Royal Caribbean International’s Utopia of the Seas is undergoing a series of updates that are set to debut this May.
According to Mitch Merucci, who previously served as cruise director onboard the company’s fleet and is now part of the sales team, the changes are highlighted by the creation of a larger non-smoking casino.
The new gambling room will take over the space currently occupied by The Attic, which serves as a nightclub and a comedy club, he explained.
After the change, comedy shows will move to the ship’s main showroom, the Royal Theater, Merucci added.
With construction currently ongoing, the new non-smoking casino is expected to open by May 9, 2025.
Other updates coming to the ship, which offers short cruises from Port Canaveral, include the relocation of the Crown Lounge.
Dedicated to guests who reach the highest tiers of Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program, the space will move to a larger area that is currently occupied by the ship’s teen club, which will become smaller.
While the new Crown Lounge is expected to open between May 30 and June 2, 2025, the current lounge will not close during renovations.
According to Merucci, the Wonder of the Seas is expected to undergo similar updates ahead of its debut in the short cruise market.
Currently offering seven-night cruises from Port Canaveral, the 2022-built ship is scheduled to offer three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas starting in August 2025.
As the sixth ship in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class, the Utopia of the Seas was built by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France.
Upon entering service in July 2024, the 5,714-guest ship became the first in the series to be fully dedicated to the short cruise market.
Sailing from Port Canaveral, the Utopia offers a series of three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas on a year-round basis.
The itineraries feature visits to Nassau, as well as Royal Caribbean’s private island destination of Perfect Day at CocoCay.