Leaning into short three- and four-night Bahamas trips, each with a stop at the cruise line’s private Bahamas island Perfect Day at CocoCay, the line is combining its newest ship with its most popular port of call for what it dubs “The World’s Biggest Weekend.”

“You’re going to leave this ship with a couple of days, exhausted. That is our mission — all weekend,” Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said during a preview cruise ahead of the ship’s debut Friday with paying customers.

The behemoth ship is the second largest in the world behind Icon of the Seas that debuted out of Miami in January, but it’s the largest ever to sail from Port Canaveral and the first time Royal has assigned a new ship short itinerary duties.

As such, the line has taken the 18-deck, 236,473-gross-ton ship with room for 5,668 guests based on double occupancy and crammed the days with shorter, punchier live shows and a cavalcade of parties and live music.

The sixth Oasis-class ship takes on all the best aspects of its recent predecessors including the three-slide water park The Perfect Storm, FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall and the 10-deck twisting dry slide The Ultimate Abyss.

A sign of amping up things where it can, Royal added rollers and extended the length of the slide for an even faster run with stretches of tube that alternate from pitch black to psychedelic flashing lights to translucent for a brain-thumping ride.

The high energy also flows into all three of its main entertainment venues which lean into song, dance and acrobatic spectacle married with technology for quick-hit performances that run under an hour. That means leaving behind the longer-running Broadway or other original stage productions found on Royal’s longer cruises.

“I don’t think we could sit in a theater for 90 minutes here,” said Christi Coachman, Royal Caribbean’s vice president of entertainment. “Because obviously that’s that’s our key timeframe, 90 minutes, with all of the other things that we want to experience.”

That said, the Royal Theater hosts a show called “All In” that takes all the technological toys Royal has developed over its last decade of stage productions and combines them into a journey thematically tied as global musical hotspots, running from Studio 54 in New York to a neon-lit Miami to Burning Man in California and a gothic masquerade ball in Venice — all dipping musical toes across different eras.

“In the theater, it was all about hit ’em hard, all about technology. We have drones, we have performers flying, we have incredible video projection, lasers,” Coachman said, while also using a technology that tracks performers’ positions through sensors that trigger interactive video or laser projection.

Unique to Royal Caribbean are both the ice skating show venue and the AquaTheater that combines divers, synchronized swimmers, slackliners, aerialists and dancing amid jets and fountains of water.

For Utopia, the AquaTheater show embraces Gen-X with a show titled “Aqua80Too” that leans into 80s hits with one seamlessly mashing up Phil Collins’ “Sussudio,” Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue” and Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” One number with slackliners gleefully bounce to the beat of a medley from the Beastie Boys, David Bowie, Kool & The Gang, Sugar Hill Gang and Young MC. A more poetic aerobatic performance beautifully mixes U2’s “With Or Without You,” Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush’s “Don’t Give Up” and Thomson Twins’ “Hold Me Now.”

Children of the 80s will approve.

The hardest show conceptually to get one’s head around may be one of the most impressive artistically. The ice show titled “Youtopia” features skaters in a series of quick-change outfits with impressive choreography under an intense projection system that interacts with the skaters zipping around the small rink performing jumps, spins and turns.

“This is my definition. When you think about Utopia, what is the definition of Utopia? It’s perfect place. It’s ideal perfection, and what does that mean to you?” Coachman asked. “So why is it ‘Youtopia’ — Y-O-Utopia? So is that the perfect car, the perfect house, the perfect love? And candy, because that’s perfect, because there’s a whole section on candy. So it’s really kind of what Utopia perfection means to you.”

The shows, though, almost play second fiddle to the arsenal of musical options on board.

“We’ve noticed guests on three- or four-day cruises, many times, as incredible as the shows are, they much rather gravitate toward loud music … They’re here to have fun,” said Allison Rider-Davidoiu, director of headliner entertainment, live music and enrichment.

The ship has 29 of more than 200 entertainment staff dedicated to music.

“The energy is definitely, you know, we amp it up,” Rider-Davidoiu said. “So it’s one of our entertainers, still incredibly talented, but maybe a bit more upbeat than what you would experience in a 14-day cruise or a seven-day cruise.”

She said there are still moments of more chill music across the ship, such as the French violin and guitar duo Enchanté that migrates to more calm venues such as the greenery found in Central Park.

“There’s a lot of parties. There’s a lot going on. Everything’s super loud everywhere, but sometimes you need that alternative,” she said.

She’s not wrong about the parties. The ship now employs staff called party influencers that can be found among the sundry celebrations such as the Rezolution Dance Party held in the ice skating rink venue so the projection system casts onto those on the dance floor.

There’s also a fraternity-themed party called Royal Kappa-Chi, a silent toga party, poolside plunge party and the sail-away party.

“Utopia is a taste, right, of what possibly you could experience on maybe a longer itinerary,” Coachman said. “It was really important not only to continue to create the family experiences, because that’s very important for our brand, but also to go in a little bit of a different direction and have one party after the other to where you don’t ever stop.”

So amid the parties, live music, comedy shows, game shows and performances are all the other things that Royal Caribbean can shoehorn in into the world’s second largest cruise ship.

That includes more than 40 places to eat and drink including what has already become a crowd-inducing new bar concept called the Pesky Parrot on the Promenade deck. It’s what Royal calls a Caribbean-inspired Tiki concept.

Bayley enjoyed telling the story of the Pesky Parrot’s origins.

