Since Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas entered service three years ago, I've sailed on her five times and it's easily one of the best cruise ships in the world.
Mega cruise ships are the norm among the mass market lines, but the size isn't everything.
I sailed on Wonder in a few different kinds of cabins, including one of the biggest suites you'll find in the world while at sea.
Being the fifth in the Oasis Class, it's clear a lot of lessons learned have been applied and the ship stands out as a great choice for families that want a wide variety of activities, shows, places to eat, and a fun family vacation vibe.
More things to do than you possibly can squeeze into a week
If variety is the spice of life, then Wonder of the Seas is the ghost pepper of cruises.
While Royal Caribbean has a well-deserved reputation for having as many activities as possible on a ship, Wonder of the Seas raised the bar with some of the changes it introduced. They wanted to include more than you could do in a week, and that's a good thing.
Just how big is Wonder of the Seas? It can handle up to 6,988 passengers when totally full. Luckily like all Oasis Class ships, the layout and scheduling of activities helps distribute passengers. That isn't to say there wont be lines or crowds, but it's not as bad as you might think on a ship with that many people.
What you'll notice first about Wonder of the Seas is just how many places there are to go, which I think is part of the appeal of a mega ship. New cruisers are amazed how many areas there are and what's around the next corner.
There are three different theaters onboard with totally different experiences in each: an outdoor AquaTheater, indoor traditional stage theater, and an ice skating rink theater.
The pool deck is filled with lots for families to love. There are multiple pools, three waterslides, hot tubs, and even an adults-only pool for the parents to enjoy.
At the back of the pool deck is the sports deck with a zip line, surf simulator, play area for young kids, sports court, and even a mini-golf course. You could spend an entire day trying to knock out all of those things.
Be sure to give the Ultimate Abyss a try, which is a 10-deck high slide that takes you down to the Boardwalk neighborhood. Don't worry, it's not as scary as it looks.
That's on top of the traditional cruise activities held around the ship, such as bingo, trivia, demonstrations, karaoke, and game shows.
I found every night so many compelling options to do, and that's why I booked multiple cruises on Wonder. I wanted to try to "see it all", but it just wasn't possible on a 7-night cruise.
How to get around the ship easily
When you board Wonder of the Seas, you'll walk right on to the Royal Promenade, which is one of the eight unique neighborhoods.
Neighborhoods is what Royal Caribbean calls its distinctly themed areas of the ship to help separate the ship and make it easy for passengers to navigate.
- Suite Neighborhood: Reserved for suite guests only with a private lounge, sun deck, world-class dining, and personalized service (Decks 17 & 18)
- Boardwalk: Open-air neighborhood with a carousel, hot dog stand, candy store, sports bar, and arcade (Deck 6)
- Royal Promenade: Bustling area with shops, bars, and entertainment (Deck 5)
- Entertainment Place: Where you'll find the main theater, comedy club, ice skating rink, and casino (Deck 4)
- Vitality Spa and Fitness: Spa and fitness center with a gym, salon, barbershop, and thermal suite (Decks 5 and 6)
- Pool and Sports Zone: Waterslides, pools, and sports activities (Decks 15 and 16)
- Central Park: Open air park with real plants, fine dining, boutiques, and a moving bar (Deck 8)
- Youth Zone: Special area for kids and teens with activities, games, and educational fun (Deck 14)
One key difference about Wonder of the Seas compared to the Oasis Class ships that preceded it is that it has a suite neighborhood, which was a new innovation at the time.
This means if you're booked in a suite, there's an entire area of the ship reserved just for you, including a suite lounge, sun deck, and restaurant.
Once on the ship, I think the neighborhoods make it easy to quickly know where you are and figure out how to get to where you're going.
Lots of restaurants, but many cost extra
There's no chance of going hungry on Wonder of the Seas, as it has more restaurants than you can dine at in one week.
Like all Royal Caribbean ships, there's a mix of restaurants included with your cruise fare that cost nothing extra to eat there as well as other restaurants that have a cost.
Don't worry, you won't have to pay extra in order to stay full. The Main Dining Room and Windjammer buffet serve up three meals a day, while other restaurants have snacks and times when they're serving food too.
Of the included restaurants, don't miss El Loco Fresh. It's located near the pools and has fantastic grab-and-go Mexican food that always hits the spot.
