Luxury Cruising Editorial

Royal Caribbean’s highly anticipated Star of the Seas will now debut sooner than originally planned, offering two additional cruises ahead of its official inaugural voyage.

The cruise line confirmed that the ship’s delivery has been expedited, allowing it to set sail on 23rd August 2025, a full eight days earlier than its previously rescheduled launch date.

As a result, two new showcase sailings have been added before the first full inaugural cruise on August 31.

The newly added voyages are both 4-night Bahamas cruises, departing from Port Canaveral on 23rd August and 27th August, 2025.

Each sailing will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island, with additional itinerary details yet to be confirmed.

These showcase sailings will not include the full inaugural cruise fanfare, but guests can still expect a celebratory atmosphere, warm welcomes from the crew, and the opportunity to experience the ship before the official maiden voyage.

Exclusive booking opportunity for inaugural guests

Royal Caribbean has extended an exclusive early booking window to passengers already booked on the 31st August inaugural sailing, allowing them to reserve one or both of the new showcase cruises.

Guests will be able to move their booking to an earlier date at no additional charge, with suite reservations held until 6th February to give passengers time to decide.

Those in Interior, Oceanview, and Balcony cabins can also switch sailings, though exact staterooms are not guaranteed.

Passengers who choose to sail on both a showcase sailing and the inaugural cruise can enjoy back-to-back voyages aboard the brand-new Icon-class vessel.

The second Icon-class ship, Star of the Seas, is currently in the final stages of construction at Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

She will follow in the footsteps of Icon of the Seas, which made waves when it debuted in January 2024 as the world’s largest cruise ship.

Star of the Seas will feature many of the same revolutionary experiences, including:

• Thrill Island Waterpark – the largest at sea
• Crown’s Edge Ropes Course – an adrenaline-pumping attraction
• AquaDome – featuring awe-inspiring aerial and aquatic performances
• A variety of entertainment venues and dining experiences
• The Ultimate Family Townhouse – a three-story family suite with direct access to Surfside, the ship’s dedicated family neighbourhood

Once in service, Star of the Seas will homeport year-round in Port Canaveral, Florida, offering alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, each including a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

It’s good news for Icon-class fans although it seems like the popularity of the class has dipped since Icon of the Seas first launched, with guest review scores tumbling…

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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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Celebrity Cruises has announced its highly anticipated entry into the river cruise market with Celebrity River Cruises, set to launch in 2027.

Expanding its signature luxury offerings, the brand will introduce a fleet of 10 transformative river cruise ships, initially focusing on Europe’s most iconic waterways.

Building on the sleek design and sophistication of Celebrity’s Edge Series ocean ships, the new river vessels will redefine the river cruising experience with an emphasis on elevated hospitality, immersive itineraries, and innovative ship design.

“We’re thrilled to announce our entry into the river cruise market through our Celebrity Cruises premium travel brand. Our guests and travel partners should expect us to do what we do best – innovate and elevate the river cruise experience as we meet the growing demand for intimate, culturally enriching travel experiences.”

Jason Liberty, President and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group

Celebrity Cruises’ move into river cruising is driven by market trends, with Liberty noting that half of Celebrity’s guests have either experienced or intend to take a river cruise holiday.

Leveraging its loyalty programs across the Royal Caribbean Group brands, Celebrity aims to strengthen customer engagement and offer seamless vacation options across its portfolio.

The new river cruise line will focus on providing an immersive, premium travel experience that mirrors the luxury of Celebrity’s ocean voyages. Guests will enjoy:

• Intimate and cultural itineraries: Sail through the heart of historic cities and picturesque landscapes.
• Locally-inspired cuisine: World-class dining that reflects the regions visited.
• 360-degree views: Innovative ship designs will prioritise panoramic views for guests to take in the beauty of each journey.

“Celebrity River Cruises will bring the quality and sophistication of our Edge Series ocean ships to the most iconic rivers, starting with Europe. We’ve redefined travel on the ocean with our best-in-class hospitality, award-winning food and beverage experiences, and elevated design and style. We are thrilled to bring these experiences to the river and combine them with authentic, destination-rich itineraries that will give our guests an experience unlike any other.”

Laura Hodges Bethge, President of Celebrity Cruises

While exact itineraries and ship details have yet to be revealed, the initial fleet will target Europe’s iconic rivers, including the Rhine, Danube, Seine, and Douro.

Each ship will cater to luxury travellers seeking intimate yet enriching cultural journeys.

With an emphasis on authentic local experiences and culturally immersive excursions, Celebrity River Cruises is expected to appeal to seasoned cruisers as well as new guests seeking a premium river cruise offering.

Celebrity River Cruises is poised to make waves in the river cruise market by combining its award-winning ocean cruise expertise with innovative designs tailored for river travel.

From the sleek and modern aesthetic of its ships to its signature personalised service, the brand aims to set a new standard for river cruising.

What do you think? Will you be interested?

