I've cruised seven times so far on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, and that's afforded me the chance to try a few kinds of rooms.
The most common type of room I booked was an oceanview balcony because they give me extra living space, a private veranda, and they're not nearly as expensive as a suite.
I also got to try three different suites, which are some of the biggest rooms you can enjoy on a cruise ship.
Suites are expensive, but they're unlike traditional cabins because of how much extra space they have and better perks too.
Here's how the spaces stacked up on the newest ship in the fleet — and which cruise room I liked best for its excellent value.
I stayed in balcony cabins because they were priced well
No matter which ship you're sailing on, it's hard to go wrong with a balcony cabin for the space and price balance it provides.
I stayed in a balcony cabin on three different cruises, including the first voyage I went on even before the ship launched as part of a media event that Royal Caribbean invited me to.
I then subsequently stayed in balcony cabins on two other sailings, including most recently in a connecting oceanview balcony when we booked two of them with my kids.
One advantage of sailing on a new ship like Utopia is you have modern decor and plenty of connectivity. It's such a relief to have USB and power outlets on both sides of the bed, as well as around the cabin.
While bringing a USB hub with you is a great cabin hack, it's probably unnecessary on a ship like Utopia.
I'm also impressed by how much storage space there is in this cabin.
My wife and I each had our own giant closet, and there was still a set of drawers and other places to put our belongings. More than enough space for a weekend cruise.
The price of a balcony cabin for two people on Utopia of the Seas for a 3-night cruise ranged between $1700 and $2000, depending on how in-demand that sailing was. While that price is significantly more than a balcony cabin on an older ship that is on a longer sailing, the reality is you're paying a higher price to enjoy the very best Royal Caribbean has to offer around the ship.
Of course, the best thing about a balcony cabin is the actual balcony itself!
My wife and I love to go out here for sailaway and enjoy the views without competing for a spot on the pool deck. Plus, it's quieter too.
She prefers a balcony as a quiet reading spot on sea days, and there's enough room for the two chairs they provide to make it feel quite cozy.
When our kids were younger, it was so nice having that extra space for them.
Ultimately, I still think a balcony is the best value you'll find on any cruise ship because of the space you get compared to what you paid.
It's usually not much more money to upgrade from an interior cabin to a balcony, and I really like the fresh air and views you get with a balcony.
An inside cabin was spacious and comfortable
Inside rooms are the most cost effective cabin you book, and our writer Allie just sailed in one of the smallest cabins on Utopia.
With an inside room, you're usually getting the lowest price and that's exactly why Allie chose this room. It cost just $1,539 for two people on a 4-night cruise.
Located near the aft of the ship, this room may have been the least expensive cabin, but there was enough size for two people to share it. Even without natural light, the stateroom didn’t feel dark or cramped.
A few things stood out about this room. First, it had a full couch that added somewhere else to sit besides the bed.
Second, the room had so much storage space. Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships have lots of storage space, even if Utopia is only doing short cruises.
Allie also loved how many USB outlets the room had. Regardless of your stateroom type, every cabin has lots of extra plugs to use, "Between our phones, iPads, laptops, headphones, and smartwatches, we utilized most of these outlets during the cruise."
Another win with this cabin was the bathroom.
Instead of a cramped bathroom that you'd find traditionally on older ships, this bathroom felt incredibly spacious.
The shower alone was quite big and was easily twice the size of those on older cruise ships, providing plenty of room to move around comfortably.
Crown Loft Suite
The first suite experience I had on Utopia of the Seas was for the inaugural sailing when I took my family with me, and we booked a Crown Loft Suite.
Located within the Suite Neighborhood, these are two deck cabins that have some of the best views from any stateroom.
This room measured 670 square feet, which was almost four times bigger than the balcony I stayed in. That's in addition to the 105 square foot balcony that comes with the room.
That amount of living space is welcome considering I was sharing the room with my wife and two kids.
The layout is the master bedroom and bathroom are upstairs, with the living room downstairs. The kids share a sofa that converts to a bed.
I love that this room has two full bathrooms, one on each floor. This makes sharing this cabin with my kids palatable given how much time they spend in there as teenagers.
Because this room was located on deck 18, I really liked how convenient it was to get to the suite sun deck, Coastal Kitchen, or Suite Lounge.
