Trish Berry
Karen Scott Dress (Medium), Ann Taylor Sweater (Medium), Walmart Flip Flops (9)
Central Parks on Royal Caribbean Oasis-class ships are groundbreaking and a novel neighborhood of nature, usually located on Deck 8, that runs down the middle of the ship, the heart of the ship.
Oasis Class Ships include:
- Oasis of the Seas
- Allure of the Seas
- Harmony of the Seas
- Wonder of the Seas
- Utopia of the Seas
- Icon of the Seas
Utopia of the Seas (Oasis-class ship), is currently (2025) having its maiden voyages out of Port Canaveral, Florida. It is the largest ship in the fleet right now, but the largest ship ever for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, the Star of the Seas, will be sailing within a few months (2025).
For the first year a new Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship sails, it is sent on short three- and four-day cruises. We just got off the Utopia last week, but we had been on it for two weeks because we did the back-to-back cruises, where we stayed on the ship over and over after it came back to Port Canaveral and went out again.
When we cruise, we like to stay at sea for eight days or more, mostly for 12 days when we cruise down near South America. You get the full benefit of a cruise (and a ship) by staying on it a good length of time.
You get to go to new locations on the older ships because they can slip into the smaller ports without using tenders. We prefer the older ships, the smaller ships, but like to test the new ships as they come out.
The below photos and article are about the Utopia of the Seas and its Central Park.
This is the sign located at the entrance to Central Park.
Since it’s on the interior of the ship, some staterooms overlook Central Park. We have stayed in a stateroom that looked out over Central Park in the past. I watched little wrens that flew around from tree to tree.
Once land birds are detected in Central Park, food is left out for them, and they are not approached. They are accidental cruisers. They flew in and forgot to fly out before the ship left port. They are there for the duration of the cruise.
The Harmony of the Seas once had a pair of burrowing owls that boarded the ship and stayed mostly in Central Park and took a transatlantic voyage from Florida to Spain. Photos of the pair were seen on TV in the US. Some friends of ours were on that cruise. It was an added novelty to their cruise.
(The owls were humanely trapped when the ship arrived in Spain and returned back to the US port from where the ship had departed. They were at sea for about a month. They survived!)
There is only one Rising Tide Bar, but my photos makes it look like two (bad photo). The one closest in the photo is a reflection. You enter the bar on the Promenade Level (usually Deck 5 or 6). The glass-enclosed bar slowly rises and lowers, and you get to see views of the different foliage.
The above photo shows the Rising Tide Bar on the Promenade Deck. Very beautiful! And plush!!
People stroll and look at the greenery, but they are also looking for the famous hidden rubber ducks. We all act like mature adults on a treasure hunt (ha!!), and that’s what the duck hunt is about. Seek, find, crow!!
The Park is the length of a football field and about 62 feet wide. It goes up six decks.
Central Park opens to the sky. See the grassy area in the middle. Just beautiful.
Central Park is filled with lush greenery. There are thousands of live plants that are tended to. You never see a wilted plant in Central Park because of the attendants who care for it. It has underground watering. The attendants also plant seasonal flowers so there are always blooms on some of the plants.
Above, on the right side, you see one of the living walls covered in vines and different ferns. Cool, soothing, peaceful. You can see part of the Rising Tide Bar.
Kim Rogers Blouse (Medium), Banana Republic Shorts (Size 8), Walmart Flip Flops (Size 9)
Natural light and fresh air flows on a breeze through the park. Some refer to this unique interior as a ‘canyon,’ but it is an oasis of nature, to me. It is green. It smells of flowers. It is beautiful.
The above is a giraffe wood sculpture made of poplar wood. It is much more beautiful when it’s right there in front of you rather than in a photo.
The giraffe is made by The Carousel Works. They also create all the horses on the carousel that you find on the Boardwalk of the Oasis-class ships, shown below.
You will find horses in different stages of the art involved in making them as you enter the Boardwalk. I had photos of them, but can’t find them now. Will publish them next month.
