Why I am Skipping the Royal Railway Dinner Theater on Legend of the Seas

I am about to sail on Legend of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest Icon class vessel. As I peruse the enormous selection of dining venues on board, I became enthralled by one in particular: A 90 minute virtual train journey recreating Marco Polo’s historic Silk Route.

Apparently, while you devour a five course meal from every country on Marco Polo’s journey, you see digital images out the “window” depicting scenery from China, India, Turkey, Persia and Italy.

Actors portraying conductors and guards entertain you during the ride, which includes actual physical vibration and audio effects, so you really believe you are traveling on a locomotive, even though you are probably in the middle of the Atlantic somewhere between Fort Lauderdale and the Bahamas.

I am fascinated by trains and history in general, so this dinner theater experience peaked my interest.

I almost pressed “reserve” on the Royal Caribbean web site, but after a conversation with my husband, I decided to forgo this magnificent adventure. (And according to reviewers, it is!)

I didn’t bat an eye at the 165 dollar per adult price tag. And no, we are not made of money! I figure if you are spending the bucks on a cruise vacation to begin with, you should experience everything you can onboard.

It is a motto I live by. You can scrimp in real life, but once you are on vacation, my advice is to go all in. I have never regretted splurges on my trips. I have regretted not doing something because I felt the need to stay on a budget.

What Made Me Say No to the Royal Railway Experience

Sea Sickness, plain and simple. I chose Legend of the Seas simply because it is the largest ship in the world right now, and I am hoping the sheer size of this vessel and state-of-the-art stabilizers (and of course a prescription patch) will make my motion sickness a thing of the past.

When I suggested the idea of a digital train experience to my husband, he looked at me incredulously.

Saying something like, “You mean you want to experience the movement of a train while on a moving ship?”

I sensed his trepidation. After all, he was the one who sat with me in our stateroom all day during a particularly rough sea day last year, while I spent hours heaving.

OK, point taken. Maybe I’ll wait and see how I do simply managing the motion of the ocean, before embarking on a digital journey on “rails.”

With three cruises under our belt, I feel like we have a long way to go before we feel like experienced cruisers…At least experienced enough to know what we (or I) can handle.

I am excited to sail on the largest ship in the world. But I am already overwhelmed by all the dining options.

My husband and I prefer more frequent small meals, rather than large sit-down dinners. That is another reason a five course menu is not something we are accustomed to.

That is why I am drawn to all the counter service venues. The last cruise we took only offered a limited selection by the pool and a grab-and-go sandwich venue on the promenade.

Legend seems to boast every type of meal you can imagine, from “Base Camp” which hubby will devour. He loves hamburgers and hotdogs.

Myself, I am going to drag him to “Central Park” where the food is a little more adventurous. Of course, Coastal Kitchen is on our list, as it is an exclusive restaurant for suite guests.

Now, that is worth the splurge!