Royal Caribbean designed the suite area on Utopia (and Wonder of the Seas) to be far more integrated. In fact, I think the suite sun deck is my favorite area of this ship, and I'd often go out there to do work.
This room also comes with the Sky Class suite benefits, which include complimentary WiFi for everyone, access to Coastal Kitchen restaurant, access to the suite concierge and much more.
Of course, suites aren't cheap and they are definitely not going to be a great value on a brand new ship where premium fares are the norm.
I liked that we had a single room for all four of us, but the sleeping arrangement isn't ideal necessarily.
Ultimate Family Suite
The biggest splurge I ever had on a cruise ship was when I booked the Ultimate Family Suite for a weekend cruise on Utopia.
I had never stayed in this kind of a room because of the crazy high price that it usually has, but on a weekend cruise, the cost was only moderately crazy and I decided to give it a try.
I was worried this would be a "one and done" type room, where the novelty would wear off quite quickly. Luckily, that was not the case.
The suite spans two decks, featuring three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, a large living room, a play area, and a dedicated movie room, providing ample space for families.
Besides being a really big suite, it also has some eye-catching features. These are the things that draw people to book this suite and I can tell you, they are as fun in person as they look in photos.
There's an in-suite slide connecting the upper children's room to the living area, a digital gaming table, a LEGO wall, and a private balcony equipped with a hot tub and climbing area for young kids.
The suite is equipped with multiple gaming consoles, including a PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, and a private movie room offering diverse entertainment choices within the comfort of the suite.
Best yet, the room is a Star Class suite, so you get the very best perks and amenities, such as the services of the Royal Genie.
It was not just a fun room to stay in, but the best kind of suite to entertain. We knew many friends on this sailing, and Michael Poole, and it was fun having them visit and enjoy the suite with us.
As you might imagine, the downside to this kind of a suite is the price tag. It cost $12,609.08 for the 3-night cruise, making it a significant investment. You could book three sailings on Utopia in a lower category room for that price.
The other issue is the FOMO that comes with this suite.
Given how much fun this suite is and all the things you can do in it, there were many times I was torn between spending more time in the cabin at the expense of missing out on all the great fun Utopia has to offer.
There was nothing like this sort of room, and I doubt I'll stay in one again. But it was a true memory maker that my kids still talk about fondly.
Two bedroom Aquatheater suite
The final type of suite that I've tried on Utopia of the Seas is the two bedroom Aquatheater suite that's on the back of the ship.
This is usually the least expensive of the Star Class suites, and it's also arguably the best choice for a family because it offers two bedrooms and two full bathrooms. That's a rare combination.
The bathrooms are large, and compared to the loft suite, it was so nice being able to close a bedroom door and have privacy.
There's also a generous living area, and a wraparound balcony. You won't complain about a lack of living space in this type of room.
We love the expansive wraparound balcony, and because it was December when we sailed, it was perfect weather to enjoy being outdoors.
You'll find panoramic ocean vistas from the balcony and a direct view of the AquaTheater. This means you can watch the Aquatheater show, Aqua80sToo, directly from our suite.
Another advantage of this suite are the service of the Royal Genie.
This gets you all-inclusive dining and beverage packages, and priority reservations.
The main issue with being at the back of the ship is that the suite is a considerable distance from central amenities, which may require more walking. Also, if you're someone that goes to bed early, it would be tough with the noise from the Aquatheater show performance.
We paid five thousands dollars less to stay in the Aquatheater suite compared to the Ultimate Family Suite, which is still expensive, but far more palatable.
Suites are always a splurge and not for the value seeker. But there are definitely rationale to choosing one over the other when it comes to the overall cost.
If I had to pick a winner, I'd say my connecting balcony felt like the best bang for my buck
In terms of pure value, I'll almost never overlook two connecting balcony rooms.
As one of my favorite family cruise hacks of all time, it holds up on Utopia. We get two full bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a fraction of the price tag to get that set up in a suite.
Of course, we don't get suite benefits or amenities, but on a ship like Utopia where there is so much going on during the day and night, it's not the sort of sailing where you'd feel drawn to spend lots of time in your room.
I'd much rather save money on my cabin and then use those savings for a fun time at Perfect Day at CocoCay, like booking a beach cabana.