“Somebody came up with the idea of, well, why don’t we have like a drunken parrot,” he said. “And so the pesky parrot really is this parrot, you know, is getting on in life, likes a few drinks, and as the day progresses, the parrot kind of becomes a little belligerent, rude. … You come on vacation, it doesn’t need to be serious. It’s just meant to be stupid. Some things can just be plain stupid. And you know, you go in a bar and this parrot just starts mouthing off at you.”

The line is bringing a live parrot named Brian on board for the first revenue sailing.

New cruise line dining experiences make you forget you’re on a cruise

Another venue unique to the ship is a themed dining concept called “Royal Railway — Utopia Station.” It builds off the thematic Empire Supper Club introduced on Icon of the Seas, but adds theme park-esque elements to mimic a train trip complete with digital screen projections of passing landscapes, piped in track sounds and vibrating seats.

The first railway trip is themed to the Wild West and has actors playing out a train heist during a 90-minute dinner. Future sailings will tackle other themes, such as the Asian Silk Road, along with shorter offerings tied to things such as wine tastings and holidays.

Bayley said he expects the line to do well offering this size ship in the Central Florida market.

“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 going in for … some kind of combo. They’re doing Disney or Universal or doing something in Orlando, and then they can tag on,” he said. “What kids wouldn’t be happy with that idea. … I wish I was a kid. That’s pretty good.”

Trainor, who this year is celebrating a decade since her hit “All About That Bass” came out, will be on board the ship during a preview sailing and naming ceremony later this month.

Royal also announced a contest to give away to 52 winners free sailings on the July 15 departure of Utopia on that three-night cruise that will visit Royal’s private island Perfect Day at Castaway Cay. Promotion of the contest, which runs through Sunday, can be found on Royal’s Instagram account at instagram.com/royalcaribbean.

Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas on its way to Port Canaveral

The sailing is the final shakedown cruise for the Oasis-class vessel before it begins regular three- and four-night voyages with paying customers beginning July 19.

Utopia of the Seas is the second largest cruise ship in the world, only trailing Royal’s new Icon of the Seas that debuted in Miami this year.

It’s the sixth and largest of the Oasis class, though, and will call Port Canaveral home year-round alongside the last Oasis-class vessel Wonder of the Seas. Utopia comes in at 236,860 gross tons and 1,188 feet long with 18 decks and a 5,668-passenger capacity based on double occupancy.

New cruise line dining experiences make you forget you’re on a cruise

Just like its sister ships, it touts multiple neighborhoods that carve up its massive space including the Boardwalk, Central Park and Royal Promenade.

Utopia features the longest version of the popular twisting dry slide, The Ultimate Abyss, along with other favorites like the three-slide waterpark The Perfect Storm, a FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall and zip line.

The ship has more than 40 dining and beverage options including a thematic simulated train experience called Royal Railway – Utopia Station. Also new to the ship is a tropical bar called the Pesky Parrot and a new expanded two-deck version of Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar with the first-ever Gio’s Terrazzo that overlooks the Boardwalk.

The cruise line is touting its short sailings with each making stops at its revamped private island as “the world’s biggest weekend.”

“Utopia of the Seas is where making the most of the weekend and every moment are more than a state a mind, they’re a reality any day of the week,” Bayley said. “This is the short getaway that’s all about celebrations, celebrating friends, family and the memories you make together.”

Well, there’s no debating that fact for this guy, not after what I’ve encountered on 33 cruises since the 15-month industry shutdown due to the pandemic only three years ago. That’s not to say everyone was Mister Rogers or Miss Manners on the 32 cruises I took before the pandemic. But ever since COVID reared its congested head, it sure seems like every cruise now includes a stop in Port Twilight Zone.

Making waves

Picture if you will, lots of parents treating the MSC Seascape like Chuck E. Cheese. Who needs a ball pit to get your children’s wigglies out when there’s a beautiful 1,200-seat theater perfect for running around and screaming, and just minutes before showtime? OMG! Seeing no ship personnel from the front row, I did what hundreds of others couldn’t do, apparently, and calmly asked the kids to stop jumping off the stage. Suddenly, the grandfather of one of the little darlings got out of his seat, stood over me and yelled “(Blank) you! (blank) you! (blank) you!” His daughter was even more unhinged in front of her son, and everyone else. The verbal abuse, combined with getting zero support from hundreds of witnesses, gave me and my guest no other choice but to leave the theater. In an impromptu meeting with the security officer, I learned his department has no jurisdiction inside the theater. Say what? Talk about a ship of fools.

Where there’s smoke, there’s ire

Detecting a lit cigarette from the next balcony over on the Seabourn Odyssey, this sensitive non-smoker could have easily called guest relations to take care of the matter. But knowing that this violation can lead to a fine, removal from the Alaska-bound ship or worse, I decided to be nice and handle this directly. “Excuse me, can you please stop smoking? It’s bothering me.” From the other side of the divider came this response: “Calm down! It’s no big deal.” “It’s also illegal,” I added, before making a stink myself — with security. They wound up being worthless, so for my own sanity and safety, I moved to the apparent non-smoking section of the ship.

British invasion

As the only American aboard Cunard’s 2,081-passenger Queen Elizabeth, I made an extra effort to be prim and proper around my fellow, mostly U.K.-based passengers out of Southampton, England. Plus, with strict COVID protocols still in place in April 2022, I thought it best to mind my manners at the higher level for which Brits are known, especially those well into their senior years — the core demographic on Cunard cruises. Other than wearing a suit on formal night, when every other gent was donning a tux, I thought I did a smashing job repping the red, white and blue among all the Union Jackers. That is, until the very end in Barcelona.