I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention Sorrento's has pizza most hours of the day, and is quite popular for a late-night snack.
The selection of extra cost specialty restaurants is quite impressive, and when I sail on Wonder, I always get a specialty dining package so I can indulge in the various options.
My favorites are Izumi Japanese cuisine, Mason Jar restaurant and bar, 150 Central Park, and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen.
Many cruisers equally love trying Wonderland, which is loosely themed after the "Alice in Wonderland" story, or Johnny Rockets, which has burgers, shakes, and hot dogs with a 1950's theme to it.
If you are booked in a Grand Suite or higher, be sure to take advantage of the meals you get in Coastal Kitchen. This is the suites-only restaurant that has breakfast, lunch, and dinner offered. It's included with your cruise fare and it feels like a specialty restaurant without the price tag.
The best Oasis Class ship?
Compared to the other Oasis Class ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet, it's clear the tweaks, additions, and changes on Wonder of the Seas stand out from the pack.
While Royal Caribbean has continued to tinker with the Oasis Class formula with the even newer Utopia of the Seas, I think Wonder is so close in features to Utopia that you'd truly need to be a super cruiser to notice them.
By far the best change made is the addition of the Suite Neighborhood and the suite sun deck within that area. I think it's a sun deck you'd actually want to hang out in, and it's conveniently located too. The sun deck on other ships lack shade and are usually far from the cabins suite guests reside in.
Credit should also be given to the resort style pool deck, which has a feel to it of being better than the older ships. The addition of the Lime and Coconut bar offers creative cocktails to enjoy. My favorite is the Lime and Coconut drink, which goes down so smooth that you can easily get to three before realizing it.
Royal Caribbean added The Vue bar onto the pool deck, and it's a fun twist on a traditional pool deck bar. As the name implies, it provides wonderful views and a great breeze to go along with its drinks.
Something else families will love is the Playscape within the sports deck. It replaced a second Flowrider surf simulator, but gives parents of young children exactly what this age group needs: an enclosed space to run around and play and get out all that toddler energy.
If you've never cruised before, then comparing Wonder of the Seas to other ships is irrelevant, so just know you picked a really good ship. If you have been on one of the other Oasis Class ships, I think you'll love these changes as much as I do.
What I loved to do on Wonder of the Seas
Cabins have so much storage
Not only do the cabins on Wonder of the Seas have modern touches to them, the amount of storage provided is perfect.
Traditionally cruise ship cabins have limited storage, but I found more closets, drawers, and shelves to use than I expected.
Families will really like how easy it is to put things away and keep the room tidy, which is usually a struggle when I cruise with my kids.
Speaking of cabin design, there's more USB and power outlets than in older cruise ships, which is another boon.
Fun shows every night
If Royal Caribbean has a top strength, it's their ability to produce really good shows that you'll want to see again and again.
On Wonder of the Seas there's probably going to be at least two production shows per night, and it's included in your cruise fare. Each of these shows has really high production values, and I'd recommend anyone sailing to see them all at least once.
The AquaTheater show and Effectors II are probably my top choices, for how talented the cast is and how they can make the amazing stunts they do look so effortless.
I've seen the aqua show the most across all my sailings, because it's that much fun to see the cast perform.
The sleeper hit is the ice skating show, which might be overlooked because it's ice skating. My kids and I loved the pacing and use of contemporary music.
I also love going to the various bars at night for live music. Royal Caribbean puts a major focus on live entertainment, and it shows. Jazz performers in Central Park, a guitarist in the pub, or the country band playing at the Mason Jar bar, are all must-sees for me on my sailings.
A suite area I actually want to hang out in
Up until Wonder of the Seas, I never saw the value in spending a lot of time in the suites-only areas, especially the sun deck.
Royal Caribbean fixed the issues and designed an area that's comfortable, offers a lot, and is convenient to get to.
The fact there's shade and sunny areas of the sun deck makes it so enjoyable to be up there, especially when the hot Caribbean sun makes it very warm.
There's a plunge pool to enjoy too, and it's perfect for lounging.
Someone that hasn't cruised before may be drawn to booking a suite because they tend to stay in suites in hotels for bonuses that come with those rooms. Similarly, a cruise ship suite is about rewarding guests with added service that make the entire experience easier to enjoy.
Super specialty dining
If you're not at least sampling a few specialty restaurants on Wonder of the Seas, I think you're missing out.
