Wonder Of The Seas

[george35]

Just got off the WONDER. A VERY LARGE ship with a lot of walking ( wife is 84 & I am 88 ) so I dont think I have to say we went to bed eary. Ship is in fine shape, read the reviews before we left & didnt find the food warm as many said found it hot & tasty. Any questions just ask away.

 

George

[Halfpound]

My family of six (two teenager grandchildren) will be on her April 2024. Did you do any of the speciality restaurants, if so which ones? How were the shows? The itinerary is Cozumel, Roatan and Costa Maya and two sea days. Any suggestions if you had these ports? Thank you so much George

[OCSC Mike]

44 minutes ago, Halfpound said:

My family of six (two teenager grandchildren) will be on her April 2024. Did you do any of the speciality restaurants, if so which ones? How were the shows? The itinerary is Cozumel, Roatan and Costa Maya and two sea days. Any suggestions if you had these ports? Thank you so much George

 

Not George but here's my semi-live report from June if you're interested. This was also a 3 generation family cruise with my 13 and 9-year-old nieces as the youngest. We were huge fans of the Mason Jar brunch and booked it again for the 3 Wonder cruises we have booked between March-July while it's 40% off for Black Friday.

 

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[micruiser2002]

1 hour ago, Halfpound said:

My family of six (two teenager grandchildren) will be on her April 2024. Did you do any of the speciality restaurants, if so which ones? How were the shows? The itinerary is Cozumel, Roatan and Costa Maya and two sea days. Any suggestions if you had these ports? Thank you so much George

I am on Wonder in March and in Roatan I have booked a private tour with this company.  I used them 2 years ago and it worked out great.  We will be going to Daniel Johnson's to see the sloths again, Carambola Botanical Gardens & Trails and then a couple of other stops. 

[OCSC Mike]

11 minutes ago, micruiser2002 said:

I am on Wonder in March and in Roatan I have booked a private tour with this company.  I used them 2 years ago and it worked out great.  We will be going to Daniel Johnson's to see the sloths again, Carambola Botanical Gardens & Trails and then a couple of other stops. 

 

We also have a tour booked with Rony in June. We had one scheduled in 2019 but Harmony couldn't dock due to high winds so this is a do-over.

[george35]

Only went to one pay resturant " Izumi " food was GREAT. Enjoyed the shows but I always do. The food in the dinning room was hot & good. Had breakfast in the Johnny Rockets which was absolutly great ( and free ).

 

George

[Halfpound]

Thanks for the information. We signed up for the 3 night dining package and were just wondering which restaurants to pick. When were you able to sign up for the shows?

[ROC2RDU]

We'll be getting on the Wonder December 3rd!  We can't wait!   @Halfpound we're doing the same itinerary, Cozumel, Roatan and Costa Maya.  This will be the third time in Cozumel and the first time at the other places.  Planning to have dinner at The Mason Jar and lunch at Hooked.

Edited November 25, 2023 by ROC2RDU

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, Halfpound said:

When were you able to sign up for the shows?

 

Around the 1st of the month preceding the month of your cruise (but not necessarily exactly on the 1st). So you should start looking around March 1st.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 11/22/2023 at 3:27 PM, george35 said:

Any questions just ask away.

Thanks, George!  We're going on Wonder soon -- with family, including our 3-year old grandson -- and have a couple questions. 

- We tend to stick to the no-extra-charge food.  What did you enjoy most?  

- Did you eat at the Solarium Bistro?  

- Did you visit the Music Hall?  Was it crowded in the evenings?  

- We've never been on a ship this big.  How was embarkation /disembarkation compared to mid-sized ships?  

- Did you find show reservations necessary?  

On 11/24/2023 at 11:32 AM, micruiser2002 said:

We will be going to Daniel Johnson's to see the sloths again

We'll be seeing the sloths and monkeys at Daniel Johnson's.  We're using them (Daniel Johnson's) for transportation, then will go to Arches Marine Park (again, with them).  I'd be interested in any tips to make the most of this excursion.  

On 11/24/2023 at 3:08 PM, george35 said:

Had breakfast in the Johnny Rockets which was absolutly great ( and free ).

We're looking forward to Johnny Rockets' breakfast -- we're on Deck 6, so it'll be convenient.  What did you enjoy most?  

Did you eat at the Mexican place?  I love Mexican food and plan to frequent it often!  

[PhillyFan33579]

7 hours ago, Halfpound said:

Thanks for the information. We signed up for the 3 night dining package and were just wondering which restaurants to pick. When were you able to sign up for the shows?

