Royal Caribbean is once again looking for Caribbean-based artists to paint murals on one of its largest ships, the new-build Star of the Seas, due to launch in August 2025.
The cruise line’s “Artist Discovery Program” was introduced onboard Icon of the Seas, the first in the Icon class, and is now being expanded to Star of the Seas, the second in the class.
Starting January 16, 2025 and continuing through February 15, 2025, artists across the Caribbean can submit applications to participate.
With the goal of providing opportunities to budding artists in the Caribbean, the cruise line will choose from among the applicants and ultimately commission a group of artists to paint large murals in four high-traffic areas of the ship — the embarkation area, the Royal Promenade neighborhood, the Suite Sundeck Lobby, and Suite Sundeck.
Each artist will receive a grant between $20,000 and $100,000-plus to complete their work. The chosen artists will work with the cruise line to create the murals while the ship is being built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.
“We are excited for this next edition of the Artist Discovery Program and can’t wait to be awestruck by visionary artists across the Caribbean,” said Jay Schneider, chief product innovation officer for Royal Caribbean.
“Last year, our first-ever call to artists received an overwhelming response with more than 140 artists across 25 Caribbean countries submitting pieces that told a unique story and captured the allure of the region,” added Schneider.
The artwork is seen as a way to recognize and celebrate local Caribbean culture while supporting up-and-coming artists.
The program’s debut with Icon of the Seas, the world’s largest ship that launched in January 2024, focused on the culture of the Bahamas.
Three Caribbean-based artists were chosen to create the murals on the massive ship — Angelika Wallace-Whitfield, Bahamas; Phillipe Dodard, Haiti; and Jason Hospedales, Trinidad/Tobago.
Onboard Icon of the Seas, the chosen artists painted nine murals in three areas — the embarkation space at PortMiami, in the Royal Promenade, and on the Suite Sundeck.
The application process for the Star of the Seas project includes sending Royal Caribbean five samples of artwork, an artist statement that describes what inspired the samples, and a resume.
The murals will join an art collection that will feature works by other Caribbean artists, with all of the artworks highlighting Caribbean themes.
Winners will have their work seen by many tens of thousands of cruise guests and crew members over the coming years, since Icon-class ships accommodate 5,600 guests in double occupancy (more than 7,000 with all berths filled) and about 2,300 crew members.
Ship to Sail Inaugural Cruise to the Western Caribbean
Star of the Seas is undergoing her final outfitting following her float-out from the shipyard in October 2024. Construction on the mega-ship began in February 2023.
Also Read: Norwegian Cruise Line vs. Royal Caribbean: The Differences
Prior to her handover to the cruise line later this year, the 250,800-gross ton ship will undergo a series of sea trials to test and evaluate operational systems such as propulsion, navigation, and safety.
The ship will be based at Port Canaveral. Her first scheduled cruise departs on August 31, 2025. The 7-night Western Caribbean sailing will call at Perfect Day at CocoCay, the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Roatan, Honduras.
Star of the Seas will homeport year-round at the Central Florida port, and sail alternating 7-night Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises. All voyages will call at Perfect Day.
