A Star is Born

Janet and I aren’t into big cruise ships anymore. Sure, they were great when our kids were little because there was so much for the whole family to do. But now that the kids have grown up and moved out, those huge ships just don’t fit what we’re looking for in a cruise vacation. That said, a lot of our clients love big ship cruising, so we make sure to keep up with the latest trends.

Last week we did just that by sailing on a three-night preview cruise aboard the world’s newest and biggest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas. This exclusive event was for select travel advisors and media, giving us a taste of all the ship has to offer before she starts carrying a full complement of passengers. We even had the opportunity to meet and speak with members of the engineering teams still onboard, fine-tuning systems before the official inaugural cruise.

With my preference for smaller ships, I was prepared to hate the experience. What I realized was that big ship cruising is all about leaning into the size, accepting the crowds in exchange for the features big ships can offer that smaller ships can’t. To be fair, our cruise sailed with a full crew but only a bit over half the passengers Star of the Seas is expected to carry once she begins regular service. Big ship cruising is still not for me, but I have a better appreciation for why it appeals to so many.

Star of the Seas stays true to the Royal Caribbean brand…if you’ve cruised on any of Royal Caribbean’s big ships recently, you’ll find Star of the Seas familiar but with some unique features. Instead of detailing every activity, public venue, and restaurant, I’ll provide an overview of the ship, highlight what stood out positively along with what didn’t.

By the Numbers

·       Size: 248,663 GTD

·       Length: 1,196 feet

·       Width: 219 feet

·       Draft: 29 feet

·       Passenger Capacity: 5,610 (double occupancy), up to 7,600 (maximum)

·       Crew: 2,350

·       Dining Venues: 13 complimentary, 15 specialty restaurants (extra fee)

·       Bars and Lounges: 19

·       Entertainment Venues: 25

·       Pools & Whirlpools: 7 pools, 10 whirlpools

·       Neighborhoods: 8

·       Stateroom Categories: 2,805 staterooms (including 179 suites), in 28 categories

Highlights

Anytime we board a new cruise ship, Janet and I make it a point to explore all public areas before we do anything else. It helps us orient ourselves with the ship and allows us to get around throughout the rest of our cruise without getting lost. Which on a ship as massive as Star of the Seas is easy to do. We packed a week of exploring into three busy days…I logged 15,000 steps on my Fitbit the first day, and 10,000 steps on the other two days of our cruise. Because our cruise was an industry-oriented event, in addition to the public areas we were able to tour staterooms in each of the ship’s 28 categories…more steps. Here are some of the things we liked about Star of the Seas:

Family Focus: The ship caters to families with activities for all ages from sun-up to well past sun-down. From adrenaline-producing water slides to age-appropriate kids’ centers, the variety keeps everyone engaged. Though full capacity sailings will mean crowds and lines, the family-friendly environment stands out. With our cruise being an industry-only sailing there weren’t many kids, but it wasn’t hard to see how families will enjoy cruising on Star of the Seas. I particularly liked that there are adults only areas on the ship for those traveling without kids, or for adults wanting some precious alone time while the kids enjoy the many age-appropriate activities the kids programming offers in a supervised environment.

Elevators: I never would have thought a ship’s elevators would be a highlight, but on Star of the Seas they are. There are two elevator banks on the ship, one forward and one aft. Each bank has 11 elevators surrounded by a large lobby area on each floor. Best of all, the entire system is tied together through a “smart call” system where guests select floors on keypads in the lobby area. The system assigns you an elevator closest to the keypad you used to call the elevator, and based on the floor you are located and the floor you want to get to. It lets you know as soon as you make your selection which car you are assigned so you can be ready to board as soon as your elevator arrives. The elevator call system is programed to limit stops and reduce waiting times. It worked well throughout our cruise, and a member of the design team told us tweaks are coming to achieve even greater efficiency. This automated system is a major improvement over traditional elevator button pushing, where you wait as multiple elevators pass you by before one stops, only to find it is packed full and with the buttons for every floor pressed. There is even an express option for guests in a wheelchair or scooter.

Neighborhoods: Star of the Seas designers followed the approach Royal Caribbean pioneered on their Oasis class ships, with the concept of neighborhoods to bring like-minded guests together and to distribute the guests evenly throughout the ship. Each neighborhood caters to different moods and guests, from family fun and adventure to party zones to exclusive luxury and serene adult spaces, there is a pace and a space for everyone. Here is a brief description of each of Star of the Seas’ neighborhoods:

·       AquaDome: Located forward on Decks 14 and 15, this space features a dramatic dome with incredible ocean views, jaw dropping entertainment, and casual dining. Unlike Oasis class ships, the Aquadome is located at the bow and it is covered, allowing the aqua show to go on rain or shine.

