Johnny Rockets to Go Cruising on Board Royal Caribbean Ship

Johnny Rockets is getting set to sail on the high seas next month.

The Irvine-based chain has partnered with Royal Caribbean International to open a 259-seat burger-malt shop aboard a new cruise ship called Voyager of the Seas.

The 1940s-style restaurant will be in the ship’s pool deck area and will feature memorabilia, servers who dance and sing, and tabletop jukeboxes.

“It’s a very exciting opportunity,” said Larry Anderson, vice president of Johnny Rockets’ international division. “We think it will do a lot for our visibility.”

The cruise line approached Johnny Rockets more than a year ago after deciding it had to have a ‘40s- or ‘50s-style diner on board the new ship, said Richard Henley, director of product development for Royal Caribbean International.

“They are the first branded restaurant we’ve ever had on board,” Henley said. “We thought we should take advantage of an already well-known brand.”

There is a possibility that Johnny Rockets eateries will make their way onto two other new Royal Caribbean ships that are scheduled to be completed within the next three years, Anderson said.

Privately owned Johnny Rockets, founded in Los Angeles in 1986, has 127 franchised or company-owned locations in the United States and several foreign countries.

The shipboard restaurant makes its debut Nov. 21.