Royal Caribbean Blog

Today is the fifth day on Wonder of the Seas and our second sea day. While I didn’t have any set plans for the day, I was looking forward to spending time relaxing onboard.

I started my morning at Central Park. This has quickly become one of my favorite areas on Wonder of the Seas for its peaceful atmosphere and open space.

I find I walk through the Royal Promenade much less on Oasis Class ships to get from one side to the other, instead choosing to walk through Central Park.

Lunch today was at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen. As usual, many carbs were consumed and it was all delicious. I prefer the pizza menu to the pasta here, and the margherita pizza really hit the spot.

After lunch, I took a walk around Wonder of the Seas to explore more of the ship. I was surprised to see the World’s Sexiest Man Competition happening on the pool deck.

Many pool activities that draw crowds were suspended during the cruise restart due to Covid protocols, so it is exciting to see things getting back to normal. The competition was actually a lot more entertaining than I thought it would be, too, with men trying to impress women judges with their “sexy” dance moves.

I actually busted out laughing several times at just how ridiculous the performances were!

Next, I hung out at one of the hidden secrets on Wonder of the Seas, the seating areas on the running track. Like Central Park, this is one of my favorite places onboard to relax away from the crowds and take in dramatic ocean views. There is also a ping pong table and shuffleboard here for guests to enjoy.

Later in the afternoon, I walked to the Sports Deck to take in the sunset. I love the seating in the back of the sports deck, which gives great views of the ship’s wake, and I spent some time here relaxing before dinner.

Since I had to go from the Sports Deck back to my stateroom, I opted for a more thrilling adventure than taking the stairs: the Ultimate Abyss.

The Ultimate Abyss is one of my favorite signature activities onboard, and it’s even more fun than it looks. Needless to say, I got to the Boardwalk a whole lot quicker than if I had taken the elevator.

Dinner tonight brought us to 150 Central Park. I had never tried this specialty restaurant before, so was curious to try it out. 

150 Central Park has a limited menu, which I usually take as a good sign that all dishes have been well thought out and prepared.

I ordered the Roasted Spiced Pumpkin Bisque to start my meal. Rich, sweet, and savory all at once, it far exceeded my expectations.

For the main course, I tried the Cauliflower Steak and Pan-seared Halibut, and the fried cheesecake may be the best dessert I’ve tried on Royal Caribbean thus far.

What I like about 150 Central Park is that the menu consists of dishes I would not usually order. As an example, I would never think to place a roasted cauliflower over a bed of greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds, and thyme, but the flavors all blended together perfectly.

As the restaurant focuses on elevated classic entrees and locally-sourced ingredients, it has some of the highest quality dishes I’ve tried on Royal Caribbean.

I ended the night by listening to live country music at The Mason Jar followed by acoustic guitar at the pub. Tomorrow we will be in Nassau.

Have you seen our full ship tour of Wonder of the Seas? Be sure to check it out on our YouTube channel to learn more about Wonder of the Seas:

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Stray Observations

With around 4,200 passengers onboard, this cruise feels more like a “real cruise” compared to the low capacity cruises I have been on since the restart.

While I thought having more passengers onboard would make me enjoy the experience less, I actually like the more lively atmosphere found throughout the ship.

My cabin is close to the elevators which makes getting to and from my stateroom a breeze.

On previous cruises, I always had to walk further from the stairs or elevators to my room, and it could be a pain when I had to quickly grab something. Plus, I do not hear much, if any, noise coming from the elevators and hallway.

For the first time ever, an Oasis Class cruise ship will offer regular 3- and 4-night cruises.

Royal Caribbean unveiled its 2023-2024 Short Caribbean cruises on Tuesday, and Allure of the Seas will begin offering short sailings in late 2023.

Traditionally, Oasis Class ships sail 7-night cruises.  These are the biggest cruise ships in the world, and by offering so much to see and do onboard, Royal Caribbean always sailed them on the longer sailings.

In recent years, Royal Caribbean has steadily improved the vessels offering weekend cruises from Florida, beginning with amplified Voyager Class ships, and more recently the slightly larger Freedom Class ships.

Allure of the Seas transitioning to short Caribbean voyages will open up a new enticing option to the getaway cruise market.

Allure of the Seas will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida beginning on October 31, 2023 and alternate between 3- and 4-night cruises that visit Nassau, Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The new short sailings run through at least April 15, 2024.

Allure of the Seas had been deployed to Galveston, Texas since late 2022, but Harmony of the Seas will take over so that Allure can move to Florida.

In an interview with Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider, he indicated the idea of having short cruises on an Oasis Class ship is an exciting new plan, "We've loved our our three or four short program. It's been tremendously successful.

"We've never piloted that with an Oasis class ship before. So Allure of the Seas will be the first pilot of a three or four night short program."

Other short Caribbean sailings

In addition to the Allure change, Royal Caribbean released 7 other ship deployments.

Adventure of the Seas will sail from Galveston and offer 4-, 5- and 6-night Western Caribbean cruises.

Freedom of the Seas will continue to offer 3- and 4- night cruises from Miami that visit CocoCay & Nassau.

Grandeur of the Seas will also sail from Miami, and run primarily Southern Caribbean voyages that are as long as 12 nights in some cases. She will also offer 4- and 5- cruises to The Bahamas and Western Caribbean.