We are going out on the Wonder of the Seas in a few weeks from now (2025) so I will get some new photos then.
The intricate work in designing and creating any wood sculpture is mindboggling.
Above is a view of that Rising Tide Bar. We might go on it at some time and maybe get a non-alcoholic beverage just to see what the floating experience is like.
The above is the two of us while walking around Central Park, walking off the Main Dining food! This outfit I have on is totally appropriate for casual night in Main Dining, even the flip flops.
Winding walkways go around and through Central Park. There are benches to sit on, and it has many impressive wall accents.
If non-paying birds are not on the ship, that’s okay. Subtle nature sounds, like birds chirping, are played through hidden speakers. You really feel like you are in a nice nature park.
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In the evenings, there is soft lighting for good photos.
The above is another poplar wood sculpture by The Carousel Works. He is as large as he looks in the photo. A pretty hippo, with intricate detail. This one you can pet. Hippos kill approximately 500 people per year. Mosquitoes kill more people each year (750,000 to 1 million annually) than any creature, and have for centuries.
There are many dining venues in Central Park. Some charge to your sea pass as they are considered ‘specialty’ restaurants.
Chops Grille is a restaurant on Central Park where you will have to use your sea pass to charge to your stateroom account.
150 Central Park Restaurant is another restaurant that you will need to use your sea pass to charge to your stateroom account.
Izumi, with the bright red lettering, is another restaurant where you will use your sea pass to charge to your stateroom account.
Park Cafe is a wonderful restaurant with wonderful food. There is no charge to your stateroom account if you eat here. It has cute tables outside, and the attendants (waiters/waitresses) are skilled at their jobs.
Park Cafe is complimentary dining. They offer deli foods. They have an excellent reputation because of their famous Kummelweck roast beef sandwich. I’ve never tried it, but my husband loves it.
Soft lighting doesn’t show all the wrinkles of an old lady cruiser. Me here, 76 years old. Candlelight is really the best as we age, if we want to hide from our age.
I don’t try to hide from my age. I hope you don’t try to hide from your age.
Every wrinkle on our face, on our body, comes through living a laughing, energetic life. Live life to the fullest each and every day that you have. Like me, be grateful for each morning you wake up. We are the lucky ones. We have lived. We are still living. Yes, we are the lucky ones.
Nature’s rain does fall on Central Park. Big, big umbrellas for your use. Watch out for slippery floors when it’s raining.
There are numerous bars in Central Park:
- Trellis Bar
- Rising Tide Bar
- Vintages Wine Bar
We have never been in them so can’t give you a recommendation.
You can have high-end retail shops in Central Park. I veer away from those. Too much temptation.
At times, there are horticultural tours of the park, but this differs with each individual ship. If available, I would recommend this tour.
Central Park on an Oasis-class Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship is much smaller than Central Park in Manhattan, which is 843 acres. But you are much safer in a Central Park on a cruise ship than you are in Central Park in Manhattan.
This is the door through which you enter Central Park. Enter it. Go there. Take a deep breath of peace and beauty.
(On the restaurants listed above, where fees are charged to your stateroom, just a note: We are frugal cruisers. The most we’ve ever had charged to our stateroom was $10.00 for a Royal Caribbean scarf a few times on different cruises and $3.77 for a hat. Bargain items are available in the Promenade. We do not eat at the expensive restaurants. If you cruise once a year, those restaurants might be the thing for you. We cruise more often so we forego the expensive excursions and restaurants.)
Hubby in Main Dining for Tropical Night, A Cutie
Safe travels!!! Be happy!! Smile!! Have fun!! Wear what you want, what you like, and you will be beautiful!!! Always!!
Many smiles and warmth and affection to everyone!!!!
(P.S. Donate a can of dog food or cat food or kitty litter to your local SPCA. Even your old towels in the garage. They need all the help they can get!! Help save an animal!)