Our Take on Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas
The newest member of the Royal Caribbean fleet set sail this July.
Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas has officially splashed onto the scene, embarking on its inaugural season this summer!
Magical Vacations Travel Owner and President, Michele, was able to experience an exclusive preview aboard the Utopia alongside MVT Agent, Samantha, this July. Both experienced cruisers, Michele and Samantha took on the Utopia with open minds and open eyes.
The Details
The Utopia is among the world’s largest passenger cruise ships, second only to another Royal Caribbean liner, the Icon of the Seas. At just under 1,200 feet in length, she can carry more than 5,500 guests across nearly 3,000 staterooms.
Royal Caribbean hails the Utopia as the “World’s Biggest Weekend,” and it certainly shows.
Guests are welcome to enjoy 23 bars and lounges, 20 dining experiences, and seemingly infinite options for how to spend their time onboard. From live music and stage shows, to parties, comedy, karaoke, and poolside competitions, good times and high energy are woven into every layer of the ship.
For adrenaline junkies, or simply kids of all ages, the Utopia serves up pools, waterslides, an aqua park, rock wall, and even Royal Caribbean’s longest dry slide, the Ultimate Abyss.
The newest member of the Royal Caribbean fleet begins her career out of Port Canaveral, sweeping guests off their land legs for shorter 3- and 4-day sailings to the Bahamas, and the company’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Our Take
Michele and Samantha checked into the Utopia for a preview sailing in mid-July. They weren’t entirely sure what to expect, with the ship’s overall granduer and it being Michele’s first experience sailing Royal Caribbean.
“I would have to say as big as it is, I didn’t feel overwhelmed,” Michele said, “even on a 3-night cruise I was able to find my way around by the second day.”
With a short stay ahead of them, they got to work exploring the ship. Samantha was quick to notice the large pools, how spacious the decks were and especially the lounge chairs right in the water.
Both Michele and Samantha raved about Utopia’s adults-only Solarium.
“The Solarium was by far my favorite,” said Michele. “It was so spacious, had more than enough chairs for everyone, and at least five or six hot tubs with two pools.”
“There is a buffet restaurant connected to the Solarium,” said Samantha. “Kids can enter the restaurant, but not exit out the back to the Solarium. There are tables in the adult area so you can walk into the buffet, get your plate and head right back out to eat in peace!”
Fancy eating lunch twice in a day? There are no food rules at sea!
Dining at all onboard eateries would be quite the challenge, but it became clear that there were no wrong choices when it came to picking a menu.
“The dining room in the evening had great selections and everything was really good,” said Michele. “The buffet was huge and very well-organized!”
“We did not get to dine in any specialty restaurants, but didn’t feel like we missed out because the Main Dining Room food was so good,” said Samantha, who also lauded the gluten-free pizza from quick service Sorrento’s.
“We were allowed to tour the Royal Railway restaurant and that was so fun. You feel like you are on a train and dining in one of the dining cars, and the scenery changes as you are “riding” along,” Samantha added.
Cruises and cocktails go together like peas and carrots. Not a drinker? The Utopia features an impressive set of zero-proof options!
Cruising often goes hand-in-hand with a fruity cocktail. Samantha was pleasantly surprised that across the (many) onboard bars and lounges, menus had excellent options for those who’d like to partake without side effects.
“The Zero Proof drink menu was so fun!” said Samantha. “Finally, you can get fun drinks without the alcohol. The menu differed by bar, so depending on where you were you could have 3-6 different options.”
With the zero proof movement only gaining in momentum, we were excited to see the Utopia jump onto the bandwagon with unique options for everyone at the table.
Michele and Samantha were both impressed with the live entertainment aboard the Utopia, hailing the live shows “outstanding.”
The Utopia features an eclectic mix of live music, themed pool parties, immersive dinner shows, and even an 80s-inspired performance at the ship’s AquaTheater.
“We loved the Comedy Show, and the ice show was so great!” said Samantha. “One of the best at-sea shows I have seen.”
The Bottom Line
Michele and Samantha admit they weren’t sure what to expect before they stepped aboard the Utopia for the “World’s Biggest Weekend,” but by the time of disembarkation, both were sold on the experience and returning again.
“I guess because I’ve only been on Disney Cruise Line, I wasn’t expecting to love this ship as much as I did, but I really enjoyed it and would go back on it in a second!” Michele said.
They were equally impressed by the ship’s entertainment and dining options, and could easily see themselves spending a weekend relaxing in the peaceful Solarium. Plus, with so much to do and see, the “World’s Biggest Weekend” is sure to have something new with each and every itinerary.
