POINTE BLANCHE:--- Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest and the world’s largest cruise, the Icon Class super-sequel, will call at Port St. Maarten on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
Preparations for the visit of what is considered a ‘floating city’ have been taken by Port St. Maarten Group (PSG). The vessel is currently on its first voyage. It can host up to 5,610 guests (double occupancy) with a maximum capacity of 7,600 passengers in addition to 2,350 crew members.
The mega ship started its maiden voyage on August 31 when it departed from Florida’s Port Canaveral. The ship offers four different itineraries for the Eastern Caribbean and one for the Western Caribbean. All voyages are for a period of seven days.
“Destination St. Maarten is proud to welcome the iconic Star of the Seas to our shores on Thursday, September 11th. The arrival of this state-of-the-art vessel is a momentous occasion that reaffirms our island’s position as a premier cruise destination in the Caribbean.
“We are incredibly proud to be among the first ports of call for this highly anticipated ship, and we are confident that its passengers will enjoy the unique blend of breathtaking beaches, vibrant culture, and warm hospitality that makes St. Maarten so special.
“We look forward to a continued long and successful partnership with Royal Caribbean and the Star of the Seas, as we continue to grow and strengthen our vital cruise tourism sector,” PSG Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alexander Gumbs said on Monday.
It took two years to construct Star of the Seas at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.
Star of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s third ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The vessel has environmental programs with applications ranging from waste heat recovery systems to shore power connections.
The vessel has a gross tonnage of 248,663 and shares the title of the largest cruise ship in the world with her sister ship, Icon of the Seas. The ship was built at the cost of 1.74 billion Euros and is 1,196.9 feet long, 159.1 feet wide and a draught of 31 feet.
The iconic class vessel advances Royal Caribbean Group’s journey toward introducing a net-zero cruise ship by 2035. The company is also set to deliver their fourth ship powered by LNG with Legend of the Seas, the third Icon Class set to debut in 2026.
Royal Caribbean has delivered memorable vacations for more than 50 years and caters to more than 300 destinations in 80 countries on all seven continents. The cruise line has been voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 22 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers' Choice Awards.
