Royal Caribbean's new immersive restaurant might be the most fun dining experience I've had in a long time.

Available on the new Legend of the Seas ship, Royal Railway Legend Station is a new offering of a restaurant they debuted a few short years ago. This new version is smoother, offers higher quality cuisine, and delivers the kind of meal you'll be talking about for a long time.

When Royal Caribbean invited me to try it on a preview sailing of the new ship, I was eager to see how this experience would measure up.  I had experienced the Wild West show on Utopia of the Seas and even went to an early test preview at Miami Headquarters. 

When you combine great food, technology, and entertainment, you get what might be the best elevated dinner experience that encapsulates everything Royal Caribbean wants in everything on its ships: a terrific memory maker.

After taking in every minute of the 90 minute meal, here's what my experience at Royal Railway was like.

Disclosure: Royal Caribbean invited me to sail on Legend of the Seas and dine at Royal Railway for no cost. I purchased separately Royal Railway on another upcoming sailing that I paid for on my own.

Royal Railway is a dinner show that looks like you're on a train

Located on the Royal Promenade, you'll find what appears to be a train station and this is all part of the story telling at Royal Railway.

Unlike traditional specialty restaurants on cruise ships that offer a specific type of cuisine, there's show and technology that aims to transport you to a different time and place.

It costs extra to dine at the Royal Railway, which should be booked before the cruise begins via the Royal Caribbean app. Yes, printed tickets are delivered to your cabin that you need to bring with you.

About 30 minutes prior to your train time, you can enter the station. This is where I already started getting impressed.

You walk onto a station platform that looks and sounds like a real train station. There's even a bar that has cocktails you can order for your ride.

The level of detail on the platform alone sets the tone for why Royal Railway is so impressive.

When it's time for your train (dinner and show), a conductor will call for everyone to board.

I was impressed by the variety and flavor of each course

Each train car has a table for two or four, where the full menu is waiting.

The story behind Royal Railway is you're following the Silk Routes that Marco Polo took on his journey back from the Orient to Europe.

Each region your train visits along his famous path represents a course of food and cuisine. Most of the food is served family style, but the main entree (Turkey) is ordered individually.

There's food from Persia, India, Turkey, China, and Italy.  Other than Turkey, all the food are small bites that are meant to be shared. All the food from Italy and China are served to each person as a sampling platter.

Before we talk about the show, I think the food should be recognized for being sophisticated, yet palate pleasing.  You don't have to be a foodie to enjoy eating here, as there's lots to choose from.  There's even a kids menu that anyone can ask for!

I was so impressed by the Silk Routes food, to the point I would go back just for the food options.

The original Royal Railway on Utopia of the Seas had a more family-focused menu and its food was good, but didn't wow me. The Silk Routes menu is a significant step up in variety and flavor.

Your journey begins in China, where a trio of appetizers are served to each person.

The Wood Ear Mushroom Spring Roll had such great flavor, and I was pleasantly surprised how much better it was than your average spring roll.

The Hoisin Duck Egg Rolls sounded strange (I don't ever order duck), but I really enjoyed it.

Moving to India, a platter of food is served for your table to share. 

I love Indian food so much, so this was the highlight of my meal. As someone that has eaten a lot of Indian on Royal Caribbean ships, this is not your garden variety Windjammer curry.

While Indian food might be somewhat polarizing, I think the flavors and spice level are quite balanced for novice tastes.  Nothing was overly spicy, but it retained plenty of flavor. Stick with the Butter Chicken and Potato Chop if you're new to Indian food.

In Persia, a palate cleanser is served to prepare you for your entree.

It's a tasty sorbet that was more like pre-dessert than anything, so I enjoyed it!

In Turkey, your entrees are served and we went with the two kebabs.  One is a beef kebab and the other an Impossible (vegan) kebab. 

Very similar flavor profiles for both, and I ate every bite.  This is when I started hitting my food limit because I had eaten everything from the Indian serving earlier.

At dessert, there's another sampler provided for everyone. 

Our table's favorite was the Stracciatella Gelato, but my wife really liked the Raspberry Bombolini.

This is the best use of technology on a cruise ship

What elevates Royal Railway beyond just another cruise ship specialty restaurant is the train experience.

Through the use of technology, it looks and feels like you're riding on a train.

As your train pulls out of the station, the windows open and you have a digital view of the places Marco Polo visited. The rumble of the tracks is felt in subtle vibrations in your seat.  The car itself gently moves to simulate movement.

In addition to following Marco Polo's route, each region you visit will celebrate a festival. Holi in India, Chinese New Year, and Hot Air Balloon Festival in Turkey, for example.