Independence of the Seas will sail 3-, 4-, and 5- night cruises from Miami to CocoCay & Nassau.

Liberty of the Seas will call Fort Lauderdale home, and offer 3-6 night cruises around the Caribbean and Bahamas.

Mariner of the Seas will also sail from Port Canaveral with more varied 4- and 5-night Caribbean cruises.

Radiance of the Seas will move from Vancouver, and initially offer one west coast cruise down to San Diego, before embarking on a Panama Canal cruise to Tampa, where she will sail 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises.

Next deployments

More cruises will be announced over the course of the next few weeks.

Royal Caribbean's deployment schedule is as follows:

• Week of March 14: Los Angeles
• Week of March 28: Barbados & Panama
• Week of April 4: Australia
• Week of April 11: China
• Week of April 18: 7-night Caribbean
• Week of June 6: Singapore

Keep in mind that the deployment schedule is subject to change.

Planning on booking a 2023 cruise? These stories will help:

• 5 things to look for before you book a cruise
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• Should I take a short or a long cruise?
• Why you shouldn't book the cheapest cruise you can find

Today is the fourth day of the inaugural voyage of Wonder of the Seas. I (Jenna) am taking over the live blog from Matt for the rest of the cruise, and I can’t wait to keep discovering both the ship and ports of call throughout the week.

I started my morning by finishing up our FULL ship tour of Wonder of the Seas. Have you seen it yet? Be sure to check it out on our YouTube channel for an in-depth tour and guide to the ship.

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Breakfast today was a highly anticipated event: brunch at The Mason Jar. I had enjoyed dinner at The Mason Jar earlier in the sailing, but the brunch menu was something I was definitely looking forward to trying.

Before eating, I attended a cocktail demonstration where we could learn more about the full list of new cocktails available at The Mason Jar.

There is an extensive selection of brand new cocktails available, from the Mississippi Moonlight to the PB&J Old Fashioned and Mint Julep. The menu also includes a few dessert cocktails, such as the All Shook-Up milkshake with peanut butter whiskey and banana cream rum, and ice cream and soda floats. Both alcoholic and nonalcoholic floats are available.

The brunch menu is split into savory and sweet options, and each meal starts with an appetizer of Jalapeño Cornbread and Pimento Cheese and Saltines.

My first thought as our brunch entrees were brought to the table was WOW! I ordered the Red Velvet Pancakes topped with cream cheese icing. Other members of the table ordered Meemaw’s Fried Chicken N’ Waffles and the Sweet-Tooth Cinnamon Roll.

I enjoyed my dinner at The Mason Jar, but as I am partial to loving breakfast food, brunch was certainly a highlight of my cruise so far.

I watched Wonder of the Seas sail into San Juan as I was touring the Suite Neighborhood. We arrived in Puerto Rico at 1PM and the ship was not leaving until 9PM. This was my first time experiencing an evening spent in port, so I was excited to explore the city during both day and night.

After catching up on work, we disembarked the ship around 4PM. As we headed down the pier, a Royal Caribbean Blog reader came up to us and told us we must try the pastries from the baker at the end of the pier. He sells homemade pastries from the back of his car, and the guava and cheese pastry was a great pick-me-up before exploring San Juan.

While I have been to San Juan before, I had never come here on a cruise, and I was pleased to find out how convenient it is as a cruise port. Wonder of the Seas was docked in the heart of Old San Juan, so the whole historic area is easily accessible by foot.

The breezy afternoon weather was perfect for walking around, and we spent some time strolling through the city’s colorful cobblestone streets.

As sunset drew near, we grabbed a drink and walked along the sidewalk heading to El Morro, a historic citadel at the edge of Old San Juan. El Morro is surrounded by spacious greenery, which makes for nice people watching.

We continued our walk along the Paseo de la Princesa, a waterfront boardwalk that borders the historic walls once used to protect the city.

As the sun set, we walked to La Factoría, a local restaurant and bar in Old San Juan. This unassuming venue located on a corner with no signage turned out to be a great choice for dinner and drinks.

The menu focuses more on small bites than big entrees, and we enjoyed fish tacos and almojábanas, a type of cheese bread found throughout Latin America.

It was nice to be able to spend an evening in port as opposed to on the ship. As this isn’t very common on cruise itineraries, I enjoyed having dinner at a local spot and walking through the city’s streets at night.

Back onboard, I went to the AquaTheater for the showcase of inTENse. This is the first AquaTheater show with an all-female cast. While the full show itself is not ready yet (the cast just got onboard a few weeks ago), a showcase is being performed this week with bits and pieces of the show.

As we left San Juan the seas were pretty choppy, so the showcase was shortened to a brief segment. What I saw, though, was spectacular, so I am excited to see the rest of the showcase later this week. Our show reservations were automatically switched to Thursday evening instead when we should encounter better weather.

I called it a night after the AquaTheater performance to get some rest for a full day at sea tomorrow.

Stray Observations

In the Royal Promenade today were some of the set pieces for Anchor Aweigh, a parade coming to the Royal Promenade. While the parade is not yet ready for this week, it looks like it will be an interesting thing to see on future sailings.

There have been surprises waiting in our cabins on every night of this sailing. Tonight was a plate of macarons and other small patisserie. 

Wonder of the Seas is filled with impressive new features and amenities, but Royal Caribbean also included a few things that are slightly different or even unique to this ship.

