There's so many different Royal Caribbean cruise ships, each with their pros and cons and rankings among cruise fans.
Online reviews can be misleading, too—you’ll find someone people swear off sailing a ship that others can’t stop praising.
Cruise fans rate Wonder of the Seas as one of the best Royal Caribbean ships, primarily due to her size and up-to-date amenities.
In contrast, Enchantment of the Seas was one of the ships our readers said they would never go back on again due to her old age and faded amenities.
In my quest to see all that the cruise line has to offer, I’ve now experienced a cruise on both the “best” and “worst” ships Royal Caribbean offers.
But does Royal Caribbean really have such a great difference between these two ships? What distinguishes them?
Read more: Royal Caribbean ship classes ultimate guide (2024)
Size
One of the key differences between Wonder and Enchantment is their size.
Wonder is one of the newest and largest cruise ships in the world. A large Oasis Class ship, she was just launched in 2022. The ship features state-of-the-art facilities, 18 total decks, and an expansive length.
The smaller, Vision-Class Enchantment of the Seas was launched 26 years prior, in 1996.
She was the last Royal Caribbean cruise ship to be lengthened in 2005 when they cut the ship in half and inserted a new section in the middle.
This change added 151 new cabins, but the ship still only has 1142 staterooms and a capacity for 2252 passengers and 852 crew members.
Enchantment has a more scaled-back and intimate setting, contrasting the grandeur and scale of Wonder of the Seas.
Of course, even the smallest Royal Caribbean ship still feels big on a human scale. No matter which ship you sail on, it will be like a huge building on the sea.
And Royal Caribbean has a reputation to keep up: even their smallest ships are larger than the ships offered by other mainstream cruise lines.
Even though Enchantment of the Seas is less than half the size of Wonder, both are large cruise ships that will take time to explore.
Cabins
Although the two ships are very different sizes, I couldn’t tell any difference once inside the cabins.
Different ships have different numbers of cabins available, but each cabin category is consistent regardless of the ship.
Surprisingly enough, my cabin on Enchantment of the Seas reminded me most of the cabin I stayed in on Wonder.
Both were inside cabins I purchased through the guarantee process.
Both cabins had no windows, a private but small shower, a TV, a vanity, a safe, a large closet with hangers, and a wide bed that could be split apart into two twin beds.
Despite the similar layout, I did notice a few significant differences.
First, my Enchantment cabin had no mini-fridge, the small cooler that usually sits in the cabinet beside the desk.
Secondly, I did notice the age showing inside Enchantment’s cabin. The flights would flicker or break, and one of the forward elevators even broke down for 24 hours.
I could tell that the ship had been renovated and had satisfactory amenities, but it was impossible not to notice a little wear and tear.
Third, on my Wonder of the Seas cruise, the TV inside the room was a newer Smart TV, which allowed me to cast to it directly from my iPhone. On Enchantment, the TV was an older version featuring only a few free channels.
Of course, the price was the major difference. I booked both cruises about a month beforehand, both for 7 nights. On Wonder of the Seas, I brought a guest, but on my Enchantment cruise, I had to pay the single supplement fee.
The final price for my 7-night Wonder of the Seas cruise was $2674.76, about $382 per night for two people.
On the other hand, my Enchantment of the Seas cruise cost $1471, or $210 per night.
Even with the solo traveler fee, this cheaper price helps take the sting out of the “worst ship” title.
Read more: Which Royal Caribbean cruise ship will you never sail on again? Here's what our readers said!
Dining
The cuisine is a crucial aspect of every cruise experience, so, naturally, this category would have a strong bearing on how you choose your next cruise ship.
It’s important to note that I haven’t noticed the quality of food or service change between Royal Caribbean ships, no matter their popularity.
The menus stay consistent throughout all ships and classes, especially in the Main Dining Room.
The only difference is that Wonder of the Seas boasts far more venues, with 10 complimentary restaurants and 13 specialty venues.
Enchantment of the Seas, in contrast, only has 4 complimentary restaurants and 3 specialty venues onboard.
Read more: One food item you need to order from each restaurant onboard Enchantment of the Seas
But if you are already unwilling to spend extra money on food, the wide range of specialty restaurants on Wonder may not appeal to you.
Enchantment of the Seas has plenty of delicious food, served with charm—and often a shorter wait!
Entertainment
As a cruise ship, it makes sense that fans would rate Wonder of the Seas as one of the best.
The ship was designed to be a destination in itself, with an awe-inspiring amount of options available.
She features iconic recreation zones like the AquaTheater, the Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, and Central Park. Shops, restaurants, and live music are everywhere—to say nothing of the activities and shows.
You can compare the Cruise Compasses side-by-side on our website. Although ships both feature the same significant events, such as get-togethers and musical performances, it’s clear that Wonder of the Seas goes above and beyond.
The ship features incredible amenities like laser tag, mini golf, and ice skating. It’s impossible to experience it all in one cruise!
But if you’re on a more port-intensive cruise, like an Alaska or Mediterranean itinerary, Enchantment of the Seas ship is more than satisfactory. I discovered that it was the perfect place to come back to and relax at night.
Reviews online complain that Enchantment is a boring ship, but I appreciated the quiet after a long port day.
While Wonder of the Seas has an impressive array of amenities and entertainment, Enchantment features a cozy, intimate environment.
Activities
I loved that Enchantment of the Seas was a much quieter environment. Instead of having large, open entertainment areas, like the Boardwalk and the Royal Promenade, Enchantment features one small, round Centrum. Since each floor looks out onto the Centrum, you can’t see how many people are milling around, and the noise is minimized.
It was a much more relaxing cruise experience.
However, the environment on Wonder of the Seas also felt much friendlier. I made actual friends on that cruise, unlike my Enchantment of the Seas cruise, where people hardly spoke in the elevators.
Both of my cruises were 7 days long, with ample time to connect with others onboard. But that wasn’t my experience on the smaller ship.
Maybe it was because Wonder of the Seas feels like such an exciting ship, with many more activities.
Or maybe it was because my Enchantment cruise was much more port-heavy, leaving cruisers tired and focused on tourism.
For whatever reason, I have never again felt the same social charm that I first experienced on Wonder of the Seas.
Bottom Line
In the end, we can’t decide for you if Wonder truly is Royal Caribbean’s best ship, or if Enchantment of the Seas is the line’s worst.
These two polarities can show the significant differences between popular and less popular cruise ships.
However, the two ships aren’t that different on a larger scale. Ultimately, the choice—the most well-liked ship versus the least popular ship—is up to your preferences. If you value grandeur, noise, and endless access to venues and entertainment, Wonder of the Seas may be the best choice.
But if you’re looking for a cheaper option with a quiet, intimate environment, you might be able to handle an older ship like Enchantment just fine.
