The fifth ship in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class of ships — Wonder of the Seas — just made its debut last month. Now, Royal Caribbean is in the starting stages of work on the sixth vessel in the class, set to debut in 2024.
In a steel-cutting ceremony at the Chantiers de l‘Atlantique shipyard in France, the cruise line revealed the new ship’s name — Utopia of the Seas.
“We are excited to begin construction on Utopia of the Seas,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “On the sixth Oasis Class ship, vacationers can look forward to the signature combination of Royal Caribbean experiences and many brand-new adventures that has and will continue to make the Oasis class of ships the ultimate vacation for guests of all ages.”
The new name will be tough to live up to as every cruise line aims to make their ships a utopia where everything is perfect, but it definitely sets an admirable goal.
When completed, Utopia will join her sister ships Wonder, Symphony, Harmony, Allure, and Oasis of the Seas as being one of the largest cruise ships in the world. The five current Oasis vessels all take the mark as the five biggest cruise ships on the planet, with a gross tonnage ranging from 225,000 to 237,000.
While few details about the features or size of Utopia of the Seas have been announced, it seems a safe bet that it will take the crown of largest cruise ship in the world when it makes its debut. Each new ship in the class has come in slightly larger than the previous.
One thing we do know is that Utopia will be the first Oasis-class ship powered by liquefied natural gas, in a move that many cruise lines are making with newer ships in order to be more environmentally friendly and reduce emissions.
Few Details on the New Ship Yet…
We are big fans of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class, and it will be interesting to track as the cruise line makes more announcements about what passengers can expect on the new ship. As the largest vessels, we find that the cruise line is able to offer much more than on older, smaller ships, including unique venues like the Aqua Theater, Central Park, and the Boardwalk.
Tweaks to Wonder of the Seas included a new restaurant (The Mason Jar), a suite neighborhood, an outdoor playscape for kids, and a new cantilevered bar with ocean views. Utopia of the Seas will no doubt offer more surprises. However, as of yet few details are available.
While we all wait until spring 2024 for the new ship, Royal Caribbean does have another ship set to debut before then. Icon of the Seas — the first member of the new Icon class — is planned to start sailing in 2023, although few details about this ship are known either.
For Royal Caribbean fans, the next months ahead will mean lots of anticipation to see what sort of head-turning features Utopia of the Seas and Icon of the Seas will offer.