While the press releases will always highlight the big headline-grabbing features of a new ship, there are a few interesting anecdotes and tweaks Royal Caribbean has made with Wonder of the Seas.

While these may not be the "I can't believe they did that" type of changes, I thought these were interesting enough to share for someone that goes on Wonder of the Seas soon to know about.

Largest Windjammer at sea

The Windjammer is the epicenter of quick meals for many families, and Royal Caribbean designed the Windjammer to be the largest in the fleet.

Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, said the Windjammer on Wonder has 1048 seats, 300 bigger than any other Windjammer.

They also added a "kidjammer" station at right height for kids so they can grab their own food.

This is significant not just because it's a very large Windjammer, but because traditionally the Windjammer on Oasis Class ships were not always that large.

In an effort to keep passengers separated and not too close in one area, the original Oasis Class ships purposefully not a massive Windjammer to promote the idea of going to alternative quick service food choices, such as Park Cafe, Mini Bites and others.

Cruise fans know what they want, and Royal Caribbean dedicated the most space yet to the Windjammer on Wonder of the Seas.

The female-only aqua show wasn't intentional

Royal Caribbean touts the fact its all-female AquaTheater show on Wonder of the Seas is a first, but this wasn't the plan from the start.

Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Nick Weir, shared at the start of the planning process for "InTENse", they simply were looking to find the most adventurous and thrill-seeking performers they could find.

As the auditions began, Mr. Weir's staff noticed all the people auditioning were female.  They then had the idea to embrace that fact and make it an all-female show.

Cafe Promenade serves Starbucks drinks, and soon the entire fleet will too

If you order a latte or macchiato at Cafe Promenade on Wonder of the Seas, you will get a Starbucks beverage and soon all the Cafe Promenade's in the fleet will too.

Mr. D'Souza said the licensing agreement with their supplier allows Royal Caribbean to offer Starbucks branded drinks at Cafe Promenade, but also continue offering Starbucks drinks at the kiosk.

While the Starbucks kiosk beverages are not included with any drink package, the Starbucks drinks at Cafe Promenade are included with a Royal Caribbean drink package.

Genies are the only crew members without name tags

So this is not a Wonder of the Seas-only feature, but I forgot about this fact and wanted to share it with you.

The Royal Genies are the exclusive perk for the top suite guests onboard Wonder of the Seas. Genies are kind of like a cross between a butler and wish maker, and they are shared between just a few cabins.

On Wonder of the Seas, there are 3 genies across 8 Star Class suites.

Genies don't wear a nametag while in public areas of the ship, because the cruise line doesn't want other guests asking them questions or otherwise taking time away from the families the genies are assigned to.

Wonder is first ship to bring back events cancelled due to Covid

Two major onboard events are coming back to Wonder of the Seas for the first time since Covid-19.

Laser tag is already up and running on Wonder of the Seas, and the Royal Promenade parade should ready by the second voyage.

The street parade has 98 people in cast.  The plan is to bring back parades to other ships systematically.

Both of these events were suspended due to Covid-19 social distancing concerns up until now.

First ship to have a country band onboard

If you prefer Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryant, or Garth Brooks, Wonder of the Seas is for you.

At the Mason Jar restaurant, there is a bar area that features a country music band trio that performs most nights.

While Royal Caribbean has always been a major proponent of live music on its ships, country music was usually not in the repertoire.

Wonder of the Seas has its first VIP high roller casino area

Wonder of the Seas was designed with a high roller casino area in lieu of a jazz club to appeal to the Asian cruise market. When Royal Caribbean changed plans to keep Wonder of the Seas in the United States, they decided to keep the VIP room.

Cruise line executives I spoke with admitted they weren't sure whether or not the concept will be a hit with Americans, but it seemed worth a try.

If you are worried about missing out on jazz music, Royal Caribbean still offers live jazz music in both Central Park and the Music Hall.

There's been a few milestones on the return of cruising, and Labadee is one of the most recent of those.

Royal Caribbean resumed visits to Labadee a few weeks ago, and today Wonder of the Seas visited Royal Caribbean's private destination.

We docked early in the morning and I walked off the ship to get a full day.

The first thing I noticed were little tweaks to Labadee that Royal Caribbean has made, such as adding more umbrellas, and repainting a number of buildings with brighter colors.

Royal Caribbean told me they also re-worked the flow of the arrivals area to eliminate the security building near the entrance (it's now a towel station), as well as fixing the irrigation of the area to prevent flooding when it rains a lot.

Walking around Labadee, things looked more similar than not, and it all looked beautiful.

While Labadee lacks the sheer variety of things to do at Perfect Day at CocoCay, it's still a really fun and relaxing beach day.

I had rented a Nellie's Beach over the water cabana for the day. We had cabana number 3 on the hill to the right of the beach.

Royal Caribbean had upgraded its cabanas at Labadee. I heard some of the Barefoot Beach cabanas were brand new. Our cabanas had new furniture inside.

The cabana was lovely, and I love getting one whenever I visit to have shade and a "home base of operations" while there.

Lunch has not changed much and it gives me a better appreciation for the elevated lunch you get at CocoCay.

Something special for the media onboard was Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, managed to get some local food from the Haitians living nearby to sample. I love trying local cuisine!

In the afternoon, I was able to try out something brand new to me: the alpine coaster.

The Dragon's Tail Coaster has been at Labadee for years, but I hadn't gotten around to trying it.

