The cruise ship that wants you to completely re-think short cruises, is only one day away from making its formal debut.
Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas is the second-biggest cruise ship ever built and will depart from Port Canaveral, Florida on Friday afternoon on its inaugural voyage to The Bahamas.
The key detail is its itinerary, because the new ship will only sail short cruises to The Bahamas. It's a play by Royal Caribbean to introduce the predominant choice in the short cruise market.
Short cruises are usually what people that have never cruised before tend to book, and Royal Caribbean wants to take advantage of this market. The new to cruisers singlehandedly represents the largest growth market any cruise line can tap, and enticing more new cruisers is how Royal Caribbean hopes to expand its customer base and continue to drive record profits.
The RoyalCaribbeanBlog team will be reporting live from Utopia of the Seas over the next few days, with full coverage of what this new ship is all about.
Big, bold, and brisk sailings
Built at the giant Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, Utopia of the Seas measures 236,473 gross tons, making her slightly larger than Wonder of the Seas but not quite as big as Icon of the Seas.
Like Wonder, Utopia is part of the Oasis Class of ships and are best known for being giant ships that offer just about everything you'd want on a single cruise ship. She can accommodate 5,668 passengers at double occupancy, along with 2,290 crew members.
Utopia is the sixth in the Oasis Class, with at least one more ship due out in 2028.
Her size is what allows Royal Caribbean to include its best ideas and offerings. Utopia of the Seas is positioned to have the very best features of any Oasis Class ship, which is why Royal Caribbean is so excited to have her start cruising.
On the top deck ,passengers can choose from water slides, a zip line, surf simulator, multiple pools, mini-golf course, adults-only section, kids aquapark, and a basketball court. When you go inside Utopia, there are bars, restaurants and shops, plus a huge casino, spa and theaters.
Every weekend is a party
Oasis Class ships aren't new, but Utopia of the Seas starting off with short cruises is a different approach.
Royal Caribbean is not mincing words when they say Utopia is meant to be the ultimate short getaway. In addition to all the activities onboard, there are shows, parties, and dance events meant to keep passengers in the right vibe every day of the sailing.
According to Royal Caribbean, there are 40 ways to dine, drink and party, including a selection of parties only on Utopia:
- Resort-style and sloping beach-entry pools
- Rezolution dance party with epic light productions
- Royal Kappa Chi throwback collegiate party
- Sail Away Pool Party
- Senses Sunset Pool Party
- Plunge Day Pool Party, a Vegas-inspired daytime party
- Red late-night DJ
- Largest Shush! Silent Party in the fleet
- Silent Toga, [a] toga party with a silent twist
For fun that involves sitting down, Royal Caribbean advertises 9 shows you can take in on Utopia.
There are shows in each of the three theaters on Utopia, including the ice skating rink and outdoor Aquatheater.
The venue getting the most buzz is the new Royal Railway immersive dining car experience. This is where you can board a classic train car and be surrounded by digital screens, projections, decorations and even actors that all combine to make you feel like you're on a train. It's something never before tried at this scale on a cruise ship.
The goal is to deliver to their guests exactly what Royal Caribbean's market research tells them cruisers want: first experiences that create family bonding moments with memories they'll take home and cherish.
Having one of Royal Caribbean's best ships in the fleet to offer weekend cruises is exactly how the line thinks they'll do that, along with homeporting her in Port Canaveral. Royal Caribbean has made no secret they are targeting the family vacation market that typically considers an Orlando vacation, which is just 45 minutes west of where Utopia sails twice per week.
The coup de grâce for Utopia is the combination of Utopia and a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's award-winning private island. The combination of a cruise on a great ship and a stop at arguably the best cruise line private island is the formula to separate itself from the competition on land or at sea.
Sailing from Port Canaveral through early 2026
Utopia of the Seas will offer 3- and 4-night cruises from Port Canaveral through at least March 2026.
Every sailing includes one visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Nassau, Bahamas. The 4-night cruises include a sea day, although some Utopia of the Seas sailings in early 2025 have added a second stop at CocoCay.
The inaugural cruise will depart on Friday, July 19, 2024. This voyage will signify the ship's official start of service with paying passengers onboard.
At the time of writing, the lowest advertised fare on the Royal Caribbean's website for a cruise onboard Utopia in 2024 starts at $682 per person (including taxes and fees) for an interior room on the October 21 sailing.
Prices drop a bit if you're willing to book further out, such as the January 9, 2026 sailing that begins at $567 per person (including taxes and fees) for an interior room.
