The train that fits on a cruise ship: Here’s all you need to know about Royal Railway — Utopia Station

As I stepped onto the "platform" of Royal Railway — Utopia Station, I didn't know what to expect. The immersive Wild West dinner show debuted on Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Utopia of the Seas. Despite not knowing what would happen on the platform or in the train car itself, I was excited to try Royal's newest "eatertainment" experience, as some call it.

My journey started on the dimly lit train platform. It featured a large "Wanted" poster on an LED screen depicting the notorious sisters, the Yates triplets bandits. The platform also had a stack of luggage waiting to be loaded onto the train, making the space feel even more realistic. Two green train cars with gold detailing waited to welcome my fellow diners and me for an experience unlike anything else available on the Royal Caribbean fleet.

We waited about 10 minutes before showing our tickets to board our assigned train car. Our tickets also displayed numbers, which were easy to match to the table number above each window on the train. The conductor yelled, "All aboard!" and we were off to the Wild West.

So what is the Royal Railway — Utopia Station immersive dining venue like? Keep reading to find out more about my dinner in the Royal Railway's Wild West train car.

The Royal Railway pre-show

The "show" for my meal at Royal Railway actually began before I even arrived at the train platform. After exploring Utopia of the Seas for a few hours, I returned to my room to get ready for the evening. There, I found the traditional Royal Caribbean dining invitation was replaced with a train ticket and a telegram with all the details I needed to know before getting to Utopia Station.

I also noticed the message light on my cabin phone blinking. I assumed it was just a welcome aboard message. However, I was surprised that the voicemail was actually a recording reminding me of my dining reservation at Royal Railway. It was from the train's "head engineer," who spoke in a distinctly Western-style accent. He shared some storytelling elements and warned me to watch out for a Wild West gang that may be lurking about. The message really set the mood for my 6 p.m. reservation.

The telegram instructed that I arrive at the Royal Railway — Utopia Station about 20 minutes early. The venue is near the back of the ship, so I departed my forward cabin at 5:30 p.m. to provide plenty of time to get there. The station is on Deck 4, tucked between Casino Royale and one of the main dining rooms.

Related: Royal Caribbean food: The ultimate cruise guide to restaurants and dining on board

There was an old-school train station departures flipboard in the lobby waiting area at the landing space between stairwells. It displayed family names and table numbers, then flipped to a message that read "Welcome to Royal Railway Utopia Station." It was fun seeing my last name up there. It's also a great photo op while you wait to board.

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After snapping a few photos of the lobby, staff welcomed diners onto the train platform and gave them a cherry-flavored welcome drink. I'm not a huge fan of cherry-flavored things, but I loved the glass flask the drink came in. It added to the overall Wild West theme. A few minutes later, we heard the "All aboard!" call. I showed my ticket to the conductor and found my table.

The Royal Railway train and show experience

The Utopia of the Seas train restaurant consists of two train cars, each with 24 seats. Only 48 people get to enjoy Royal Railway at each time slot, making for an intimate and engaging dining experience. When it's time to board, passengers with tickets for the first train car board first, followed by those with bookings in the second train car. The seating process was easy, and everyone in my car found their tables in just a few minutes.

The cars are designed to look like they came from the late 1800s or early 1900s, complete with plush booths that seat two or four people per table. They also feature warm lighting from wall sconces, curtains and windows that digitally display the train moving through Western landscapes and scenes. The images projected through the windows are so incredibly clear that if you're willing to suspend your disbelief, you feel like you're looking at a real landscape on a real train.

Fun fact: Even though all of the images guests see through the windows are digital, the Royal Caribbean concept team filmed some Western landscapes for inspiration. One of those was part of the set for the award-winning film "Oppenheimer."

At 6 p.m. on the dot, the train "rolled" away from the station. My seat vibrated, and I felt a slight kick as the train started moving. Throughout our virtual journey, the onboard audio had the faint noise of wheels going over the tracks, even while light music was playing or the show was playing out.

The performers and the crew who make the show possible are truly the highlight of Royal Railway — Utopia Station. After the train left the station, the conductor gave us the lowdown, warning us to watch out for the Yates Triplets, the bandits who were on the poster inside the station platform. Well, lo and behold, the sisters eventually made their way onto the train with us shortly after we ordered our dinner. The conductor made it clear that the staff needed our help to keep the sisters' hands off a locked box containing a priceless artifact.

Without giving too much of the story away, I will say that the show is family-friendly, with a storyline that keeps both adults and kids entertained. Adults will love the quippy jokes, while kids will enjoy the action that plays out right in front of them.

Speaking of jokes, pay attention when the telegrams are read onboard. The notes feature funny anecdotes directed toward passengers on the train. This enhanced the feeling of being on a train that picks up telegrams along the way — just like it would have in the Wild West. If you're lucky enough to get a telegram, you get to take it home with you, too.

