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All aboard for Utopia of the Seas' new immersive railway dining experienceAll aboard for Utopia of the Seas' new immersive railway dining experience

Royal Caribbean's Michael Bayley shared some tasty morsels about the Royal Railway, a new immersive dining experience aboard Utopia of the Seas.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

January 29, 2024

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

Touted as a 'locomotive culinary tour through the golden age of rail travel,' it will be 'knock-your-socks-off stuff,' Bayley told media aboard Icon of the Seas, with changing scenery and the feel of a moving train.

Aboard the sixth Oasis-class ship, Utopia of the Seas — set to debut on three- and four-day cruises from Port Canaveral in July‚ diners will go to a Deck 4 venue that looks like a train station between the main dining room and the casino. They'll present the conductor their ticket and be seated at tables inside carriages where the scenery through the windows changes thanks to high-tech projections.

Trips to different destinations will be offered. 'The meal will reflect your train trip, and other experiences will happen,' Bayley said.

Upscale journey from Venice or a Wild West shoot-out

For example: An upscale journey from Venice with fine cuisine, a Wild West adventure where diners get caught in a cowboy shoot-out and a winter wonderland experience. Parents can drop kids off for a couple hours for a trip with pizza and sweet treats.

There will be a charge for the venue. Vicki Freed, SVP sales, trade support & service, suggested it would provide a great buy-out opportunity for a family or corporate group.

Developed in-house

The Royal Railway is being developed by Royal Caribbean's Jay Schneider, chief product innovation officer, and his team. A model was built for testing at the company headquarters' Innovation Lab at PortMiami.

'It is fantastic. I think it's one of the best concepts we've created,' Bayley said. 'I think it will be really popular.'

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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