In 2019 we set sail on the brand new Spectrum of the Seas. Not only was it a new ship, it was our first Royal Caribbean cruise and the inaugural voyage! Here are the five things that make Spectrum of the Seas unique to other Royal Caribbean cruise ships and why we think it’s a great ship.
About Spectrum of the Seas
Spectrum of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s first Quantum-Ultra class ship and was launched in April 2019.
- Launched: 11 April 2019
- Length: 347 m
- Construction started: 8 November 2017
- Beam: : 41.2 m (135 ft) (waterline); 49.24 m (162 ft) (max);
- Capacity: : 4,246 passengers (double occupancy); 4,905 passengers (maximum occupancy);
- Cost: €931 million
- Decks: 16 (14 passenger-accessible)
Spectrum was built in Germany. At the end of February 2019, Spectrum of the Seas had its ‘float out’ before its conveyance along the River Em and the sea trials commenced.
Part of the excitement before our cruise was watching the ship being built. Learning about what’s been fitted and seeing photos of the construction.
If you’ve ever booked a cruise before a ship has started sailing, I’m sure you’ll agree that this is an exciting journey to follow.
1. New Dining Options on Spectrum of the Seas
This cruise ship is designed for the Asian market and so you can expect some delicious dining options available on Spectrum of the Seas – with a huge pinch of Asian spices and flavours.
Sichuan Red
The specialty dining restaurant, Sichaun Red (Deck 4, Royal Esplanade), is exclusive to Spectrum of the Seas. The cuisine is inspired by dishes from the Sichaun province of China, so expect pork and beef dishes with hot and spicy flavours.
Wonderland by DaDong
The popular Wonderland specialty restaurant (Deck 5, mid-ship) is a new outpost of Chinese chef Dong Zhenxiang, who is renowned for his roast duck dish.
This is a totally different Wonderland that can only be experienced on Spectrum of the Seas. Seasoned Royal Caribbean cruisers will be familiar with the Wonderland menu but you should expect something different on this ship.
We dined at this restaurant and we would have happily re-booked to visit again. Everything was presented with a hint of magic – even with a special reveal of the menu.
Laura, Cruise Lifestyle
Each dish came out wonderfully presented and the flavours were delicious. Our particular favourites were the slow cooked lobster on saffron risotto and the roast duck (the specialty). We could have definitely had extra portions of these.
We were shocked that the restaurant wasn’t busy during our visit but it didn’t spoil our experience. The restaurant is decorated in the style of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ which added to the experience.
Another unique specialty dining venue only found on Spectrum of the Seas is the Hot Pot.
Hot Pot is a Chinese cooking method, that uses a simmering pot of soup stock at the dining table, containing a variety of East Asian foodstuffs and ingredients. While the hot pot simmers, ingredients are placed into the pot and cooked at the table, similar to a fondue.
This restaurant can be found at the aft of the Windjammer and has some stunning views over the wake so it’s worth going to try the food and enjoy the view.
Windjammer Marketplace
In the Grand Windjammer Marketplace there is a noodle bar station and this became a firm favourite for our lunch onboard.
The noodle station allows you to pick a selection of proteins and vegetables before selecting a broth and condiments. You could spice it up and make a really tasty meal.
We visited the noodle bar fairly frequently for lunch during our cruise because it was a nice alternative to the regular buffet options. If was just enough for lunch so we would highly recommend trying it.
Laura, Cruise Lifestyle
The Windjammer is 20% larger than those on Quantum Class ships so is to be an excellent casual dining option with plenty of choice on offer for Asian and Western palates. We did find that there was plenty of repetition in the buffet but the noodle bar was a nice addition.
2. Karaoke on Spectrum of the Seas
New to Royal Caribbean and first on Spectrum of the Seas is Star Moment (Deck 4), a lively and energetic karaoke venue where family and friends can belt out and sing like stars.
We did pause to watch some of the performances in the evenings here and although karaoke isn’t really our thing, we enjoyed the enthusiasm on display.
Karaoke is a very popular activity in China and Asia because its seen as an opportunity to get together and spend time with friends and family. As long as Spectrum of the Seas stays in Asia, Star Moment will be a popular entertainment venue.
3. Shows on Spectrum of the Seas
Technology plays a huge role in productions on this cruise ship with drones, robotics and real-time video tracking. We were more accustomed to traditional entertainment so we weren’t quite sure what to expect.
The good news is that although some shows weren’t fully ready, we did manage to watch Royal Caribbean’s original production of ShowGirl and dress rehearsals for A Silk Road.
Both shows were by far the best we’ve seen on any cruise ship and cements the view held by many that Royal Caribbean do entertainment onboard very well.
The Silk Road production is performed in Two70 and incorporates robotics, puppets and acrobatics. Take a look at the rehearsals we watched that will give you an idea of what to expect.
4. Spectrum of the Seas has a HUGE Casino
Spectrum of the Seas has got to have one of the largest casinos at sea and this is primarily due to the popularity of gambling in Asia. It’s a social activity enjoyed by millions and so it makes sense that the ship provides plenty of space for the casino.
This casino is different in that there are far more tables and less machines, reinforcing the idea that gambling is a social activity for Asian cruisers.
What you’ll also find is that there’s much more space given up to VIP and ‘high-roller’ guests.
If the casino is somewhere you enjoy visiting during your cruise, we think you will like Spectrum of the Seas. We aren’t big gamblers but do enjoy a little bit of roulette on an evening so we did visit the casino on our cruise to try it out.
Sadly we didn’t come away with loads of money but as they say, the house always wins!
5. Alternative fitness options
The gym on Spectrum of the Seas is tiny compared to fitness centres on other Royal Caribbean ships and that’s because there are other options onboard to get active during your cruise.
We took part in mass dance classes and dance mat games in the Seaplex and walked passed dozens of passengers taking part in Tai Chi every morning at the aft of the ship. It was refreshing to see so many passengers outside and exercising.
If you’re concerned about getting your steps in every day on your cruise, there’s no need to worry. We used the walking track lots on our cruise. We actually enjoyed joining others to take in the views and fresh sea air.
Conclusion
Whilst you will find plenty of familiar venues and activities on Spectrum of the Seas, we think that this ship offers something a little different.
You can still enjoy things like the Flowrider, bumper cars in the Seaplex and Schooners Bar but this ship adds a pinch of Asian spice.
If you love specialty dining, this ship offers some fresh choices, with our biggest recommendation being the alternative version of Wonderland.
We were highly impressed with the entertainment onboard and although it was the inaugural cruise and not everything was ready, we were able to get a good idea of the full programme.
Our advice would be to embrace the differences and the different cultures on this cruise ship. For example, you will find some different items in the onboard pharmacy. You’ll also notice that passengers will use different areas more than others compared to US cruisers, favouring the indoor areas to outside unless exercising.
If you’re considering a cruise on Spectrum of the Seas, we would say it’s definitely worth it for the unique options that you won’t find on other Royal Caribbean ships.
Laura is a UK cruise blogger based in Cornwall, UK. She founded Cruise Lifestyle in 2016 to share useful advice about cruising, destinations and food.
Last port visited: Bridgetown, Barbados
Next port of call: unknown, but she can’t wait for cruising to resume safely!
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