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A Florida deputy, Francisco Melo, was arrested at Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Terminal A in Miami on January 23, 2025, for allegedly attempting to smuggle narcotics onboard Allure of the Seas.

The 36-year-old deputy, who was heading on a themed “Groove Cruise” electronic music festival sailing, is accused of concealing approximately 60 MDMA pills in bags of Skittles, with plans to sell them during the voyage.

Melo, who’d been working at Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office for six years, was apprehended after drug-sniffing dogs detected the pills in his luggage during a routine security screening at the port.

Investigators had been tracking him since December 2024, when an undercover operation revealed his alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

In a sting operation, Melo reportedly sold 12 MDMA pills to an informant, tipping off authorities about his cruise plans.

This prompted a coordinated effort by the Miami-Dade Police Force, DEA, and the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Public Corruption Prosecution Unit to monitor him at the terminal.

Sheriff condemns betrayal

“As sheriff, it’s my duty to make sure that our community can trust our deputies to protect them and uphold the law. Narcotics don’t just harm those who use them; they devastate families and fuel crime. No one is above the law, and this office will not tolerate criminal behavior from anyone, especially those entrusted to enforce it.”

Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz

Melo has since been relieved of duty and charged with possession, sale, and trafficking of a controlled substance. He was released on bond pending further legal proceedings.

The cruise, a 4-night event aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, departed Miami on 23rd January and features high-energy EDM parties and artist-hosted activities.

The itinerary included a call at Royal Caribbean’s private destination, Labadee, Haiti, on 25th January with the remaining days at sea.

While the 5,484 passengers onboard and others at PortMiami were never in danger, the cruise line worked closely with authorities to ensure safety.

Royal Caribbean has not commented on the arrest, but the incident highlights the robust security measures in place, including thorough screenings and document verification for all passengers and crew.

Authorities were prepared for Melo’s arrival after learning of his alleged activities and upcoming cruise.

Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean prioritise passenger safety through stringent pre-boarding protocols, including security screenings, luggage inspections, and, in some cases, background checks.

For instance, passengers with outstanding warrants, such as a recent December 2024 case involving a man who owed $100,000 in back child support, may be detained upon disembarkation.

Onboard security teams are also trained to handle incidents during voyages, including confining disruptive passengers to their cabins or detaining them in the ship’s brig.

While criminal incidents are rare within the cruising community, the arrest of Francisco Melo underscores the importance of security measures at ports and aboard cruise ships.

Guests can rest assured that cruise lines work tirelessly with authorities to maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for all passengers.

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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

Read more about me

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Royal Caribbean’s ship Icon of the Seas, the biggest cruise ship in the world, celebrated her first anniversary of cruising on 27th January but new data shows her popularity has plummeted.

According to average customer review scores, Icon of the Seas has fallen from being the most popular ship in the fleet after six months of sailing, to being 14th in the list after one year.

Every year I check the review scores for the biggest cruise lines across the main review websites – Cruise Critic, Cruiseline.com, and TripAdvisor.

I use all three to make sure that we get a good spread of scores, and that the average isn’t impacted by any biases on one website.

I then take the average score out of five for each ship and update my ranking articles – and was shocked to see such a dramatic fall for Icon of the Seas in 2025!

Some of the complaints about the ship, that have become more prominent as more and more guests experience her, include:

• The noise of the ship in general and how there aren’t many quiet places to unwind
• The “nickel-and-diming” onboard, as many features require an additional charge
• Unsurprisingly, the crowds

The ship is huge and it’s packed with attractions, but many guests feel like they can’t access them – a lot of reviews mentioned difficulty making dining reservations due to how popular each venue was.

It’s worth noting that the ship still has an overall positive score, with an average of 3.9 out of 5. However it’s still a significant drop from the 4.2 that the ship was averaging just six months ago.

The most popular ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, according to reviews, are most of the Oasis class, but it’s fascinating to see where both the newest ship Utopia of the Seas, and her slightly older sister ship Wonder of the Seas, also end up on the list.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Ships Ranked From Best To Worst (2025)

I was also shocked by some of the positions of the newest ships – take a look and let me know what you think!

The second Icon-class ship, Star of the Seas, is due to launch later in 2025 and it’ll be interesting to see where she places once she gets enough reviews to make her way onto the list.

Incidents in Icon of the Seas’ first year

Icon of the Seas made headlines several times during her first year of service, and while some incidents were minor, they may have contributed to her slipping reputation.

One of the most widely discussed events was a power outage that occurred during a Caribbean sailing in May.

Although backup systems quickly restored operations, the disruption left passengers stranded in common areas and restaurants for hours, sparking frustration that later showed up in reviews.

Despite these challenges, Royal Caribbean has continued to emphasize Icon of the Seas as a family-friendly destination, highlighting her unparalleled features such as the massive water park and record-breaking number of pools.

Time will tell if adjustments in operations and guest experiences can help her climb back up the rankings.

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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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