I was already waiting 10 minutes for an elevator — excuse me, lift — to take me and my luggage down to the gangway, when two older couples saw the door opening and barreled past me. One of the blokes quickly pressed the “door close” button to prevent me from getting in. “What would John Adams do?” I thought. So, I triggered the safety sensor by sticking my leg before the stainless steel hatches shut. Both wives gasped and as the lift went down, one man looked at me with disdain and directed my eyes to a sign on the wall that said that COVID policy limits occupancy of this car to four people. His pointing and smirking told me it was time to unleash the ugly American. “Dude,” I chided, “first, you all rudely went ahead of me, and second, if you’re that worried about social distancing, why are you on a bloody cruise?” You could see the Purell oozing from his pores.

Fortunately, only I got off on the next deck. But as the door closed on them, Mr. Sign Pointer muttered, “Yankee,” in Received Pronunciation, the poshest of British accents. The karma gods granted me one more second to offer them a proper goodbye gesture. Let’s just say I’m sorry, not sorry, for giving him the bird, and it wasn’t a bald eagle.

Parolee eavesdropping

I knew my much-needed mask-free me-time on my balcony was ruined once I heard the slider open on the other side of the partition. What I didn’t know was that my neighbor was going outside not to get some fresh Louisiana air, but to check in with his parole officer. The ex-con choosing not to speak in soft tones proved that private verandas are only so private on the Carnival Valor. Knowing that it was safer for me to stay put on my patio chair than risk making a noise, I did get some relief overhearing my neighbor claim he wouldn’t drink or get in trouble during the cruise. But when he ended the call and told a lady friend inside it was time for tequila shots, I stealthily went back inside and called guest services to request a cabin change to a different deck. Hey, I’m all in favor of making new friends on cruises, but I’d rather have them as shipmates than cellmates.

Tragedy off Turkey

The splash heard from outside my deck 7 stateroom didn’t sound normal, especially for being around midnight in the middle of the Aegean Sea. Opening up the sliding glass door and stepping out onto my starboard balcony, I saw something white floating in the distance before it quickly vanished into the pitch-black horizon. That something was suspected as being someone when the 670-passenger Oceania Nautica made an unscheduled stop to commence with a search and rescue operation. Later that day, my own investigation determined that a British woman between 70 and 80 years of age went over the railing of her penthouse suite’s veranda in an apparent suicide attempt. Her husband, who was reportedly enjoying cocktails in the Nautica’s main lounge at the time of the incident, was taken off the ship by Turkish police. His wife’s body, which we would learn was recovered earlier that morning, may have been on the same boat.

The woman’s death, while tragic, resulted in a canceled overnighter in Istanbul – one of the main reasons many of us booked this cruise in August 2022. With most of the 501 remaining passengers likely on their first cruise since COVID, if not their first cruise ever, the evolution of our collective feelings was justified — from shock and grief to guilt over considering the woman’s act as selfish if, indeed, this was a suicide. For the rest of the journey, from the reduced time in Turkey through debarkation in Israel, no one dared call this “a trip of a lifetime.”

Cruising with J. Peterman

John O’Hurley has proven himself as a versatile entertainer, from playing the eccentric J. Peterman on “Seinfeld” and hosting the National Dog Show every Thanksgiving to winning on “Dancing with the Stars” and showing off his singing chops in musical theater. But when it comes to losing a casual cruise ship game, the man who always looks sporty seems to lack in sportsmanship.

I thought we hit it off after meeting each other on a 7-day Caribbean cruise aboard Regent’s Seven Seas Splendor in March 2023. We talked about how nice it is not having to be vaxed or wear a mask, and over cocktails he enjoyed hearing my crazy story of having a supporting role in “The Serenity Now” episode in season nine of “Seinfeld.” In fact, he wanted me to share the story on his podcast currently in development. That is, until he and his wife came in second to me in a game of “Name that Tune” held in the piano bar on the penultimate night of the cruise. The winning difference was knowing that one-hit wonder Charlene sang the so-bad-it’s-good song, “I’ve Never Been to Me,” that was originally released in 1977 and reissued with greater success in 1982.

John and his wife accused me of cheating, which I’ll admit is easy to do when the cruise director allows self-scoring. But there was no cheating — my respect for the game is too great to do that, being the youngest contestant ever on the TV version of “Name that Tune” in 1979. I’ve emailed John a few times since, but not hearing back tells me that the bromance is over. But how cool is it to say you’re being ghosted by J. Peterman?

Racing with Kelly Clarkson

If you go on enough cruises, especially the christening and inaugural kind, you’re probably going to see the rich and famous because they’re either ceremonial godparents of the ship or have a role in other parts of the festivities. From soccer superstar Messi and celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis to music legend Neil Sedaka and actor/part-time Beach Boy John Stamos, their million-dollar elbows have been rubbed with this shameless name-dropper. Adding the multi-talented Kelly Clarkson to the list, her presence on the brand-new Norwegian Prima in October 2022 was not a complete hit for this competitive guy with a need for speed.

When I went around the Prima Speedway, the ship’s three-deck-high go-cart track, a ride operator used his remote to slow me down. But when Kelly went behind the wheel, in the very car I had just driven, she and her entourage were allowed to treat the track like the Autobahn. So, of course she beat my awesome time. And, of course I still feel exactly like “American Idol” runner-up Justin Guarini, although I had 22 million fewer people watching me lose to the woman who, between us, has eight Emmys and three Grammys. The irony is I’m taking Kelly’s advice in dealing with the lingering pain. As she preaches in one of her platinum-selling singles, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Come to think of it, that should be the anthem of all cruisers who find themselves in Port Twilight Zone.

