Royal Caribbean cruise ships offer a cabin for any budget, but there is one suite that shines above all others, both in amenities and price: the Ultimate Family Suite.

As a family-focused cruise line, Royal Caribbean is no stranger to kid-friendly activities onboard its vessels. Whether waterslides, zip lines, or laser tag, there are countless ways to keep kids (and adults!) entertained onboard.

The vast majority of families book interior, ocean view, and balcony cabins, as these staterooms provide all the necessary amenities at a reasonable price point. Yet what if you could bring family-friendly fun into your cruise cabin?

The Ultimate Family Suite does just that, and this two-story, colorful cabin offers a truly unique experience in the cruise industry. The mind-blowing cabin is available on just four ships—Symphony, Wonder, Icon, and Utopia of the Seas. 

Royal Caribbean Blog had the chance to tour the cabin on a recent Utopia of the Seas cruise.

Staying in the Ultimate Family Suite isn’t cheap—prices average around $10,000 per night

With an in-cabin slide, private jacuzzi, cozy movie room, and gorgeous ocean views, the Ultimate Family Suite on Utopia of the Seas is one of the most expensive cabins on Royal Caribbean, second only to the slightly larger Ultimate Family Townhouse on Icon of the Seas.

Prices vary from sailing to sailing, but on average, guests can expect to pay between $20,000 and $50,000 for a 3 or 4-night sailing on Utopia of the Seas.

With two adults and two kids in the cabin, a 4-night cruise in April came out to $37,332 for the cabin, whereas a cruise in late February was priced at a whopping $59,124. “Budget” sailings can occasionally be found, with a 3-night cruise in August priced at just $22,948.

The suite can accommodate up to nine passengers, and guests enjoy Star Class benefits

If a $59,000 cruise gave you a jump scare, I do have some good news—up to nine guests* can stay in the Ultimate Family Suite. The more guests in the cabin, the lower the price per passenger.

The 4-night cruise in late February, for example, costs $14,781 per person with four guests in the cabin. If nine guests (four adults and six kids) stayed in the suite instead, the price per person is just $6,866 per person, or $61,796 total.

Related: Royal Caribbean suites guide & review

While not everyone wants to sail with nine passengers in a single stateroom, it can be a great option for larger travel parties. Additionally, the Ultimate Family Suite shares a connecting door with a Crown Loft Suite, which can accommodate an additional four passengers.

Plus, not only does the price include lodging in the opulent cabin, but passengers also receive Royal Caribbean’s Star Class benefits.

Star Class is the highest tier of the cruise line’s Royal Suite Class, and comes with impressive perks like a personal Royal Genie, access to exclusive suite areas, and complimentary internet, drink, and dining packages.

Let’s jump in and take a look inside the Ultimate Family Suite

Whether you’re planning a cruise in the Ultimate Family Suite or adding the room to your wishlist, it’s helpful to know the ins and outs of this remarkable cabin.

Colorful signage, along with a hopscotch carpet, welcome guests to the Ultimate Family Suite. Even before walking through the doors, it’s clear you’re about to enter somewhere special.

The entryway leads to the suite’s dining table, which also functions as a digital play area. Screens provide endless entertainment, with digital coloring apps and card games available with the touch of a button.

There are eight separate game areas at the table, which can also be switched off in order to transform the screens into a regular table.

If you’d prefer screen-free play, opt for the drawing board behind the table instead. Alternatively, the cabin’s Lego wall near the entryway is sure to be a hit with adults and kids alike.

The pièce de résistance of the suite, of course, is the massive two-story living room.

Colorful and vibrant, just this single room sets the Ultimate Family Suite apart from any other cabin on the ship.

A spacious television area comes complete with two lounge chairs along with a sofa, which can be converted into a bed for those traveling with a large party.

Don’t forget about the cozy nook next to the television, either, which features adorable fruit-shaped pillows.

I’d be remiss not to mention the Ultimate Family Suite’s in-cabin slide, which takes guests from the second to first floor.

There is no other cabin on the ship with its own slide, making it an extra-unique feature of the stateroom. After all, why take the stairs when you can slide downstairs instead?

If the slide weren’t cool enough, there’s also a hidden cranny behind the slide with pillows, a giant Connect 4 game, and a suspended chair.

Undoubtedly, though, the best hideaway for kids in the Ultimate Family Suite is the movie room.

With two TVs, a mini bar, and giant couch, there’s really no reason to ever leave the cabin and venture elsewhere onboard.

If a regular couch is too lame for the kids, they can watch a movie from the room’s shark-themed nook instead.

The last room downstairs is the spare bedroom.

Whereas the second floor features the master bedroom and kids room, the downstairs room is meant for extra guests, whether traveling with grandparents, additional kids, or a second family altogether.

The room features a king-sized bed along with a chair, desk, closets, and drawers for storage. A bathroom—the third in the cabin—is downstairs, too, which has a double vanity and shower.

Now let’s head upstairs, and no, we can’t take the slide to the second floor.

Still in the theme of making the Ultimate Family Suite as fun as possible, Royal Caribbean created a piano staircase. When walking up or down, each footstep creates a note, making a song as guests travel between floors.

Luckily, the sound can be switched off if you’re worried about the constant noise.

The stairs lead to the master bedroom. Unlike the spare room downstairs, the master bedroom is not separated from the rest of the cabin by a wall.

Although this makes the room less private, a curtain can separate the bedroom from the living room below. Plus, it means parents can enjoy sprawling views from the cabin’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

Being a suite, the master bedroom (along with the other rooms) comes with upgraded amenities compared to standard cabins on Utopia of the Seas, including mattresses and linens.

Aside from the bed, the master bedroom also features a lounge chair, desk, and four closets. A mini fridge is inside one of the closets, providing a convenient way to enjoy a refreshment without the need to go downstairs.

The master bedroom has its own bathroom with a dual vanity and large shower, which offers a rainforest shower head along with adjustable shower wands and jets along the shower’s walls.

The bathroom, like the others in the Ultimate Family Suite, comes equipped with Malin + Goetz body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion.

A door separates the master bedroom from the kids room next door. The door can be opened regularly or, as another option, tiny cruisers can crawl through the door’s miniature opening from one room to the next.

The space-themed kids room features four twin beds, each of which has a set of outlets and a television.

One of the bottom beds functions as a couch, but it can be converted to a bed if needed.

The kids room has its own bathroom, too. Unlike the other bathrooms in the suite, you'll find a bathtub.

Now let’s check out the Ultimate Family Suite’s stunning outdoor space. To get there, we’ll take the slide.

There are regular cruise ship balconies… and then there’s the Ultimate Family Suite’s balcony.

The balcony offers an unobstructed view of the ocean along with an 8-person dining table and climbing area for kids. Perhaps the most dreamy feature of all is the balcony’s private jacuzzi—a major upgrade compared to sharing jacuzzis with other guests on the pool deck.

All in all, the Ultimate Family Suite is definitely a splurge. As someone who typically books the cheapest interior cabins when I cruise, my short tour was probably the closest I’ll get to staying in this cabin myself.

For many passengers, just the thought of spending $10,000 a night on a cruise cabin seems outrageous. Other guests, on the other hand, book the suite as a special, once-in-a-lifetime type of cruise experience.

Related: 5 best cruise ship suites on Royal Caribbean

Regardless of where you fall on the book-it-or-not debate, there’s no denying that the Ultimate Family Suite offers a unique cabin experience. There’s no suite quite like it anywhere else in the cruise industry, and its innovative features certainly provide an unmatched, unforgettable experience for families.

*Note: Royal Caribbean's website states up to ten guests can stay in the suite, but when checking prices, a reservation agent stated the cabin can only accommodate nine guests

Utopia of the Seas is not only one of Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ships, but she's packed with lots to do.

If you're like me, you're going to want to take advantage of everything Royal Caribbean has added to this ship. There's lots to see, do, and eat onboard, and you only have a few nights to try everything.

Although the cruise fare is likely higher on Utopia of the Seas than other ships doing short cruises, Utopia has some of the best in class features that you won't get on those ships.

