Royal Caribbean is best known for building some of the most innovative cruise ships at sea. For decades, the cruise line has pushed the boundaries, introducing ships bigger and better than anything seen before. These floating cities are packed with restaurants, entertainment, and high-tech thrills.
Even though Royal Caribbean is known for its mega-ships, the cruise line’s fleet includes a wide range of vessels, from the newest and biggest Icon class to older Vision Class ships that feel like a blast from the past.
I’ve been sailing with Royal Caribbean since 2005, meaning I’ve experienced nearly two decades’ worth of ships. My first cruise was onboard Enchantment of the Seas when I was in elementary school. Throughout the years, my family started booking more adventurous itineraries on newer and bigger ships.
While I enjoy sailing on new ships, I often find myself preferring Royal Caribbean’s smaller vessels for a more intimate experience and unique itineraries. Because of this, I typically skip Oasis Class ships and opt for Vision or Radiance Class ships.
But last month, my husband and I joined my family on Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest and most over-the-top ship yet. As the latest Oasis Class ship, Utopia of the Seas is packed to the brim with entertainment, restaurants, and adrenaline-pumping thrills.
However, I also recently sailed on Royal Caribbean’s oldest and smallest ship, Grandeur of the Seas. The nearly 30-year-old vessel felt like an entirely different cruise line—and the contrast between the two experiences couldn’t have been starker. Here’s how the two ships compared—and which one I’d actually prefer to sail on again.
Grandeur of the Seas is a far cry from the innovation found on Royal Caribbean’s newest ships
Royal Caribbean portrays itself as an adventure-packed, family-focused, and innovative cruise line. Take one look at one of Royal Caribbean’s commercials or advertisements, and you would never see Grandeur of the Seas front and center.
Instead, Royal Caribbean showcases its cutting-edge, bold, and innovative mega-ships. These ships are packed with waterslides, zip lines, ice skating rinks, surf simulators, and even waterparks on the newest ships. The vessels are floating cities that will have you forgetting that you’re even on a cruise ship.
If you booked Grandeur of the Seas after watching one of Royal Caribbean’s commercials and combing through their promotional photos, you might be shocked by the stark contrast. At nearly one-third the size of Utopia of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas represents an entirely different era of cruising.
You might be surprised to learn that Grandeur of the Seas was once considered a large cruise ship when she first debuted in 1996. However, she was never considered the biggest cruise ship for Royal Caribbean. When Carnival Cruise Line built Carnival Destiny in 1996, the ship measured 100,000 gross tons - the first of its kind!
Now, Grandeur of the Seas is classified as a smaller vessel by cruise standards today. The 73,800 gross ton vessel only holds around 1,990 passengers, while Utopia of the Seas is nearly triple the size, measuring 235,860 gross tons and accommodating almost 6,000 guests.
While Utopia of the Seas is packed with modern features and plenty of onboard thrills, Grandeur of the Seas exudes a more simple cruising era
Stepping foot on Grandeur of the Seas is like entering a time machine. When she first debuted, Grandeur of the Seas was designed with a more open, airy, and light-filled design to emphasize the ocean views and provide more natural light.
The dazzling Centrum is a six-deck atrium in the center of the ship and is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows with unparalleled views of the ocean.
On my first morning at sea, this was one of the standout features that immediately caught my attention. I loved being able to enjoy my coffee on the promenade deck, watching the ship sail through the calm waters.
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Back in 1996, Grandeur of the Seas wasn’t necessarily considered revolutionary. Instead, the ship was praised for its evolutionary features, such as incorporating more of these expansive glass windows and incorporating an open layout for easier navigation.
One of my favorite aspects of sailing on Grandeur of the Seas was being able to enjoy the ocean views — so peaceful, relaxing, and grounding. I found myself disconnecting more and feeling more present with fewer distractions and things to do onboard.
There was plenty of deck space to find a lounge chair, whether inside the Solarium or on the main pool deck. I took some of the best cruise naps during my short time on Grandeur of the Seas because I was so relaxed! A few hot tubs, a walking path, and a climbing wall complete the short list of things to do aboard Grandeur of the Seas.
Comparatively, it’s easy to forget you’re on a cruise while sailing on Utopia of the Seas. The ship feels like a floating city with an inward-facing design. This highlights the many different neighborhoods aboard the vessel, such as the open-aired Central Park and carnival-inspired Boardwalk.
You could spend the entire day on Utopia of the Seas and never see the ocean! For instance, none of the restaurants in Central Park provide ocean views, which is one of the biggest complaints from cruisers when sailing on Oasis class ships. The Royal Promenade — located at the heart of the ship — is lined with bars, lounges, shops, and restaurants and also lacks windows.
The dining options were especially limited on Royal Caribbean’s smallest and oldest ship
Another stark contrast when comparing the oldest and newest ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet is the lack of dining options on Grandeur of the Seas. Complimentary choices are extremely limited aboard the cruise line’s oldest ship class, relying almost entirely on the Windjammer buffet and the main dining room.
Even though Royal Caribbean’s oldest ship is also its smallest, there are still upwards of 2,000 passengers sailing together. This inevitably leads to a busy and cramped buffet.
The buffet was also located under a glass-enclosed ceiling at the front of the ship, contributing to a stuffy feeling in the venue. We couldn’t sit in here too long before breaking a sweat, and the food was generally bland. There were two other places to grab snacks, including Cafe Latitude and Park Cafe.
There were also a few specialty dining options aboard, such as Giovanni’s Table, which we tried the first evening. The food was excellent, and the service was incredible. This was a dining highlight during our sailing.
However, the lack of complementary dining options was a huge disadvantage to sailing on Grandeur of the Seas. The few options quickly became repetitive, even on a 4-night itinerary. I can’t imagine sailing on a longer itinerary with only a few options.