Each second of the ride has something else to see outside the window and what you see on one side is different than what's on the other side.

It's a convincing simulation, while your conductor hosts stops in periodically to narrate and explain the significance of the region, Polo's experience there, and what the food you're being served represents.

Silk Routes solves for most of the issues with the first restaurant

One major improvement with Silk Routes is the pacing and story telling is much better. There's more storytelling on Utopia, which felt like interruptions to a dinner meal many times.

I think there's a much better balance of show, food, and story this time around.

I loved my meal and show, but I recognize there are two possible problems with Royal Railway for some guests.

While the menu has a good deal of variety, it's not as familiar food as you might find in the Main Dining Room or a specialty restaurant like Chops Grille. 

My kids are very picky eaters, and would probably eat less than half the food served. 

The other issue is cost, because Royal Railway isn't cheap. For an upcoming sailings, the cost of one person is $165 (slightly cheaper for kids).  That's over $500 for dinner for four people.

Of course, this isn't your typical specialty restaurant and there's much more that comes with your dinner than just different food. Royal Caribbean calls it a real memory making experience.  Not once-in-a-lifetime, but certainly the kind of meal you might book to try and use it for a special evening.

Dinner you won't forget

As someone that's always looking for experiences that stand out as being unlike anything I can do anywhere else, this hits that target squarely in the center. There's no way you won't dine at Royal Railway and not come home and tell your friends about it.

Moreover, it's not just about it looking like a train. The show element is very well done, but the food stands out on its own as something I wish I could get more of separately.

Royal Caribbean's CEO revealed where the new Discovery Class ships are likely to sail.

While the cruise line is still being tight lipped on just about every detail, it's becoming clearer the Discovery Class ships likely won't be doing traditional Caribbean voyages to the usual places.

Royal Caribbean has ordered two ships so far, with the first one ready to sail sometime in 2029. But beyond that, there hasn't been much additional information divulged.

While sailing on Legend of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley answered a question about this new ship class and gave us a better idea of where these new ships are headed.

A new ship with exotic experiences

Mr. Bayley was keen to not share any significant news about the Discovery Class ships yet, but he elaborated on where they are headed.

There's been rampant speculation as to what Royal Caribbean's plans are for these ships, especially since they won't be as large as the Icon Class ships.

Mr. Bayley specifically called out three parts of the world we will see Discovery Class ships: Asia, Alaska, and Europe.

"Discovery Class is a class for Royal Caribbean. It is a class by its name that will go to Asia, it will go to Alaska, it will go to European itineraries," he said.

"That ship will be specifically designed for those types of more exotic experiences."

Previously, he had only alluded to the fact there would be more exotic destinations. Now we know more precisely which of those markets these ships are headed towards.

In September 2025, he confirmed the ships wouldn't be doing the same routes as the Icon and Oasis Class ships.

Part of that decision to send Discovery on more exotic routes is because of guest feedback, "We've learned about the segment of guests who want to go on these different types of itineraries. And we've packaged and built it into Discovery."

At Wednesday's meeting, he also repeated the fact Discovery Class ships will be able to fit in the Panama Canal, which will allow them to get from one part of the world to the other with less time.

"We'll be able to go through the Panama Canal... which changes access to more exotic destinations."

He explained having to go around South America is a 60 day journey, but going through the Panama Canal reduces that time to just about two weeks. That allows the ship to move around more efficiently.

One more small detail mentioned was these ships are sourcing the best ideas from Royal Caribbean's other ships.

"We've literally taken everything we've learned from all of the classes that have preceded Discovery, including this class, which is, we think, phenomenal class."

When we can expect to hear more details

I know what you're thinking: enough of the speculation, when will Royal Caribbean actually reveal everything about the Discovery Class?

According to Bayley, that should occur in late 2027.

"We'll be super happy to talk about Discovery about typically 18 to 24 months before the ship first sails."

What we know so far

The comments shared today reflect a new ship that is very much still in development, and that's part of why so few details are known.

Royal Caribbean announced they placed an order for two cruise ships earlier this year.

Both are being built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France. The first will debut in 2029 and the second in 2032.

There are options for four additional ships to be built, should the cruise line exercise those options at a later date.

Thanks to filings with the U.S. government, we also have an idea of how big the ships are.

According to Royal Caribbean Group's form 10-Q filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the new ship will have an approximate passenger count (berths) of 4,300.

That's about 1,300 passengers less than the Icon Class ships.

While Legend of the Seas might not be that different from Royal Caribbean's other Icon Class ships, it does a few things differently and it's a win.

No matter how many cruise ships Royal Caribbean builds, each new one comes with a few tweaks and adjustments.  New shows and specialty dining are always going to be different, but other changes also get included.