Here are five things to consider before you sail on Utopia of the Seas.

Royal Railway is the hot ticket

Royal Caribbean may have outdone itself with its new immersive dining restaurant experience because demand for it has been quite high.

Royal Railway at Utopia Station is more than just a specialty restaurant. It's an adventure through food and story, and a lot of passengers are clearly interested in booking it.

Reservations are slowly rolling out to be able to book it, but you're going to need to be quick to grab one. The combination of high interest to try it along with cruisers collaborating on social media to alert each other when reservations are available is leading to Royal Railway selling out quickly.

My advice is to book a reservation in advance once they become available on the website, even if you have a Royal Caribbean dining package or you're sailing in Star Class.  

You can always get a refund onboard the ship once you point out you have one of those things, and being assured of a spot via this method makes the most sense.

I'd also advise you to join a Facebook group for your sailing to be alerted by others when Royal Railway pops up to book.

If eating at Royal Railway is important to you, then definitely book early and don't wait.

Read more: 7 ways to learn everything you can about your cruise

A lot of the new parties are late night

There are a lot of new parties and events on Utopia of the Seas, and many of them are at night.

Royal Caribbean wanted Utopia of the Seas to offer more to do than its other ships, and it greatly expanded its activities. In addition to the usual Royal Caribbean events, you'll find new pool parties, dance parties, fraternization events, and more.

The new pool events, such as the Plunge Day Pool Party, are still during the day, so there's no concern there. But if you want to experience many of the new events, it's going to be a late night.

These include:

• Toga silent party
• ReZolution Dance Party
• Royal Kappa Chi college party
• Red DJ party
• The Quest adult scavenger hunt

It seems many of the events don't begin until 11pm, and many are only offered once per sailing.  

The key is to look at the schedule ahead of time, and take a nap during the day or load up on coffee so you can make it to the late night hours. Some parties have been going until about 4am.

Plan your port day around CocoCay, not Nassau

Time is limited on a weekend cruise, so if you're going to make plans on shore, do it on your visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

I'm not disparaging Nassau specifically, rather, pointing out which port to prioritize since it makes sense to also have time for all the fun things to do on Utopia.

Utopia of the Seas has a lot to do, and there's a good argument for staying onboard the ship on one of the port days in order to enjoy more of the ship.

Staying onboard the ship means you could enjoy more time at the pool, less of a wait at the water slides, sample a different restaurant, or go down the Ultimate Abyss.

Not only are there a lot of good choices for what to do at CocoCay, but I find Nassau's shore excursions options limiting in the sense of compelling choices. I actually prefer the beaches around Nassau more than CocoCay, but Royal Caribbean has fine-tuned its private island game to a point where it's far more likely to have a fun time ashore.

Don't take this tip to mean you shouldn't get off the ship at Nassau, rather, if you want to do one port day, I'd pick CocoCay.

The Mason Jar bar is underrated entertainment

Royal Caribbean says Utopia of the Seas is the ultimate party ship, but the Mason Jar bar is where you ought to be going every night.

With all due respect to the Pesky Parrot, English Pub, Schooner Bar, and Red dance party, my go-to evening music spot was the Mason Jar in order to see the Country Trio perform there.

Bryan, Jeff, and Josh put on a great show, and even though I'm not a big country music fan, it's the right mix of new and classic hits that I think anyone can enjoy. 

Equally compelling are the bar menu choices. Be sure to try the PB&J Old Fashioned for my absolute favorite cruise drink.

It makes sense to wander on Utopia and sample a variety of bars and lounges each evening, but I recommend stopping by to see the boys in the Mason Jar.

Secrets I discovered on Utopia of the Seas

I spent over a week on Utopia of the Seas taking in as much as I can, and ran across various tidbits I think would benefit anyone.

None of these are "I can't believe how amazing this tip is" sort of secrets, but I do think you'll have a better cruise if you know about them.

Expedited boarding: You can get on Utopia of the Seas faster with expedited boarding at Port Canaveral. Simply do everything in the Royal Caribbean app, and you can qualify for it and it's free.

You can get coffee at Giovanni's: If the line for coffee is too long in the Windjammer or Cafe Promenade, Giovanni's wine bar has an espresso machine. It might not help you early in the morning, but they're open during the day.

You can order food at Giovanni's wine bar: Another Giovanni's tip is to go to the bar for a snack or a meal. There is a limited food menu you can order from, and this can be great for a quick bite or a workaround if you cannot get a reservation at the restaurant.

The shaved ice isn't covered by a package yet: I love that Royal Caribbean added shaved ice to the Wipeout Bar at the back of the ship near the Ultimate Abyss, but your drink or dining packages won't cover it yet. Royal Caribbean may revisit that rule in the future, but for now, plan to spend extra on it.

Look for espresso martini machines: Utopia is the second Royal Caribbean ship to add espresso martini machines to some of its bars (Icon of the Seas had it first), and it's something espresso martini fans seem to love. I spotted one at the casino bar and Schooner Bar so far.

There are USB plugs at a lot of bars: If you need to charge your devices, look for USB plugs below the bar. The Solarium Bar, Schooner Bar, and Pesky Parrot all had USB plugs below the bar to keep your devices charged.

You can buy Wowbands: Royal Caribbean sells its useful RFID bracelets on Utopia of the Seas. Known as Wowbands, you can buy them at Guest Services for $9.99 each.

Save this blog to Pinterest

Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas promises epic parties, thrilling activities, and dreamy beach days, but the ship also packs a punch when it comes to dining.

It’s no secret that food is an integral part of a cruise vacation. When I booked a 3-night cruise on Utopia of the Seas—the newest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet—I was excited to try the vessel’s extensive selection of restaurants.

As one of the world’s biggest cruise ships, Utopia of the Seas offers dining choices for any type of traveler. Budget cruisers can choose from over ten complimentary venues, but the ship also features more than ten specialty restaurants that come with an extra charge.

Everything from Japanese hibachi to a Mexican buffet and Italian trattoria are available onboard, and I couldn’t wait to try as many dishes as possible on my short weekend getaway. I splurged on the Unlimited Dining Package for $164, which allowed me to try not only the ship’s free restaurants, but the specialty options, too.

After three days onboard (and a few pounds gained) here are the 6 best and 5 worst things I ate on Utopia of the Seas.

BEST: Lobster Thermidor at 150 Central Park

I never knew I liked lobster until I tried the delectable, tender Lobster Thermidor at Utopia’s 150 Central Park. In short, I was blown away by the flavor and presentation of the dish, and I regret not trying it sooner.

150 Central Park is an elegant specialty dining option on Utopia of the Seas. Each dish at the restaurant is prepared with locally sourced ingredients, all of which are harvested during the peak of their season. I booked the restaurant with my Unlimited Dining Package, but the meal costs around $59 per person without it.

Related: Utopia of the Seas restaurant and dining guide

I usually don't care for shellfish, but I decided to step outside my comfort zone and try the menu's renowned Lobster Thermidor. I knew if I didn't like the dish I could order something else instead, so I decided it was worth a shot.

It wasn't my first time at 150 Central Park—the restaurant is available on all of Royal Caribbean's other Oasis Class ships. Yet after tasting my first bite of Lobster Thermidor, I couldn't believe I waited so long to try the dish.

The lobster was tender, seasoned with tarragon and parmesan cheese, and coated with a cognac cream sauce. It was easily the best dish I had on the entire cruise, and I’ll certainly be reserving 150 Central Park on my next sailing.

WORST: Spaghetti Pomodoro at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen

Royal Caribbean offers three Italian specialty restaurants across the fleet, with Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen—the newest Italian restaurant—offered on Utopia of the Seas.

Like the fleet’s other Italian restaurants, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen offers a variety of pastas along with meat and seafood entrees. The restaurant differs from the others, however, in that it also offers a pizza menu.

Being Italian-American myself, I’ll admit I have high standards when it comes to Italian food. No restaurant’s red sauce could ever compare to my mom's or grandma's recipe! Even still, I can usually find something to like at any Italian restaurant.

