Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas made her first stop ever in Singapore yesterday.

Quantum of the Seas is on a 14-night cruise from Dubai, which also made stops at Muscat, Cochin and Penang.

As part of the maritime tradition of when a cruise ship comes to a port for the first time, there was a plaque exchange between Quantum of the Seas' Captain Srecko Ban and Singapore's Assistant Chief Executive Neeta Lachmandas and Singapore Airport Terminal Services Executive Vice President Yacoob Piperdi.

Quantum of the Seas is currently on a 53-night around the world cruise, which departed from New York en route to Shanghai where it will homeport year round.

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas is making her way around the world as part of a 53-night cruise and the other day she was is in Dubai.

Royal Caribbean celebrated the occasion with Dubai Tourism onboard Quantum of the Seas in Two70 with a welcome reception along with the traditional exchange of plaques and keys ceremony.

According to Hamad Bin Mejren, senior vice president of Dubai Tourism, Quantum of the Seas is the largest cruise ship that has ever docked in Dubai.

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas left the Mediterranean Sea and entered the Red Sea yesterday via the Suez Canal.

Quantum of the Seas is making her way to Asia, where she will offer cruises out of China for the foreseeable future.  

Quantum of the Seas will head to dock in Kochi, India on June 4, 2015 before proceeding to Singapore and finally Shanghai, China.

Royal Caribbean has filled its Quantum-class cruise ships with a slew of specialty restaurant choices and among them is Royal Caribbean's flagship specialty restaurant, Chops Grille. 

Chops Grille has been a fan favorite choice for years and on Quantum of the Seas, we took the opportunity to see if this Royal Caribbean classic holds up on its newest class of ships.

On Quantum of the Seas, the restaurant features an updated menu that offers what you would likely find at any great American steakhouse on land.  There's a mix of choices that have been staples of the restaurant along with some new choices, most notably dry-aged steaks.  Dry-aged steaks are aged for nearly four weeks to enhance the flavor, tenderness and aroma.  Royal Caribbean is particularly proud to be offering dry-aged steaks first at sea and it's a tremendous addition.

Atmosphere

Chops Grille is located in the aft section of deck 5, near the Schooner Bar.  Despite being onboard the ship for a few days at the time we dined here, I still found myself wondering where exactly it was located.  Odds are you will not be passing it by often as you walk around the ship (unlike Jamie's Italian or Wonderland) but once you look it up on a map, it's simple enough to find.

If you've been to any other Chops Grille on other Royal Caribbean ships, you will likely feel right at home at Chops Grille on Quantum of the Seas.  The restaurant's familiar use of browns, reds and yellows give the restaurant an "earth tone" decor.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the Chops Grille on Quantum of the Seas to be more well-lit than other restaurants I've been to.

Chops Grille has never had much of a real theme other than looking like a nice steakhouse.  You will find a large room with tables in the center and booths on the edges.  There's some good use of steel or aluminum lighting that seem like they were borrowed from American Icon Grill that give Chops Grille on Quantum of the Seas a little different touch.

For Royal Caribbean fans that been dining at Chops Grille for years, this restaurant will feel a lot like others you have been to.

Eats

Once you are seated, you will be served pretzel bread and butter, which is pretty darn tasty.  It's the kind of bread that you will eat more of it than you probably like because pretzel bread, when done well, is a tasty treat.

The menu at Chops Grille offers a wide selection of appetizers and for your entrees, there's plenty to choose from too.  

To start with, I opted for a Chops Grille classic: French onion soup. A microcosm of the difference between a specialty restaurant and the complimentary restaurant can be found in this soup.  At the Grande, there's a French onion soup served but the one at Chops Grille is far superior because of the ingredients used.  At Chops Grille, there's more cheese, thicker cut of onion and in general it just tastes better.

French onion soup at Chops Grille

French onion soup at The Grande

We also ordered a few appetizers to share at the table, such as the charred beef carpaccio and crab and shrimp cake.  Both were tasty and light choices that we enjoyed.

I mentioned earlier there are a lot of entrees to choose from but considering Chops Grille is a steakhouse, I feel obligated to choose a steak. Since updating Chops Grille's menu, Royal Caribbean offers a number of dry-aged steaks that have an extra cost in addition to other steaks that are included with the price of the restaurant.

