Royal Caribbean built the Spectrum of the Seas for the Asian market. Currently based in Singapore but moving to Shanghai, China, in spring 2024, it offers Asian cultural cruises.
On this Quantum-plus vessel, we havd 17 different dining venues to enjoy during our cruise on the Spectrum. We experienced a mix of Asian and Western cuisines and some unique restaurants only found on this ship.
In this review, discover its one-of-a-kind specialty restaurants and what we thought of the Spectrum of the Seas food onboard our 9-day Thailand and Vietnam cruise adventure.
What’s Open 24 Hours?
The Spectrum differs from its Quantum-class sister ships by not having a 24-hour venue for coffee, tea, and snacks. Without an International Café, we could get drinks or pizza from Sorrento’s Pizza on deck 14. It’s open from 11:30 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Outside of those hours, we could request room service. While continental breakfast is complimentary, all other items are subject to a USD 7.95 + tax delivery charge.
Complimentary Dining Options
Royal Caribbean ships offer many casual dining options to tickle your taste buds.
Windjammer Marketplace on deck 14 offers the usual buffet selections, Asian offerings, and a noodle bar. Congee, curry, dal makhani, idli, sambar, sheera, Masala chai, and pork pao were often included.
The usual hours were breakfast from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., lunch from 11:30 am to 3 pm, and dinner from 5:30 pm to 9 pm. While the food selection was good, the service was not. The lack of cleaning staff meant we could never find a clean table to eat at.
Cafe @ Two70 is an excellent alternative to the buffet and is often less crowded. We could get salads, sandwiches, fruit, and desserts there.
Adjacent to the stunning Two70, we could enjoy our food with amazing 270-degree views. The opening hours are 6 am to 10 am and 11 am to 4 pm.
Room service is complimentary if you order continental breakfast between 6 am. and 11 am, delivered in 30-minute time slots. The menu includes the usual, but being a cultural cruise, it also includes congee and green tea.
We tried room service for breakfast a few early port days. The service was hit or miss. The first time, it arrived late, not allowing us enough time to eat before our 7 am shore excursion. The next time, it came 20 minutes early.
When paying for the full breakfast, we could get eggs, omelettes, pancakes, sausages, and bacon. The menu also had chicken ramen noodle soup. If you book a balcony cabin on the Spectrum, you can enjoy your breakfast on the deck during warm weather.
La Patisserie on deck 4 offers some complimentary quick bites, but specialty coffees, ice cream, and a bag of popcorn incur a fee. Unlike other Quantum-class ships, we didn’t find a Starbucks onboard.
SeaPlex Dog House on deck 15 serves hot dogs and sausages, but not gluten-free options. It was open daily from 11:30 am to 6 pm during our voyage.
Sorrento’s Pizza had the longest hours, 11:30 am to 3 am. In addition to pizza slices, we could get coffee, tea, and juices. Allow 20 minutes for a gluten-free pizza.
Splashaway Café’s complimentary items include mini hot dogs, chocolate chip cookies, and chicken tenders.
Silver dining provides a complimentary venue for those in star, sky and sea class. Additionally, star and sky class have access to gold dining on deck 16. Their dining room menus were more extensive with lots of variety.
Main Dining Room
The main dining room serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The large venue differs from dining on the Ovation and Quantum, which had four different main dining areas.
One deck may be open for breakfast and lunch, and where you sit in the multi-level restaurant depends on whether you choose a set dining time or dine my way.
Since I cruise with food allergies, we chose the same time and consistent table each evening. We ate most of our dinners in the main dining room except for specialty restaurant meals.
The following contains a summary of what we chose. It’s important to note, we sailed a nine day itinerary, an out-layer for the Spectrum. The majority of its itineraries are three to five days, so you may be offered slightly different items.
Night One
Unlike North American cruises, which encourage table sharing, the main dining room had tables primarily for two or four people. Asian additions included maple-soy tofu and avocado, stir-fried seafood spicy noodles, matter paneer, and chicken saag.
I ordered a chilled shrimp cocktail and prime rib without potatoes. I received a generous portion of beef, which was incredibly tender.
My husband, Brian, had escargots a la bourguignonne, which surprised him with the heavy addition of cheese. He also ordered the tender New York strip steak.
Night Two
This evening, we skipped the main dining room to try one of Spectrum’s unique specialty restaurants, Teppanyaki. The main dining room a Taste of the UK.
It included classics like English fish & chips, roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, and sticky toffee pudding.
Night Three
Our third night was the first formal evening or “dress to impress.” The theme for the evening was a Taste of France. I chose the Laksa soup, curried lamb Rogan Josh, and ended with a crème Brule.
The Laksa soup had a nice spicy taste, and my entrée was good, too. However, the dessert was a miss for me, and I couldn’t eat it. Brian fared better with French onion soup and roasted beef tenderloin. While the beef was very tender, I thought they skimped on the portion size.
Brian finished with a warm apple crumble and ice cream. Since he finished it all, it obviously was a hit. Overall, this was one of the better dinners on our cruise.
