Royal Caribbean's giant new ship, Star of the Seas, arrived in Brevard County Aug. 9, and will provide another travel option for Florida cruisers.
Sailing out of Port Canaveral on Florida's east coast, the Star of the Seas offers multi-day cruises to both the eastern and western Caribbean, along with a visit to Royal Caribbean's private island, CocoCay.
Royal Caribbean sails out of four Florida ports.
Star of the Seas matches its sister ship, the Miami-based Icon of the Seas, as the world's largest cruise ship.
How many Florida ports does Royal Caribbean sail from?
Royal Caribbean offers cruises from four Florida ports:
Fort Lauderdale
Miami
Port Canaveral
Tampa
How many ships does Royal Caribbean have?
With more than 300 destinations from the Caribbean to Asia, Royal Caribbean has a lot of ships, but among the newest ships are:
Star of the Seas: Making its debut August 2025 from Port Canaveral.
Legend of the Seas: Debuting summer 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, and wintering 2026 in Fort Lauderdale.
Utopia of the Seas: Entered service in July 2024 out of Port Canaveral.
Icon of the Seas: Entered service in January 2024 from Miami. Was the first of Royal Caribbean's Icon class.
How big is Star of the Seas compared to Icon of the Seas?
Star of the Seas matches its sister ship, the Miami-based Icon of the Seas, as the world's largest cruise ship.
Both have 20 decks, with 2,805 staterooms. Both come in at 248,663 gross tons and are 1,196 feet long and 219 feet wide.
By the numbers: Take a look at Star of the Seas
20 decks, 18 for guests
2,805 staterooms
Guest capacity: 7,514
8 "neighborhoods"
Crew of 2,350
Rooms range from balcony staterooms to suites, connecting staterooms and two-level lofts.
Maiden voyage planned for Aug. 31, 2025
What to expect on Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas
The newest Icon class, Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas features:
Category 6: A waterpark described as the largest at sea with "six record-breaking slides"
Crown's Edge: a "challenge that’s part skywalk, part ropes course, part thrill ride and an all-out test of your courage" 154 feet above the ocean.
Flowrider: A 40-foot-long surf simulator.
Lost Dunes: Mini golf
Spashaway Bay: An aqua park for "pint-sized cruisers."
Adrenaline Peak: A rock climbing expedition "with unmatchable views from the top of the ship."
Sports Court: "We’ll bring the balls — you bring your A game," from basketball to volleyball.
Seven pools, including two for families, three for the "ultra chill," and two called the best spots for adults, along with a spa and 10 whirlpools.
Central Park: Enjoy a stroll through the largest “living park” at sea with gardens, trees, reading corners, dining and shopping options.
Pool decks — An all-you-can-swim buffet of pools with next-level
Dining, with "more than 40 ways to dine and drink."
Nightlife: Options include the Trellis Bar, Loui's Jazz 'N Blues, Rye & Bean, and Dueling Pianos.
Absolute Zero: Stunt-filled skating spectaculars on ice.
Aquadome: A 55-foot waterfall cascades from the ceiling as divers leap from 60 feet.
Back to the Future: From cult-classic movie to instant-hit musical, on a ship.
The ship also offers special venues for young children and teens.
Where do Star of the Seas cruises go?
After several initial short sailings of three or four nights, Star of the Seas will begin its regular schedule of seven-night sailings out of Port Canaveral to the eastern and western Caribbean and the Bahamas.
Among available ports of call, depending on the cruise, will be:
Royal Caribbean's private island, CocoCay
Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico
Roatan, Honduras
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Philipsburg, St. Maarten
Cozumel, Mexico
How much does a cruise on Star of the Seas cost?
Here's a range of cruises available on the Star of the Seas, along with the cost, based on Royal Caribbean's website Aug. 12:
3-night cruise: starting at $1,078 per person
4-night cruise: starting at $1,111 per person
7-night eastern Caribbean cruise: starting at $1,153 per person
7-night western Caribbean cruise: starting at $1,219 per person
Diana Ross named godmother of Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas
"The world’s best family vacation is about to take the stage — and it's getting a global music icon to set the tone," Royal Caribbean said as it introduced Diana Ross as the Star of the Seas' godmother.
"Her rich legacy of music and fashion, along with her deep love of family, makes her the perfect choice for this honor. Because a vacation this big — and a ship this monumental — deserves a godmother who owns the spotlight."
Ross will participate in the naming ceremony for Star of the Seas during an event in the ship's AquaTheater on Aug. 20 while the ship is docked at Port Canaveral.
'Sailabration' taking place for Star of the Seas at Jetty Park
A STAR-studded Sailabration is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 16, at Jetty Park as Star of the Seas heads out of Port Canaveral.
The event starts at 3:30 p.m. and will feature a live DJ, food trucks and ice cream, along with giveaways.
Spectators will need an annual or day pass to get into Jetty Park. To purchase one, go to shop.portcanaveral.com.
Contributing: Dave Berman, Florida Today
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas now in Port Canaveral, Florida
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