Nobody has to sacrifice space while traveling at sea with the entire family — if you’re willing to splurge.
The Ultimate Family Townhouse aboard Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas is a three-floor suite with an indoor slide, movie-viewing room, colorful kids’ bunk room and bathroom separate from the upscale primary bed and bath. In this luxe lair, guests will even find a private backyard with direct access to Star of the Seas’ Surfside neighborhood with its family-friendly pool, splash playground, and dining. A Royal Genie is at your beck and call to whisk you on and off the ship or bring you meals from specialty restaurants in your private dining room.
Makes you think differently about cruising on a ship with upwards of 6,000 guests, doesn’t it?
Luxury cruisers with kids are faced with a dilemma: The ships with the best kids’ clubs, onboard water parks, and wow-factor entertainment are huge and targeted at a more mass-market crowd. Upscale small-ship lines either actively discourage children or simply don’t prioritize the activity preferences of the under-18 crowd. In order to have a family vacation at sea, someone has to compromise.
Royal Caribbean doesn’t want that. With its Royal Suite Class, the cruise line strives to connect the dots, creating an upscale microcosm within its ships for luxury travelers. For cruising families, Star of the Seas, the line’s latest and greatest ship, can offer the right mix of high-end accommodations, VIP-only spaces and services, and Disney-level attractions to satisfy kids, parents, and grandparents.
Here’s what you can expect on board.
Epic Suites Accommodate Families in Style
The 1,772-square-foot Ultimate Family Townhouse is the ship’s signature suite, selling for $60,000 (or more) per week for a family of four, but it’s not the only super suite with the ship’s highest level of VIP amenities.
All suites labeled Sea or Star Class come with exclusive access to the Coastal Kitchen restaurant overlooking the Aquatheater for breakfast, lunch and dinner; an adjacent bar and lounge with a concierge desk; and a private two-level sun deck with hot tub, wading pool, cushy loungers, bar, and Mediterranean-inspired buffet restaurant.
Perks for these VIP guests include free Wi-Fi, express boarding and departure, priority dining reservations, and theater seating. Guests in the top Star Class suites (like the Ultimate Family Townhouse) receive a host of additional perks, such as the services of a Royal Genie (more than just a butler), complimentary or discounted specialty dining, and a free beverage package.
Family suites include rooms overlooking the Surfside family-focused deck, with a TV room in an alcove that can sleep two kids. Multi-deck loft suites, such as the Icon and Royal Loft Suites, can sleep four, as can Owner’s, Grand, and Sunset Corner Suites. Many of these are clustered around the suite areas on Decks 16 and 17.
Skip the Buffet for Specialty Dining
New on Star of the Seas is the Lincoln Park Supper Club, a three-hour, multi-course dinner paired with live jazz music and outstanding service and presentation. It’s the hottest reservation on the ship with only 38 seats, but suite guests get priority. Feed the kids early at the buffet or in your suite, send them to the kids and teen clubs for evening activities, and enjoy a grownup date night.
Star of the Seas’ specialty dining won’t score any Michelin stars, but the restaurants offer a more intimate dining experience than the massive main dining room and buffet. The hijinks at Izumi Hibachi and Sushi will impress the kids, and Pier 7 pairs California cuisine (fish tacos, Korean fried chicken) with kid favorites like chicken tenders and grilled cheese. Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen serves the best pizza on board.
Suite guests can also take all their meals in Coastal Kitchen, where the waiters will treat your kids like royalty and the menu rivals the ship’s specialty restaurants.
Private Island Beach Days Come With VIP Options
Most Star of the Seas itineraries include a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s incredibly popular private island. Here, too, travelers can seek out exclusive areas and VIP experiences.
Families can book a private cabana on the beach or at the water park for a shaded respite and food and drink service from the cabana attendant. For a more exclusive experience, guests can book a day pass or cabana at the Coco Beach Club.
The spacious overwater cabanas give Polynesian vibes and feature an outdoor couch, overwater hammock and a pool slide right into the sea. With or without a cabana, guests can dine on lobster and filet mignon at the clubhouse, float in the infinity pool and enjoy the lack of crowds at the club’s private beach.
Star of the Seas’ Unique Attractions Will Wow
The main reason luxury travelers should consider Star of the Seas is for the onboard attractions and performances. Royal Caribbean is practically unmatched when it comes to cruise ship entertainment.
Evenings are never dull on board. Star of the Seas offers a production of the Broadway musical, “Back to the Future,” and the sneak peek we saw featured superb acting and musical numbers. “Torque” in the Aquatheater is a high-energy mix of dancing, acrobatics, high diving, slack lining and synchronized swimming that will captivate the entire family for a full 45 minutes.
The lighthearted “Sol” is an Ice Capades-style show performed in Star of the Seas’ intimate ice rink. The surprise ending will leave you with wide eyes and gaping mouth.
The ship’s top decks are layered with a six-slide water park, rock climbing wall, surf simulator and Crown’s Edge, a thrilling sky walk/zip line that will test your fear of heights. Suite guests can choose to spend sea days tucked away at their own pool and sun deck or join their shipmates for thrilling playtime at the open-air attractions.
Families with young kids will likely spend their days at Surfside, with its carousel, climbing structure and water fun. Programming ranges from parties with face painting to evening story time. Parents can also drop kids off at the sprawling Adventure Ocean facilities, with its multipurpose play spaces, theater and lab, as well as dedicated rooms for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Teens can meet up in a secret club, then enjoy activities around the ship – leaving parents free to enjoy the ship’s spa and thermal suite or enjoy a night out at the ship’s many bars.
On Star of the Seas, the hardest part for luxury travelers isn't finding your people or your adventure — it's deciding when to leave your suite.