I wish Royal Caribbean would modernize the dining options on its oldest and smallest ships by adding more contemporary venues. For example, introducing El Loco Fresh, the cruise line’s popular Mexican eatery, would bring much-needed variety to the dining selection.
Other cruise lines, like Carnival, have already made these kinds of upgrades to their older ships. Even their oldest vessels feature signature dining spots, such as Guy’s Burger Joint, ensuring guests have access to the same popular eateries across the fleet.
Comparatively, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Utopia of the Seas, had so many complementary dining options to try. Everything from Park Café to the new Spare Tire food truck concept and the Solarium Bistro were included in the cost of the cruise.
For this reason, we only dined at the busy, crowded Windjammer buffet once during our 4-night cruise. Instead, we utilize these other included dining options to avoid the mobs of people. For instance, instead of going to the busy buffet for breakfast, we opted to dine at Johnny Rockets for the complimentary breakfast. The breakfast sandwich was easily one of the best I’ve had on any cruise ship!
Other complimentary dining options on Utopia of the Seas included the Boardwalk Dog House, Sorrento’s Pizza, and Cafe Promenade. In addition, you can find plenty of specialty dining restaurants aboard, such as Izumi, Playmaker’s Sports Bar, Chops Grille, The Mason Jar, and Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen.
One of the most unique dining concepts on Utopia of the Seas is the Royal Railway, which is an immersive train experience with a multi-course meal. This is certainly not something you’d find on Grandeur of the Seas!
Royal Caribbean has significantly enhanced its stateroom design as well
I’ve sailed on my fair share of older cruise ships, so the outdated design on Grandeur of the Seas was unsurprising. Our interior cabin was 142 square feet, and I didn’t have very high expectations for the 30-year-old cruise ship.
Most of the cabin options on the oldest ship were interior or oceanview staterooms with only a few balconies to book. There were actually only 122 balconies of the 780 staterooms available.
We didn’t mind booking the interior stateroom as long as it would be clean, comfortable, and air-conditioned. Our cabin was fairly clean, although it was very worn and dated in certain areas. The mirror had signs of rust, and the vanity only included two outlets for us to use.
I wished Royal Caribbean had incorporated a few more outlets or USB ports during the last refurbishment. The bathroom was better than expected, but still not perfect. The shower was oddly shaped, and the clingy shower curtain was the worst part. This made the tiny shower feel even smaller and left dripping water all over the floor.
In contrast, Utopia of the Seas has the latest and greatest cabin design. Our interior stateroom was also 140 square feet, so the two staterooms were nearly identical in size!
Surprisingly, the two cabins were fairly similar. Both cabins included a sofa, vanity, and closet storage. The newer stateroom had a split closet, in which my husband took one and I used the other.
There were three aspects that were noticeably different between the two cabins. First, the bathroom had a completely revamped feel.
The blue accents behind the sink and on the floor added a much-needed splash of color. The standout feature of the bathroom was the massive shower! The expanded shower is much more comfortable, and the glass door is a vast improvement from the clingy shower curtain.
Second, Royal Caribbean’s cabin design has shifted from a warmer hue to a brighter, cool-toned palette. On Grandeur of the Seas, you can see the classic, dated design with beige walls and yellowish lighting. In contrast, Utopia of the Seas embraces a sleek, modern aesthetic with a hue of blue and grey. This made the space feel modern, open, and contemporary with brighter lighting.
And finally, the connectivity has significantly improved on Royal Caribbean’s newest ships. There was no shortage of outlets or USB ports to charge our devices.
When Grandeur of the Seas was first built, there was likely only one outlet available to use. However, people hardly traveled with electronics that needed constant charging. Now, our daily lives revolve around electronics, and charging our necessary devices requires multiple ports and outlets.
Even our nightstand on Utopia of the Seas had an outlet and USB-C port on the nightlight. My husband loved this feature in the cabin, especially as he’s sailed on many older ships with me.
If you want the full Royal Caribbean experience, stick to its newer ships
Royal Caribbean is heavily pushing its newest and most innovative ships; however, the cruise line operates a diverse fleet of vessels, including a handful of smaller and older ships built in the 1990s and early 2000s. After sailing on Royal Caribbean’s oldest and newest ships, it almost feels like the two experiences were on different cruise lines.
The size alone is staggering, with Utopia of the Seas being nearly three times larger than Grandeur of the Seas. The onboard experience is vastly different, too. Royal Caribbean’s oldest ships focus on an outward-facing design that looks to display ocean views everywhere you look.
In contrast, Utopia of the Seas features an inward-focused design that prioritizes the onboard experience over ocean views. From breathtaking diving performances and thrilling waterslides to ice-skating at sea, the ship is packed with nonstop activities. While there’s still plenty of space to relax on the top deck, Utopia of the Seas is designed to keep guests entertained at every turn.
Dining is another huge difference, and I wouldn’t recommend Grandeur of the Seas for foodies. Those wanting to experience a variety of cuisine options would be frustrated by the limited selection.
Overall, Grandeur of the Seas offers a relaxing, nostalgic cruise experience, emphasizing ocean views and a slower pace, while Utopia of the Seas is a nonstop, high-energy vacation where guests can easily forget they’re even at sea.
Royal Caribbean’s shift in ship design reflects how the cruise industry has continuously evolved—from classic cruising focused on the journey to modern mega-ships that function as destinations themselves. While Grandeur of the Seas appeals to those who enjoy a traditional, laid-back cruise, Utopia of the Seas is perfect for travelers looking for endless activities, entertainment, and dining choices.
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure. Allie's been on over 45 cruises all over the world. She even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.