·       Central Park: An open-air setting lined with real plants and trees. Central Park is located on Deck 8 midship and offers restaurants, live music, and more in a relaxing outdoor environment.

·       Chill Island: Spanning Decks 15–17, this relaxation zone boasts multiple pools, including the largest at sea, whirlpools, and the first swim-up bar at sea, cleverly titled “Swim and Tonic.”

·       Thrill Island: This adventure zone on Decks 16–17 is home to the Category 6 Waterpark, six waterslides, FlowRider surfing, rock climbing, sports courts, and an impressive mini-golf course. Don’t be surprised if you hear screams coming from the many adrenaline producing attractions. But not to worry…they will be screams of joy.

·       Surfside: Designed for young families and found aft on Deck 7, Surfside features splash areas, a carousel, arcade, and dining options tailored for kids and parents. It’s reminiscent of spending the day at your favorite oceanside resort.

·       Suite Neighborhood: A four-deck VIP enclave (Decks 16-19) for suite guests, with exclusive pools, dining, and The Grove sun deck. Access to this neighborhood is key card controlled and limited to guests who book suites, giving them a more intimate ship within a ship feeling.

·       Royal Promenade: A lively central avenue lined with bars, lounges, casual dining, entertainment venues with live music nightly, and shops.

·       The Hideaway: An adults-only retreat aft on Deck 15, featuring a suspended infinity pool, bar, sun terrace, and DJ music. Although there weren’t many kids on our cruise, there will be when the ship sails full, and this is the place adults can go when they want some relaxing alone time.

Dining Variety: A range of complimentary dining venues provides guests with options beyond the main dining room. I loved the AquaDome Market, a food court-style area where you can get everything from an authentic Mediterranean Doner Kabob to good old southern BBQ. This area offers street food at its best. Janet's favorite was the Crepe Bar, which was open until 11PM and became her go to place each night for dessert. Star of the Seas also features 14 specialty restaurants scattered throughout the ship. These venues come with an upcharge, but they are always a hit with us. Specialty dining offers a more intimate setting with elevated food offerings that are well worth the extra cost.

Activities: The ship offers a wealth of activities and thrills. These include waterslides, an escape room, laser tag, a surf simulator, ping pong areas that are enclosed so players don’t have to run across the deck chasing down errant ping pong balls, mini-soccer tables, mini-golf, and a family friendly Sports Bar. The fitness center is huge, on par with a land based gym, with free weights, dumbbells, kettle bells, weight machines, and treadmills and step climbers with a view.

The most thrilling attraction on Star of the Seas is the “Crown’s Edge,” a walk-the-plank experience where guests hop from one plank to the next. Sounds easy, but with the planks spaced apart just far enough to leave you unsure if you’ll make it, vertigo is not your friend. Oh, and the planks are situated over the side of the ship with nothing between them but the open ocean rushing below. Danger is a clever illusion though, as you are secured to the ship by a safety harness. The walk ends in a scream-worthy thrill as the final plank drops out from under you. Rather than falling to the sea far below, your harness takes you on a brief, but exhilarating zip line ride back to the safety of the ship. Unique and fun for those brave enough.

Entertainment: Shows are always a highlight for us on Royal Caribbean cruises, and one of the benefits of big ship cruising. The entertainment on Star of the Seas was top-notch with the main attractions being an ice show, a Broadway musical, and a water show. The ice show "SOL" featured incredible acrobatics that don’t seem possible from people on ice skates, with a themed storyline that entertains as much as it thrills. The main theater offers the Broadway musical, "Back to the Future” tailored for cruise ship production. It featured impressive special effects and a talented ensemble cast with a live orchestra and a storyline that stayed true to the original movie and Broadway musical but with a 100 minute run time. The aqua show “Torque” is a high energy combination of style, acrobatics, and sheer athleticism. From thrilling high dives, mesmerizing synchronized swimmers, and an incredible acrobatic and balance routine, the show is amazing. Unfortunately, the performance on our cruise was beset with technical issues as engineers worked to fine tune the many moving parts involved with multiple stage transitions from a flat deck to a wading pool, to a deep-water pool suitable for the high-diving portions of the show. In spite of the technical glitches, we saw enough to be awed and were left wanting more.

