Royal Caribbean's upcoming colossal vessel will embark from Port Canaveral featuring a canine companion and a Chicago-inspired restaurant

Get ready, Orlando: Starting in 2025, Royal Caribbean will station another gigantic cruise ship at Port Canaveral, complete with a resident dog and an exclusive dining experience that pays tribute to the Windy City.

Star of the Seas, launching next summer, will introduce a variety of innovations that originated on the current world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas — albeit with some modifications. Overall, the cruise line reports that the initial features have been highly successful, requiring minimal adjustments.

"With Icon recently launched, we wanted some time to assess what was effective, and it’s turned out — I won't say everything is successful, but I can say — everything is performing well," said Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's chief product innovation officer, during an interview with TPG. "The ship has resonated exceptionally well with our guests across the board. New ideas are thriving."

Here’s what will be retained from Icon of the Seas, what’s new, and what you can look forward to in the itineraries of Star of the Seas.

What’s making a comeback

One of the highlights of Icon of the Seas is its chief dog officer, Rover. Yes, that's right: A dog resides on the ship and interacts with guests. This concept has been so successful that a second dog, Sailor, has been 'hired' for the role on Star of the Seas.

"That initiative ... has proven to be very successful, so we’re thrilled to welcome the next chief dog officer to our fleet," Schneider stated.

Similar to its Icon Class predecessor, Star of the Seas will place a strong emphasis on youth and family, featuring an evolved version of Surfside, the cruise line's first dedicated family area. This outdoor space, primarily located on Deck 7, includes a carousel, an arcade, a candy and ice cream shop, family-friendly dining options, and a playground with a water park.

Star of the Seas will also reintroduce and fully implement child tracking. With the use of free wearable devices, parents can choose to monitor their children's locations while onboard.

The immensely popular AquaDome — an indoor area topped with a glass dome — will be making a comeback. Like on Icon of the Seas, it will host the ship's AquaTheater, featuring high-dive and acrobatic performances, as well as the AquaDome Market, which is Royal Caribbean's inaugural food hall concept.

What’s different

A much-anticipated new feature of Icon of the Seas was the exclusive Empire Supper Club, a premium, adults-only restaurant styled after 1930s New York City. This intimate venue, accommodating just 38 guests each night, offers a unique blend of dining and entertainment, with an eight-course meal priced at $200 per person.

On Star of the Seas, this space will be rebranded as Lincoln Park Supper Club, offering a similar experience but with a new menu and decor inspired by Chicago. (Schneider also mentioned that the Supper Club will adopt a Hollywood theme on Icon 3, the yet-to-be-named third ship in Royal Caribbean's Icon Class, set to launch in 2026.)

"Our Supper Club concept was always intended to evolve," Schneider noted. "It's like ... following the sun, the rotation of the Earth if you will. We began in New York [with the Empire Supper Club] and now we’re moving to the Midwest; it’s relocating to Chicago."

According to Schneider, the venue will maintain the successful "eatertainment" concept seen on Icon, with the core experience remaining consistent.

"The changes will lie in the theme, decor, interior, music, and even the menu, which will embrace a Chicagoland vibe," Schneider explained. "As we progress to future Icon [Class ships], Icon 3, which is still unnamed, will transition to a Hollywood theme."

Additional enhancements include upgraded amenities for guests staying in the Ultimate Family Townhouse suites, which accommodate up to eight individuals. These lavish cabins are among the priciest at sea and feature separate sleeping areas for kids and adults, an in-suite slide, a movie room, a karaoke machine, and spacious living areas both indoors and outdoors. Specific details about the new amenities are yet to be disclosed.

Royal Caribbean will also broaden the options for play available in its Adventure Ocean kids clubs.

"We have numerous innovative technological activities for kids, but feedback indicates a desire for more traditional options," Schneider stated, adding that Star of the Seas will feature more classic non-digital games like foosball.

Passengers aboard Star of the Seas can look forward to more hot tubs than those available on Icon of the Seas, as well as what Schneider described as a "pearlier" version of the Pearl, an indoor sphere that serves as both a decorative staircase and a support structure for part of the ship.

Itineraries

Star of the Seas will set sail from Port Canaveral, joining Utopia of the Seas, which is located about an hour from Orlando, Florida's theme park hub.

"We're bringing the ultimate family vacation to one of the largest family markets in Orlando and Port Canaveral," Schneider stated, emphasizing Royal Caribbean's strategy to attract families visiting the area for reasons beyond just cruising.

Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean, echoed similar thoughts during a media briefing about Utopia of the Seas in July.

"One of the motivations for introducing this brand-new Oasis Class ship, Utopia of the Seas, to this market is our anticipation of significant demand from tourists coming to Orlando, whether for Disney or Universal," he explained.

Although Royal Caribbean has similar reasons for positioning both Utopia of the Seas and Star of the Seas in Port Canaveral, their itineraries will differ. Utopia will offer short cruises lasting three to four nights to the Bahamas, while Star of the Seas will embark on week-long voyages to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Eastern Caribbean cruises will include stops at ports such as Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Perfect Day at CocoCay, the line's exclusive private island in the Bahamas. The Western Caribbean routes are expected to visit popular destinations like Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Schneider mentioned that Star of the Seas will also visit Royal Caribbean's upcoming Royal Beach Clubs, which are set to open in the Bahamas and Cozumel in 2025 and 2026, respectively.

Meanwhile, Icon of the Seas will continue to operate seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages from Miami, featuring a broader range of ports than Star of the Seas. Notable examples include St. Kitts and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands; St. Maarten, the Dutch side of St. Martin; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico; Perfect Day at CocoCay; and Labadee, Haiti, another Royal Caribbean private destination.

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