I have sailed on Wonder 3 times in the last 11 months. Keeping in mind food is subjective, the three best specialty restaurants in my opinion are Hooked, Chops and 150 Central Park. The one restaurant I was not impressed with was Mason Jar. I went there with a group of 6 people; it was the one restaurant everyone agreed was not very good. A few friends didn’t like Wonderland, but I thought Wonderland was very good on Wonder (not so good on Odyssey but that is another story). 

[OCSC Mike]

11 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Did you eat at the Solarium Bistro?

 

Just a small version of WJ with a few different items for breakfast/lunch.

 

11 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Did you visit the Music Hall?  Was it crowded in the evenings?

 

Not our thing but my family did go there once. House band was playing and were... umm... not great. Not overly crowded when we were there but also not somewhere we normally go.

 

11 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

We've never been on a ship this big.  How was embarkation /disembarkation compared to mid-sized ships?

 

Embarkation/disembarkation has always run extremely smoothly at PC for me (almost always Oasis class but did Indy twice last year as well).

 

11 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Did you find show reservations necessary? 

 

You can see any big show standby but no reason not to make reservations, IMO. Adult comedy is the one were reservations are more important.

 

11 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Did you eat at the Mexican place?  I love Mexican food and plan to frequent it often!

 

El Loco Fresh is basic. I'd stick to making your own tacos. The pre-made quesadillas and burritos sit out and were not good (same thing on Allure last month). The guac was also terrible. That said, I can always go for a couple tacos. FWIW, someone recommended adding the tobasco chipotle flavor to me from the hot sauce rack and I loved it. Not spicy, nice smoky flavor to enhance a basic taco.

 

11 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

We tend to stick to the no-extra-charge food.  What did you enjoy most?

 

I've always enjoyed Park Cafe on Oasis class. Good place for a bagel or egg sandwich in the morning (Central Park is very peaceful if you're an early riser). Kummelweck (carved roast beef), paninnis, and salads for lunch. They also have some pre-packaged grab and go items like wraps in case you want to have something in your cabin cooler for a small snack. Small dessert case in there too. Also, the flavored water is our go to free drink and that's usually where we find it.

 

I know I'm not George but hope that helps. Loved Wonder in June and have 4 more Wonder cruises booked (mostly b/c PC is so close but it's also currently my favorite ship).

[danoconnl]

On 11/26/2023 at 8:08 AM, OCSC Mike said:

On 11/25/2023 at 8:31 PM, Mum2Mercury said:

Did you find show reservations necessary? 

 

You can see any big show standby but no reason not to make reservations, IMO. Adult comedy is the one were reservations are more important.

Does almost everyone in the standby line get into most shows, including comedy?  I can just imagine us having reservations but deeding to change our plans to a different night.

 

Dan

[Mum2Mercury]

38 minutes ago, danoconnl said:

Does almost everyone in the standby line get into most shows, including comedy?  I can just imagine us having reservations but deeding to change our plans to a different night.

How do they check reservations on Wonder?  

 

I can say this based upon experiences on other ships:  If you're alone, it's easy to get in, even last minute.  My husband doesn't enjoy the Ice Show (but I love it!), so I always go alone -- and I always get a front row seat.  I promise, the Ice Show is best enjoyed from the front row!  

On 11/26/2023 at 6:08 AM, OCSC Mike said:

Embarkation/disembarkation has always run extremely smoothly at PC for me (almost always Oasis class but did Indy twice last year as well).

Do you do traditional or self-disembarkation? 

Since our adult daughter's going with us on our next cruise, we'll be trying to get out the door on roller skates.  We'll need to hit the road fast to get home in time to get the dog out of the kennel.  Know what?  I'm deciding right this minute:  Instead of pushing ourselves, I'm going to book her an extra night in the kennel.  What's $48 more?  Done.  

On 11/26/2023 at 6:08 AM, OCSC Mike said:

El Loco Fresh is basic. I'd stick to making your own tacos. The pre-made quesadillas and burritos sit out and were not good (same thing on Allure last month). The guac was also terrible. That said, I can always go for a couple tacos. FWIW, someone recommended adding the tobasco chipotle flavor to me from the hot sauce rack and I loved it. Not spicy, nice smoky flavor to enhance a basic taco.

You're the second person in two days to recommend that Tobasco Chipolte.  Can't wait to try it for myself.  Thanks for the details.  I could gladly eat tacos every day of the cruise. 

On 11/26/2023 at 6:08 AM, OCSC Mike said:

I've always enjoyed Park Cafe on Oasis class. Good place for a bagel or egg sandwich in the morning (Central Park is very peaceful if you're an early riser).

Sounds just like Park Cafe on Grandeur, which we enjoyed very much!  

- Can we expect lines for the roast beef sandwiches? 

- Do they serve pizza like they did on Grandeur?  I'm guessing no since a Sorrentos exists elsewhere on board.  

