Sailing on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas is a vacation on one of the biggest cruise ship's in the world, but it also comes with a big price tag for everything it offers.
I went on a 7-night sailing that cost me more than $4,500 for the cruise fare, hotel, airfare, and plenty of onboard purchases.
Since Oasis Class ships are among my favorites at sea, I couldn’t resist sailing aboard Wonder for a week to the western Caribbean.
I made the most of my time on the ship without completely breaking the bank by employing some money-saving strategies, such as booking an interior stateroom and cruising during the shoulder season.
In total, I spent $4,698.16 on my weeklong Western Caribbean & Perfect Day cruise on Wonder of the Seas, including airfare to Florida and miscellaneous onboard spending. It wasn't the cheapest vacation, but it was worth every penny!
My guarantee inside cabin was $2,292.10
In a dream world, I’d always cruise in a balcony stateroom. However, they’re more expensive than interior cabins, and given how frequently I sail, this isn’t realistic.
As such, I booked a guarantee interior stateroom for my 7-night cruise on Wonder of the Seas. The total was $2,292.10, including taxes, port fees, and gratuities for two people.
Because I booked a guarantee cabin, we could not choose our stateroom’s location and were assigned cabin 9116.
The standard interior stateroom was all the way forward on Deck 9. I typically prefer midship staterooms, especially when sailing with my partner, as she gets seasick more easily than I do. However, we got lucky on our particular sailing.
There were very few times we felt excessive movement in our stateroom. One evening, my partner said the rocking kept her awake later than she would have liked, but a little Dramamine helped her doze off before midnight.
That said, the stateroom was well-appointed. Traveling as a couple, we kept the bed configured together, rather than separating the mattresses and having two smaller twin-sized beds.
Read more: I got seasick on two cruises. Here's what I'll do differently next time
Besides the location, my only other quarrels with the cabin were the lack of a loveseat or sofa and hooks. While we had a chair, I would have preferred a larger couch as a catch-all place for our miscellaneous items. At times, we had multiple bags piled on the tiny chair.
Our cabin's walls were also noticeably bare other than a small gallery wall arrangement on the left side. As such, there wasn't a great spot to hang lanyards or day bags. Though larger staterooms onboard typically have hooks beneath the television, this area was occupied by the dresser.
If I were to cruise on Wonder again, I'd prioritize bringing magnetic hooks to help utilize the wall space more efficiently and better organize our belongings.
My onboard expenses, including a specialty meal at The Mason Jar and a few souvenirs, came out to $403.91
Everyone’s onboard spending looks different. Some may prefer to splurge on a drink package, whereas other cruisers might spend their money on a specialty dining package or shore excursions in port.
While on Wonder of the Seas, I didn’t fully restrict myself to the complimentary amenities. As such, my onboard spending came to $403.91.
Before the cruise, my partner and I made a reservation for The Mason Jar to try its brunch because neither of us had eaten there before.
When we booked our cruise with our travel agent, we were gifted $50 in onboard credit that we used to help offset the cost. This meant we paid just $9.20 per person or $18.40 altogether.
I wish I had a lighter dinner the night before because my stomach definitely wasn't ready for a multi-course meal at 11:00am on our final day onboard! Everything from the deviled eggs to the over-the-top cinnamon roll and twice-fried Oreos was delicious and worth the cost.
On embarkation day, we also decided to skip the Main Dining Room and eat at Playmakers for dinner. An order of six wings, a chicken sandwich, and the infamous campfire cookie was $40.72, including an extra tip for our prompt waiter.
In addition to food, we spend money on a few souvenirs onboard. One of my guilty pleasures is purchasing new toys for my dog, Dexter. One night, as we were browsing the shops, we couldn’t resist buying a new collar and first-mate dog toy for him. These two items came out to be $22.93.
In all fairness, he did need a new collar. We somehow misplaced his and were using one that didn’t fit our old guy very well. The toy was a fun bonus!
Another miscellaneous purchase was my partner’s lanyard. I was in Florida before her, so she packed on her own. A few items were forgotten, including a lanyard! She also forgot her trusty handheld fan. Thankfully, we took it easy, booking a private driver with an air-conditioned car in Roatán, staying onboard in Cozumel, and spending time in the pool while docked in Costa Maya.
Royal Caribbean ships don’t have a shortage of lanyards, so she picked one up on embarkation day for $10.64 in the Royal Promenade while we waited for the announcement that staterooms were ready.
We also bought two new T-shirts in the Royal Promenade for $30. Usually, I steer clear of these sales; however, I wanted a new comfy shirt to sleep in, and $15 for an oversized shirt isn't a bad deal.
Alcohol is something to consider on any cruise, regardless of which line you're sailing with. We limited our daily consumption since we decided to save money and not purchase a drink package. For the most part, we stuck to our four included Diamond vouchers.
Read more: The secrets to achieving Diamond status quickly on Royal Caribbean
However, there were a few times we wanted an extra drink when attending activities like the adults-only silent disco in the Solarium or watching The Quest in Studio B.
Plus, we tried the Bionic Bar and invented our own concoctions, and I couldn't go too long without a crisp Diet Coke. My partner also purchased a Cafe Select Coffee Card for her iced coffees each morning. Altogether, these beverages totaled $199.14.
One night, we purchased ice cream at Sugar Beach while watching Inside Out 2 at the AquaTheater. Our two scoops of Cookies & Cream ice cream came out to $7.08. It was my first time trying Sugar Beach and though it was a nice treat, the soft serve at Sprinkles is a solid option and does not cost anything extra.
