Joe McConnell
Royal Caribbean fans love the cruise line for its massive ships packed with extravagant attractions and shows, but did you know they also go crazy for a humble sandwich?
It’s nothing new, but the Royal Kummelweck beef sandwich has become a staple on Royal Caribbean cruises that’s a hot topic of conversation on YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook. Many passengers are so excited to eat one, it’s one of the first things they eat on embarkation day.
Royal Caribbean introduced the sandwich in 2009, when the line’s revolutionary Oasis Class debuted on Oasis of the Seas. Fifteen years and several ships later, the freshly made finger food is now available fleetwide and continues to be a traveler favorite.
Here’s everything you need to know about this anything-but-delicate delicacy.
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What is the Royal Kummelweck on Royal Caribbean cruises?
The Royal Kummelweck is the Royal Caribbean version of the beef on a weck sandwich. Readers familiar with the Buffalo area of New York know that it stands for beef on a kummelweck sandwich.
“It’s a long word and it’s hard to say,” Fritz Halbedl, food and beverage quality assurance consultant for Royal Caribbean, said in a YouTube video the line produced to highlight the sandwich. “‘Kummel’ is for cumin and ‘weck’ is for bread. It’s a combination of a European and an American bread roll, which means spongy on the inside and crispy on the outside.”
What is the recipe for Royal Kummelweck?
The Royal kummelweck recipe starts with rolls that are sprinkled with caraway seeds and salt. Inside are thinly sliced slices of beef, usually rare, topped with gravy and a choice of horseradish, mustard, or both. (I chose both and did not regret it at all.) When the ingredients are combined, the flavor is wonderful.
Royal Caribbean specifically uses New York strip loin, which chefs rub with Royal Caribbean’s proprietary (and secret) blend of spices, plus rosemary and thyme. The meat is then cooked in special ovens for 12 to 14 hours at 250 degrees before it goes to the carving stations.
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I tried the sandwich for the first time recently when I was onboard Utopia of the Seas and found myself in need of a quick lunch. I’m not usually a big fan of red meat, but I piled it high with all the sauces and found the experience to be deliciously flavorful and deliciously messy.
A chef at the ship’s Park Cafe, located in the leafy Central Park area on Oasis Class and Icon Class ships, told me he estimates he serves about 100 sandwiches a day. After my experience, I’m surprised it’s not a higher number.
How much does the Royal Kummelweck sandwich cost?
The Royal Kummelweck sandwich is complimentary on Royal Caribbean ships – eat it!
Where can you find Royal Kummelweck?
This version of Royal Caribbean’s beef on a wedge is available at the Park Cafe on Oasis-class ships and at the Cafe @ Two70 on Quantum-class ships.
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