Wonder of the Seas Now Coming to the US
Last Updated on October 1, 2023
In 2022, Royal Caribbean will debut the largest cruise ship in the world, the Wonder of the Seas. The ship is the 5th Oasis-class ship built for Royal Caribbean and will hold nearly 7,000 passengers when completely full. While it’s true this ship will take over as the largest cruise ship in the world, it’s very similar to its sister ships and is only 4% larger than the current largest ship, the Symphony of the Seas.
Wonder of the Seas Changes From China to the US
Originally the Wonder of the Seas was going to be for China-based sailings. It was going to be the first Oasis-class ships to service that market. On September 15, though, Royal Caribbean announced that due to increased demand in the North American market, they were moving the ship to Flordia for Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises. Then in May 2022, the ship will move to Barcelona and Rome for a summer of Meditteranean cruises.
Since the ship was originally built for the Chinese market, it’ll be interesting to see how the Wonder of the Seas compares to its sister ships. For example, when the Ovation of the Seas was built for the Chinese market, they increased the size of the casino, added more high-end shopping, and replaced the popular Johnny Rockets with a Noodle Restaurant. Now that the Ovation of the Seas sails out of the US as well, the changes are noticeable to guests.
Improving on the popular Oasis-class ships
The Wonder of the Seas will take everything people love about their Oasis-class ships and improve upon it with new enhancements.
The Vue
This is a brand new cantilevered bar in an area that used to be a hot tub on other Oasis-class ships. Stop by and enjoy breathtaking panoramic ocean views during the day, and at night, you’ll find a colorful mosaic of lighting.
Oasis-class ships have a tendency to be too interior facing where you feel like you’re in a really nice building as opposed to being on the ocean. This venue will definitely help get the full ocean experience with some beautiful views.
Wonder Playscape
Wonder of the Seas will debut a brand new, interactive open-air kid’s play area. Royal Caribbean is known to be very family-friendly, and this new area just keeps the action coming. Not only will the ship feature a Splashaway Bay splash park for kids, but they’re adding a new dry playground. The Wonder Playscape features an underwater theme and has tons of slides, climbing walls, puzzles, and games to keep the little ones busy.
A New Suite-only Neighborhood
Traditionally, Oasis-class ships have 7 distinct neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are used to help disburse crowds and improve people flow. They’re generally seen as the reason that a ship with over 6,000 guests can feel pretty open. However, the Wonder of the Seas will add a brand new neighborhood, the “Suite Neighborhood.” This neighborhood will be an exclusive for suite guests only. It’ll have its own dining venue, a new Suite Sun Deck, a private lounge, an exclusive plunge pool, and more. It’s unfortunate that there’s a whole new neighborhood that most of the ship’s guests will never see, but if you’re a fan of suites, this news will be really exciting for you.
The return of many Royal Caribbean favorites
Caribbean Themed Pool Deck
The Wonder of the Seas will have 3 general access pools on Deck 15. These pools will sport the new Caribbean theming that Royal Caribbean has been rolling out to its ships the past few years. It gives the area a great party feel and gives the ship some much-needed personality. The space also features the popular 3-story Lime and Coconut bar.
During the day, you’ll find a lot of activities here, and at night, you can stop by to watch movies on the giant screen.
The Ultimate Abyss
This is the tallest slide at sea. It’s a dry slide you go down using a sled, so you don’t need to worry about wearing a bathing suit. It’s great for the young or the young at heart. It’s also a quick way to get from the top of the ship down to the Boardwalk area for a snack.
Perfect Storm Water Slides
Two FlowRiders
Aquatheater
Wonder of the Seas Sailings Start March 2022
d to go on the largest cruise ship at sea, or if you just want to try the latest Oasis-class ship, sailings start from Fort Lauderdale in March 2If you’ve always wanted to go on the largest cruise ship at sea, or if you just want to try the latest Oasis-class ship, sailings start from Fort Lauderdale in March 2022. So you’ll have a few months to try it out before the ship heads to Europe for the summer.
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