Finally, if there’s one place my partner and I have to visit on every cruise, it’s the arcade. Or, in my case, the adult arcade, aka the casino! Between the slots and a few failed claw machines, we spent $75.00.
Before the cruise, we reserved The Key for $517.86
After 14 Royal Caribbean cruises, I decided to try The Key to see if it was worth the relatively high price tag. It came out to $517.86 for two passengers, or $36.99 per person, per night, for our weeklong cruise on Wonder of the Seas.
The Key Program gives guests certain priority benefits, such as reserved seating in the main theater and AquaTheater, an exclusive welcome lunch in the Main Dining Room, and more.
It also includes a VOOM Surf & Stream package for one device per person, so since my partner and I were both going to purchase a Wi-Fi package, we decided to splurge on The Key for extra perks while on our 7-night cruise.
The Key did not include priority or expedited boarding in the terminal at Port Canaveral; however, once on the ship, we dropped off our carry-on bags in the Main Dining Room and enjoyed a three-course meal.
It was a nice touch to begin our weeklong cruise away from the crowds in the buffet. However, the food wasn't really anything that special.
Throughout our voyage, we also took advantage of the reserved seating in the AquaTheater. We had amazing seats front and center and were in awe of the talented divers and dancers as they performed daring stunts and synchronized routines.
We also utilized The Key's private zip line time on the last day, though this wasn't planned. We wanted to watch the Yes or No game show in the karaoke lounge; however, all seats were filled when we arrived. Instead of standing in the corner, we made our way to Deck 16 and rode the zip line with no wait!
Overall, though, I don't think The Key was worth the cost. While having extra benefits was nice, I'd rather spend the money on a cabin with a view or a shore excursion.
We did not even use The Key's express disembarkation. After grabbing a coffee at Cafe Promenade, we joined the line in the Royal Promenade and were off the ship in minutes.
I booked an excursion through Viator in Roatán, Honduras, for $140
Since my partner and I visited Cozumel last year, we opted to stay onboard, saving money and taking advantage of fewer crowds. However, it was my fiancée's first time in Roatán, and she really wanted to visit an animal sanctuary. We booked a last-minute tour through Viator for $140 including a tip, and I'd highly recommend it!
Though we booked through Viator, the tour company was called Roatán Breakaway Tours. We easily located our driver, Kendall, outside the port, and were whisked away on a 3.5-hour excursion that visited Daniel Johnson's Monkey & Sloth Hangout, the Roatán Rum Company, and the Roatán Chocolate Factory.
Kendall was a fantastic driver, and we learned a lot about the island as we drove to each stop. This was easily one of the highlights of our cruise! Who wouldn't want to hold an adorable sloth or have cute monkeys jump all over them?
This was the only excursion purchased, as we planned a cheap port day in Costa Maya, venturing off the ship for a quick dip in the port's pool before returning onboard.
One thing to note is that if you plan to stay in Costa Maya's port area and use the lounge chairs, you must purchase something from a nearby bar.
We ordered two overpriced and over-sugary mojitos for $38.00 and thought that since we bought something from a port bar, we could move freely from one pool to another. Unfortunately, we were told you must purchase something from the closest bar. So, even though we spent nearly $40.00 at the Mojito Bar, we couldn't sit near the Costa Maya Beach pool.
While ashore, I spent $52 on souvenirs
Even though I say I'm not going to purchase anything in port, I always come back with something new.
This time, it was a handmade shot glass made in Honduras, as well as a magnet for my partner's desk at work and a rum cake.
We also bought local hot sauce for our family, and my partner couldn't resist trying a cookies and cream popsicle from the Roatán Chocolate Factory. Altogether, these items came to $52.
I spent $1,254.29 on airfare and transportation
Before my cruise on Wonder, I took a 4-night cruise aboard Margaritaville at Sea's Islander out of Tampa. As such, I began my two-week trip by flying into Tampa and out of Orlando. My airfare with American Airlines was $402.97.
Thankfully, I gave myself time and flew into Tampa the day before my first cruise, as I had to deal with two canceled flights before finally departing Charlotte about four hours later than scheduled.
After my cruise on Islander, I took an Uber from Tampa to my hotel in Orlando, where I stayed for two nights between sailings using Hyatt points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards. This was the most expensive rideshare of the trip, costing $133.95.
Rather than spend a full Saturday in the hotel, my partner and I purchased a one-day multi-park ticket to Universal Studios. This was completely optional, though, and came out to $466.48 for both of us.
My partner's flights were more affordable. Because she doesn't have loyalty status with a specific airline, she booked a one-way flight to Orlando on Spirit, and I used American miles for her return flight. She paid just $82.19 for the flight from Charlotte to Orlando, which included a checked bag.
On the morning of our cruise, we took a Lyft from our hotel across Universal Studios to the Orlando airport to catch our bus to Port Canaveral for $23.75. We booked our shuttle through Go Port and paid $59.98 each or $119.96 altogether.
It was my first time using Go Port, and it was such an easy experience. After checking in around 9:45am, we waited until our boarding group number was called. It took less than fifteen minutes from when we lined up to board the bus to when we were en route to Port Canaveral.
Using Go Port to return to the Orlando airport was just as smooth and efficient. We easily located Go Port's check-in counter after leaving the terminal and were off in minutes thanks to an almost full bus. The shuttle got us to the airport by 8:30am, and we were through security and passing time in the lounge by 9:10am, hours ahead of our 1:00pm flight.
The last expense of my 7-night cruise aboard Wonder of the Seas was a Lyft ride from the Charlotte airport back home, which came to $24.99.
