Wonder of the Seas vs Panorama

The Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas is a fairly new ship, being built in 2022. The Wonder of the Seas has quite a few upgrades from its Oasis-class siblings such as a new suite neighborhood, a fully enclosed Solarium, an outdoor bar called The Vue, and an outdoor kid's play area. It's 3 years newer than the Panorama, which was built in 2019 and renovated in 2024. The Panorama is the only cruise ship to have a Sky Zone trampoline park on board.

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 Wonder of the Seas is considered an extra large size ship. Coming in at 1,188 feet long and 210 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.3 football fields, as wide as 4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 16-story building. Compared to the Carnival Panorama, the Wonder of the Seas is 77% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas holds 43% more passengers than the Panorama based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Wonder of the Seas has more space per person compared to the Panorama. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.

The Wonder of the Seas uses a neighborhood layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.

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 Wonder of the Seas has 28 different dining options like Dog House, Vitality Cafe, and Playmakers. Of those options, 14 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 14 options have an additional fee.

The Panorama has 3 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Bonsai Sushi, Mongolian Wok, and JavaBlue Cafe. 16 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 9 have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Wonder of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 12% more dining options than the Panorama.

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

Bars and Drinks

The Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas has 6 more bars than the Carnival Panorama. The Wonder of the Seas has 20 bars like Playmakers, The Lime & Coconut and Wipeout Bar. On Wonder of the Seas, you can grab a drink at 14 different bars such as Atrium Bar, Fahrenheit 555 Bar and Serenity Pool Bar.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Wonder of the Seas serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like 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. The Panorama serves the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Wonder of the Seas and the Panorama 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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.

The Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas has a total of 5 pools and 4 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are adults only. 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.

Carnival Panorama has fewer pools than the Wonder of the Seas and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Panorama. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.

Cruise Coloring and Activity Books for Kids
Get your kids ready for their cruise or keep them entertained while on board with our custom made coloring and activity books.

Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean Edition)

Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean Edition)

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. On the Wonder of the Seas, 78% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Panorama, only 65% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.

Cruise Costs

Royal Caribbean and Carnival are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. 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.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Panorama.

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 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.

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