There's a new kind of experience on Royal Caribbean's cruise ship that is unlike anything else we've seen on a ship , just don't call it "another restaurant."
Royal Railway Utopia Station is an immersive dining experience, where guests feel like they're on a classic train that surrounds them with sight, sound, and visual effects.
Traditionally cruise ship restaurants rely primarily on the cuisine, with a bit of decor style to make it pleasing to the eye. Royal Railway goes well beyond that by incorporating the two things most people look for in a vacation: food and destination.
Think of Royal Railway as a platform, rather than a restaurant. Unlike Chops Grille steakhouse, Royal Railway can change themes and cuisines to offer different experiences. Over the next few months, Royal Caribbean will incorporate more show types and expand its offerings.
The cost of Royal Railway starts at $74.99 per adult and $24.99 per child. Those with an Unlimited Dining Package can pay a $15 surcharge for adults and no extra cost for kids.
On my visit, I went through the Wild West theme to see what it's all about.
Disclosure: Royal Caribbean invited me to dine at Royal Railway during a preview event, and I did not pay for my meal.
Going west
The day of the meal, guests receive a paper ticket at their stateroom that they'll need to bring to the restaurant in order to board, just like a real train.
Royal Railway is tucked away on deck 4, and you might not know it's there until you see the train station flip board that hints at what's to come.
You then walk onto the platform, where you wait for your train to board. This is the welcome moment, where adults are given glass flasks of alcohol to drink while they wait for their train. The platform feels purposefully dingy, and the entire area looks like a train station instead of an area on a cruise ship.
A fun fact about the platform is it has a house phone for calling anywhere around the ship, but to fit into the period, it's a rotary phone.
When boarding begins, you have a few minutes to either remain on the platform or board immediately. But you'll probably want to see the train itself and start the journey.
Royal Caribbean says the train car design is based on a few different classic trains of the late 19th century and early 20th century. It's meant to be timeless, rather than a specific train.
There's bench seating that comes in 2 or 4 tops. The tables cannot be moved, as it's just like a train in that sense and fixed.
As you're seated, it might feel like dinner at another restaurant, but once the train leaves the station, that's where the similarities end.
The train starts up, and the subwoofers in the seats provide a gentle jolt as the train slowly accelerates out of the station. It's not jarring, it simply provides a sensation of movement. The window blinds open up revealing a digital landscape around you that can be seen all around the car.
In the Old West mode, you'll see mountains, deserts, gold rush towns, and every other typical scene you've ever seen in a western movie.
The menu has a choice of appetizer, entree, and desert. Each of the menu choices seems to tick a box of food type: beef, chicken, vegetarian, fish. It's American fare that I think will suit most palates.
Everyone's meals in the car are served at the same time, similar to Chef's Table or Empire Supper Club.
I tried a few different items across the menu, but my favorites were the Fart 'n Dart Beans, Corn Chowder, Royal Railway cigar dessert. My tablemate commented the lobster was fantastic.
Throughout the meal, there's a story being told and this is when the immersive experience begins to take shape. Not only are you seated in a train car, but you now have the visuals around you, characters in the car pulling you into the story, and of course the meal you're enjoying.
The story aspect is light hearted and a pleasant interlude between servings. There's still plenty of time to relax and talk with your tablemates, and each of the scenes that takes place only takes a few minutes.
My favorite part of the story is the conductor that comes in with telegrams that are addressed to certain guests in the car. He reads them aloud, and they're silly and sure to get a laugh when you hear the subject and then realize it's for someone in your group.
Our reservation was for 8:30pm and it was complete by about 9:45pm.
More ideas to come
The Wild West story is certainly a family-leaning experience, but Royal Caribbean plans to offer more themes. In about 30-45 days, they hope to launch their second theme, Silk Routes, which is a Marco Polo journey from the Orient back to the West. It's more adult-themed in the sense they envision it being a good fit for date night.
There's plans for a few more themes, along with a brunch option, and even whiskey tastings.
A platform with many possibilities
It became very apparent to me the incredible potential the train car has once Royal Caribbean is able to fully leverage it with a series of themes and offerings. It reminds me of a video game console, where one game alone might not be enough, but when you add multiple games, then you really enjoy it.
I enjoyed the Old West theme, and would love to bring my family onboard so they can experience it. But I'm even more excited for the next iterations of Royal Railway because it adds so much repeat value.
Unlike specialty restaurants, I think Royal Railway is about experience first, and food second. That isn't to say the food is bad at all, rather, it's a total package instead of being just about what you eat.
A real memory maker
Visually, it's stunning, and I think it's one of those things to do on a cruise ship that will resonate with families.
Royal Caribbean is always looking for ways to create memories for its guests, and it seems Royal Railway was created to do just that. It's an undeniably different kind of meal, and that will make it stand out when you look back on your vacation.
I think someone booking Royal Railway is going to do so because they want to do something fun and different during their cruise. The sort of activity that they can talk about when they get back home.
Royal Railway is unlike any other specialty restaurant I've tried on a cruise ship because it's not really a specialty restaurant. It's something completely different that doesn't really fit into the defined categories we usually think about on a cruise. The fact there's something new to try is what has always appealed to me about cruising, as well as Royal Caribbean's continuous drive to push the envelope of what you can do on a ship.
