Royal Caribbean International’s last of the revolutionary Oasis-class ships, Utopia of the Seas, has floated out at the at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, bringing the massive vessel one step closer to welcoming guests in July 2024.
The momentous occasion is filled with as many stunning statistics as the stats on the impressive ship.
Utopia of the Seas Floated Out
The upcoming Utopia of the Seas was floated out at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, where the vessel has been under construction since the first steel was cut in April 2022.
This marks the first time the ship has touched water, and signifies the completion of the vessel’s outer hull. Now, Utopia of the Seas will move on to the interior finishing work as features are installed and the details of the ship come to life ahead of its July 2024 debut.
Impressive numbers have been a part of the floating out, including:
- 17 months from initial steel cutting to the completion of the hull with the float-out ceremony.
- 15 hours to fill the dock and bring the ship to float on its own.
- 46 million gallons of water used to fill the dock as the hull began to float.
- 74 blocks of steel were assembled to create the hull and the basis of the interior spaces.
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Utopia of the Seas has now been moved to a nearby outfitting dock where the ship’s construction will continue with interior details and the installation of key features, such as the 295-foot long Ultimate Abyss slide, the longest dry slide at sea, as well as onboard waterslides, the FlowRider surf simulator, the brand-new Solarium suites, the outdoor movie screen, and so very much more.
More Impressive Stats
When Utopia of the Seas debuts in less than a year, the ship will be the last of Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis class ships, revolutionary vessels that truly created the concept of next-level cruising.
While the exact stats on the ship cannot be precisely confirmed until the vessel’s completion, Utopia of the Seas will have 16 decks for guests to enjoy as well as two decks of crew cabins, training classrooms, and spaces, for a total of 18 decks.
The ship will come in at 236,860 gross tons – just slightly larger than her sister ship, Wonder of the Seas, currently the largest cruise ship in the world.
Despite Utopia of the Seas‘ impressive size, however, she will not hold a “largest” title when she debuts – that honor will go to Icon of the Seas when that new class of ship sets sail in January 2024, six months before the official retirement of the Oasis class.
Still, Utopia of the Seas will offer an amazing experience for the 5,668 guests (double occupancy) she will welcome on each sailing. The ship will have 5 pools, 8 hot tubs, 21 restaurants, 23 bars, 2 casinos, and much more.
Cruising Aboard Utopia of the Seas
Most impressive is that the ship will offer “the world’s biggest weekend” with short 3- and 4-night sailings as she debuts, unlike other ships that have traditionally offered longer sailings for their inaugural seasons.
Instead, Utopia of the Seas will bring all the outstanding features of the Oasis class packed into Bahamas sailings to Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, the cruise line’s private island destination in the Bahamas. The 4-night cruises will include an extra day at sea for guests to immerse themselves in the ship’s features and fun.
The cruise ship will homeport from Port Canaveral at least through spring 2025, offering these short getaways and bringing the best of Oasis class fun to more than 12,000 passengers every week.