Royal Caribbean sells one ride and all day passes. 

You watch a short video to understand how the braking works, and then it's into your car and up the mountain.

The views alone are worth the ride, but of course it's a really fast-paced ride down too. I admit I rode the brake down more than I thought, but it was exhilarating.

Overall, I loved our visit to Labadee, and it felt good to be back after so long.

We got back onboard in the mid afternoon, and if you hadn't heard, there was a sprinkler system malfunction on the Royal Promenade. It happened while I was in Labadee, but the video quickly spread on social media.

The good news is by the time I got back onboard, it was all cleaned up and you would not have known anything had happened. It's a credit to the hard working crew members who quickly swooped in to take care of it.

In fact, the country music trio from the Mason Jar performed on the Promenade.

As afternoon turned into evening it was time to get ready for dinner.

Our dinner plans brought us back to Izumi, but this time for sushi.

Izumi Master Chef Travis Kamiyama hosted us and provided some special sushi dishes in addition to what's on the menu. It was a tremendous sampling.

I love going to Izumi for either sushi or teppanyaki, and today's meal did not disappoint.

We wrapped up our evening with drinks at The Mason Jar.

Tomorrow we will be in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Stray Observations

The stowaway piano player is back in elevators again.

I ran into Ben, David & Stef from YouTube!

I ran into Royal Caribbean's Vice President of Entertainment, Nick Weir, and asked him about shows returning to other ships across the fleet, such as Grease and Columbus the Musical.

He said it's moving, but it takes a while to get shows back up and going again as it is no simple process to prepare casts and get them ready to perform.

He said it will be a process throughout this year for all the productions across the fleet to make a full return.

Our first full day on Wonder of the Seas is a sea day, and that is the perfect opportunity to explore more of the ship after the first day.

I started off my morning with coffee and breakfast at Park Cafe. I really like Park Cafe for an alternative breakfast spot for how easy and quick it is.

I spent the morning taking it easy after a busy day yesterday, but it was nice to spend some time enjoying the warm Caribbean breeze.

I walked up to the Royal Promenade to walk around and noticed a new change to the Cafe Promenade menu. Starbucks is now served at Cafe Promenade in addition to the free standing kiosk.

Unlike the kiosk, the Starbucks drinks at Cafe Promenade are included with a drink package. 

For lunch, we booked up a few tables at Giovanni's Italian Kitchen for the Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders who were onboard.

I loved Giovanni's on Odyssey and Freedom, so this seemed like a great spot for a group meal.

We had a group of over 30 friends onboard, and the food did not disappoint. 

After lunch, I headed back to my cabin for a little bit to relax. 

Something Royal Caribbean brought back on this sailing is laser tag.

I walked by and noticed it was open for anyone to hop in. I was wearing flip flops, or I would have tried it out myself!

Later in the afternoon, I took a visit down to Casino Royale. The casino has a different look than other ships, and is quite large as well.

I started out in the Golden Room, which is a high roller area, although right now it's open to all.

Royal Caribbean said the Golden Room is an idea to try out in the western market to see how well it resonates. For now, it's open to all and I appreciated the fact it was non-smoking.

Tonight was formal night, so it was back to the room to get ready.

Dinner brought us to Izumi hibachi, which I absolutely love going to every cruise.

Our chef, Roy, put on a great show and suffice to say, I did not leave hungry.

After dinner, I went to Wonderland bar to try out some of the specialty drinks.

One interesting change about Wonderland is there is more decor outside the restaurant, even extending into the elevator lobby.

I like the Wonderland has a bar you can go to without sitting down for a meal.

Tomorrow will be our first port of call, Labadee.

Stray Observations

In my cabin, there was Mason Jar swag waiting.

Welcome to March! We hope you are having a great weekend and are ready to sit back, relax and catch up with all the latest Royal Caribbean news!

Wonder of the Seas is finally here and welcoming passengers onboard!

The biggest cruise ship in the world departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Friday to start a 7-night cruise, and the ship's inaugural season.

The ship is packed with new features and activities, such as a new southern American restaurant, shows across its venues, redesigned pool deck, expansive suite area and more.

Matt is live blogging from Wonder of the Seas this week!

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean CEO pledges support for Ukrainian crew members
• Royal Caribbean canceled summer cruise ship visits to Russia
• Royal Caribbean releases more Caribbean cruises to book in 2023-2024
• Updates on Ukrainian crew members, Pinnacle Lounge access and more.
• First look at Mason Jar southern restaurant menu
• There's still time to book a cruise add-on during Royal Caribbean's cruise planner sale
• All about Radiance Class cruise ships
• All about Voyager Class cruise ships

New RCB Video: Cruise mistakes I've made!

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Cruise mistakes I've made! — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 444th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available with a preview of Matt's Wonder of the Seas cruise.

Matt is sailing on Wonder of the Seas' first two sailings, and provides an overview of what he has planned and what he's excited to try onboard.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Best things to do in Nassau on a cruise

While many cruises visit Nassau, Bahamas, it remains a bit of a tough port to plan on what to do.

Many cruise passengers skip Nassau altogether and stay on the ship, believing that there is nothing worth seeing, but that couldn't further from the truth.

Whether you’re looking for a beach day, hoping to try local foods, or learn about Bahamian history and culture, there are plenty of exciting activities to choose from in Nassau.

Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Have you been wondering how food works on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship?

