Patty Vognild In February 2025, I cruised on Royal Caribbean’s newest Oasis Class ship, Utopia of the Seas, during a fun-filled 4-night sailing.
Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or loyal to Royal, this cruise ship has a lot to offer with a few surprises along the way.
I’m going to share my top tips and hacks to help you make the most of your time onboard Utopia of the Seas. Be sure to read through to the end because I’m saving the best hack for last!
Entertainment reservations for Utopia of the Seas
Getting reservations for the three most popular shows on Utopia of the Seas can be challenging. All In!, Aqua80Too, and YouTopia are three shows you don’t want to miss. The two comedy shows we also attended were excellent.
A month before our cruise, we thought to make reservations for the three popular shows. They were already unavailable!
Later, I would check multiple times a week. I would get all excited when on the Royal Caribbean app, it would say, “7 spots left.” I would go through all the steps to get a reservation for two people. At the very end of it, I’d get a message that said, “Sorry to interrupt your party, but there isn’t enough room for everyone.”
I got very frustrated because it stated there were seven spots available, and I only wanted two! The next day, it still said “7 spots left,” so I tried again, only to be unsuccessful.
I wasted too much time on this, but seeing all the amazing shows is one of my favorite things about a cruise! So here is my hot tip.
If you aren’t able to secure an entertainment reservation before your cruise, don’t waste your time trying every day like I did. I wish I knew how soon they would open and offer tickets so I could quickly secure a spot. (I later discovered reservations open the first day of the month before the cruise.)
Seats fill up very quickly, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get reservations later! When you get on the ship, hop on the ship’s Wi-Fi and open the Royal Caribbean app to see if any spots opened up. (FYI: The app works even if you don’t purchase a Wi-Fi package.)
The Royal Caribbean app opened up a bunch of spots shortly after we got onboard at 11:45 a.m., and we easily got reservations for all three shows.
Running and walking path (with secret seating areas)
On deck 5, there is a dedicated running and walking path. It was so nice to be uninterrupted while jogging or walking on the ship. This somewhat secluded path is awesome, especially if you prefer an alternative to the gym.
If you’ve ever tried to exercise on the path on the pool deck in the middle of the afternoon, you’ll know how frustrating it can be. Oftentimes, you get behind sunbathers or other passengers who are moseying along with a drink in their hand, causing all kinds of interruptions and distractions when you’re trying to exercise.
The path is accessible from the gym on deck 6 (the stairs going down), or there are two entrances midship on deck 5. Approximately 2.4 laps are equal to one mile.
The average Utopia of the Seas cruiser may never stumble upon these secret areas if they don’t try out the walking/running path. There are two alcoves along the path that offer unique views and a quiet atmosphere.
One alcove has a variety of bright, fun, modern seating. The other has activity areas with a ping pong table and shuffleboard, along with high-top tables and chairs.
I recommend checking out these secret spaces!
The Country Trio band
Many cruisers commented on how they enjoyed the country music in The Mason Jar. The live music started nightly at 8 p.m.
Bryan James was the lead singer during our cruise, who was very popular but has since moved to another Royal Caribbean ship. I’m sure they will continue playing well-known, beloved songs for people of all ages, which is why it’s so well attended.
The seating in The Mason Jar bar area is limited. We tried to go there at 7:40 p.m. (20 minutes before the music started), and there was no chance of getting any seats. There were eight of us, and we couldn’t even find two available seats.
I suspect you need to get there well over an hour before the music starts in hopes of securing seats. I wish they performed at a bigger venue!
Lobster in the Windjammer
On embarkation day, the Windjammer buffet serves lobster tails. It’s served cold, but you can find melted butter at a station close by. There’s an employee who serves them up for you.
I asked for three lobster tails, and there was no problem, so I don’t believe there is a limit.
This is one of the only times on Utopia of the Seas when you don’t have to pay extra to enjoy lobster tails! The other time is in the Main Dining Room on select formal nights.
