Star of the Seas Wins Cruise Hive Best New Cruise Ship of 2025

Royal Caribbean International’s Star of the Seas has been named Best New Cruise Ship of 2025 in Cruise Hive’s annual reader-voted awards, taking 22.4% of the vote.

MSC Cruises’ MSC World America finished second with 19.8%, followed by Princess Cruises’ Star Princess at 16.4%. Voting ran from October 14 through December 19 and was limited to ships that welcomed their first guests during 2025.

Cruise Hive’s 2025 reader voting and where the top ships landed

Five ships led the balloting for Best New Cruise Ship of 2025, with a tight spread between the top two finishers.

• Star of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International): 22.4% of the vote, earning the 2025 title after entering service in late summer and launching operations from Port Canaveral.
• MSC World America (MSC Cruises): 19.8% of the vote, placing second in the new-ship category and also taking top honors in Cruise Hive’s separate Best Overall Cruise Ship award, which is open to ships of any age.
• Star Princess (Princess Cruises): 16.4% of the vote, finishing third among ships debuting during 2025.
• Norwegian Aqua (Norwegian Cruise Line): 13.7% of the vote, a new ship with a slightly modified design compared with its Prima-class siblings.
• Celebrity Xcel (Celebrity Cruises): 11.2% of the vote, an Edge-series ship that began its maiden season in November with Caribbean sailings from Fort Lauderdale.

Additional ships receiving votes included Disney Destiny, Brilliant Lady, Viking Vesta, Allura, and Mein Schiff Relax.

Delivery, showcase sailings, and the ship’s maiden season from Port Canaveral

Star of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s second Icon-class ship and was built by Meyer Turku in Finland. The ship was delivered to Royal Caribbean on July 10, following sea trials in June.

Before its published maiden departure, Royal Caribbean scheduled a series of four short showcase sailings. Port Canaveral held a “wave out” event on August 16 tied to the showcase program, and the ship’s first official sailing with a published maiden departure left Port Canaveral on August 31, 2025.

In its maiden season, Star of the Seas is operating alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries with Sunday departures. Each itinerary includes a call at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private destination in the Bahamas.

Size, capacity, and headline onboard attractions

Star of the Seas is listed at 248,663 gross tons and is among the largest cruise ships in service, sharing “world’s largest” billing with its sister ship, Icon of the Seas. Cruise Hive Awards coverage also described the ship as a 250,800-ton vessel.

The ship is designed for 5,610 guests at double occupancy and up to 7,600 guests at maximum capacity, served by more than 2,300 crew members.

Onboard features highlighted in reports include a multi-neighborhood layout (including eight neighborhoods), the Thrill Island waterpark, a FlowRider surf simulator, the Crown’s Edge ropes-style attraction, and a promenade centerpiece referred to as the Pearl. Coverage of the ship’s dining program also cited 27 dining venues.

How the win fits into Cruise Hive’s recent new-ship history

Star of the Seas follows Icon of the Seas, which won Cruise Hive’s Best New Cruise Ship award for 2024. Cruise Hive’s results also extend Royal Caribbean’s track record in the category: the line has now won five times since the award began in 2015, edging Carnival Cruise Line, which has four wins over the same period.

Recent winners cited in Cruise Hive’s historical recap include Royal Caribbean ships Anthem of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, Icon of the Seas, and Star of the Seas, as well as Carnival ships Carnival Horizon, Carnival Panorama, Mardi Gras, and Carnival Celebration. Cruise Hive also noted a tied year in 2017, when Norwegian Joy and MSC Seaside shared the honor.

The broader 2025 newbuild field: 13 ships across multiple market segments

The reader-voting pool drew from a busy year for deliveries, with 13 new cruise ships entering service in 2025 across contemporary, premium, luxury, and expedition brands.

Among the year’s debuts were MSC World America, built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique and beginning its inaugural season from Miami in April, and Norwegian Aqua, a 3,571-guest ship that debuted on Caribbean itineraries sailing from Miami and Port Canaveral. Star Princess was identified as Princess Cruises’ second Sphere-class ship, debuting in the Mediterranean before repositioning to the Caribbean.

Elsewhere in the market, the year’s introductions included TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff Relax, Oceania Cruises’ Oceania Allura (an upscale 1,200-guest ship), The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Luminara, Viking Vesta, and Disney Destiny, Disney Cruise Line’s third Wish-class ship, debuting in November with cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean from Port Everglades. Expedition and small-ship activity included SunStone Ships’ Douglas Mawson, later debuting for charterer Aurora Expeditions, and Windstar’s Star Seeker, which began with a trans-Atlantic crossing ahead of Caribbean sailings.

Japan-based Asuka Cruises also debuted Asuka III, its first new vessel in over three decades, signaling renewed commitment to the East Asian market.

No official statement from Royal Caribbean International or Cruise Hive was included in available reports. With Star of the Seas now holding Cruise Hive’s 2025 new-ship title, the vessel is continuing its Port Canaveral rotation of alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean seven-night itineraries as the industry looks ahead to the next wave of ships entering service in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When did Star of the Seas begin sailing from Port Canaveral?

After delivery on July 10, 2025, Star of the Seas operated short showcase sailings in August. The ship’s first official sailing with a published maiden departure left Port Canaveral on August 31, 2025.

What itineraries does Star of the Seas sail in its maiden season?

The ship sails seven-night Caribbean cruises with Sunday departures, alternating Eastern and Western itineraries. Each itinerary includes a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas.

How many new cruise ships entered service in 2025?

Thirteen new vessels were delivered and entered service during 2025, spanning large contemporary ships, premium brands, luxury-oriented ships, and expedition-focused vessels.

What’s next in 2026 for cruise ship launches?

Some highly anticipated ships set for 2026 include Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas, MSC World Asia, and Disney Adventure. Industry watchers have also speculated that Legend of the Seas may continue the winning streak of the Icon class.