Buffets, restaurants, room service, and more await you on a cruise, so what's included and what costs extra? What is dinner like and what should you know about each of the types of restaurants?

Check out our in-depth guide to food on a Royal Caribbean cruise for insight into what to expect.

The day is finally here to see Wonder of the Seas for the first time!

I drove down to Fort Lauderdale the night before the cruise and stayed for the second time at the Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale Airport - South & Cruise Port. Great hotel with a large kitchenette at a reasonable price very close to the cruise port.

Before I could board Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean invited me to check out Royal Caribbean’s Entertainment Production Studio.

Located in North Miami at the Florida International University campus, this is where Royal Caribbean trains all if its performers, produces all of the costumes for its shows, and preps everything before it reaches a cruise ship.

I was not able to photograph inside the building, but the tour of the facility showed off just how massive an entertainment operation Royal Caribbean has across its ships.

We saw one cast learning the lines for Hairspray on Symphony of the Seas, and another cast ready to join Anthem of the Seas to perform We Will Rock You.

After our walkthrough, it was time to get to Wonder of the Seas!

Boarding was pretty simple and straightforward, and I was able to get onboard without any delay.

Walking onto Wonder of the Seas, it became evident very quickly that while this is the fifth Oasis Class ship, it is anything but a carbon copy of her sisters.

Royal Caribbean has enhanced, revamped, and in some cases, completely replaced certain venues.

While new cruise ships will always have a certain level of glitz that endears them to just about anyone off the bat, I noticed a few impressive changes that really separates the ship from her sisters.

As I mentioned in the preview blog post for this sailing, I was invited by Royal Caribbean to be their guest onboard.  As such, I had a few meetings to attend onboard the first day. Combined with my own desire to "see it all", I ran around the ship a lot on the first day.

I shared photos of my walkthrough of the major new changes and additions, but I wanted to talk about the areas that really stood out to me.

The revamped pool deck changes are fantastic, and I like how they've added stadium seating in the middle. 

I can appreciate the addition of a movie screen too, although it can sometimes get a little loud (to be fair, the holds true on other ships).

Thanks to some friends, I was able to walk through the new Suite Neighborhood and you can tell quickly this has been rethought completely.

Walking through the hallways of the Suite Neighborhood, it just feels like different.  If I was a suite guest, I could appreciate the sense that you're somewhere special.

And then there's the Suite Sundeck, which is sprawling and offers the right blend of shade and sun.  Compared to other suite decks that are usually all in the sun, there's a good amount of shade and seating that I think make this a home run.

The Wonder Playscape looks to be a fun area for kids, but I'll need to reserve judgement until my kids show up next week.

Speaking of kids, the best news as a parent is Adventure Ocean is back to "normal" in the sense of not limiting reservations.

I spoke with the staff, who told me the 6-12 year old group can handle around 120 kids and assuming they don't reach that number, can take as many kids as they can.  

The reason why they aren't doing limited capacity in Adventure Ocean is because Royal Caribbean joined the CDC's "highly vaccinated" program, which requires at least 95% of passengers be vaccinated.

One other area that really got revamped is the Windjammer. This is the largest Windjammer in the fleet, and it is indeed massive.

Wrapping around the entire back deck, the Windjammer offers a ton of seating and an equal amount of food stations. Plus, I love the aesthetics of the space.

For dinner, I went to the new Mason Jar restaurant.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but the food and drink at Mason Jar blew me away. Between the charred watermelon salad, Nashville hot chicken, chicken pot pie, and fried Oreos, I just couldn't get enough.

The specialty cocktails are also really good, especially the PB&J Old Fashioned. 

But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the country band at the Mason Jar, which perform at night and add a new dimension to the dining experience.

If you're at the bar, you get a full country band experience to sing and drink to, with some even dancing.  But if you're eating dinner, you're sufficiently far enough away to hear the music but not interrupt the dining experience.

I'm going back for brunch in a few days to sample that, and I suspect I'll be at the bar just for the music too.

It was a full first day onboard Wonder of the Seas, and I wrapped up my evening with some drinks at the pub on the Royal Promenade before calling it a night.

Tomorrow is a sea day.

Stray observations

There are 4200 passengers onboard this sailing.

I noticed the cabin attendant carts have a new look to them.

There are evidently 4 of these astronauts around the ship. So far, I've found two of them.

My shower (standard balcony room) has two shower heads, although I couldn't figure out how to make the top showerhead work.

Some inaugural cruise swag!

Near the bed is a functional lamp with USB plugs. I love this small addition!

Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas begins her first sailing today, and this cruise ship is packed with so many things to see, do, and eat.

The biggest cruise ship in the world is also the fifth Oasis Class cruise ship, and departs Fort Lauderdale on Friday to begin a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise.

Royal Caribbean has built on the Oasis Class lineage, but also added new features and things to do that you won't find on any other cruise ship.

Enjoy this comprehensive look at the highlights of Wonder of the Seas.

Suite Neighborhood

Coastal Kitchen and the Suite Lounge

Suite Sun Deck 

Wonder Playscape

This area is best described as a combination of mini golf and jungle gym.

Boardwalk

Staterooms

The hallways and staterooms have a blue motif to them.

Around the ship

The elevators have a new button system that is better at explaining what's on each deck.