The overall experience from sitting down in the train car to leaving at the end of the meal is about 90 minutes.

Drinks on Royal Railway — Utopia Station

One thing I loved most about my Wild West-themed dinner was the drinks. While the welcome drink on the train platform was included, additional cocktails and soft drinks were not part of the overall cost for the dining experience. The Wild West-specific cocktail menu included a handful of themed drinks. My favorite cocktail was the 49er, which was a fun take on a margarita with tropical paw-paw liquor, mezcal, agave and lime.

My tablemate ordered the sarsaparilla Old-Fashioned, and I was instantly jealous. The drink combined Woodford Reserve bourbon, sarsaparilla syrup, root beer bitters, and sweet vanilla foam.

The cocktail menu also featured a Pisco sour, a popular drink in Peru and Chile. I'm not exactly sure how the drink fits the Wild West theme, but it was tasty and instantly took me back to an evening I spent in Peru after hiking Machu Picchu.

Nonalcoholic beverages are also available. Choose among Abita root beer, cherry cola, strawberry lemonade and Shirley gingers. The latter is a fun take on the traditional Shirley Temple, swapping lemon-lime soda for ginger beer or ginger ale.

Related: Royal Caribbean drink packages: Prices, inclusions and what to know before you buy

Royal Railway — Utopia Station menu

Just like everything else on Royal Railway — Utopia Station, the food and presentation onboard is highly themed. Our meal started with an option of appetizers, including corn chowder, chicken nuggets (which were more like fancy chicken strips) and an empanada trio. I ordered the empanadas, which were served in a small picnic-style basket. The dish included six empanadas, with two each of Cajun chicken, barbecue pulled pork and veggie filling. I enjoyed the Cajun chicken the most because the filling was moist and slightly spicy.

Each table also received a loaded "Outlaw Bread Cart," which resembled a miniature version of a Western-style wagon. The bread service included blue cheese pretzels, wild rice and cranberry rolls, fruit and nut bread, and crackers. It also came with two spreads: a cheesy pimento dip and a sweet and savory caramelized onion butter. The pimento dip was my favorite; it was light and airy, almost as if it had been whipped. The dip went great with the wild rice and cranberry roll I snagged from the basket.

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The empanadas appetizer. MEGAN DUBOIS/THE POINTS GUY

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The Royal Railway menu features five entrees, including lobster salad, baked trout and roasted chicken. The braised short ribs stood out to me the most, so I ordered them. My dish came with a twice-baked potato, baby vegetables and a bean medley. When it arrived, I was ready to dive right in, but our waiter stopped me just in time to pour the bourbon au jus over my short ribs tableside. The au jus was incredibly flavorful and added so much to an already delectable dish.

Dessert arrived as we continued to watch the show unfold around us. The adult dessert menu has two options: the Royal Railway Cigar and the Denver Gold Bar. I ordered the cigar. When my server brought the dessert, they reminded me there was no smoking onboard — a funny joke since the dessert resembled a lit cigar.

The dessert featured a hand-rolled chocolate cigar shell stuffed with sweet cream served on a bed of cookie crumb "ashes." A house-made dulce de leche ice cream covered in a chocolate shell complemented the chocolate cigar nicely. The plate also contained an edible star-shaped gold badge.

There is a separate kid's menu that features a fresh fruit appetizer, a choice of chicken enchiladas, beef sliders or chicken nuggets for an entree, and a train-themed ice cream dessert.

Related: 9 best cruise ship desserts to tempt you at sea

Royal Railway reservations and cost

You can make reservations for Royal Railway — Utopia Station in advance on the Royal Caribbean app. The starting prices for the Wild West show are $24.99 for kids and $74.99 for adults. If you have a dining package, adults get $15 off, and kids are included in the price. It also comes with a welcome drink, an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. Cocktails are $14, and soft drinks and nonalcoholic drinks range from $3.50 to $7. Reservations are a must since there is a limited capacity with each dining time.

Royal Caribbean has mentioned that additional shows and meals are coming to Royal Railway. The next is a more adult-focused dinner themed after Marco Polo's travels, called Silk Route. As of this writing, the launch date and price for Silk Route have not been announced. Royal Caribbean executives have also hinted that the Royal Railway will host special events like wine and whiskey tastings during the day.

Bottom line

If you want to try something new on Utopia of the Seas, Royal Railway — Utopia Station is the way to go for foodies and entertainment seekers. The immersive dinner-and-a-show concept is an engaging, fun, family-friendly meal where adults and kids can enjoy both the show and the food.

The level of detail, even before you step onto the train platform, is like nothing else Royal Caribbean is doing. The dining experience is simply magical, and the believability of the train setting is incredible. I think the 90-minute experience is worth the price, especially for cruisers with the dining package which includes a discount for adults and included kids meals. Just be sure to walk in hungry and ready for an all-around good time.

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