You can't fully experience Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas in a single sailing.
That's because the cruise line's newest Oasis-Class ship sails 3- and 4-day "weekends" designed to show off the best the cruise line has to offer while leaving passengers wanting more.
That plan is intended to present Royal Caribbean's best to people who are new to cruising. On a short sailing you're going to miss things on a ship that's only a bit smaller than Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world.
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Passengers on Utopia of the Seas are forced to make choices. For example, there are more nighttime shows than nights.
That same logic applies to restaurants. Even if you get an unlimited dining package, you simply won't have enough mealtimes to try every restaurant.
You might, of course, be able to try every bar, but doing that — unless you time it carefully — puts you at risk of being unable to experience many of the other things Utopia offers. It's a lot of fun packed into 3 or 4 days, and, again, it forces you to make some choices.
It has also caused one of the cruise line's longtime partners to rethink how it operates its area of the ship. And it's a change many passengers will appreciate.
Image source: Park West
Park West changes its approach
Park West operates the art galleries and auctions all across the Royal Caribbean fleet (and on nearly every cruise ship that offers art auctions).
Its gallery on Utopia of the Seas fills the corridors that link Casino Royale with the Attic comedy club, Studio B, which is used for ice shows and laser tag, and the Crown Lounge, the special space for top-tier loyalty members.
The company has taken a different approach, given the large ship's short itineraries.
Nelson, the lead Park West auctioneer on board Utopia, engages with passengers who have so many options and limited time.
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"The avuncular Portuguese auctioneer with a wealth of experience on short cruises says he and his team understand that their time with guests, like the itineraries themselves, is limited," Park West writes.
"It’s one reason they stocked the curved deck 4 gallery space connecting the Casino Royale with The Attic, Studio B, and the Crown Lounge with art that will speak to first-time passengers and seasoned collectors alike, art with an attractive story by artists with tales equally as riveting."
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Park West offers more than just auctions
While Park West is most-known for its thrilling fast-paced art auctions, that's not all it's offering on Utopia of the Seas. It's also delivering educational art seminars, guess-the-weight-of-art contests, art scavenger hunts, exclusive VIP cocktail parties, and special exhibitions
The Park West staff can talk about the art that lines the walls, but that's not the only art being sold in the gallery.
There's "a digital collection of art at their fingertips and the ability to bring up hundreds of thousands of available works of art in an instant," according to Park West.
The walls of the gallery itself are lined with paintings by favorites like Peter Max, Kre8, Michael Godard, Mark Kostabi and Marcus Glenn, and sculptures by Nano López.
"Because time is at a premium, this gives Park West staff the opportunity to showcase familiar art that collectors may already love and want to collect while on vacation and tell lively little stories about exciting artists to guests walking through an art gallery for the very first time," it added.
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Art lovers on Utopia of the Seas do not have to wait for the auction if they want to buy something. Art can be purchased straight from the gallery outside an auction, a key talking point on Utopia of the Seas.
"The actual pounding of the gavel and the opportunity to indulge in a free glass of champagne while artwork by Picasso, Rembrandt, and other masters is brought on stage along with contemporary greats may ultimately conflict with any number of other attractions or shows," Park West wrote.
"There is no shortage of things to do on board Utopia of the Seas, so guests can experience a powerful work of art in the gallery and collect it straight away without fear of being outbid!"
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