Utopia of the Seas Blocks Are In The House!

[SUgwoz]

Unless a party group is loyal to RC, they are going to choose a cheaper option and there is multiple with Carnival and MSC.  When you are gathering a group of early 20s, an extra 25-50% premium for a weekend cruise it makes a difference.  When the highlights of the ship is family oriented than it becomes even more of a reason to choose a cheaper alternative.

 

This will attract families that don't want to commit to a week long vacation because of kids missing school, or be forced to travel during school breaks.  Could see more large groups families/friends choosing this as its a challenge to coordinate schedules for a week long cruise.  It is an alternative to a weekend at theme parks/beach house.

 

For those that prefer Allure or smaller ships not focused on families, those ships will see less bookings and theoretically better prices as the families oriented ships become more abundant.

[crewsweeper]

I can see us doing a 3/4B2B.  Get off the ship in Nassau first visit just to look around at the new port stuff. Stay on board ship second visit (normal operating process for Nassau, now) and then do Coco Cay Beach Club one PDCC stop and the new Adults Only section the other stop.  But unless there's a major sale, that B2B itinerary will probably be 1 and done.

[twangster]

1 hour ago, crewsweeper said:

I can see us doing a 3/4B2B.  Get off the ship in Nassau first visit just to look around at the new port stuff. Stay on board ship second visit (normal operating process for Nassau, now) and then do Coco Cay Beach Club one PDCC stop and the new Adults Only section the other stop.  But unless there's a major sale, that B2B itinerary will probably be 1 and done.

 

Don't forget Royal's new beach club in Nassau will be opening soon.   There will be a new reason to get off soon, assuming we can afford it.  Go early, in a year or two it will be so popular rates will go up.   

[DaniMSCRoyal_85]

[Nathan Graveson]

I might as well voice my opinion on Utopia.

 

Firstly, I think we can all agree that the Utopia's launch has been overshadowed by the launch of Icon, which was always going to happen, however not at the scale we first thought. With Utopia, we are witnessing the demise of the original game changers, the Oasis-Class, and then the birth of the next game changer, the Icon-Class, which explains all of our concerns about how she will perform for Royal in the long run. As we all are aware, Royal's approach to new ships has remained the same for a while, such as the introduction of the Quantum-Class (Project Sunshine), during the period of time between Oasis & Allure to Harmony and beyond, this allowed them to show off their next, new product that can really push the boundaries of what is possible with cruising and as we know it. What I am getting at is that the reveal and launch of Utopia couldn't have come at a worse time as the hyped up demand for the new product, being Icon, it makes Utopia almost redundant. 

 

Next, we must talk about some of the positives to Utopia and the things that Royal have changed and worked on as the ultimate finale to the Oasis-Class, at least we think, unless that 7th ship gets built. So, lets begin with the design and changes to Utopia. Firstly, the elephant in the room, the brand spanking new Solarium Suites, which provide 280 degree panoramic views across the ocean waves. I will be honest here, after what happened to Oasis during her amplification, I was reluctant to even think about what these would do to the design of Utopia, however unlike her older sister, she won't look like some deformed junk of metal, instead will hopefully add a bit of character to her, giving her a new experience for guests. Next, I would like to touch on some of the top deck changes to Utopia starting with the new Ultimate Abyss slides, as Royal have decided to spice it up giving it more fun and enjoyment along the way including; transparent sections to see the other person racing you, speed increasing rollers to give guests that added boost and the new set of LED lights that add a new immersive touch to the slides. Along with the enhanced version of the Ultimate Abyss, Royal have changed the Playscape onboard Utopia, to make it different and unique to Wonder's Playscape, giving it a more seaside and traditional fishing style that ties into the new Mini-Golf area that connects nicely. Also the improvements to bars and dining on the top decks are also a welcomed addition to Utopia, especially for those summer nights in the Caribbean, such as the improved Lime & Coconut Bar and the new Food Truck on the pool deck.

 

As we have all seen today, Utopia will be another fantastic ship for Royal, however I have one final, massive complaint about her, the itineraries. I'm sorry but I struggled to see all of the Disney Wish on a 3 night cruise, so god knows how you are going to see ALL of this ship in the same time on a ship almost double the size! As much as it is a good idea to offer THE BIGGEST WEEKEND EVER as there deployment for Utopia, but don't you think it would be better suited for Allure as she is older and still isn't amplified? The idea I think Royal were going for was that this ship will be the ship that they want guests to keep going back to, and fair enough, more money returned on their end, but once you've done it 3-4 times and know the ship, won't you just want to go and try something different like Icon or Icon 2 (Star OTS) or even Icon 3 in the future? Or even go smaller with Project Discovery (Discovery OTS) and her sisters in the distant future? All I will say is that I will give Utopia at least 2 years on her Itineraries, but I think that she will move to 4-6 night cruises in the near future, as the Icon Class expands with more ships, allowing Royal to explore more different itinerary options.

