Live from Wonder of the Seas! March 4 to 11, 2022 Inaugural Cruise!

[Ozark_Kid]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

I tend to blend into the crowd.  This time I might stand out a bit.  360 camera on my hat.  

 

My boarding look.  Hope to post the video of boarding later tomorrow night or Saturday.  

I have been so tempted to buy that 360.  Has it met your expectations.  Would you buy it again? 

[twangster]

9 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

I have been so tempted to buy that 360.  Has it met your expectations.  Would you buy it again? 

 

I have two.  That's primarily so I can leave one running a timelapse on my balcony while using the other one somewhere else.

 

They do have some bugs in the software but you can usually work around that.  It does get frustrating sometimes though.

 

I think when used in moderation they offer a new area of creativity that can augment conventional pictures and video. I would buy it again but I also wouldn't mind it if a competitor developed something better.  So I'm not married to this brand.  If these were stolen tomorrow I'd probably replace one.  

[sandebeach]

Thanks for doing the review. Our Covid test are negative, so we will be sailing tomorrow with you! Someone posted in our FB group that they expect 4,200 passengers for this cruise. 

[Oceansaway17]

22 hours ago, twangster said:

With just two days to go I haven't seen anyone mention doing a live trip report so let me be the first to start this thread.  Anyone can contribute, or do you own thing, it doesn't really matter.

 

I had previously settled on this ship being one of those "maybe one day I'll sail on her" so when it was first announced that Wonder was coming to America I had to book it. 

 

 

I booked this ship the day she sailed into Ft Lauderdale.  Will be on April 8th so hoping you and all the others get all the kinks worked out.

Enjoy your cruise and look for all the Y Tubers on board as well.

[Oceansaway17]

22 hours ago, twangster said:

Tested negative of course, printed my SetSail and test results. 

 

I've seen way too many people fumbling through their phone trying to find test results and the setsail pass holding up the line for everyone else so I print everything.  Even the terminal workers are shaking their heads.  I walk up to that first checkpoint and I'm through in under 10 seconds.  Passport card, vax card, test results and SetSail all ready to go.

 

 

I agree paper is still the way to go.  I see this even at airports.

again have a nice trip and I hope the artwork in the stair wells are good as well and not duplicates of the other ships

[Oceansaway17]

18 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Lots of pics of decks 17 and 18 please😁

you are not on this first sailing?    I though you would have signed up.

Or has Belle said no to Wonder

[Oceansaway17]

18 hours ago, twangster said:

I never tried to book the UDP for this cruise and I suspect the primary specialty venues will be pretty busy.  UDP is so much food.  I haven't been doing it lately and I've had a number of Chops and Giovanni's meals on other ship recently so I'm giving my waistline a break.  

 

I may try The Mason Jar assuming it's easier to get into and a Playmakers Burger is always worth the money so that may be the extent of my extra cost dining.

 

I'm a Windjammer dinner kind of cruiser and I'm really interested to see how this new WJ design for this class works out so that will fulfill a few dinners for me.  I'll try the MDR once or twice to check out the venue decor more than the food which I expect to be standard Royal MDR food.

I agree the WJ on a lot of RCI ships are very nice, quieter than MDR and just a nicer and quicker experience to get in an out.

Please let us all know what if any changes have been made to Wonder WJ?  And also the Pizza too

thanks and have a good trip.

[Oceansaway17]

17 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

We board Symphony on Saturday. Always go to CK first, it's just a habit😁

 

BTW, are you worried about parking

aw okay now I see why you are not on wonder.

[twangster]

Waiting for noon in Hawaii so I can answer my health questions 

 

[twangster]

Planning Day One 

 

Sunset sail away at 1:45pm with all aboard at 3:30pm

 

 

Sail Away at 5pm
 

 

The new Country band in The Mason Jar at 5:30pm

 

 

Phoenix in the Music Hall at 11:15pm followed by Muster at 1am. 