I've scoured the newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship for everything on Legend of the Seas that is new or updated to see which ones truly stand out as being better than we saw before.

I think it's great that even if this is the third Icon ship, it's not a carbon copy of the ones that came before it. It keeps things fresh, even if they didn't remove the screechy wire baskets in the staterooms yet.

Here are 6 improvements Royal Caribbean made on Legend of the Seas that are better than Icon or Star of the Seas.

The Pearl is what we always wanted from it

As soon as you board Legend of the Seas, you will instantly notice The Pearl here is very different from what you've seen on other ships.

Inside it's brighter, more colorful, and animated.  It's stunning, and I dare you not to walk in front of it and not take a photo or selfie.

Earlier versions of The Pearl were impressive, but this one is on another level because of how beautiful it's interior is.  I think this version is the vision for this space all along, but it took a few iterations (and time) to get it right.

I remember there was a lot of hype for The Pearl when it first opened on Icon of the Seas, but now we have a version of it that lives up to it.

Expanding the casino to two decks is a big win

There is a two-deck casino, which adds an additional non-smoking section to deck 3. 

The lower level isn't as large as the main floor, but it does add quite a lot of new slot machines and tables.

There's a staircase in the middle that goes between both decks of the casino and a new casino bar at the base of the stairs. It reminds me of the stairs that lead to the casino on the Freedom and Voyager Class ships.

Royal Caribbean has prioritized more gambling space over the last few years, and in the case of Legend, the expanded casino replaces the ship's conference center.

Considering how popular Casino Royale has become in recent years, more slots and tables means less competing for them among fellow passengers.

Unlike the expanded casinos on the Oasis Class, this new area is connected to the main area so it feels less disjointed and you don't have to play the game of "I wonder if the other section is less crowded".

The rubber ducks carousel is undeniably cute

I never expected the new carousel design in Surfside to be as adorable as it turned out to be when a rubber duck themed design was revealed.

Everything in Surfside is meant to be for kids, but I can appreciate the carousel here has a cutesy look that fits so perfectly in.

In fact, Royal Caribbean has gone all-in with the rubber ducks on cruise ships idea with this new ship. The carousel embodies it, and there are plenty of duck shopping opportunities around the ship.

Each rubber duck on the carousel has a name and a backstory to it.  It's going to be a challenge for children, when given the choice, of which they want to ride first because inevitably I think they will have favorites.

As an adult, I might not be as infatuated with each individual duck. But I do recognize this carousel is a step-up from the previous versions because there's clearly been more thought in how to make this one stand out.

Removing the comedy club is a miss, but Royal Railway looks incredible

I think every cruise ship should have a comedy club, however, there's no question Royal Railway is a very impressive replacement.

Royal Caribbean sought to build an immersive experience that makes you feel like you're dining on a classic train. Now it really looks and feels like you've stepped onto a real train station with cars ready to whisk you away.

I was blown away by the platform design, both in size and scope. There's even a bar on the platform, which I'm told will be open to all guests to stop by and enjoy drinks there.

I have yet to experience dinner onboard (look for my review later this week), but there's no doubt the Product Design folks went all out to make you think you're really on a train. 

There are so many little details, including some very creative newspaper clippings near the bar. As a fan of quality design, I love how this new space really does make it feel like you've stepped from cruise ship to train station.

The crystal blocks are such a smart idea

Royal Caribbean shared a fun idea for their loyal members that reach a loyalty milestone while sailing on Legend of the Seas.

After getting 140 Crown and Anchor Society points, you're eligible for a crystal block gift.  You'll get another every 70 points thereafter.

For Legend of the Seas, someone at headquarters got creative because there's a limited-edition Legend of the Seas Inaugural Season Crystal Block.

It features the all-new Legend of the Seas on the front and the original Legend on the back. It's a wonderful homage to the legacy of this ship's name, and I think loyal cruisers will appreciate the connection to Royal Caribbean's past.

There are so many more shops with things you might actually buy

I'll admit I usually breeze past most shops on a cruise ship because they're more or less the same, but they've re-thought some of the retail spaces on Legend.

While there will always be fine jewelry shops on cruise ships, I think Royal Caribbean rethought some of its shopping spaces to be more practical. I think people on a cruise vacation are more likely to be inclined to buy a fun souvenir than an expensive one.

Instead of Royal Bling, there's now a Sol & Sea shop that has more everyday clothing to purchase. In Surfside, there are shops with fun souvenirs to browse.

On the Royal Promenade, you'll find Jellycats, blind boxes, Funko collectibles and more.  If you don't know, these are really popular among kids and collectors alike.