 

So all in all then, I must congratulate Royal on the 14 year development of the Oasis-Class, they are undeniably some of the best cruises you can ever go on, packed with fun around every corner, and I hope that Utopia does as Royal wants it too. As much as we can have our reservations about her now, wait until we get onboard her next July and have our faces gobsmacked by the pure excitement she will deliver!

[uncwmark]

19 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Don't forget Royal's new beach club in Nassau will be opening soon.   There will be a new reason to get off soon, assuming we can afford it.  Go early, in a year or two it will be so popular rates will go up.   

When's "soon"?  Have they even broken ground on construction yet?  You're an RCCL expert, so genuinely asking as I didn't expect the beach club to be open when Utopia begins sailing next summer... 

[OCSC Mike]

17 minutes ago, Nathan Graveson said:

Utopia couldn't have come at a worse time

 

Not sure about this. Older ships are sailing at 100%. So will Utopia.

 

Don't really think it needs any hype to succeed.

Edited June 20, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[uncwmark]

23 minutes ago, Nathan Graveson said:

I might as well voice my opinion on Utopia.

 

Firstly, I think we can all agree that the Utopia's launch has been overshadowed by the launch of Icon, which was always going to happen, however not at the scale we first thought. With Utopia, we are witnessing the demise of the original game changers, the Oasis-Class, and then the birth of the next game changer, the Icon-Class, which explains all of our concerns about how she will perform for Royal in the long run. As we all are aware, Royal's approach to new ships has remained the same for a while, such as the introduction of the Quantum-Class (Project Sunshine), during the period of time between Oasis & Allure to Harmony and beyond, this allowed them to show off their next, new product that can really push the boundaries of what is possible with cruising and as we know it. What I am getting at is that the reveal and launch of Utopia couldn't have come at a worse time as the hyped up demand for the new product, being Icon, it makes Utopia almost redundant. 

 

Next, we must talk about some of the positives to Utopia and the things that Royal have changed and worked on as the ultimate finale to the Oasis-Class, at least we think, unless that 7th ship gets built. So, lets begin with the design and changes to Utopia. Firstly, the elephant in the room, the brand spanking new Solarium Suites, which provide 280 degree panoramic views across the ocean waves. I will be honest here, after what happened to Oasis during her amplification, I was reluctant to even think about what these would do to the design of Utopia, however unlike her older sister, she won't look like some deformed junk of metal, instead will hopefully add a bit of character to her, giving her a new experience for guests. Next, I would like to touch on some of the top deck changes to Utopia starting with the new Ultimate Abyss slides, as Royal have decided to spice it up giving it more fun and enjoyment along the way including; transparent sections to see the other person racing you, speed increasing rollers to give guests that added boost and the new set of LED lights that add a new immersive touch to the slides. Along with the enhanced version of the Ultimate Abyss, Royal have changed the Playscape onboard Utopia, to make it different and unique to Wonder's Playscape, giving it a more seaside and traditional fishing style that ties into the new Mini-Golf area that connects nicely. Also the improvements to bars and dining on the top decks are also a welcomed addition to Utopia, especially for those summer nights in the Caribbean, such as the improved Lime & Coconut Bar and the new Food Truck on the pool deck.

 

As we have all seen today, Utopia will be another fantastic ship for Royal, however I have one final, massive complaint about her, the itineraries. I'm sorry but I struggled to see all of the Disney Wish on a 3 night cruise, so god knows how you are going to see ALL of this ship in the same time on a ship almost double the size! As much as it is a good idea to offer THE BIGGEST WEEKEND EVER as there deployment for Utopia, but don't you think it would be better suited for Allure as she is older and still isn't amplified? The idea I think Royal were going for was that this ship will be the ship that they want guests to keep going back to, and fair enough, more money returned on their end, but once you've done it 3-4 times and know the ship, won't you just want to go and try something different like Icon or Icon 2 (Star OTS) or even Icon 3 in the future? Or even go smaller with Project Discovery (Discovery OTS) and her sisters in the distant future? All I will say is that I will give Utopia at least 2 years on her Itineraries, but I think that she will move to 4-6 night cruises in the near future, as the Icon Class expands with more ships, allowing Royal to explore more different itinerary options.

 

So all in all then, I must congratulate Royal on the 14 year development of the Oasis-Class, they are undeniably some of the best cruises you can ever go on, packed with fun around every corner, and I hope that Utopia does as Royal wants it too. As much as we can have our reservations about her now, wait until we get onboard her next July and have our faces gobsmacked by the pure excitement she will deliver!

Very thorough post regarding the new enhancements on Utopia. I think the strategy to deploy on 3/4 night cruises is interesting by RCCL, but trust that the cruise line feels this is the best way to maximize revenue.

