Star Of The Seas Rooms: How To Pick The Best Stateroom

Something that distinguishes a cruise ship — especially a 20-deck mega-ship — from a beach resort is the breadth of room types you'll find onboard. Star of the Seas, the second ship in the Icon Class, features a whopping 2,805 staterooms and suites in 28 categories, spanning from spacious, budget-friendly interior rooms to a three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse with its own gaming room and hot tub.

With so many Star of the Seas rooms to choose from, one of your biggest decisions is choosing which one is right for you. There are fantastic choices for couples, families and groups of friends. Here's a list to help you find the stateroom or suite that best fits your needs.

1. Balcony Rooms Are A Universally Great Option

Star of the Seas balcony rooms are the most popular and versatile choice for vacationers. They offer enough space for a couple in a king-sized bed, two friends in twin beds or even a family of four. 

The Ocean View Balcony is the largest category of Star of the Seas rooms. It features modern decor and a well-designed bathroom with a walk-in shower. Located on Decks 7-14, these rooms sleep up to four guests and offer 204 square feet of space plus a 50-square-foot balcony. If you're traveling with family or friends, you can book connecting Ocean View Balcony rooms and keep everyone together.

To choose the best room location, consider your preferences. If you plan to spend lots of time at the pools and pool bars of Chill Island (which include The Lime and Coconut and the Swim & Tonic swim-up bar), book a mid-ship room on a higher deck. But if you'll be enjoying quiet time in The Overlook lounge, shopping and socializing along the Royal Promenade and seeing shows in the AquaDome and Royal Theater, a forward Ocean View Balcony makes more sense.

2. New Room Categories Offer Expansive Views

For me, enjoying sea views whenever and wherever is what sets cruising apart from other vacations. Star of the Seas delivers these soothing blue visuals with its 250-square-foot Infinite Ocean View Balcony rooms. Each sleeps up to four and has a floor-to-ceiling window that, with the touch of a button, transforms part of the living space into an open-air oasis.

If you need a little more space, Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony rooms are 335 square feet and sleep six. There's a separate bunk alcove for kids and a convenient split bathroom that separates the shower and toilet.

If you prefer people-watching, sea-gazing or want a bird's eye view of the action, Infinite Central Park View Balcony rooms overlook the open-air greenery of the Central Park neighborhood, making these rooms ideal for travelers who never want to be too far from the excitement. If you prefer having a view to a balcony, consider opting for a 258-square-foot Panoramic Ocean View stateroom on Deck 14 — it has a floor-to-ceiling window so you'll never miss the unbeatable views.

3. Parents With Young Kids Should Stay Near Surfside

If you have kids between the ages two to six, stay in a family stateroom near the Surfside neighborhood, located aft on Deck 7. It offers engaging activities, eateries and amenities both parents and younger kids will love. My favorite is the Water's Edge pool that's adjacent to the fun Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay aqua zones. If you're traveling with other adults, you can take turns relaxing and supervising the kiddos.

If you want a room in the neighborhood, opt for a Surfside Family View Balcony — it's similar to an Ocean View Balcony and sleeps three or four guests, but instead of facing the balcony, it looks inward overlooking Surfside. Star of the Seas also offers the 269-square-foot Surfside Family Suite. It sleeps two adults and two kids and features a curtained alcove with a sofa bed — plus Royal Suite Class Sky Tier privileges like flexible arrival boarding, priority departure and priority dining reservations.

4. Have Older Kids? Book Close To Thrill Island

If you've got tweens and teens, Thrill Island is the place to be. It's located aft on Decks 16 and 17 and features Category 6 Waterpark, where you'll find six awesome slides, plus the FlowRider^® surf simulator, Adrenaline Peak Rock Climbing Wall, Sports Court and Lost Dunes mini golf — plus Basecamp for snacks and drinks. The Windjammer Marketplace buffet is also close by to satisfy endless appetites if you're kids are feeling especially hungry.

Your strategy: Book on a higher deck (12 or 14 are ideal) near the aft elevators. If you're traveling with older teens, go for connecting Star of the Seas cabins so their mess is theirs, not yours.

5. Suites Feature Added Space And Amenities

Star of the Seas suites come with many different amenities. Book into one of Royal Suite Class' three tiers — Sea, Sky or Star — and extras include priority boarding in Sea, access to the exclusive Coastal Kitchen restaurant and The Grove sun deck in Sky and all of the above plus complimentary specialty dining and beverages in Star.

To test the suite waters, book a 322-square-foot Sky Junior Suite (sleeping four) and enjoy Sky privileges. The 390-square-foot Sunset Suite, 380-to-480-square-foot Sunset Corner Suite and 431-square-foot Infinite Grand Suite also sleep four, feature spacious balconies and Sky amenities.

Star of the Seas also features two-level, 656-square-foot Icon Loft Suites, sleeping four guests. Prefer not to take the stairs? One-bedroom Owner's Suites, which sleep five, are 658 square feet indoors with a 190-square-foot balcony.

For next-level luxury, there's the one-of-a-kind Royal Loft Suite. At 1,482 square feet, it features two levels of sophisticated living space and sleeps six. Picture floor-to-ceiling windows, a grand piano and a wraparound balcony with a private whirlpool. On Star of the Seas, the largest, most indulgent suite is the three-level, 1,772-square-foot Ultimate Family Townhouse, which sleeps eight and overlooks the Surfside neighborhood and the ship's wake. It's colorful, quirky and totally Instagrammable.

6. Wallet-friendly Options Include Interior And Ocean View Rooms

If you know you're only going to sleep and shower in your cruise stateroom and spend the rest of your time exploring the ship or in port, then an Interior room is a smart choice, especially if you're on a budget and plan to enjoy all the free things Icon Class ships offer.

Star of the Seas has Interior staterooms in four categories, from 156-square-foot standard interiors to 187-square-foot Surfside Family Interiors. The former have walk-in closets that keep things tidy, while the latter are ideal for anyone with active toddlers and preschoolers who sleep better without light and sound distractions. If you prefer a view, Ocean View Star of the Seas rooms are also budget friendly. They range from 160 to 187 square feet and sleep either three or four guests.

7. The Best Room On Star Of The Seas

So where is the best room on a cruise ship like Star of the Seas? It's the one that best accommodates your travel party and is convenient to whatever you most want to enjoy — whether that means Star of the Seas family suites close to Adventure Ocean or the Surfside neighborhood or accommodations ideal for two close to the ship's nightlife or adults-only areas.

No matter where you stay on Star of the Seas, you're in for an epic vacation for you and your adventure crew. 

Ready to experience Star of the Seas? See all your seven-night cruise options and choose your room or suite.