Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas: An amusement park on the water

Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas will debut in summer 2025

By Mark Reif Published August 22, 2024

Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas — Royal Caribbean International / Royal Caribbean

This week, Royal Caribbean released more details on its upcoming ship, Star of the Seas. Set to debut in the summer of 2025, the ocean liner will offer excitement and solace, catering to young families while also providing adults a place to escape. From waterslides to restaurants to world-class destinations, the cruise line’s newest “Star” has a little of everything.

Royal Caribbean Star of the Seas: A celebration on the ocean

Star of the Seas poolside — Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean’s photos of Star of the Seas show a vibrant place of bright lights and incredible amenities at every turn. Night pictures are reminiscent of a carnival by the beach, and waterslides and pools look refreshing and fun. While part of the ship caters to young families, other sections let adults escape for a while and enjoy an ocean-side sunset.

Recommended Videos

Thrill Island is home to the Category 6 water park, with six record-breaking waterslides, like family raft slides and mat-racing duos. A FlowRider surf simulator lets you ride waves on the deck, while eateries Basecamp and Desserted help you fuel up.

For families with young children, the Surfside neighborhood is the perfect place for uninterrupted play. Baby Bay and Splashaway Bay cater to toddlers and kids, and Water’s Edge lets adults enjoy the fun. The Lemon Post Bar and Surfside Eatery let everyone enjoy a bite between pool sessions.

When adults need some time away, The Hideaway offers a rooftop escape. Positioned 135 feet above the water, it’s a beach club for the ages, with a suspended infinity pool, live DJ, terrace with whirlpools, a dedicated bar, and panoramic views.

There’s much, much more. For more details, visit the Royal Caribbean website and view details on 7-night trips beginning in the summer of 2025.

Mark Reif is a writer from Stowe, Vermont. During the winter, he works as a snowboard coach and rides more than 100 days. The…

Travel

Inside Xcaret, Mexico’s favorite nature park

Get out of Cancun for a Mexican adventure at Xcaret

Birds lounging in the aviary at Xcaret

If you’ve ever visited Cancun, you know about the city's famous beaches, luxurious resorts, and spirited vibe. Beyond the city lights and tourist hotspots, you’ll find Xcaret (pronounced esh-kah-ret), an eco-park dedicated to showcasing Mexican culture, wildlife, adventure-based activities, and more. While the name Xcaret translates to “small cove” in the ancient Mayan language, the park is anything but small, covering 200+ acres. Think Disney World combined with the biggest zoo you’ve ever seen, but with an eco-friendly Mexican flair, and to top it off, it's located in the jungle.

It’s as exciting as it sounds and then some. Perfect for solo travelers, locals, couples getaways, or family trips, Xcaret is a must-see destination that will change your standards for adventure. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Mexico’s favorite nature park.
What to do at Xcaret

Travel

Air France continues its 5-star ranking at this year’s APEX/IFSA Global Expo

Air France ranked among world's best airlines

Air France airplane takeoff

Air France received a 5-star rating for the third straight year at the APEX/IFSA Global EXPO 2024 ceremony, which took place in Long Beach, CA. Every year, the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) — a research and evaluation organization for air travel experience — ranks the best airlines. The rankings consider independent ratings made by passengers taking over 1 million flights on almost 600 airlines, with a scoring range of 1 to 5.
More on Air France’s string of 5-star rankings

For 2024, achieving a 5-star rating brought new criteria, limiting membership to only the 40 top airlines. That represents less than 7% of airlines being rated. The achievement highlights Air France’s continued in-flight excellence, like curated menus from renowned chefs, upgraded cabins, and high-quality entertainment.

Travel

Study reveals the most popular fall destinations in the U.S., with this national park at #1

Rocky Mountain National Park is the most popular fall destination in the country.

A view of the continental divide mountains in Rocky Mointains National Park on a Sunny day

It’s not too late to plan a perfect fall escape, and a new study from Heepsy has identified the top ten fall travel spots across the United States. By analyzing metrics like Instagram hashtags, Google searches, visitor counts, and average temperatures, the study has pinpointed the nation’s most popular fall destinations.

Rocky Mountain National Park leads the list with a combined 12.8 million online searches and social media tags, and it welcomes over 4.3 million visitors each year. The park’s amazing mountain views and golden aspen groves make this location a dream in autumn.