World’s largest cruise ship to set sail from Florida on maiden voyage

Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Star of the Seas, will set sail from Florida on its maiden voyage, marking its debut as the world’s largest cruise ship alongside its sister vessel, Icon of the Seas.

The ship’s inaugural journey is a seven-night cruise through the Western Caribbean, with scheduled stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico, as well as Roatan in Honduras.

Spanning 20 decks, the vessel can carry 5,610 passengers at double occupancy and more than 7,000 at full capacity, supported by a crew of 2,350.

Onboard amenities include seven swimming pools, six waterslides, an ice rink, laser tag, an escape room, a surf simulator, and the Crown’s Edge aerial adventure course. Guests will also have more than 40 restaurants and lounges to choose from, including the newly introduced Chicago-inspired Lincoln Park Supper Club.

Like Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas is organised into eight themed neighbourhoods. Surfside caters to families with young children, while Central Park offers dining and entertainment. At the heart of the ship is the AquaDome — a 25-metre-tall, 50-metre-wide glass structure designed for water-based performances. Among its highlights is a specially adapted production of Back to the Future: The Musical, Newsweek reported.

Several enormous cruise ships have launched or are set to launch in 2025.

The Star of the Seas weighs in at 250,800 tonnes, slightly higher than The Icon of the Seas at 248,663 tonnes, three times the weight of the QE2.

Adventure will be the eighth cruise ship owned and operated by Disney Cruise Line, and its biggest yet. At 208,000 tonnes the ship is 342 metres in length and will accommodate around 6,000 guests.

Disney’s biggest cruise ship will make history this December as the first in the fleet to be permanently based in Asia. The vessel will operate out of Singapore, offering three to five-night voyages designed as “parties at sea” with no scheduled port calls.

Onboard highlights include the cruise line’s first-ever rollercoaster at sea, seven themed zones, and a Marvel-style studio where guests — adults included — can enjoy superhero makeovers. The ship also features Broadway-style stage productions and a range of staterooms and suites, some complete with private hot tubs.

The maiden sailing is scheduled for 15 December, a three-night inaugural trip from Singapore.

At 205,700 tonnes and stretching 333 meters, MSC World America is only slightly smaller than Royal Caribbean’s Icon-class giants. It is the second vessel in MSC Cruises’ World-class series, following World Europa, which entered service in December 2022. Unlike its sister ship that sails the Mediterranean, World America is bound for the US market.

Launching from Miami, the ship will operate alternating seven-night itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, with stops in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Honduras.

Spanning 22 decks, World America offers 19 restaurants, 20 bars and lounges, a waterpark, a Family Aventura theme park with the industry’s first over-water swings, plus shopping and live entertainment.