Utopia of the Seas to be delivered early with inaugural cruise brought forward

Royal Caribbean International is moving up the maiden cruise of its new vessel Utopia of the Seas in a change of events that has generally seen new cruise ships delayed since the pandemic.

According to a statement from the cruise line, the new Oasis-Class vessel will now enter service on July 19th, 2024, instead of July 22nd, 2024, sailing from Port Canaveral on a 3-night cruise to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas.

Passengers who had booked the previous maiden voyage are being offered the opportunity to transfer their reservations to the new departure, Royal Caribbean said in the statement.

“The Utopia of the Seas is ahead of schedule and arriving at Port Canaveral earlier than originally planned,” it said. “Although the July 22, 2024 inaugural season sailing that you booked will still take place, we are adding an extra voyage prior to this one.”

“As you may have booked your Utopia of the Seas sailing to be first onboard, you’ll have the opportunity to move your booking to the new inaugural,” Royal Caribbean added.

Guests who choose to change their bookings will have their reservations transferred to the new sailing at no extra cost, keeping the exact same staterooms originally booked.

As the new inaugural is shorter than the previous maiden voyage, passengers will also receive a one-day prorated refund of the cruise fare. The reimbursement will be sent to the guests’ original form of payment, Royal Caribbean said.

Passengers who booked flights or hotel stays through Royal Caribbean’s Air2Sea Team will receive further assistance in adjusting their travel plans.

For guests who booked non-refundable air and/or hotel independently, a refund of up to $200 for domestic travel or $400 for international travel per person is being offered.

Utopia of the Seas is currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France.

When launched, the ship will offer year-round 3- and 4-night cruises to the Bahamas departing from Port Canaveral.

Utopia of the Seas is the sixth vessel in Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis class and will offer many of the Quantum-class features and amenities that were introduced to the Oasis class with Symphony of the Seas, as well as a number of new experiences for the cruise line.

The ship will offer 21 dining options and 21 bars and lounges, along with five large pools, eight whirlpools, a 1,500 foot zipline, five live music venues, six places for dancing, four full production shows and two casinos with 371 slot machines and gaming tables between them.