Fun art in Entertainment Place

Casino has sliding doors to help keep smoke in

Adventure Ocean

Thanks to the new protocols, there is no required advanced sign up for kids in Adventure Ocean. It's effectively the "old system", with a capacity of 120-130 children in the 6-12 year old group

The nursery (6 months to 36 months old) still requires advanced reservations.

AO Kids (6-12 years old)

AO Juniors (3-5 years olds)

Nursery (6-36 months)

Central Park

Pool deck

The pool deck has been completely redesigned with a new resort vibe to it.

Teen deck

The Vue

Windjammer

Wonder of the Seas has the largest Windjammer in the fleet.

The Mason Jar

A brand new restaurant that serves up Southern American cuisine.

Nassau is one of the busiest cruise ports in the world, receiving around 3 million cruise passengers per year. And while Nassau is best known for crystal clear beaches and world-famous resorts, the port offers plenty of activities for all interests.

Unlike some ports, Nassau is a port day you want to prepare for before arriving. Many guests who try to “wing it” on their day in Nassau end up disappointed and unsure of the best way to spend their day.

Likewise, many cruise passengers skip Nassau altogether and stay on the ship, believing that there is nothing worth seeing or doing on the island. This assumption could not be more incorrect!

Whether you’re looking for a beach day, hoping to try local foods, or learn about Bahamian history and culture, there are plenty of exciting activities to choose from in Nassau.

Nassau’s best activities can be broken down into a few categories:

Beaches

Islands for a beach day

Day passes at resorts

Adventures on and in the water

Food & drink

History & museums

Walk around downtown Nassau

Beaches

New Providence Island, where Nassau is located, has plenty of beaches to choose from. Most beaches are free and open to the public, and some are located just a short walk from the cruise terminal. Here are some of the most popular and recommended beaches in Nassau:

• Cabbage Beach is a free, public beach on the north side of Paradise Island. It is considered one of the best beaches in the Bahamas due to its soft sand and clean, clear blue waters. Chairs and umbrellas are available to rent from locals.
• Cable Beach is another famous beach in Nassau, and is located in front of many major hotels and resorts.
• Junkanoo Beach is the closest beach to the cruise terminal, and thus a popular spot for cruise passengers. Junkanoo Beach is not only convenient due to its proximity to the cruise ships, but it has restroom, shower, and changing facilities available. There are also several bars and restaurants located nearby.

• Saunders Beach is located 2.5 miles away from the cruise terminal and is a quieter, calm beach ideal for families. Saunders Beach has restroom facilities and a playground available, although guests will have to bring their own towels or chairs to the beach, as rentals are not available. 
• Love Beach is around 9 miles away from the cruise port, but offers a tranquil beach day away from the crowds. Chair rentals are available and the Nirvana Beach Bar is located on the beach, offering food and drinks.
• Jaws Beach, which was the filming location for Jaws III, is further away from the other beaches mentioned above, but offers a beach day away from the hustle and bustle of the resorts and downtown area. Bringing snorkel gear to Jaws Beach is a must, as there are sculptures and Hollywood memorabilia located underwater. The beach is located next to Clifton Heritage Park, a protected area with trails, beaches, rocky shorelines, and picnic areas.

The beaches of Nassau offer varied amenities, so be sure to check what is offered or located nearby at each beach.

One common issue faced by those visiting public beaches is the lack of restroom facilities. Many beaches are lined with hotels and resorts, but their facilities are only available to guests. One way around this is to find a nearby restaurant or bar when you need a restroom.

Islands for a beach day

Pearl Island

Pearl Island is located eight miles east of Nassau. Guests will travel to Pearl Island via boat from the cruise port and spend the day relaxing on the island’s beaches, enjoying a traditional Bahamian lunch, walking around the island’s paths, and participating in water activities.

Transportation, lunch, kayaks, paddleboards, beach chairs, water mats and trampolines, showers, and bathroom facilities are included in the day pass for guests. Guests can also access the island’s lighthouse at no extra cost. The excursion usually costs around $100.

A snorkeling tour is also available for $15 extra and lockers can be rented for the day for $10. You can book a day pass to Pearl Island on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner or Pearl Island’s website.

Guests looking for a more exclusive experience at Pearl Island can reserve a VIP Cabana. Cabanas include sun chairs, an all-inclusive drink package, butler service, and lunch. The cabana also has a fully stocked cooler, complimentary towels, a power outlet, and ceiling fan.

In addition, guests have access to water maps, kayaks, paddle boards, snorkeling, and a floating trampoline. Prices for the cabana usually run around $240/per adult, and online reservations are for a maximum of two guests, although larger parties may be accommodated.

Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon Island is another small island north of downtown Nassau. The boat ride from the cruise port to Blue Lagoon is included in the fare, which is usually around $85-100.

The island has several beaches, small lagoons, hammocks, beach chairs, umbrellas, and games. Water sports (kayaks, snorkeling gear, paddleboards, etc.) come at an additional cost.

Guests interested in seeing marine life can book excursions such as the “Dolphin Encounter and Beach Day” or “Sea Lion Encounter and Beach Day”. During these excursions, guests can get up close and personal with animals to observe them in their natural habitat.

Other tours available at Blue Lagoon Island include a segway and eco nature walking tour. Those looking for a VIP experience can choose to book the VIP Blue Lagoon Island Beach Day.