Royal Caribbean is not shy about trying to outdo itself, and it's new cruise ship makes an already successful class even better.

Legend of the Seas is the third Icon Class ship and it welcomed members of the media onboard to get a first look at what's new and different.

One thing you have to know about Royal Caribbean is they are never content with what's been done. New ships are opportunities to evolve what's loved, add more for guests to discover, and improve everything else.

I boarded Legend of the Seas in Malaga, Spain for a short 4-night preview sailing to see what the new world's biggest cruise ship has to offer.

Big and small changes are everywhere

Royal Caribbean has spent years marketing this ship, so some of what's different about Legend of the Seas is well-known. But lots of other tweaks don't make the press release.

The two big areas where Legend differs from Icon of the Seas or Star of the Seas are dining and entertainment.

Walking around this brand new ship, Legend is different enough without messing with what has worked so well on the first two ships. It appears more fundamental changes will have to wait for Hero of the Seas.

By far, the new dining is stealing the show even before the ship has welcomed any passengers have stepped on.

The new Hollywoodland Supper Club is an intimate and sophisticated dinner option where guests can enjoy entertainment, paired cocktails and exquisite food.

This restaurant is themed to the glitz and glamor of Hollywood, filled with movie stars and galas. As my mom would say, "music you can hum along to" because it's so well-known.

Perhaps the main attraction is the new Royal Railway restaurant, which is a first for the Icon Class.

This takes the place of the comedy club onboard, and it's a marvel of engineering, story telling, and great food.

One major difference is how much bigger the space is and how it really feels like you're on a train station before you step foot on a classic train.

Silk Routes is a dinner option that matches the route Marco Polo took from the Orient back east, with each course of food matching the region you're traveling in. Butter chicken in India, Adana kebab in Turkey, Raspberry Bombolini in Italy, and more.

Given it's small size, it's a hot ticket and the kind of dining experience you can't find anywhere else.

Legend of the Seas is filled with all new shows at every venue, which is a staple of Royal Caribbean.  

Two new shows headline the lineup.  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an all-new musical that is shown in the Royal Theater.

Another can't miss show is America's Got Talent LIVE.  

A variety talent show, this is something different for Royal Caribbean, and I can't wait to see the initial performances onboard.

One major differentiating factor to Legend (and all the Icon Class ships) is how focused it is on families.

Not only are there plenty of cabins designed for young families, but there's more for them onboard.

Surfside is an entire area with younger children in mind. It has a splash area, aqua park, and an all-new carousel.

This carousel has the cutest rubber ducks you can ride on, making it endearing for children.

Speaking of kids, there are kids-focused restaurants in Surfside, including a kids buffet, grab-and-go burger and pizza station, and a bar that serves "mommy and me" matching mocktails for kids and cocktails for grownups.

Many parents will appreciate how much larger the casino is on Legend. 

It actually spans two decks, with a beautiful passage within the middle of it.  Royal Caribbean has steadily increased its gaming space across ships, and the casino on Legend has the feel of a land-based resort.

Royal Caribbean also included an homage to the ship's predecessor of the same name.

The original Legend of the Seas ship model can be found in the Schooner Bar, which will instantly stand out for how very different the original is to today's version. 

The Pearl will stop you in your tracks

It's hard not to notice the upgraded visuals of The Pearl as you walk onboard Legend of the Seas.

While this architectural and engineering marvel is impressive on any ship, inside it's a kaleidoscope of colors and movements. It's a bright neon infusion that will make this an absolute must-stop for a selfie every time you pass by.

This is a classic example of how the third ship in a class can stand out from other ships and instantly make the previous ships feel just a little bit dated.

The core of what makes these ships so good is still here

Royal Caribbean knows what works well, and they haven't deviated much from what made Icon of the Seas a game changing success.

There are 8 neighborhoods, including Central Park in the middle of the ship, Thrill Island and its six water slides, indoor AquaTheater, and expansive Royal Promenade.

A ship this large might concern you that it would be difficult to navigate, but I think the Icon Class ships are the easiest to get around.  Not only do the neighborhoods help distinguish different areas so you know where you are, but there are escalators, well-positioned stairs, and the super quick destination elevators.

The ship's food hall is back again, albeit with a new lineup of restaurants.  There are Korean rice bowls, Mexican tacos, and the fan favorite crepes.

This is a great example of something that was brand new to the fleet when it debuted on Icon, but now is the sort of "how did I ever cruise without it" feature.

The Category Six waterpark has six waterslides that have quickly become a must-do for so many people that cruise on these ships.

