The first thing I heard was the clacking of black tiles with white letters rotating on the Utopia Station board, telling me when the next train was leaving and where it was going. According to the board, the next train to the Wild West was at 8:30 p.m.
I was not in a train station but on a landing on the port side of Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, which offers short Caribbean cruises year-round from Port Canaveral, Florida.
I attended the christening of Utopia in July to explore new elements on the sixth ship in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class. While the ship’s design was very reminiscent of its sister ships, this train concept, Royal Railway – Utopia Station, is a new feature for the class and the brand.
I stood on the landing until a camouflaged door opened, revealing what looked like a small, stone-lined underground station containing two Irish-built railway carriages.
Low ceilings and cement floors create the illusion of being on an underground platform. Photo: Andrea Zelinski
Although the area was well lit, it was as dark as any underground platform. Steam was billowing from between the wheels of the carriages. I could have been on Platform Nine and Three Quarters from the Harry Potter series, I couldn’t believe it.
But we didn’t want to go to Hogwarts. Instead, we wanted to visit the Wild West sometime between the 1880s and 1940s, a time and place underscored by a nearby “Wanted” poster advertising the dangerous Yates triplets “dead or nearly alive” in seven states, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
I entered the cramped dining car and found seating for about 24 people at small tables next to what looked like windows with the blinds drawn. The room was intentionally kept cool to offset the heat that would soon be generated by two dozen people in a small space. At my table, I found shiny and heavy silverware and a place setting with a menu tucked into a card on my plate.
The Royal Railway’s menu is themed around a virtual journey through the Wild West. Photo: Andrea Zelinski
The menu stayed true to the theme, featuring Fart and Dart Baked Beans and Soapy Smith’s Corn Chowder for appetizers, and Braised Short Ribs and Baked River Trout for mains (along with Grilled Plant-Based Impossible Ribs). Dessert was a hand-rolled milk chocolate cigar filled with sweet cream and served with ice cream.
I was on a sneak peek train ride for the media that didn’t include a meal or the full 90-minute experience, but travel advisors I spoke to who did the entire ride said the food was excellent and went well with the themed entertainment.
After a few moments, I felt and heard what sounded like the gentle rumble of the train beneath my feet as the blinds on the virtual windows lifted. Through these windows, it seemed as if the train was emerging from a tunnel, while epic western-themed adventure music set the mood. The view showed the red and yellow sandy colors of the West, dotted with cacti and scrubby brush, the buildings of a small town, and grazing horses.
I sat next to the window and looking through it felt more like looking at a screen. But the view was better when I moved to an aisle seat at the table or when I looked across the carriage to the other windows as the train appeared to roll forward.
A map shows the route of the train while computer-generated scenes of the West pass by the windows of the carriage. Photo: Andrea Zelinski
The views were created using computer-generated imagery (CGI). Royal had originally used images from the set of the movie “Oppenheimer” for this attraction, said Jay Schneider, chief product innovation officer at Royal Caribbean International. But in this case, the CGI looked better on the screens than the actual scenery, he said.
Schneider told me that this dining car experience would include not only the pictures but also the theatrical scenes of the wanted men I had read about at the station. While I didn’t experience a show during my brief visit to the train, he said storytelling and drama would soon transform this family-friendly dinner into a thrilling adventure. Ambient sounds would occasionally come from the subwoofers, adding to the feeling of really being on a train; “butt-kickers,” devices built into the seats that literally deliver a kick at dramatic moments in the ride, would add to the experience.
There is no age restriction to ride the Royal Railway. Prices are $24.99 for children and $74.99 for adults. With two carriages, the experience can accommodate 48 people per dinner. Two seats are offered per evening.
Royal also plans to offer less dramatic train trips on the Utopia that are designed for dates. Examples include dinners while traveling through the Old West or themed trips that explore Marco Polo’s journey home along the so-called Silk Road. Options still in development include whiskey tastings while traveling through the Appalachian Mountains or wine tastings in Napa Valley, Schneider said.