As a VIP guest on Blue Lagoon Island, guests will receive lunch as well as unlimited Bahama Mama cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. VIP guests will have a lounge chair in the adults-only VIP beach. Snorkeling equipment is included for VIP guests.

Lunch is included in the excursion to Blue Lagoon as well, where you can enjoy hamburgers, chicken, veggie burgers, Caribbean rice, and a salad bar.

Balmoral Island

Balmoral Island is located a thirty minute boat ride from the cruise port and offers a picture-perfect beach day to guests with clear water, beach chairs and umbrellas, and two fresh-water pools.

Paddleboards, kayaks, and snorkel gear are available to rent, and the island also offers nature tours with dolphins and stingrays. Tropical beach bars, food, and a Starbucks are available on the island for an extra cost.

Day passes at resorts

Several hotels and resorts in Nassau offer day passes, which allow cruise ship guests to access the resorts’ amenities for the day. Some day passes are all-inclusive, whereas others give guests a monetary voucher for food and drinks. Most day passes range from $70-125.

There are several hotels and resorts offering day passes in Nassau:

• Margaritaville Beach Resort & Waterpark, a new resort with a private beach, two swimming pools, a waterpark, lazy river, hot tub, and pool bar. The resort is located a 15 minute walk from the cruise area. Spa services are available at an extra cost. This resort is not all-inclusive for day pass guests.
  • Full review here
• Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas, a resort located on the harbor side of Paradise Island. There is a small beach here, but the main attraction are the large pool areas. Other activities, including tennis, bicycles, and beach volleyball, are included in the day pass. The Warwick is all-inclusive, so all food and drinks are included.
  • Full review here
• Breezes Resort & Spa, a resort located on Cable Beach in Nassau, includes beach access, a swim-up bar, three freshwater pools, and a jacuzzi. Breezes is an all-inclusive day pass.
• RIU Palace, an adults-only, all-inclusive resort on Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island. RIU Palace has a swim-up bar, reserved beach area, and two swimming pools. A hot & cold buffet and pool-side barbecue station are available for guests.

There are a few advantages to a day pass as opposed to going to a beach on your own. First, not all public beaches in Nassau have restrooms or cover if it starts raining. Second, if you take advantage of the all-inclusive food and drinks, plus the pool and beach access, day passes can be a good deal.

Atlantis Paradise Island

Many cruise passengers are eager to visit Atlantis Paradise Island, a resort with 3,805 rooms, a waterpark, shopping areas, casino, and a 154-acre waterscape. The waterscape includes lagoons, pools, and habitats for marine animals.

Amenities and activities at the resort are split into two categories: areas open to the general public and areas available only for guests or day pass visitors.

Free areas to visit at the Atlantis include the casino, indoor shopping areas, and several dining venues. You can also visit Marina Village, an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment space located around the Atlantis Marina, at no extra cost.

Those looking to experience the rest of the resort can purchase day passes. There are a few types of day passes available, some of which give access just to the beach whereas others have access to the beach and waterpark.

Those looking for an exhilarating day may want to reserve a day pass to the Aquaventure Oasis Waterpark at The Atlantis. This is a 141-acre waterpark with pools, waterslides, river rapids, and splash pads for kids. Waterpark guests also receive access to the Marine Habitat, a series of aquariums with over 50,000 aquatic animals.

Baha Mar

The Baha Mar is another luxury resort located on Paradise Island. Located on the resort is the 15-acre Baha Bay waterpark which offers a limited number of day passes.

Baha Bay includes 24 waterslides, a lazy river, FlowRider, infinity pool, wave pool, kids-only pool and slide area, and an outdoor casino. Day pass holders also have beach access.

General admission to Baha Bay is currently $160, while junior admission (guests under 48”) is $65.

Adventures on and in the water

Boat tours

Passengers looking to set sail and explore Nassau from the sea have plenty of options. Royal Caribbean offers tours such as the Discover Nassau Harbor Cruise, which brings guests on a scenic catamaran ride around Paradise Island as they learn about the history and culture of Nassau. A hybrid sea and land tour is also available, where guests start the tour on a catamaran and end with a land tour of downtown Nassau.

A kid-friendly boat tour is Blackbeard’s Pirate Revenge, which takes guests around Nassau in an 18th century pirate ship replica. The boat’s crew are dressed as pirates who tell pirate tales, share history, and provide an immersive experience for guests onboard.

Snorkeling and scuba diving

There are plenty of scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities in Nassau. Visitors to Nassau can choose to bring their own snorkel gear or book a snorkeling excursion through Royal Caribbean or an outside provider.

Royal Caribbean offers the Nassau Sail & Reef Snorkeling tour, which brings guests on a sailboat to coral reefs near Spruce Cay and Athol Island. The benefit of booking with a tour as opposed to snorkeling on your own is that you do not have to pack snorkeling gear with you for the cruise. However, if your itinerary visits several islands where you want to snorkel, it might be worth it to bring your own gear as opposed to booking excursions or gear rentals.

Scuba diving opportunities are also plentiful in Nassau. Stuart Cove is the main diving provider on New Providence Island. They offer Discover Scuba dives for first-time divers as well as dives for certified divers to the coral reels, shipwrecks, and walls around the island. Stuart Cove is also the diving provider for Royal Caribbean shore excursions.

Food & drink

Bahamian food tour

Photo by Tru Bahamian Food Tours

A huge aspect of discovering new cultures is trying new foods, and Nassau offers plenty of opportunities to do so.