The second largest cruise ship in the world left the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France on Sunday and will arrive in Florida on July 11.

“The ship is coming straight to Port Canaveral from the shipyard so I think the first time we’ve had a ship come into the port, at least since I’ve been here,  that’s brand new straight from the yard,” said Port Canaveral CEO Capt. John Murray during the port commission meeting Wednesday. “So we’re really excited.”

The port has welcomed ships in their first year of service before, but usually after they make their debuts sailing Europe. The port is planning a community celebration for the ship’s arrival letting the public into Jetty Park to wave as it sails in along with a naming ceremony before the ship’s first revenue sailing on July 19.

“Royal Caribbean selected us for that honor of having the ship first, so we’re really excited and we want to do a good job with it,” Murray said.

Port Canaveral chalks up record month amid growing cruise demand

The new ship that will be taking over the short, three- and four-night Bahamas sailings from Royal’s Allure of the Seas, and Murray said that should continue to add to what has been a record-breaking revenue year for the port.

For the fiscal year that began in October 2023 running eight months through May 2024, the port has seen 622 ship calls with more than 5.1 million passengers, driving the port’s operating revenue so far to more than $128 million, which is nearly $3 million over budget.

“We’ll have to see how that evolves as Utopia comes on,” Murray said. “When that ship is up and running at full capacity it should really drive these numbers.”

Part of that is the notion the ship is being marketed as a destination along with its primary stop of Royal Caribbean’s private island Little Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, which has been renamed Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The sixth Oasis-class vessel, Utopia is only bested in size by this year’s Icon of the Seas, the first of a new larger class of vessels for the line that began sailing out of Miami in January. A sister ship to Icon, Star of the Seas, is headed for Port Canaveral when it debuts in 2025.

Utopia, though, is the first Oasis-class ship to use liquefied natural gas (LNG), a cleaner burning fuel that is part of the cruise industry’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Port Canaveral was the first port in North America to provide LNG power to cruise ships when Carnival’s Mardi Gras debuted in 2021. Disney’s Wish and the forthcoming Disney Treasure are LNG-powered as well.

With Utopia sailing year-round, it continues Royal’s strategy of parking two Oasis-class ships at the port as Wonder of the Seas will continue seven-night sailing as well.

Utopia of the Seas is slightly larger than Wonder of the Seas coming in at 236,860 gross tons and 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.

All but Symphony have spent some time calling Port Canaveral home.

Entertainment revealed for Port Canaveral-bound Utopia of the Seas

Unique to the ship will be a themed restaurant venue called Royal Railway – Utopia Station that brings travelers on board a virtual train, a new bar called the Pesky Parrot and the longest version of the popular twisting dry slide, the Ultimate Abyss.

It has eight neighborhoods including the Boardwalk, Royal Promenade and Central Park with more than 20 dining options and more than a dozen bars and lounges.

Top-deck features include eight hot tubs, five pools, three Perfect Storm waterslides, a surf simulator, mini golf, climbing walls, zipline and the Splashaway Bay water play area.

Entertainment options feature three new original shows among its three main venues, the AquaTheater, ice skating rink and main stage in the Royal Theater.

Its location on Eleuthera  — a long, thin island in the Bahamas east of Nassau — provided an obvious start, and Disney leaned into the theme with the resort’s architecture, art, music, food, conservation efforts, cultural touchstones and entertainment options — including a raucous, cowbell-heavy celebration on the beach.

“We’re not putting you into a fictitious place. We’re not setting you into a different time. It’s here and now,” said Kevin Thomas, Walt Disney Imagineering creative director on the project.

Lookout Cay opened this month and is being visited primarily by DCL ships sailing out of Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale and Galveston, Texas.

“We thought about how many people are going to be experiencing the Bahamas for the first time, coming from around the world, the journey here and what can they take back,” Thomas said. “Not only that group but also those that have experienced the Bahamas and other destinations prior to this visit … We wanted to give a very unique experience to that.”

Central to the planning was a junkanoo — a year-end Bahamian celebration with music, dancing and bright, hand-crafted costumes. The Disney version includes Mickey Mouse and friends in new island wear created by Bahamian designer Theo Elyett.

Performers for “Rush! A Junkanoo Celebration” parade to a beat from near the resort entrance, through the mini marketplace and to the beach-facing Goombay Cultural Center for a bouncy performance before reversing their course.

The space is also a spot where kids can create junkanoo headpieces.

“We had an entire team dedicated to understanding what is junkanoo? What does it mean to the locals? What does it mean to the Bahamian culture?” said Rachel Quinn, vice president entertainment operations.

“The word authenticity is used a lot, but this was our north star,” she said.

“Junkanoo is a celebration of our tradition,” said Warren Andrew Pinder of the National Junkanoo Committee. “Our culture is colorful, is expressed through music, dance, a vibrancy led by the beat — that beat that we really cherish.”

The junkanoo show’s sounds waft across the pinkish sands and piercing blue waters of the beach. The site also includes an adults-only section, water-play areas, a nature trail and clusters of private cabanas.

There are multiple bars and a trio of restaurants with menus that include grilled spiced mahi-mahi with mango and pan-served Bahamian pigeon peas and rice.

An entertainment option on the southern end of the beach is the Fun in the Sun Beach Bash, a character-driven family games session accompanied by Disney music with Caribbean remixes. Music producer Victor Johnson fashioned these renditions.

“I actually watched a lot of the cartoons and put kind of my own Caribbean beat to it just watching cartoons on mute,” he said. “I kind of came up with a few genres, like subgenres, because our original genre of the Bahamas is goombay, and that includes junkanoo, rake and scrape and calypso and stuff like that. I came up with a rake and scrape arrangement for the Chip ‘n’ Dale song as well as a little Soka goombay arrangement.”

