Our Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas Cruise Ship Review

Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas is officially the world’s biggest weekend. This sixth Oasis-class ship is the first in the series to launch with a maiden season of short cruises from Port Canaveral. We hopped onboard the first weekend cruise to test out this latest ship. Find out if this quick getaway is right for you with our Utopia of the Seas cruise ship review.

Our Utopia of the Seas Cruise Ship Review

Casual Dining

When compared to the competition, Royal Caribbean still has some work to do regarding its casual dining. We were impressed with many of the Icon of the Seas’ casual dining upgrades.

Sadly though, the Utopia of the Seas cruise ship didn’t receive many of that ship’s new venues or menu items. Instead, it is home to the typical lineup found on other Freedom, Quantum, and Oasis-class ships.

For those looking to relax in their bathing suit and flip-flops during this short voyage, casual dining will probably let you down.

The only new casual dining venue is the poolside Spare Tire. This food truck was open from noon to 6 PM on our cruise. Here, the menu includes pre-made grab-and-go items like chicken sandwiches, beef or pepperoni and cheese tornados, and mini cheesecake churros. While the concept sounds good on paper, the food is perhaps some of the worst on the ship. It is on par with microwave food from your local gas station.

Thankfully, there are other options besides this new Spare Tire food truck.

Park Café still serves the same breakfast and lunch items for a quick meal.

The Boardwalk Dog House offers four varieties of international hot dogs and sausages for a daytime snack. El Loco Fresh has Tex-Mex selections, including nacho chips, burritos, and quesadillas until 6 PM each day of the cruise.

Sorrento’s Pizzeria still dishes out somewhat subpar slices until 2 AM. There are also 24-hour items available at Café Promenade. We would have liked the Pearl Café menu from Icon here, but instead there were the usual bakery items and pre-made sandwiches.

Of course, cruisers could also get breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the Windjammer Marketplace. This buffet serves typical items for all three meals. Given that this cruise was only three days long, with a full day in Perfect Day at CocoCay, we never ate at the Windjammer.

Overall, having just cruised on Margaritaville at Sea Islander and Carnival Jubilee earlier this year, we think Royal Caribbean needs to step up its casual fare to compete with other cruise lines offering shorter cruises.

Entertainment

On the flipside, we think Royal Caribbean is the leader in cruise ship entertainment. Utopia of the Seas is an Oasis-class ship with venues similar to her sister ships. These include the main theater, the Studio B ice rink, and the Aqua Theater in the Boardwalk.

Currently, all three venues have one brand-new production show, and all require reservations.

Even though the Utopia of the Seas cruise ship did receive three new productions, some did not live up to our entertainment expectations for Royal Caribbean shows.

On night 1, we settled in to the AquaTheater for Aqua80Too. No one else at sea comes close to offering the unique combination of high divers, dancers, and acrobatics. Living up to this reputation, Aqua80Too, the sequel to Oasis’ show, was by far the most entertaining production on Utopia. Even those cruisers who are typically adverse to cruise entertainment should consider checking out Aqua80Too on Utopia of the Seas. We promise that you won’t be disappointed.

We cannot say the same for All In!, the production in the Royal Theater that we watched on night 2. This rather typical cruise revue show’s description doesn’t even attempt to provide context to this 45-minute production that felt all over the place.

The show transported cruisers from venues like Studio 54 to masquerade parties in Venice. But, there was no running theme. For good measure, there was a short drone scene though. Still, even these technological enhancements could not rescue this show. When compared to Icon’s Wizard of Oz, this production was a major letdown.

Lastly, on night 3, we headed to Studio B for Youtopia. We are fans of Royal Caribbean’s ice shows. But if you have seen one, then really you have seen them all. However, a talented cast of skaters, various scenes, and an eclectic song list kept our attention during the production.

In the Attic, three comedians offered several sets of adults-only comedy as well. These shows also require reservations. Royal Caribbean superstar and show-stealer Simeon Kirkiles, was among the comedians during our inaugural sailing.

Main Dining

Utopia of the Seas’ traditional 3-story main dining room offered your typical sit-down dinner experience. Given that our three-day cruise had no sea days, the main dining room did not provide lunch. However, each day, there was breakfast from 7 to 9 AM.

For dinner, the cruise line’s Welcome Aboard menu was featured on night 1. It included selections like shrimp cocktail, prime rib, and the new peanut caramel bar.

