The world's new largest cruise ship stars a DeLorean — and a dog
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Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas sets sail on its inaugural voyage on Aug. 31. Photo: Courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean's newest mega-ship, the Star of the Seas, is more than the world's largest cruise ship — it's a floating city where a flying DeLorean features in a full-scale Back to the Future musical.
Why it matters: The cruise industry is in an arms race of scale and destinations that shows no signs of letting up.
The big picture: Royal Caribbean Group is doubling down on its "vacation company" identity with Star of the Seas, which sails its maiden voyage Sunday from Port Canaveral after preview sailings. It follows last year's debut of Icon of the Seas that sails from Miami.
- Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, told Axios that the transition to a vacation company started with the development of private destinations like Perfect Day at Coco Cay and the Icon-class ships.
- "We recognized that this was no longer, in any way, a traditional cruise," Bayley said. "It was a brand-new collection of experiences that transcended cruise and moved totally into land-based vacation options."
By the numbers: Star weighs in at nearly 249,000 gross tons like the Icon, but the overall length at 364.83 meters — a mere 3 inches longer.
- Star has 20 decks with 2,805 staterooms and can carry as many as 7,600 passengers, plus 2,350 crew.
- There are 40 bars and restaurants, 10 hot tubs, seven pools and six waterslides — plus a 6-month-old golden retriever named Sailor, the line's second Chief Dog Officer.
💭 Kelly's thought bubble: Axios was on a preview sailing earlier this month, which sailed so smoothly it was easy to forget we were at sea.
- Cruisers were captivated, from "The Pearl" kinetic art sculpture when boarding to finding lobster tails at the embarkation buffet to entertainment that included the Torque water show in the Aquadome, the high-action Sol ice skating show and the adapted Broadway musical.
By the numbers: Prices for 7-night sailings vary by date and category of room, starting at $1,272 per person for an interior room to $5,938 per person for a suite, per the company's website.
Between the lines: Star's over-the-top offerings are all part of the industry's push to go bigger and grander.
- Norwegian's new Aqua has the "world's first hybrid roller coaster and waterslide;" Disney's Destiny, coming in November, leans on Marvel; and MSC's new World America targets the U.S. market.
- Carnival opened its 65-acre Celebration Key private destination in July, and Princess and Celebrity launch new ships this fall.
What's next: Royal Caribbean is preparing for the December opening of Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in The Bahamas, while the next Icon-class ship, Legend of the Seas, is under construction.
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