Recently in Port Canaveral, Florida, the largest Royal Caribbean Icon Class ship, Star of the Seas, made its debut with a cosmic naming ceremony. After nearly two years of construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, the Star of the Seas is now sailing on 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean adventures. Each cruise stops at the brand's fan-favorite Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.
Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty and Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley, recognized the hard work and innovation that brought Star of the Seas to life. They honored the team of engineers, designers and architects who made it all possible.
Inside the ship's stunning AquaTheater, they introduced the godmother of the ship, research astronaut Kellie Gerardi. She is the 90th woman to soar up in space, and is Virgin Galactic's first female payload specialist. She is also well known for her groundbreaking work on suborbital science missions and STEM advocacy. Her Instagram and TikTok posts inspire young women and people around the world.
Besides having a godmother, the ship also has Sailor, the Chief Dog Officer aboard the Star of the Seas. This adorable female golden retriever puppy brings comfort, joy, and tail wags to guests and crew.
Her daily meet-and-greet opportunities draw quite a crowd, especially when guests get the chance to pat her on the head and give her a belly rub. Sailor is the second Royal Caribbean Chief Dog Officer. The first Chief Dog Officer is Rover who commands the ship aboard the Icon of the Seas.
When the most luxurious family suite was designed as the Ultimate Family Townhouse, the Royal Caribbean team wanted to incorporate Sailor, because every home should have a dog. While it wasn't feasible for Sailor to live with guests staying in the suite, the design team decorated the interior corridor leading to the front door with paw prints and added a 'Sailor' mailbox.
The Ultimate Family Townhouse is located in the aft (back) starboard side of the Surfside neighborhood, it's an ideal location for families with teenagers and smaller children.
Surfside's layout is designed to keep the fun concentrated on one deck, with both water play, an arcade, shopping, a carousel to ride, bar and dining options close together. It’s the easiest deck to manage for families with young children and it's a fun spot for teens to enjoy a little independence with their peers.
The other entrance into the townhouse is outside at Surfside. There is a privacy white picket fence, surf-theme mailbox and gate door to use a keycard to enter.
A curved lit stairway leads guests-only up to the suite's main floor door.
Families up to 8 guests will never feel cramped in this 1,722 square feet townhouse. The colorful and very family-friendly design has areas for everyone to hang out together.
The ultimate cinema room is complete with stocked beverages, a coffee machine and popcorn maker. Other family bonding activities include a karaoke station and long game table that doubles as a dining area.
The resort-style spacious master retreat decoated in soothing marine colors is upstairs on the top level. Luxury bedding, a television, and a 90 sq. ft. balcony to open for fresh sea air and views of the ocean and Surfside.
This private room also has custom closets and its own ensuite bathroom with a resort-style walk-in shower with dual shower heads.
There is also a bright and colorful kids' bedroom nearby that can accommodate teenagers or two adults. The suite also offers a sofa bed for additional guests.
Each sleeping nook is attractively decorated in a nautical theme and offers its own television and plenty of storage.
The design to appeal to kids' is very playful and family-focused in bunk beds, decor, fixtures, and fun spaces.
Little ones can walk down the colorful carpeted musical stairs or take bright red tube slide to swoosh down to the main level.
There are three full bathrooms on two different levels. There is one on the main level and two upstairs. The creatively decorated kids' bathroom has double sinks.
It also has a bath and shower combo. This is ideal for little ones who prefer a bathtub, yet works well for teenagers and adults who prefer a shower. The decorative tile appeals to all.
The main level balcony is larger than most (410 sq. ft.) with a wraparound deck displaying a dining table, lounge seating and private jacuzzi.
Passengers in this Star Class suite receive a dedicated concierge and butler service, priority access and boarding, plus special privileges around the ship, reserved dining and entertainment.
Rates for this suite run very high with an estimated cost of about $70,000-$100,000 for up to 8 guests on a 7-night cruise. The rates vary depending on the sailing date. Given its features and appeal, it gets booked early and often. For the sister ship, Icon of the Seas, the Ultimate Family Townhouse was sold out for all of 2024.
Go to Star of the Seas to see for availability.
