The Wonder of the Seas, the second biggest ship in the world, after the Icon of the Seas, is an amazing mega ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. We were excited to be part of its Maiden Voyage on March 4, 2022, for a seven-day Caribbean cruise with stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Nassau, Bahamas and at the cruise line’s private enclaves of Labadee (Haiti) and Coco Cay (Bahamas).
It is often said that a cruise ship is a floating hotel… Well, the Wonder of the Seas is a floating metropolis. It can accommodate up to 5,734 guests (double occupancy) and 6,988 passengers if every berth is occupied. In addition, the ship carries an international crew of 2,300.
To service this staggering amount of people, the ship has a well-planned layout and its operations run as smoothly as a well-oiled machine. During our cruise, which was at about 80% capacity, we never encountered large crowds, nor had to wait on any line more than a minute or so, from seamless check-in to disembarkation.
General Overview
The ship has several “neighborhoods” located throughout its 18 decks. On Deck 6, you’ll find the Boardwalk, a large, open-air area inspired by America’s seaside towns. Anchored by a colorful carousel, the Boardwalk is home to amusement park style slides and climbing walls. You’ll also find here a hot dog stand, an old fashion diner, a colorful sweets shop, and a lively sports bar.
Another popular neighborhood is Central Park on Deck 8, a quiet, open space appointed with vegetation and trees, and surrounded by cafés and restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating. This is the perfect place to start your day with a fresh croissant and Lavazza coffee — or have a drink under the stars. Some of the ship’s balcony staterooms face these neighborhoods, adding an urban feel.
The ship’s central hub is the Royal Promenade, a sprawling mall-like space on two floors (Deck 5 and 6), lined with shops, lounges and restaurants, some open around the clock. This is the place to enjoy a leisurely stroll, take in live performances in several venues, have a cocktail prepared by robots in the Bionic Bar, or simply unwind with a cup of Starbucks coffee.
The most exclusive neighborhood is the Suite area on Deck 17 and 18, a private space with its own restaurant, a large sun deck, and splash pool.
Daily Activities on the Wonder of the Sea
Every night, your room attendant leaves on your bed the “Cruise Compass,” a four-page planner listing numerous activities and highlights of the day. You can also download the “Royal App” onto your smart phone to keep track on the myriad of happenings and activities on board.
If you love a morning run or walk, you’ll love the covered track that loops around the ship’s periphery on Deck 5.
If you enjoy working out, there’s a supersized fitness center equipped with top-of-the-line machines and also offering private trainers as well as yoga, exercise and relaxation classes.
For some thrilling activities try rock climbing, ziplining, the long water slides, skating on real ice, surfing on the FlowRider, or playing Laser Tag.
If you are traveling with children, they’ll be happy to spend their days in the huge splash zone, on the colorful playground, mini golf course, water slides, arcade games, and more.
Of course, you can always chill out with a drink and a book, sprawled on a chaise by one of the three pools or on your balcony.
If you’re looking for additional things to do, you’ll find casino gambling, art auctions, trivia games, bingo, karaoke, and team sports, to name just a few.
And don’t worry about clocking a daily 10,000 steps… The ship is so big that you’ll easily reach this goal by just walking from place to place.
For some “me time,” treat yourself to pampering at the spacious Vitality Spa. You can even have the onboard plastic surgeon perform some “nips and tucks” for a needed “rejuvenation.”
Entertainment on the Wonder of the Sea
At dusk, the ship comes alive with music and performances. A jazz orchestra plays in the Royal Promenade, a Latin band entertains at Boleros, a piano player performs at the Schooner Bar, and a guitarist sings his heart out in Central Park.
There are also nightly shows in several performance venues aboard.
The supersized Royal Theater features comedians, singers, dancers, and even Broadway headliners.
Studio B Rink offers a not-to-be-missed ice show — a thrilling spectacle of ice athletes of the highest level, who move easily from exciting triple jumps to lyrical dancing.
The Aqua Theater presents the show inTENse, a production of heart stopping acrobatic feats, such as an edge-of-your-seat highline act, as well as high diving, stunning aquatic dance numbers, and synchronized swimming by an all-female cast. The show is complemented by a dazzling staging with laser lights, projection screens, dancing fountains and electronic sounds.
All shows are repeated several times throughout the cruise, so all guests have a chance to enjoy them.
Dining on the Wonder of the Seas
One of cruising’s main attraction is dining, and the Wonder of the Seas delivers a culinary experience that satisfies anyone’s palate.
