Star Of The Seas: The Best Cruise Ship For Families With Teenagers And Young Children
Floating sun and fun? Teens will be thrilled.
By Sascha Zuger | Published on July 11, 2025
Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas is the ultimate family adventure cruise ship, offering tailored experiences for all ages. It boasts 20 decks and 8 neighborhoods, along with over-the-top amenities such as 7 pools, 6 waterslides and 40 dining and drinks venues meeting every teen and tot taste.
Parents can also find relaxation in adult-only areas, knowing their children are engaged in age-appropriate activities and entertainment. Read on to discover why Royal Caribbean's newest ship is the best cruise ship for teenagers and kids.
Nonstop Thrills By Day: Star Of The Seas Gets Teens And Kids
No need for an alarm clock — kids and teens will hit the decks running to all the choices of extreme fun on Star of the Seas:
- Crown's Edge — Live on the edge (or over it!) when teens take on this one-of-a-kind aerial adventure course sitting atop Thrill Island. In one section, dare to dangle 154 feet over the sea below (from a perfectly safe harness).
- Category 6 Waterpark — Busy tween and teen lives need a little Pressure Drop. Stress disappears like the platform below riders’ feet, with a first-in-industry open-air, 66-degree near-vertical free fall through a whirl of water, color and screams of delight. Five other wild, spiral, wraparound waterslides combine for a record-breaking tangle of awesomeness. Try Frightening Bolt, the 46-foot, tallest drop slide at sea or the Storm Chasers mat-racing duo. Already found your pack? Pile onto a group raft ride to share the dare.
- Adrenaline PeakSM — Time to show off skills and high-flying courage on this rock climbing expedition. The massive, craggy wall offers multiple side-by-side courses for teens to race new friends to the top.
- Sports Court — Not every pulse-racer needs to be death-defying; teamwork makes the dream work at this ocean-view sports plaza. A top deck volleyball, soccer, dodgeball and basketball area makes sailing on Star of the Seas a true bucket list cruise for athletic and fun-seeking teenagers.
- Lost DunesSM — Playing hard is par for the course on this action-filled ship. Slow it down with a little explorer-themed mini-golf.
- FlowRider — Hang ten like a pro … or wipe out in style. Whatever your surfing vibe is, laughs are waiting at this swell spot in the sun.
When it’s time to slow their roll, fun is still the name of the game with Star of the Seas:
- Pack Your Palate Passport — Picky eaters meet their match on Star of the Seas. Diverse dining is dished out in 23 cuisines across 40 venues. Try the Icon Class-exclusive AquaDome Market food hall concept and Windjammer Buffet, built for bottomless-pit teenagers.
- Just add H2O — Let the kids be kids — quiet-seeking grown-ups have their own Hideaway, so bring on the happy hoots and hollers. Surfside’s Splashaway Bay aquapark and colorful Playscape’s multi-level slides, interactive puzzles and climbing walls share an underwater theme. If you have a bolder bitty one, hop on two family raft slides leveled down for the little ones.
- Tricked-Out Treats — Teens can snap Insta-worthy shots of Desserted Milkshake Bar’s over-the-top frozen creations or Izumi in the Park for Taiyaki vanilla ice cream in an airy bubble cone — perfect splurges for sunny day cooldowns. Sprinkles, an included soft-serve station, is a chill-out hotspot with multiple flavors of ice cream and toppings.
- Trophy Time — Challenge other families or battle friends and sibs for bragging rights at the included Larger Than Life Festival’s giant-sized carnival games— even parents feel pint-sized. If brains or brawn is your bag, try Laser Tag: Rise of Poseidon for free or Royal Escape Room for a small fee.
Stop, Drop And Roll Off To An Adults-only Day Of Spa And Ahhh
Let’s be honest: On a family vacation, great kids' clubs are a parent’s best friend! Unwind at the adult-only, suspended infinity Hideaway Pool with DJ-spun beach beats. You can also claim an in-water lounger and Lime and Coconut refresher at the chic Cloud 17 oasis, while little cruisers explore Adventure Ocean — so fun, you’ll have to drag them away.
Breathe a sigh of relief from the expert hands of the massage therapists at Vitality Spa, or from knowing your older kids are safe and having a blast at Social020, making Star of the Seas one of the best cruises for teens and their parents!
Thrills Don't Stop At Night On Star Of The Seas
As the day winds down, the fun amps up. Catch the sunset and get ready for even more memory-making:
Adventure Seekers’ Must-Go Shows
For a family-friendly swashbuckling adventure, Torque at AquaTheater in the AquaDome is a pulse-pounding spectacle for the whole fam. Not your typical stage show, this stunner comes complete with 60-foot-high diving stunts below a towering waterfall. With mind-blowing special effects, teenagers are guaranteed to love it, too.
