6 Changes Coming to Royal Caribbean in 2025

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2025 is shaping up to be a big year for Royal Caribbean – and a lot of that will be down to some of the changes on the horizon.

Royal Caribbean 2025 Changes

A brand new ship is currently being worked on, while another popular ship will get a long overdue renovation. There’s a new destination to get excited about, and a much-loved favourite ship returns to the UK too.

Let’s dive into the six biggest changes you can look forward to in 2025.

1. Introduction of Star of the Seas

Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas is set to make a splash when she launches in August 2025.

As the second ship in the Icon Class, it’s clear that Star will share a lot of similarities with Icon of the Seas, but there are exciting tweaks and enhancements that are sure to make this new addition stand out.

A stunning view of the "Star of the Seas" cruise ship, a true star of the seas, as it cruises on the water.

While both ships are aimed at delivering the ultimate family vacation, Star of the Seas will take things up a notch, especially in the family-friendly department.

One of the major updates is the expansion of the Surfside neighbourhood. On Icon, this space catered to younger children, but Star will broaden its appeal to include older kids, up to age 10.

Star of the Seas Surfside

Expect even more fun, interactive features in areas like Splashaway Bay and Playscape, making it an exciting place for kids of all ages.

She’ll also debut Back to the Future: The Musical at sea, which should be absolutely epic.

Dining options are getting a refresh too. The beloved Empire Supper Club will transform into the Lincoln Park Supper Club, bringing a Chicago-inspired menu and vibe to the table.

Plus, Pier 7, a California-inspired restaurant on Icon, will be replaced with a completely new concept, ensuring a fresh experience for regular cruisers.

For the adventurous, Star will offer even more thrilling attractions. With six waterslides onboard, plus a gravity-defying obstacle course, there’s no shortage of excitement.

(Just a note – Royal Caribbean loves to talk about the “20” waterslides you can enjoy on a Star of the Seas cruise but it’s a little cheeky, since it’s including 14 that are ashore on Perfect Day at CocoCay. Technically true, but they love to make it sound like the ship has 20 slides. It doesn’t.)

Royal Caribbean is also enhancing the Aquadome Market with even more food options, so there’s plenty of deliciousness to keep you fuelled up between adventures.

And let’s not forget the ultra-luxurious Ultimate Family Townhouse, which will get an upgrade to better suit the needs of today’s families. This three-floor suite includes everything from a movie room to a private backyard leading right to Surfside – perfect for a bit of extra space and fun.

Star of the Seas may share a class with Icon, but with these changes, it’s bound to deliver its own brand of unforgettable adventure!

2. Launch of Royal Beach Club in Nassau

Royal Caribbean is about to redefine the beach day experience with the opening of its first-ever Royal Beach Club, set to debut on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, in December 2025.

An image depicting what the new Royal Carribean beach club will look like, with a swimming pool and people relaxing.

This exclusive, all-inclusive retreat promises a beach day like no other – designed for Royal Caribbean guests who are looking for the perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and island vibes.

It’s not free, though. It’s a paid excursion with a capped number of guests – this isn’t a resort like Perfect Day at CocoCay that everyone can enjoy.

The Royal Beach Club spans 17 acres on the western end of Paradise Island, just a short water taxi ride from where the cruise ships dock.

It’ll feature a mix of beautiful beaches, three pools with swim-up bars, and a variety of dining options, including four restaurants offering both local Bahamian flavours and international favourites.

The standout feature? The world’s largest swim-up bar, aptly named The Floating Flamingo, located in the Party Cove, where you can groove to live DJ beats while enjoying tropical cocktails.

For a truly luxurious experience, guests can opt for the Ultimate Family Cabana, a two-story retreat complete with a thrilling slide and personal attendant service. The cruise line definitely loves those “Ultimate Family” options – and likes to charge quite the price for them!

Royal Beach Club UItimate Family Cabana

With plans for more Royal Beach Clubs to open in Cozumel and beyond, this is just the beginning of what promises to be a game-changing addition to Royal Caribbean’s destinations portfolio.

Read more: 11 Things To Know About Royal Caribbean’s Royal Beach Club

3. Allure of the Seas renovation

Finally!

Allure of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships but she definitely needs a little bit of TLC.

pools on allure of the seas

She was due to get some upgrades back in 2020 as part of the cruise line’s Amplification programme but, for obvious reasons, that had to be cancelled.

Since then, fans have eagerly been awaiting news of a renovation and in March 2025, the ship will finally get it.

This isn’t just a lick of paint. Instead she’s getting a host of new additions to put her on par with her sister ships, including:

  • New waterslides and the Ultimate Abyss dry slide
  • A redesigned pool deck with a Caribbean theme
  • A new kids’ aquapark
  • The Pesky Parrot tiki bar and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade
  • New restaurants – Mason Jar and El Loco Fresh
  • A new escape room
  • Laser tag
  • Upgraded kids’ and teens’ clubs
  • New suite accommodations
Playmakers Sports Bar

At a total cost of over $100 million, it’s a proper refurbishment that will make the ship sparkle – just in time for her summer season sailing around the Med from Barcelona and Civitavecchia.