There are a lot of top notch restaurants on this ship, and I could eat at a few of the specialty options every day, because they are that darn good.
Within Central Park are a number of great choices, and I think if you didn't plan on doing specialty dining, you'll quickly be tempted when you walk by them.
Chops Grille, 150 Central Park, and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen are all located here, and the hardest decision is which to eat at first.
Izumi Hibachi is a real crowd pleaser for how much fun it is, I don't think I've ever missed dining at Izumi at least once on all my five cruises on this ship.
Then there's Playmakers Sports Bar in the Boardwalk, and I love going here for a burger at lunch, or late night snacks while I watch a baseball game on the many televisions they have.
What I hated about Wonder of the Seas
Bionic Bar
Royal Caribbean had a moment when it was really into robots, and the Bionic Bar is an example of that trend that has since faded away.
This bar is located right in the middle of the Royal Promenade and has robots that make drinks for you. Kind of neat, but none of the drinks ever taste that great, and the novelty of the robots making the drink fades quicker than the ice melts in your drink.
The good news is the Bionic Bar was abandoned on Utopia of the Seas, but it remains on Wonder and wastes prime real estate.
Movie screen is really loud
Royal Caribbean added a movie screen to the pool deck, which is a great idea, because other Oasis Class ships lacked such a screen.
The problem is it's located above Central Park, and all that music, dialogue, and noise from the films emanates down into the park, and it's noticeably loud.
No Broadway show
While I really like Effectors II show in the Royal Theater, I wish there was a full Broadway show instead.
Wonder was the first of the Oasis Class ships to buck the trend of including a Broadway show onboard, and I miss it. I really liked that it had a fully developed plot, great music, and was easily recognizable.
Plus, I felt the Broadway shows added a distinguishing factor to the cruise line to choose Royal Caribbean over the others.
Royal Caribbean's in-house shows are good, but they're not up to the caliber of total entertainment Broadway offers.
Who should book a cruise on Wonder of the Seas
Royal Caribbean has been focused on families for years, but Wonder of the Seas is its best offering in this market outside of Icon of the Seas.
The ideal cruiser for this ship is a multi-gen family looking to vacation together, but not necessarily spend every minute together.
You'll find lots for kids of all ages to enjoy. The teen area is quite big and even has an indoor and outdoor deck. Younger kids have the most space Royal Caribbean has dedicated to kids programming.
Royal Caribbean's kids club is vastly underrated. There's organized events, along with self-led options so kids have the choice in what fun they're into at that moment.
Add in the Boardwalk and Playscape, and parents have an impressive array of options.
My wife and I prefer to sail on Wonder of the Seas because we can find plenty to hold our attention. There's a giant casino, live music at a half dozen bars, dance parties, karaoke, and plenty of pool fun.
The other perfect candidate for Wonder of the Seas is someone that has never cruised before.
Because the ship has the latest and greatest that Royal Caribbean has to offer, I think it's the perfect ship for anyone that has thought about trying a cruise.
I have friends and family that have felt this way for years out of concern that ships are overcrowded, isolated in the ocean, or otherwise bored.
When I hear from new cruisers, many are astounded by how much there was to do onboard. Any fear of not having enough to do or feeling "trapped" are almost always brushed aside after they get home.
Itineraries and pricing
Wonder of the Seas offers year-round 7-night sailings from Port Canaveral, but those plans will be changing.
Beginning September 1, 2025, Wonder of the Seas shifts to offer short cruises from Miami.
After Wonder moves to Miami, she'll begin offering 3- and 4-night cruises to The Bahamas that include visits to Perfect Day at CocoCay.
This is a big change, because only offering short Caribbean cruises is meant to attract new cruisers. Royal Caribbean wants to dominate the short cruise market by offering weekend sailings on its best ships in a bid to attract new cruisers.
Short Caribbean voyages are attractive to those seeking a shorter getaway or who might be new to cruising and cannot commit to the idea of spending a week on a ship.
Prices for a 7-night Wonder of the Seas cruise from Port Canaveral start at $1,046 per person for an interior cabin, based on double occupancy.
Once Wonder begins offering short Bahamas cruises, the cheapest price begins at just $499 for an inside room on a 3-night sailing.
The exact cost of a cruise on Wonder of the Seas will depend on which cabin you book, time of year you sail, and how far in advance you book.
