Cruising has certainly come a long way. Star of the Seas, the largest cruise ship on the planet, has taken entertainment and dining to a level that past generations of cruisers couldn’t even fathom. I brought my mother along to check out the new 20-decker, and we kept coming back to the same conclusion, “They’ve thought of everything.”
We barely scratched the surface of experiencing everything Star has to offer, but here are some highlights from our voyage.
Roomy With a Roomie
With 2,805 staterooms, there are plenty of room configurations available on Star. For our trip, we stayed in an Ocean View Balcony room on Deck 7. These rooms clock in at around 200 square feet and feature a king bed and a sofa bed. There were two closets and plenty of nooks and hooks to hang and store all of our necessities, which kept the clutter at bay. There was a balcony, a lighted mirror and desk for getting ready, and even a bench in the shower. (Helpful hint: Pack your favorite shampoo and hair conditioner to soften the effects of that glorious salty air.)
Eating Around the World
For dinner, we repeatedly ate at the large buffet, the Windjammer, but there are over 40 restaurants, bars, and lounges on Star. The Windjammer’s theme switches daily, and the heavenly seafood options on embarkation day, including lobster tails, clams, and scallops, was an easy fave. French night was a close second, with dishes like Boeuf Bourguignon and Chicken Cordon Bleu. For sweet tooths, there were even crêpe stations and chocolate fondue fountains!
Another dining spot that made snacking easy and delicious was El Loco Fresh. This restaurant has a build-your-own nachos station as well as a tequila bar. The smaller Surfside Eatery had delicious options for breakfast like eggs your way, (yummy) bacon, and sausages, and I appreciated the ease of picking up a crudité snack pack before heading to my cabin at night from the Pearl Café.
Drinks? Don’t Mind if I do
Saying there are several sexy spots to grab a cocktail on this ship is quite an understatement. (Perhaps like saying I only tried one or two each night.) For those who prefer sitting barside and enjoying a tipple, this ship’s for you. There are also plenty of options for poolside (or in-pool) drinking. We started off with strawberry frozen daiquiris from the Lemon Post, a small bar that also offers non-alcoholic drinks for the kiddos.
For vibey drinking, the Aquadome, a stunning solarium on the top of the ship is the spot. It has gorgeous bars that serve coffee-infused drinks and their signature Overlook Spritz, a colorful drink with coconut rum, Lagoon Bay liqueur, and sparkling rosé.
After grabbing a glass of champagne from the walk-up bar in Central Park, a relaxing open-air space with plants and benches, you might be able to snag a seat at a charming bistro table while a harpist serenades you (all while thinking, “How am I even on a cruise ship right now?).
Pools, Pianos, and a Perfect Day
Chilling in a pool on a cruise ship to the tune of a Caribbean band just hits different. There are seven pools on Star, ten whirlpools, and so many spots to take in the views. There are waterslides, a cute miniature golf course (where my mom crushed me), a casino, a fitness center, a rock climbing wall, and all the opportunities to burn off those extra calories from the buffet.
For evening entertainment there are also a lot of options including a comedy show, an ice skating performance, an impressive aqua production complete with coordinated dives and synchronized swimming, and, in case you missed it on Broadway, “Back to the Future: The Musical.”
Our favorite was the the rollicking dueling piano show, and we went every night. The secret gets out quickly how fun this show is, so you’ll need to grab a seat early if you want to see the action.
On our short trip, we made one port of call to Royal Caribbean’s private Bahamian island, Perfect Day CoCoCay. Here, we spent the time at South Beach with its clear, shallow waters and swim-up tiki bar. I loved the serve-yourself fruit available nearby and the ease of grabbing a shuttle to and from the ship.
For this trip, I was lucky to have a travel companion who had an itinerary in mind, and I would definitely recommend taking a deep dive into the app to secure reservations before you set sail.
Star of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral with trips from three to seven nights to San Juan, St. Kitts, Cozumel, and CoCoCay.