I tried the dry-aged steak when I was on Navigator of the Seas and I'll be honest and say I really could not tell much of a difference between the dry-aged steaks and a less expensive steak.  Personally, my palette can appreciate a steak up to a certain level and after that, they all taste the same.  Clearly, I am not a connoisseur of steaks by any means.

We both decided to order from the regular steak menu.  I went with the "petite" New York Strip Steak (6oz) and my table mate opted for the "petite" filet mignon (6oz).

Both steaks tasted great and my only regret is I ordered too little steak.  I went with the petite cut because I always left the restaurant feeling stuffed but not the case this time!

I think we both agreed the steaks were great and by far it's the best cut of beef we had onboard the ship.  

The hidden gem of any Chops Grille visit are the sides. There side dishes are designed to be shared among the people at your table and they are generally really, really good.  So good that I leave some room for them because at my first few visits years ago, I would stuff myself before realizing the sides are so darn good.

We ordered gruyere cheese tater tots, roasted mushrooms, mashed potatoes and grilled jumbo asparagus.  All were quite good except for the tater tots.  The cheese gave it a very odd texture and next time I will go with the french fries instead.  

For dessert, I always order the same thing at Chops Grille and for good reason.  The red velvet cake is something I always pick and I've never been disappointed with it.   On this visit, the cake was as good as I remembered and I can continue to recommend it as a great choice.

Overall

The reason I go to Chops Grille on almost every Royal Caribbean cruise I go on is because of how consistently good it is.  Some restaurants are a bit of a gamble in the sense that they can be hit or miss but Chops Grille has been always a good experience and on Quantum of the Seas, it's more of the same.

If you have dined at Chops Grille many times as well, you will find Chops Grille to be a familiar choice and very similar to other Chops Grille restaurants across the fleet.  If you're new to Royal Caribbean, Chops Grille is a solid choice for anyone that wants a really good specialty restaurant experience.  Great food, good service and a moderate cost are what you will find at Chops Grille.

There's many online that will debate the merits of the dry-aged steaks on the menu and if they are worth it.  If you want to sample the very best steaks out there, there's no question dry-aged are in style and perfect for you.  But if you just want a good steak without the additional cost, the steaks included on the menu will do you just fine.

I think on my next trip to Chops Grille, I will sample some non-steak choices just to mix things up.  

Join us in welcoming back Don from EatSleepCruise! He’s treating us to his list of the best activities for families on Royal Caribbean's Quantum-class cruse ships!

There is so much to do and see onboard Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Anthem of the Seas,  that it is an ideal vacation for families. Whether your family is the outgoing type, or likes to vacation in a relaxed, casual style, Quantum class ships offer a great mix of amenities and public spaces to please everyone from 2 to 92!

If you vacation like us, we know you want to make the most of every minute. But, no matter how many days you are onboard a Quantum class ship, it seems like there is never enough time to get everything done. But, don’t stress. We have outlined the top 10 family activities for your next Anthem of the Seas trip to ensure you have the perfect family vacation. 

Soar to New Heights – Quantum class ships offer some amazing “firsts” at seas, among them are Ripcord by iFLY, a skydiving simulator, and North Star, an aerial gondola that takes you 300 feet above sea level.  Both are must-do activities for families. While North Star is first come, first serve, you can make iFLY reservations in advance of your trip on the Cruise Planner!

Have Some Four Wheeled Fun- The kids are in for a real treat on Anthem of the Seas as they can experience the first ever roller skating rink at sea. Some roller skating events have themes, like 70s disco night or 90s pop night, so check the cruise compass to find a time that will entertain all members of the family. Then, gear up for a rock and rolling good time! And, yes mom and dad you also have to get out on the rink!

Throw your Own Personal Pizza Party – Most cruise ships have the same boring pizza selections: cheese, pepperoni, and that unidentifiable specialty pizza. However, Sorrento’s Pizza shop on Quantum class ships allows cruisers to make a fresh, custom pie by selecting from a wide array of toppings. So, while everyone else is at dinner, head to Sorrento’s with the kids, and let them be in charge of the menu one night.  

Go Head First into Oncoming Traffic – At the multi-use SeaPlex on Anthem of the Seas, there is so much you can do! On several days of your cruise, this venue offers select times for you and your loved ones to let out a little aggression, safely, with some bumper cars.  Don’t be fooled by the location, these cars are armed for a mighty good collision. Check the compass for times and restrictions as little ones do need to ride with a parent.

