Ah, Royal Caribbean… always innovating in the cruise industry and delivering some of the largest, most exciting ships for us to enjoy on a sunny vacation.
The Icon of the Seas remains a massive success, earning accolades from numerous magazines as the best cruise ship of 2024. This year, the spotlight shifts to the Star of the Seas, another Icon-class ship that boasts many of the same incredible amenities as its "big brother," the Icon of the Seas.
Icon of the Seas part 2?
If you are a fan of Icon of the Seas, you are going to be happy to know that Star of the Seas is almost an exact copy. That’s actually great news, since you now have more options to travel if you want the mega-resort experience on the sea, and another ship of the same class could also make travelling on Icon of the Seas a little bit cheaper.
The main difference is that Star of the Seas will be based in Port Canaveral instead of Miami, which is great news for those staying in Orlando. You can easily visit theme parks like Disney World and Universal before moving to a cruise vacation. Not bad!
The main differences between Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas
Sure, Icon of the Seas is based in Miami, while Star of the Seas will call Port Canaveral home. What else changes?
The Star of the Seas aims to differentiate itself by offering even more dining options than the Icon of the Seas, while Royal Caribbean plans to make a few adjustments to build on the Icon's success. For instance, Royal Caribbean intends to enhance the Surfside area, which on the Icon of the Seas is designed for kids aged 0-6. On the Star of the Seas, they plan to expand the play areas to better accommodate children up to 10 years old.
Even the Kids Club is getting a revamp. Royal Caribbean has announced plans to enhance the space by incorporating more hands-on, analog play options, shifting the focus away from video games and computer-based activities.
Royal Caribbean plans to test facial recognition stateroom doors in select areas, and the Ultimate Family Townhouse is also set to receive an upgrade. There will also be updates to the Empire Supper Club, one of the most luxurious and highly praised restaurants aboard the Icon of the Seas. On the Star of the Seas, the restaurant will retain its signature concept but with a new twist, shifting its theme from New York to Chicago and rebranding as the Lincoln Park Supper Club.
Star of the Seas is expected to set sail on August 31, 2025. Are you excited for it? Make sure to send us a message and we will certainly do our best to book your spot there!
