As a fan of Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class, I eagerly anticipated my cruise on Utopia of the Seas. The cruise line's newest Oasis Class vessel—and second-largest ship in the fleet—launched this summer.
Utopia started by offering 3 and 4-night cruises, specifically targeting the short cruise market right out of the gate. The 5,668-passenger vessel currently sails out of Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, and has been dubbed "the World's Biggest Weekend."
The party ship became my home on the seas this fall. I sailed a 3-night cruise onboard, visiting Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay. While Utopia of the Seas presents some thrilling new features, there were aspects of the ship I didn't like. Here's what I enjoyed and what I would change about the Oasis Class vessel.
I loved the shows and entertainment, especially Aqua80Too
The entertainment on Utopia of the Seas was top-tier, building on previous fan favorites.
I was blown away by the All In! Signature show on night one. The high-quality production stunned in every aspect, from set design to costumes.
The Name That Tune game show also blew my mind. I showed up to the Royal Theater expecting a typical, guest-centered game show.
Instead, the game show took place on stage, including live music as part of the tunes. It felt like I was watching Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? live!
The Aqua80Too AquaShow, however, was my favorite performance. Its predecessor, Aqua80, was so popular on Oasis of the Seas that Royal Caribbean created a sequel for its newest vessel.
The performance features live world-class acrobats, athletes, dancers, and divers, all set to a soundtrack of upbeat, familiar hits from the 1980s.
The show has something for everyone: nostalgic 80s music, awe-inspiring feats of athleticism, and wonderous light shows.
I would change the extravagant marketing of being a 'party cruise'—it fell flat
Utopia's "party environment" didn't differ from events I’ve experienced on other Oasis Class ships. While Utopia did have new events, these new parties (like the frat party and SENSES sunset party) were less attended.
The new onboard events felt less celebrated than Royal Caribbean classics like the Bellyflop Competition or Love and Marriage game show.
While I always love an onboard Silent Party, the additional toga element on Utopia felt gimmicky and unnecessary.
The net effect was the same as any other weekend cruise I’ve experienced.
Perhaps this also had to do with the timing of my sailing, which was in September. Cruises during the school year tend to appeal more to retired folks or families with younger children.
The marketing also didn't mesh with Royal Caribbean's reputation as a more upscale and calm cruise line. I think guests came on board expecting the classic Royal Caribbean experience, regardless of how many events were put on over the 3-day cruise.
I really enjoyed the escape room onboard, especially our helpful crew member
The escape room on Utopia of the Seas is called Escape U. It's a university-themed mystery guests must work together to solve.
My experience on Utopia was my first time in an escape room, much less on a cruise ship, and I was pleasantly surprised. The entire experience cost $30, and we climbed the stairs up to Adventure Ocean to begin our simulation.
A crew member greeted the group and guided us through the experience. Having a crew member there to give tips was a bonus aspect to the escape room—she was there to give hints, push us along, or sometimes just laugh at our guesses.
The classroom setting was a fun environment, perfect for bringing together a group of strangers. As we walked into the classroom, it felt like the first day of school.
Much like a high school group project, our band of cruisers quickly came together to solve the mystery of the missing professor.
The puzzles were well-designed—the perfect blend between challenging and solvable. All in all, it was an enjoyable, more laid-back experience worth spending the extra money on.
I didn't like that there wasn't a library onboard
While I investigated as much as possible on my 3-day cruise, I never found a library or card room onboard. It's always a pet peeve of mine when newer cruise ships lack a quiet space.
My guess is that cruise lines expect cruisers to use their stateroom for a quiet break and have their adventures out on the ship.
However, I usually appreciate a library, card room, or study space to use onboard.
Read more: I sailed on Royal Caribbean's two largest cruise ships. They were surprisingly different
Locations on Utopia like the Royal Promenade, the pool deck, and Central Park, were usually filled with noise and events, making it difficult to find a tranquil spot.
Bars like the Rising Tide Bar or Pesky Parrot were pleasant places to sit but usually filled with activity.
I missed having a quiet, indoor space to calmly read or write. Instead, I had to compromise by visiting Central Park in the evenings, where live musicians would play guitar or sing jazz.
I liked the upgraded pool area, with lots of seating for everyone
Utopia of the Seas features Oasis Class staples, like the Boardwalk and Central Park Neighborhoods, AquaTheater, zip line, and Ultimate Abyss dry slide.
However, she also upgrades and builds upon previous iterations of the ship class, and one area I noticed this was the pool deck.
The upgraded area added extra seating in all aspects, including a two-story, amphitheater-like collection of chairs.
The adults-only Solarium pool area also had additional beach chairs, some added inside the pools, and others facing the back of the ship for a beautiful view.
These creative designs solved the frequent problems guests have with chair hogs and crowded pool decks (especially on sea days). I was always able to find a seat or two and sometimes able to grab an especially comfy rocker.
Even on a ship with 5,668 passengers onboard, it looked like everyone was able to grab a seat at the pool deck, even on the busiest sea days.