Plan a DIY Scavenger Hunt – There are so many beautiful paintings, digital photographs, and sculptures onboard that Quantum class ships are like floating museums-don’t tell your kids that.  So, you can create your own fun by hunting down some of these “rare artifacts” Indiana Jones style.  See who can find the most pieces of art in a pre-determined time frame. Hint: the elevators are a great place to start.

Sing Your Lungs Out – A cruise ship staple for young and old alike is karaoke. Happening at different times throughout your Anthem cruise, there are scheduled family karaoke sessions. So, why not get the whole family together for a sing-a-long? Who cares if your 13 year old daughter is embarrassed! Grab her hand and head up to the stage to “Shake it Off” along with Taylor Swift.

Make a Memory – One of the untapped gems of Quantum class ships is The Workshop, a secluded space located in the upper level of Two70. With a variety of complimentary classes available, family members can work with cruise staff to create personalized scrapbooks for all those vacation memories. Even if you have never made one before, there is no better time than the present to start a new tradition. No previous experience is necessary; all you need to bring is your imagination and your DIY skills! And the kids get to play with glue sticks!

Pose with Shrek – Not only Shrek, but many members of the Dreamworks family are onboard, and they want to meet you and the kids. During most sea days, there are scheduled “meet and greet” times to take pictures with all of your favorites, from Princess Fiona and Shrek, to Gloria and Alex from Madagascar, to the cast of How to Train Your Dragon. So, grab your camera and make sure to bring your smiles! Most of these “meet and greets” do allow you to use your own camera for pictures, whereas some of them are for professional portraits only, so check the compass for details.

#SelfieAtSea with Shrek! #QuantumOfTheSeas

A photo posted by Royal Caribbean Blog.com (@royalcaribbeanblog) on Nov 13, 2014 at 9:17am PST

Stay in Shape – There are so many organized and unorganized fitness related opportunities onboard Anthem of the Seas that there is no excuse for not staying active during your cruise. Perhaps, just a walk around the sports deck every afternoon for some old fashioned “family time”. Or, you may want to up the ante by challenging your kids to a rock climbing race, or even a boogie board showdown on the surf simulator known as the Flowider. Remember, it will help work off some of those extra calories too!

Make it a Family Movie Night – I know, the last thing you might be thinking on your Caribbean cruise is that you want to sit indoors for 2 hours to watch a movie. Well, lucky for you, Anthem has extra-large outdoor movie screens located on the pool deck, playing family friendly movies. Depending on the length of your cruise, there will probably be two or three different movies playing in rotation.  With showings during the early evening, it might be the best time to snuggle up on a deck chair with your personal crew.

Now, all you need to do is book that vacation and get ready for some family fun. If you need some help arranging your Quantum class cruise, our exclusive planning guide might best place to start!  

Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley sent an email to all past guests that have sailed on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas with an offer of $100 onboard credit towards a future cruise on Anthem of the Seas.

Bayley's email was sent in response to the negative feedback surrounding Dynamic Dining on Quantum of the Seas in the ship's first few months.  Since that time, Royal Caribbean has worked to refine Dynamic Dining and the general Quantum-class experience.

Here is the content of the email to past passengers:

Thank you for being one of the first to sail onboard Quantum of the Seas. As the newest ship in our fleet, Quantum introduced many new concepts—which, I'm sure, is part of the reason you wanted to be among the first to experience it all. I know that things were not perfect, especially in the first few months of the inaugural season as we worked to refine the experience we set out to deliver. We listened to your feedback and it was clear we had some room to improve, especially with Dynamic Dining.

Many of you liked the flexibility of Dynamic Dining, but encountered issues with making reservations. Others simply wanted the more traditional dining experience to which they were accustomed on other ships. I assure you that we learn more with every sailing and with every comment we receive, and I'm pleased to announce that we've come up with a way to satisfy diners in either camp. Now, our more traditional diners can choose Dynamic Dining Classic, a new option that gives you the familiarity of traditional main dining by having the same dining times nightly, same waiters and same table companions throughout the cruise. And those of you who liked Dynamic Dining can enjoy even more flexibility and improved service throughout the experience, with Dynamic Dining Choice. We've already received a lot of positive feedback about these new options, and I can't wait to hear how you like it once you experience it for yourself.

