Utopia’s ridiculously LOUD sound levels

[Frogfather]

Just got off a cruise trying out the new Utopia ship.  Beautiful ship, but while we are huge loyal to royal fans, this being our 39th cruise… this is our first RCCL vessel that we will not be returning to.  Why… sound levels… Every venue, show, and space was pushed to very very uncomfortable levels.  When you have to order your drink by writing your order down because the bar tender can’t hear you and you cant hear them, even yelling your order… this is ridiculous.

We were told by one of the staff, Royal is trying to make Utopia a party ship and to achieve that they think super loud sound is a requirement to achieve that at all times. 
 

how loud are we talking… we were so uncomfortable our smart watches were sending warning of hearing loss… we registered show sound levels well over 100db.  I believe anything over 90 is on hearing loss and possible damaging ranges.

And the poor staff that have to work in these environments… we found ourselves so disturbed by the excess volume, we avoided areas like the pool deck… and oh… Central Park is supposed to be this wonderful serene space to relax and hear the birds… nope… Deck 15 and 16 is so loud… you can’t hear the person sitting next to you yelling their lungs out sitting in Central Park.

So disappointed in Royal… this is out first Royal ship we are putting on our never again list… I’ve always had such great things to say about Royal, but this is now moved to the top of the list to share… Don’t go on Utopia.

Just to make sure this was not just our opinion, we started polling other guests before and after events, and it was unanimous agreement every time… everything on this ship was way way too loud and they agreed with my points and experiences above. Everyone wished they brought or Royal handed out ear protection… but this should never be needed… just turn down the sound levels to reasonable levels.

[twangster]

Me in Boleros

But all kidding aside, loud entertainment at Royal is a known phenomenon.  

I used to think the now departed VP of Entertainment had hearing issues.  

[RCIfan1912]

Oh boy are you gonna have a friend in Waaaytooo. Been complaining about that very vocally for a long time. Strange that ship is that loud. I mean its a short cruise ship but still. Seems really odd its that loud and annoying. 

[bobroo]

Royal doesn’t even own subs are there is never any bass. Theater, pool, Centrum, the disco, Music Hall…..across the fleet all the music is very, very tinny sounding.

This is particularly odd because there are all kinds of times and events when they definitely should be emphasizing the bass.

 

“If it’s too loud, you’re too old”

 

[twangster]

46 minutes ago, bobroo said:

Royal doesn’t even own subs are there is never any bass. Theater, pool, Centrum, the disco, Music Hall…..across the fleet all the music is very, very tinny sounding.

This is particularly odd because there are all kinds of times and events when they definitely should be emphasizing the bass.

 

“If it’s too loud, you’re too old”

 

Bass would cause the rivets in the hull to loosen.

[tonyfsu21]

It’s certainly loud but it’s a wild party weekend (especially for NYE). If “party ship” was the intended goal then RC hit a home run. We really enjoyed the entire experience and will be sailing her again in a couple weeks. Maybe they should have home ported Utopia in Miami though where the weekend party crowd could have enjoyed the party vibe. 

[VC22]

3 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

Maybe they should have home ported Utopia in Miami though where the weekend party crowd could have enjoyed the party vibe. 

I feel like that would’ve been a better option tbh.  Port Canaveral doesn’t exactly scream “party scene”.  I would agree with OP though, we had a Central Park view balcony on the front end of our B2B in October and it was very loud even with the door closed.  That said I really enjoyed Utopia, tons to do, see, taste.  And plenty of more low key, relaxing spots too.  Favorite place was the Mason Jar bar, you have to try the Mississippi Moonlight, I’m still dreaming of those

[bikethedesert]

Just got off Utopia today.  The only problem we had with loudness were the shows.  Both All In Youtopia were so loud you couldn't enjoy the show itself.  My wife had her fingers in her ears and said she could still hear very plainly.  We were on the Wonder last week and The.Effectors was the only show that was exceptionally loud.  On both we had Central Park balconies and had no problems with noise from Central Park or the pool decks.

[Southern Dan]

33 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

Maybe they should have home ported Utopia in Miami though where the weekend party crowd could have enjoyed the party vibe. 

Wonder will be doing the “Other Ultimate Weekend” beginning in September out of Miami.

[WAAAYTOOO]

Obviously, I agree with you, @Frogfather.  Having said that, we are headed back to UT on 2-10 (a S2S with Wonder on 2-2) so I guess it wasn’t bad enough for us to swear “never again”.  We are in a CP balcony (again) so I’m hoping maybe it won’t be so bad this time.  I guess that is looking unlikely with this very recent intel.  Oh well….