Unfortunately, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen fell flat for me. I prefer pastas without meat, but I found options limited, with only a spaghetti pomodoro dish offered on the menu. I wish the menu had more vegetarian options outside of pizza, whether a pesto ravioli or eggplant parmesan. As is, the menu options felt rather limited.

The spaghetti pomodoro wasn’t bad, but it didn’t taste significantly better than the free pasta at the Windjammer or Main Dining Room. In hindsight, I wish I had used the last night of my dining package at Izumi sushi or hibachi, which offer food options I cannot find elsewhere onboard.

BEST: Pizza at Sorrento’s

Utopia of the Seas is called "The World’s Biggest Weekend” for a reason. The ship aims to provide the ultimate party experience for her short 3 and 4-night itineraries, and this will surely lead to a few late nights onboard.

As an early riser, I was surprised to find myself out well into the night on Utopia of the Seas. Whether dancing at the toga party or cheering on my team at The Quest game show, I partied harder than ever before on a Royal Caribbean ship.

Related: 5 things Utopia of the Seas does better than other Oasis Class ships

Frequent cruisers know that nothing tastes quite as good as Sorrento's pizza after a few drinks, and the free, unlimited pizza hit the spot every evening of my cruise.

WORST: Raspberry Cheesecake at The Spare Tire

When Royal Caribbean first introduced The Spare Tire—the ship’s new food truck concept—I was intrigued. The fast, casual, and complimentary option seemed like it would be a convenient place to grab a snack while lounging on the pool deck.

Unfortunately, while I still find the concept great, the implementation felt slightly lackluster. I appreciated being able to walk up to the “food truck” and grab an item myself, but the food choices weren’t the most appealing.

It appeared many of the snacks were pre-made and reheated. The Tornados, for instance, were from the same brand of taquitos you could find at a gas station. Likewise, the raspberry cheesecake I tried was from the brand Mini Chimis.

While the cheesecake bite was palatable, the snack paled in comparison to the freshly-made desserts I could enjoy elsewhere on the ship.

That being said, The Spare Tire’s veggie wrap and chicken sandwich appeared to be made fresh onboard; I found these much more enticing than the pre-made alternatives.

BEST: Southern Breakfast at The Mason Jar

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and no restaurant on Utopia of the Seas does breakfast quite as well as The Mason Jar.

As Royal Caribbean’s only Southern-inspired restaurant, The Mason Jar offers both a brunch and dinner menu. While dinner sees favorites like crawfish gumbo and beef brisket, brunch offers a variety of sweet and savory items.

The brunch menu’s diverse options—cinnamon rolls, stuffed French toast, buttery breakfast biscuits, and pimento cheese omelets—were too tempting to pass up. As soon as I boarded Utopia of the Seas, I headed to The Mason Jar for a much-needed brunch after my busy travel day.

Related: The Mason Jar Southern food restaurant review

Feeling something savory, I ordered the Southern Breakfast (sans bacon). My breakfast skillet came with two eggs atop a bed of sweet potato hash. You can’t go wrong with fried eggs, but I loved the stir-fried onions, peppers, and crispy sweet potatoes.

The Southern Breakfast served with sides of Meemaw’s biscuits and jalapeño cornbread easily made this dish one of my favorites on the weekend getaway.

WORST: Red Velvet Pancakes at The Mason Jar

Following the scrumptious breakfast skillet, I couldn’t pass up a sweet treat to end my brunch.

I loved The Mason Jar’s fluffy red velvet pancakes during my first visit to the restaurant two years ago on Wonder of the Seas. This time, however, the pancakes were not as delicious as I remembered.

Despite their pretty appearance, I found the pancakes quite dry. I didn’t mind the thick, cakey texture, but the ratio of cream cheese icing to pancakes felt off. Even though I could have asked for more icing, I was already full from my previous course, so I left most of the pancakes on the plate.

I wouldn’t be opposed to ordering the red velvet pancakes again, but I would definitely ask for an extra cup of icing next time!

BEST: Shaved Ice at Wipeout Bar

A brand new concept to Royal Caribbean is the shaved ice available at Wipeout Bar, Utopia of the Seas’ bustling bar on the ship’s sports deck.

Starting at $6 for a small and $9 for a large, guests can choose up to three syrup flavors from a selection of seventeen. Toppings, including fruit and condensed milk, are priced at $0.50 each, and there are also boozy options sold for $14.

Unfortunately, the shaved ice is not included in the drink package or dining package, and Diamond drink vouchers cannot be applied to the dessert, either.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbean's Unlimited Dining Package

Regardless, I was tempted to try a shaved ice on embarkation day to cool down in Florida’s oppressive July humidity. It worked, because my watermelon ice was not only tasty, but tremendously refreshing.

I thought the price was somewhat steep given the product (ice and syrup), but it was so revitalizing in the moment that I didn’t even care. Nevertheless, I hope the shaved ice will be included in packages and Diamond vouchers in the future.

WORST: Bubble Cone at Izumi in the Park

Although Instagram-worthy, I didn’t love the bubble cone I ordered at Izumi in the Park, Royal Caribbean’s walkup Japanese cuisine window.

Izumi in the Park focuses primarily on grab-and-go sushi and gyoza, but the casual venue also offers waffle bubble cones. There are five flavors available, including the Strawberry Bliss and Rainbow Mochi, and each flavor promises a warm waffle filled with ice cream and toppings.

Currently, the bubble cone costs $8, but one cone is permitted every 24 hours for passengers with the Unlimited Dining Package.

Even though I found the concept great, I thought the price was rather steep for what was offered. The ice cream used was the same soft-serve I could enjoy on the pool deck for free.

Nonetheless, the waffle and toppings were a nice addition to a standard ice cream cone. I would probably pay $5 for the cone, but $8 was a little high. I was glad it was included in my dining package, though, so the price didn’t really matter in the end.

BEST: Jalapeño Poppers at Playmakers

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade is one of my favorite casual restaurants on Royal Caribbean ships. Although the venue comes with an extra charge, I find the prices reasonable. The bar’s nachos, wings, sandwiches, and appetizers are priced à la carte, with most between $7 and $12.

The Unlimited Dining Package includes a daily $20 credit at Playmakers, so I ordered both nachos and jalapeño poppers. It’s hard to go wrong with nachos, but the jalapeño poppers were the star of the show.

Crispy and with the perfect blend of spicy and sweet, the fried jalapeños were filled with cream cheese and served with ranch and sweet chili dipping sauces. I don’t eat red meat, so I was happy the poppers were not wrapped with bacon.

I never thought to dip jalapeño poppers in sweet chili sauce, but the combination was delightful! This cheesy appetizer will undoubtedly become a go-to whenever I sail on a Royal Caribbean ship with Playmakers.

BEST: Breakfast at the Windjammer

Weekend cruises on Utopia of the Seas are busy—there’s no doubt about that. The last best thing I ate on Utopia of the Seas was also the most simple: breakfast at the Windjammer buffet.

In between port days in The Bahamas, stunning entertainment shows, and all of the ship’s wild parties, there’s little time for a sit-down breakfast. Instead of starting my day with a leisurely meal in the Main Dining Room, I preferred a quick meal in the Windjammer.

Related: Guide to Royal Caribbean's Windjammer Cafe buffet

Utopia of the Seas’ main buffet is anything but limited. The complimentary venue offers unlimited food, whether made-to-order omelets, bagels and lox, or a waffle station complete with a wide variety of toppings.

I enjoyed a toasted bagel and eggs at the Windjammer most mornings. I never struggled to find a seat in the extra-spacious venue, and the convenience of the buffet was hard to beat.

One of the lesser known activities on Royal Caribbean are the cruise line’s escape rooms, and I tried the newest puzzle room to see if it was worth it.

On several of Royal Caribbean’s ships, guests can reserve a time slot at an escape room, a room in which guests must figure out a series of puzzles in order to “break free” and win the challenge. The activity comes with an extra cost, and the escape room’s theme varies depending on the ship.

Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship, debuted a brand-new escape room onboard, and the experience costs $30 for a half hour in the room.

Some passengers may question whether or not it’s worth it to pay extra for an activity on a ship with nearly endless complimentary activities—myself included. I’m always looking to try new activities on Royal Caribbean, though, so I decided to book a time slot on my weekend cruise on Utopia of the Seas.

I wanted to see what the escape room was like and whether or not it’s worth paying extra for the short experience.

As an escape room novice, I was skeptical about whether I would enjoy the activity

Two years prior to my Utopia of the Seas cruise, I booked an escape room on Oasis of the Seas. It was my first time trying an escape room, and I remember feeling slightly intimidated around the other guests who appeared to be escape room experts.

I didn’t know where or how to look for clues, and even though my group solved the puzzle before time ran out, I’m not sure I helped in any way whatsoever.

Nevertheless, I wanted to give Royal Caribbean’s escape rooms another try. I thought I would have a better idea of what to do this time around, so I tried to maintain an open mind about the experience.

Royal Caribbean was the first cruise line to have an escape room, and there are currently seven escape rooms across the fleet

Royal Caribbean is always trying to add new activities and thrills for guests, and escape rooms have been a huge success for the cruise line.

The rooms are designed and implemented by Puzzle Break, the first escape room company founded in the United States. I actually had the chance to speak to Lindsay Morse, the Game Designer for Puzzle Break, while onboard Utopia of the Seas, and her insights gave me a newfound appreciation for these addicting puzzle experiences.

She explained how escape rooms were viewed with curiosity when the company first launched in 2013.

“Back then it was a weird thing. We’d be like, we’re going to lock someone in a room and they’re gonna pay us money, and it’s like…what?!”

Clearly, however, Royal Caribbean saw an opportunity with escape rooms, and the cruise line launched a partnership with Puzzle Break prior to Harmony of the Seas’ launch in 2015. The ship was the first in the fleet to feature an escape room, Escape the Rubicon, and since then, escape rooms have been added to six more ships in the fleet.

Related: 50 things everyone should do on a Royal Caribbean cruise at least once

Currently, you can find an escape room on Harmony of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas. An eighth escape room is slotted and ready to install on Icon of the Seas, too.

All escape rooms are unique. Even those that have a similar look to the room, such as the escape room on Mariner and Navigator of the Seas, offer completely different puzzles to solve.

Escape U: Freshman Year is the escape room on Utopia of the Seas

With the launch of Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, came another escape room: Escape U: Freshman Year.

Although solving puzzles is fun enough, every escape room on Royal Caribbean follows a storyline. These storylines allow guests to better immerse themselves in the puzzle experience.

Oasis of the Seas, for instance, features an escape room titled Mission Control: Apollo 18. The escape room transports participants back to 1973, as they work together to launch a spacecraft to the moon before time runs out.

“[The escape room] on Oasis was hard to design,” Morse explained. “A lot of research went into it about the Apollo program. All things in that game were related to real life.”

On Utopia of the Seas, however, Escape U tells the story of a group of elite freshman students who, upon entering their classroom, discover that their professor has gone missing. A maximum of twelve participants (the “students”) must then work together as quickly as possible in order to find their professor.

Most of Royal Caribbean’s escape rooms are 60 minutes, but Utopia’s is only 30 minutes

Something you’ll notice when booking the escape room on Utopia of the Seas is that the experience is only 30 minutes long. All of Royal Caribbean’s other escape rooms offer a 60-minute experience.

When I asked about the time difference, Morse explained how Utopia of the Seas’ short, 3 and 4-night cruise itineraries led to the change.

“Often the escape room sells out before people even get onboard,” she said, “so this gets more people to play.”

In addition to the increase in time slots for Escape U, the 30-minute length could be more appealing to passengers on a short itinerary. Every minute of a cruise vacation counts, and with only a few days onboard, committing to a 30-minute experience might be more appealing than spending a whole hour at the escape room.

The time change seems to have worked, because the escape room sold out on the inaugural sailing of Utopia of the Seas.

While I was skeptical, I had nothing to worry about—the escape room was a ton of fun

As a beginner at escape rooms, my hesitations about the activity were unnecessary. The room ended up being a lot more enjoyable than I could have imagined.

Upon arrival at the escape room, myself and eleven other participants received a brief introduction about the room, letting us know that we were students who needed to save our missing professor.

During this time, we all introduced ourselves to the group as well, which helped to break the ice with other passengers.

After the introduction, we entered the room, which was designed like a typical classroom. The timer started, and everyone immediately began to look for clues.

Just like on Oasis of the Seas, several participants took charge over others, and I felt a little lost on what to do. There are no instructions to an escape room; instead, participants must look for clues themselves.

I, of course, do not want to spoil the escape room for those who plan to participate on their Utopia of the Seas cruise. What I will say, though, is that I ended up finding a key clue that allowed us to progress further with the game. I felt quite successful given my subpar performance at my first escape room.

With just 23 seconds left, we completed the puzzle, and managed to “find” our professor. What a relief!

I thought the escape room had an ideal level of difficulty

I'm no professional escape room participant, and I was initially concerned the puzzles would be too complicated to figure out. Yet I found the difficulty level adequate—it was neither too easy nor too difficult.

It’s essential for an escape room to be just complicated enough. If a room is too simple, participants will solve the puzzles in only a few minutes. Yet if the room is made too challenging, it’s likely to lead to frustration.

Speaking with Lindsay Morse after the experience, the game designer explained how tweaks are frequently made to the game prior to launch. Before a room launches on a Royal Caribbean ship, an identical game is set up on land, where test groups first play through the room.

By observing the test groups, game designers can tweak certain elements of the room to increase or decrease the difficulty.

“Most of what we’re looking for is that people have fun, that they’re not frustrated or bored, and that everyone stays engaged the whole time,” she explained.

For $30, I would try other escape rooms on Royal Caribbean

Even though I entered Utopia of the Seas’ escape room feeling skeptical, I left feeling happy I booked the add-on experience. Now that I have done two escape rooms, I have a better idea of how they work, and I’d say $30 was a fair price for the activity.

I actually preferred that it was just a half hour, especially because the cruise was so short. The shorter time allowed me to better fit the activity into my day without feeling like I was missing out on other programming happening onboard.

And even though the ship offers a plethora of complimentary onboard activities—waterslides, rock climbing, and a zip line, to name a few—the escape room offered a unique experience I could not find on other ships.

I love how Puzzle Break designs the rooms to be different on each ship, and now I’m itching to solve the five other escape rooms I have yet to try.

Short cruises or not, Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas offers some of the line's best in class features on a brand new ship.

Utopia has made headlines for being Royal Caribbean's new party ship and for just offering 3- and 4-night cruises, but those tag lines overlook the things that make the ship stand out.

I sailed on a 3-night media preview sailing (full disclosure: Royal Caribbean invited me to sail. I paid for the revenue sailings), followed by Utopia's first two revenue sailings in order to get a full sense of what the ship is all about. After all, there are so many activities, parties, and events happening around the ship, and I wanted to try as many as possible.

The choice to offer just short cruises to start was met with raised eyebrows by some cruise fans, but Royal Caribbean is adamant this is part of a larger strategy to appeal to first time cruisers.  They want someone who has never cruised before to reconsider their land vacation and go for a cruise instead because of the fact Utopia is brand new and offers a lot.

It's hard not to be intrigued by a ship you can sail on for just the weekend and enjoy waterslides, a train simulator restaurant, late-night parties, and visits to a private island in The Bahamas.

Short cruises with lots to do

Don't expect a weekend cruise on Utopia of the Seas to be just lounging around the pool and sipping pina coladas. 

While you certainly could do just that, it's clear Royal Caribbean wanted Utopia to be more than a traditional cruise ship because they want to attract untraditional cruisers to give it a try.

The ship is marketed with lots of hype about it being "the world's biggest weekend", and to that effect, there's more ways to splash, party, and eat onboard.

What this translates to is Royal Caribbean has more of each of those things to do onboard, and it's the best versions of each yet. 

