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In March 2022, the worlds largest cruise ship — Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas — officially set sail to explore the Eastern Caribbean and their private island Perfect Day at CocoCay. Wonder of the Seas was built in 2022. It’s part of the Oasis-class ships, but has some major upgrades when compared to other Oasis models.
Honestly setting sail on this ginormous ship and watching it debut felt like the equivalent of setting sail on the Titanic. It’s ahead of its time with impressive highlights to peak any cruiser’s interest. To give you some perspective, the ship is 1,188 feet long and 210 feet wide. It can hold up to 6,988 guests and 2,300 crew members — that’s a pretty big ship!
Royal Caribbean invited me on as their guest to take part in this inaugural sailing. Below you’ll find the highlights, low-lights, and the best things to do on the ship for some adventure and wellness. All opinions in this piece are my own.
- Fun facts about Wonder of the Seas
- What’s on the itinerary of Wonder of the Seas
- Highlights of cruising on Wonder of the Seas
- The food aboard Wonder of the Seas is insanely delicious
- The entertainment on Wonder of the Seas is fire
- Low lights of cruising on the Wonder of the Seas
- More wellness travel resources
Fun facts about Wonder of the Seas
With a ship this big, there’s bound to be adventure waiting around every turn. My mom and I had a blast exploring the features of this ship and the various neighborhoods. Below are some of the unique aspects and random facts to learn more about the ship.
- Cruising speed is 22 knots
- The ship uses 6 diesel engines
- The Ultimate Family Suite — a crazy big suite that’s capable of holding ten people and the first of its kind on Royal Caribbean ships
- Zip-lining — its about 10 decks up and you zip line right over a carousel and Johnny Rockets located on the boardwalk
- The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar — the newest restaurant aboard the ship, dishing out southern cuisine, cute rustic vibes and fancy drinks
- Suite Neighborhoods — this ship has a new eighth neighborhood that has a private suite and sun deck for Royal Suite Class guests
- The Vue Bar — a beautiful outdoor bar with panoramic views of the sea
- Landfill free (no plastic straws, plastic condiments, etc.)
- Wastewater purification system that treats 570,000 gallons of water daily
What’s on the itinerary of Wonder of the Seas
The cruise itself was 8 days of pure bliss exploring the Caribbean. Before I dive into the highlights of the ship itself, I want to shine a little light on the itinerary. The itinerary was a big highlight for my mom and I. Exploring new destinations, slow traveling and chatting with locals is a big reason I love to travel. Slow traveling connects you deeper to the local community, yourself and is very sustainable.
According to Jay Schneider, the chief product innovation officer of Royal Caribbean, Royal Caribbean is working to be as sustainable as possible. Schneider said during a press briefing on the ship, “Every one of our new ships get more and more efficient.” He continued to share, we focus on three things: energy management (heavy fuel usage and solar power), reducing food waste and sourcing locally when they can, and reducing water usage.
Excuse the previous interruption — back to the glorious locations you’ll visit on this cruise!
Starting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida here’s a low down of itinerary:
| Day 1 | Ship sets sail |
| Day 2 | Day at sea |
| Day 3 | Labadee, Haiti |
| Day 4 | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Day 5 | Day at sea |
| Day 6 | Nassau, Bahamas |
| Day 7 | Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas |
| Day 8 | Disembarkation day |
Day 3 – Labadee
Do you love on-shore excursions? Well, Labadee, Haiti by far takes the cake for having the most (and best) paid excursion options for adventurous spirits. Here you can zip line over the ocean on the Dragon’s Breath zip line which is both exhilarating and designed for thrill seekers. I absolutely loved this and highly recommend it!
For even more adventure, hop on the Dragon’s Tail Coaster which is a self-operated roller coaster. While they get you to the top, ultimately, you decide how fast or slow you want to go. This was extremely fun, but if you get dizzy easily maybe hold off, or go at a slower pace.
There’s also a Labadee Historic Walking Tour, a market center, beautiful hiking trails around the area, and beach cabanas for rent. Take pictures at the scenic beach swings, slurp on a Labadoozy, and unwind on the free beach chairs throughout the area.
Looking for more things to do in Labadee? This post — what to do in Labadee — will give you more insights, tips and travel tricks.
Day 4 – Puerto Rico
Similarly, San Juan was also extremely cool to visit as it’s the third oldest city that was European-established. Here you can take a self-led tour or a paid tour exploring the historic old town and the vibrant city. Personally, my mom and I opted for the self-led route as its pretty easy to navigate the city and see the sites on your own.