Night 2 was the Taste of the Caribbean menu. This menu features spicy offerings such as the Asian-style pork bao tacos, the jerk seasoned pork chop, and the Royal chocolate cake. On night 3, there is the Bon Voyage dinner menu. This multi-course feast boasts one of Heidi’s favorites, the turkey dinner, as well as one of my favorites, the warm apple Cobbler.

On a four-night sailing, the additional menu is a Taste of France. This menu is full of hearty plates like the Baked French Onion Soup, the Beef Bourguignon, and the Chicken Cordon Bleu, not to mention Crème Brulee for dessert.

Given the short nature of this cruise, we did not dine in the main dining room. So, while the menus did include classics we have sampled on other ships, we can not comment on how the MDR on Utopia of the Seas delivered for dinner service.

Specialty Restaurants

Instead of eating in the main dining room for this Utopia of the Seas cruise ship review, we dined at three specialty restaurants.

On night 1, we revisited the Mason Jar. This southern comfort food, casual venue was one of our favorites on Wonder of the Seas.

This version on Utopia of the Seas did not disappoint either.

With live music from the bar as the backdrop, we enjoyed dishes like gumbo, a shrimp po’boy, deviled eggs, and the chicken pot pie. My St. Louis-style ribs were tender and flavorful as well, falling right off the bone. This selection paired perfectly with the mac and cheese and Cajun fries. Plus, you can’t go wrong with the drinks here, especially the PB&J Old Fashioned and Mississippi Moonlight.

On night two, we tested out the somewhat re-imagined Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen. Perched above the Boardwalk on Decks 11 and 12, this popular restaurant has a new home on Utopia of the Seas.

Now, the restaurant has al fresco seating on the terrazza and large windows overlooking the back of the ship. Although, during our 6:30 PM reservation, the evening sun was blaring down on us, making us rethink Royal’s choice to move the restaurant. Thankfully, as the sun began to set, the heat from the windows became less of an issue.

Our multi-course meal included starters like fried calamari & polenta and the caprese salad, along with the signature Giovanni’s pizza which was topped with the perfect mix of spicy ham and sweet honey.

For my entree, I tried something new. And I was pleasantly surprised with the steak muffleta. This traditional dish had a light breadcrumb crust and was filled with a variety of Italian cold cuts and cheese. It reminded me of a similar dish my mother would make during the holidays. Heidi stuck with her go-to chicken parm which was tasty as well.

For dessert, we split the stromboli filled with Nutella and bananas. Of course, no dinner at Giovanni’s would be complete without a glass of limoncello either.

On the final night of our cruise, we were among the lucky few to step onboard the new Royal Railway for a Wild West Train Trip. This interactive dinner show is part amusement ride, part dinner theater, and certainly a lot of fun.

We don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but this upcharge experience might be worth it for some families.

The show and digital technology were certainly on par with similar experiences you might expect from brands like Disney. On the other hand, for $74.99 per person, the food was only a modest upgrade from the main dining room. My empanada appetizer and short ribs entree were good but not worth the price of admission, especially since I didn’t get to finish any of the courses.

Of course, you are paying for the immersive experience, not really the food.

For us, the biggest drawback of the experience was the timing. Between the live skits occurring in the train car aisle, food and beverage services, and the various vistas passing by on the digital screens, it was a bit overstimulating. We didn’t feel there was adequate time to enjoy our meal while still taking in everything happening around us.

Nightlife

Along with the new entertainment offerings, Utopia of the Seas rolled out some new parties and guest activities. For the most part, these events were repackaged offerings that are found on most cruise ships.

One night 1, we did not stay up long enough for the Royal Kappa Chi Party taking place at 1 AM, complete with beer pong. But, we did make it to the Silent Toga Party on the last night of the cruise. This reimagined silent disco included plenty of cruisers dressed in white sheets. Some even brought their own costumes to mark the occasion. We are fans of the silent disco, and this one held in the Solarium was definitely well attended.

Other dance parties felt like typical Royal Caribbean happenings, even if they had a new name. There was the One Hit Wonders Street Party in the Royal Promenade and the RED Party and the ReZolution Dance Party in Studio B. This was basically a reimagined white party. Of course, the Crazy Quest was also a wildly popular nighttime activity on night 2.

