Independence of the Seas vs Wonder

The Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas was built in 2008. It was renovated in 2018. It's 9 years newer than the Wonder, which was built in 1999 and renovated in 2016. Disney Wonder's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Nouveau styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Donald Duck painting the name on the stern.

Comparison Overview

• Ship Size
• Number of Passengers
• Food and Restaurants
• Bars and Drinks
• Pools and Hot Tubs
• Ship Features and Activities
• Cruise Costs
• Onboard Costs

Ship Size

The Independence of the Seas is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,112 feet long and 185 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 3.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Disney Wonder, the Independence of the Seas is 84% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

The Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas holds more than double the amount of people as the Wonder based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Independence of the Seas has less space per person compared to the Wonder.

	Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas	Disney Wonder
Class	Freedom	Magic
Gross Tonnage	154,407	84,000
Length	1,112	964
Beam/Width	185	106
Passenger Decks	14	11
Passengers (double occupancy)	3,858	1,750
Crew	1,440	950
Passenger to Crew Ratio	2.7	1.8
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)	40	48

Food and Restaurants

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Independence of the Seas has eighteen different dining options like Chef's Table, Playmakers, and Windjammer. Of those options, nine are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other nine options have an additional fee.

The Wonder has eight fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Cabanas, Tiana's Place, and Daisy's De-Lites. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other two have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Independence of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 80% more dining options than the Wonder.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Wonder might be a better choice then the Independence of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

	Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas	Disney Wonder
Total Dining Options	18	10
Complimentary Dining Options:	9	8
Additional Fee Dining Options:	9	2
% of Included Options	50%	80%
	See the options	See the options

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.

There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Independence of the Seas and the Wonder below.

Pools and Hot Tubs

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 7 hot tubs.

The Disney Wonder has the same number of pools as the Independence of the Seas and fewer hot tubs.

Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Independence of the Seas.

	Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas	Disney Wonder
Total Pools	3	3
Pools - General Access	2	2
Pools - Adults Only	1	1
Pools - Exclusive	0
Total Hot Tubs	7	4
Hot Tubs - General Access	5	2
Hot Tubs - Adults Only	2	2
Hot Tubs - Exclusive	0

Ship Features and Activities

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Independence of the Seas. Only 72% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Wonder, 83% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

	Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas	Disney Wonder
Adult Only Relaxation Area	✓	✓
Arcade	✓	✗
Basketball	✓	✓
Casino	✓	✗
Character experiences	✗	✓
Climbing Wall	✓	✗
Escape Room	✓	✗
Fitness Center	✓	✓
FlowRider	✓	✗
Ice Skating	✓	✗
Jogging Track	✗	✓
Laser Tag	✓	✗
Mini golf	✓	✗
Movie Theater	✗	✓
Pool-side Movies	✓	✗
Salon	✗	✓
Shows - Broadway play	✓	✓
Shows - musical review	✓	✓
Spa	✓	✓
Splash park	✓	✓
Water slides	✓	✓
	Learn more	Learn more

Cruise Costs

Royal Caribbean is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.

Disney, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.

Onboard Costs

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.

	Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas	Disney Wonder
Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day)	$18.50	$16.00
Tip added to drinks & services	18%	18%
Soda Price	$3.50	Included
Domestic Beer Price	$8.25 See drink menus	$6.50 See drink menus
Drink Package Price	$77 - $118 Learn more	No drink package available
Internet Plan	$19 to $30 per device per day	$12 - $36 per device per day
*Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.

With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.

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