As a yachting journalist, I’ve spent years waffling on about the perks of superyachts – such as absolute privacy and the chance to escape the masses. So, I was more than a little hesitant when Royal Caribbean invited me to experience a three-night inaugural Bahamian cruise aboard Star of the Seas, its newest flagship that sleeps 8,000 guests. My modus operandi was to find a quiet corner and a crisp glass of sauvignon blanc before cooling off with a dip in the sea. Would either one be possible aboard the world’s (joint) largest cruise ship?
For context, Star is the length of three football pitches. It’s the second vessel in Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class of ships, following the launch of Icon of the Seas last year. According to Royal Caribbean’s senior vice-president Jay Schneider, neither was designed to be the world’s biggest cruise ship, but “the best family vacation.” With two more ships in build, each costing $2bn (around £1.5bn) a pop, and 7.5 million people choosing to sail with the brand in 2025, it must be doing something right.
