Reviewed by Ramsey Qubein
What is the line? Royal Caribbean
Name of ship? Wonder of the Seas
Passenger occupancy? Around 7,000
Itinerary? Western Mediterranean departing from Barcelona
Start out with the big picture—what is this cruise line known for?
As one of the largest cruise ships at sea, it comes as no surprise that Royal Caribbean pulled out all the stops. It’s family fun at its best: swimming pools, waterslides, playgrounds, a carousel, Broadway-style shows, an aqua theater, rock climbing, and even laser tag—making it easy to entertain the ship's 7,000-plus passengers.
Tell us about the ship in general.
Wonder of the Seas set sail in 2022 with just over 7,000 passengers and a claim to fame of being a floating entertainment paradise. The ship splits its time between the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. With so much to do on board, you'll yearn for extra days at sea to be able to tackle it all.
Who is on board?
Plan on mostly families hailing from around the world. Beyond US passengers, Europeans and South Americans will find the ship a playground to be explored. With so many kids, adults may find themselves in search for peace and quiet. Luckily, there are areas reserved just for them (though a fee might be required for some spaces).
Describe the cabins.
There are nearly 3,000 passenger cabins with options for interior, ocean view, and balcony staterooms. I had the latter and loved opening my balcony to get fresh air and sit outside while working or enjoying the complimentary room service breakfast. The cozy sofa was a great place to work, although I loved how comfortable the bed mattress was too. The bathroom was compact, but the shower was spacious with tropically scented toiletries from wall-mounted dispensers. Other perks of the room included plentiful storage space, a fridge to store your own items, and attentive service by a stateroom attendant.
A clever addition to this ship are the “virtual balcony cabins,” which are interior cabins that project live footage of the ship's exterior views onto the wall (effectively mimicking a window). Since it's such a large ship, there are other unusual room categories located at the aft of the cruise, including cabins that face the aqua theater for a bird's eye view of performances and the lower courtyard. Also, the Promenade View staterooms look inward toward the bustling central promenade filled with shops and restaurants.
There are a bevy of suites, from junior suites with larger living areas to mega suites like the Sky Suite and Mega Family Suite. The latter is a duplex suite with an interior play slide connecting the two floors, balcony table tennis and games, an in-room cinema, and VIP amenities like free drinks, and Wi-Fi around the ship.
Tell us about the crew.
There are just over 2,200 crew members, and they work very hard to keep up with the needs of passengers. My stateroom attendant was quick to clean my room—even when I woke up late—and always left behind special treats. The staff in the buffet restaurant kept up with the constant influx of people by cleaning tables as fast as humanely possible.
By the pool, the bar team worked overtime, and seemed to have fun while doing it. You won’t find hand-and-foot service, unless you book one of the premium rooms and suites, but passengers seem perfectly fine with the hustle and bustle. A good piece of advice: pick a favorite spot on the ship (bar, cafe, or pool seats) to get to know the crew who work there. You’ll have a more of a rapport with them, and they will be more likely to remember your preferences.
What food and drink options are available on board?
Where do we start? Feeding 7,000 people is no easy task, and doing so while also offering passengers a creative variety of meal options is an impressive feat.
Windjammer is the all day buffet with live cooking stations and an international spread that changes daily. I just loved having so many different international dishes at one place for every meal. A hit among many passengers, it can get crowded here.
The main dining room offers a more formal environment with rotating a la carte menus served by staff. By the pool, there’s a Mexican buffet for lunch that is a popular hidden gem. There’s also a café in the park neighborhood of the ship with salads and sandwiches. Don’t tell anyone, but you can pop in there for a quiet and crowd-free breakfast. Solarium Cafe serves its own buffet for breakfast, and later in the day, Sorrento’s along the promenade wins accolades for its freshly baked pizzas and antipasti.
Other a la carte specialty dining options provide an alternative to the busier venues. While they carry a fee, there are discounts for buying a specialty dining package for multiple nights that can shave off as much as 40% of the total cost. For example, the steakhouse goes for about $50 plus tip per person, but buying it as part of a package can slim that number substantially.
