If you’re planning a cruise, take a look inside Royal Caribbean’s new Wonder of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship.
If the start of the new year has you thinking, “book a cruise,” you’re not alone. After the fireworks are spent, the winter doldrums often set in. If you live in a cold-weather climate, the dreary weather might be just another reminder of how far away the summer sun is. If this inspires you to search for warmer climates by way of a cruise ship, why not go big? Royal Caribbean’s newest and largest ship, Wonder of the Seas, is worth investigating.
Wonder of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s Newest and Largest Ship
Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships are the fleet’s (and currently the world’s) largest, most luxuriously appointed cruise ships. The new Wonder of the Seas is currently the world’s largest cruise ship, although she will lose that distinction when Royal Caribbean rolls out Icon of the Seas in 2024. The wonder of the Seas measures 1,188 feet in length and has a gross tonnage of 236,857 across 18 decks. It can accommodate nearly 7,000 passengers.
Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas is currently the world’s largest cruise ship. Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean
What is the Wonder of the Seas Itinerary?
The Wonder of the Seas’ home in Port Canaveral, Florida, just outside Orlando. Royal Caribbean offers seven and eight-night cruises to the Eastern or Western Caribbean. All cruises on this ship currently include a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s island in the Bahamas.
The Eastern Caribbean routes include stops at:
- Basseterre
- St. Kitts & Nevis
- Charlotte Amalie
- St. Thomas
- Nassau
- Bahamas
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
- Labadee, Haiti.
The Western Caribbean routes include stops at:
- Nassau
- Bahamas
- Falmouth, Jamaica
- Labadee, Haiti
- Cozumel, Mexico
- Roatan, Honduras
- Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico.
You can view specific itineraries for Wonder of the Seas at Royal Caribbean.
All of the current itineraries include a stop at CocoCay. Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Exploration on Board Wonder of the Seas
The Wonder of the Seas has 18 decks; the top two are for suite-class passengers only. Passengers enter the ship on Deck 5, a shopping, dining, and entertainment promenade. This was my first time sailing on a large cruise ship, and I found my embarkation slightly overwhelming. A lot happens on Deck 5, including a bar that travels up and down to different decks, a giant silver cowboy hat stage, another bar where robots make drinks, and a Starbucks.
The Royal Promenade is on Deck 5. This is your view when you first step onto the Wonder of the Seas. Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Deck 6 has a boardwalk with a distinctively carnival-like atmosphere, complete with a carousel and a hot dog stand. There’s also a sports bar and a Johnny Rockets. Deck 6 is where the ship’s dry slide, the Ultimate Abyss, terminates.
Deck 8 is home to Central Park, the most un-cruise-ship-like space I’ve ever encountered on a cruise ship. This urban-inspired space became my favorite spot on the Wonder of the Seas. I loved the greenery, the whimsical statues, and the little nooks to sit and have a cocktail, people watch, or catch nightly entertainment. Central Park is also home to cafes, bars, and restaurants.
Central Park on Wonder of the Seas has over 20,000 live plants. Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Staterooms: Options Galore
My ocean-view balcony stateroom slept four. The Royal King bed* could be configured into two single beds if I’d requested, making this room perfect for friends traveling together. The couch converted into a bed that would sleep two additional people. My stateroom attendant informed me that the sofa bed blocked the door to the balcony when it was pulled out. I had a work/makeup desk, a dresser, and two closets, and I thought the room offered a fair amount of storage.
The bathroom featured a shower, sink, toilet, and a decent amount of storage. I had plenty of room for my things on the shelves. The shower was a bit cramped. I could not bend down to shave my legs without getting my hair wet. The toiletries included were a bit basic—hand soap, shampoo, and conditioner.
I stayed in this stateroom by myself, so it seemed very spacious. This stateroom category would work very well for two people but might be cramped with four. I usually cruise with my husband and two sons, and I felt this room would have been on the smaller side of what we’d be comfortable with. The ship has so many options for things to do that we probably wouldn’t spend much time in our stateroom.
The Wonder of the Seas also has interior rooms (the most budget-friendly) and ocean-view rooms with a portal window instead of a full balcony. There are also rooms with interior balconies that overlook the boardwalk area.
*My bed didn’t feel as large as a standard king bed but larger than a standard queen bed.
