It was a rainy Wednesday night in New York, but I was soaring over the sunny Caribbean coast of Quintana Roo in a hot-air balloon. The virtual reality experience was part of an event hosted by Royal Caribbean, where attendees got a first look at what’s in store for the vacation brand — including Perfect Day Mexico, a 200-acre private playground opening in 2027 as a follow-up to the wildly popular Perfect Day CocoCay in the Bahamas. The Mexican cousin will feature 2 miles of white-sand beaches, a sprawling waterpark with the world’s longest lazy river, an adults-only hideaway, tethered balloon ride to soak in those coastal views — and a bar topped by a huge, brightly adorned sombrero.

And while the presentations and interactive exhibits also let us armchair travel to their upcoming Royal Beach clubs in Paradise Island and Cozumel and new ports of call in Labadee, Haiti, and the Vanuatuan island of Lelepa in the South Pacific, much of the buzz that evening centered around the newest ship. Star of the Seas, which debuted in August as the second in Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class, boasts 2,805 staterooms, eight neighborhoods, 26 dining options and, for passengers who dream of sailing the day away with a drink in hand, 18 bars and lounges.

1400 Lobby Bar © Royal Caribbean

Swim & Tonic is the world’s largest swim-up bar at sea and the first ever in its fleet. (Our virtual sneak peek projected the bar on a back wall in a room dotted with a tiki bar and lounge chairs on the edge of AI-generated water; the real version has seats at the bar, in-water loungers and island vibes.) In addition to a classic G&T, guests can sip variations with white Port limoncello or strawberry gin; Bae at the Beach mixes botanical grapefruit and rose vodka with lemon, grapefruit and a liqueur distilled from the paw-paw fruit, native to the Eastern United States.

For those with a penchant for a different breed of effervescent elixir, Bubbles is a cozy Champagne bar tucked into the Central Park neighborhood, with options available by the glass, bottle or in sparkly sips like the Garden Breeze, which tops rum, passion fruit, lime and mint with Domaine Chandon. Oh, and you can celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or just the fact it’s Tuesday and you’re on vacation with a trickling Champagne tower and the sounds of soulful tunes trailing over from the adjacent Jazz in the Park.

Dueling Pianos is the first of its kind for Royal Caribbean, where two pianists battle it out while guests enjoy aptly named music-inspired libations like the Gin Blossom, Raspberry Beret and Strawberry Fields. And located in the signature AquaDome neighborhood, Rye & Bean is a new spot for eye-openers like coffee-infused versions of the Mai Tai and Boulevardier and a guava hot toddy with Gosling’s Rum and Earl Grey.

But the craftiest lounge on board might just be 1400 Lobby Bar. Imagined in a vintage design inspired by shipbuilding with a nautical-themed menu developed by renowned author and mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, the bar’s terrace spills out onto the ocean — making it the closest you’ll get to the waves anywhere on the ship.