Star of the Seas in Cadiz.
Photo: Rubeen.serr Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0; crop by CruisePing
CruisePing verdict
Choose Star for Port Canaveral and its entertainment rather than its launch date.
Star of the Seas Cruise Ship at a Glance
| Cruise line | Royal Caribbean |
|---|---|
| Ship class | Icon Class |
| Entered service | 2025 |
| Gross tonnage | 250,800 GT |
| Length | 365 m |
| Guest capacity | 7,600 |
| Included dining | Main Dining Room, Windjammer, AquaDome Market, Surfside Eatery, Pearl Cafe, Park Cafe, El Loco Fresh and more |
| Alternative / speciality dining | Lincoln Park Supper Club, Chops, Izumi and other premium venues |
| Swimming pools | Seven pools and Category 6 waterpark |
| Hot tubs / whirlpools | Multiple whirlpools, with location and access varying by ship |
| Library | Limited |
| Staterooms / cabins | 2,805 |
| Passenger decks | 20 |
| UK departures | no |
Best suited to
Families combining Orlando or Port Canaveral with Icon Class attractions and ship-specific entertainment.
Think carefully if
Passengers expecting a fundamentally different ship from Icon of the Seas.
Star of the Seas is the second Icon Class ship and currently sails seven-night Caribbean holidays from Port Canaveral. Her value lies in Port Canaveral convenience, ship-specific dining and entertainment – not in a completely new layout.
The official Star of the Seas page highlights more than forty places to eat and drink, Lincoln Park Supper Club and Back to the Future entertainment alongside the shared Category 6, Surfside, AquaDome and neighbourhood design.
What changes from Icon of the Seas
Lincoln Park Supper Club replaces Icon’s Empire concept with 1930s Chicago style, live jazz and a multi-course paid dinner. Back to the Future gives Star a headline theatre production with strong family recognition.
Smaller changes appear across bars, menus and entertainment. They matter to repeat Royal passengers, but the core cabin, pool, waterpark and neighbourhood decision remains the same.
Port Canaveral is a practical advantage
Port Canaveral works well with Orlando flights and can support a combined cruise and theme-park holiday. It also adds hotels, transfers and peak family-travel pricing for UK passengers.
Compare Star’s total package with Icon from Miami and Legend from Europe. The best ship fare can be undone by the wrong airport and transfer plan.
Dining and cabins
Star retains the strong Icon Class included-food network. Most passengers can dine well without buying a package, then choose Lincoln Park or another speciality venue for one planned evening.
Cabin advice mirrors Icon: understand infinite balconies, neighbourhood views and suite tiers. A conventional ocean-view balcony remains the safest recommendation for adults, while Surfside accommodation can help young families.
Who should choose Star
Choose Star for Port Canaveral, Back to the Future, Lincoln Park Supper Club and a family holiday built around the Icon Class attractions.
Choose Icon when Miami or its original ship-specific experiences are more convenient. Choose Legend for Europe. Do not pay a large premium simply because Star entered service later.
Official planning links
Use the official Star overview, deck plans and Lincoln Park Supper Club guide.