Royal Caribbean Guests Frustrated Over Star of the Seas Pre-Inaugural ‘Showcase Sailings’
Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas guests who purchased inagural cruises feel duped.
Royal Caribbean guests aren’t happy with the cruise line’s decision to have “showcase sailings” for its Star of the Seas ship ahead of its official launch in late August 2025.
According to TheStreet, some Royal Caribbean guests are frustrated after previously booking cabins to be part of the official launch of Star of the Seas. The cruise line has since introduced exclusive “showcase sailings” before the inaugural voyage, meaning early bookers no longer hold the distinction of being among the first to sail on the ship.
Booking opened for the inaugural sailing of Star of the Seas in December 2023. The ship was initially set to embark on its first voyage on Aug. 17, 2025. However, Royal Caribbean rescheduled the debut for Aug. 31 due to a postponement in the ship’s delivery timeline.
But the ship was delivered promptly, and the company was faced with two weeks where the vessel would just be docked. Therefore, Royal Caribbean decided to have “showcase sailings” as a last-minute option for cruisers.
TheStreet shared part of an email Royal Caribbean sent to its travel partners, explaining the new pre-launch option: “To officially kick off our inaugural season, we have added an additional 4-Night Star Showcase Cruise to Perfect Day [at CocoCay] on August 16, 2025, because we simply can’t wait to debut the world’s best family vacation.”
Social Media Users Roasted Royal Caribbean About the Decision
A post detailing this switch was shared with the loyal.to.royal Instagram page. There, followers shared their thoughts about Royal Caribbean’s decision to have these shorter launch cruises ahead of the ship’s official first week of cruising.
“The people who bought what they thought was going to be inaugural first week must be p*****,” one Instagram user wrote. Others claim they never received an email from the company about switching their cruises. One customer penned, “Not true! They didn’t offer nothing. I’m going on August 31st, and not even an email about this.”
Royal Caribbean’s official website lists the current pricing for these shorter cruising options. There is a four-night showcase cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida, to Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, starting at $1,142 per person. Other options include a three-night showcase cruise to the same destination, starting at $1,082 per person. A standard seven-night Eastern Caribbean and Perfect Day cruise starts at $1,557 per person.
Amenities of Star of the Seas include seven pools, a waterpark, 40 dining options, a variety of daily entertainment events, a rock climbing wall, a mini golf course, and a FlowRider surf simulator.
