Royal Caribbean
Icon of the Seas
- Cruises
- 14
- From
- $820
Ship comparison
Icon of the Seas vs Star of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Star of the Seas
- Cruises
- 17
- From
- $897
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Icon of the Seas is a mega Royal Caribbean ship carrying 5,610 passengers, in service since 2024. Star of the Seas is a mega Royal Caribbean ship carrying 5,610 passengers, in service since 2025.
Choose Icon of the Seas if you want better-rated entertainment, a better-rated spa and gym or a more family-friendly ship: it outscores Star of the Seas for entertainment (10.0 vs 8.0), spa & fitness (7.0 vs 6.0) and family friendly (9.0 vs 8.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Star of the Seas if you want more adventure and nature or more culture: it outscores Icon of the Seas for adventure & nature (6.0 vs 5.0) and cultural (6.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Icon of the Seas | Star of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Royal Caribbean | Royal Caribbean |
| Ship size | Mega | Mega |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2024 | 2025 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 250,800 | 250,800 |
| Passengers | 5,610 | 5,610 |
| Crew | 2,350 | 2,350 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 44.7 | 44.7 |
| Decks | 20 | 14 |
| Length | 1,192 ft | 1,196 ft |
| Beam | 213 ft | 219 ft |
| Speed | 25 mph | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | — |
| Cruises on sale | 14 | 17 |
| Upcoming sailings | 76 | 76 |
| Cruise lengths | 6 to 9 nights | 7 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $820 (better) | $897 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Icon of the Seas leads on 5 of the ten, Star of the Seas on 2, with 3 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Royal Caribbean
Icon of the Seas
The massive Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's newest megaship, made its maiden voyage in January 2024 as the world's largest cruise ship, clocking in with a gross tonnage of 250,800. It carries a whopping 5,610 passengers at double capacity, though the ship can squeeze in up to 7,600.
Sailing now
14 cruises on sale, from $820.
Royal Caribbean
Star of the Seas
Star of the Seas from Royal Caribbean is basically a floating resort on a scale that rewrites what “big ship” means.
Sailing now
17 cruises on sale, from $897.
Questions
Icon of the Seas or Star of the Seas?
Which is bigger, Icon of the Seas or Star of the Seas?
They are the same size, 250,800 gross tons each. Icon of the Seas carries 5,610 passengers and Star of the Seas carries 5,610.
Which ship is newer, Icon of the Seas or Star of the Seas?
Star of the Seas is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2025 against 2024 for Icon of the Seas.
Which has more space per passenger?
They are level at 44.7 gross tons per passenger.
Which has more crew per passenger?
They are level, with one crew member for every 2.4 passengers.
Which is better for families?
Icon of the Seas scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 9.0 out of 10, against 8.0 for Star of the Seas.
Still deciding?
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