The pool deck has been updated with a better Lime and Coconut bar that fits the look of the ship better, along with a giant aquapark, wide-open pools, and an enclosed adults-only Solarium.

The entertainment team worked overtime to come up with all sorts of new parties and events on Utopia, with a clear direction to try to bring more energy to the experience.

You'll find a silent DJ party with togas, an opportunity to play beer pong, Vegas-style pool parties, and late-night DJ experiences. 

Don't worry, there's still plenty of traditional cruise activities, including karaoke, trivia, bingo, and game shows.

And then there's all the dining choices onboard. There's a new pool deck snack location to keep you going without having to go very far with the Spare Tire.

A new chef-driven Japanese restaurant has been added, while the line's Italian specialty restaurant was moved to a stunning location. And then there's the innovative immersive dining experience that makes you feel like you're on a classic train traveling through the Old West.

Read more: I tried Royal Caribbean's immersive train experience

Big and small changes, they all combine to make Utopia stand out from not only other Royal Caribbean ships, but any ship you could go on for just a few days.

My favorite changes

As someone that cruises a lot, I'm always drawn to what's new and different on a cruise ship.  Partly for novelty, and partly because who doesn't enjoy a new shiny thing?

It's clear Royal Caribbean spent a lot of time not only coming up with brand new things to add to Utopia of the Seas, but also re-visiting established features.  While Utopia may be the sixth Oasis Class ship in the fleet, she is anything but a copy-and-paste cruise ship.

Read more: Everything new and different coming to Utopia of the Seas

When you walk onto Utopia of the Seas for the first time, there's a good chance you'll see the first clear winner for favorite change, and that's the Pesky Parrot.

Not only does Pesky Parrot replace an aging Bionic Bar idea, but it brings a new bar that you'll actually want to hang out in to the ship. Cruise ship bars are a lot like being a kid in high school: it's hard for the new ones to compete with the popular ones that everyone already knows.

Before you even try a drink, you'll pick up on it's a fun place to hang out. It's bright, wide open, and so much seating that you can't help but plop down.

There's a variety of specialized pina coladas offered (try the peanut butter one), fun mugs, and the bar was busy every single day I was onboard. 

The hot ticket on Utopia is the Royal Railway, which is a brand new kind of experience that is meant to wow you with how immersive it is.

In short, Royal Caribbean has designed a restaurant that looks and feels like you're on a classic train. It's much more than curtains and paint, there are digital screens, sound effects, vibrating seats, and more that all contribute to make it really feel like you're on a train.

The first show offered on Royal Railway is an Old West journey, but new shows and tastings are promised for the near-future, including a more adult-focused dinner, brunch, and wine tastings.

Speaking of dining experiences I really liked, the omakase dinner was a welcome treat.

Royal Caribbean has done sushi and hibachi for years, but they've expanded to now have a chef-driven Japanese meal.  Seating just six people, it's the kind of meal anyone that loves sushi will relish.

While sushi is the focus, I enjoyed the other courses that went beyond nigiri or sashimi.  It was a culinary experience I liked even more than I expected.

While the high energy pool parties are what you'll see advertised a lot, I thought the decision to have an enclosed Solarium was a great counterweight to the party pool scene.

Utopia is not the first Oasis Class ship to get an enclosed Solarium, but I'm glad they kept it.  Not only does it keep it from getting too hot in the summer (or chilly in the winter), but it means you can be very comfortable and enjoy the best pool views you'll find on the ship.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention I also enjoyed tried and true favorites on Utopia.  While the new things may get a lot of the attention, there are lots of well-established Royal Caribbean staples on Utopia.

The Country Trio band at the Mason Jar Bar were a must watch for me every night they performed. Bryan, Jeff, and Josh are truly talented musicians, and a shining example of Royal Caribbean's dedication to live music.

Dinners at 150 Central Park, Playmakers, and Coastal Kitchen did not disappoint in the slightest, and it's why I go there to dine on most cruises.

Of course, the visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay was one in a long string of great days at Royal Caribbean's private island.  It's the reason why the rest of the cruise industry has taken notice of Royal Caribbean's success there.

I stayed in two different, yet purpose built cabins

Across my collective 13 nights on Utopia, I tried two different cabins.

On the first sailing that Royal Caribbean invited me to, I was in an oceanview balcony cabin on deck 10.

While I think the shower in a standard cabin are superior on Icon of the Seas, I love how much storage space there is on Utopia.

There's a ton of storage space in the stateroom, and for a room meant for two people, I think it's a great choice for a room.  It's probably why balcony cabins are so popular due to the fact they have just enough space, a private view, and natural light.

Once my back to back cruise on the first two revenue sailings began, I moved up to a Crown Loft Suite within the Suite Neighborhood area of the ship.

This two story giant suite has two bathrooms and comes with fabulous perks, such as complimentary drinks in the suite lounge, reserved seating at shows, and access to a restaurant just for suite guests.

While a balcony cabin is practical, a suite is simply a splurge. Having all the amenities included, along with significantly more living space is a welcome treat. It's hardly a bargain in terms of price, but I was able to see how the suite experience compared on Utopia.

Read more: Guide to Utopia of the Seas cabins and suites

Two things I didn't like about Utopia of the Seas

In looking back, there are probably two aspects of the new ship I think can be improved.

The production shows in the Royal Theater and Studio B theater I thought didn't continue the trend of upping the ante in Royal Caribbean's ever impressive shows.

The performers were extremely talented, but it seemed like neither moved the needle as other productions show have on Royal Caribbean's recent shows, such as The Effectors on Wonder of the Seas or Wizard of Oz on Icon of the Seas.

Both utilized technology in impressive ways, and I loved a few of the song selections in both shows.

The other qualm I had was at Playmakers, which is an open air sports bar within the Boardwalk neighborhood.

Playmakers is great, but the lack of air conditioning made it less enjoyable than other Playmakers locations.  Considering a majority of the year Florida and The Bahamas deal with stifling humidity, I thought it would have been better indoors.  Or perhaps with walls/windows that can be easily opened if it's comfortable weather outside.

In the case of both these issues I found, there were plenty of passengers who were having a great time.

Utopia of the Seas is the multigenerational escape vacation

The weekend party is what you'll see advertised, but the truth is Utopia of the Seas has parties, just like it has things for kids, their parents, and grandparents.

I was impressed how much there is to do on this ship.  For just a 3-night sailing, I think you're going to have to prioritize activities very quickly because time goes quickly and you simply cannot do it all.  It's why I was happy I opted for going back again on a second sailing.

Royal Caribbean has always been a multigenerational family brand, and that doesn't change with Utopia.  What has changed is how much more they're offering for those that want a party.

Royal Caribbean divulged last week one out of every two customers is a millennial or younger, and there's a clear push to offer these customers more.

But there's also lots for anyone that doesn't want a DJ, champagne gun, or toga in their future. Like a new car, I can appreciate the latest and greatest finishes even if it has features I'll never use.

My top takeaway after over a week onboard is Utopia of the Seas is just like Icon of the Seas in that it offers the very best cruise experience right now. If a weeklong cruise doesn't seem right, then Utopia is your choice.  Otherwise, Icon is waiting with even more exciting things to do.

Royal Caribbean has a new signature dining experience on Utopia of the Seas that offers the highest quality Japanese food you'll find on any of its ships.

Izumi Omakase is the third offering of Japanese cuisine by the cruise line, and it's the creation of Izumi Master Chef Travis Kamiyama.  He's been responsible for all the Izumi menus since the restaurant's inception.

There are two seatings per evening in a cozy room tucked between the sushi and hibachi sides of the restaurant.

As someone that dines at Izumi on nearly every sailing I go on, I was curious how different the food would be at Omakase and what exactly the experience entails.

The cost is $129.99 per guest, and it's an eight course meal that includes food and alcohol pairings. If you have the Unlimited Dining Package, there is a $59.99 surcharge.

