While onboard Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas, my daughter insisted on having lunch at her favorite specialty restaurant: Johnny Rockets.
My daughter was drawn to Johnny Rockets' no-frills atmosphere that serves up some really tasty comfort food. Burgers, hot dogs, fries and shakes are all available for a nominal fee.
With my daughter's passion for 1950's fare in mind, we re-visited Johnny Rockets on Navigator of the Seas once more to see how this favorite on land and sea holds up.
Johnny Rockets on Royal Caribbean's Voyager- and Freedom-class ships are so similar, I would wager one could not easily tell the difference between any two of them if they were blindfolded.
That is not a bad thing, just a statement on the restaurant's consistency with its sea-based implementation.
Guests dining at Johnny Rockets will find the burger joint on the rear of the ship, up on deck 12. It is located just before the sports deck activities.
The restaurant is divided into an indoor dining area and an outdoor dining area.
The indoor dining is very typical of any Johnny Rockets you may have been to on land, whereas the outdoor seating seems to be uniquely Royal Caribbean. Depending on weather conditions, eating outside will either be greatly preferable or impossible. It really depends on your tolerance for the conditions.
Given the climate controlled environment of the inside restaurant, it seems like most guests prefer to be seated there.
Once inside, you have a combination of booths and bar seating.
The restaurant is meant to evoke a 1950's diner feel, with plenty of chrome, red (p)leather and classic music tunes to hear.
Music is a big part of the experience at Johnny Rockets, with certain songs highlighted periodically throughout your meal, where the wait staff will get up and dance for your amusement.
There are jukeboxes at every table, but they were not functional for our meal. Quite frankly, I cannot recall a Royal Caribbean cruise on any ship where the machines actually worked.
One side of the restaurant has large glass windows, which gives a nice view of the ocean and other guests passing by.
Dining at Johnny Rockets is simply about enjoying classic American food: burgers, hot dogs, milk shakes, floats and the like.
Every meal begins with a plate of fries and onion rings. These will be refilled as needed, provided you can make a dent in them.
Johnny Rockets has a $6.95 per guest cover charge, and that cost includes all food and drink, minus milk shakes. Soda is included in your cover charge, which comes in a variety of varieties and flavors.
My daughter absolutely loves their hot dogs. I wish I could tell you why, but it is cooked well and not burnt (heaven forbid anyone that burns my daughter's hot dog) and seems to be her favorite.
I opted for the Streamliner, which is a veggie burger. I have eaten many veggie burgers in my day, but Johnny Rockets' veggie burger is really quite good.
Top it with grilled onions and mushrooms and I presume this as close as we will all get to the feeling my daughter has when eating her hot dog.
My wife chose a cheeseburger and my youngest daughter gnawed on a grilled cheese.
Both were great choices and essentially are good examples of why Johnny Rockets has been so successful over the years.
You can order as much food as you like from the menu, so feel free to go crazy with multiple entrees.
The milk shakes are the real deal, with a combination of ice cream and milk that is stirred by machine. That is important to note since many times ice cream in a cup is passed off as a milk shake.
Perhaps the one negative I can say about Johnny Rockets is regardless of how busy or empty the restaurant is, meals just take a while here. Not certain why, but do not expect a 20 minute quick meal here.
The best reason to go to Johnny Rockets is the same reason my daughter wanted to go: sometimes, you just want a really good hot dog or burger.
At $6.95 per person, it is still a great value when you consider it includes all the food you can eat, as well as sodas. A soda outside the restaurant would cost you about $2 each and there is no cherry or vanilla flavoring options.
The Johnny Rockets food will likely not "wow" you with flavor, but it usually hits the spot. Once you find your go-to menu item, it is hard to go wrong.
The milk shakes are always great choices and when you combine a good shake, burger and some onion rings, you have the recipe for a pretty good meal.
There are so many great places to eat at on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas that it is easy to overlook some of them. Johnny Rockets has been a staple of Royal Caribbean cruise ships since they debuted on Voyager of the Seas in 1999, and on Allure of the Seas, guests can enjoy a burger, hot dog or other classic American fare for just a few dollars.
Johnny Rockets on Allure of the Seas is a specialty restaurant with a cover charge, that includes all food on the menu (excluding beverages).