Comedy show location change
The adult comedy show was originally scheduled in a small venue on deck 3 by the ice skating rink. Therefore, I was only able to get two tickets for the late (10:30 p.m.) show. But when I went to the scheduled location about 20 minutes before the show, an employee informed me they had moved the show to the big theatre.
I quickly texted the others in my travel group, and everyone got in to see the early show like they wanted to. It was explained to me that Royal wanted the comedy shows to feel like a small, intimate experience, but they realized too many guests wouldn’t get to enjoy it that way. Luckily, they moved it to the large stage, which we all really appreciated.
I’d recommend going to the standby line about 20 minutes before comedy show times if you don’t have reservations. There is a good chance it’s moved like it was for us.
Pesky Parrot bar
A new bar for Royal Caribbean is the Pesky Parrot. This bar is only found on Utopia of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.
Located on the Royal Promenade, there’s colorful décor and a parrot on his perch at the entrance. The parrot was so realistic that it took me by surprise!
You must try the peanut butter pina colada. It doesn’t sound appealing, but trust me, it is very tasty (especially if you normally like pina coladas)!
Pesky Parrot was a fun place to hang out for happy hour and put up your personalized dollar bill on the ceiling beam.
Park Cafe on disembarkation day
On the morning of disembarkation, we didn’t want to fight the crowds in the Windjammer. Our cabins were on deck 9, so the Park Cafe was very close and convenient.
The Park Cafe advertised that it closed at 8 a.m., and they really meant it! Promptly at 8 am, they locked the doors entering the Park Cafe. They also policed the exit door so that you couldn’t even sneak in for a cup of self-service coffee.
All the food in the Park Cafe is served up by staff behind the counter, and all the staff had disappeared from behind the counters.
Park Cafe was definitely, without any exceptions, CLOSED at 8 a.m. on disembarkation day.
If you’re cutting it close to 8 a.m. and want a better chance at getting a refill of your morning coffee or another muffin, I suggest you avoid Park Cafe on disembarkation day. During the other mornings, we enjoyed the convenience and a less crowded breakfast. I was just surprised at their hard stop of service.
Shaved ice at the Wipeout Bar
You can only enjoy a shaved ice at the Wipeout Bar on Utopia of the Seas. Nothing here is included in any of the drink/dining packages as of February 2025.
Unlike the Johnny Rockets milkshakes, the shaved ice cannot be used as one of your daily Crown and Anchor complimentary drinks.
The small size is $6 and the large size is $9. You can pick your own flavor combination (up to 3 flavors) from a list of 17 possibilities. There are also many toppings ($0.50 each) and boozy shaved ice options for $14.
AquaTheater secret seating area
My final Utopia of the Seas hack is how you can see the crowd-favorite aqua show without a reservation or waiting in the standby line.
We were only able to secure reservations for the late (10:30 p.m.) show, but my in-laws like to be in bed by 10 p.m. Instead, we went to the earlier show, 30 minutes before show time (as recommended).
The standby line was already all the way back to the Broadwalk entrance on deck 6. We felt defeated. But my savvy daughter looked online and saw a suggestion that scored us big time!
To find the secret AquaTheater seating area, take the stairs to deck 7 (starboard side), and head to the back (aft) of the ship. Go by all of the cabins (the last cabin you will walk by is cabin 7734). There is a door that exits you right out by the rock climbing wall.
There will be chairs around the corner that you can grab. You can sit right along the railing and look over at the show below! You are off to the left of the stage instead of down the middle, but being up higher gives you a cool perspective of the diving and the underwater action.
Be sure to do this 20-30 minutes before showtime because the people waiting in the standby line will be turned away after all the seats in the stadium are taken. There ended up being lots of people in the standing-room-only section behind us while we had front-row seats!
We were very pleased we got to see the early show (twice actually because it was so good) and avoided the long standby line.