The task was daunting at first, because the original versions were classics, Johnson said.

“When I got the project, I was very intimidated because these are amazing songs already. But I went to sleep dreaming ‘Ch-Ch-Ch-Chip and Dale,’” he said.

An original song for the experience — “Everything Cool” — was written and performed by Bahamian musicians and recorded on Eleuthera.

The beach elements of Lookout Cay are connected by a curvy, elevated boardwalk.

“We wanted to minimize our impact on the natural environment and also make it accessible to all of our guests,” Thomas said. They also play off the multilevel terrain of the area, a contrast to Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island that has been in use by the cruise line since 1998.

“Unlike Castaway, which is pretty flat terrain … this offered a little bit of a variety to that,” Thomas said.

Structures along this stretch have a high, curved roofline and provide shade, particularly in dining areas.

“The architecture is not traditional, but it has been inspired by the organic nature of what we can find here. With rooftops, the upper portions of all of these are inspired by shell patterns, shells that are bound along the Bahamian shores. … Once you get underneath that you really start to experience man’s touch on this,” Thomas said.

“I think Disney, in particular, gets more cruisers that aren’t necessarily from Florida than maybe some other cruise lines do and therefore if you’ve never been to the Bahamas, it’s a great introduction,” said Matt Roseboom, editor and publisher of Orlando-based Attractions Magazine. “Most people probably don’t know what junkanoo is.”

Roseboom previewed the destination last week.

“I think Castaway Cay is all about story and you might not know you’re in the Bahamas necessarily or on Disney’s stranded island,” he said.

“With this new island, it’s a little bit different, and they’re going all in on the Bahamas theme. … There’s really no Disney story to it, just the fact that you were in the Bahamas and here’s some information about Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, where you are.” he said.

Another obvious difference between Lookout Cay and Castaway Cay, which is about 130 miles to the northeast, is seen from the beginning of the visit. As ships approach the new destination, they dock at the end of a long, curved pier.

Passengers leave the ship, then travel the length of that connection — it’s a 10-15 minute walk — to catch a tram that connects to the bulk of Disney’s beach offerings after about 10 more minutes. But Castaway visitors are on that island right off the ship.

“We chose a pier because it had the least impact on the marine habitats in that area between the shore and where the ship had access,” said Bradley Watson, conservation program manager.

“The ship can only dock in a certain depth of water and, alternatively, some people might have dredged and made that so that the ship can come directly into shore. … Logistically, that would have been easier in the long run. But we chose the hard road,” he said.

The pier has an open-trestle design to minimize the effect on sea life, Disney officials said.

“Beyond just building the pier to go over that area, we relocated over 800 coral from that path to another spot on our site to ensure that they would continue to thrive as we put in that pier,” Watson said. “I think that it’s kind of a marvelous way that we put together infrastructure and nature.”

But for human visitors, the bridge to Lookout is “unusually long,” Roseboom said. “It needs shade; it needs seating. Hopefully, those will be added at some point. … They’re going to have issues with thunderstorms and trying to get back to the ship.”

The new destination includes a nature trail that showcases native species and leads to the namesake lighthouse.

“One of the best things we did is everything we didn’t do. We’re at less than 16% [development] of the site. It’s perfect, in my opinion,” Watson said.

“I’m really excited that Lookout Cay is now a gateway for so many other people to understand what it’s like to be a Bahamian,” he said.

dbevil@orlandosentinel.com

Because Grandeur’s about as close as you’re going to feel you’ve boarded a private yacht on a commercial cruise ship.

Not that boarding here is particularly stressful, but there are chilled flutes of Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top Brut waiting at the end of the gangway from everything you left behind at PortMiami. There’s another bottle of Monopole in an ice bucket in your suite, too, in the unlikely event you feel any stress getting there.

The 332-square-foot Concierge Suite feels spacious, with a walk-in closet and good separation between the cabin door and the living areas. A valet brings the luggage and sets it on a welcome blanket across the king-sized bed. The 83-square-foot balcony is bigger than some cabins – possibly homes –  I’ve personally occupied, and comes with a pair of 8.5 x 21 Pentax Papillo II binoculars, because you’re going to see some things from up here.

There’s a shower and tub in the marbled bathroom. Lavender bubble bath and jasmine shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body milk, all by L’Occitane. There’s a phone in there, too, in case you think of anything you may require from the steward. (He was out in the hall memorizing guest names the last time I saw him. He remembered mine. Even pronounced it correctly). Details you’d expect on a private yacht.

Everywhere throughout this 14-deck, 735-foot ship, there are such small, elegant touches that say big things. The tables spread with white linens in the stylish Compass Rose dining room on Deck 4 are set with Rosenthal Versace china designed exclusively for Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The cozy loungers and Jacuzzis off the Serene Spa & Wellness Center on Deck 5 overlook the ship’s wake and, shhhhhh, hardly anyone knows about them.

Then there’s the haute cuisine and the name-dropping Louis VIII, Opus One, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellar labels around the ship. And the feeling you’ve checked into a boutique hotel at sea. Or a private yacht. One where the Caribbean or the Mediterranean or the Gulf of St. Lawrence comes to you.

What they’re drinking

Strawberry Sparkler

Ingredients

5 ozs. High-quality prosecco

¾ oz. Fragoli, a wild strawberry liqueur

1 Tbsp. Fresh strawberries, puréed

Sliced fresh strawberries (for garnish)

Sliced fresh lemon (for garnish)

An homage to Grandeur’s Italian shipyard roots, this simple cocktail is pretty and refreshing. Purée the fresh strawberries, strain the fiber from the liquid; add strawberry liquids and chilled prosecco in a champagne glass. Serve with a slice or two of strawberry and lemon.