The restaurant is in the middle of a revamped Izumi

On Utopia of the Seas you'll find Izumi in a brand new location, taking up residency in the middle of the Central Park neighborhood.

In fact, it's the largest Izumi Royal Caribbean has built to date, and includes a traditional sushi restaurant, hibachi tables, and now the Omakase option.

Most of the seating is inside the restaurant, but there are a few sushi tables outside too.

A table for six is an intimate dining experience

The Omakase table is a communal dining experience, where six people are seated together across a rather large wood table.

Similar to Chef's Table, you'll be seated with other passengers you may not know. Where you sit exactly is up to you, as there's no assigned seating.

Your host guides you through the meal

There are two people chiefly responsible for your meal, but the host is who you narrates the experience and explains everything.

Speaking both Japanese and English, each step of the meal is introduced with details of which ingredients are included and what to look for within the dish or drink.

Eight courses of food and drink

The menu has eight courses, and each comes with a drink pairing.

Just like any Royal Caribbean restaurant, they can accommodate dietary restrictions or special needs. As someone who does not eat shellfish, they were able to provide me alternatives for those dishes.  Another guest at my table did not drink alcohol, and was served mocktails instead.

According to Royal Caribbean, omakase private dining experience is not recommended for children and there is no kids pricing.

I was initially worried eight courses would be too much food, but each of the offerings was petite and I think just the right amount of food.

My eight course meal started off with a soup

The ichi course begins with a miso lobster bisque soup that comes with lobster meat and caviar.

Since I don't eat shellfish, my alternate soup was a mushroom soup.

A welcome glass of wine was served chilled with the soup.  This would be the only non-sake drink we'd have during the meal, although the host was adamant you could request other beverages at any point.

Sakura carpaccio was next

Our first batch of raw fish came with the ni course, and this was the first opportunity to taste the higher quality sushi.

Four pieces of sushi-grade fish were plated, and these were "meatier" cuts that tasted better than the sashimi I would usually get at Izumi.

With this course, we were also served our first cup of sake.  Sake is a rice wine, and each course had a different sake pairing to try.

Nigiri sushi was the most familiar course

I think if you imagine what sushi is, then a nigiri roll is probably what you think of.

For the san course, we were served three nigiri rolls along with the sake.

An oyster course followed that was "must-try"

At the shi course, guests were given a single oyster that came with a spicy ponzu sauce.

My tablemates commented the oyster was fantastic and implored the others who were hesitant to eat an oyster to give it a try.

My alternative was a spoonful of diced sashimi served in a spoon.  I think they wanted me to have the same sensation of being able to eat an oyster in that manner.

A tuna ball was a fun twist on sushi

For the go course, I can best describe this as a nigiri tuna roll rolled up into a ball.  

I had never seen this before, but it was akin to a bite-sized sushi roll and certainly made it easier to enjoy the flavors together.

The miso broiled cod was so flavorful

The best thing I ate during the omakase meal might have been during the roku course when I was served the miso broiled black cod.

I never would have imagined how good this tasted, and it was the dish I really wanted to get the recipe so I could make it at home.

This was an extremely tender piece of fish that had a miso glaze on it, and it was my favorite flavor of the evening.

The wagyu beef was a surprise hit

The last course before dessert was the wagyu beef served with pepper and I really liked this more than I thought I would.

Just like the cod, I enjoyed the flavor more than I expected probably because I did not account for the nikiri glaze.

A dessert to wrap it all up

The final course was a chocolate matcha served with a sorbet.

I generally don't eat many desserts on a cruise ship, but it was a sweet way to end the meal.

The whole dining experience took two hours

Our meal began at 6pm and we walked out of the restaurant a little after 8pm, just before the 8:30pm omakase meal was scheduled to begin.

Given this is a chef-driven meal, you have to expect it won't be an "in and out" type meal.  I don't think it felt unnecessary long. In fact, I thought the courses came in quick succession without major gaps at a reasonable pace.

My favorite dish was the miso broiled cod, followed by the "tuna ball".  There was was nothing I didn't like, and maybe the dessert was the only course I didn't care for.

The service was impeccable

I didn't know much of what to expect from an omakase meal, but I assumed the service would be excellent, and I was correct.

Our host was attentive and she made an effort to ensure everyone had everything they needed. Unlike a normal meal where a waiter has a few tables to attend to, she was focused only on us.

Omakase is the perfect meal for Japanese food fans

As someone that loves sushi, I walked away from my first omakase meal very satisfied and I thought it was the perfect meal for someone like me that really enjoys Japanese food.

Unlike hibachi or sushi, the higher price tag makes it more of a luxury to sample now and then. I'd love to try this with a group of friends, perhaps on a group cruise.

I think given the fact we had sake pairings and the notably higher quality food, it was well-worth the cost.  The caveat is you should be someone that loves sushi and is open to trying new things.  The food isn't that adventurous and didn't delve into the types of sushi that I think scare a lot of people away, such as octopus or caviar.

Overall, I thought Izumi omakase was better than I expected and it's the kind of meal worth trying as a special event.

Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas has many types of cabins and suites, and I booked the inaugural sailing in a Crown Loft Suite with my family.

Suites are never cheap, but they do come with perks that help make the cost more palatable.  They're a luxury, and not about necessarily the best value you can find.

For the first sailing of Royal Caribbean's brand new cruise ship, I wanted a cabin for my family that had enough room for everyone, and most importantly, a second full bathroom. Plus, I wanted to be able to experience the suite amenities on the ship because we often get a lot of questions about what the suite areas are like on a new ship.

The Crown Loft Suite is a two-level suite that offers the mid-tier suite benefits, which includes access to the a private lounge, reserved seating at shows, and concierge services. 

The price is steep compared to regular cabins

A suite on a Royal Caribbean ship will almost certainly cost significantly more than a balcony room, especially on a brand new ship like Utopia of the Seas.

I booked the cabin on the day Royal Caribbean opened bookings up for Utopia, and it cost $10,784.52 for the four of us on the inaugural 3-night cruise.  

To put that in comparison, two people in an oceanview balcony guarantee cabin on the same sailing cost $2223.

At 670 square feet, the Crown Loft Suite is almost four times bigger than a balcony

One big thing you'll notice quickly about a suite is just how much space you get.

That oceanview balcony cabin I compared earlier is nearly 4 times smaller than the Crown Loft Suite, and has one less bathroom.

Cruise ship cabins are notoriously small to begin with, so a suite is one way you could spread out and not feel as cramped.

It also has a big balcony

In addition to the 670 square feet of living space, you get an additional 105 square foot balcony.

The balcony comes with two plus chairs and ottomans, which are great for lounging. There's a small table too, so you can order room service to be delivered right to your balcony.

The extra large balcony space means everyone can fit on it for sailaway, or even have friends come to visit.

No complaints of cramped cabins here

One thing someone new to cruising might notice is how much smaller cruise ship cabins are compared to hotel rooms. With a suite, that's not much of an issue.

The lower level has a living room with couch, large screen television, chairs, and even a dining room table that can seat four.

The couch can be opened up to become a bed, meaning two more people can sleep there.

The suite also has a wet bar

We had a bottle of champagne waiting for us upon entry into the suite as a welcome gift on the wet bar, and it's where you can store all your drinks.

While the suite does not include drinks as part of the cost, if you bring any drinks back to the room, you can store them there.  This is true of the complimentary Crown and Anchor beverages we receive as part of Royal Caribbean's loyalty program benefits.

There's also a complimentary coffee machine you can use.

The TV could pull down toward the king-sized bed

On the upper level is the master bedroom, which overlooks the lower level.

There's a privacy curtain that you can extend to not only section off the master bedroom, but also make it darker.

The television descends from the ceiling and can retract with the push of a button.

The master bathroom is large and has a shower and a tub

Suites have large bathrooms, including a shower and a tub.  This is a favorite feature for many why they upgrade to a suite.

There's only one mirror and sink (some of the bigger suites have two in their master bathroom), but there's enough counter space for two people's toiletries.

The second bathroom makes sharing the cabin much better

I booked this particular suite over other suites because it has a full second bathroom.