Suite Class Staterooms: More Perks = More Money
I took a tour of the various suites available on Wonder of the Seas. If you want more room or amenities, that’s available at various price points. From two-story suites with slide and musical staircases to spacious suites overlooking the Aqua Theater, there are many options if you want more space and have more room in your budget.
If you really want to go big, splurge on the Ultimate Family Suite. Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Suites come with various amenities, such as priority boarding, concierge services, and access to a sun deck and restaurant that are exclusive to suite passengers.
One of the perks of staying in a suite is using this private sun deck on Deck 18. Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Entertainment on Wonder of the Seas
I’ve sailed with Disney, MCO, Carnival, and Celebrity. This was my first experience with Royal Caribbean; entertainment is where they knock it out of the park. There were three main shows on board the Wonder of the Seas when I sailed: The inTENse show at the Aqua Theater, the 365: Seasons on Ice show at Studio B, and the Effectors superhero show.
The inTENse show is a cross between Cirque de Soleil, Olympic-level diving and acrobatics, and Broadway-caliber dance numbers. The all-female cast of performers is breathtaking, and I would have happily seen it a second time if I’d been on a longer cruise. The ice show had Olympic-class figure skating set to popular songs and took the audience through all four seasons. The Effectors featured stunts, music, and dancing set to a classic “good conquers evil” storyline. My clear favorite was inTENse, followed closely by the ice show. I marginally enjoyed the superhero show but would have probably had a better time taking my kids to something like this since superheroes are more their thing than mine.
Another entertainment don’t-miss is the adult comedy show in the Attic, an intimate comedy club on Deck 4. The venue is small, and the comedy shows are very popular, so plan ahead and arrive early. The language is R-rated, so if crude humor laced with swear words doesn’t tickle your funny bone, it is best to skip this one.
The ice spectaculars are very popular – make sure you get there early to snag a seat. Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean.
More Entertainment Options
There’s also a karaoke bar, various bands and singers performing in the various spots around the ship, seminars, classes, trivia games, and more. Check the schedule in your app or refer to the Cruise Compass left in your stateroom daily. Unlike some cruise lines that have gone paperless, Royal Caribbean still provides a paper schedule of events, which I liked. I appreciate most initiatives to go paperless, but there’s a learning curve with the app, and you can only see one screen at a time. The paper Cruise Compass offered the “at a glance” perspective and helped me plan my onboard activities.
Other Onboard Activities
The ship has a rock climbing wall, a zip line, an impressive pool deck with kid-friendly water features and two slides, a putt-putt golf course, sports courts, a surfing machine (Flowrider), outdoor movies, and probably some other things I’m forgetting or didn’t have a chance to discover during my four-day voyage. If you can’t find something you like to do on the Wonder of the Seas, you’re not looking hard enough or have a narrow scope of pursuits you enjoy.
The Wonder of the Seas also has a spa, fitness center, and casino, none of which I experienced.
Pools, a casino, shows, and more await passengers on Wonder of the Seas. Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Kids Programming
Royal Caribbean is popular with families for a reason. If the activities I described above aren’t enough to keep a family entertained, hard-working young people create programming for infants up to age 17.
Adventure Ocean is Royal Caribbean’s dedicated space for kids 3 to 11. Children are divided into groups based on age: Aquanauts (3-5, must be toilet trained), Explorers (6-8), and Voyagers (9-11.) Kids take part in a variety of group and individual activities such as games, puppet shows, video games, arts and crafts and more.
There’s also a soft play space in Adventure Ocean for parents to play with their young children. This area isn’t monitored by staff, and parents are required to supervise their kids, but this is an option for parents who want to do something interactive with their kids versus just dropping them off at the kid’s club.
Social 100 is Royal Caribbean’s space for teens. The teen hangout on Wonder of the Seas is spacious and hip, with video games, reading nooks, and conversation spaces. There’s also a separate teen patio with spaces to chill and take epic selfies, outdoor games, and a bar serving smoothies and mocktails.
I usually say I wouldn’t want to relive my teen years, but this cool space might make me change my mind. Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean
More on Royal Caribbean’s Kids Clubs
The staff-to-child ratio is 1:25. Additionally, kids club staff must have a degree and three to five years of experience working with children or youth. There is limited nursery space on Wonder of the Seas for kids under three. Adventure Ocean and Social 100 are included in the cruise price*, but there is an additional hourly fee for the nursery.
