Royal Caribbean's next massive ship will sail from Port Canaveral with a dog and a Chicago-themed restaurant

20.08.2024 - 17:04 / thepointsguy.com / Royal Caribbean / Jay Schneider

Get ready, Orlando: Royal Caribbean is basing another massive cruise ship in Port Canaveral beginning in 2025, and it will have a resident canine and a super-exclusive supper club that's an ode to the Windy City.

Star of the Seas, which sets sail next summer, will bring with it a slew of innovations that debuted on what is currently the world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas — but with a few adjustments. Largely, though, the line says the original implements have been a tremendous success, leaving little that needs to be tweaked.

"With Icon just coming out, we wanted a little time to learn what was working, and it's turned out — I don't want to say everything is working, but instead I'll say — everything is working," Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's chief product innovation officer, said during an interview with TPG. "The ship has done so well resonating with our guests across the board. New concepts are doing phenomenally well."

Here's what will carry over from Icon of the Seas, what's new and what you can expect from Star of the Seas' itineraries.

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One of the most talked about aspects of Icon of the Seas is its chief dog officer, Rover. Yes, you read that correctly: There's a dog who lives on board and interacts with passengers. The concept has gone over so well that a second dog, Sailor, has been "hired" to fill the position on Star of the Seas.

"That program ... has been very successful, so we're excited to add the next chief dog officer to our fleet," Schneider said.

As with its Icon Class predecessor, Star of the Seas will focus heavily on youth and family with what Schneider said is an evolution of Surfside, the line's first purpose-built family neighborhood. The outdoor space, which takes up most of Deck 7, features a carousel, an arcade, a candy and ice cream shop, family-friendly food and drink outposts and the ship's family playground and water park area.

Star of the Seas will also see the return and full rollout of kid tracking. Using free wearable technology, parents can opt in to track their children's whereabouts while on the ship.

The wildly popular AquaDome — an indoor space covered by a glass dome — will also make a return appearance. As on Icon of the Seas, it will house the ship's AquaTheater high-dive and acrobatic shows, as well as the AquaDome Market, Royal Caribbean's first food hall concept.

A popular new addition to Icon of the Seas was the highly exclusive Empire Supper Club, a for-fee, adults-only, formal restaurant with a 1930s New York City theme. It features both food and entertainment in an intimate setting that accommodates just 38 people per night. The venue's eight-course meal costs