Read more: Allure Of The Seas To Get $100 million+ Amplification Upgrade Ahead Of Summer 2025 Season

4. Cabin recategorisation

Starting in 2025, Royal Caribbean will introduce new cabin codes as part of a room recategorisation aimed at simplifying the booking process and offering more tailored options for different types of cruisers.

This change will help travel agents and guests easily identify the right rooms, particularly for those with large families or specific needs.

Sunset Suite

Key changes include new options for large families, with separate cabin categories for triple and quad occupancy Interior and Oceanview rooms.

There will also be new high-occupancy guarantee staterooms and expanded categories for Junior Suites and Balcony Staterooms.

One notable change is the separation of aft balcony cabins and Junior Suites into distinct categories. The Sunset Junior Suite will be a new addition, making it easier for guests to find these sought-after rooms.

These updates mark the first year the new room categories will be in effect, so it’s important to familiarise yourself with the new terminology when booking your next cruise. This reorganisation is designed to make your search for the perfect cabin quicker and more straightforward.

5. Independence of the Seas makes long-awaited UK return

This one isn’t ‘news’, but it is a big change for the UK cruise market, and one that’s highly anticipated.

Independence of the Seas

Independence of the Seas is making her return to Europe for 2025, offering sailings from Southampton throughout the summer period.

She last sailed from the UK in 2019, having been replaced by Anthem of the Seas once cruising resumed in 2021 after the global shutdown of 2020.

‘Indy’ has always been a popular ship for the market and there are some exciting itineraries available around Europe for guests in the UK to enjoy. Many of which still have cabins available – so it’s not too late to book if you’re interested.

Unfortunately for Indy fans, 2025 is the only chance to sail on her for now if you want to cruise from the UK. It’s been confirmed that 2026 will see Liberty of the Seas, her Freedom-class sister ship, take her place in Southampton.

Towards the end of 2025 we will probably get an announcement on plans for summer 2027 – watch this space to see which ship will sail from the UK then.

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6. Reveal of the third ship in the Icon Class

2025 is definitely the year of Star of the Seas, as I’ve already mentioned. But once she launches and the excitement begins to slightly die down, all eyes will look ahead to the next Icon-class ship, due in 2026.

Aerial view of the 'ICON of the SEAS' cruise ship, docked in a harbor with the city skyline in the background. The ship is adorned with colorful waterslides and an elaborate aqua park visible on the upper decks, highlighting its family-friendly amenities.

We already know she’s coming, but that’s about all we know for now. So 2025 will be the year that we learn some more details on what we can expect from the ship.

At the very least, we’ll learn her name. Any bets you’d like to place?

A fourth Icon-class ship is due in 2027 (and there’s a seventh Oasis-class ship following in 2028) but I wouldn’t expect too many details on those ships to be revealed this year.

Things that might happen in 2025 for Royal Caribbean

There are a couple more things that could happen this year for the cruise line – but there are no guarantees.

New class of ship formally announced

For a long time, it was an open secret that Royal Caribbean was working on a new class of cruise ship.

That was essentially confirmed by CEO Michael Bayley during a talk onboard Utopia of the Seas, when he spoke briefly about the Discovery class – although barely. The exact quote is “The Discovery Class will be really exciting, but we can’t say anything about it.”

Maybe 2025 will be the year that the lid is lifted and we learn more about these new ships. It’s expected that the Discovery Class will be a smaller ship class, designed for ports that the giant ships such as the Icon-class and Oasis-class ships can’t access.

But who knows what else will be included? I’m sure we’ll learn something about the class this year, and hopefully we’ll get a full announcement.

Price increases

Not all changes are good changes, and there’s a reasonable chance that we could see price increases for Royal Caribbean in 2025, including for drinks, drink packages, and WiFi packages.

Royal Caribbean cocktails

Price increases happen relatively frequently on most cruise lines, usually once a year with most cruise lines.

Royal Caribbean’s package prices are a little harder to pin down because they vary by ship and itinerary. There’s no fixed price for a drink package.

The best bet, in case there are price increases this year, is to book any packages you want at the earliest opportunity. That locks in your price.

And then, if there’s a special offer, you can always cancel and rebook the package to take advantage of any lower prices.

Suggested read: The Changes That Would Make Loyal Guests Stop Cruising

Final word

With the introduction of Star of the Seas and the debut of the Royal Beach Club in Nassau, there’s no shortage of exciting new offerings to enhance your holiday.

Add to that the major renovation of Allure of the Seas and the changes to cabin categories, and it’s clear that Royal Caribbean is focused on delivering even more unforgettable experiences.

Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or booking your first Royal Caribbean voyage, these updates are bound to make your 2025 cruise extra special.

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Cruise Mummy

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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