THE GRAND STAY EDIT · STAR OF THE SEAS
Our Panoramic Suite on Star of the Seas:
room to play, with the perks to match
Inside Panoramic Suite 17026 with a toddler, plus Coastal Kitchen dining, all-day lounge snacks, and The Grove’s pool, hot tub and sun deck.
We splurged on a Panoramic Suite for our family cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas, and for the three of us, it was worth it. The windows are the first thing you notice, but the details that made this suite work for us were wonderfully practical: floor space for our little man to play, a separate lounge area, and a real bathtub.
Our suite also came with Sky Class benefits, including access to Coastal Kitchen and The Grove. Together, those spaces add a lot to the experience, especially if you want places to eat and relax within the Suite Neighborhood.
THE QUICK READ
Our suite stay, at a glance
- Panoramic Suite 17026 has floor-to-ceiling glass, a separate lounge area and a bathtub, with no private outdoor balcony.
- Our Sky Class benefits included Coastal Kitchen dining and access to The Grove’s buffet, pool, hot tub, bar and lounging areas.
- The lounge corner with snacks and espresso machines, plus the little in-room self-care deliveries, added to our stay.
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Inside Panoramic Suite 17026
A wall of floor-to-ceiling glass gives this room its name. There is seating beside the windows, so you can settle in and enjoy the view from inside. This is a suite without a private outdoor balcony, which is an important detail when comparing it with other room categories.
Inside, we had a comfortable bed and a separate lounge area, with enough room for our toddler to get down on the floor and play. Traveling as a family means spending some time in the room, and having usable space matters. Our video gives you a better sense of that layout than a room description can.
The bathroom had a proper bathtub, a very welcome feature for toddler bath time. There was also closet space for the three of us. Those are the things I would look at closely when choosing a cabin with a young child, right alongside the view.
Behind the bed, there is also a makeup desk. It would be an easy place to set up a laptop and get some work done if needed, with a surface of your own away from the lounge seating.
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Little self-care treats back in the suite
During our stay, we also had little self-care treats delivered to our room each day, including cucumber eye pads. It was a lovely extra to enjoy back in the suite.
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Coastal Kitchen for sit-down meals
Coastal Kitchen is the restaurant available to eligible suite guests, and Sky Class access includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On Star of the Seas, the restaurant spans two decks with views into the AquaDome.
Having a sit-down restaurant included gives you another way to plan meals around the day. You can choose Coastal Kitchen when you want table service, then use The Grove’s buffet when something more casual suits you. That flexibility is useful on a family trip.
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The lounge corner with snacks and espresso
Another great perk is the corner of Coastal Kitchen that serves as a lounge, with snacks available throughout the day and espresso machines. The spread includes pastries and savory bites, so there is somewhere to sit with a coffee and pick up a little something between meals.
The lounge and food photos below are from that area. It is a useful part of the suite experience to know about when you are comparing the dining options: you have a place for a small bite as well as the restaurant for a seated meal.
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The Grove pool and hot tub
The Grove brings several of the suite perks together in one outdoor space. There is a buffet, a pool, a hot tub, and a bar, plus plenty of room to lounge.
Having the pool and hot tub within the Suite Neighborhood gives you another place to spend time outside. The photos show the setting better than a list of amenities can: the pool with seating around it, and the hot tub framed by wooden slats with the ocean beyond.
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The Grove buffet and an easy meal outside
The buffet gives you a casual dining option right by the suite sun deck. Having food nearby makes it easy to build part of the day around this area, with somewhere to sit and eat as well as places to stretch out afterward.
The Mediterranean-style selection is another part of the appeal. Our plate of dips, breads and crisp crackers gives you a look at one of our meals here, while the buffet photo shows the serving area. You can keep things casual without having to head away from the sun deck for every bite.
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Plenty of room to lounge
The lounging space deserves attention of its own. The Grove extends across two levels, so the appeal goes beyond having access to a pool. You also have space to spend time outside, settle into a lounger, or sit together between activities.
There are blue sun loungers, cushioned chairs facing the water, and larger yellow daybeds beside the botanical wall. The mix of seating gives the area more variety than a row of pool chairs alone.
When comparing suite prices, I would give The Grove real weight. Think about how much time you expect to spend on the ship and whether having this collection of amenities close together would make your vacation easier.
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Compare the whole suite experience
The most useful comparison is the full experience you would use: the room layout, the meals, and where you would spend your downtime. Think about which of these spaces you would return to during your own trip, then compare the total price of the cabins and extras you are considering.
Check the exact suite category and its current benefits before booking. Royal Caribbean’s room descriptions and Coastal Kitchen guidance are useful starting points.
WAS THE SUITE WORTH THE SPLURGE?
For our family, yes. The room worked for the way we travel with a toddler, and Coastal Kitchen and The Grove added dining and outdoor spaces to the stay. A private balcony may be high on your list. For us, this suite’s indoor space, bathtub, and Sky Class access made it a choice we were happy with.
