A Perfect Day on Utopia of the Seas with Meghan Trainor

Over the past few days close to 100 travel advisors from across the country were among the first to experience Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, Utopia of the Seas, during a special naming ceremony sailing from Port Canaveral.

The pre-inaugural itinerary included a day call at Perfect Day at CocoCay, the cruise line’s private island in The Bahamas, where the travel trade got a firsthand look at Hideaway Beach, the adults-only area that opened earlier this year with multiple pools, cabanas and a lively swim up bar.

For this occasion, the celebration included a set by DJ Ruckus while the CEO of Royal Caribbean International, Michael Bayley, used a device called “the champagnator” to squirt Moët & Chandon into the mouths of onlookers. And as Utopia is dedicated to short three and four-night getaways, Bayley said that “Utopia will have a lot of focus on party. We want new-to-cruise and we want a younger demographic and this is a great runway for this product based in Port Canaveral.”

Acknowledging that it’s a bit of a longer journey for the Canadian market, Bayley sees this offering going hand-in-hand with Orlando getaways, particularly for families.

“One of the reasons we put this brand new Oasis Class into this market is that we really expect to see a certain amount of demand coming from tourists who are doing some kind of Disney or Universal combo,” he shared. “Then they can tag on three or four nights with a stop at Perfect Day — if you’re a family, that’s a great vacation.”

Of course, with godmother Meghan Trainor along for the sailing, the GRAMMY-winning singer and songwriter took to the stage for an invite-only concert last night playing a range of hits like Me Too, All About That Bass, Like I’m gonna Lose You and Made You Look.

“This has been the greatest trip of my entire life,” she shared during the concert. “There’s just so much to do in one place.”

The latest Oasis Class ship has some brand new features including Pesky Parrot, a Tiki Bar with a Caribbean twist; Royal Railway — Utopia Station, an immersive dining concept that mimics the train travel experience; and brand new high calibre shows.

“Tradition, evolution, revolution, that’s really the three pillars of product development and no where is that more evident than on Utopia,” Eric St. Pierre, national account manager in Canada for Royal Caribbean International told PressToday. “Look at Royal Promenade, that’s your tradition. Look at Giovanni’s where it’s located with a new outdoor patio, that’s evolution. And then look at Pesky Parrot, that’s revolution. It’s all about keeping what works, improving what guests like already and then bringing in new elements to keep people engaged.”

While the shorter cruise market typically uses older and often dated ships, Maria Gibson, strategic account manager for Eastern Canada, believes the newness of Utopia is another selling feature when going after the new-to-cruise segment. “We have completely raised the bar on the three and four-night cruising, which was always depicted as the more tired ships,” she said.

As for selling tips, strategic account manager Nate Allen says he frequently fields requests for itineraries with multiple calls on Perfect Day at CocoCay.

“The nice thing about Utopia is that you can do a three or a four night back-to-back, now you are hitting Perfect Day twice,” he suggested.

Meanwhile, B.C.-based travel advisor Carolyn Bechard of Travel Best Bets sees it being a great option for extending Florida holidays.

“Utopia of the Seas is the perfect add-on — or reason itself — when visiting the Orlando area of Florida,” Bechard said. “Whether you want non-stop fun or a more tranquil pool and beach vibes, Utopia has you covered.”

“It’s also a great option for bachelorette parties, girlfriend getaways,” added Jeff Carpenter, strategic account manager for Western Canada.

For more on Utopia of the Seas, stay tuned to next week’s edition of Travel Courier.