The Johnny Rockets menu on Allure of the Seas is virtually indistinguishable from Johnny Rockets on other Royal Caribbean ships, but there are some Oasis-class differences that make it a different kind of experience.
Johnny Rockets has become a fan favorite across all Royal Caribbean ships and on Allure of the Seas (and other Oasis-class ships), the Johnny Rockets experience is much larger (just like everything on this ship).
Unlike Johnny Rockets found on other Royal Caribbean ships, Johnny Rockets is set in the Boardwalk neighborhood and has a fairly large footprint.
The iconic 50's-style diner is still there, but there is a significant amount of outdoor seating that greatly expands the restaurant's guest capacity.
The outdoor seating area features basic metal tables and chairs that surround the entrance to the restaurant.
Dining outdoors gives guests the option of not just extra space, but a view of the Boardwalk and being able to enjoy the weather.
Inside Johnny Rockets, you have that classic diner feel that Johnny Rockets is well-known for and guests have come to expect.
There is seating inside Johnny Rockets in booths and at the bar, and more often than not, this is the most popular areas to sit inside.
The nostalgia factor that Johnny Rockets brings is what many guests have come to enjoy about dining here. The music of the 1950s and 1960s, the red and chrome motif and the wait staff that breaks into a dance every so often are all endearing parts of the Johnny Rockets experience.
Johnny Rockets on Allure of the Seas has two menus: breakfast and the day menu.
For breakfast, Johnny Rockets is complimentary for all guests, but lunch and dinner have a cover charge to them.
Breakfast is actually a great choice at Johnny Rockets because it is usually far less crowded than other places onboard and you can get a sit down meal here.
The breakfast menu consists of eggs cooked to your liking, breakfast sandwiches, French toast, pancakes and more.
Johnny Rockets is one of the few places on Allure of the Seas where guests can get custom made omelettes and that is a big deal (to me), because Royal Caribbean's mass-produced eggs are virtually inedible.
The rest of the breakfast menu offers some good choices and it is classic American breakfast foods. They may not be the best pancakes or French toast I have ever had, but they certainly taste good and considering they are complimentary, it is not a bad choice at all.
When the clock reaches the lunch hour, Johnny Rockets changes over to its more well-known menu and the $6.95 per person cover charge kicks in.
The cover charge includes the food only, with beverages costing extra. However, it seems that getting a milk shake or cherry vanilla Coke is a must-do at Johnny Rockets. Why? Well, it just compliments the food so well and is part of the experience.
Every table is served a plate of French fries and onion rings to start their meal with. Royal Caribbean figures you are likely to want them anyway, so they just bring them out before you even order as a pseudo-appetizer.
The service at Johnny Rockets can be somewhat slow, so these fries and rings are often a good way to avoid getting really hungry waiting for your main courses.
If you have been to a Johnny Rockets on land, the menu is similar to what you find there. The Johnny Rockets at sea menu is not quite as large in terms of options, but all your favorites are there.
All of the food here is cooked to order, and for those looking for the best burger on Allure of the Seas, it is hard to beat these choices.
The burgers, hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches are all solid bets and given that all the food is included, this may be a great opportunity to try a few different options out to see if you like them.
Johnny Rockets is just a fun spot that has earned its rightful place as a favorite among Royal Caribbean fans because it serves up really tasty American food that hits the spot as a snack or quick meal.
It is always interesting to eat at Johnny Rockets across various Royal Caribbean ships, but meals here tend to remain fairly similar and I think that is actually a good thing.
By far, if you are looking for a good breakfast spot, Johnny Rockets is a no-brainer considering it is complimentary. It is rarely busy for breakfast and the price is right.
Going to Johnny Rockets for lunch, dinner or something inbetween is never a bad idea. The worst thing I can say about Johnny Rockets is when they get busy, the service can take a long time. Lunch on sea days are especially susceptible to this kind of situation.
If you are looking for arguably the best burger onboard Allure of the Seas, Johnny Rockets is the place for you.
The thing about comfort food is it may not be the best thing you ever ate in your life, but sometimes you just need to indulge and Johnny Rockets is great for that.
