Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas adds a new neighborhood and tons of family fun.
2022 feels like a year full of possibilities. Families are looking for quality time together, reconnecting with extended family members, and sharing experiences of a lifetime. Royal Caribbean's newest ship, the Wonder of the Seas, bursts with superlatives, from "the world’s biggest cruise ship" to the line’s ultimate family suite at sea to help turn possibility into reality. Here are four great reasons to hop onboard.
The Newest Neighborhood
Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships are known for their neighborhoods, including eight distinctive spaces spread across Wonder of the Seas. In Central Park, more than 10,000 plants and flowers line the walls and the walkways around Italian food and wine bars, steak houses, and light café fare. Families craving comfort food, carousel rides, and arcade vibes can head to the Boardwalk, reminiscent of New York’s Coney Island or the Brighton Palace Pier. Brightly colored waterslides and a surf simulator fill the Pool and Sports Zone with laughter, while solitude and relaxation reign at the adults-only, glass-enclosed, climatized solarium and pool on the ship’s bow.
Deck 14’s dedicated Youth Zone includes the Adventure Ocean kid’s club with its craft workshops and science experiments, while zero-proof cocktail bars give teens a place to congregate. A year-round ice skating rink, The Attic comedy club, and the Royal Theater play to audiences in Entertainment Place, and the Royal Promenade turns the spotlight on guests with karaoke and a Latin music bar, not to mention robots slinging drinks at the Bionic Bar. Health and wellness live in Vitality Spa and Fitness on Decks 5 and 6, with saunas, steam rooms, spa treatments, and a gym, as well as beauty salons and barber shops to help you look as good as you feel.
Wonder of the Seas also adds a new suite neighborhood to the mix. Sky Class and Star Class suites located on Decks 17 and 18 enjoy exclusive access to their own sun-bathing deck, plunge pool, and cocktail bar with a heightened sense of privacy. Coastal Kitchen – in a beachy color scheme of navy blues and sand-inspired neutrals – also caters to the suites-only crowd with Mediterranean- and Californian-style meals and a wine list highlighting Tuscany and Napa Valley. “The luxury ship-within-a-ship concept is a big hit,” says Virtuoso travel advisor Lisa Rubin Reich, who recommends booking early to reserve your place in the newest neighborhood.
The Newest Family Suite
Wonder of the Seas' two-story Ultimate Family Suite adds a dose of fun and whimsy splashed with primary colors to the suite neighborhood. Children (and parents) can ride the tube slide from the second-story loft bedroom down to breakfast on the ground floor. High-tech entertainment options include an in-suite cinema and video game consoles, while Lego walls, life-size Connect Four, and an air-hockey table provide family-friendly options that go beyond screen time. The Ultimate Family Suite balcony holds both a private Jacuzzi and a multipurpose dining table that can transform to host impromptu Ping-Pong tournaments.
The Family-Timed Meals
The appetites and attention spans of young ones don’t always sync with the grown-ups they travel with. Royal Caribbean’s My Family Time Dining program takes the needs of both groups into account. Kids ages 3 to 11 sign-up in advance to receive their appetizers right away and their main meals within 45 minutes for some family dinner time in the main dining room. After eating (and before squirming sets in) they’re swept off to the Adventure Ocean kids’ club under the watchful eyes of staff supervision. This allows parents to linger over entrees, dessert, and coffee or make later reservations at The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant and Bar, Royal Caribbean’s newest addition, to try lobster-crawfish gumbo, crab beignets, or barbecue and biscuits.
Royal Caribbean’s exclusive Coco Beach Club on CocoCay elevates the private island experience with a 2,600 square foot infinity pool and unlimited dining and cocktails throughout the day. Family-sized cabanas range from space for eight guests to lounge beachside to overwater cabanas with a two-person hammock, a wet bar, and a slide that plunges directly into crystal-blue ocean waters. “Royal Caribbean’s branding of a Perfect Day at Coco Cay could not be more apt,” says Virtuoso travel advisor John Rees. “The over-water bungalow experience lets you lounge in an oasis and barely lift a finger.” He suggests adding your day at the Coco Beach Club and cabana as soon as you book your cruise.
Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral to the Caribbean beginning in November 2022.