Just days after Royal Caribbean International announced that the second Icon-class ship would be delayed and her first two sailings cancelled, the cruise line has just confirmed that the next upcoming up – Utopia of the Seas – will be ready to enter service sooner than expected.
A new 3-night inaugural sailing is being offered, and guests booked on what will now be the ship’s second sailing will have the option to move up to the earlier cruise if they prefer.
New Inaugural Sailing for Utopia of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International has reached out to guests booked on what was to have been the first sailing of Utopia of the Seas to inform them that the new ship is actually going to be welcoming guests earlier than originally planned.
This means a new, earlier inaugural sailing for the sixth Oasis-class ship, and a missed opportunity for travelers who had eagerly booked the July 22, 2024 departure for the once-in-a-ship’s-lifetime very first cruise. These guests are, however, being offer the opportunity to change their booking if their travel plans are flexible.
“Utopia of the Seas is ahead of schedule and arriving at Port Canaveral earlier than originally planned. Although the July 22nd, 2024 inaugural season sailing that you booked will still take place, we are adding an extra voyage prior to this one,” the email notification read.
“Now, the first inaugural season sailing will be a 3-night weekend cruise on July 19th, 2024 instead of the 4-night sailing on July 22nd, 2024.”
The cruise line acknowledges that many travelers may have booked the specific July 22 cruise to be the first onboard the ship, and to accommodate that desire, these guests have the option to move their booking to the new cruise.
If booked passengers do opt to transfer their cruise three days earlier, they will be in the exact same stateroom as their original reservation, and they will be given a prorated one-day refund of their cruise fare to compensate for the shorter length of the new inaugural cruise. A similar pro-rated refund will also be provided for pre-paid gratuities, Wi-Fi packages, beverage packages, and other add-on options.
Any travelers who booked airfare for the original cruise through Royal Caribbean will have their flights changed as needed, and the cruise line will cover any non-refundable change fees for guests with independent flight or hotel arrangements, up to $200 (USD) per person for domestic travel or $400 for international travel.
Receipts will need to be submitted for reimbursement consideration, as is standard procedure with these types of changes.
The offer to move to the new sailing is only available for a limited time, and guests must make their decision no later than Tuesday, March 12. After that date, it is likely the new inaugural sailing will be opened for bookings for other travelers.
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If guests do not respond to the offer, they will remain on the July 22 departure with no impact to their reservation.
It should be noted that Utopia of the Seas will be homeported from Port Canaveral, and both cruises will visit Nassau as well as CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in The Bahamas. The only difference between the two cruises is that the 4-night cruise will also include a day at sea.
Two Inaugural Sailings
A cruise ship’s maiden voyage is often filled with special events such as extra parties, souvenir gifts for passengers, and unique moments travelers don’t get to experience on other sailings.
Royal Caribbean has reassured guests that both of Utopia of the Seas‘ first two sailings will include such special moments so everyone can enjoy the experience.
“Whether you join us on your original sailing or the new one, we’re thrilled you’ve chosen to set sail on Utopia of the Seas for the inaugural season! Make sure to look out for some sweet commemorative items to celebrate our newest ship in the fleet in your stateroom during the first and second sailing, despite which of these sailings you end up choosing,” the email said.
Utopia of the Seas will be the sixth Oasis-class ship in Royal Caribbean fleet, and was long believed to be the final ship in the immensely popular class – especially after the wildly successful debut of the next class with Icon of the Seas.
On February 15, however, the cruise line announced a new order for what will be the seventh Oasis-class ship, which is not yet named.
While construction for the new ship has not yet begun and financing is yet to be arranged, she is expected to debut as early as 2028 – offering cruise guests yet one more opportunity for an inaugural sailing aboard an Oasis-class ship.