The first Legend of the Seas sailing begins next week

Legend of the Seas is 248,663 gross tons and can accommodate 5,610 passengers at double occupancy. It's able to hold up to 7,600 passengers. When you add in the 2,350 crew members, it's the very definition of a mega ship.

The maiden voyage will take place on July 4, 2026 when Legend sets sail from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy. This will be the first time paying passengers will onboard, and will kick off the ship's summer season in Europe.

The new ship will offer 7-night Western Mediterranean sailings from Barcelona, Spain. Visits will include Marseille, France; Civitavecchia, Italy; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and La Spezia, Italy.

In November, Legend of the Seas will move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she'll offer a series of six- and eight-night cruises to the Western and Southern Caribbean. Each cruise will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Cruises on Legend of the Seas are available to book through April 2028. At the time of publication, an interior stateroom on the Nov. 11 3-night naming cruise starts at $796 per person. If you want to sail longer, there is a 6-night voyage on January 3, 2027 that starts at $1,138 per person in an inside cabin.

Happy Sunday! Hope you are having a relaxing weekend and enjoying summer! It is time to sit back, relax, and catch up on all the recent Royal Caribbean news!

A dead, pregnant endangered fin whale was found on the bow of an Alaska cruise ship as it returned to port.

The incident prompted a federal investigation into what is believed to be a vessel trike that caused the death of the animal.

Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas was the ship involved in the incident.

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NEW RCB Video: Free things you can get on a cruise by asking

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Free things you can get on a cruise by asking— and don’t forget to subscribe here.

FBI warns public to report crimes on cruise ships

The FBI wants cruise ship passengers to report crimes that occur onboard.

Crimes at sea look different than on land, but they're still prosecutable. 

The FBI is urging passengers to report incidents immediately to cruise ship security.

Another casino expansion has been announced

Royal Caribbean is going to expand the casino space on Symphony of the Seas, following a growing trend onboard.

In fall 2026, a new non-smoking casino will be added, replacing the Crown Lounge and the Comedy Club.

A similar change will also be made on two other Oasis Class ships later this year.

Royal Caribbean expands access to the Royal Genies

If you're willing to pay for it, you can enjoy the services of the Royal Genie on every ship in the fleet.

Royal Caribbean confirmed that the Royal Genie Service is now available on all ships globally.

This includes Freedom, Radiance, Voyager, and Vision Class ships.

What's changed on Royal Caribbean's upgraded Liberty of the Seas

After completing big changes to Liberty of the Seas, our team got a first-hand look at what's new and different.

Liberty is the latest ship to be amplified, which means many new venues and features have been added or swapped out onboard.

This includes restaurants, bars, entertainment, and more.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 614th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available with small tweaks to how you cruise.

Matt ranks the Royal Caribbean bars by vibe and best drink at each.

Please feel free to subscribe via YouTube, iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! 

Royal Caribbean is adding a non-smoking casino to another of its mega ships, replacing other venues.

Symphony of the Seas is one of the biggest ships in the world, and this fall it will get an update to expand its casino. The change will coincide with swapping out a couple of other venues.

In an email to casino players, Royal Caribbean confirmed it will expand the casino space on the ship sometime in Fall 2026.

Since there is no drydock scheduled, it appears the ship is conducting in-service work. This means the ship will continue sailing, but there will be a few weeks of construction while the work is completed.

A guest sailing on Symphony of the Seas this week heard the changes will be complete by September, "We are onboard and they are supposed to do it by September."

This change isn't unique, as the cruise line has made similar changes to most of its other Oasis Class ships.

We expect the Crown Lounge and comedy club to be removed so that the casino space can takeover.  

Comedy Shows will be moved permanently to the Royal Theater instead of having a more intimate club feel.

The Crown Lounge will likely be relocated, which is a dedicated area for Crown and Anchor Society members that are at least Diamond level or above.

On other ships, this space has been moved to Deck 16 to replace the Teen Club.  The Teen Club was renovated on those ships and become smaller.

What's coming next

When the new section of the casino opens, it will offer more space than ever for non-smokers.

When combined with the smoking section, there will be over 29,000 square feet of casino space.

598 slot machines and 38 tables games will be offered onboard.

A push for non-smokers to gamble more

Casinos on cruise ships have become big business for Royal Caribbean. They've systematically expanded the casino on numerous ships over the past few years, indicating the change is part of a strategy to offer more opportunities for passengers to gamble.

This all started with Wonder of the Seas when that cruise ship first entered service.

Wonder was originally destined for China and designed with more gambling spaces.  But a last-minute change kept Wonder in North America, and the cruise line experimented with keeping plans for a non-smoking casino in lieu of a jazz club.

