Wonder of the Seas Honest Review and Tips

[lattegirl10]

Just got off the beautiful Wonder of the Seas February 5-12 and wanted to provide those guest who will be cruising in the near future some tips and thoughts about the cruise.  The perspective of this review is from an active late 40's couple who are newly empty nesters who love going to the casino.  We love to cruise the newer larger ships and have recently been on Celebrity Apex and Beyond, Virgin Scarlett Lady. We had an amazing cruise!

 

Pre-Cruise

 

Pre-Cruise Tip 1- Only on Wonder of the Seas-  Do not buy the coffee card.  Buy either the deluxe drink package or replenish package.  In Café Promenade, they have Starbucks coffee, ice coffee, frapaccinos etc. in Starbucks cups that’s included in the package.  Wait until 2 weeks before your trip to buy it because Royal always has 30% to 40% off or BOGO half off sales.

 

Pre-Cruise Tip 2-  Don’t eat breakfast before the cruise.  Drink water because you will do nothing but eat and drink all day.  So might as well pre-hydrate.

 

Pre-Cruise Tip 3- Download the RCCL app, check in, and do the safety briefing on the app.

 

Embarkation

Port Canaveral/Check-in- Very easy to park at the port, if you choose to go that route.  Best port to cruise from if you are parking at the port because the garage is attached to the terminal. Also, you pay either $145 or $165 for an 8 day cruise upfront.  Check in was super easy.  Just make sure you add your cruise pass to your apple wallet and have your passport ready and you will be on in less than 10 min.

 

Day 1 madness- Just know that as soon as you get on the ship everyone is on hyper-mode and full of excitement and anxiety.  Please pack your patience.  Rooms don’t open until 1pm so find a nice quiet place and relax.  Our room was midship on deck 9 and we discovered the Music Hall.  Best kept secret.... They have comfortable chairs and a view that looks over the boardwalk.  If you choose to get a drink first, you will not have your card so you will just have to provide your room number to get a drink, this is only for day 1.  For food, try Park Café (Complimentary), Johnny Rockets (they didn't charge us on day one) for your first onboard meal and not the buffet.

 

Room

Cabin 9606- This was a perfect cabin and perfect midship location.  The sofa was next to the balcony. The balcony was slightly larger because it was on the hump/angle of the ship.

 

TIP 4- .  There are no paper planners in your stateroom or available on day one.  Everything is on the app.  Just so you know! Also, they do not put the drink cups in the room anymore so you will have to go to the promenade to pick up the cups. 

   

Food

Main dining room- Our waiters Anil & Stephen were great, we had my time dining. Food was blah, and never hot.

Buffet- super blah

Mason jar- blah- over rated- 

TIP 5-  If you have the Mason Jar for Brunch, do not eat breakfast.  You will want to try all the everything on the menu so bring your appetite or you will be wasting your money.  Also, don't buy the Brunch and expect to order something from the dinner menu.  They will not do it.  We went for brunch because dinner was sold out online and I really wanted the Shrimp and Grits.  

 

Johnny Rockets- was good and fresh (Best hot meal I had onboard)

Park Cafe- blah no longer serve chips with the sandwiches, However, try the tuna melt and the roast beef sandwich they never miss.

 

Drinks

Drink package- Replenish was enough.  Im Prime in the Casino, so had all of my alcohol there.  The replenish includes milkshakes, sodas, specialty Starbucks coffee in Cafe Promenade, smoothies, and healthy drinks at the vitality spa and non alcoholic drinks.  

 

Casino

 I love slots and they were paying out.  Soooo many handpays and big wins.  I wasn’t lucky but everybody else was, everyday.  This is the cruise to spend that extra dollar in the casino. They had lots of new slots and I saw a lot of big returns. The bartenders were unfriendly and acted like they didn’t know what some drinks were but, hey I prime, Im on a cruise for 7 days so keep making it until you get it right…

 

The Golden Room-

This non-smoking area was never busy but had a few good slots that were always winning.  The poker tables were barely used and the staff there looked unhappy.  

Tip 6-  Play the Wonder 4 games, Medusa and Triple Sparkle they were paying the most.  Also, when you get out of your late night comedy show or 365 walk in the back to sample the late night buffet.  They have appetizers and chocolate covered strawberries.    

 

Entertainment - Tap Factory, Intense. Voices, comedians and 365

 Worse main stage entertainment I’ve seen on any cruise ship.  Voices was descent, comedians were funny, and 365 was good.  Intense was amazing but it was rescheduled several times due to the weather. Tap Factory was horrible.  Saw Wakanda Forever as one of the Movies in theatre and two other movies where they have the water shows.   Attended the silent disco and had alot of fun.  The DJ's are smart enough to play music according to the crowds.  

 

Cruise next

Don’t do cruise next until the 2^nd to the last day of the cruise unless you have a casino offer. Then wait for the offer.  

 

Random Tips-

If you are prime, don’t get deluxe drink package.

Ship temperature was cool, so pack a light jacket.

Try the Solarium Bistro for dinner, it’s free and is a relaxed Buffet setting.

