How to get the most out of a short sailing on Utopia of the Seas

Utopia of the Seas provides quick cruises on a ship with heaps to do. How will you benefit from it?

I just lately sailed on Utopia of the Seas for a 4-night Bahamas and Good Day at CocoCay cruise.

Leaving round-trip from Port Canaveral, Florida, I knew I solely had a brief period of time to expertise all the things Utopia has to supply.

Cruisers first criticized Royal Caribbean when it debuted its latest Oasis Class vessel with solely quick sailings.

Nonetheless, the cruise line discovered that first-time cruisers like to start out with 3 and 4-night sailings, and Utopia is the right ship to attract them in.

With all the things from a prepare car-themed eating expertise to waterslides and escape rooms, there are numerous actions to strive on Utopia of the Seas.

However how are you going to match all of them into just some days?

Discover the ship to get your bearings

I all the time discover the cruise ship as quickly as I get onboard, however that is particularly essential to do on a brief cruise on Utopia. 

On such an enormous vessel, with so little time, cruisers need to know their manner round.

You will wish to get your bearings as quickly as you board, so as to discover occasions rapidly and guarantee you do not miss something.

It is laborious to maintain all the things in your head, so begin out by getting a visible sense of what the ship’s neighborhoods and venues appear like.

I like to recommend wandering the entire ship at the very least as soon as—you do not wish to miss something on the map. 

Generally it takes strolling round your self to seek out hidden places or determine if a specific venue piques your curiosity. Do not take the app’s phrase for it—go see every spot with your personal eyes.

Reserve specialty eating places upfront

A specialty meal is value the additional price on Utopia. The 5,668-passenger vessel provides high quality venues discovered on few different ships, such because the Mason Jar, Izumi Omakase, Izumi within the Park, and the Royal Railway.

Different specialty venues onboard embrace Chops Grille, Sugar Seashore, Johnny Rockets, 150 Central, Chef’s Desk, Playmakers, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Starbucks, Izumi Hibachi and Sushi, and Hooked Seafood.

Eating at an extra-cost restaurant will get you higher-quality meals in a themed venue and lets you see extra of the ship throughout a brief crusing.

To make sure that you are in a position to dine at your favourite places, remember to make reservations forward of time. Specialty eating places on mega ships can promote out rapidly, and also you by no means wish to be turned away from a dinner you had been trying ahead to.

You are in a position to reserve particular person eating places or bookings as a part of a eating package deal on the Cruise Planner web site earlier than the cruise.

If you happen to do not make reservations on-line, it’s also possible to go to any eating venue on the primary day of the cruise and make your bookings then. My recommendation is to pre-book to avoid wasting money and time.

Hit the highest deck actions on embarkation day

The most effective time to go to the pool, water slides or scorching tubs is as quickly as you board the ship.

The pool deck is open on embarkation day, together with the water slides.  Not solely is it out there, nevertheless it’s the most effective time to expertise them as a result of there are least quantity of crowds.

Most different passengers have not boarded but, are busy exploring the ship, or just haven’t got their bathing fits with them.

That is the right alternative to take pleasure in smaller crowds and shorter traces.  Pack a showering swimsuit in your carry-on, or simply put on it onboard.

Use Royal Caribbean’s app to prioritize occasions

To slot in Utopia’s continuous occasions, you may have to have an in depth itinerary.

The Royal Caribbean app will develop into your supply of all cruise info and it really works with or with out the WiFi package deal.

Occasions shall be listed in nice element every day of the crusing, together with the time, venue, and any related prices.

I like to recommend consulting the app regularly to maintain observe of onboard occasions.

Learn extra: 5 issues to know earlier than crusing on Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas

The Royal Caribbean app lets you add occasions to your personal Calender, and it’ll even ship you a notification half-hour earlier than the occasion begins.

I additionally noticed occasions get canceled or change instances whereas on my Utopia crusing, so checking the app regularly allowed me to remain up to date.

Pack your carry-on effectively  

Maximizing a brief cruise on Utopia means utilizing each second you get onboard—together with on embarkation day.

This hack takes slightly further planning however can provide you hours of extra enjoyable.

By packing your carry-on effectively, you’ll start actions earlier than your stateroom is prepared or your baggage is delivered.

Learn extra: 6 errors to keep away from whereas planning a cruise and sharing a cabin with a good friend

Since baggage does not get delivered till late afternoon, packing logically will will let you begin having fun with actions as quickly as you get onboard.

Pack evenly, however deliver treatment, water bottles, sun shades, sunscreen, a swimsuit, and a change of garments in your carry-on bag.

You can take pleasure in lunch, time on the pool, or different actions whereas different cruisers are nonetheless boarding and ready for his or her cabins.

View occasion highlights on the TV

Every Royal Caribbean stateroom has at the very least one TV, the place friends can view 10-20 free channels, buy motion pictures, or solid from their gadgets (relying on the ship).

On Utopia of the Seas, you may discover that a number of channels stream or present recaps of occasions taking place onboard.

Whereas I do not desire to view occasions on TV as an alternative of experiencing them, you should use this function to reap the benefits of shorter sailings.

If you end up double-booked, a fast replay of the earlier occasions can catch you up.

If you return to your stateroom after dinner or late at night time, you’ll activate the tv and see the highlights of occasions you missed.

Learn extra: I spent over per week on Royal Caribbean’s new Utopia of the Seas. I used to be impressed by how a lot was modified for the world’s latest cruise ship.

For instance, my journey buddy and I finished in to observe the World’s Sexiest Man competitors on the pool deck however needed to go away to seize lunch earlier than the Windjammer closed.

After that, we went on to the following occasion, however we did not get to see who had gained the competitors!

After we returned to our cabin later that night time, the TV’s re-run confirmed us which cruiser was awarded the Sexiest Man.

Get off the ship in CocoCay early

The spotlight of any Utopia of the Seas cruise shall be a go to to Royal Caribbean’s personal island, so get extra out of it by disembarking early.

You may stroll off the ship to Good Day at CoocCay as early as 8am, and if you will get going that early, you may take pleasure in the most effective spots on the island.

Not solely will there be much less folks within the pool or ocean, however you possibly can cherry choose the most effective chairs or day beds. 

Furthermore, for those who begin your day earlier, you possibly can take pleasure in extra time earlier than the crowds arrive later within the morning. If you happen to’re feeling like heading again to the ship, you may have already taken benefit of the least crowded time on the island.