The main restaurant is a sprawling circular dining room on three levels around a soaring atrium that can accommodate up to 3,500 guests in one sitting. For dinner, one floor offers reservations-based “my time” dining and the other two serve two sittings at assigned tables. The menu is a la carte, offering daily specialties such as Coconut Shrimp, Duck a l’Orange, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Braised Lamb Shank, Steak Diane, as well as seafood and pasta dishes. It also features classic staples such as Onion Soup, Caesar Salad, Herb-Crusted Salmon, and NY Strip Steak. Desserts such as Grand Marnier Souffle, Cherries Jubilee, Creme Brulee, Cheesecake and a sinful Royal Chocolate Cake complete the menu.
In addition to the dining room, you will enjoy the main buffet restaurant, Windjammer Market, a huge space that extends over the entire width of the ship. This is the most popular place for breakfast and lunch and even for dinner. It features numerous food stations and tables, and easily accommodates the large number of guests on board. Here you can enjoy classic American dishes, as well as Asian, vegetarian, and even gluten-free fare.
If you prefer a smaller buffet venue, dine in the Solarium Bistro, a casual restaurant under a translucent dome on the upper deck.
If you would like to try a different dining experience, make a reservation at the specialty restaurants available for a fee. These are smaller venues where you can enjoy Sushi, Teppanyaki, Italian cuisine, Steakhouse staples, Continental fare, Seafood, and the cruise line’s new Southern Cuisine restaurant, Mason Jar.
We experienced a magical dinner at Wonderland, a whimsical restaurant inspired by “Alice in Wonderland.” The restaurant is decorated with candelabras and elegant furniture, and even features a Mad Hatter character that mingles with and entertains guests. The menu is imaginative and eclectic, served tasting style for appetizers and a la carte for main dishes. We loved the delicious short rib entrée complemented by a heavenly bordelaise sauce. Our other favorite was the restaurant’s signature dessert, a chocolate sphere that melted as the server poured hot chocolate on it, revealing an ice cream core.
Private Island Enclaves
The Wonder of the Seas offers several Caribbean itineraries throughout the year and most of them include stops at the Royal Caribbean private enclaves, Labadee in Haiti and/or Coco Cay in the Bahamas.
Labadee is a tropical paradise — both a retreat and a playground — where you can enjoy a hassle-free day in the sun. Relax on a chaise under an umbrella, swim in the pristine bay on one side of the peninsula or frolic in the gentle surf on the other side. If you want to splurge, rent a private cabana on Nellie’s Beach for the ultimate relaxation.
If you’re looking for an adrenaline kick, hop on the over-water zipline, take a wave jet tour, try parasailing, or another water sport.
A delicious barbecue style lunch, local dancers, and an artisan market complete the Caribbean island experience.
Perfect Day at Coco Cay is Royal Caribbean’s Island paradise in the Bahamas, an ideal fun place for the entire family.
Here you can enjoy a water park with 13 waterslides including the tallest in North America, shoot water cannons, try the obstacle pool, and play in the large splash bay. You can also dip in the largest wave pool in the Caribbean and bathe in the giant Oasis freshwater lagoon. Activities offered also include water sports, snorkeling and even helium balloon rides.
The island has long, peaceful stretches of picture-perfect white sand beaches lined with complimentary chairs and umbrellas. Privacy seekers will enjoy the charming cabanas over water available for a fee at the exclusive Coco Beach Club.
A delicious lunch is served at several venues throughout the island. If you’d like to explore the island, trams can take you to and from the pier and numerous other spots. During our visit, an additional Royal Caribbean ship was in port, but the facilities on shore were so well organized we hardly felt the thousands of passengers that were enjoying the island.
Sailing on a Maiden Voyage
A ship’s maiden voyage is a special experience loved by many cruise connoisseurs. We too enjoyed the Wonder of the Seas inaugural sail… Everything on board was brand new and sparkling. Nobody ever slept in our bed, no-one touched our bath, linens were shiny, bath robes extra soft, and the towels were the plushiest ever. Every night we found small gifts in our room; logo caps, flags, sweets, etc. It was the cruise line’s way of thanking us for the patronage. In ports of call we were welcomed by fire boats shooting water cannons into the air, pier parties hosted by local tourism bureaus, and locals waving flags as we sailed by.
Even the crew had an extra spring in their step. Many of them just boarded the ship and were excited to take on their new jobs. Others, who’ve been working on the ship for a while, were thrilled to finally see people on board. There were also extra guest performers just for the inaugural sail, and cruise line executives were on board to ensure everything was running extra smoothly.
Cruising is a great type of vacation, and as the CDC has lifted its restrictions on cruise lines, the demand for cruising is increasing by the day.
The Wonder of the Seas will be in the Mediterranean from May 2022 and will return to the Caribbean in November 2022 sailing from Port Canaveral.