What I also loved about this stop is that the ship stopped later in the day and we didn’t have to board till around 8:30 or 9:00 pm. Hands down its an ideal stop for any nighttime enthusiasts as you’ll get to see the city come alive at night. It’s quite spectacular! It reminded me of the endless nights dancing and eating tapas in Barcelona.
Day 6 — Nassau
Nassau is gorgeous! The water is clear blue, the food is amazing and the weather is sublime. However, if you’ve cruised with Royal Caribbean or another cruise line to the Nassau, highly recommend exploring the boat more. First off, you’ll have the boat to yourself and they’ll be no lines for the activities like the Flo Rider. After, hop off to grab some lunch in the city devouring Bahamian foods such as sweet maduros, guava duff or johnnycakes.
Day 7 — Perfect Day at CocoCay
There’s so much to explore at CocoCay! In fact, the island itself is split between the chill side, the thrill side, the oasis and the southside (called South Beach). Head over to the chill side for a more relaxing experience or grab a cabana at the Coco Beach Club for an intimate experience. Here you’ll find those gorgeous over-water cabanas available for purchase.
After, explore the thrill side, which has a water park consisting of a wave pool, intense water obstacles, and numerous water slides. One of the water slides — Daredevil’s Peak — is the tallest in North America. On the way to South Beach you’ll find a hot air balloon and another more intimate side of the island.
Highlights of cruising on Wonder of the Seas
Below you’ll find the highlights of cruising on this Royal Caribbean ship.
The food aboard Wonder of the Seas is insanely delicious
Everyone cruises for the food, right? Well, many people do. The combination of food and activities are what makes or breaks a vacation. You’ll be happy to know the food on the ship is not lacking in the quality or quantity!
Aboard there’s a total of 26 dining options, 12 of them are complimentary, and 1 is half complimentary. For instance, Johnny Rockets is free for breakfast, but there’s a charge for any other meal.
If you’re a gluten-free or vegan traveler, here’s a list of restaurants I recommend dining at. Also take a look at this practical guide for cruising with food allergies for more information.
Where to grab breakfast
- The Mason Jar Restaurant and Bar. Keep in mind it’s Southern food, so it’s not the most gluten-free friendly. But, the ambiance is unparalleled and the drinks are tasty. They have gluten-free bread and a couple options that may be vegan friendly. (Pssst. If you’re new here, before you judge the photo, know I’m vegan-ish and have a diary allergy… so yes I ate those eggs.)
- Windjammer. Any fan of Royal Caribbean cruises will tell you how awesome this marketplace is! The food selection is great with a wide-array of choices for different types of eating habits.
- Starbucks. Great for those early morning starts!
- The Vitality Spa. Here you’ll find smoothies and freshly pressed juices being served up. Also there’s fruit, muffins, and homemade granola bars. This is a get spot to grab some food to recharge after a sweaty work out.
Where to grab lunch on Wonder of the Seas
- Sorrento’s Pizza. If you’re gluten-free and craving pizza, stop by here to grab a personal pizza. Additionally, the crust is extremely soft, fluffy and you get to tell the chefs exactly what toppings you’d like since yours is custom made!
- El Loco Fresh. Tacos, burritos, nachos… you name it. This Mexican-inspired eateries is tasty place to grab lunch on the ship and its allergy-friendly too.
- Chops Grille is another quality restaurant found in the Central Park neighborhood. They serve salmon, steak, and shrimp. There’s not as many vegan options here but they have tasty vegan-friendly sides. Also, there’s only one option for dessert which is for gluten-free and/or vegan travelers. Personally it’s not my favorite since, but if you’re a fan of orange sorbet, give it a whirl.
- Johnny Rockets. While it’s extra to dine here, they have gluten-free buns and impossible burgers which are pretty tasty.
- Windjammer.
Where to grab dinner
- Solarium. Hands down the best complimentary dining option for vegans and gluten-free folks. The restaurant is quaint and chic with a elegant bird cage type of feel. Solarium offers buffet style Mediterranean food. Think gluten-free falafels, a pasta bar, hummus, vegan baba ganoush, and more.
- 150 Central Park. While it’s not complimentary, the atmosphere is cozy yet classy and the restaurant is superb. They have cauliflower steaks, meaty steak, and the best dessert on the boat — crisp blackberry sorbet, yum!