 

 

 

Hope the paper cruise compass is still available 🤣
 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2022 by twangster

[mcatmcat]

47 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

 

I agree paper is still the way to go. 

They way to go for people that don’t know how to use technology. Paper is boring and useless 

[Oceansaway17]

3 minutes ago, mcatmcat said:

They way to go for people that don’t know how to use technology. Paper is boring and useless 

excuse me I do lots of technology and so does Twangster.

But he just informed us how delays can happen and how he sailed through a bit faster.

[swoopy2110]

Looking forward to reading this. My sister and her husband are on the cruise with you as well. Will be interesting to see how the experience compares.

 

 

[mcatmcat]

32 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

excuse me I do lots of technology and so does Twangster.

But he just informed us how delays can happen and how he sailed through a bit faster.

There are certain people that do lots of technology but totally lost about how to use apps 

[twangster]

[LATTELOVE]

Looking forward to all your postings and photos.

I'm sure it will be just as wonderful as your previous reviews.

Thank you!!

[Ocean Boy]

Looking forward to this cruise. Thanks.

[The sea calls my name]

21 minutes ago, twangster said:

I am very surprised it has Tap Factory listed and not the new show Voices. I wonder if that is a misprint.

[twangster]

13 minutes ago, The sea calls my name said:

I am very surprised it has Tap Factory listed and not the new show Voices. I wonder if that is a misprint.

 

Voices is Monday.  

 

More interesting to me is the Aqua "Showcase".  Sounds like inTENse isn't ready.  

[SherriZ366]

Glad you're doing a "Live" thread.  We sail on Wonder in December.  

[The sea calls my name]

24 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Voices is Monday.  

 

More interesting to me is the Aqua "Showcase".  Sounds like inTENse isn't ready.  

Oh I hope you get to see inTENse. It would seem strange to have another cast on board to do a different show and I totally overlooked Voices. With just one showing for a possible 4200 passengers, there may be a lot of disappointed passengers. I missed Tap Factory when I was on Odyssey so wouldn't mind seeing that.  It will be interesting when we board 4/20 fir the TA what shows are ready and showing. Michael Wier did say Wednesday on Vicki's Coffee Talk that they are weekly adding layer upon layer to the shows and that no two shows initially will be identical with the addition each time with more costumes props etc.

 

[dreamer976]

FOLLOWING!!! 

Have hardly even read anything on CC in the last 2 years and my last cruise was October 2019… feels like a lifetime. 
Thank you, twangster, for taking us with you aboard this new beauty. Looking forward to anything and everything you care to share. 
 

Ellen

[twangster]

Fully packed and ready to go.

 

I'm driving down in the morning.  I thought about grabbing a hotel near the port but as an early riser I know I'd be pacing the hotel room floor for several hours in the morning.  This way I've got something to do in the morning and I'll avoid a hotel fee for wearing out the carpet pacing back and forth.  

[twangster]

In the interest of full disclosure this cruise was booked as an interior. This was to be my first inside cabin on Royal in 21 cruises.

 

Several months ago I noticed my cabin number looked different.  Still on deck 8 but it struck that Royal changed my cabin!  I realized they moved me to a balcony and my demeanour quickly changed. 

 

They changed my cabin 😡 quickly became they changed my cabin 😀!

 

Still not sure why, but I'll take it.

[Broons77]

44 minutes ago, twangster said:

In the interest of full disclosure this cruise was booked as an interior. This was to be my first inside cabin on Royal in 21 cruises.

 

Several months ago I noticed my cabin number looked different.  Still on deck 8 but it struck that Royal changed my cabin!  I realized they moved me to a balcony and my demeanour quickly changed. 

 

They changed my cabin 😡 quickly became they changed my cabin 😀!

 

Still not sure why, but I'll take it.

 

Just for chuckles, show up at GS tomorrow ranting and raving right after they open the staterooms and demand answers...  🤣