As a gesture of goodwill and a thank you for your loyalty to Royal Caribbean, I invite you to come back and try the new and improved Dynamic Dining on our newest ship, Anthem of the Seas, and enjoy a gift of $100 in onboard credit per stateroom when you secure your booking in May.
Again, thank you for being our guest. We hope to welcome you aboard soon.

Cruise must be booked April 13 - May 31, 2015. Offer applies to all Anthem of the Seas sailings. Offer includes $100 OBC and applies to all stateroom categories. Promo Code ANTHEM must be entered to receive onboard credit.

When the sun goes down, Royal Caribbean's cruise ships seem to come alive with beautiful colors, reflections and lighting.  

Here are some of our favorite photos from a recent cruise aboard Quantum of the Seas.  Most of these photos were taken on the top decks of the ship, and there are also photos of Quantum of the Seas at night while docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Enjoy!

To view any of these images in a larger size, click the image.

Your Thoughts…

So which Royal Caribbean ship is your favorite at night? Do the newer ship classes look best at night or the smaller ships have a certain je ne sais quoi about them after the sun goes down? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas has a lot to offer, including a number of staterooms.  Today, we will look at the category L inside stateroom and take you through the cabin to give you an idea of what to expect if you book this category.

Inside staterooms on Quantum of the Seas feature what's known as a virtual balcony.  Virtual balconies are inside staterooms with an 80-inch LED screen that serve up ultra high definition views from floor to ceiling that make it look like you have a real balcony view but without the real balcony price.

On Quantum of the Seas, we reviewed stateroom 12231, which is located on Deck 12 just outside the aft elevator bank. Entry to the room is by RFID scanner, which is above the door handle.

Walking into the stateroom, it's hard to miss the focal point of the room, which is the virtual balcony.  The virtual balcony serves up views from various vantage points around the ship, depending on where the ship is.  When in port, you will get a view of the port but at sea, the view will change usually to the aft.

The bed is joined together but can be split apart if need be.  The virtual balcony can be turned on or off via a remote, although there are curtains provided if you would like to have the morning light come into your stateroom.

There is a large, flat screen television across from the bed, as well as a dresser below the television that has drawers for clothing and is also home to your mini-fridge.  Adjacent to the television and dresser is a desk with large mirror and power connectivity options.  You will also find along this wall one of the two large chairs.

On the other side of the room, there is a full-length mirror as well as your second large chair.  On both sides of the bed are bureaus and more storage options.  The safe is also located in one of the large dressers.

The bathroom features a stand up shower, sink and toilet.  Guests will find small bottles of shampoo, lotion, body wash and conditioner for use in the bathroom.  Your stateroom attendant will replenish your supply when necessary.

At 178 square feet, the category L inside stateroom offers the most room of the inside stateroom category.  It's quite comfortable for two passengers and perhaps a third passenger (preferably a child) could make the space work.  Anything more would be too tight a fit for comfort in our opinion.

For a solo cruiser or couple that wants to take advantage of the great inside stateroom pricing but wants a little more space, the Category L stateroom will be a perfect choice.

One of the stand out restaurants that are available on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas has to be Jamie's Italian.  This simple yet tasty take on Italian food by British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver brings a whole different Italian restaurant experience to Royal Caribbean.  

We're excited to share with you what Jamie's Italian offers and if you should give it a try on your cruise as well.

Atmosphere

Jamie's Italian is located in the Via section of the Royal Esplanade, close to Two70.  As you walk towards the restaurant, you will find an open air eatery that reminds you of a city sidewalk restaurant.

Once inside Jamie's Italian, you will find a restaurant that is simple in its look.  There's no traditional red and white checkerboard, Lady and the Tramp style tables either.  There's also not a hint of the formal look you may find in other Royal Caribbean specialty restaurants like Chops Grille or Portofino.

The tables and chairs are an assortment of different styles that almost look like the host called all of their friends to bring tables and chairs because the host did not have enough.  I'm not celebrity chef expert, but I do know that Jamie Oliver, the restaurant's namesake, purposefully makes his restaurants and food simple. 

After a few minutes looking around, Jamie's Italian feels like you're eating in someone's (very large) kitchen.  Tables are located all around the restaurant and the waiters are wearing simple white shirts with jeans.  There are also televisions on the walls showing Jamie Oliver cooking his food and there's an eclectic mix of popular music that we are told Jamie himself listens to.