Shortly thereafter, all the Jazz on 4 clubs on other Oasis Class ships were converted to non-smoking casinos. The jazz performers were relocated to Central Park.

More recently, Royal Caribbean replaced a wine bar on Freedom of the Seas and a pub on Radiance of the Seas with non-smoking casinos.

Losing the comedy clubs is a hit to entertainment

While the Crown Lounge will be relocated to a different space, there won't be a dedicated comedy club anymore on Symphony of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean will continue offering comedy shows in the much larger Royal Theater, but it's a far less intimate venue.

Some comedians use "crowd work" to interact with guests and generate funny jokes. Trying to do that in a theater is more difficult since the comedian is further from the audience, and the audience cannot easily see each other.

Trying to solve a problem and make more money

This change on Symphony of the Seas is an attempt to accomplish two goals: generate profit and satisfy its guests needs.

While the original casino on Symphony of the Seas has a non-smoking section, it's part of a larger room. The reality is the smoke from the smoking section permeates across to the non-smoking side, leaving an odor.

While Royal Caribbean is unwilling to ban smoking in the casino, it prefers to add dedicated non-smoking gambling space instead.

The idea is to offer a completely smoke-free area for cruisers, so there's less compromise.

Gambling on Royal Caribbean has gained in popularity over the last few years. Not only has there been a surge in interest among passengers trying to take advantage of the casino loyalty program, but the expanding casino space on other ships clearly indicates the cruise line sees value there.

Legend of the Seas will debut with the line's first two-story casino, and Harmony of the Seas just had its casino expanded to become the biggest in the fleet.

Royal Caribbean doesn't share information regarding how profitable its casinos are, but the expanding casino footprint across the fleet is part of a pattern of actions that wouldn't make sense if it wasn't generating money for them.

I thought I knew what to expect from a cruise, but trying an ultra-luxury cruise completely changed my perspective.

I had cruised with Royal Caribbean for 20 years before I tried my first two Silversea sailings, and the experience surprised me more than I expected.

While I had been on Celebrity Cruises, which is a premium cruise line, the experience on Silversea was completely different than anything I had ever had done before.  The approach to cruising on a luxury line is fundamentally different.

I've sailed on Silver Dawn and Silver Ray, with the Ray being the newest ship in the Silversea fleet.  Both ships offer the latest innovations and options you'll find on this brand, and it opened my eyes in a few ways to how different the experience could be from what I was used to on Royal Caribbean.

Thanks to status matching and the ability to earn loyalty points anyway you like, the opportunity to try one of the other lines within the Royal Caribbean Group family is more enticing than ever.  

After spending almost three weeks on Silversea ships, here's what surprised me the most about the experience.

The dress code has been greatly relaxed

Before I stepped foot on a Silversea ship, I knew they had a much more stringent dress code than Royal Caribbean ever had.

However, they have revised their dress code twice and each time it's been relaxed to be less stringent.

As of June 1, after 6pm guests can wear nice jeans (think dark wash, no holes).  Jackets for men are optional every night, even on formal night. You can even wear anything not a proper tennis shoe to dinner.

The idea is it aligns more with a country club feel, and feels less stuffy.  

As a Royal Caribbean cruiser, these are welcome changes. It gives me more options in how to dress up for dinner, and lowers the barrier to trying it. Plus, I think it reflects what society expects.  Even on an ultra-luxury cruise, the reality is "nice jeans" are quite prevalent in how people dress today.

Your loyalty status isn't as important when everything is included

On Royal Caribbean, your loyalty level includes so many perks, but it's far less important on Silversea.

Your Seapass card doesn't have any indication if it's your first Silversea cruise or your fiftieth.  

On the one hand, there's far less included with the Venetian Society. But on the other hand, so much more is included in the cruise fare on Silversea compared to Royal Caribbean.

One major benefit I was glad to have was complimentary laundry as part of my status matching.

Silversea ships have self-service laundry machines, but they cost money and you have to do it yourself.  Because I matched my Pinnacle Club status from Royal Caribbean, I was eligible for as much free dry cleaning as I liked.

This one perk was so helpful so I didn't have to pack as much and could re-use clothing.

The S.A.L.T. program blew me away with how much I loved it

One differentiating factor for Silversea is it's local culinary program.

S.A.L.T. stands for Sea And Land Taste, and both of my ships have a kitchen, bar, and even a restaurant based on this program.

The idea is you can access foods and drinks from the areas your ship visits.  Depending on your itinerary and ports of call you make, the food offerings change.

In Norway, we made venison and a berry compote, but in Spain we made paella. 

On both of my cruises, my preferred evening hang out spot was in the S.A.L.T. Bar because this is where the best mixologists on the ship were located. 