The lineup of musicians across the rest of the bars and lounges was pretty standard. We enjoyed Stephen Burke’s remixed acoustic sounds in the pub. And the Mason Jar was one of the more popular bars on the ship. The Country Crew Trio performed a variety of country, rock, folk, and even some pop songs each evening.

In the Schooner Bar, pianist Louis Coupe took requests, while Latin Town offered Latin ryhthms in Boleros. The Royal Caribbean fan favorite Phoenix rocked out the Music Hall with a mix of classic rock and pop songs and a show that spanned the decades.

For those loyal to Royal, Utopia of the Seas offers the nightlife you are used to on most of the line’s mega-ships. But, it doesn’t really present anything different or unique, like the Dueling Pianos bar found on Icon.

Bars and Lounges

The Utopia of the Seas cruise ship is home to many of the familiar bars and lounges found fleetwide. Over three days, we found it hard to complete our typical bar crawl. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t try.

The new addition to the ship is the well-themed Pesky Parrot. This brand-new bar features a signature menu with frozen drinks and cocktails and was a welcomed replacement for the gimmicky Bionic Bar. The venue resembles the Bamboo Room on Navigator of the Seas but better. It is also home to Brian, the namesake bird who wants you to “drink up”. Thankfully, most of the drinks here are covered in the Royal Caribbean beverage package.

Overlooking the Royal Promenade is the cruise line’s signature Schooner Bar, mixing up everyone’s favorite Lavender Daiquiri alongside live piano music. While this is usually our go-to bar, we did find ourselves spending more time at the Mason Jar for the live music and unique drinks.

Of course, you’ll also find a signature drink menu at Boleros, an updated cocktail list at the Bell & Barley Pub, and the Oasis-class Rising Tide Bar on Utopia of the Seas. Other entertainment spaces like The Attic, Spotlight Karaoke, the Music Hall, and Playmakers Sports Bar all keep the drinks flowing as well.

For a more relaxed vibe, guests can grab a glass of wine or cocktail at the Trellis Bar in Central Park or Giovanni’s Wine Bar in its new location.

Those lounging on the pool deck can sip a cool, refreshing Lime & Coconut drink from one of the three outdoor locations. Guests can also grab a beverage at the adult-only Solarium Bar, the Vue Bar located outside the Solarium, or Cantina Fresca nearby El Loco Fresh.

While not a new bar, the Wipeout Bar found aft on Deck 16 is home to a new offering: shaved ice. Before you ask, these premium snacks are not included in the beverage packages. Cruisers can mix and match various flavors, starting at $6 for a non-alcoholic version (or $14 for spiked ice).

Onboard Activities

Given this 3-day cruise included only embarkation day and two ports of call, many cruisers headed ashore during the day. Still, there were plenty of cruise activities and staff-led events for those who chose to stay onboard the ship.

The lineup included trivia sessions, game shows and challenges, karaoke sets, dance classes, scavenger hunts, and more. Cruise staples like Name that Tune and Majority Rules did occur, but there was no Love and Marriage Game Show.

One day of our cruise, Studio B was open for free skating. The cruise line provides all the equipment; cruisers just need long pants and socks. Or, families could go head-to-head in laser tag in Battle for Planet Z. This complimentary activity is also in Studio B.

Further, the whole family can enjoy a ride on the carousel in the Boardwalk neighborhood on Utopia of the Seas.

Not to mention, kids and teens can enjoy all that Adventue Ocean and Social100 have to offer. Adults can take advantage of the Vitality Spa or do a little gaming in the casino. The casino slots were open all day and tables opened at noon while docked in Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Of course, there’s also the pools and all of the other amenities and activities on the outdoor decks of Utopia of the Seas.

Outdoor Decks

Utopia of the Seas’ pool deck and sports deck boast a similar layout to Wonder of the Seas. There are three main pools on Deck 15 and the Splashaway Bay play area for little kids. Across the way on the starboard side is the only themed pool, the Beach Pool. Here, cruisers can also enjoy the Perfect Storm trio of waterslides. While fun, these attractions do not measure up to the thrills of Category 6 on the line’s largest ship, Icon of the Seas.

The two additional pools are found further aft and offer stadium style seating. This gives the area more dimension than previous Oasis-class ships.

