Couple's Getaway: New Years Reset

The holidays are a stressful time of year, especially for parents of school-aged children. There are holiday parties at school, special events for choir, art and band, sports championships, not to mention the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, baking, planning, and hosting. To top it all off, you are home all day with your kids for 2 full weeks. This year, my husband and I decided to treat ourselves to a few kid-free days in early January to kick off 2026.

Being a busy mom I don’t have as much time as I would like to travel and test out the products I sell. When the opportunity to fill some last-minute space on Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas came around, I jumped on it!

The Utopia, along with its’ sistership, Wonder of the Seas, is one of Royal Caribbean’s re-imagined short-sailing ships. With itineraries only 3-4 nights, these ships are marketed as “The World's Biggest Weekend.” I was curious to see if the ship lived up to the hype.

We had previously sailed with our kids on another Oasis Class ship, the Allure of the Seas. While we had a great time on the Allure (it completely changed our opinion of cruising), I wasn’t sure this type of ship would be a good fit for adults traveling without kids.

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class Ships are designed to match multiple cruise-personality types. There are water slides, a carnival style board walk area, Central Park, multiple pools, sports deck, and even an ice-skating rink. Those are all great amenities for kids and families. So, how did the cruise go with just the two of us?

For starters we stayed in a balcony stateroom. Something that’s not in the budget for our family of 5. The stateroom had lots of space, and it was nice being able to step outside anytime we wanted to get a breath of fresh sea air or watch the sunrise in our pj’s without having to go up on deck.

We also booked specialty dining in advance, and on sale. The cruise was only 3 nights, so we booked two specialty restaurants and one of the complimentary dining rooms. We ate at Chops Grille, where we had one of the best steaks we’ve ever had. Normal pricing for this restaurant is similar to what you would find on land (think Jeff Ruby’s or Ruth’s Chris). But since I pre-purchased during a promotional sale I got it for 40% off.

The other specialty restaurant we chose was 150 Central Park. Another great value for an upscale restaurant, and the BEST martini, prepared tableside offered a bit of bonus entertainment. Both Chops Grille and 150 Central Park are located in the ship’s Central Park area. Central Park is my favorite deck on the Oasis Class ships. There are live plants, side-walk bistro style seating, even a chess table. There’s also the Park Café, a casual, grab and go restaurant perfect for coffee and a quick bite.

Finally, the complimentary restaurant we reserved was the Solarium Bistro. The Solarium is an adults-only space during the day; but the bistro opens to all ages for reserved dining. I was expecting table-service only at this restaurant, since reservations are required, but it was a buffet. Regardless, the food was good, and the buffet was small and focused, serving only Mediterranean inspired cuisine.

Balcony stateroom, specialty dining, next up: Ports of Call

This itinerary departs from Port Canaveral (Orlando) and stops in Nassau, Bahamas and Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at Coco Cay.

I’m the type of traveler that likes to experience local art, culture, food and history, so I wasn’t too keen on spending an extra couple hundred dollars on a boat ride to another beach, or a day pass to a resort when I arrived on a resort-style ship to a place with a beach. I downloaded a walking guide of Nassau and we set out for our free day of exploring what this small city had to offer.

We went to the Queen’s Staircase, the Pirate Museum, the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, Fort Charlotte, and the Straw Market. We also took a quick peek inside the gorgeous British Colonial hotel and strolled past Junkanoo Beach. Before we went back to the ship, we grabbed a bite to eat so my husband could try a conch fritter, and I tried the cracked chicken. (Sadly, I’m allergic to shellfish. So no conch for me.) For all of this activity, I can say it was ‘meh.’ The art gallery was my favorite, but they were changing exhibits, so there was an entire floor of art that wasn't available at the time. The Queen's staircase was also interesting and worth seeing. It is totally free and isn’t a far walk from the port. It’s a great setting for photos that look like you’re in a tropical jungle.

While I always enjoy local exploring, downtown Nassau is not a place I’d recommend to everyone. However, I admit that I did minimal research for this spur of the moment trip. I had hoped to book a guided walking tour for $45 per person, but they were sold out. Nassau is a stop on many Caribbean cruises, so I'm sure I'll have plenty of chances to try something new next time I'm there.

Perfect Day at Coco Cay is Royal’s private island and a featured stop on nearly all of their Caribbean itineraries. Since I’m a culture-vulture, this doesn’t necessarily appeal to me. A relaxing day on the beach, sure; a hot air balloon ride and water park, no thank you. I was expecting crowds, loud children, loud music and drunk partiers; but what I experienced was a space for me to relax and read. The island, like the ship, is designed in such a way that every type of cruiser has their own space. The kids and families were tucked away in their water park area (Thrill Waterpark and Splashaway Bay). The drinkers were huddled around their swim up bar on their side of the island (Coco Beach Club), and people like me had plenty of room to find a beach lounger and chill (Hideaway Bay). There was also plenty of food available and easy to find. They also have beach accessible wheelchairs for guests with limited mobility to have their beach-day, too.

Overall, the cruise was great. And yes, Utopia of the Seas offered the World's Biggest Weekend! My husband and I actually felt like we got a break from the daily grind, and we were both able to relax and enjoy our time together. And the time of year was perfect. Kids activities hadn’t gone back to regular schedule just yet, and we only missed a Friday and Monday workday. I highly recommend taking a few days at the beginning of the year to go on a couple’s-only getaway. Call grandma and grandpa to watch the kids for a few days and start the year on fresh legs!