Plus, Silversea added a guitarist while I was on the Ray and it added a much needed form of evening entertainment.

It's a simple concept, but it really makes a difference in how it elevated the total experience and made me feel more connected to the places we were visiting.

Passengers were so willing to include me in their groups

I cruised solo on both my sailings, but I was openly welcomed by other passengers at events and on tours.

I don't expect anything, but I was pleasantly surprised how friendly everyone was.  Perhaps I assumed there might be a stuffy attitude given the luxury cruise status, but it was completely the opposite.

At bars, I struck up conversations with other guests and quickly made new friends.

During a tour, I was invited to sit with one family that quickly became friendly with me.  We ended up touring other cities together, part of the trivia team, and even had dinner a few times.

You can meet fun people on Royal Caribbean ships too, but because of the intimate nature of the ship, it felt easier to make friends too.

There's a learning curve to the butler

Every cabin on Silversea is a suite, and every suite comes with a butler. Admittedly, it's not easy to fully understand what they can do for you.

The butler will introduce themselves to you as soon as you get to your cabin, and while most of their services are fairly obvious, there are a variety of other things butlers can do that are unadvertised.

For example, your butler can unpack all of your luggage for you and then pack it all back again at the end of the cruise.  Many of my fellow passengers had no idea this was a thing, and a few thought it was too weird to have them handle their garments.  Personally, I loved this option!

The butler can also draw a bath for you.  This sounded strange, but after trying it on Silver Dawn, I really enjoyed it.  

Other things my butler was able to do was clean my shoes, deliver fresh popcorn to my room, and even stock my fridge with Dr. Pepper (a soda that I couldn't get elsewhere on the ship).

Learning what the butler can do is part trial and error, and part hearing how other passengers use them.

There are still extra cost restaurants

Despite the fact Silversea is an all-inclusive cruise line, there are a few restaurants that cost extra.

On both ships, the sushi and French restaurants required reservations and had an extra cost to dine there.

Like on Royal Caribbean ships, you can easily subside on the included dining. But if you wanted to splurge, the option is there.

It's a bit surprising that extra cost food exists on Silversea, and they aren't cheap either.

I ate at both Kaiseki and La Dame to try them out.  I liked each for different reasons, but I was quite content with the included places.

There's no app

Silversea doesn't have an app, and that's actually not a problem.

Instead, there's a website you can access via your phone for the daily activities and various messaging options.  But it is strange to travel anywhere and not have an app.

Check-in is perhaps a bit more convoluted than Royal Caribbean's, but it's basic and it works. Moreover, they don't need a fancy app for check-in because you're only competing with a few hundred passengers instead of thousands.

Nonetheless, I was a bit surprised when I went to look for an app and didn't find one.

The food selections are impressive everywhere

If there's one thing Silversea does so much better than Royal Caribbean, it's their food onboard.

From the quality, to the selections, to what's included, everything is a notable step up.  Frankly, I expected this to be the case considering an ultra-luxury cruise should offer higher quality.

You'll notice it immediately when you have embarkation day lunch at the ship's buffet.  You are escorted to your chair, offered to have the daily fresh cooked pasta brought to you, and then navigate a buffet that includes sashimi, shellfish, filet mignon, and more.

Room service has filet mignon as a standard option on the menu to be delivered to your room anytime of day. 

Each of the included restaurants has a wide menu, and the cafes have giant cakes that look as good as they taste.

If you're used to Royal Caribbean's great food, you'll love Silversea's even more.

Crew members go to great lengths to be helpful

I'm constantly amazed how dedicated and resourceful crew members are on any ship I've sailed, and that includes Silversea.

Because Silversea has such a high guest-to-crew member ratio, you will rarely ever have to wait for one to assist.  And they are extremely eager to help you in anyway they can.

Many of them learned my name quite quickly, along with my last order. It really felt like I was in the TV show, "Cheers!" when I walked into various venues by the second or third day, because everyone knew my name.

There are no lines

Good luck finding a crowd, let a lone a line, on Silversea.

Across two cruises, the only time I encountered a line was when we had an itinerary change and suddenly everyone wanted to rebook their tours.

It was refreshing how there was no wait for elevators, nor were there crowds when embarking or disembarking the ship.

While I expected the ship to feel less crowded than Royal Caribbean, I did not expect it to be as uncrowded as it was.

I was invited to dine with the Captain

While on Silver Ray, I received an invitation to dine with the ship's Captain for one evening in the their Main Dining Room.

In all my years of cruising, I've never been invited to dine with the Captain in the Main Dining Room, and it was quite a treat.

