NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Following through on a commitment to increase cruise tourism to The Bahamas, Royal Caribbean International has announced that its newest Oasis-class ship, Utopia of the Seas, will be dedicated to visiting the country.
When the ship makes her debut in July 2024, Utopia of the Seas will visit Nassau twice weekly bringing more than 15,000 guests per week, totaling more than 300,000 in 2024 and 750,000 additional guests in 2025.
By that time, the total number of Royal Caribbean visitors to Nassau to over 2 million annually, and many more in total to The Bahamas.
Utopia of the Seas will offer the ultimate 3-night weekend and 4-night weekday getaways from Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, with visits to Nassau and Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay, the “Best Private Island” for three years running.*
When the ship arrives in The Bahamas on her inaugural voyage, Royal Caribbean’s first Bahamian female 1st Officer, Ivanna Seymour, will be on the Bridge team navigating the waters of her home country.
Bahamian Philip Simon, recently appointed as President of the Royal Beach Club and General Manager of Royal Caribbean International Bahamas, and responsible for spearheading continued growth in The Bahamas, said: “As a Bahamian, I am excited that we, at Royal Caribbean, have made the decision to dedicate our newest innovative ship to my country. This demonstrates our strong commitment to tourism growth in Nassau and The Bahamas.”
“With Utopia of the Seas featuring dedicated Bahamas itineraries, we will have even more opportunities to collaborate with the local community to drive Bahamian participation for the world class experiences we create for our guests, on our ships and on land,” Simon continued.
“We have meaningful partnerships with various groups, to promote Bahamian heritage and culture, such as the Music Makers Junkanoo Group, and to empower creative entrepreneurs and drive economic growth, such as Access Accelerator Small Business Development Centre and the Tourism Development Corporation.
“Additionally, through our collaboration with educational and training partners such as the LJM Maritime Academy, the Bahamas Maritime Cadet Corps, and the National Training Agency, we have been able to develop incredible talent for careers onboard our ships across all areas of marine and hotel operations. I look forward to being an integral part of the next chapter of our growth and partnership with our country.”
President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International Michael Bayley said: “Royal Caribbean has a longstanding relationship with The Bahamas – with all of our ships registered in the country – and we have been bringing international visitors for more than 50 years. Over 35 million Royal Caribbean guests have visited The Bahamas since our inaugural voyage called into Nassau for the first time in 1970.
“We remain committed to growing cruise tourism in The Bahamas with plans to bring up to 2.5 million guests to Nassau and more than 5.5 million guests to The Bahamas, annually by 2027. With the introduction of Utopia of the Seas, we are well on track to meet that goal.”
As the first of the game-changing Oasis Class ships to offer short getaways when it debuts, the newest Oasis Class ship will make its short getaway debut alongside firsts and reimagined experiences, like a new Caribbean tiki bar, a first-of-its-kind immersive dining experience, the latest, greatest – and longest – dry slide at sea; newly designed resort-style pools; and more.
Utopia will be the first Oasis Class ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).
As the cruise line’s second LNG-powered ship – following Icon of the Seas – Utopia will advance Royal Caribbean’s decades-long commitment to the environment by combining LNG technology with a lineup of the brand’s already-established environmentally friendly initiatives and features, from waste heat recovery systems to shore power connection.