 

Out of curiosity, are you still pretending to be an RCCL naval architect as you were on the Icon thread or, finally, given up that charade? 😉

Edited June 20, 2023 by uncwmark

[twangster]

1 hour ago, uncwmark said:

When's "soon"?  Have they even broken ground on construction yet?  You're an RCCL expert, so genuinely asking as I didn't expect the beach club to be open when Utopia begins sailing next summer... 

 

I don't think I've seen firm dates.   Apparently there is a lot of clean up to get through. 

[twangster]

Navigator is having a Utopia pool party at 4:30pm followed by a midnight balloon drop in the promenade.

[Oceansaway17]

Well Disney cruise line must feel flattered that the Utopia OTS will be in port on same days and doing same rotation 3/4 days.

Me thinks there will be so hopping back and forth for those who want. 7 day cruise experience with some variety.

Or stay in hotel and add in the Wonder OTS. 

 

[Oceansaway17]

Yea to Hooked on Seafood but Booooo to Johnny Rockets.

[Another_Critic]

1 hour ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

My 1st was on Voyager when she was new-ish in 2002, never sailed anything smaller for a while. Then we went on a cheap Enchantment 4-nighter just to get the 4 pts we needed for Diamond. Couldn't believe there was no promenade. 🤣

My 1st was on Song of America (37,584 GT), then went smaller with Nordic Prince (23,149 GT).  

[Nathan Graveson]

19 minutes ago, uncwmark said:

Very thorough post regarding the new enhancements on Utopia. I think the strategy to deploy on 3/4 night cruises is interesting by RCCL, but trust that the cruise line feels this is the best way to maximize revenue.

 

Out of curiosity, are you still pretending to be an RCCL naval architect as you were on the Icon thread or, finally, given up that charade? 😉

Thanks you for sharing your curiosity about my past display of my work, however I will say not further as it sturs up too much drama, so take it from me that I am just a member of the community, no more by your reckoning.

[DaniMSCRoyal_85]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

 

The possible Utopia of the Seas arrived in Europe in April 2025???

[TheHawk1]

On 3/4 night itineraries, Royal will save a bundle by cutting back on entertainment.  While there will still likely be an ice show and aqua show, I wouldn't hold out hope for much in the way of main theatre wow factor. This was already evident on Wonder, where they decided to go with home-grown shows that are, how shall I put it, lackluster. Utopia will probably expand on that format.

[uncwmark]

Or China!? 😬

[OCSC Mike]

1 minute ago, DaniMSCRoyal_85 said:

The possible Utopia of the Seas arrived in Europe in April 2025???

 

Also possible Utopia swaps with Wonder to do the 7-nighters from PC and Wonder goes... to China which is where she was built for?

[Another_Critic]

4 minutes ago, DaniMSCRoyal_85 said:

 

The possible Utopia of the Seas arrived in Europe in April 2025???

She most likely won't got to Europe until her 5 year drydock.

[twangster]

 

New Lime and Coconut multilevel

 

 

Sprinkles

 

 

Pool Side Food Truck

 

 

Water slides

 

 

Main Pool

 

 

Cantina Fresca

 

 

New longer and faster Abyss

 

 

Mason Jar

 

 

Izumi in the Park

 

 

New Immersive Dining Train Car

 

 

Giovannis Italian and Wine Bar with an outdoor seating area

 

 

Windjammer

 

 

Mason Jar

 

 

Pesky Parrot Tiki Bar

 

 

Casino

 

 

 

Spotlight Kareoke 

 

 

Boleros

 

 

Playmakers

 

 

Music Hall

 

 

Bell and Barley Pub

 

 

The Attic

 

 

Aquatheater

 

 

 

 

[twangster]

 

[sandebeach]

26 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

I don't think I've seen firm dates.   Apparently there is a lot of clean up to get through. 

My TA sent me this slide from last week’s webinar. She thinks it will be Summer 2025. 

[twangster]

1 hour ago, DaniMSCRoyal_85 said:

 

The possible Utopia of the Seas arrived in Europe in April 2025???

 

This far out anything is possible, but if another Oasis class is in Europe for a routine dry dock I'm not sure they will sail a new ship over and have two in Europe.  

 

If Utopia is selling well and CocoCay revenue up it wouldn't make sense to mess with that.  

 

Time will tell.  

[pyrateslife4me84]

I think, among Oasis-Class ships, Wonder and now Utopia are a nice match for PC and might just stay. Their whimsical theming and the presence of a playscape work really well sailing from the House of Mouse. Given that they are directly competing with Disney Cruise Line’s flagships, it makes sense to have these two sail from PC. About the only switch I could see is moving one of the two further south and Icon up to PC at some point. 
 

Also, will either have to go to Europe? Won’t they be able to dry dock in the Bahamas?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

24 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

 

Windjammer

 

 

 

 

That's a lot of food for 4 people !