Night Four
A Taste of Italy was the theme of the fourth evening. Italian minestrone and classic Caesar salad were our starters. Both were good, and I liked that the soup’s vegetables were still firm and not overly cooked.
Brian had the pan-seared fillet of Barramundi, which was flavorful. I had one of the best entrees this evening: Japanese beef steak with crispy garlic. The steak was cooked to perfection and accompanied by roasted sweet potatoes and cabbage, which was equally yummy.
We both chose the classic tiramisu to end the meal. It was so good I could have eaten two portions, lol.
Night Five
Caribbean Night welcomed guests to the dining room this evening. We started with Thai chicken salad and crispy coconut jumbo shrimp, both of which were delicious.
Garlic-herb buttered tiger shrimp and jerk chicken pork chop followed. The tiger shrimp was a hit, but the pork chop was dry and tough. The Caribbean bean rice that accompanied it was also a miss.
Pineapple sunshine cake and blueberry cobbler completed the meal. Both were hits, and the pineapple dessert was well presented.
Night Six
This evening’s menu took diners to the USA. For starters, we stuck with classics: chilled shrimp cocktail and Caesar salad.
Our entrees consisted of New York strip steak, which was always nicely cooked and tender, and the Malabar fish curry. Even though I’d never heard of Malabar, the curry was tasty and not overly spicy.
For dessert, I had chocolate cake, and Brian had ice cream. We couldn’t go wrong with either choice.
Night Seven
This evening’s theme was Asian Night. The menu included some classics, but Asian cuisine was also included. My choices were salmon gravlax, a salad with Atlantic salmon, and sweet and sour pork.
Brian had Tom Yum Soup and Chicken Biryani. The Tom Yum Soup and the Chicken Biryani were a hit. The sweet and sour pork was dry and tough.
We both had the lychee tart for dessert. Our desserts were excellent, although I found mine overly sweet with a base of strawberries.
Night Eight
Royal Night welcomed guests this evening, the second “dress to impress” evening. Royal Caribbean no longer offers lobster as a complimentary option. Instead, cruise guests are charged a USD 16.99 + 18% gratuity for a Maine lobster.
We chose to eat at Hot Pot instead of the main dining room.
Night Nine
As the last dinner of our nine-day Asia cruise, Royal Caribbean fittingly called it the Bon Voyage dinner. However, the menu leaned toward a taste of the Mediterranean.
We both started with the hoisin chicken salad, which had good flavor. Since it was the last night, Brian ordered the Maine lobster tail, which incurred a USD 16.99+ fee. I picked the autumn turkey dinner, which was one of the best main courses of the cruise.
The turkey was moist, the mashed sweet potatoes were yummy, and the cider gravy flavorful. We completed our meals with two amazing desserts, the chocolate cherry tart, and layered peach trifle.
Foods For A Fee
For an additional cost, there are 7 Specialty dining restaurants, Splashaway Café, Chef’s Table, La Patisserie, Leaf & Bean, and room service (outside of breakfast hours).
We ate at five specialty dining venues, skipping Wonderland and Jamie’s Italian, which serves authentic Italian cuisine by Jamie Oliver.
Specialty restaurants provide the perfect place to dine on a special occasion, and experience world-class cuisine. Some, like Wonderland, are great for the whole family.
If you purchase the unlimited dining package, you can enjoy every dinner and some lunches in these venues. Specialty restaurants usually require a reservation made on the Royal Caribbean app.
Teppanyaki
Teppanyaki is one of the specialty restaurants unique to this Quantum-class vessel. The dinner combines a meal with a dinner show of watching your meal cooked before you on a hot grill called the Teppan.
Dining guests all receive egg-fried rice and a choice of miso soup or salad with ginger dressing. For entrees, we could choose one of the following Teppan premier combo:
- Samurai – beef tenderloin and tiger shrimp
- Origami – chicken breast and tiger shrimp
- Geisha – NY steak and chicken breast
- Izumi – Sea scallops and lobster
While the Samurai was the most popular choice, which my husband tried, we could mix and match. So, we could request beef tenderloin and lobster or sea scallops and chicken breast. The Teppan classic items were reserved for children.
Our chef was very entertaining and made the dinner show interactive. He cooked the fried rice first, followed by the vegetables. My vegetables were separated and flavored with gluten-free soy sauce.
Since I’m celiac, the chef first cooked my meat on the grill to prevent cross-contamination with other guests’ food. The teriyaki sauce used to flavor the vegetables is naturally gluten-free.
Brian ordered the a la carte spring rolls with his meals. Our food was packed with flavor, and we ate every bite, making us overfull, in a good way.
During dinner, the chef played a game, but I won’t spoil the surprise. Dessert consisted of a crispy sesame ball and two Mochi ice creams. While the menu states you can choose your flavors, we were given two.
Every guest on our table got green tea and chocolate. The Mochi arrived particularly frozen and hard to eat.
Izumi
While we have eaten at Izumi several times on other vessels, we jumped at the chance to enjoy it again. Izumi’s location is found in the dining area on the Quantum and Ovation cruise ships.
