How Utopia of the Seas is Different From Other Oasis-class Ships

July 12, 2024 Randy Young

Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Utopia of the Seas, is about to make its big debut. It’s the sixth Oasis-class ship in the fleet, but that doesn’t mean it’s a carbon copy. Royal Caribbean has made some enhancements to the ship that set it apart from its siblings. We look at the differences below.

Izumi in Central Park

Utopia of the Seas moved the Izumi restaurant to the Central Park neighborhood. This larger space allows them to double the number of teppanyaki tables. The new outdoor dining space also lets guests enjoy the beauty of Central Park while dining al fresco. It takes the place of the Italian restaurants on the other Oasis-class ships.

The restaurant also has Izumi in the Park walk-up window, offering grab-and-go sushi and Japanese-inspired snacks at an extra cost.

Both of these changes are carried over from the design of Icon of the Seas.

See Izumi’s menu and pricing

Pesky Parrot Bar Replaces Bionic Bar

The Bionic Bar, with two robotic bartenders, has been cut from Utopia of the Seas. In its place is a new Caribbean-themed bar, the Pesky Parrot. Located on the Royal Promenade, this bar will serve fruit-based cocktails made with rum, tequila, gin, and frozen drinks.

The space is intricately themed, with a large video wall showing beach scenes and an effort to make the guests feel like they’re always on the beach on a beautiful day in the Caribbean. It’s odd that Royal Caribbean chose a new concept here rather than using The Bamboo Room, a Polynesian-themed bar on some of its other ships.

Pool-side Food Truck

The Utopia of the Seas has a new pool-side food truck, meaning you don’t have to trek all the way to the Windjammer for a quick bite. It follows in the footsteps of several other cruise lines that have installed these grab-and-go food options fashioned to look like food trucks or food stalls.

Food options include:

Cheese & Pepperoni Tornado
Ranchero Beef & Cheese Tornado
Chipotle Chicken Sandwich
Mediterranean Veggie Wrap
Raspberry Cheesecake Chimi

It’ll also offer another much-needed Coke Freestyle machine that is easy to access from the pool.

Goodbye Wonderland, Hello Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar

Wonderland, the whimsical restaurant that creates unique dishes using molecular gastronomy, won’t be making an appearance on Utopia of the Seas. Instead, the space is used for Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, which gets supersized to two decks. They also added a new terrace for outdoor dining overlooking the Boardwalk. It’s an odd choice as the AquaTheater shows are very loud and would ruin the ambiance of the special dining experience during performances.

See Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen Menu and Pricing

Improved Ultimate Abyss Thrill Slide

ultimate abyss dry thrill slide — Ultimate Abyss is back and scarier than ever with clear sections.

Ultimate Abyss is back and scarier than ever. The Ultimate Abyss returns to Utopia of the Seas but gets a few upgrades. Royal Caribbean has added new zoom booster rollers for more speed and put in transparent portions over the AquaTheater section. It’s also 43 feet longer, making it the longest dry slide at sea.

Royal Railway Utopia Station Dining Experience

Royal Caribbean is introducing a new specialty dining experience on the Utopia of the Seas. Called “Royal Railway – Utopia Station,” this specialty dining venue is themed after an old-school train station. It’s on Deck 4 between the casino and the main dining room, where Izumi is on other Oasis-class ships.

Guests will start with cocktails at the station before boarding one of two train cars for their dining experience. High-resolution video screens and vibration motors give guests the sensation that they’re actually on a train.

The first experience they’re offering is the Wild West, with a unique menu to match the scenery going by. The dinner will also feature a show with actors, making it a bit of dinner theater.

Royal Railway costs $119.99 per adult and $59.99 per child.

Utopia of the Sea’s Returning Favorites From Sister Ships

The Utopia of the Seas has a lot of carry-over from its sister ships, most notably the Wonder of the Seas, which included significant upgrades. That includes the completely enclosed Solarium at the front of the ship, the Mason Jar restaurant, The Vue bar, and the Suite Only neighborhood. Like Wonder of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas will also feature Caribbean-themed deck decor and supersized Lime and Coconut bars on the pool deck.

Some other notable favorites are:

AquaTheater
Studio B Ice Rink
Kid’s Splash Park
Children’s Play Scape
Carousel
Zip Line

Utopia of the Seas is the ultimate long weekend

Overall, Utopia of the Seas is shaping up to be the perfect cruise for a long weekend. It’s great for a group of friends, a family get-together, or just a trip to blow off some steam. With so much to do on board, there’s no way you’ll be able to see everything on the ship, but that just means you’ll have to plan another trip later on.

Learn more about Utopia of the Seas