Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas, the latest in the groundbreaking Icon-class series, represents a new milestone in cruise ship design. Behind its spectacular features lies extensive work by Team Electric – the marine industry’s leading electrical contractor. Once again, demonstrating why the world’s foremost shipowners continue to place their trust in the company, Team Electric’s expertise runs through the ship – from high-profile attractions to hidden infrastructure.
Royal Caribbean was among the earliest customers to engage services from Team Electric, with the relationship subsequently flourishing across newbuild and refurbishment projects. On Star of the Seas, the company worked directly for the owner across multiple packages. This direct partnership has already opened doors for future collaborations, with additional Icon-class projects in progress and discussions underway for further fleet-wide work.
Scale and complexity
The scale of Team Electric’s involvement on Star of the Seas was immense. The company delivered work across 28 individual project areas, accounting for 65-70 percent of the ship’s electrical installations. Highlights included the technically demanding AquaDome entertainment space, where Team Electric designed and installed lighting for acrobatic shows and integrated complex winch and lift systems, and the illuminated stern anchor motif which was conceived, designed, and installed within a few weeks.
At its peak, more than 310 personnel were deployed on the project, averaging 180–200 daily over a 20-month program. Resources were drawn from Team Electric’s international offices, with design support from Portugal, Poland, and Croatia, procurement led from Poland, and additional contributions from Romania and Lithuania. This seamless integration of expertise demonstrates the strength of the company’s global network.
Human perspective
Team Electric Project Manager Jake Bamford oversaw all aspects of the company’s work onboard Star of the Seas, while Project Coordinator Maria Gergely took part in her first full ship assignment involving on-site work.
“It was incredible to see the ship develop from blocks of steel into a finished vessel,” says Maria, whose family background includes links to the maritime industry and who has become a vital team member at Team Electric in coordinating complex international projects.
“Typically, the professionals at Team Electric offer a combination of technical excellence and experience based on human connections to the maritime industry,” says Jake Bamford. “It’s a blend that allows Team Electric to deliver quality at scale and continuously reinforces trust among our clients.”
ISO-certified processes and established communication systems ensured effective coordination with Royal Caribbean, Meyer Turku, and multiple subcontractors throughout the Star of the Seas project. A near-perfect safety record was maintained across tens of thousands of work hours.
With Star of the Seas successfully delivered, Team Electric strengthens its position as the largest electrical contractor in the cruise ship newbuild sector and looks ahead to expanding its presence further across multiple ship types.