[VC22]

28 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

We are in a CP balcony (again) so I’m hoping maybe it won’t be so bad this time.  I guess that is looking unlikely with this very recent intel.  Oh well….

To be fair we were closer to the aft/big screen in cabin 12235, so that didn’t help.  I’d imagine if you were more forward or even down a few more decks it wouldn’t be as bad.  Those speakers though were no joke, very high quality!  It never bothered us in the mornings or evenings though.  I’m sure it’ll be fine @WAAAYTOOO

[Smokey79]

I went into the cruises we took (especially the 3 day) expecting it to be loud and crazy. There wasn’t much crazy or maybe I psyched myself up to where anything less than Animal House at sea was a calm trip. It was loud but in almost all cases manageable. The volume of ambient music in Central Park was a bit higher than I would have like but I want that place to be a zen garden atmosphere personally. The boardwalk was the overall loudest area to me. However, I liked the aqua show soundtrack and I’m glad I did because it was so loud on the boardwalk you could hear in your soul. I felt bad for the Playmakers staff for having to deal with it night after night. On the positive side, we had our pick of seats and TVs there. Boleros and the karaoke bar were insanely loud to the point we passed on going. Plus, the more I drink the better I sound imo so my wife was keen on finding us somewhere else to be.  

[Traveling Mike]

Some things are not adding up for me.  @Frogfather is a big Royal fan and has 39 cruises but this is their first post on the Royal Caribbean Blog.  And they did not know a brand new ship that is doing 3 and 4 day cruises out of Port Canaveral would be a "Party" cruise. 

What is next, we are surprised a Carnival 3 and 4 day Cruise has people that dink and fight?

[ChessE4]

I found music venues too loud on Harmony, and that was 2019. In the theater we can sit farther away, but it is a problem elsewhere. On Mariner we sat by Starbucks to listen to music at Boleros. Royal should tone it down. Contrast this with Oceania where I sat 3 feet away from a string quartet. Wow, such intimacy. Ditto for Royal's Central Park performances.

[Biaggio]

Anyone complain to guest services or to RCL corporate? 

[DanielB]

I just got off a B2B on Utopia and the only time my watch alerted me of sound was at the Aqua 80's too show.  I did not write down a drink order at any point in 7 days and trust me I ordered many.  The ship accomplished what it is meant to do and that is be the Ultimate Weekend.  

 

[tonyfsu21]

36 minutes ago, DanielB said:

I just got off a B2B on Utopia and the only time my watch alerted me of sound was at the Aqua 80's too show.  I did not write down a drink order at any point in 7 days and trust me I ordered many.  The ship accomplished what it is meant to do and that is be the Ultimate Weekend.  

 

100%

[GatorCruiser]

46 minutes ago, DanielB said:

and trust me I ordered many.

My kind of guy. 

[GatorCruiser]

11 hours ago, Southern Dan said:

Wonder will be doing the “Other Ultimate Weekend” beginning in September out of Miami.

What a waste of a ship. 

[tonyfsu21]

2 minutes ago, GatorCruiser said:

My kind of guy. 

I ordered too many of these things! 

[GatorCruiser]

As would I 

[RCIfan1912]

18 minutes ago, GatorCruiser said:

What a waste of a ship. 

I agree, really large ships like Oasis class ships should not be doing short booze cruises. I actually think it's pretty ridiculous and it puts the crew in very stressful situations. Turnaround day come ever few days. The room attendants alone go through hell I'd imagine on embarkation Day which comes really fast. 

[tonyfsu21]

24 minutes ago, RCIfan1912 said:

I agree, really large ships like Oasis class ships should not be doing short booze cruises. I actually think it's pretty ridiculous and it puts the crew in very stressful situations. Turnaround day come ever few days. The room attendants alone go through hell I'd imagine on embarkation Day which comes really fast. 

It’s actually a smart move for the company. I’ve never seen so many new cruisers. I also really like having the OA class ships for weekend options in place of the smaller ships since we sail weekends all the time. I do agree though, the staff must not be very happy with the turn around. 

[loki007]

we've been on UT twice and are going again in March but I do agree with you. The design of the solarium seems to make everything echo. The other fact is if you are on the 3 night sailing, the ship is basically a floating 21st bday/bridal party. 