We had lunch at Izumi on our first sea day. Like Teppanyaki, this specialty restaurant also carries gluten-free soy sauce.
We had pre-purchased our lunch, allowing us to pick one small item, two large items, and a dessert. Alternatively, we could have choose to dine a la carte. Unless you have a large appetite, a la carte is a better option for lunchtime.
I picked the Crispy Chicken Kara-age for small plates, and Brian ordered shrimp and vegetable tempura. Both were flavorful, although my Chicken Kara-age was overly crispy.
Beef Teriyaki, Chicken Teriyaki, Poke Bowl, and Snow Crab & Salmon Dynamite Rolls were our large plate choices. The first three items came with too much rice, although they had a generous portion of protein. We both enjoyed the Teriyaki, which was packed with flavor.
Green Tea Ice Cream and Chocolate Lava Cake followed. While I couldn’t eat either due to food allergies, Brian was surprised by the taste of the Green Tea Ice Cream. Since he ate every bite, I’d say it was a hit.
Sichuan Red
Located on deck 4, Sichuan Red is a large specialty restaurant serving a variety of Chinese cuisine. On sea days, lunch is served from noon to 1:30 pm, and dinner is served from 5 pm to 9 pm on all days.
We started with the sliced pork wraps and received six wraps made with a generous amount of pork. This appetizer was simple, tasted ok but not spectacular, and lacked a little flavor.
For entrees, I had the Kung Pao prawns and Brian, the spicy bullfrog, and we shared a bowl of fried rice. The highlight of the meal was the bullfrog, which was crispy but still juicy. Four to five bullfrogs were used to make a serving, a large portion of which Brian couldn’t finish.
The menu included three dessert choices, but we skipped this course. While we enjoyed the food, we wouldn’t say it’s a must-try.
Chops Grille
Chops Grille is your place if you enjoy top-grade steaks and fine dining. While we enjoyed the steakhouse for dinner on other vessels, we ate there for lunch on a sea day.
At lunchtime, you’ll find a condensed menu with fewer choices for steak. Chops is Brian’s favorite restaurant onboard, so we always dine there during every sailing trip.
We both started with the colossal shrimp cocktail, and we liked that the shrimp were much larger than the ones in the main dining room.
My husband chose the 8-oz Angus filet mignon with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. The steak was incredibly tender, and he enjoyed it with a spicy gravy.
I had the grilled Atlantic salmon with fries and asparagus. I received a massive piece of flavorful fish with crispy skin. Oddly, this particular Chops Grille listed only one vegetable option. What if you didn’t like asparagus?
The dessert was a huge hit. It was the biggest key lime meringue pie I’ve ever seen. As delicious as it was, Brian couldn’t finish the huge portion.
Jamie’s Italian
While Jamie’s Italian is my favorite specialty restaurant on Quantum-class vessels, we didn’t dine there this time. Jamie’s offers good food made with freshly made pasta, to the specification of Jamie Oliver.
The classic Italian dishes are always well-plated and delicious, and eating here is reasonably priced. You can read about our dining experience on the Ovation of the Seas.
Hot Pot
Hot Pot offers one of the best values for a specialty restaurant. Those with big appetites should eat there. You can choose from two broths: chicken, tomato, or spicy beef oil. We chose chicken and spicy beef.
Since I have food allergies, the restaurant gave me a separate pot of broth to prevent cross-contamination. Brian and I received fresh seafood plates of shrimp, mussels, white fish, salmon, and fish balls.
The meat plate contained lamb shoulder, prime rib, beef ball, and dumplings. A buffet section allowed us to pick up assorted vegetables, noodles, eggs, and sauces.
It took two hours to cook, and we ate our food at a leisurely pace. Additional plates of meat were available at no charge. The food was delicious, and we enjoyed cooking it ourselves.
We ate everything minus one shrimp and walked away extremely full. Eating at Hot Pot was a wonderful experience, especially as we watched the sunset from the ship’s aft.
A selection of desserts accompanied the meal. Brian had mango ice cream and mango pudding, while I had a special gluten-free dessert of chocolate cake.
Wonderland
Wonderland is a whimsy restaurant with quirky decor based on Alice in Wonderland. Its menu, which you must reveal with a paintbrush, is equally interesting.
Imagine eating dishes like Mad Hatter’s Purple Potted Shrimp, Bird’s Nest, and Liquid Lobster. Eating at Wonderland takes you down the rabbit hole, and you feel like you’re in a fairytale.
Final Thoughts On The Food On The Spectrum
Taking a cultural cruise in Asia allowed us to try different foods, like bullfrog. The selection was fantastic, and we enjoyed venues unique to Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas.
While we ate at five specialty dining venues on the Spectrum of the Seas, we enjoyed Teppanyaki the most. Dinner shows are top-rated, but many offer a good show with mediocre food. Not so at Teppanyaki. The show and food were exceptional.
If you’re booked on the Spectrum, no matter your nationality or food preferences, there’s something for everyone. So, step outside your comfort zone and try something new, because good food feeds the soul.