Initially, I was worried it would be awkward to carry the conversation for an entire meal with someone I've never met. That proved to be anything but a problem.

Captain Giovani Schiaffino has clearly perfected the art of talking, because he had something to say every minute. I barely got to say anything!

It was so much fun, and a real treat to experience.  I noticed he had other guests dining with him every night at his table, which is a nice touch.

Many suites on the new ships don't have a tub

When I walked into my suite on Silver Ray, I did a double-take when I realized there was a shower instead of a tub.

This didn't bother me, but I was a bit astonished there wasn't one because tubs seem to be synonymous with luxury.

I spoke to the Hotel Director, and she mentioned anecdotally a lot of passengers prefer a shower because it's easier to get in and out.  Considering the average age of a Silversea cruise is older than Royal Caribbean, that kind of makes sense.

Don't worry, the higher tier suites have tubs. It was just my entry-level suite that didn't have one. 

We wanted to celebrate my wife's birthday with our friends and their families, but I didn't want to end up overwhelmed with too much togetherness.  That's why we opted for a cruise instead of a land vacation somewhere.

We would be traveling with an empty nest family, family with kids older than ours, and even one of our friends brought their senior citizen parents. It was a wide range of ages, each with their own food and activity preferences.

I knew we needed something with plenty of dining, activities, and entertainment options. An Alaska cruise was the obvious choice.

We worked with the same travel agent to get us booked on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas.

To our delight, the trip was so much fun because we got to vacation together without overdoing how much time we spent together.

We shared what we were doing in a group chat without expectations

We started a group chat as a way to plan our cruise, but once onboard, it became our "hey, this is what I'm up to if anyone wants to join" messaging center.

There's always a few things going on at any given time while on a Royal Caribbean ship. Trivia, entertainers performing, pools, and the casino are just a few examples.

If one of us was headed to do something, we'd post where we were headed. I never expected anyone to join, but sometimes I'd get a person or two. And sometimes the entire group would show up.

We met up each evening for dinner, then, depending on the entertainment, either stayed together or went in different directions.

Leveraging a group chat was an easy way to always stay in contact.  But a mutual understanding of family time versus group time was also important.

The teens made friends, but we enforced family time

Each family we were traveling with had kids of various ages, but they all were tweens and teens.  As such, they expect a fair amount of independence.

I've cruised long enough to know it's important to give your teens roaming privileges, but also made sure they were back with us for certain activities or meals.

At the very least, dinner every night is a must-do for all of us together.  They're expected to not only dine with us, but be dressed and on time for it.  

Certainly we did all of our shore excursions together, but we also picked a few activities during our cruise that we wanted everyone present. Any good parent can also wield guilt to compel their kids to join in an "optional" trivia or other event.

All of things included on a cruise made it so much easier

Whenever we take land vacations, it seems my wallet is constantly open. From paying for meals and snacks to coughing up credit cards for activities, family fun comes at a steep cost.

On a cruise, much of the food and beverages are included. This includes pools, activities, entertainment, ice cream, pizza, and more.  It means my kids can indulge without it hurting my bottom line.

The fact my kids have their Diamond drink vouchers is a huge value because they can enjoy mocktails and Frappuccinos without it costing me anything. 

We planned some excursions together, but met up in port

The focus of an Alaska cruise is what we do on land, so excursions were very important.

Prior to the cruise, we booked tours and shared our plans.  In Ketchikan, we all booked the same wildlife and waterfall tour. It worked out really well because they put our group in one van, so it felt like a private tour.

In Sitka, part of our group went out on a small marine wildlife tour. I tried to invite more of the group, but the boat was limited in capacity.

We all met up after our tours concluded in Juneau before heading back to the ship.

Just like the ship, we kept things open but without expectations.

We could find places to spread out if we wanted alone time

Even if a trip with friends goes exceedingly well, you're going to want alone time at some point.

Aside from our balcony room, a cruise ship offers lounges, open decks, restaurants, and seating just about everywhere that we could find a place to getaway.

I spent my mornings working at the internet cafe on deck 7 because it allowed me to work and take calls without disturbing my wife in the room.  Moreover, there are comfortable office chairs that were far better than any lounge chair.

Anyone that wanted to find space could find it, which wouldn't be the case if we all rented an Airbnb.

Avoiding feeling "attached at the hip" made this trip a success

During our weeklong adventure, there was enough to keep us all entertained without the issue of feeling like were on top of each other.

There's a fine line between together time and "I need a break", and a cruise works very well to balance this.

We enjoyed our time at sea so much, we're doing it again for New Years Eve with the same families.  I think it will be an even better experience considering we nailed the winning vacation formula to cruise with friends and family.