[tonyfsu21]

2 minutes ago, loki007 said:

we've been on UT twice and are going again in March but I do agree with you. The design of the solarium seems to make everything echo. The other fact is if you are on the 3 night sailing, the ship is basically a floating 21st bday/bridal party. 

It could be worse. It could be a ship full of geriatrics slow dancing in the promenade.

[RCIfan1912]

13 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

It’s actually a smart move for the company. I’ve never seen so many new cruisers. I also really like having the OA class ships for weekend options in place of the smaller ships since we sail weekends all the time. I do agree though, the staff must not be very happy with the turn around. 

It might be a smart move financially for Royal Caribbean but a nightmare for the crew. To have 6 or 7 thousand passengers come on a few days is a nightmare.

[tonyfsu21]

7 minutes ago, RCIfan1912 said:

It might be a smart move financially for Royal Caribbean but a nightmare for the crew. To have 6 or 7 thousand passengers come on a few days is a nightmare.

I feel good about tipping more than I normally do on these weekend cruises for that reason. 

[Lovetocruise2002]

1 hour ago, tonyfsu21 said:

I ordered too many of these things! 

Are those from the Food Truck?

And re: sound levels on UT...the sound levels on WN was fine for us, we'll see what UT brings in a few weeks!

[tonyfsu21]

3 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Are those from the Food Truck?

And re: sound levels on UT...the sound levels on WN was fine for us, we'll see what UT brings in a few weeks!

Yes, they have the tornados on the food truck by the pool and I can’t stop eating them. The vibe was certainly party and loud but it could have just been the whole NYE thing. I don’t mind the loud craziness at all. I will reevaluate the vibe when we sail on 2/14. 

[Matt]

As @twangster said, ships being loud doesn't feel new to me. 

There are definitely more parties on Utopia than other ships, but I rarely spend time on the pool deck so it doesn't phase me.

1 hour ago, RCIfan1912 said:

I agree, really large ships like Oasis class ships should not be doing short booze cruises.

I still remember when Royal had Enchantment and Majesty doing the 3 and 4 night cruises and felt so bad for new cruisers who's first introduction were those ships.

It's all about the new cruise market, because that's who drives the most business and grows the business for them. I know this argument probably doesn't hold any water with you, but it's the "why" behind it.

There's 4 other Oasis Class ships offering longer cruises, and they're probably cheaper per night too!

[tonyfsu21]

And there’s a frat party to enhance the party atmosphere…..

[Matt]

Just now, tonyfsu21 said:

And there’s a frat party to enhance the party atmosphere

I'm glad they moved it to 9:30pm. Initially, it was at like 1am to convey that college party vibe

[tonyfsu21]

1 minute ago, Matt said:

As @twangster said, ships being loud doesn't feel new to me. 

There are definitely more parties on Utopia than other ships, but I rarely spend time on the pool deck so it doesn't phase me.

I still remember when Royal had Enchantment and Majesty doing the 3 and 4 night cruises and felt so bad for new cruisers who's first introduction were those ships.

It's all about the new cruise market, because that's who drives the most business and grows the business for them. I know this argument probably doesn't hold any water with you, but it's the "why" behind it.

There's 4 other Oasis Class ships offering longer cruises, and they're probably cheaper per night too!

These new cruisers are spending big money as well and don’t seem to care. I’ve never seen cabana prices so high even on non holidays. It’s good to be in the cruise business for Mr Liberty & pals. 

[tonyfsu21]

2 minutes ago, Matt said:

I'm glad they moved it to 9:30pm. Initially, it was at like 1am to convey that college party vibe

Did you go? I was curious but didn’t make it last time. Perhaps I will give it a try in a couple weeks. 

[Matt]

Just now, tonyfsu21 said:

Did you go? I was curious but didn’t make it last time. Perhaps I will give it a try in a couple weeks. 

Yes, I went on the inaugural and then I think one more time again with my wife.

It would be more fun for me if I was there with a group of friends and we all wanted to play beer pong.

Proof I'm old and not in college: When I played beer pong there and thought about the ping pong ball hitting the floor of a cruise ship and that it would later be in my beer cup, I was seriously grossed out LOL

[smokeybandit]

Does the frat party have pizza available to eat that sat out all night? Gotta make it authentic.

[JasonOasis]

10 hours ago, RCIfan1912 said:

It might be a smart move financially for Royal Caribbean but a nightmare for the crew. To have 6 or 7 thousand passengers come on a few days is a nightmare.