Sitting down, you will find the restaurant feels very different than most other specialty restaurants.  If not for Wonderland, Jamie's Italian would certainly be the most unconventional specialty restaurant I've ever dined at on a Royal Caribbean ship.

Eats

The food at Jamie's Italian is quite obviously Italian but like the decor, it's not just spaghetti, pizza and other traditional fare.  

One of the neat things Jamie's Italian does is it makes all of its pasta by hand, each day.  When our waiter told us that, I immediately reconsidered what I was going to order because hand-made pasta makes a big difference compared to the boxed stuff.

When you walk into the restaurant, you will likely see many other tables enjoying food served off of a giant wooden plank and there's a good reason for it.  Citing the famous cliche, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, we also ordered the plank.  There are two to choose from: cured meats and seasonal vegetables.

Regardless of which plank you order, the waiter will ask you how many people will be enjoying the plank.  We told him two people and we wanted the cured meats plank.  Soon thereafter, he came out with a generous sampling of meats and cheeses.  There's fennel salami, pistachio mortadella, prosciutto & schiacciata picante.  If antipasti is your thing, this will be heaven for you.

I also sampled the arincini margherita, which are tomato & mozzarella risotto rice balls with arrabbiata sauce & Parmesan.  Of all the appetizers I sampled, this was my favorite.  I loved the texture and the sauce it was served on top of had a bit of kick to it.  

My table mates really liked the mushroom flatbread, which was definitely not pizza.  A mixture of fresh mushrooms and sprinkled cheese on top of a thin breading made for a great choice.  We realized about now that the appetizers alone were really, really good.

The crispy squid was exactly as the name implies.  My friend was the squid fan and reported it was quite good and definitely not chewy.

Perhaps the only disappointment of the meal was the Tuscan bean & single estate Italian olive oil bruschetta.  Ordinarilly, I love bruschetta but this was quite different than any bruschetta I've ever had.  It was cheesy (and not in a good way) and after one bite each, we all went back to our favorites.

A quick side note, I noticed on other tables in the restaurant there were View Finders and asked our waiter why we did not get one.  He informed me it was for children to see what the food they are going to order looks like.  I kindly requested I too get a chance to see our food in faux 3D, 1980's glory and I recommend asking for one too just for the fun of it!

Moving onto the entrees, once I figured out what aubergine meant (it's another name for eggplant), I ordered the aubergine parmigana. It's essentially a stack of baked eggplant slices in a warm pool of tomato sauce topped with cheese.  

Eggplant parmigana is an Italian food classic and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Was it better than the eggplant parm from Giovanni's Table? I'm not ready to go that far.

It is worth noting the freshly baked twisted garlic bread is really, really good and I recommend ordering an entire order of these just for your table to enjoy (or hoard them for yourself while giggling how good they are).

Earlier I had honed in on the fact their pasta was hand-made, so I ordered the penne pomodoro.  To most people, this is penne in a red sauce but again, the fresh pasta makes even a simple dish like this stand out.

The baked lasagna was a real treat as well, with the blend of fresh pasta (notice a trend yet?), mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and beef and pork.

I'm no connoisseur of lamb but the lamb chops were also quite good.

By now, we had been through a food war but our waiter insisted we try the desert.  Who am I to argue with a man in jeans?

There's a number of intriguing selections on the dessert menu but the one that caught my eye was the epic homemade brownie.  I mean, who can resist that kind of a title?

I can report that there is no case of false advertising here.  The epic homemade brownie was terrific.  What makes it epic?  There's a freshly baked warm fudgy brownie with vanilla ice cream and caramelized amartetti popcorn on top.  Yup, epic.

Overall

We had eaten at Jamie's Italian towards the end of my cruise and all throughout the voyage, other passengers had always mentioned how good Jamie's Italian was whenever the topic of dinners came up and now I know why.

Jamie's Italian offers a great selection of Italian food that differentiates itself from most other food available on Quantum of the Seas. It's an interesting "reboot" of what we think about when it comes to Italian food.

Nearly everything we offered was very good.  In fact, I think of all the restaurants onboard Quantum of the Seas, Jamie's Italian had the best ratio of hits to misses, in terms of good food to bad food picks.  

I was lucky to have dined with a group of friends because the food here is perfect for sharing and it gives everyone a chance to sample a little of everything.  

Like most Royal Caribbean restaurants, I found the portion sizes to be on the small size, which makes ordering multiple entrees (and appetizers earlier) an easier decision.