Located on the lower level near the entrance, it's great for whomever is sleeping on the lower level.  Or if you're planning to entertain in your suite, another place for guests to use instead of your bathroom.

A closet with more storage space than you need

There's more closet and storage space than you'll find on most cruise ships, and certainly more than enough space for a short weekend cruise.

The master bedroom closet has two sliding doors to provide lots of hangers, in addition to shelves recessed inside the closet.

The closet is also where you'll find the safe.

Next to the closet is a vanity with large mirror.

There were so many USB outlets

Cruise ships have finally gotten the memo that passengers want to be able to easily plug-in their devices without having to buy special adaptors. 

Read more: 40 essential things to bring on a cruise

Equally impressive is you can control the room television, curtains, and air conditioning from the Royal Caribbean app. There are physical controls too, but I loved being able to open the blinds from my bed with my phone.

Many perks are included with the suite stay

While the suite is impressive, it comes with even better amenities that I think are what justify the cost for a lot of cruisers.

Here's a list of the top Sky Class benefits: 

• Concierge Service
• All Day Access to Coastal Kitchen
• Specialty Bottled Water (upon arrival)
• Complimentary internet access for every person in the suite
• Flexible Arrival Boarding & Priority Departure
• Priority Dining Reservations
• Venues Early Access to Seating in Select Entertainment Venues
• Suite Lounge Access (complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cocktails each evening)
• Access to Suite Sun Deck
• Royal Caribbean Plush Bathrobes for Use Onboard
• Luxury Pillow Top Mattress
• Luxury Bathroom Amenities
• Lavazza Espresso Coffee Machine

The suite lounge and suite sun deck are the best amenities, given how much value they provide.

I think the suite sun deck on Utopia of the Seas (and Wonder of the Seas) is Royal Caribbean's best suite sun deck on any ship. There's a bar, seating in the sun and shade, and a terrific pool to cool down in.  It's rarely busy, and a favorite spot to do work from.

Moreover, the suite concierge can do a lot, especially pre-cruise. They can book show and dining reservations before you get onboard, and they are very helpful with billing issues.

Sky Class suites come with a complimentary one-device internet package for everyone in the suite, which saves a couple hundred dollars for a family.

Is a Crown Loft Suite worth the price tag?

It's undoubtedly a steep cost to stay in one of these suites, but having a full second bathroom and the array of Sky Class benefits was a lovely way to cruise with my family.

I booked this suite partly because I wanted to have a stateroom with enough space for my family, and partly because I wanted to experience the suite options on Royal Caribbean's newest ship.

The combination of sailing on a brand new ship and on its inaugural voyage meant I was never going to get a low price on the fare, so bargain hunters will likely never see the value in this booking.

Ultimately, I think it's a good choice for a family or friends looking to stay in a cabin with upgraded amenities and a second bathroom.  Plus, the location on deck 18 was very convenient to the ship's Suite Neighborhood.

You know what's better than a cruise on Royal Caribbean's mega ships? Going back and doing it again.

Photo by Adam Hancock

Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas has begun sailing with passengers onboard, and after experiencing it for myself for 3 days on a preview sailing, I'm ready to go back again and again.

The new ship is doing just 3- and 4-night short cruises, which not only makes it not only appealing to someone who might be tepid about trying a cruise, but perfect for doubling down and doing a back-to-back sailing.

While Utopia is already the sixth ship in the Oasis Class, Royal Caribbean has truly perfected its craft with this latest version of the popular mega ships.

I've spent nearly a week on Utopia of the Seas so far, and it's clear to me when you try Utopia, there's a good chance you're going to want to come back again for more.

Party and chill

Don't let the marketing fool you, Utopia is as fun-filled or slow-paced as you want it to be.

Royal Caribbean is marketing Utopia of the Seas as "The World's Biggest Weekend" and that is signified with all the parties and things to do onboard. It's a well-earned distinction, because there are indeed way more parties and events I can recall seeing on a Royal Caribbean ship.

As someone that cruises a lot, I can appreciate the new choices in how to stay up and party the night away. Toga parties, college flip cup games, more DJ music than I have ever seen, and so many bars to visit. There's a lot to choose from.

When you look over the schedule of events, there's simply more to do than you can fit into a single weekend, assuming you want to sleep a bit too. 

Royal Caribbean Vice President of Entertainment, Christi Coachman, talked about how they planned the entertainment to be methodically planned, "It was really important not only to continue to create the family experiences, because that's very important for our brand, but also to go in a little bit of a different direction and have one party after the other to where you don't ever stop."

"Utopia is a taste, right? A taste of what possibly you could experience on maybe a maybe a longer itinerary."

I found great relief in being able to stay onboard for more than one sailing, as it allowed me to spread out my activities and do more without a sense of "FOMO" every night.

Speaking of the parties, while there are indeed many new party events, none of them are so vastly different that you'll feel out of place.

A great example is the Royal Kappa-Chi event, which is a fraternity-themed party. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it was so much more enjoyable than I had planned.

Held in The Attic, there were a number of tables set up for beer pong, but lots more seats around for those that wanted to observe. I think most people just wanted to be in the atmosphere than actually play, and it made it so much more inviting to everyone.

I summoned the courage to play a game of beer pong, and it was something I never thought I'd do on a cruise ship.

A lot of ways to spend your time on just one sailing

If you go through and list all the things you absolutely want to do on Utopia of the Seas, and then add the things you'd like to do, I'll bet your list exceeds the amount of free time you think you'll have.

There's so many fun activities, and when you add in time at the cruise line's private island in The Bahamas or even a shore excursion in Nassau, and you are going to quickly start rationalizing one activity over the other.

Royal Caribbean may have wanted Utopia of the Seas to be the ultimate party ship, but it also came up with the ultimate FOMO ship.

This is part of the cruise line's strategy to dominate the weekend cruise market by combining a great new cruise ship with great places to visit.

Read more: Royal Caribbean has a plan to dominate short cruises

While parties might be the focus for Utopia, great dining isn't far behind.

There are new restaurants and revamped offerings as well, and they all are worth your precious vacation time.

Royal Railway is an innovative offering that has garnered a lot of attention, and it's lead to high demand to get a coveted spot. The use of technology, story telling, and great food was so compelling, I booked another seating so I could take my family to experience it.

Both Izumi and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen have new locations on Utopia, and then you have an assortment of tried-and-true dining choices.  

Two sailings to see it all

If you think there's simply not enough time to do everything on Utopia of the Seas, you're not wrong.

Royal Caribbean purposefully adds so many activities, shows, and dining choices on purpose so guests have a choice in how they vacation. But to have enough time to experience everything, you might want to turn that weekend cruise into a full week.

Booking a "back-to-back" cruise is when you reserve two consecutive cruises in a row, and I'm glad I did just that so I have enough time for everything.

One of the top complaints about Utopia of the Seas is the fact she only sails 3- and 4-night cruises instead of 7-night cruises.  Booking two sailings means you get more value for your flight (albeit without any variation in ports of call).

Whether you book two cruises in a row, or decide to book a second sailing some other time, I think you'll see a need to come back for more. After all, that's part of Royal Caribbean's plan to entice those who have never cruised before to come back and sail again.

I was lucky enough to cruise on the inaugural sailing of Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship, Utopia of the Seas. While onboard this weekend cruise, I got to experience everything this sixth Oasis Class ship has to offer, including the beautiful staterooms.

Back in early November, my fellow Royal Caribbean Blog co-worker and I booked a guarantee balcony for $2,223 for three nights. This included prepaid gratuities for two people. Approaching the sail date, Royal Caribbean assigned us cabin 10198, a balcony on deck 10, midship.

This oceanview balcony has a larger balcony than a standard balcony onboard. For context, I stayed in a standard oceanview balcony during a preview cruise on Utopia of the Seas the week prior, and the balcony was 50 square feet. In this cabin (appropriately named an “oceanview with large balcony”), the balcony is 80 square feet. The extra 30 square feet is seen in how long the balcony is.

The living area of the cabin totaled 191 square feet.