Overheard

“Do I want a big pop or small pop? [Crowd, answering, timidly: “uh, small pop?”] Small pop, right! Why do I want a small pop? [Crowd shifts silently, not sure.] Because chefs are cheap! We like to save money. So what we love to do is save as much champagne or prosecco as possible.”

– Culinary Arts Kitchen Cooking Class Chef John Stephano, showing his 18 students how to open a bottle of bubbly without losing a drop.

What’s cooking

There are four specialty restaurants aboard Grandeur, and one cooking class that can teach you how to make your own memorable meal.

“What do you never want to do on vacation?” Chef John Stephano teases the 18 guests before his hour-long Culinary Arts Cooking Class. “The last thing you ever want to do is the dishes. Anybody who really struggles in their culinary skills today we’ll be sending down to the galleys to help us out.”

Nervous laughs around the cooking stations in the Culinary Arts Kitchen on Deck 11.

“No, not at all!” he says, laughing, before showing his class how to make Pasta al Limone and classic French crêpes with allspice berry ice cream.

Stephano comes from a big Irish-Italian family in Philadelphia, where there was always something cooking on the stove, he says. Since no open-flame gas burners are allowed on the ship, he’s had to adapt some of his grandmother’s recipes to the induction cooktops each member of his class gets to work with.

“You can’t use regular pots and pans on these stoves – they have to be magnetic,’’ he says. “I always hear from someone who likes cooking with induction so much here they want to get it at home, then find out they have to change all of their cooking utensils.”

For the pasta dish, students learn what mise en place means (literally, everything in place), whether to add the oil to the water or the pan, how to use a zester for the lemon, whether to rip or cut the basil and how to serve pasta (in a warm bowl warmed with the pasta water.) After about 20 minutes of the chef’s steady guidance, everyone’s pasta al limone looks ready for the cover of a food magazine.

“Who wants a picture with their pasta!?” Everyone does.

The crêpe instruction follows, including a two-handed, chef-secret dump and roll maneuver to get the batter to spread evenly on the pan.

“I want you to ease in, like you’re driving a race car,’’ he says, demonstrating. “No flipping crêpes here – try that at home if you like.”

Twenty minutes later, the crêpes also all look magazine-cover ready. (It may help that Strawberry Sparkler cocktails were served before class began).

“Nice job,’’ Stephano says, reviewing mine.

“Thanks, chef!” I say, not exactly ready to join the cast of The Bear but ridiculously impressed with myself.

Don’t miss, part I

Impossible to miss, really, because Grandeur’s Fabergé egg is among the first things you see (after the welcome champagne) when you board on Deck 5. Sarah Fabergé, great-grand daughter of Peter Fabergé, was aboard for the christening of the ship and unveiling of the 180 mm, diamond, pearl and emerald egg last December in Miami. If you must ask, “I can’t disclose the value – other than it was created especially for Regent,’’ a spokesperson says. “I will say it’s in the multi millions.” And worth even more to lend the impression you’ve stepped onto someone’s private yacht. Someone with deep pockets – and considerable taste in art.

Don’t miss part II

While some cruise lines are downsizing – even replacing ship libraries with crêpe stations (ca alors!) – Grandeur’s library is lovingly, borderline reverently, tended. If libraries are making a last stand, this one’s an oceangoing Alamo – with eclectic out-of-nowhere titles ranging from “L’Âpre et splendide Espagne” by Camille Mauclair to “The Bazaars of Istanbul” by Isabel Bocking. Biography, history, fiction, large print, nautical transport, practical advice, reference, science & natural history, sports & leisure, travel & travel writing, visual arts and children’s books – all within easy-to-grab and sprawl on a nearby comfy couch or chair.

Could miss

Not that there’s anything wrong with the live shows in the two-level Constellation Theater, featuring a demographically hep mix of hits from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s performed by an earnest troupe of singers and dancers. They’re fine after-dinner diversions. But “Key Largo” is playing on a loop on the big-screen TV in the cabin. And if you haven’t seen it, it’s one of Bogie and Bacall’s best. Just saying.

IF YOU GO

Regent Seven Seas Grandeur

Accommodating 744 guests, with 372 suites and 532 crew. Four specialty restaurants, including Compass Rose; Pacific Rim, an Asian-Fusion restaurant; Chartreuse, a French restaurant; Prime 7, a steakhouse. Casual eateries include Sette Mari, at the back of La Veranda dining area on Deck 11, which does breakfast and lunch in the morning/afternoon and Italian food at night; pool-grille cafe/buffet and Coffee Connection. Fitness center and spa with a sauna. Jogging track, putting green, bocce court, pickleball court. Boutique, casino, business center, among other amenities. The Grandeur is sailing the Mediterranean now through August. It returns to PortMiami (from New  York) on Nov. 7, where it will resume various itineraries through March 2025 before returning to Europe.

Information, RSSC.com, 844-873-2381.

Dubbed Starfish Lagoon, the zone is the fourth of five to be unveiled by the cruise line ahead of the resort’s opening on Grand Bahama Island next July. The line plans more than 500 visits among 18 of the line’s ships from Florida ports Port Canaveral, PortMiami, Tampa and Jacksonville as well as six other U.S. ports.