Absolute Zero ice skating rink comes to life with immersive psychedelic lights and surreal props, creating an otherworldly atmosphere as a backdrop for its world-class skating stunts. Even “Broadway at Sea” Back to the Future, just off a popular run in New York City, offers live theatre tailored to teen tastes.
Star Of The Seas, Where The Party’s At!
- Play Your Way at Social020
- A hidden teen-only entrance to a next-level gaming lounge lets older kids stay connected while interacting with fellow cruising pals in FIFA tournaments and ongoing adventure game matches. A binge-worthy movie nook and cringeworthy karaoke setup is a perfect backdrop for bonding and giggling the evening away with new friends.
- Dance Parties for Every Age
- While parents get their groove on at Boleros or Lou’s, kids rally their rhythm at the Steel Pan Family Jam or family-friendly karaoke. Teens even get their own Silent Disco. If a beat falls in the forest and no one hears it, can your moves be off? Nope!
- Adventure Ocean, Late Night Party (Fee)
- It’s time for little cruisers to party ‘til they crash! Crafts, scavenger hunts, movies and more — this is the best “almost” sleepover they’ll ever experience.
- Bedtime’s for Back Home! JK!
- Once Upon a Bedtime Story at Surfside has kids (and parents looking for a natural end to the day) covered, with an engaging unwind-to-bed program with puppeteering, costumes and bedtime stories easing the way to dreamland.
Unforgettable Family Fun: What To Know About Star Of The Seas
Star of the Seas is the newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship, packed with exciting activities, making the most of each of its 20 decks and 8 unique neighborhoods. A family vacation-at-sea offers tailor-made action for every age. This adventure cruise keeps teens vibing with new friends at hi-tech lounges and little ones loving ocean-themed adventures built just their size.
On Star of the Seas, you can expect:
- Six waterslides.
- Seven pools.
- 10 whirlpools.
- 40 dining and drink venues tuned to every taste.
- Slick gaming and karaoke “no-adults-allowed” lounges.
- Teen-friendly live entertainment, from Broadway-style shows to high-diving extreme stunts.
Record-breaking wowzers and over-the-top family-friendly fun make Star of the Seas one of the best cruise ships for teens and kids. With such flexibility, variety and room for everyone to find their happy place, even grandma and grandpa might want to join this pinnacle of luxury cruise ships for families. Most importantly, parents can relax and recharge knowing the whole crew is having a blast.
Smooth Sailing: Packing And Room Tips For Families
Planning a cruise with teens and kids can make the difference between smooth sailing and rough waters. Consider battery-operated night lights or white noise machines to make an unfamiliar cabin environment feel like home. Bring USB (A not C) cords for charging tech.
For little cruisers, create a place of honor in the room for their lovey to live, tucked safely out of the way of beds remade multiple times a day or toting their favorite toy on adventures around the ship where they might get lost.
Teens unwilling to go for a beachhead look will be relieved that their flat irons and curling tools are exempt from the no-heat restricted items rule. Strong magnets work well on the Star of the Seas walls, so pack pics of the BFs, BFFs or Biff the bulldogs left behind.
Multiple swimsuits and water shoes keep happy feet around the ship and on excursions, while layers keep kids comfortable and give teens options for a laundry-free week of looks.
Picking The Perfect Room For Your Crew
When choosing rooms, consider the neighborhood your kids will gravitate toward for snacks and activities to reserve maximum energy for the fun. Balconies overlooking the waterpark or promenade hoopla are great, until nap or bedtime arrives and excited little ones find sleep elusive.
For fans of balconies, adjoining rooms double your fresh air space. Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony staterooms accommodating six are available, while a Panoramic Ocean View option gives floor-to-ceiling views sans outside access.
A wealth of options creates a perfect family escape for every budget, from interior rooms offering a sleeping oasis to the three-level, 1,772-square-foot Ultimate Family Townhouse overlooking Surfside and the aft wake, only seen on the best luxury cruise ships for families.
Choosing Your Ideal Itinerary And Destination
Where to cruise with the fam depends on many factors, but if shipboard fun is a hit with your crew, choose from the best cruises with teenagers that extend the onboard thrills through stops at one of Royal Caribbean’s private island experiences. Consider these options:
- Perfect Day at CocoCay, with its 1600ft zip line soaring above Thrill Waterpark.
- Perfect Day Mexico, coming in 2027, will feature Jaguar’s Peak, the tallest waterslide in North and South America as well as the longest family raft ride.
Sometimes, planning the best cruises for teens involves picking itineraries that allow teenagers to enjoy the thrill of independence in an exciting (but shhh, safe and secure) environment, packed with all the extreme fun of Star of the Seas.
Star Of The Seas — Perfect Pick For All Ages
Luxury cruise ships for families offer the space and amenities for everyone to relax and find their happy place. Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas offers one of the best cruises for teens and kids at sea, a readymade memory-maker vacay packed with age-appropriate thrills, lounges, dining options and more.
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