Cruise Spotlight
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Radiance of the Seas vs Wonder
The Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas was built in 2001. It was renovated in 2021. It's 2 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 Radiance of the Seas is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 962 feet long and 106 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 12-story building. Compared to the Disney Wonder, the Radiance of the Seas is 7% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas holds 22% more passengers than 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 Radiance of the Seas has less space per person compared to the Wonder.
| Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas | Disney Wonder | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Radiance | Magic |
| Gross Tonnage | 90,090 | 84,000 |
| Length | 962 | 964 |
| Beam/Width | 106 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 12 | 11 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,143 | 1,750 |
| Crew | 894 | 950 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.4 | 1.8 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 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 Radiance of the Seas has eleven different dining options like Izumi Sushi & Hot Rocks, Chef's Table, and Dog House. Of those options, nine are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other seven options have an additional fee.
The Wonder has one fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Palo, Animator's Palate, and Cabanas. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other two have an additional fee.
The Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas has about the same number of dining options as the Disney Wonder.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Wonder might be a better choice then the Radiance of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas | Disney Wonder | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 11 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 9 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 7 | 2 |
| % of Included Options | 36% | 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 Radiance 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 Radiance of the Seas has a total of 2 pools and 3 hot tubs.
Disney Wonder has more pools than the Radiance of the Seas and more hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Radiance of the Seas.| Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas | Disney Wonder | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 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 Radiance of the Seas. Only 70% 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 Radiance of the Seas | Disney Wonder | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✗ |
| Character experiences | ✗ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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 Radiance 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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