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10th Jan 2027 | 7 nights | Royal Caribbean International | Star of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International's second Icon-class ship, Star of the Seas, is now under construction and slated to join the fleet in 2025. It is the middle vessel in a trio of Icon ships, starting with Icon of the Seas launching in early 2024 and the third ship in the class making its debut in 2026. With its sister ships, this second Icon-class vessel will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is currently the cleanest marine fuel.
Under construction at Finland's Meyer Turku shipyard, the ship will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) to reduce emissions and have other eco-friendly features. This follows on from sibling Icon of the Seas, also built at Meyer Turku, being the first ship in the fleet to run on LNG, utilize energy-saving fuel cell technology and be equipped to connect to shore power. The third Icon-class ship will also be fuelled by LNG.
The ship will enter service in 2025 and will home port in Port Canaveral.
The ship will be 250,800 gross tons and carry 5,610 passengers at full capacity with 2,350 crew.
As the vessel is in the early stages of construction, Royal Caribbean has not released any details about the ship's interior and the onboard features. However, it is widely anticipated that the Icon of the Seas will be duplicated in many areas, including 40 new and returning dining options and the largest waterpark at sea. It is expected the ship will also boast eight neighbourhoods, which will likely include the familiar signature favourites of the Royal Promenade with floor-to-ceiling ocean views and more than 15 restaurants, cafes, bars and lounges; a four-deck Suite Neighborhood following on from the largest-ever which will debut on Icon of the Seas; and the Central Park dining and entertainment area.
Five all-new neighbourhoods will be introduced on the first Icon-class vessel -- the Thill Island aquapark, Chill Island pool area with the Swim & Tonic swim-up bar, Surfside area for younger families, Hideaway with a beach club vibe and suspended infinity pool, the multifunctional day-thru-night AquaDome. Heralded as some of the "game-changing" features on Icon of the Seas, they are expected to be repeated on the new ship.
Although all the dining venues have yet to be announced, established eateries such as Coastal Kitchen, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar, steakhouse Chops Grille, and Asian-inspired Izumi could all be included in the plans, alongside new dining venues.
It is likely the 2,805 cabins on the ship will feature the same 28 categories found on Icon of the Seas. 14 of these categories -- two types of inside cabins, four balcony cabins and eight suites -- were brand new to the first Icon-class ship. The largest suite on board is expected to be the Ultimate Family Townhouse, measuring 1,772 square feet, sleeping up to eight and featuring a slide, private cinema, in-suite karaoke and private entrance to the Surfside neighbourhood.
Groups, couples and families who like (very) big ships with a vast amount of entertainment, day and night
Those who are after a quiet, intimate, small-ship experience; gourmands; couples avoiding kids
For the most part, Royal Caribbean ships that sail from the United States attract a wide variety of North American passengers, mostly between the ages of 30 and 55 on the seven-night and shorter cruises, and 50 and over on cruises longer than seven nights. Seven-night and shorter cruises are also popular with families, especially during American school vacation periods, when the ships will often be at filled at well past double capacity and carrying more than a thousand kids. Cruises from the U.K. -- as well as Mediterranean, Asia and Australia cruises -- attract a significant number of locals from each area, as well as Royal Caribbean's usual North Americans.
Royal Caribbean's dress code is casual during the day; at night there's either casual, smart-casual or formal dress code depending on the schedule. Casual attire includes jeans and collared shirts for men and sundresses or pants with blouses for women; smart-casual means collared shirts, dresses, skirts and blouses, or pantsuits; and on formal nights, suits and ties, tuxedos, cocktail dresses or evening gowns are expected. If you want to avoid dressing up altogether on any night, the extensive Windjammer Café is always casual dress. Caps, tank tops and bathing suits are never allowed in the main dining room or specialty restaurants; shorts are not permitted during dinner and footwear is always required.
No. Royal Caribbean ships really vary in terms of complimentary dining, with the main dining room and huge Windjammer Café as constants. Coffee, tea, milk, lemonade and a few other beverages are available without cost at all times, as well. Most specialty restaurants carry an additional charge, but there are options that are free, including pizza, the Boardwalk Dog House, the Park Café (on select ships) and more, depending on the ship. Ice cream, scooped at mealtimes and from machines in between (apart from Ben & Jerry's) is also free. Other dining choices with additional cost run the gamut from Asian to a steakhouse, deli and Mexican and Italian restaurants. Room service carries a $7.95 cost per order, with the exception of Continental breakfast.
The main pool areas are a magnet onboard any Royal Caribbean ship, as is the peaceful adults-only Solarium. Cruisers line up for the most adrenaline-pumping activities, whether to surf the FlowRider or try out new experiences from simulated skydiving and ice skating to bumper cars and escape rooms. Broadway shows (on the ships that have them) are also quite popular and fill up any night they're on offer. Equally as in demand are the high-flying and diving acrobatics of the AquaTheater and the ice-skating shows on the Freedom- and Voyager-class ships.
