ON BOARD STAR OF THE SEAS — Just two days into a preview cruise of Royal Caribbean’s brand new Star of the Seas and I’m finding that experiences on board have been superlative.

When the gleaming ship pulled into Port Canaveral earlier this week, the twin to Icon of the Seas was loaded with every imaginable amenity capable of being stashed on a 248,663 gross tonne mega-vessel. And during this preview cruise, which comes ahead of the ship’s August debut in Port Canaveral, Forida, I’ll do my best to experience all of it.

Upon boarding, first impressions dazzled with a sense that Star of the Seas is a floating village, or at least an exclusive, self-contained resort. From the illuminated Pearl (the centrepiece of the Royal Promenade that serves as a main boulevard lined with cafes, pubs and eateries), to the lushly gardened Central Park, to the distinctly designed neighbourhoods, entertainment, sports, spa and dining areas, the ship has everything for an all-inclusive holiday focused on pure happiness.

Royal Caribbean’s legendary reach for the stars in perfecting cruise entertainment was clear during my first night on board while sitting in Absolute Zero, the ship’s ice arena. The production of SOL (meaning ‘sun’ in Spanish) is an ice-skating romp through American hotspots, with extreme skaters stunning guests with acrobatic flips high as skateboarders.

Star of the Seas SOL performance-Credit Toby Saltzman

I can’t wait to see the musical production of ‘Back to the Future’ tonight.

I’m not the only one who’s been dazzled by the ship. Two days in, I met a group of friendly travel advisors on board, all from Ontario, who shared similar first impressions.

Kathy Kean from Woodstock said the ship is perfect for adults and multi-generational groups. Ola Honeysett and Lisa Kay, both from Barrie, were smitten by the Star’s aesthetic including the artworks and tiny bird sculptures in the green gardens of Central Park. And Judy Zoraida, based in Windsor, said the ship feels smaller than its size because it is so well-designed for easy access to all areas. Each described Star of the Seas in one word: “amazing.”

Stay tuned for more coverage on Star of the Seas in Travelweek Daily.