For three nights, I woke up every morning to the feeling of vibrations as my cruise ship maneuvered into port. I pressed the automatic window shade to see the view of which Bahamian port we were in and take in the beautiful scenery.
I was aboard my sixth cruise on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, which is one of the biggest ships in the world. It's still very much a new ship and because it offers short weekend cruises, it's become my preferred weekend escape mechanism.
During my three night voyage from Port Canaveral, Florida, we sailed to Nassau, Bahamas and and Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas.
I stayed in an ocean-view stateroom on deck nine for $685. The cruise was offered as a "free sailing" through the casino loyalty program. Take a look inside the 187-square-foot space.
My room was at the front of deck nine
An oceanview stateroom is one category above an inside stateroom with no windows, but it's one category below staterooms with a balcony, and two below a suite.
Oceanview rooms are usually a bit larger than inside rooms and have a view.
If the price difference is negligible, moving up to an oceanview instead of an inside room can be a pleasant upgrade.
I was surprised how big the room felt as soon as I stepped inside my stateroom
The unusual layout of the cabin at the very front of the ship gave it more space than you'd get in an oceanview cabin on the side of the ship.
The room has a desk, mirror, outlets for charging electronics and USB ports
One thing I instantly notice anytime I go on a newer Royal Caribbean ship is how many more outlets are in the room.
As someone that works remotely from cruise ships, it's nice having a desk. I use it as my mobile office location, as well as to store any important paperwork or flyers I'll need later.
There are drawers nearby that include a minifridge
The amount of drawers and storage space is impressive, especially for a ship only offering short cruises.
Suffice to say, there was more than enough space for my belongings.
Plus, there's a fridge to keep food or drinks chilled. It's not a true refrigerator, but perfect for my bottled water.
There is a couch across from the desk, and a closet
This stateroom is big enough to fit a full sized couch, with a closet next to it.
There are hangers provided in the closet, so it makes it simple to get what you need hung up.
Near the entrance to the room is a small bathroom that maximized the space
In this room is a private bathroom, that has sink, toilet, and shower.
There is complimentary 2-in-1 body wash and shampoo, but I'd recommend bringing your own hair products from home if proper hair care is important to you. For kids, it's good enough.
There is a pull-out clothing line in the shower that you can use to dry bathing suits or any garments you need to launder yourself.
The king size bed can be split to create two twin beds if you're sharing the cabin
Nearly every Royal Caribbean bed can be split in two, which is perfect for anyone sharing the room.
The stateroom attendant can split or combine the beds at anytime, so don't fret if it's not in the right configuration when you get inside.
There are also two nightstands on either side of the bed with a lamp, charging ports, and a room phone on one side.
There is a large TV mounted across from the bed with a clever storage hack below
I thought it was smart that Royal Caribbean placed storage hooks in every cabin so you can get certain belongings off the floor.
The window provided a view of the front of the ship, which is unusual
The large window has an electric shade that you can open or close by pushing a button.
This ensured the room stayed dark while I slept, and illuminated the cabin when I was ready for it.
The problem with this cabin is there was so much movement when the ship docked
From photos, this looks like an amazing room. However, the amount of movement made sleeping a challenge.
Every time the ship docked, it felt like a mini-earthquake and it lasted long enough to wake me up and keep me awake. This is because the room is above the bow thrusters.
I regretted booking this room because I prefer to sleep in while on a cruise. If you're an early riser, this might not be a problem.
Next time, I'll pick a room more centrally located on the ship to avoid the motion problems.
