Puzzle Break on Royal Caribbean, Part 2

This is a part two of a series on the history of the first escape rooms at sea by Puzzle Break and Royal Caribbean. Part one is here.

Escape from the Future was an instant hit. We deliberately designed the experience to be large by contemporary escape room standards: recommended for 6-12 people. Lots of content, lots of collaboration, and lots of new life-long friends made on your cruise!

One quirk of Escape from the Future is that it’s a pop-up room. We designed and produced the components such that the entire operation could be taken down and the space reclaimed for a nightclub. This was an efficient use of real estate, but Royal Caribbean was ready to go bigger for our next projects.

While Escape from the Future was first deployed to Anthem of the Seas, Royal Caribbean secured a dedicated venue for Puzzle Break aboard the upcoming Harmony of the Seas (the largest cruise ship in the world). At the same time, we partnered with veteran LA based production company ShowFX to ensure our next game, Escape the Rubicon by Puzzle Break would blow the world away.

With a large dedicated venue for a permanent build, the most experienced escape room designers in the world, and a budget to realize a Hollywood-level vision, we got to work. We again set out to create a large game, but with a focus on theatrical elements, unforgettable moments, and technology-driven puzzles.

The end result was stunning.

Our first Escape the Rubicon game on Harmony of the Seas was nothing short of revolutionary.

From the industrial materials to the puzzle integration to the blockbuster special effects, Escape the Rubicon raised the bar for not only escape rooms, but immersive entertainment everywhere.

Making history is never easy. We learned (and continue to learn!) a lot of lessons about material choice, puzzle design in a unique environment, maintenance, quality control, and everything in between.

Fortunately reception to Escape the Rubicon was off-the-charts positive, and we immediately got to work on several new projects. Armed with our newfound learnings, we were poised to continue to shape the direction of entertainment.

Next up: Great to More Great

-Nate

Nate Martin

Dubbed the "Founding Father of Escape Rooms," Nate Martin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Puzzle Break, the first American escape room company. Puzzle Break is headquartered in Seattle with locations in Long Island, Massachusetts and on Royal Caribbean ships. Prior to Puzzle Break, he was a senior executive at Microsoft and Electronic Arts. He has shipped software used by billions of users as well as some of the most beloved video games of a generation. @GuyFromTomorrow on Twitter.

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