A new star is getting ready to shine bright in Finland as Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas has begun its liquified natural gas (LNG) fueling process – a final step before her sea trials.
On Thursday, April 10, 2025, the LNG bunkering vessel, Coralius, arrived from Norway and was positioned alongside the under-construction, 250,800-gross-ton Star of the Seas.
Once in place, shipyard workers began transferring fuel, a process that takes roughly 12 hours, with the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland sharing images of Coralius’ arrival.
“Liquefied natural gas, LNG, is a fuel that has been cooled into liquid form and produces fewer emissions than traditional marine fuels,” said the shipbuilder.
The second Icon class ship, constructed at Meyer Turku shipyard follows its sister Icon of the Seas, which debuted in January 2024, in utilizing the eco-friendly LNG fueling system.
“The Icon Class ships run on LNG, and thanks to other environmentally efficient solutions such as shore power connections and advanced waste recycling, they are the most environmentally efficient vessels in the Royal Caribbean fleet,” Meyer Turku added.
Next up for Star of the Seas? Sea trials, which are a series of tests marking a ship’s final phases.
During sea trials, which could last up to a week, the new vessel will sail in open waters for the first time to test its operating systems, including its engine, propulsion, steering, navigation, fuel system, and power.
Star of the Seas, which will have the capacity to accommodate 5,610 guests, is moving quickly through her construction phases, which began with her steel cutting in February 2023, moved onto her keel laying in December 2023, and saw her float out in October 2024.
Originally scheduled to begin sailing on August 31, 2025, from Port Canaveral, Florida, perhaps Meyer Turku’s earlier work on Icon of the Seas has made it easier to work faster on Star of the Seas.
The vessel is now offering three preview sailings on August 20, 23, and 27, indicating Royal Caribbean is expecting successful sea trials and an early handoff from the shipbuilder.
That doesn’t mean Meyer Turku will get any rest. It’s also working on a third Icon class ship for the cruise line, scheduled to arrive in 2026.
Paws, Perks, and Ports
Nearly identical in size and design as Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas will debut with some enhancements, beginning with the cruise line’s second Chief Dog Officer, a golden retriever named Sailor.
This new tradition of having an onboard resident dog began with Rover on Icon of the Seas and has captivated cruise lovers, who have been following Sailor’s growth on social media since she was born on Valentine’s Day 2025.
Additionally, the vessel is expected to feature more dining venues than the already expansive selection of 40-plus restaurants, lounges, snack spots, and casual eateries on Icon of the Seas.
Also different will be the expansion of programming for kids. Where Icon of the Seas’ Surfside caters to kids ages 0 to 6, Star of the Seas will extend its reach to kids up to age of 10.
Star of the Seas’ first cruises will be a 3- and 4-night showcase sailing to Royal Caribbean’s private Bahamas destination, Perfect Day in CocoCay.
Read Also: Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay: Full Guide
Her first “official” journey will be a 7-night roundtrip Western Caribbean itinerary to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatan, Honduras.
The vessel will continue to operate alternating 7-night sailings from Port Canaveral to Eastern and Western locales, with Eastern Caribbean calls taking place in the US Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Puerto Rico.
CocoCay will be a feature of all options.
