Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas promises epic parties, thrilling activities, and dreamy beach days, but the ship also packs a punch when it comes to dining.
It’s no secret that food is an integral part of a cruise vacation. When I booked a 3-night cruise on Utopia of the Seas—the newest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet—I was excited to try the vessel’s extensive selection of restaurants.
As one of the world’s biggest cruise ships, Utopia of the Seas offers dining choices for any type of traveler. Budget cruisers can choose from over ten complimentary venues, but the ship also features more than ten specialty restaurants that come with an extra charge.
Everything from Japanese hibachi to a Mexican buffet and Italian trattoria are available onboard, and I couldn’t wait to try as many dishes as possible on my short weekend getaway. I splurged on the Unlimited Dining Package for $164, which allowed me to try not only the ship’s free restaurants, but the specialty options, too.
After three days onboard (and a few pounds gained) here are the 6 best and 5 worst things I ate on Utopia of the Seas.
BEST: Lobster Thermidor at 150 Central Park
I never knew I liked lobster until I tried the delectable, tender Lobster Thermidor at Utopia’s 150 Central Park. In short, I was blown away by the flavor and presentation of the dish, and I regret not trying it sooner.
150 Central Park is an elegant specialty dining option on Utopia of the Seas. Each dish at the restaurant is prepared with locally sourced ingredients, all of which are harvested during the peak of their season. I booked the restaurant with my Unlimited Dining Package, but the meal costs around $59 per person without it.
Related: Utopia of the Seas restaurant and dining guide
I usually don't care for shellfish, but I decided to step outside my comfort zone and try the menu's renowned Lobster Thermidor. I knew if I didn't like the dish I could order something else instead, so I decided it was worth a shot.
It wasn't my first time at 150 Central Park—the restaurant is available on all of Royal Caribbean's other Oasis Class ships. Yet after tasting my first bite of Lobster Thermidor, I couldn't believe I waited so long to try the dish.
The lobster was tender, seasoned with tarragon and parmesan cheese, and coated with a cognac cream sauce. It was easily the best dish I had on the entire cruise, and I’ll certainly be reserving 150 Central Park on my next sailing.
WORST: Spaghetti Pomodoro at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen
Royal Caribbean offers three Italian specialty restaurants across the fleet, with Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen—the newest Italian restaurant—offered on Utopia of the Seas.
Like the fleet’s other Italian restaurants, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen offers a variety of pastas along with meat and seafood entrees. The restaurant differs from the others, however, in that it also offers a pizza menu.
Being Italian-American myself, I’ll admit I have high standards when it comes to Italian food. No restaurant’s red sauce could ever compare to my mom's or grandma's recipe! Even still, I can usually find something to like at any Italian restaurant.
Unfortunately, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen fell flat for me. I prefer pastas without meat, but I found options limited, with only a spaghetti pomodoro dish offered on the menu. I wish the menu had more vegetarian options outside of pizza, whether a pesto ravioli or eggplant parmesan. As is, the menu options felt rather limited.
The spaghetti pomodoro wasn’t bad, but it didn’t taste significantly better than the free pasta at the Windjammer or Main Dining Room. In hindsight, I wish I had used the last night of my dining package at Izumi sushi or hibachi, which offer food options I cannot find elsewhere onboard.
BEST: Pizza at Sorrento’s
Utopia of the Seas is called "The World’s Biggest Weekend” for a reason. The ship aims to provide the ultimate party experience for her short 3 and 4-night itineraries, and this will surely lead to a few late nights onboard.
As an early riser, I was surprised to find myself out well into the night on Utopia of the Seas. Whether dancing at the toga party or cheering on my team at The Quest game show, I partied harder than ever before on a Royal Caribbean ship.
Related: 5 things Utopia of the Seas does better than other Oasis Class ships
Frequent cruisers know that nothing tastes quite as good as Sorrento's pizza after a few drinks, and the free, unlimited pizza hit the spot every evening of my cruise.
WORST: Raspberry Cheesecake at The Spare Tire
When Royal Caribbean first introduced The Spare Tire—the ship’s new food truck concept—I was intrigued. The fast, casual, and complimentary option seemed like it would be a convenient place to grab a snack while lounging on the pool deck.
Unfortunately, while I still find the concept great, the implementation felt slightly lackluster. I appreciated being able to walk up to the “food truck” and grab an item myself, but the food choices weren’t the most appealing.
It appeared many of the snacks were pre-made and reheated. The Tornados, for instance, were from the same brand of taquitos you could find at a gas station. Likewise, the raspberry cheesecake I tried was from the brand Mini Chimis.
While the cheesecake bite was palatable, the snack paled in comparison to the freshly-made desserts I could enjoy elsewhere on the ship.
That being said, The Spare Tire’s veggie wrap and chicken sandwich appeared to be made fresh onboard; I found these much more enticing than the pre-made alternatives.
BEST: Southern Breakfast at The Mason Jar
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and no restaurant on Utopia of the Seas does breakfast quite as well as The Mason Jar.
As Royal Caribbean’s only Southern-inspired restaurant, The Mason Jar offers both a brunch and dinner menu. While dinner sees favorites like crawfish gumbo and beef brisket, brunch offers a variety of sweet and savory items.