Go to Vitality spa for your smoothie in the morning. 

 

I have more tips and secret areas, so just let me know if you have any questions........

[johnlcruise]

Outstanding tips. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.

[gowensricks]

We are thinking of booking Wonder for next year - thank you for your observations.

 

[LindyWebb]

When you say specialty drinks at Starbucks does that include stuff like Vanilla SC Cold Brew or Coconut refreshers?

 

Planning a Wonder trip this summer.  Thank you for the tips

[kakop]

Thank you for your review! Could you please list the current prices of specialty coffees, smoothies, fresh squeezed juices and bottled water? I’ve searched and searched and can’t seem to find them. Thank you again!

 

[Biker19]

5 minutes ago, kakop said:

Could you please list the current prices of specialty coffees, smoothies, fresh squeezed juices and bottled water?

The break even for the refreshment package is 3-5 drinks/day. The app may list some prices.

[lattegirl10]

10 minutes ago, kakop said:

Thank you for your review! Could you please list the current prices of specialty coffees, smoothies, fresh squeezed juices and bottled water? I’ve searched and searched and can’t seem to find them. Thank you again!

 

Didn't look at the prices since they were included in my drink package.

[lattegirl10]

11 minutes ago, LindyWebb said:

When you say specialty drinks at Starbucks does that include stuff like Vanilla SC Cold Brew or Coconut refreshers?

 

Planning a Wonder trip this summer.  Thank you for the tips

I don't remember seeing those two items at Cafe Promenade nor the Starbucks kiosk.

[PhillyFan33579]

Enjoyed reading your review. I have been on 3 cruises on Wonder over the last two months. I agree with most of your post with one exception. Tap Factory was by far my favorite show in the theater. On the other hand, I thought Voices was terrible. Not unusual for different people to like different shows. I also think it’s pretty cool that the Aqua show performers/divers are all females. 

[LEMJMcC]

2 hours ago, lattegirl10 said:

Tap Factory was horrible.

How interesting.  We were on the same cruise, cabin 8642, nice balcony as well.  However, we found Tap Factory to be the best show, though I must confess that we watched Intense from Wonderland.  Effectors sucked bad.  Didn't bother with any other entertainment, but would probably go see Tap Factory again.  Just goes to show how tastes differ.  My absolute favorite place was our own balcony.

[Ryder101]

Great review. Really felt very honest and genuine. The bad food has me concerned for my upcoming trip though. Was the beef/meats poor quality and fatty? Hard to chew etc? I've read here they are using low grade meat. 

[SilkySal]

We planned to visit the Next Cruise desk soon after boarding the Serenade in March. Wondering why you are saying wait until the end of the week? We never go to the casino, as DH has lung issues and can't be around smokers/vapers; however, I hear that the Wonder does have a non-smoking smaller casino but I think you have to walk through the larger one to get there, so not happening for DH.

 

Anyway, the Next Cruise desk used to offer more OBC during the first part of the cruise week, not the last, so wondering why you're saying to wait. 

 

Great review and thanks for your opinions and tips! Happy cruising and cheers to many more!!

 

[crewsweeper]

27 minutes ago, SilkySal said:

We planned to visit the Next Cruise desk soon after boarding the Serenade in March. Wondering why you are saying wait until the end of the week? 

 

Anyway, the Next Cruise desk used to offer more OBC during the first part of the cruise week, not the last, so wondering why you're saying to wait. 

 

 

 

Curious about this too.  We always try to do Next Cruise sometime during the cruise. Nver knew timing made a difference.

 

I've seen the Tap Factory on Odyssey so not interested. Not sure what Intense is?  

Not a big fan of Starbucks but the free coffee has been Lavazza, and that's not as overoasted as Starbucks.  We don't go for drink packages, because DW doesn't drink more than 1 alcoholic drink a day and we aren't  sodas drinkers.  A Vitality smoothie on occasion doesn't justify the package price.

 

We do like the UDP and intend to try Mason Jar once.  Sound s like Brunch is better.  We avoid the buffet and MDR for the reasons you mentioned.

 

What about the rest of the ship?  Crowded?  Activities? Best spot to relax outside?

 

TIA

[lattegirl10]

35 minutes ago, SilkySal said:

We planned to visit the Next Cruise desk soon after boarding the Serenade in March. Wondering why you are saying wait until the end of the week? We never go to the casino, as DH has lung issues and can't be around smokers/vapers; however, I hear that the Wonder does have a non-smoking smaller casino but I think you have to walk through the larger one to get there, so not happening for DH.

 

Anyway, the Next Cruise desk used to offer more OBC during the first part of the cruise week, not the last, so wondering why you're saying to wait. 

 

Great review and thanks for your opinions and tips! Happy cruising and cheers to many more!!

 

Actually, if you are not a gambler go to Next Cruise whenever it is not busy. The non-smoking casino is in a separate location across from the Comedy club so your DH can visit without any issues.  