Turn around day is terrible no matter the size of the ship no one likes turn around day but its part of the job.  Royal Caribbean should not abandon the 3/4 night market nor should they place their smallest or less desirable ships in this market simply because employees don't like turn around day.  Utopia has revolutionize the 3/4 night Bahamas cruise market so much so that cruise lines like MSC, and NCL are planning to put brand new or nearly brand new large ships into this market its later this year or in 2026, and I think its only matter of time before Carnival puts an Excel Class ship in this market as well.

Crew members don't like Perfect Day, they don't like Labadee because everything brought on those islands comes off the ship. Devils advocate here should Royal remove Perfect Day and Labadee from itineraries some ships even those on 7 night itineraries visit Royal's private islands every cruise. Should Royal remove Perfect Day or Labadee simply because crew members don't like visiting those islands do to the extra work that comes along with visiting those private islands?  Where does one draw the line and if you draw the line what are the financial implications of that line being drawn. 

I've been on Utopia 3 times already and we've got a B2B2B (10days) on Utopia booked for September 2025 it's going to be 10 of us Chicagoans living it up.  It is a party ship it has taken over for Freedom which was the party ship before Utopia.  I've sailed on Freedom to many times to count and Freedom like Utopia is loud and there are times when yes I want a party ship atmosphere and there are times when I want a relaxing cruise vacation which is what I'm on now on Harmony of the Seas.

Anyone going on a 3/4 night Bahamas cruise who's looking for a quite "normal" low key cruise experience is on the wrong ship.  It's no different than anyone going on Icon expecting to not see a bunch of kids running around is on the wrong ship. As far as employees I agree turn around day is a nightmare I've spoke to many employees and no matter the size of ship they all say turn around day is a nightmare.  But it is a nightmare that supports a lot of employees salaries. It is a nightmare that is helping Royal pay down a ton of debt as a result of the pandemic shutdown.  It is a nightmare that is paying dividends as Royal continues to attract more people into the cruise industry and its help cement Royal position as an industry leader. 

 

[tonyfsu21]

47 minutes ago, JasonOasis said:

Turn around day is terrible no matter the size of the ship no one likes turn around day but its part of the job.  Royal Caribbean should not abandon the 3/4 night market nor should they place their smallest or less desirable ships in this market simply because employees don't like turn around day.  Utopia has revolutionize the 3/4 night Bahamas cruise market so much so that cruise lines like MSC, and NCL are planning to put brand new or nearly brand new large ships into this market its later this year or in 2026, and I think its only matter of time before Carnival puts an Excel Class ship in this market as well.

Crew members don't like Perfect Day, they don't like Labadee because everything brought on those islands comes off the ship. Devils advocate here should Royal remove Perfect Day and Labadee from itineraries some ships even those on 7 night itineraries visit Royal's private islands every cruise simply because instead of the crew don't like visiting those islands? Where does one draw the line and if you draw the line what are the financial implications of that. 

I've been on Utopia 3 times already and we've got a B2B2B (10days) on Utopia booked for September 2025 it's going to be 10 of us Chicagoans living it up.  It is a party ship it has taken over for Freedom which was the party ship before Utopia.  I've sailed on Freedom to many times to count and Freedom like Utopia is loud and there are times when yes I want a party ship atmosphere and there are times when I want a relaxing cruise vacation which is what I'm on now on Harmony of the Seas.

Anyone going on a 3/4 night Bahamas cruise who's looking for a quite "normal" low key cruise experience is on the wrong ship.  It's no different than anyone going on Icon expecting to not see a bunch of kids running around is on the wrong ship. As far as employees I agree turn around day is a nightmare I've spoke to many employees and no matter the size of ship they all say turn around day is a nightmare.  But it is a nightmare that supports a lot of employees salaries. It is a nightmare that is helping Royal pay down a ton of debt.  It is a nightmare that is paying dividends as Royal continues to attract more people into the cruise industry and its help cement Royal position as an industry leader. 

 

Well said. I agree. I am thankful for the OA class weekend sailings because they have changed the game for sure! Utopia is amazing. 

[Geezer Of The Seas]

3 hours ago, tonyfsu21 said:

I ordered too many of these things! 

7-11, Racetrac, or Circle K of the Seas?

They should be unwrapped doing a slow roll under the heat lamp. 

[GatorCruiser]

9 hours ago, loki007 said:

floating 21st bday/bridal party. 

Nashville of the seas ?