78 INTERIOR COMMENTARY Creating a cruise utopia How MJM Marine has utilised its expertise to elevate the guest experience onboard Royal Caribbean International’s Utopia of the Seas By Fiona Nevin, MJM Marine Image: MJM Marine Royal Caribbean International’s sixth Oasis-class ship, Utopia of the Seas, has innovation at its heart. Michael Bayley, the brand’s president and CEO, hinted at these innovations during the traditional steelcutting ceremony in April 2022, saying: “vacationers can look forward to the signature combination of experiences and many brand-new adventures”. Continuing our long-term relationship with Royal Caribbean International, MJM Marine was appointed to deliver some of the ship’s new concepts and transform multiple key public spaces onboard. They include a vibrant Playscape area, a Starbucks cafe and a new food truck concept, The Spare Tire, as well as The Pesky Parrot, a lively Caribbeanthemed bar in the Royal Promenade. However, the biggest innovation will be a first-at-sea immersive dining experience, which draws inspiration from New York City’s Grand Central Terminal and the romanticism of dining onboard classic trains. The venue, named Royal Railway, will offer a multisensory dining experience that will transport diners to the golden age of rail travel on a virtual train journey throughout the world as they enjoy food and beverages from iconic destinations. MJM Marine understood the brief and the intention of the experience and collaborated with Royal Caribbean International to conduct rigorous design assessments throughout the numerous phases of train car fabrication. We welcomed Royal Caribbean to our headquarters in Newry, Northern Ireland, on visits throughout the project’s design and build process. Together, we witnessed several construction milestones and got the chance to embark on a unique excursion to a nearby railway MJM Marine fabricated a train car as part of its work on Royal Railway
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