Insane feature in middle of cruise ship, Utopia of the seas
The chance to experience the “world’s biggest weekend”, including a crazy feature in the middle of the sea, left me astonished.
Confession time: I have never seen the appeal of going on a cruise.
I’m more the adventurous type of traveller who likes to go hiking, eating out at hidden gems and exploring towns and cities by wandering around.
But it turns out there is a lot of exploring that can be done on a cruise ship.
The cruising industry is booming too. According to the Cruise Lines International Association, a staggering 35.7 million passengers are expected to set sail in 2024.
Eager to see what all the fuss was about, I flew halfway around the world with my best friend to join the maiden voyage of Royal Caribbean’s latest ship called Utopia of the Seas, which set sail from Orlando, Florida.
The newly minted ship boasts some unusual features that you wouldn’t expect on board (more on that later).
It also offers guests the opportunity to jump on board for what it bills as the ‘world’s biggest weekend’. So on a Monday in July we went to join the non-stop party for three nights.
The party kicked off straight away as we were greeted with welcome drinks after a smooth onboarding process.
Our first destination was the cocktail bar Pesky Parrot where we were treated to delicious cocktails and great chats with the staff on board.
When we headed to our cabin, it was surprisingly roomy, and included a balcony where we enjoyed kicking back and sipping cocktails throughout the cruise.
With the maiden voyage, we were lucky enough to score an invite to Utopia of the Sea’s naming party. It was held at the back of the ship where there was an epic climbing wall and slide.
We rocked out to one of the band members of Run DMC with Run DJ on the decks, saw pop star Meagan Trainor belt out some tunes and heard the enormous bang as a huge bottle of champagne smashed into the boat.
It certainly kicked off the party for the rest of the cruise.
With 18 decks, 13 bars and lounges and an array of places to eat there was a lot of exploring to do.
The Solarium – an adults only area at the front of the ship – that included a bar, jacuzzis and pools was a favourite place to hang out.
We sipped on cocktails like pina coladas and margaritas, stood right up against the glass in the jacuzzi to peer out at the endless sea we were cruising on and bobbed around in the pools.
One of the other highlights was a unique feature that apparently isn’t common on cruise ships.
Utopia of the Seas had an open space in the middle of the ship, dubbed Central Park, which was filled with plants and greenery, and where the sun shone down during the day and a gentle breeze hit you at night.
Literally it was like being outdoors in a park, yet in the middle of the sea, where you could chill out with cocktails or feast on delicious food.
It also offered the chance to escape the hustle and bustle of the 5650 guests on board.
There were a bunch of pools dotted around the ship too, which often had a DJ above spinning mad tunes.
There was even a small boat inside the ship moonlighting as bar that glided up and down as patrons sat and drank.
Every evening we would stroll around the ship and were surprised what we would uncover.
Things like a mini golf set up with towering sea creatures dotted throughout, a huge fish mouth that lead to the epic slide, a basketball court, a gaming room for the kids and even a zip line to whiz across a part of the boat.
There’s also loads of entertainment to catch – we loved the show Aqua80too.
Banging music was played as high divers, slackliners and 3D aerialists plummeted into the tiny pool below or flew through the air. It was incredible and hair raising as you wondered how the team hit the mark every time.
Dining options also allowed us to cruise around the world with pretty much every cuisine on offer at some stage. Windjammer, one of the main eating areas, gave you everything from eggs to pastries to hot meals and even doughnuts for breakfast, while another night we dined on pasta and Indian curries.
We enjoyed eating at the Solarium Bistro, which was buffet style, but inspired by the Middle East.
The eating standout however was at the speciality restaurant called 150 Central Park, which was marketed as the “most exclusive and sophisticated restaurant on-board”.
Our bellies were filled with the fluffiest of bread, crispy pork belly, lamb wellington, lobster and a hazelnut passion fruit bar. The food was divine.
The best part of the trip was waking up on our last full day in the Bahamas. We docked at an island called CocoCay and were mesmerised by the crystal clear water and dreamy beaches.
My best friend was the daredevil rocketing down one of the biggest water slides I had ever seen, screaming with delight, while we also hopped on inflatable rings to shoot down another water slide.
We then ended up the Hideaway Beach Club, which was an exclusive area for adults.
There you could bob in the sea with a drink in hand or hop into the pool where there was a swim up bar as bartenders shook cocktails and a DJ pumped out tunes.
It was the right amount of fun and thrills combined with relaxation and a really good day out.
Docking back in Orlando after three nights, we came off on a high. Word of warning though, pre book an Uber if you aren’t taking one of the Royal Caribbean’s free buses to the airport as it was a long wait.
Given Australia is so far from Orlando we also tacked on a few extra days in Orlando, something I would highly recommend.
It’s a charming city with a cool vibe along its main strip but also with a huge park right in the centre of the city.
We spent a few nights at the Courtyard by Marriott Orlando Downtown. It’s about a 20 minute walk from the cluster of restaurants and bars in the city, but the beds were very comfortable and it had a nice swimming pool.
On a stroll down the main strip, we stopped in at the hotel The Grand Bohemian where we sipped on sophisticated cocktails and bites to eat.
Exploring Orlando’s night-life, I had one of the best meals ever at Kres Chophouse. The steakhouse involved moody lighting where we shared a juicy rib-eye plus a caprese salad and truffle fries before ending the night with a creme brulee.
Another night we spent at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Downturn. I found the rooms and swimming pool to be a little rundown but it was closer to the eating and drinking strip and just two minutes walk from Lake Eola Park – an oasis in the city centre.
I loved Lake Eola Park — we walked around the entire lake and snapped pictures of the city over the sparkling water, saw loads of wildlife from turtles, ducks, squirrels and other birds, while also checking out the interesting sculptures along the way. There’s also some very cool street art nearby.
A stop at an Instagrammable cafe called I Love Orlando just across the road was also included, where we sipped on smoothies to cool down.
I also got my Mexican fix at Solitas Tacos and Margaritas in downtown Orlando which hit the spot.
Meanwhile, Orlando is probably best known for its theme parks.
Royal Caribbean put us up at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando studios for one night. It had a huge pool and outdoor area, where we enjoyed some rather expensive cocktails.
At Universal Orlando, we couldn’t pass up Margaritaville for more cocktails and we ate at the Hard Rock Cafe. There we were lucky enough to get a private tour through the John Lennon and Yoko Ono room, which is usually hired out for private events, and saw some brilliant memorabilia.
Escaping Australia’s cruel winter to cruise, drink cocktails and explore Orlando has to be one of the best holidays I have been on.
The writer cruised as a guest of Royal Caribbean
‘Exhausting’: Passenger’s rant on $175k cruise
It’s the nine month cruise that went viral for its length of time at sea, now — passengers are revealing what they really thought of the mammoth voyage.
Raygun spotted with billionaire
Raygun has made an unexpected appearance after her Olympic breaking routine went viral, busting out dance moves with an unlikely collaborator.
Cruise finds island that ‘doesn’t exist on map’
To join, you have to be nominated by an existing member, pass a criminal record check, undergo a trial – and part with millions for a buy-in.