The brunch menu’s diverse options—cinnamon rolls, stuffed French toast, buttery breakfast biscuits, and pimento cheese omelets—were too tempting to pass up. As soon as I boarded Utopia of the Seas, I headed to The Mason Jar for a much-needed brunch after my busy travel day.
Related: The Mason Jar Southern food restaurant review
Feeling something savory, I ordered the Southern Breakfast (sans bacon). My breakfast skillet came with two eggs atop a bed of sweet potato hash. You can’t go wrong with fried eggs, but I loved the stir-fried onions, peppers, and crispy sweet potatoes.
The Southern Breakfast served with sides of Meemaw’s biscuits and jalapeño cornbread easily made this dish one of my favorites on the weekend getaway.
WORST: Red Velvet Pancakes at The Mason Jar
Following the scrumptious breakfast skillet, I couldn’t pass up a sweet treat to end my brunch.
I loved The Mason Jar’s fluffy red velvet pancakes during my first visit to the restaurant two years ago on Wonder of the Seas. This time, however, the pancakes were not as delicious as I remembered.
Despite their pretty appearance, I found the pancakes quite dry. I didn’t mind the thick, cakey texture, but the ratio of cream cheese icing to pancakes felt off. Even though I could have asked for more icing, I was already full from my previous course, so I left most of the pancakes on the plate.
I wouldn’t be opposed to ordering the red velvet pancakes again, but I would definitely ask for an extra cup of icing next time!
BEST: Shaved Ice at Wipeout Bar
A brand new concept to Royal Caribbean is the shaved ice available at Wipeout Bar, Utopia of the Seas’ bustling bar on the ship’s sports deck.
Starting at $6 for a small and $9 for a large, guests can choose up to three syrup flavors from a selection of seventeen. Toppings, including fruit and condensed milk, are priced at $0.50 each, and there are also boozy options sold for $14.
Unfortunately, the shaved ice is not included in the drink package or dining package, and Diamond drink vouchers cannot be applied to the dessert, either.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbean's Unlimited Dining Package
Regardless, I was tempted to try a shaved ice on embarkation day to cool down in Florida’s oppressive July humidity. It worked, because my watermelon ice was not only tasty, but tremendously refreshing.
I thought the price was somewhat steep given the product (ice and syrup), but it was so revitalizing in the moment that I didn’t even care. Nevertheless, I hope the shaved ice will be included in packages and Diamond vouchers in the future.
WORST: Bubble Cone at Izumi in the Park
Although Instagram-worthy, I didn’t love the bubble cone I ordered at Izumi in the Park, Royal Caribbean’s walkup Japanese cuisine window.
Izumi in the Park focuses primarily on grab-and-go sushi and gyoza, but the casual venue also offers waffle bubble cones. There are five flavors available, including the Strawberry Bliss and Rainbow Mochi, and each flavor promises a warm waffle filled with ice cream and toppings.
Currently, the bubble cone costs $8, but one cone is permitted every 24 hours for passengers with the Unlimited Dining Package.
Even though I found the concept great, I thought the price was rather steep for what was offered. The ice cream used was the same soft-serve I could enjoy on the pool deck for free.
Nonetheless, the waffle and toppings were a nice addition to a standard ice cream cone. I would probably pay $5 for the cone, but $8 was a little high. I was glad it was included in my dining package, though, so the price didn’t really matter in the end.
BEST: Jalapeño Poppers at Playmakers
Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade is one of my favorite casual restaurants on Royal Caribbean ships. Although the venue comes with an extra charge, I find the prices reasonable. The bar’s nachos, wings, sandwiches, and appetizers are priced à la carte, with most between $7 and $12.
The Unlimited Dining Package includes a daily $20 credit at Playmakers, so I ordered both nachos and jalapeño poppers. It’s hard to go wrong with nachos, but the jalapeño poppers were the star of the show.
Crispy and with the perfect blend of spicy and sweet, the fried jalapeños were filled with cream cheese and served with ranch and sweet chili dipping sauces. I don’t eat red meat, so I was happy the poppers were not wrapped with bacon.
I never thought to dip jalapeño poppers in sweet chili sauce, but the combination was delightful! This cheesy appetizer will undoubtedly become a go-to whenever I sail on a Royal Caribbean ship with Playmakers.
BEST: Breakfast at the Windjammer
Weekend cruises on Utopia of the Seas are busy—there’s no doubt about that. The last best thing I ate on Utopia of the Seas was also the most simple: breakfast at the Windjammer buffet.
In between port days in The Bahamas, stunning entertainment shows, and all of the ship’s wild parties, there’s little time for a sit-down breakfast. Instead of starting my day with a leisurely meal in the Main Dining Room, I preferred a quick meal in the Windjammer.
Related: Guide to Royal Caribbean's Windjammer Cafe buffet
Utopia of the Seas’ main buffet is anything but limited. The complimentary venue offers unlimited food, whether made-to-order omelets, bagels and lox, or a waffle station complete with a wide variety of toppings.
I enjoyed a toasted bagel and eggs at the Windjammer most mornings. I never struggled to find a seat in the extra-spacious venue, and the convenience of the buffet was hard to beat.