One highlight will be the 10-story Suncastle structure that will be home to two 350-foot-long water slides named after the Bahamas’ national bird and fish: the pink Flash Flamingo and blue Mach III Marlin. The pair offer riders the option to race one another down through a twisting path amid flashing lights and colors into a photo finish splashdown.

For the younger set, there will be the Guppy Grotto splash pad themed to coral reefs with a 2-foot-deep wading pool, water toys, dump bucket and other interactive features. Parents can keep watch from a shaded area while also having access to an adjacent ice cream shop.

The area is also centered on one of the largest freshwater lagoons built in either the Caribbean or Bahamas, and for an extra cost, families can rent one of 12 floating AquaBanas, floating cabanas with room for eight, located around a peninsula with a dedicated bar. The line has land-based cabanas and daybeds as well.

The lagoon and its stretch of beach also will be home to kayak and paddleboard rentals.

For the active set, there’s a game pavilion with table games including foosball, pingpong and corn hole and the sports court area with volleyball, basketball and pickleball among its offerings.

Adults will have their own swim-up bar while lounging options will include hammocks adjacent the the Suncastle, and all along the beach will be sun loungers and umbrellas.

Food options will include restaurants, snack and bar shacks as well as Bahamian food trucks.

“At Carnival, we carry more children than any other cruise line, so we’ve designed Starfish Lagoon specifically for family fun,” said Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy in a press release.  “Toddlers, teens and adults alike will find their own piece of paradise whether it be racing down one of the water slides, playing a round of pickleball or relaxing on our floating AquaBanas.”

The previously announced sections, which the line calls portals, include the welcome area Paradise Plaza, adult-friendly area Calypso Lagoon and the shopping district Lokono Cove. Details on the final portal, an adults-only area, will be revealed later. Future expansion will build beyond the five portals including the construction of a water park.

The 369-acre site less than 20 miles east of Freeport that’s the largest port construction project in the line’s history will be the first dedicated to Carnival Cruise Line, although Carnival ships have used sister line destinations Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay for years.

The port of call will open with one dock capable of handling its largest ships, the 6,000-passenger Excel class, including Port Canaveral-based Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration out of Miami.

The line announced this year a $100 million plan to expand that with a second dock so that it could handle up to four such ships beginning in 2026. That expansion, which grows the line’s investment to $600 million so far, means it expects nearly 4 million passengers to visit the site annually by 2028, an average of 11,000 visitors every day.

Other U.S. ports visiting the new site are Galveston, Texas; Baltimore; Norfolk, Virginia; Mobile, Alabama, Charleston, S.C. and New Orleans.

Disney pitches authenticity for new Bahamas cruise destination Lookout Cay

Carnival’s plans are just one of many new Bahamas destinations opening around the island nation in the coming years. This summer will see the debut of Disney’s new 900-acre destination Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera while Royal Caribbean has broken ground on what will become the 17-acre Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau.

These augment the existing private Bahamas destinations such as Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay, Disney’s Castaway Cay, Virgin Voyages’ Bimini Beach Club and MSC Cruises’ Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve as well as Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay.

MSC Grandiosa will begin seven-night Caribbean itineraries in December 2025 for the winter sailing season while MSC Seashore remains, but sailing short three- and four-night Bahamas sailings to Nassau and the cruise line’s private island Ocean Cay.

It’s the largest MSC ship yet to sail from the port. The Meraviglia Plus-class vessel is among the top 20 largest cruise ships worldwide at 181,541 gross tons and a maximum passenger capacity of 6,334. It debuted in 2019 and features a water park, five pools, nine hot tubs, spa, the MSC Yacht Club exclusive area and a Lego partnership in its kids clubs.

One of the more dramatic features is the 323-foot-long Galleria Grandiosa promenade with an LED projection screen over the length of the walkway. The ship features 10 restaurants including the Butcher’s Cut steakhouse, Hola! Tacos & Cantina, Kaito Sushi, Kaito Tepanyaki and L’Atelier Bistrot.

This is its first time taking on North American duties, and its arrival coincides with the debut out of PortMiami of the MSC World America, which will be even larger.

“The Winter 2025-2026 season will mark our largest presence in the U.S. to date, and our expansion at Port Canaveral is a big part of that,” said MSC Cruises USA President Rubén A. Rodríguez in a press release. “We know people sailing from Central Florida want options, and we’re delighted to offer them two of our most modern and glamorous ships with itineraries that will appeal to everyone from first-time to seasoned cruisers.”

MSC first began sailing from the port in 2021, joining mainstays Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian. It has shuffled several ships for short runs for what Rodríguez said was a taste of what MSC has to offer. That has included MSC Divina, MSC Meraviglia and MSC Seashore.

The family-owned cruise line has its roots in Europe, so the line plays up its “unique international flavor” compared with the other lines, while also touting its environmental efforts such as can be found on the private Bahamas island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. It is undergoing a major expansion effort to support excursions and on-island activities.

MSC Grandiosa will trade off alternating eastern and western Caribbean itineraries. Eastern trips will visit Nassau and Ocean Cay, Bahamas; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands. Western trips will visit Nassau; Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; George Town, Cayman Islands; Montego Bay and Falmouth, Jamaica; and Belize City, Belize.

“We are honored that MSC Cruises chose Port Canaveral for the North American debut of their magnificent MSC Grandiosa,” said Port Canaveral CEO John Murray in the release. “Expanding their homeport fleet at Port Canaveral underscores their confidence in our partnership and shared commitment to success.”

The growing port for a time took on the title of world’s busiest cruise port after the pandemic, and while PortMiami has since retaken that title, Port Canaveral continues to expand its ship offerings.