Walking into the cabin for the first time, I was in awe of how pretty it was. There were accents of blue throughout the cabin, from the carpet and the blinds to the headboard and pillows. Even all the doors in the hallway are blue.

The first thing you see when walking into the cabin is the light switch and slot where you place your Seapass card to generate power. Without a card in this slot, there will be no electricity or air conditioning in the cabin. On this sailing, there was already a card there. Oftentimes, I use an old Seapass card to put in this slot, but I didn't need to do that on this cruise.

On the opposite side is a full-length mirror that is near the vanity area. The vanity is quite spacious and includes many outlets, including two European outlets, one USB outlet, one USB-C outlet, and three standard U.S. outlets. The chair is also comfortable, as I found myself sitting in it while using my laptop or looking at the Cruise Compass.

Attached to the vanity is a large dresser. There are five drawers, including one on top of the mini cooler. The drawers were deep enough to place my packing cubes.

I hardly ever used the mini cooler, but it’s always handy to have one just in case!

I thought the wall above the dresser felt empty. I wish there was a floating shelf or a piece of artwork here. To make use of this space, I used magnetic hooks to hang up some cruise paperwork so it didn't clutter up the vanity.

Across from the vanity and dresser were the couch and closets. This couch can be transformed into a double sofa bed, making the cabin able to fit four people.

On both sides of the couch was a closet. One closet was wide open and contained 20 hangers to hang up long outfits like dresses and jumpsuits. This closet can even store your suitcase, backpack, and other luggage.

The second closet had five shelves along with a safe to store valuables. There was also a small area to hang up a few long outfits. Below this closet were two large drawers. I used one of these drawers for my shoes.

I really appreciated having two large closets on this new cruise ship. While on Icon of the Seas, I was surprised at how small the closet area was. There was enough space for me since I was traveling alone, but with more than one person, I think the storage would've been lacking. On Utopia of the Seas, you won't have to worry about running out of storage space, as there was plenty for the two of us. Having two closets is a game-changer!

Next to the balcony was the “bedroom.” The king bed can be split into two twin beds (as seen below).

Each of us had a small nightstand next to the bed. On top of both nightstands was a light that had a U.S. charging outlet and a USB outlet. This was perfect for charging my phone and watch while I was sleeping, and I could easily see what time it was by checking my phone. Each nightstand had two shelves for additional items that you would need close to you while in bed.

On one nightstand was the cabin’s phone which took up the majority of the top shelf. This was easy to move to one of the bottom shelves. On this side of the bed, there's a light switch that controls all of the lights in the cabin.

Across from the bed was a large flatscreen TV. The one time I turned on the TV, I noticed there was not an option to stream videos from my phone to the TV. I wish it had this option like on my recent Odyssey of the Seas cruise.

Below the TV were five built-in hooks to hang up various items, like hats or bags. I’ve never seen these hooks on other cruise ships before, and I thought they were an interesting design choice. I like having more options to hang up things, but the hooks are lower on the ground, which may not be as helpful for those who cannot bend over easily.

The balcony had two chairs and a small table. The balcony was very spacious and I could tell the difference in the size between a regular balcony cabin and this “large balcony.” This is the perfect place to sit, relax, and watch the ship sail away from port.

Lastly, the most exciting part of this cabin tour, the bathroom. I felt that there was enough storage in the bathroom for two people. There were three shelves by the toilet, a shelf below the sink, two towel racks, and two hooks on the door for hanging cosmetic organizers.

The shower had only one shelf inside, though I wish there were more. While this shower doesn't have the new design as the showers on Icon of the Seas, I didn't mind because I thought this shower was just as spacious. I could even put my elbows out and not bump the sides of the shower.

Something else I liked about the bathroom was the blue floral backsplash. It really tied in with the blue theme of the cabin.

There is a built-in nightlight in the bathroom so you can easily navigate to the bathroom in the middle of the night when it is dark inside the cabin.

Overall, I would recommend this oceanview balcony on Utopia of the Seas. It was spacious, well-designed, and perfect for two travelers. The cabin may feel cramped with more than two people, but it can certainly work.

I believe this oceanview with a large balcony cabin is extremely similar to the traditional oceanview balcony cabin, so either option would be a good choice. Truly, the only difference is that extra 30 square feet on the balcony, which isn't a drastic change.

Royal Caribbean's latest megaship is garnering all sorts of attention, and for good reason. Utopia of the Seas may not be the first Oasis Class ship, but she does a few things better than the rest.

At 236,860 gross tons, Utopia of the Seas is now the world's second-largest cruise ship and sails short cruises to The Bahamas.

To their credit, Royal Caribbean builds successive ships within a class with new features and upgrades older vessels don't have.

Utopia of the Seas has a lot of changes compared to Wonder of the Seas, both big and small. While not all of them will factor into your cruise experience, I found a handful that I think really stand out compared to other Oasis Class vessels.

Here's my list of the five things Utopia of the Seas does better than the five other Oasis Class ships.

Elevators

The writing on the wall was clear after Icon of the Seas that passengers really loved the destination elevator concept.

Traditionally, elevators on cruise ships are easily overwhelmed with demand and that leads to long waits. Up until this year, it seemed like a necessary evil of cruising.

But when Icon of the Seas debuted, Royal Caribbean changed to destination elevators and it worked out so well. As a result, Utopia of the Seas them too. 

Rather than simply pressing "up" or "down" in the elevator bank, you'll be required to make a deck selection. Then, you'll be assigned a specific elevator that will take you where you want to go. 

In my experience, the elevators on Utopia might not be as fast as Icon's, but they're definitely a step up from any other Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

Specialty dining

There are three specialty restaurants on Utopia of the Seas where Royal Caribbean raised the bar.

Izumi is now on Central Park and has a grab-and-go sushi window for convenient snacks. 

Guests who prefer a more formal meal can head inside Izumi for Royal Caribbean's first omakase option. This is an elevated meal for sushi lovers who are adventurous. 

If that's not enough, Izumi has more hibachi tables than other ships and of course plenty of sushi seating too.

Equally impressive is Giovanni's Italian Kitchen. 

The Italian restaurant  is available on both Wonder and Utopia, however, the one on Utopia has been upgraded and is now two stories tall with a new al-fresco dining area.

And then there's the first Royal Railway restaurant.

The immersive dining experience includes food, a fun story, and it really makes you feel like you're on a classic train car. Digital screens are disguised as windows, adding to the effect.

Read more: Trying out Royal Railway on Utopia of the Seas

Parties

Royal Caribbean made the choice that Utopia of the Seas was going to be the ultimate party ship, and to that effect, they added so many parties to Utopia.

Many of the shows are unique to Utopia, giving it an edge to anyone that enjoys lots of opportunities to dance.

Not only does Utopia have the events on other ships, but they've added a toga party, college party, sunset pool party, and even an epic light production party.

Ultimate Abyss slide

The Ultimate Abyss has been extended 43 feet on Utopia, making it the longest slide at sea.

There's added effects within the slide to make it more intense, and overall, it's a better experience than the Ultimate Abyss found on other ships.

Theming

One trend I noticed on Utopia is a deeper push for better theming in venues.  It's not something the cruise line pointed out, but it seemed that way to me.

The Royal Railway is the first and most obvious place we see this. It was built to be all encompassing, and I think Royal Caribbean hit a home run with this idea.  It will be especially impressive when more shows are added, and the venue gets to reach its full potential.

The Pesky Parrot bar is another great example of theming in action.

Replacing the aging Bionic Bar concept would have been enough of an upgrade, but the new tiki bar idea goes well beyond a different place to get drinks.

When you enter the Pesky Parrot, you'll notice how much more cohesive the bar feels, and how much attention to detail there is within the venue. There's a beautiful digital display at the back to make it seem like you're looking out to the ocean. Royal Caribbean even added a talking parrot that might had a few drinks already when you talk to him.

It seems like Royal Caribbean has embraced not only coming up with new spaces, but ensuring they feel like an experience as much as being somewhere new to eat or drink.