Royal Caribbean kicked off the countdown to a new era of family vacations, officially welcoming Star of the Seas into the family. After nearly two years of construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, the keys to the next revolutionary Icon Class ship were officially handed over to Royal Caribbean just a few weeks ahead of its August debut in Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida. In a ceremony truly fit for a star, 1,250-plus crew members and partners gathered to mark the milestone in the ship's next-level AquaTheater.
Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty and Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley, along with Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm, hosted the event, recognizing the hard work and innovation that brought Star to life and celebrating the team of engineers, designers and architects who made it all possible. Fleet favorites reimagined for the Icon Class round out vacationers' experience, including the Royal Promenade complete with floor-to-ceiling ocean views and the Pearl, the world's largest kinetic art sculpture; the open-air Central Park with more than 30,500 real plants; the new 1930's Chicago-inspired Lincoln Park Supper Club; convenient pick-up windows for sushi, champagne, sparkling wine and more. Plus, vacationers have more ways to stay across four decks at the Suite Neighborhood and amenities at the Grove Suite Sun Deckand two-level Coastal Kitchen.
Star will also be the vacation company's third ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and feature a proven lineup of industry-leading environmental programs. With applications ranging from waste heat recovery systems to shore power connection, Star will advance Royal Caribbean Group's journey toward introducing a net-zero cruise ship by 2035. The vacation brand is also set to deliver their fourth ship powered by LNG with Legend of the Seas, the third Icon Class vacation set to debut in 2026. In addition to Star, Royal Caribbean continues to expand upon its lineup of vacation experiences across the ultimate destinations with the December 2025 debut of Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in The Bahamas, delivering the ultimate beach day.
The adventures continue with Royal Beach Club Cozumel in 2026, Perfect Day Mexico in fall 2027 and an exclusive beach destination in Lelepa in the South Pacific in 2027.