The last sailing season saw 16 ships that either homeported year-round or sailed seasonally, and it expects that number to grow to 19 for the 2024-2025 sailing season, including the debuts of Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises this fall.

Since its founding as Bahamas Paradise in 2014, the company has only sailed to one place: Freeport, Grand Bahama. And the cruise line only recently expanded the length of its cruises.

While it spent years exclusively operating quick, two-night trips, it started taking reservations last November for three-night trips out of Palm Beach aboard its ship Paradise that will begin this August.

Last December, the cruise line announced the purchase of a larger ship, called the Islander, that in June will begin sailing four- and five-night trips out of the Port of Tampa to locations in Mexico and Key West.

The idea of stopping in Key West must have been appealing to the cruise line’s guests and managers, because the island has been added to the Paradise’s itineraries beginning in September.

Key West will mark the first destination beyond Freeport for sailings by Margaritaville at Sea or its predecessor, Bahamas Paradise, out of the Port of Palm Beach.

In fact, it will be the first destination other than the Bahamas for any ship sailing out of the Port of Palm Beach since the 1990s, port spokesman Yaremi Farinas said.

Five voyages will sail on a Monday-through-Friday schedule. Embarkation dates are Sept. 19, Sept. 30, Oct. 14, Nov. 25, and Dec. 9.

Fares will start below $200 for interior staterooms on all except the Nov. 25 cruise, which will start at $330.

The cruise line, of course, is part of a vast hospitality company founded by singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who died last year at age 76.

Buffett-inspired flourishes can be found all over its ships, from tropical art on the bows and in staterooms to signs that borrow song lyrics like “One Particular Harbour” and “It’s 5 ‘o clock somewhere.”

Key West was Buffett’s home in the early 1970s, when he supplemented his income as a recording artist and performer at the Chart Room Bar and Howie’s Lounge by working on a deep-sea fishing boat.

The Key West stop is being offered as a “limited edition release so that select Paradise guests can also experience (its) laidback charm,” a Margaritaville at Sea spokesperson said.

After the ship sets sail, guests will have to chill out for awhile before getting to the Conch Republic.

After departing on day one, day two will be spent at sea. The ship will arrive in Key West at about 7 a.m. on the third day and depart at about 4 p.m. — leaving about eight or nine hours to visit the Hemingway Home and Museum, the Truman Little White House, the Key West Lighthouse, Mallory Square, the bars on Duval Street, or the first Margaritaville restaurant, which opened in 1987.

Whether the Key West stops from the Port of Palm Beach will continue after December is not yet known. The stops to the place “where it all began for the Margaritaville brand” are expected to be very popular, the spokesperson said, adding, “we are continuing to evaluate our 2025 deployment.”

Michael Meekins, executive director of the Port of Palm Beach, said the port operators are “thrilled” by the addition. “I think it is great the cruise line is offering its cruise passengers different itineraries from Palm Beach, adding more days of fun,” he said Thursday.

Cruise line CEO Christopher Ivy emphasized the “limited capacity” of the Key West plans, saying, “these special sailings give both new and returning guests even more options from the beautiful Port of Palm Beach aboard Margaritaville at Sea.”

For more information, visit margaritavilleatsea.com.

Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.

The popular destination is rife with bells and whistles that cater to the adventuresome set that frequent Royal Caribbean ships, but the island is filled with tastes for all, including a new adults-only beachfront area called Hideaway Beach.

Celebrity Reflection was the first ship to visit on April 22 followed by Celebrity Beyond on April 23, both part of five-night western Caribbean sailings departing from Port Everglades, part of new shorter itineraries being offered by the premium cruise brand. Sailings also visit Bimini, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Key West.

“Guest feedback inspired the new shorter Caribbean itineraries, designed to offer year-round opportunities to unwind with loved ones,” said Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge in a press release. “Introducing Perfect Day at CocoCay presents new experiences for Celebrity guests seeking quick beach getaway escapes close to home.”

Once known as just Little Stirrup Cay, Royal Caribbean now calls it Perfect Day at CocoCay, which received a $250 million overhaul first in 2019 adding a 13-slide water park including the 135-foot-tall Devil’s Peak that is one of seven slides on the castle-like tower that acts as an icon that can be seen from around the 125-acre resort.

It also added a dock that allows for two ships to come alongside instead of having to take day visitors with tender vessels. Nearby Great Stirrup Cay, which is used primarily by Norwegian Cruise Line, still relies on tenders, but recently announced it too would build a ship dock.

It also features a colorful helium balloon ride called Up, Up and Away that takes passengers up 450 feet on the rare calm days it’s not too windy, a 1,600-foot zip line and the largest wave pool in the Caribbean.

Those fall under the “Thrill” side of the island, but there’s plenty on the “Chill” side as well, including the Coco Beach Club, which includes a series of over-water cabanas with hammocks and personal slides plus more beachside cabanas, an infinity pool and a higher-end Mediterranean dining venue.

The newest feature on the island, though, opened in January. Hideaway Beach is the first part of the island to be kid-free. It has its own private beach and lagoon, two pools, seven food and drink locations and 20 cabanas.

Spending time at Hideaway Beach is designed to be an all-day experience at an extra charge for those 18 and older. Prices start at $39-$89 per person depending on sail date with the 20 cabanas available for an additional rate.

The space includes the al fresco On the Rocks bar with live musicians, live sports on TV and even a pool table and shuffleboard with great views of the dock along the island’s rocky shore.

The lagoon is surrounded by loungers, hammocks and in-water swingsets while the Hideaway Bar is the central swim-up bar in the main pool while there are two full-service Beach Bars on either side of the area as well.