Royal Caribbean International's Wonder of the Seas is a behemoth of a ship. It measures 210 feet wide and 1,188 feet long while towering 18 decks high. At 6,988 passengers and 2,300 international crew, this is the largest passenger cruise ship in the world.
Originally built for the Chinese market, the world would have other plans for this megaship. The pandemic uprooted the line's agenda for its Shanghai home base and regional Asia sailings. Instead, the company pivoted by moving the ship to the U.S. and European markets.
I enjoyed the line's newest ship on an August cruise from Barcelona to Mallorca, the French Riviera and down the coast of Italy, making stops near Cinque Terre and later Rome (Civitavecchia) and Naples.
I was curious how the ship would differ from other Oasis-class vessels -- this is the line's fifth vessel in the category -- knowing that it was supposed to be dedicated to the Chinese market. Would there be notable differences in the passenger experience? As it turns out, not really. But a flurry of changes were introduced on the ship once the decision was made to abandon the all-in-on-China itineraries.
According to onboard staff, a lot of last-minute updates helped to prepare the ship for its new mission and passenger base. For example, it took less than a week to construct a Starbucks venue in a space that was originally intended to focus on tea-based drinks, which are of more interest to Chinese travelers. Now, it offers all the trappings of a full-service Starbucks.
The Mason Jar, serving Southern cuisine, is the newest addition to the ship's array of 40-plus restaurants, bars and lounges. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean's culinary teams are always looking for new specialty dining options, and they appear to have hit a home run with the Mason Jar, a Southern-themed dining room. Guests there nosh on jalapeno cornbread, biscuits and gravy, a pimento cheese omelet, decadent fried chicken sandwiches and johnnycakes for dinner, late-night snacks or weekly brunch. But it wasn't always going to be that way. The space was originally designed to be a Chinese hot pot restaurant serving sizzling and spicy bowls of meats and veggies.
Instead, the Wonder became the first Royal Caribbean ship to have the Mason Jar, which was decided upon when the line was seeking a replacement concept. It has proven so popular that it may well appear on other ships.
The decision to switch culinary styles happened quickly, but that didn't impede creativity. Royal Caribbean invested a lot in the menu design, which involves a speakeasy-style cocktails with all kinds of colorful concoctions. Among the more popular options are a PB&J cocktail and the mint julep, both of which drew raves from guests as they sipped them in rocking chairs facing the sea.
The talented bar staff, dedicated only to this restaurant, spent weeks learning how to make these unique drinks (some involve using a blowtorch) and filled me in on how much effort went into creating something unique that still had wide appeal. They said that Europeans are not as familiar with Southern cooking but enjoy it once they try it.
The new Wonder Playscape is an underwater-themed, outdoor play area for kids. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Karaoke and casinos
Other bar concepts were also added to the ship in the transition, like Royal's poolside staple Lime and Coconut, where everything from beer, wine and Champagne to frozen cocktails is available.
New onboard was a karaoke bar, something very popular in Asian markets, which Royal Caribbean decided to keep to see how it fared with other travelers. While I did not make anyone swoon with my own talents, I did enjoy the ship's brave performers on more than one occasion.
Further changes may be coming. The Wonder was built with both a main casino and a smaller casino with more slot machines and gaming tables, as the Chinese market tends to gamble more. On the Wonder's new sailings, however, it was almost always empty. Plans are still in the works for what to do with the space, Royal said.
In Central Park (one of the eight neighborhoods onboard and home to specialty restaurants), many of the plants and flowers were originally chosen for the climate in China. They are holding up well, but when the ship crosses the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean sun on the other side is sure to be harsh, a staffer said.
The Solarium is a fully enclosed, adults-only escape that features pools, whirlpools, in-pool loungers and other ways to unwind. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Space to spare
I was worried such a large ship would feel crowded and overwhelming, but like any city, you find the neighborhoods and spots that appeal most to you.
I was only aboard seven days but quickly developed routines -- my favorite spot at the Windjammer buffet, breakfast in the fully enclosed Solarium and smoothies in the spa cafe.
It was fun to see how many families were enjoying the new underwater-themed playground at the back of the ship, too. The Wonder is the first ship to feature this play area with climbing walls and games for kids.
The shift in destinations and homeport showed how the brand is able to innovate and reinvent itself in new ways with every ship it sails. A passenger who didn't know the original plan for the ship would have had no idea it was built with a particular market in mind. The ship's wealth of entertainment and dining options proved to be a big hit with passengers, no matter what passport they held.