 

New questions: 

- My grandson sits in a booster seat now.  I've seen high chairs all over the ship, but do they have booster seats?  

- Any tips on what 3-year olds really enjoy on the ship?  He will have his parents + 2 sets of grandparents, so he will get lots of attention and won't NEED to go to the kids' clubs.  

- Any information on Vitality Cafe?  It doesn't seem to be a particularly popular place, as it's buried in the middle of the ship -- but we'll have the Refreshment Package, and we might want to get smoothies or protein shakes.  Any advice on which flavors are best?  

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by Mum2Mercury

[soremekun]

@george35

84 and 88!  Amazing!  Congrats on your longevity!  I love reading about it.  I wish you both many more years of happy cruising.

 

Now I know what the 35 in your username means.

Edited November 27, 2023 by soremekun

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, danoconnl said:

Does almost everyone in the standby line get into most shows, including comedy?

 

The big shows pretty much yes... not comedy b/c the venue is very small. You'd want to get in that standby line very early.

[OCSC Mike]

30 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Do you do traditional or self-disembarkation?

 

Traditional when with extended family, self-assist when just with my wife... both have gone smoothly but for full disclosure, my last 2 family cruises have been in GS's so that obviously helps.

 

31 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Sounds just like Park Cafe on Grandeur, which we enjoyed very much!  

- Can we expect lines for the roast beef sandwiches? 

- Do they serve pizza like they did on Grandeur?  I'm guessing no since a Sorrentos exists elsewhere on board.  

 

Much larger than the version of Park Cafe they added to the small ships.

Not much of a line in my experience. There are so many more choices to eat on Oasis class and especially Wonder, people are spread out.

Correct about pizza being at Sorrento's (it was surprisingly good on Wonder in June and Allure last month, very crispy, not at all soggy).

 

I can't help with the toddler or Vitality Cafe questions. I have no kids and Vitality Cafe is way too healthy for me, lol. I took my niece there once to get a smoothie but I can't say I remember much about it.

[madiaka]

We were on this ship and itinerary in August. It was me, my husband and son who is 12. 
 

Shows: Ice show and Aqua Theater were great. We attended another show in the main theater and I don’t remember it, so it must not have been that good. I made reservations in advance but ran late to the Ice show, but we still got good seats. I barely made it to the Aqua show in time - due to dinner running a little longer. But, we still had decent seats on the benches. Wonder doesn’t have chairs like Oasis, Symphony, Allure, etc. Not a fan. 
 

We had traditional dining at 8, but did have the 3 night package. You can make reservations before you board at a kiosk near the picture taking at embarkation — before the ramp to get on. We enjoyed 150 Central Park and Chops. Giovanni’s wasn’t that good this time. Had Mason Jar - purchased separately. It was horrible. I felt sorry for the servers who implied that people always complain about the food. Hooked Seafood was ok. Not a big deal. 
 

Excursions -

Cozumel - Paradise Beach - from their website — purchased on our own. They have inflatables that our son enjoyed and I didn’t feel like he was going to drown like I did at Playa Mia. Paradise Beaches’ inflatables are closer to shore. 

 

Roatan - Tabyana Beach Break - thru Royal. It’s on West Bay Beach ( I think). Beautiful water. Paid extra for snorkeling when we got there. Son had a ball. Said he saw so many types of fish and a sea turtle. This beach had the best/clearest water of all of the excursions for that cruise. 
 

Costa Maya - stayed on the ship. Time in port was too short and didn’t read anything impressive about that stop. 
 

Perfect Day Coco Cay - got a discounted Cabana at the last minute - about a month before the cruise. Enjoyed it. 
 

Arcade - be careful. Son spent $50 sharing his card with a new friend in less than 1 hour. So, of course, he was banned from using it after that. 

[Halfpound]

We’ve never been to CocoCay. The 12 and 14 year olds are doing the Water Park and the Ziplining. Any suggestions of an area where the rest of the family (4 adults) should head to in relation to where they will be? Do you mind telling me approximately what you paid for that last minute cabana? The prices right now are crazy. Thanks so much

[madiaka]

4 minutes ago, Halfpound said:

We’ve never been to CocoCay. The 12 and 14 year olds are doing the Water Park and the Ziplining. Any suggestions of an area where the rest of the family (4 adults) should head to in relation to where they will be? Do you mind telling me approximately what you paid for that last minute cabana? The prices right now are crazy. Thanks so much

We didn’t go to the water park. We’ve never done it because I think he would get tired of waiting in line for the slides. I’m not sure where to hang out in relation to it.
 

We had a Chill Island cabana. It was $599 and included everything listed. I know plenty of people don’t feel the need, but I was comfortable with the price. In 2022, we were on Symphony and got an Oasis cabana for $399. I wouldn’t pay for those again. You can’t see anything in that location.