolute power of the sun right to the center of the ice.” Based on the art and description, I expected more visuals of space or the sun itself, but the theme felt loosely connected. Still, the show worked.
Prior to this, I’d seen three Royal Caribbean ice shows, and the last few felt overly pretentious — abstract themes, unknown songs, too much art for my taste. The skating was always amazing, but the shows themselves were a miss for me. Thankfully, Sol avoided that. It was colorful, accessible, and fun.
The show was filled with familiar songs like Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold’ Em,” Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things,” and a cover of “Halo.” The projection mapping on the ice completely transformed the rink, making it almost unrecognizable. I’d seen projection mapping used on newer ships like Wonder of the Seas, but this was my first time experiencing it live, and it was transformative.
The performers were just as impressive. Sol has the largest cast of skaters in the fleet, with Olympic-level performers executing incredible jumps, spins, and tricks. The last section of the show featured four stunt skaters launching off ramps, flipping, and spinning in ways that literally made my jaw drop.
At 45 minutes, the show was the perfect length. It was packed with action but ended before it became repetitive. Honestly, it’s the best Royal Caribbean ice show I’ve seen.
1400 Lobby Bar
After the show, we stopped by the 1400 Lobby Bar, which feels like Royal’s answer to the Alchemy Bar on Carnival or the Martini Bar on Celebrity. By 10:30 PM, the bar had a totally different look at night, with its central column and sign lit dramatically.
The cocktail menu here is themed after Royal Caribbean’s ship classes. It’s busy and hard to read if you’re just looking for drinks, but it’s worth flipping through when you have time. The menu also has fun information about the fleet’s innovations.
Royal Promenade Dance Party
Shortly after we arrived, the lights in the Royal Promenade went down, and crowds started pouring in. At 10:30, it was the “Let’s Dance! Theme Party” warmup, and at 10:45, the whole dance party started. Because nearly every bar along the Royal Promenade is open with no walls, everyone at Boleros, the English Pub, the Schooner Bar, Dueling Pianos, and Spotlight Karaoke has to participate, since all other live entertainment stops.
I could see this working as a kickoff for the first night, but it happened every night of the cruise. If you weren’t into the theme party, your only other choice was Lou’s in Central Park, which had jazz or blues. For a ship designed to spread out crowds, funneling everyone into one event each night felt strange.
The entertainment staff brought small platform stages into the space in front of The Pearl. The extra stairs and seats inside The Pearl now made sense; guests could sit there if they didn’t want to dance.
The ceiling lit up with vibrant LEDs as music pumped. The cruise director and staff came out in costumes and performed choreographed dances, hyping up the crowd. The energy was solid, and thankfully, they avoided cheesy line dances.
The Promenade was packed in the middle, but both ends and the second level had space to watch without feeling crowded. The wide layout of the Icon-class promenade really worked here.
Sorrento’s Pizza to End the Night
It’s not a late night on a cruise without pizza, so I stopped by Sorrento’s before heading back to the cabin. Located at the forward section of the Royal Promenade, Sorrento’s is large inside, though all the seating is outside in the Promenade, and there isn’t enough of it. The interior feels oversized for a space with no seating.
Thankfully, they still had two Coke Freestyle machines, a water station, and draft beer taps (though no one was ordering beer at this hour).
Unlike Carnival’s Pizzeria del Capitano or Virgin’s Pizza Place, Sorrento’s doesn’t use authentic pizza ovens. Instead, they use individual electric ovens. It’s better than a conveyor belt system, but doesn’t give the crust the char and texture of a true high-temp oven. Still, the pizza was better than I’d had a few weeks earlier on the Celebrity Apex (read about that cruise here). The crust was pale, but the sauce and cheese had good flavor.
The benefit of these ovens is speed. They were able to install many of them, so even when the line stretched outside, it moved quickly. Over the course of the cruise, I never waited more than 5 minutes; usually it was less than 2.
Star of the Seas Day 1 Wrap-Up
Overall, Day 1 on the world’s biggest cruise ship was fun but exhausting. Looking at my phone, I walked over 6.8 miles just exploring. There was so much to see and do that it felt overwhelming at times, but I was consistently impressed. I was really looking forward to the sea day tomorrow to continue discovering more of the ship.
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 (Coming Soon)
Star of the Seas – Cruise Blog - Day 3 – Perfect Day at CocoCay (Coming Soon)
Star of the Seas – Cruise Blog - Day 2 – Sea Day (Coming Soon)
5 Hits and Misses on Star of the Seas (Coming Soon)
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