Lounges on Star of the Seas are more than just bars…they are live music entertainment venues as well. Guest favorites included the Dueling Pianos Lounge which always attracted a crowd on our cruise, and Lou’s Jazz and Blues Bar. There’s also a family Karaoke venue, Comedy Club, and so much more…you’ll have to book a cruise to see for yourself.

Spacious Public Areas and Stateroom Variety: Public areas feel roomy, with many quiet corners available when you want to escape the crowds. There are 28 categories of staterooms and suites, offering something for every taste in a range of price points. Stateroom sizes are standard for cruise ships, which is to say compact but adequate. Power outlets are conveniently positioned around the cabin with both US standard outlets and USB ports. For those who use a CPAP, there is a bedside AC outlet built into the nightstand which does away with the need for an extension cord.

Chief Dog Officer: Navy ships have a Command Duty Officer (CDO) who is responsible for exercising command and control of the ship in the absence of the Commanding Officer and Executive Officer. Royal Caribbean’s Icon class ships take a whimsical approach to the CDO position, redefining it as the Chief Dog Officer. On Star of the Seas the CDO is a male golden retriever named Sailor. Special training helps Sailor deal with his life and duties at sea. Sailor cruises on every voyage and guests are encouraged to interact with him when they see him out on his daily rounds of the ship, adding a warm family-oriented touch to the ship.

Lowlights

There weren’t many lowlights on our cruise. Mainly because we sailed with a full crew but a passenger load that was just over half the ship’s maximum capacity. Still, it wasn’t too difficult to see where a full ship would present challenges that engineering can only do so much to mitigate. Here are a few of the lowlights we encountered:

Price: Cruising in general has gotten more expensive than when we cruised mass market lines with our kids, even allowing for inflation. Cruising on a ship that offers all the features of Star of the Seas comes with an even heftier price tag. By the time you factor in the cruise fare, gratuities, drink package (or a weeklong bar tab), wifi, shore excursions, and assorted onboard upcharges and fees, a family of four in an ocean view cabin will spend close to $12,000 for their weeklong vacation. Of course, it will all be cleverly packaged to make you think you are spending far less, but it all adds up. Balcony cabins and suites push prices higher, with the Ultimate Family Townhouse averaging $80,000 for a family of 8. Despite these prices, the ship is expected to sail at or near max capacity most of the time.

Itineraries: Star of the Seas will sail classic 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean routes, so itinerary options offer nothing new for seasoned cruisers. All voyages include a stop at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island. CocoCay has expanded from a no-fee simple but relaxing beach break as it was when we first cruised, to a commercialized theme park where the most popular activities come with added fees. Multiple ships visit CocoCay daily, easily reaching the island’s 13,000-guest maximum capacity, so guests should expect crowds.

Main Dining: The main dining room experience was disappointing. Cruise ship dining is no longer the three hour six-course indulgence it once was, but today’s busy families aren’t looking for that. Neither do they want the self-service buffet food you get in the Windjammer café every night. What they get in the main dining room is fast-paced table side service with mediocre food ordered from the same menu Royal Caribbean offers on most of their big ships. I was hoping for more imagination from the menu and better-quality from the galley. I didn’t get either.

Pools: The ship boasts 7 pools which sounds like a lot, but they are configured more for wading and lounging than swimming. Most offer shallow wading areas filled with water loungers and surrounding a plunge area with water deep enough for cooling off, when they aren't too crowded, but too small for much else. Lap swimmers will be disappointed as none of Star’s pools are configured with swim lanes…they just aren’t wide enough. The whirlpools stayed less busy than the pools on our cruise, but on a full ship they will be packed. Whirlpools tend to become hangouts for tweens and teens when the ship is full and kids roam freely.

It’s a Wrap

Janet and I recognize Star of the Seas as a marvel of modern cruise ship engineering—immense size, packed with features catering to family members of all ages and interests. While the ship delivers excellent entertainment, spacious public zones, and thoughtful design elements like smart elevators and themed neighborhoods, it also faces challenges with cost, crowds, and limited itineraries. For those who want the latest in large-scale cruising amenities, are willing to lean into the crowds, and can handle the price, Star of the Seas offers an impressive experience. It may not be ideal for all travelers, particularly those preferring the intimacy and relaxed luxury of a small cruise ship experience, but it is a great option for families wanting an action-packed vacation that will deliver memories for a lifetime.