Royal Caribbean’s kids’ clubs differ for parents or grandparents who have sailed with Disney Cruise Line. They don’t operate continuously throughout the day as Disney’s kid’s clubs do. The hours of operation are posted in the Cruise Compass.
*There’s an additional per-hour charge for late nights (10 pm to 1 am)
How’s the Food on Wonder of the Seas?
One of the most popular elements of cruising is eating; at least, that’s how I feel about it. One thing’s for sure—you won’t go hungry on Wonder of the Seas.
One of the most important things to understand is what dining is included and what costs extra. On Wonder of the Seas, food in the Main Dining Room, Sorrento’s Pizza, Solarium Bistro, Vitality Café, Boardwalk Dog House, Windjammer (buffet), Café Promenade, El Loco Fresh, and the Park Café are all included in the cost of your cruise. If you’re sailing in suite class, you can also dine at Coastal Kitchen.
You won’t lack options if you stick with the included items. The Windjammer buffet is outstanding. I’m not usually a huge buffet person, and I typically opt for table service on a cruise ship, but the Windjammer was phenomenal in terms of choices and food quality. Sorrento’s Pizza was also excellent, and they’re open until 3:00 am if you need a late-night snack.
Specialty Dining on Wonder of the Seas
I tried two specialty dining venues while I was on board in addition to the Coastal Kitchen, even though I wasn’t in a suite: the Mason Jar and Hooked. The Mason Jar serves southern comfort food with a twist. Their menu includes chicken and waffles, pimento cheese, chicken pot pie, blueberry Johnny cakes with pulled pork, and more. They’re open for dinner nightly and brunch on sea days. The Mason Jar also has a bar with musical entertainment and a bar food menu. I recommend reservations. Dining has a flat fee of $40 for adults. It’s a fun, warm, southern atmosphere designed to make you feel like you were in your grandma’s kitchen. Available only on Wonder of the Seas, the Mason Jar is a great example of something you wouldn’t expect to find on a cruise ship.
I also had dinner at Hooked, a New England-style seafood restaurant serving fresh oysters, soft shell crab, lobster rolls, and more. There is a surf and turf option, but the food comes from the ocean, so if seafood isn’t your thing, skip this one. I feasted upon salmon, lobster mac n’ cheese, and shrimp. Dinner at Hooked will run about $40 per adult. A large selection of specialty dining is available, from an Italian Wine Bar style eatery to sushi.
My top picks for food are Windjammer (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and breakfast at Solarium Bistro. The latter is a smaller version of the main breakfast buffet, but the sunny, quieter atmosphere made it a sleeper hit for me. I did not eat in the main dining room on this cruise.
The Mason Jar on Deck 15 is a specialty dining venue exclusive to the Wonder of the Seas. Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Beverage Packages
There are many options for beer, wine, cocktails, and mocktails. The restaurants, bars, and lounges around the ship have specialty drinks. Royal Caribbean offers the option to purchase drink packages for passengers who want unlimited cocktails, sodas, and specialty coffees. There’s a refreshment package available for guests who want to enjoy unlimited nonalcoholic specialty drinks, such as Starbucks, milkshakes, and soft drinks. Coffee, tea, and lemonade are complimentary.
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Booking a Vacation on the Wonder of the Seas
Cruises on the Wonder of the Seas begin at very reasonable prices and go up according to the level of luxury. If you’re an inexperienced cruiser or have never cruised with Royal Caribbean before, I recommend working with a travel agent experienced with booking cruises on this particular cruise line. Working with a travel agent won’t cost extra, and you’ll benefit from some “been there, done that” advice.
As a fan of smaller cruise ships, I thought being on such a large vessel would be a total overload, but it wasn’t. Although my initial thoughts upon embarkation were, “Wow, this is a lot!” it didn’t take long to figure out how to find my way around. My love of the smaller ships has not changed, although as the parent of two active tweens, I can see the draw of a supership like Wonder of the Seas and would consider this for a family vacation that would check a lot of boxes for all of us. Whether you are looking for a cruise in the United States or an international cruise, let Wander With Wonder be your guide when planning your next adventure on the sea.
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