[lattegirl10]

1 minute ago, crewsweeper said:

Curious about this too.  We always try to do Next Cruise sometime during the cruise. Nver knew timing made a difference.

 

I've seen the Tap Factory on Odyssey so not interested. Not sure what Intense is?  

Not a big fan of Starbucks but the free coffee has been Lavazza, and that's not as overoasted as Starbucks.  We don't go for drink packages, because DW doesn't drink more than 1 alcoholic drink a day and we aren't  sodas drinkers.  A Vitality smoothie on occasion doesn't justify the package price.

 

We do like the UDP and intend to try Mason Jar once.  Sound s like Brunch is better.  We avoid the buffet and MDR for the reasons you mentioned.

 

What about the rest of the ship?  Crowded?  Activities? Best spot to relax outside?

 

TIA

Don't forget about the Solarium Bistro, the ambiance is really beautiful at night.  The ship only felt crowded on Day 1, in the buffet and during the Pirate Parade since everyone is gathered basically in one place.  Many nights the Boardwalk and Central Park was super empty. Hubby and I leisurely walked the track one night just to see the Ocean and it was beautiful.  

[lattegirl10]

50 minutes ago, Ryder101 said:

Great review. Really felt very honest and genuine. The bad food has me concerned for my upcoming trip though. Was the beef/meats poor quality and fatty? Hard to chew etc? I've read here they are using low grade meat. 

The food is cooked for quantity not quality in my opinion.  If you typically like bland entrees and non sweet desserts this is the place for you.  However, I am a southern girl and like to taste what I'm putting in my mouth.  LOL! Plus, I'm on vacation so its all about indulgence. Im quite sure the food in the paid restaurants are much better.

[lattegirl10]

1 hour ago, LEMJMcC said:

How interesting.  We were on the same cruise, cabin 8642, nice balcony as well.  However, we found Tap Factory to be the best show, though I must confess that we watched Intense from Wonderland.  Effectors sucked bad.  Didn't bother with any other entertainment, but would probably go see Tap Factory again.  Just goes to show how tastes differ.  My absolute favorite place was our own balcony.

I forgot about Effectors, yeah it was super cheesy.  Perhaps I'm use to productions like Hairspray and Grease.  My expectations are a bit higher for newer ships. 

[Jim M]

Really missed the Broadway show on Wonder. The emphasis for shows seems to be on "technology" and LOUD!!  I did like Voices though. Couldn't  figure out if there was any kind of storyline for the aquashow Intense.

 

One thing that wasn't mentioned, the rooms seem to have more storage space than the early Oasis class ships and the slightly larger shower seems a lot larger. Add to that you can get in/out of the bathroom if the cabin door is open.

[chiguypaul]

The entertainment on the Wonder continues to be incredible polarizing. I was on the Wonder in December and overall was not impressed with the entertainment and very disappointed. Enjoyed the ice show a lot. All other shows were over produced and loud. Entertainers very talented, but bootstrapped into shows where the technology was the focus over the talent.

[Vera/Lee]

Thanks for the review! We will be boarding her soon. Glad to hear that the slots pay out some. Was it better during the day or night?

[Scottdalfonso]

So Johnny rockets was open on embarkation day? Does anyone know if this is just on Wonder, because it's not normally open on day 1 for lunch, and certainly not free for anything but breakfast.  And it concerns me  that they were the best hot meal, when normally I'd consider them about the last resort for food (and I'm no foodie- I LOVE burgers....the ones at playmakers are GREAT).  Making me glad I did Oasis last month...and scheduled another one in October on Oasis!  

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Scottdalfonso said:

Does anyone know if this is just on Wonder, because it's not normally open on day 1 for lunch, and certainly not free for anything but breakfast. 

Venue operating hours/cost are usually listed in the app - the info gets more accurate closer to sailing.

[Thisguylikestocruise]

I was on this same cruise. My tip is when you walk into Windjammer, stop, look left and right. It’s divided in half, same food is served on either side. I noticed sometimes one side appeared to have less people. One night I’d estimate 2/3 of passengers went to the right, so I’d go left and enjoy a peaceful dinner.

 

Take the stairs to burn calories, especially before and after popular events, because elevators can be crowded during peak times. 
 

I’d rate the food 7/10. A few dishes stood out as excellent, and others were just okay. Drinks were 8/10, liked the frozen mojitos and expresso martinis. Staff was 9/10, very friendly overall.

[crewsweeper]

35 minutes ago, Thisguylikestocruise said:

 

 

Take the stairs to burn calories, especially before and after popular events, because elevators can be crowded during peak times. 
 

 

Actually, stairs work for other reasons, but not burning calories.  Depending on your weight and how fast you climb, you only burn a little more than 1 calorie per flight of stairs climbed up, and 1/2 calorie per flights downs.  Lots of climbing just to work off that one margarita.  But stairs do work for getting around faster than elevators most of the time.

[Travelw]

We had three generations of family on the Wonder last year.  At busy times there are not enough elevators to handle the number of people.  Almost every evening when going to dinner the younger people would take the stairs while the elders waited for elevators.  The stairs always won the race.