Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas is ready to start offering cruises, and reinvent the weekend cruise.
The brand new Oasis Class ship arrived in Port Canaveral on Thursday, and Royal Caribbean Blog received an advanced look onboard to see the new ship. Work was still be dong to put some finishing touches, but the it's nearly all ready for guests to board for the first revenue sailing.
I walked around the ship, exploring the different neighborhoods and getting a sense of what's new and different on Utopia.
Enjoy this sneak peek at what you can expect on Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship.
Best in the fleet offerings
One thing I picked up on after walking around Utopia of the Seas are the differences from other Oasis Class ships. Some are major, some minor, but overall, Royal Caribbean has packed it with the best ideas, innovations, and offerings to date.
When you board the ship on the Royal Promenade, the first place you'll see is the Pesky Parrot.
On the surface, it sounds like a fun tiki bar, but when you see it in person, you'll realize it was designed to be your go-to hang out spot.
Bright neon colors, painted wood, and even a digital backdrop all combine to make this bar really pop.
In addition to the special menu found only at the Pesky Parrot, there's even an assortment of pina colada varieties that evolve the cruise classic. Try the Pesky's Peanut Butter Pina Colada.
There were two venues that really blew me away visually, Izumi and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen.
Izumi is massive, and is easily the largest in the fleet. Within this space are hibachi tables, sushi tables, and an all-new omakase table. Think of it like a Chef's Table experience, but just Japanese cuisine.
There's also a sushi take-out window, where you can drop in for a couple of rolls and take it elsewhere on the ship.
As someone that loves sushi, I can't wait to try the omakase table.
Giovanni's is also in a new location, and the design looks beautiful.
Spanning two decks, guests can dine both indoors and outdoors. The outdoor seating should be stunning, considering you're on deck 11 and overlook the Boardwalk.
I wasn't prepared for how lovely a setting it is overall, and how moving a restaurant from Central Park up to Decks 11 and 12 can have such a big impact.
Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer, recently said he thinks Utopia's pool deck will be the best in class.
There's just about every feature we've come to love on other Royal Caribbean ships on Utopia's pool deck.
A giant aquapark, wide-open pools, and multi-story Lime and Coconut Bar that "fits" better into the look of the ship.
The adults-only Solarium is enclosed, meaning better temperature controls. Sadly, the bridge wings are not on Utopia because the space was taken up by the new Solarium suites. Alas, there's still plenty of great views elsewhere.
I also loved the herd of hippos hidden in one corner of the Solarium.
There's a clear focus on dining on Utopia of the Seas, including a brand new quick service restaurant at the pool.
The Spare Tire has wraps, a sandwich, and something called "tornados". It's complimentary and very convenient for anyone that is enjoying a day at the pool.
Something else different about Utopia is the fact Royal Caribbean has re-claimed the title of longest slide at sea.
The Ultimate Abyss has been extended 43 feet, which makes it longer than the slide on MSC Cruises.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the destination elevators that are on Utopia of the Seas.
These elevators significantly cut down wait times for an elevator on Icon of the Seas, and I cannot wait to utilize them on Utopia.
Familiar favorites around the ship
It's amazing to me how Royal Caribbean can innovate each ship within a class, but Utopia does that quite well.
Chops Grille has the upgraded menu first seen on Icon of the Seas, and a refreshed look inside as well.
150 Central Park is across the way, and I think this has always been a rather underrated specialty restaurant.
Park Cafe has always been my go-to spot for a breakfast bite to eat, especially before we need to head off the ship for a shore excursion.
Central Park has the same layout as on other Oasis Class ships, but the different venues here will be the most notable change.
Entertainment coming soon
The casts of all the shows on Utopia of the Seas were hard at work rehearsing, so I did not get a chance to see those venues.
Utopia of the Seas will have three primary venues for shows: Aquatheater, Royal Theater, and Studio B ice rink.
Read more: Utopia of the Seas entertainment and shows
More similar to Wonder of the Seas than other ships
If you've sailed on Wonder of the Seas, you'll notice more similarities with Utopia of the Seas than other Oasis Class ships.
The casino on Utopia is quite large, and seems to follow the same layout as Wonder.
The Mason Jar is also on Utopia, which is my favorite bar to hang out in during the evening hours. One change they made was to add a wall behind the stage, which I think will help keep the venue cooler.
The Attic and Crown Lounge are in the same location on both ships.
Fans of karaoke will love Spotlight Karaoke, located on the Royal Promenade.
Cafe Promenade has the new complimentary drink dispensers that are easier to refill for the crew. These were first introduced on Icon of the Seas.
Like all the Royal Promenades, there is a classic car on Utopia. This one is a classic Pontiac, and it looks very neat!
I especially liked the art in each of the elevator atriums.
Exploring the sports deck
I walked around the sports deck on deck 16, and it's a refreshed version of the popular activities you typically find here.
You'll find a sports court, Flowrider surf simulator, zip-line and mini-golf.
Part of the appeal of any Royal Caribbean cruise is how much there is to do onboard, and Utopia will not disappoint.
Adventure Ocean
One area I always see a noticeable upgrade on every new Royal Caribbean ship is in the kids programming spots.
Adventure Ocean is located on deck 14 forward, and the AO Juniors space is quite well-adorned with play areas. Seeing it now, my kids lost out on this space considering the version they had a few years ago.
The teen club was being used for another purpose on this day, but the outdoor teen deck looked like a great place and has a hot tub.
