Star vs. Utopia: A Cruiser's Comparison

Welcome, experienced cruisers!  Let’s create a comparison between two of Royal Caribbean's newest ships: the *Star of the Seas* and *Utopia of the Seas*. As we gather more information, your insights and comments are invaluable in shaping a useful guide. Let's explore what sets these two vessels apart.

Top Differences Noted

• After 6 cruises on Utopia
• After 2 cruises on Star

To state the obvious, our Utopia cruises have all been 3-4 days, while the Star was 3 and 7.  (The 3 night was a unique Shakedown, so can’t easily be compared.)

• There is a different vibe on 3-4 days vs. a full week.  In our experience, the 7 nights are a little more relaxed, as cruisers are not trying to do “everything” in a short period.  Also, the full week allows more @Sea days, which changes the activity level and often provides more “hang out by the pool time.”

Overall Crowds

• Each of our cruises have been “full,” as best we can tell.  We didn’t get any official counts, but we recognized the occasional sparse crowds on ships (some Transatlantic voyages and the inaugural sailings of NCL’s Bliss and Encore, which were purposely left unfilled at the beginning of their operations.
• Despite sailing with the highest numbers of passengers of Any cruise ships, there are several times when this feeling is not evident.  Both ships have areas dedicated to children, and a couple where only adults hang out, so it’s possible to find your own “spot” and feel quite comfortable (as long as we’re not talking poolside, which is often decidedly busy).

Dining Options & Quality

• We enjoy the dining options on both ships and have recently increased our ‘coverage’ of specialty restaurants.  But the Star has a wider selection of complimentary venues and tastes.  We could not sample the entire spectrum on the Star during one 7-day cruise.
• On Utopia, we enjoy Chops (steak) and Giovanni’s (Italian).
• See the Dining section of the Star ship review, for a few of the Many dining options, which exceed Utopia’s offerings.

Production Shows

• Both ships have some high quality shows - with the Star introducing a well-received “Back to the Future” musical.
• Both ships offer Aqua productions.
  • The Star’s Aqua show is a notch higher in “wow” factor, but the seating is more limited and less comfortable.  Next time, I’ll bring a cushion.
  • Utopia’s Aqua show is tremendous, and you will only offer less than an A+ if you’ve attended the Star’s.

Music

• There are musical offerings galore.  The Star has a harpist, which I’ve not seen/heard on any other ship.
• The jazz club on the Star’s Central Park is of high quality, (but/and) lightly attended on the 3 times I visited.  Utopia’s jazz trios pick up more guests due to location and from walk-bys.  You can also enjoy the Utopia’s Central Park music from balconies in that area - very enjoyable as you sit out before bedtime (or before heading out again for another evening activity).

Promenade

• Each ship makes use of this central area, but each has a different feel.

  • We always enjoy the Utopia’s promenade and can find several areas to stop by as we explore the daily activities.
  • But…the Star is special.  From it’s elegant Pearl, to the width of the walking area, along with tables set up outside some venues, it’s especially welcoming.  After you find the escalator down to the casino, you’ll never take the elevator again for that connection.

Casino

• Despite the overall ship size difference, and larger casino square footage on the Star, the Utopia offers a completely non-smoking venue, separate from the Smoking casino.  The Star may have “one side” non-smoking, but we all know that you can’t prevent smoke from crossing an invisible barrier.  On the Utopia, we would alternate between sections, as the non-smoking did not have the same offerings (slot machines).