Have you ever wanted to know how the crew members live onboard Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship?
Jordan Bauth, a professional figure skater contracted on Utopia of the Seas has been onboard the newest Oasis Class ship for five months and shared a video to her YouTube channel documenting the crew-only areas.
Utopia of the Seas launched in July 2024 and is Royal Caribbean's newest ship sailing exclusively on 3- and 4-night voyages to Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
While guests enjoy the cruise line's first-ever immersive train car specialty restaurant, tropical Pesky Parrot Bar, and casual poolside bites at The Spare Tire, the crew have their own spaces to unwind and recharge.
Though Bauth's contract states she can venture into the guest areas, she claims to spend most of her time in the crew-only spots. If she does want to hang out in the guest spaces, she must be dressed in her uniform. Sometimes, she even needs to be in formal wear after 6:00pm.
Here's a peek into where the crew members eat, relax, shop, and more on Utopia of the Seas.
Helipad
Unlike older Royal Caribbean ships, the helipad on Oasis Class ships is only accessible by crew members. Because of how the vessels were designed, the only way to get there is to go through crew-only areas.
"I really love the helipad," Bauth says, "It's such a nice way to get some fresh air [and] to get some sunlight on your skin. And it's a really nice way to watch the ship sail into a port and also sail away from a port."
Bauth also mentions that it's an amazing spot for stargazing at night, as there's nothing but open ocean surrounding her. She enjoys watching the sunset here, too.
To get to the helipad, Bauth has to go to the Deck 6 crew area and take the stairs leading up to Deck 7.
Outdoor bar
Deck 6 is home to the outdoor bar, where many late-night parties are held. There's usually a DJ playing, and it's also where the crew members can go to smoke.
Because of that, however, Bauth doesn't go to the outdoor bar much. Instead, she likes to hang out at the crew rec area.
Crew rec
The crew rec area is where Bauth will unwind after a long day of work.
If she isn't talking with friends, she might play a game of pool. There are also dartboards, a ping-pong and foosball table, a video game section outfitted with tons of televisions, plenty of comfortable spaces to lounge, and even massage chairs!
"I also really like hanging out in the crew rec area because it's usually quite quiet, and you do have a bit of service if you want to use your phone," Bauth says.
Crew pub
The crew pub is located on Deck 4, and this is Bauth's go-to spot for a drink. In addition to a stocked bar, there are some board games available, including Risk, Monopoly, Scrabble, and Chess.
"I really like the crew pub. You don't really feel like you're on a ship in this area," she explains, "I mean, that's personally what I think."
Though it's enclosed and lacks natural light, it's tastefully decorated with artwork and televisions where they'll broadcast various sporting events.
Crew disco
One deck below the crew pub is the crew disco, which is essentially another bar.
However, Bauth notes that it's not open regularly. Instead, it's more of a multi-purpose space where Crew Welfare will host events like wine and cheese nights, Latin parties, and more. The space is also used for training.
Crew dining areas
Crew members have to eat, too! The Crew Windjammer, or crew mess, is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Unlike on smaller ships, there's just one space for the crew to eat. As such, Bauth says the space is "massive" since it can accommodate over 1,200 people.
While most of the food remains the same, there are a lot of different options. Plus, they'll sometimes have theme nights and food specials, including crêpes and ice cream during lunch, breakfast for dinner, etc.
Outside of the mess is the crew cafe, Java Cafe. While specialty coffee costs money, the prices are relatively affordable. They have alternative milk options and even a juicer that can make smoothies.
Bauth explains she spends a lot of time here since she's more productive outside of her cabin. However, she doesn't buy coffee too often and opts to make it in her stateroom.
Attached to the Java Cafe is "Slopchest," the crew store which is like a "mini 7-11."
In Bauth's opinion, there's not a ton of stuff to buy, but it's a good place if you need something urgently or have a craving for chips, candy, or ramen noodles.
Human resources
The HR Center is also located on Deck 2.
This is where crew members go when they need to resolve a room situation, sign off, or have other issues. It's not open 24/7, so they must pay attention to the operating hours. Still, she notes the staff are friendly.
I-95
I-95 is the easiest way for crew members to navigate from the front (forward) of the ship to the back (aft) without going into guest areas. They also have access to elevators along the corridor for added ease of travel.
Read more: Take a look inside the crew member cabins on Royal Caribbean's newest mega ship
Crew laundry
When crew members need to wash their clothes, they head down to Deck 1. While there are a lot of washers and dryers, it's a busy spot.
Crew do not have to pay to use the machines; however, they are responsible for purchasing their own detergent. There are also irons available free of charge.
Read more: Royal Caribbean laundry services on your cruise
Crew gym and barbershop
Because she's a performer onboard Utopia of the Seas, Bauth visits the gym frequently since she has to log gym hours weekly. However, she usually goes to the guest gym to work out while taking in the ocean views.
Though she doesn't go to the crew gym often, she notes how the space is quite large and never very busy.
There's a variety of equipment, too—ranging from treadmills to bikes, rowing machines, dumbbells, yoga balls, and even a punching bag.
Deck 0 is also where the crew barbershop is. “Because I don’t get my haircut really while I’m on a contract I actually didn’t know there was a barbershop...until a couple months ago," she says.
The space is outfitted with two chairs, sinks, and outlets.
Crew linen
Below Deck 0 is where the crew linen is. Bauth isn't responsible for washing her own sheets, so whenever she needs fresh bedding, she simply heads to the crew linen area.
This location also provides crew members with toilet paper, towels, and cleaning supplies—including vacuums—that are available for rent
