Port Canaveral welcomed the largest cruise ship to ever call it home as Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas arrived on Thursday morning. It’s the latest Oasis-class ship larger than its five sister vessels including 2022’s Wonder of the Seas, which also calls Port Canaveral home. It’s only second in size to the new Icon of the Seas, part of a larger class of ship that sails out of Miami.
The ship had been on a transatlantic voyage since late June after it left the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France where it had been under construction since 2022. The 236,860-gross-ton Utopia is 1,188 feet long with 18 decks and a 5,668-passenger capacity based on double occupancy. Original ship in the class Oasis of the Seas was the largest in the world when it debuted in 2009 followed by 2010’s Allure of the Seas, 2016’s Harmony of the Seas, 2018’s Symphony of the Seas and 2022’s Wonder of the Seas.
The vessel made its way into port passing by Jetty Park at 7:15 a.m. and arriving to Cruise Terminal 1 by 8 a.
m. The ship has some shakedown cruises ahead of its debut with paying customers starting July 19 when it will begin three- and four-night Bahamas cruises, taking over the short-cruise duties from the recently departed Allure of the Seas. It continues Royal’s strategy that began last fall of parking two of the world’s largest ships at Port Canaveral.
Wonder of the Seas will continue year-round seven-night sailings. Utopia’s role is part of .