Star of the Seas: Full Overview & Tour Impressions

This was my first-ever ship tour, and it did not disappoint. Star of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's largest ship in the fleet — and "big" doesn't quite cover it. Built across 20 decks and organized into eight distinct neighborhoods like Thrill Island, Chill Island, Surfside, the Royal Promenade, and the AquaDome, the ship can carry a maximum of over 7,500 passengers. It is enormous, and genuinely beautiful.

I will admit I had some hesitation going in. I tend to gravitate toward smaller ships and figured a vessel this size might feel overwhelming. But Royal did something smart here: the whole ship is broken up into those neighborhoods, each centered around a type of activity or dining experience. It changes how the size actually feels day to day, because you are not navigating one massive continuous ship — you are moving between distinct, smaller-feeling zones.

A lot of those neighborhoods are also built around passenger type, not just theme. There is a neighborhood dedicated to young kids, a waterpark area aimed at tweens, teens, and the young-at-heart adults who want in on it too, and multiple adults-only sections — like The Hideaway, an adults-only suspended pool — for anyone who just wants a quiet afternoon with a book.

Dining

The included dining options are more extensive than a typical cruise ship's standard lineup.

The three-story main Dining Room sits at the aft of the ship across decks 3 to 5, anchored by a large chandelier, and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Windjammer Marketplace fills the buffet role on Deck 15, with both indoor and outdoor seating and the expected rotation of hot and cold dishes from around the world.

I had lunch in the Windjammer myself on embarkation day, and having sailed multiple Royal Caribbean ships before, I know the format well. The buffet had a seafood section that day — lobster tails included, which was a nice surprise. As our group was leaving around 12:15, several hundred people were waiting to get in. The Windjammer was at full capacity.

My practical tip for embarkation day

Do a little homework on the other complimentary dining venues before your cruise. On embarkation day especially, there was no wait and plenty of open seating at the other included spots while the Windjammer was packed:

• Park Cafe in Central Park — made-to-order sandwiches and salads
• El Loco Fresh on Chill Island — Tex-Mex favorites
• Pearl Cafe on the Royal Promenade — open around the clock for coffee, snacks, and pastries
• 24/7 room service — available for a small fee

Spreading out to the lesser-known options is not a downgrade. It just means you are not standing in a crowd waiting for a table.

Specialty dining

For a step up, the specialty dining scene leans into variety. Lincoln Park Supper Club offers gourmet cuisine paired with live jazz, while Izumi covers Asian-inspired dishes and sushi. The AquaDome Market — a food hall concept that debuted on Icon of the Seas — brings together several small stations serving made-to-order barbecue, Mediterranean, and Asian dishes, plus a dedicated crepe stand.

Suite guests get their own dedicated venue too. Coastal Kitchen serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner for most suite tiers, though Sea Tier Suite guests can only dine there at dinner. Popular specialty spots tend to book up fast, so reserving ahead before the cruise even starts is worth doing.

Activities

Activities are where the ship really shows off its scale. Beyond the thrill factor, there are quieter, more serene spaces too.

Chill Island packs in seven pools, whirlpools, and the Swim & Tonic swim-up bar, alongside The Hideaway adults-only suspended pool. For bigger adrenaline moments, Pressure Drop is billed as the first drop slide at sea, and the Crown's Edge skywalk and ropes course adds another high-thrill option.

Rounding things out are the Category 6 waterpark, the FlowRider surf simulator, mini-golf, sports areas, and entertainment venues like the AquaTheater and Royal Theater for shows.

A ship built for families — without sacrificing adult space

Families are clearly a big focus of the design. Splashaway Bay offers all-ages splash fun, and the neighborhood layout means kids' clubs, teen hangouts, and adult-only retreats can all coexist without constantly overlapping.

It is the kind of ship where a family can genuinely split up during the day — kids at the waterpark, teens on the FlowRider, parents at The Hideaway — and reconvene for dinner without anyone feeling shortchanged on their version of the cruise.

Rooms and Suites

The cabins are next-level. I say this every time I tour a newer ship, but the improvement in storage design keeps impressing me — every square inch is genuinely usable.

One clever structural detail on Star of the Seas: because the center of the ship is open-air, a lot of cabins that would have been windowless interior rooms on other ships actually have windows here, and some even have balconies overlooking that open center space.

The room range runs from budget-friendly to genuinely lavish. The no-extra-charge categories span simple interiors up through ocean-view and balcony rooms, while the upgraded suite tier delivers roomier layouts, larger terraces, and priority access perks.

We also toured the full suite lineup, and they are all thoughtfully laid out — large bathrooms, extra lounging space, and nice touches like luxury bathrobes. Some suites are set up as family cabins, with bunk beds tucked into their own little alcove and storage built right into the bed structure. Suite guests also get added perks like concierge support and priority boarding, making the higher-tier rooms feel like their own smaller cruise experience layered on top of the main ship.

Summary and Recommendation

Going in, I expected Star of the Seas' sheer size to work against it. Instead, the neighborhood concept is what makes the ship feel manageable rather than overwhelming — even for someone who normally leans toward smaller ships.

Dining and activities both deliver serious range, from quick casual bites to reservation-worthy specialty venues, and from high-adrenaline slides to genuinely quiet adult-only corners. The cabins, especially the suites, are some of the most thoughtfully designed I have toured, and the open-air center adding windows and balconies to what would elsewhere be interior rooms is a real standout feature.

My one practical piece of advice: skip the Windjammer on embarkation day if you can, since it fills up fast, and lean on the other complimentary venues instead. You will eat just as well with none of the wait.

Overall, I would recommend Star of the Seas without hesitation — for families especially, given how well the neighborhoods let different age groups do their own thing and still reconvene easily, but also for couples or adult travelers who want the option of a lively pool deck one afternoon and a quiet, adults-only retreat the next. It is a ship that earns its size rather than being weighed down by it.

If you are curious whether Star of the Seas is the right fit for your travel style or budget, I am happy to help you think through the options and find the itinerary that makes the most sense for your group.