Royal Caribbean offers the Island Food & Culinary Insight tour, which takes guests on an air-conditioned ride around Nassau to taste local food and drinks. The tour makes stops at Tasty Teas, the World Famous Fish Fry, Potters Cay Dock, and John Watling’s Distillery. Guests on this tour will have the opportunity to taste dishes like conch fritters, Bahamian teas, and fresh seafood.

There are tours offered by outside providers as well. One of the most popular providers is Tru Bahamian Food Tours, who offers a selection of tours geared toward discovering Bahamian cuisine.

The most popular tour is the Bites of Nassau Food Tasting & Cultural Walking Tour, during which guests stop at six tasting locations around downtown Nassau to taste local foods including steamed chicken, Caribbean rice, and rum cakes.

You can, of course, do a food tour on your own by walking or taking a taxi to the popular bars and restaurants in Nassau. 

A must-see spot to include on a food tour is the Fish Fry, a strip of restaurants and vendors specializing in seafood including conch, grilled shrimp, fried snapper, and lobster tails. The main fish fry in Nassau is conveniently located near the cruise port at Arawak Cay.

Visit the Rum Cake Factory

The Bahamas Rum Cake Factory was established in 2000 and has since been named the Official Rum Cake of the Bahamas. This is a popular spot to taste traditional Bahamian rum cake and buy a delicious souvenir for friends and family.

The factory is a short walk from the cruise port. Guests will be greeted with the strong smell of fresh cake (and rum). There is a small window inside so guests can see how rum cakes are made.

Free samples are available as well, so you can taste several flavors before choosing your favorite. Flavors include pineapple, chocolate, caramel, Irish cream, Kentucky honey bourbon, and the original rum cake with pecans.

This is a quick stop with most guests in and out in fifteen minutes.

Take a tour of John Watling's Distillery

John Watling’s Distillery is a distillery located on a historic estate founded in 1789. A free, short distillery tour with tastings is available.

Hand-crafted cocktails available include the Canchera Rum, which is made with amber rum, Bahamian honey, lemon juice, and club soda, and Skylarkin’, made with pale and coconut rum, coconut pulp, coconut water, and nutmeg.

History & museums

Downtown Nassau is home to several museums which can be a nice activity to do on days with poor weather or after you return to the cruise port from a shore excursion. These museums are all walkable from the cruise port, and most are relatively small, so visiting each museum will not take too much time.

Pirates of Nassau Museum

Nassau was at the heart of piracy from 1690 to 1720, when Nassau was taken over by English privateers who became lawless pirates. The Pirates of Nassau Museum allows guests of all ages to relive history, learn about piracy, and even step foot on a replica of a historic pirate ship.

Admission is $13.50 for adults and $6.75 for children 4-17.

Pompey Museum of Slavery & Emancipation

A small yet informative museum, the Pompey Museum of Slavery & Emancipation takes visitors through the story of Pompey, a slave who started a rebellion in 1830 in Steventon, Exuma.

The museum has a series of educational panels providing stories and descriptions of slavery in the Bahamas throughout history, and its impact on the culture and traditions seen in the Bahamas today. There is a small entrance fee to visit the museum.

National Art Gallery of the Bahamas

Guests interested in Bahamian art and culture may want to visit the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas. Culture, folklore, and history are demonstrated at the museum through local art. The museum has new exhibits fairly often as well.

The entrance fee is $10 for guests and free for children under 12.

Educulture Junkanoo Museum

Junkanoo is the most popular festival in the Bahamas. A colorful street parade with music, dance, and costumes, Junkanoo takes place on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day each year.

Guests wanting to learn more about Junkanoo can do so any day of the year at the Educulture Junkanoo Museum. The museum has costumes, traditional fabrics, music, and informational panels on display for guests to learn more about the festival’s history and influence in the Bahamas. There is a small fee to enter the museum.

The Heritage Museum of the Bahamas

The Heritage Museum of the Bahamas takes visitors on a journey from pre-historic times in the Bahamas to today. The museum has relics and artifacts on display, such as an extensive sample of items in a Bahamian grocery shop in 1900 to an exhibit of tools used during slavery.

A small fee is required to enter the museum and optional guided tours are available.

Walk around downtown Nassau

A free activity to do in port is walk around downtown Nassau. Royal Caribbean and outside providers offer historical walking tours of Nassau, although the sites are all easily accessible on your own. Plenty of Nassau’s most historic sites are located just a 5 or 10 minute walk from the cruise port.

Popular sites to visit include:

• The Queen’s Staircase, a 66-step landmark carved out of limestone in 1793, providing a direct route from downtown Nassau to Fort Fincastle. The staircase was named after Queen Victoria. Located in a lush, limestone alley with a waterfall, the Queen’s Staircase is easily accessible from the cruise port.
• Fort Fincastle, a historic fort built in 1793 to protect Nassau from pirates. A relatively small fort at 126 feet, Fort Fincastle is free to access, although entering the inside of the fort comes at a small fee. (The inside of the fort has been closed due to Covid-19, although that can change at any time).
• Rawson Square, a public square lined with government buildings and home to activities and festivals throughout the year
• The Straw Market, a large flea market selling souvenirs including handmade Bahamian straw products such as purses and hats, as well as cheaper, factory-made items like t-shirts and bracelets. Be sure to haggle on the price before buying anything at the Straw Market.

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