Forward on Deck 15 is the adults-only Solarium. This solarium does feature a plunge pool and a few whirlpools. But, cruisers will notice less seating area and fewer loungers on the lower part of this area. The wings now consist of two new Solarium Suites offering bridge level views for up to 4 guests.

Beyond the pool deck, the sports deck features even more activities to keep guests of all ages busy.

Aft on Deck 16, the FlowRider lets cruisers boogie board or surf each day of the cruise. There were free-throw competitions and pickleball games at the Sports Court. Not to mention, Utopia of the Seas regained the title of the longest dry slide at sea with the addition of the enhanced Ultimate Abyss. There is also a well-themed, nautical Aqua Dunes mini-golf course, a small zipline, and the Playscape for little ones.

Yes, if you’ve never sailed on an Oasis-class ship, it could feel very overwhelming trying to do and see it all in just three (or four) days.

Stateroom

For this Utopia of the Seas cruise ship review, we opted for a guaranteed oceanview balcony. A few weeks before our cruise we were assigned stateroom 11680. This category 4D balcony cabin is on the starboard side of the ship slightly aft of the midship elevators.

While we didn’t select Deck 11, it was the ideal spot for us being only a few decks from the outdoor spaces. Not to mention, it’s a quick walk down to the Boardwalk, Central Park, or the Royal Promenade.

According to Royal Caribbean’s website, this cruise cabin was 191 square feet, with a 50 square foot balcony. It felt pretty typical for a mega-ship balcony cabin in terms of size and decor.

Immediately upon entering the room, our bathroom was to the right. Like the rest of the cabin, the bathroom had a familiar layout. There was a cylindrical-shaped shower with a glass door and a small vanity area with a few shelves.

Beyond the bathroom was a sofa on the aft wall, and the desk and dresser were across the way. Our bed was also on the aft wall, facing forward, right before the balcony which is our preferred configuration.

For our three day cruise, there was plenty of storage, with two closets each flanking the sofa. They consisted of a clothes bar with hangers, a series of shelves, and two drawers. There were also pegs for hanging items like bags and hats underneath the television.

Overall, the stateroom was comfortable and functional, even if the decor was a tad basic. There were also ample power outlets for all our technology. The bedside lamps on each side of the bed had a power outlet and a USB-C. Thus, cruisers could each easily charge phones and other devices at night…if they work unlike ours.

Additionally, the desk had three 110-volt outlets, two 220-volt outlets, one USB, and one USB-C connection.

Honestly, we only stepped out on our balcony a few times for some photos and videos. While it was nice to have the dedicated and private outdoor space, there just wasn’t enough time to relax here. When compared to other cruise ship balconies, it did feel a bit tight. So, cruisers looking to soak up some sun will probably want to head to one of the public spaces at the top of the ship.

Recap of Our Utopia of the Seas Cruise Ship Review

We have sailed on all of the previous Oasis-class ships, and Utopia of the Seas delivers on many fronts. The ship offers a variety to do, see, and eat, especially for three- and four-day quick getaways. It features all the Royal Caribbean and Oasis-class staples that loyal Royal cruisers have come to know and love.

Although, it might be overwhelming for some, especially if you are unfamilar with this class of ships. If you’re like Heidi, and suffer from FOMO, you may feel there is not enough time to experience it all during a short cruise.

But, that is partially the point of Royal Caribbean’s marketing as the “World’s Biggest Weekend”. If you didn’t get everything done on one trip, you can always book another one. Or, a back-to-back cruise, giving you a total of seven days onboard, might be a good option.

While there is plenty to do and the most onboard amenities of any weekend cruise, there was nothing that wowed us about Utopia of the Seas. The ship offers little in innovative or unique attractions when compared to previous sister ships.

Utopia of the Seas does have new signature productions, but the theater show and ice show are average at best. Likewise, several of the “new” parties felt like any other Royal Caribbean happening, just with a new name or logo. The ship also debuted new up-charges. Among the ones you can skip is the crushed ice at the Wipeout Bar.

The Royal Railway – Utopia Station was perhaps the only truly innovative debut on this ship. But, this up-charge dining experience is pricey and has limited capacity. And the only new quick service spot, the Spare Tire, was a huge letdown.

Inevitably, price will factor into deciding whether a Utopia of the Seas cruise is the right option for your next family vacation. Our three-day balcony cabin was a total of $1800, or $900 a person, which is similar in price to a seven-night cruise on Carnival Jubilee.

Comments

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