Royal Caribbean's partnership with Johnny Rockets has lead to years of burgers, fries and shakes for guests to enjoy.
Johnny Rockets has become a cruising tradition for many Royal Caribbean fans, and we have some favorite aspects to share for your next visit!
On Oasis class ships, Johnny Rockets is open for breakfast and it is free!
During breakfast, you will find classic American fare (just like the other meals), including pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, eggs, French toast and more.
Besides the price tag, Johnny Rockets is often a less crowded spot for breakfast, so if you need a break from breakfast in the Windjammer, head over to the Boardwalk and start your morning there.
Part of Johnny Rockets' appeal is the schtick of being a 1950s diner, down to the wait staff.
Throughout your meal, the Johnny Rockets waiters and cooks will line up and start dancing to the music. Heck, they might even invite you to join them.
This part of the meal is not just entertaining, it is also an endearing aspect of the experience and something you have to see at least once if dining there.
Everyone talks about the burgers, fries and other food available as part of your meal but do not overlook (or forget about) dessert!
Lesser appreciated, although no less tasty, Johnny Rockets' dessert options are really amazing.
The ice cream sundae and apple pie are really, really good and worth skipping a few onion rings to save room for.
The cover charge to dine at Johnny Rockets wont break anyone's bank, but there are still ways to save a few dollars when dining there.
Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Society members will have discounts preloaded on their SeaPass card at the beginning of their cruise, including a discount for Johnny Rockets.
The exact discount will vary depending on your Crown and Anchor Society status, but in the past, we have seen discounts for buy one, get one milkshakes as well as complimentary cover charges.
You can tell something is really good when everything else on the menu is included in the cover charge except for one thing.
The milkshakes at Johnny Rockets are made with hand-dipped premium ice cream and are as good as they sound.
Milkshakes come in three flavors: vanilla, chocolate or strawberry.
There is an additional cost to the milkshakes, but it might be one of the best, inexpensive splurges available on your Royal Caribbean cruise.
Many Royal Caribbean cruise ships offer guests the opportunity to dine at Johnny Rockets, a retro-inspired restaurant where you’ll feel like you stepped back in time to an era of sock hops, soda fountains and drive-in theaters.
Johnny Rockets has been working with Royal Caribbean since 1999, when the first Johnny Rockets debuted on Voyager of the Seas. Since then, Johnny Rockets has spread to over a dozen cruise ships.
When you step inside a Johnny Rockets, you will find a recreation of an American diner from the 1950's.
Johnny Rockets on Freedom of the Seas
Walking into the diner, you will find booths with red vinyl seats opposite a long counter of white tile with chrome trim. You will hear music from the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's that play continuously.
The crew members working at Johnny Rockets look the part as well, with their paper hats and long white aprons.
In fact, the crew members will stop what they are doing and jump into a line dance for certain songs.
Johnny Rockets on Quantum of the Seas
On the Quantum class ships, the set up is more open. Instead of an enclosed restaurant, you will find an open air restaurant on the pool deck where you place your order at the counter and then wait for your food to be prepared and can eat it in the restaurant or take it elsewhere on the ship.
On most ships, Johnny Rockets comes with a cover charge of $6.95 per person that includes most food on the menu You will be able to eat as much as you care to order. Milk shakes and other beverages come with an extra cost.
On the Quantum class cruise ships, Johnny Rockets does not have a cover charge and instead has an a la carte menu, where each item on the menu has an individual cost.
Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society members will often get a coupon to dine at Johnny Rockets, which is usually a free cover charge.
On ships that offer Johnny Rockets, when the restaurant is open, guests can go dine there at any time and will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.
There is seating in booths, at the counter and also outside the restaurant (weather permitting).
As you are seated, you will be handed a menu by your waiter and have a choice between hamburgers, melts, hot dogs, sandwiches, fries, onion rings and more.
Each table is given a side of onion rings and french fries to start with, before your main courses arrive.
On Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, Johnny Rockets is open for breakfast and it's complimentary.
For breakfast, Johnny Rockets serves up fried or scrambled eggs, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, french toast, omelettes and more.
Juice, milk, coffee, tea and hot chocolate are included in the meal as well.
Have you eaten at Johnny Rockets on a Royal Caribbean ship? Let us know in the comments!