Royal Caribbean, Utopia of the Seas

(Left/top) Crew member of the Day (Tuesday, 4/28/26):  Kristoff, Lead Bartender

  • from The Philippines
  • happiest person met on this ship
  • recognized a Minion by name (Kevin) when gifted 

Crew member of the Day (Right/bottom) (Thursday, 4/30/26):  Maya, Cruise Sales Manager

  • very nice and so helpful
  • cheerfully assisted us in obtaining a credit card with many benefits, including an opportunity to obtain several hundreds of dollars in future onboard credit
  • holding an official “InformedCruisers.com” card!

What’s New?

Site active since July 2025

Updated April 30, 2026

Over 50 pages of information and photos 

Reviews completed in March 2026

  • 2/22/26 - Allure of the Seas
  • 3/1/26 - Oasis of the Seas

Most Recent Addition

  • Jewel of  the Seas TransAtlantic - August/September 2024
    • Extensive Port Reviews - completed 4/20/26

What’s Next?

  • 6/7/26 - Caribbean Princess
  • 8/2/26 - RC Star of the Seas
  • 8/22/26 - RC Harmony of the Seas

Additions are being made to “Ports Visited” for easy viewing.

Recent 2026 Cruise Summaries

  • Allure of the Seas - 2/22 to 2/28

  • Oasis of the Seas - 3/1 to 3/7

Our Comparison

Star vs. Utopia

 

29 nights on Utopia / 10 nights on Star

STAR of the Seas - World’s Largest Cruise Ship!!

  • Sailed November 16-23, 2025
  • Next:  August 2-9, 2026

 

Below, the “Pearl” is the centerpiece of action on the Promenade Level.  See more about the ship via the link above.

What is this?

  • We began this website in July 2025, to share our experiences and insights, gained over a period of years, on different cruise lines and ships.

  • Every cruise offers a new opportunity - to learn and compare.

  • We share our personal experiences, tips and recommendations - with the goal of helping you become… “Informed Cruisers.”

 

Who We Are

  • Greg McDowell and May Aston, happily married (all!) 23 years

  • Cruising to see the world, experience new cultures and enjoy the cruiseship lifestyle - oceans, entertainment, dining, socializing, and ports - since 2010

    • Lifetime:  At year-end 2025, 47 cruises on 5 cruise lines, over 350 nights 

      • 2025:  18 cruises; over 100 nights

      • 2026:  11 cruises taken or planned for 60 nights

  • Norwegian (NCL) early on; Royal Caribbean (RC) focus last few years, enjoying benefits of loyalty status

  • Celebrity, Princess and Holland America in recent years

  • Over 30 Royal Caribbean voyages, 3-10 days each; 240+ nights total on RC

  • Several 10-16 day TransAtlantic voyages, east (3x) and west (4x)

  • We’ve cruised Europe, Australia, Asia, Alaska and Canada

  • Hoping to cruise monthly, with extended non-jet lag adventures to (or from) Europe, far into the future

Cruise partners looking happily at each other

Select Cruise Ship Reviews - Links

 

September 2025 - Anthem of the Seas - Transpacific and Alaska cruises

Alaska Voyage from Seattle:  This was our second cruise on the Anthem, having completed a Transpacific sailing in May 2025.  .

European Ports

Note:  Port Reviews are a continuing project; see Serenade of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas (TransAtlantic) for extensive reviews of European ports visited in the summer of 2024.