- Chops Grille.
- Main dining room. They really work with your allergies here and the food is pretty good. If you’re planning on dining here, let them know beforehand because you’ll have more options to choose from since they prep one day in advance.
- Sorrento’s Pizza.
The entertainment on Wonder of the Seas is fire
About 73% of entertainment aboard Wonder of the Seas is free. That’s quite a bit! If I had to choose the must-do activities, here the ones I’d recommend.
Zip lining over the boardwalk
Come ready to zip line over the Boardwalk! It’s about 10 stories high and goes at a moderate pace. If you’re planning on riding, keep in mind you have to be completely dry, wear closed toed shoes, a short sleeve shirt and longer shorts due to the harness.
Get blow away by the live performances and clubs
Royal Caribbean never lacks in regards to entertainment. There’s comedy clubs, disco parties, magic shows and more. The ones I recommend every cruiser to attend is the ice skating performance which embodies the changes of the seasons.
Next on the list is the Aqua Theater, which has the deepest pool on the ship. Here you can see the Aqua show called inTENse where you can witness intense high diving, high energy slack lining and much more.
Lastly, the silent disco is a must for any adults craving the nightlife experience on the ship. Switch between the channels and dance the night away.
Scale the rock climbing wall
After the exhilarating experience from zip lining, test your limits by scaling the climbing wall. There’s a couple different routes to climb to reach the top and ring the bell. Personally I loved the wall! At first it didn’t seem scary when climbing, but once I looked down that was it. I made it about two-thirds up, then had to turn back. My advice — don’t look down and keep climbing.
Battle your way through Laser tag
Yup, there’s laser tag on board. It’s not always open, so double check the app to see the available times.
Slide down the longest dry slide at sea
While I’m not 100% certain if it’s the longest at sea, this slide is quite electrifying with bright lights beaming inside and guiding your way down. It begins at one of the top decks, right across from the zip line and ends at the base of the boardwalk — sliding down 10 decks total! Make sure you’re dry then hop in line to give the slide, The Abyss, a whirl.
Ride the waves on the Flo Rider
Have you surfed at the beach before? Well if giant waves or the fish swimming beneath your feet scare you, the Flo Rider will give you those surfing vibes in a controlled environment. The water pressure is quite high so follow the guides on how to ride these pressured ripples and waves. You may even be standing up by the end!
Replenish at the Vitality Spa
Overall, a trip to the spa is always a highlight. Meant to relax, recharge and boost your wellness, the spa here was a pleasant way to end the week cruising on the Wonder of the Seas. Although it’s not included as a complimentary activity, it’s well worth it if you’re focusing on a more restorative cruise experience.
After you’re done, head to the Vitality Bar to grab a freshly squeezed lemon mint juice.
Low lights of cruising on the Wonder of the Seas
While the ship was incredible with a wide variety of activities and food options, there were a couple low lights. For example, I’m a big escape room person, so it was a bummer to find out the escape room wasn’t operating while we were on the boat. It was cool to see where it will be setup, but it’d be nice to experience and actually try to escape.
Besides the room, I did find some of the gluten-free food and vegan options to be occasionally underwhelming. For instance, some eateries served cold, stale gluten-free bread, while the gluten-filled folks had warm buttery garlic bread.
While I can live without bread, this happened a couple times when searching for gluten-free and vegan-ish desserts. Love fruit and veggies, but a nice addition would be adding vegan protein powder to the Vitality Bar or adding some impossible burgers to the free dining options (wink, wink).
Since it’s the inaugural sailing, I’m sure some of these will get fixed on their own like the Escape Room.
Overall, loved cruising on the worlds largest ship — Wonder of the Seas!
Happy cruising!! xx
P.S. Ready to set sail on Wonders of the Seas? Head over to Royal Caribbean site to book an unforgettable experience aboard the world’s largest ship at sea. Better yet, send me an email directly and I’ll send to a my preferred travel agent I use for bookings.
More wellness travel resources
- How to Spend 24 Hours in Ensenada, Mexico
- 10 Inspiring Wellness Quotes To Know
- The Most Beautiful Nature Quotes to Inspire Exploration
- The Best Hikes in Big Bear, California for Every Season
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I was a guest of Royal Caribbean and was invited onto their inaugural sailing of Wonder of the Seas. All opinions are my own. See their official website for more information on cruising.
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