Royal Caribbean Introduces Exterior Connecting Cabin Doors on New Ships

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Royal Caribbean has introduced a new design for connecting cabins on its latest ships, the Icon and Star of the Seas. Instead of the traditional interior connecting door, these vessels feature exterior doors that allow guests to control access between rooms, addressing common complaints about noise and lack of privacy in connecting cabins.

Why it matters

Connecting cabins are a popular option for families and groups, but the thin interior doors and poor sound insulation have long been a source of frustration for many passengers. Royal Caribbean's new exterior door design aims to give travelers more flexibility and privacy when booking connecting rooms.

The details

The exterior doors on connecting cabins in Royal Caribbean's Icon and Star of the Seas ships allow guests to close off the outer hallway while leaving their main cabin doors open or unlocked. This makes it easier to move between rooms without relying on a shared interior door. The doors still require a room key or wearable device to access, giving guests control over when the connection is open or closed.

• Royal Caribbean's Icon class, which includes the Icon and Star of the Seas ships, was introduced in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
• The new exterior connecting cabin door design debuted with the launch of these ships.

What’s next

The new exterior connecting cabin door design is currently only available on Royal Caribbean's Icon and Star of the Seas ships, but the cruise line may consider expanding the feature to additional vessels in the future.