First Impressions of Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s Newest Cruise Ship

This past week, I had the opportunity to be one of the first to step on board Royal Caribbean’s newest and largest cruise ship, Star of the Seas.

It was not a traditional sailing, Royal Caribbean invited me on board for a first look at this new ship ahead of its debut.  We sailed from Ponce, Puerto Rico to Port Canaveral at around 10% capacity.

I tell you that because it will help you understand as you read this article. If you hardly see anyone else in the photos, this is why.

Since the ship was two weeks away from its inaugural cruise, they were still putting the finishing touches on shows and entertainment.

After spending three days on Star of the Seas, here are my first impressions of this newest ship from Royal Caribbean.

Back to the Future The Musical

Back to the Future is one of my favorite movie trilogies of all time. Star of the Seas is the first cruise ship to feature Back to the Future The Musical.

They gave us a 20 minute preview of this new show and I sat right in the front row. All I can say is, WOW! Yes, there’s a DeLorean and it’s hand down one of the top shows I’ve seen on a cruise.

I’m not going to give away any spoilers and there was a no photo or video policy during our preview.

Those who know me know that I am not big on watching cruise shows, they just don’t personally interest me much. However, I would line up early to see Back to the Future on Star of the Seas, it was like I was right on the movie set.

The actor who played George McFly was absolutely incredible, he was a carbon copy of Crispin Glover in the trilogy.

Royal Caribbean also raised the bar for their ice skating show Sol in Absolute Zero. The acrobatic moves they incorporated at the end of the show had the crowd going wild.

Ship

You can take a photo tour of Star of the Seas below that we posted to our Cruise Fever Facebook page.

Since Star of the Seas is a sister ship to Icon of the Seas, they are very much alike. Royal Caribbean made a few changes but there’s no need to fix what isn’t broken.

Artwork around the ship is different and The AquaDome Market food court has new options that include a new Thai eatery.

Lincoln Park Supper Club has a 1930’s Chicago theme instead of a 1920s New York theme.

On the pool deck, the swings are gone and there’s now more loungers for cruisers to soak up the sun.

It’s such a great class of ship that there wasn’t a need to change much.

Surfside is such an awesome area for families and it has everything they need. They can stay here the entire day since it was a waterpark for kids, pools, several dining options and an arcade.

There really is something for everyone onboard Star of the Seas.

Crew

The crew on Star of the Seas delivered the same great service that Royal Caribbean always offers. One of the crew members remembered my name the day we were at CocoCay.

From my room steward to our waiter at Coastal Kitchen, I can’t say enough good things about them.

Cabin

I stayed in an Infinite Balcony stateroom on deck 9. This was my first time staying in one on Royal Caribbean (I have stayed in them on their sister cruise line Celebrity Cruises).

The more I stay in one of these cabins, the more I like them. I love the extra room you get because the “balcony” is now part of your cabin.

You also get the best view from your cabin since you have a floor to ceiling window with no obstructions. There is a curtain you can close to block out light and make the balcony area a separate space.

There was also a pretty roomy shower and plenty of power outlets.

Star of the Seas is currently offering a few shakedown cruises and will depart on its inaugural voyage on August 16, 2025. A shakedown cruise is a non-revenue voyage where Royal Caribbean invites travel agents, media, friends & family etc. so they can work out the kinks before paying passengers board.

The cruise ship will sail a few short cruises from Port Canaveral before launching into year-round, seven-night sailings from Port Canaveral. You can see itineraries and prices for cruises on the ship here.

The ship will also be christened on August 20 in Port Canaveral. I will be onboard for the christening ceremony so stay tuned as I bring you more on this newest ship from Royal Caribbean.