Guests that book suites or have top-tier status with the loyalty program can dine in a special Mediterranean restaurant without an additional charge. There are also Italian, Japanese, seafood, sports bar, and gourmet tasting menu outlets. I had the chance to eat in the Southern-themed, Mason Jar and loved the food (the pimiento cheese was excellent), but my favorite part was the rocking chairs in the bar area. Another personal favorite was the Spanish tapas and wine bar. Familiar brands like Starbucks and Johnny Rockets are also on board.
Bar options abound, and drinks are complimentary with the purchase of a beverage package. Only select juices, coffee, and tea are complimentary in the standard fare. Be sure to stop by the Bionic Bar to watch robots prepare drinks to order. There’s also Rising Tide Bar, which is a lounge that serves as a slow elevator changing between floors in slow motion as you sip co*cktails. I also enjoyed the smoothies and healthy juices available near the spa. It was fun watching samba and tango dances at Boleros some evenings, too, and the new cantilevered bar on one of the top desks is perfect at sunset. If you’re like me, you will quickly develop a daily routine of where you go among the many onboard options.
Is there a spa on board and is it worth visiting?
Vitality Spa has an impressive hydrotherapy area, large fitness facility with classes and personal trainers, and a wide ranging treatment menu. Special mention goes to RCCL for having a separate spa selection for teenagers. Helpful tip: make an appointment early because treatments are booked up quickly, especially on sea days. If you wait a few days into the cruise, there are usually some special discounts though. The outdoor jogging area winds and weaves through different areas of the outside decks. If you pop into the gym, there’s a fridge with cold towels to make outdoor exercise bearable on warmer days.
What about activities and entertainment?
Part of what families love so much is the wealth of entertainment for all ages. The pool deck is broken up into different sections including an area for kids with waterslides and a dry play area in another section of the ship. Adults can rock out in another section of the pool area with live music fueling the fun.
If you’re into sports, Wonder of the Seas is for you. There’s basketball, rock climbing, zip lining, surfing on the FlowRider, and one of the tallest slide at sea, known as the Ultimate Abyss. The carousel adds a bit of amusem*nt park whimsy that kids love.
Inside, there’s a casino, ice skating rink, laser tag, and karaoke. And at night, the ship’s interiors heat up with parades, live entertainers, music in every corner, and Broadway-style shows. After spending a day touring—or even lounging by the pool—evenings on the ship are packed with things to do.
How was the experience for families?
Beyond the endless activities available on this ship, there are also food and beverage outlets specifically designed for kids. They include a hot dog stand, ice cream parlor, and candy shop (all with additional fees not included in food or drink packages). There’s also a kids club with supervised activities, plus a separate area for teenage guests.
Where did it sail and how were the excursions? Did anything stand out?
In many of the European ports on my trip, it was easy to walk around cities like Palma de Mallorca and Marseille on my own. When asking other guests about their excursion experiences, most said the cruise's activities and tours were well-organized and a convenient way to see so much in a short period of time.
Are there any stand out sustainability or green initiatives about this cruise?
The ship uses two advanced emissions purification systems that remove 98% of sulfur emissions. There were no plastic straws or condiment containers on board either.
Anything we missed?
Don’t be put off by the size of the ship. Since it is divided into eight individual neighborhoods (like the boardwalk, youth zone, pool area, and “Central Park”), everything feels tucked into its own little corner. The only times you will notice crowds are by the pool, at buffets, or when disembarking. Otherwise, the cruise line has done an excellent job of dividing the ship in ways that makes everyone feel like they can find their own corner.
Finally, give a sentence or two on why the cruise is worth booking.
If you want to be wowed by one of the most amazing mega ships, Wonder of the Seas is it. The base price doesn’t include many onboard amenities and services, but this allows people to add what they want rather than paying for it all. The ship is big and packed, but the same words are true for its long roster of “wow-moment” features.
