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I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s newest mega cruise ship, the Wonder of the Seas.
The 9,288-person vessel has a variety of activities for intergenerational families.
These are my 9 favorite amenities and activities from the exciting neighborhoods to the thrilling show.
In December 2022, I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship.
Brittany Chang/Insider
It’s now my favorite cruise ship I’ve traveled on for work.
Brittany Chang/Insider
And much to my surprise, all of the typical complaints I have about cruise didn’t apply to this behemoth floating city.
Brittany Chang/Insider
My biggest qualm with cruise vacations is that it’s often easy to feel trapped and bored. I can only sit by the pool for so many hours before feeling tireless.
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And as much as I love staring at the ocean, I don’t think I could do it for hours while sitting inside a cruise ship lounge.
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But it’s hard to feel stuck on a ship designed to entertain up to 9,288 occupants, guests and crew included.
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The Wonder of the Seas’ 18 decks are filled with amenities for every intergenerational family, whether it be children with boundless energy or adults who want some quiet relaxation.
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I can’t speak for children or older adults, but these were my 9 favorite amenities aboard the mega cruise ship as a solo adult passenger who was new to the brand.
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1. This isn’t an amenity as much as it’s something that I appreciated: Walking around the 1,188-foot-long cruise ship felt like exploring a massive amusement park.
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Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class Wonder of the Seas is a behemoth of a vessel.
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The floating city has 24 elevators, 2,867 staterooms, and eight neighborhoods.
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And these neighborhoods are all vastly different from its counterparts.
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No matter where I went, I was amused and captivated by the variety of sights and spaces, many of which looked nothing like a cruise ship.
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There were so many attractions pulling me in different directions, I had a hard time picking where to begin.
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I was consistently lost even after two nights at sea.
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But there’s something enjoyable about learning your way around a ship this large. It kept my short trip entertaining, busy, and exhausting.
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2. To feed up to 7,084 guests, the ship has over 20 dining venues.
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Unfortunately, the majority of these come at an extra cost to travelers.
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But there’s options for all picky eaters, whether they like teppanyaki, seafood, Southern comfort, or Johnny Rockets.
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The seafood-forward Hooked Seafood served up a satisfying and fresh meal. It didn’t blow my mind but I had no complaints.
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Unfortunately, the new-to-the-brand Southern restaurant Mason Jar fell short of offering a satisfying meal.
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But the option is there for travelers who can’t go a few days without gumbo and fried chicken.
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3. The complimentary food venues were just as enjoyable as the specialty restaurants.
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The Italian pizza shop and open-air build-your-own taco bar were both decent fast-casual eateries.
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While the food wasn’t outstanding, these options were great for grabbing a quick mid-day snack.
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But to my surprise, the buffet was the best I had ever seen on a cruise ship.
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Some of the most memorable bites were at this buffet, something I never thought would happen aboard a cruise ship.
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There were plenty of options like international fare, classic hits, and seafood. The latter — some raw — was just as craveable as the options at Hooked Seafood.
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The buffet was consistent. And in retrospect, I would’ve been content eating most of my meals here.
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4. Like the buffet, the pool deck was the best I’ve ever seen on a cruise ship.
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The outdoor decor and amenities were painted in different colors, creating an overwhelmingly colorful spectacle.
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There were more outdoor pools, water slides, and hot tubs than I’ve ever seen on a pool deck.
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It was sprawling and speckled with these bright eye-catching structures.
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And I never struggled to find a spot in the hot tub or by the pool, although it’s worth noting that I was traveling on a non-revenue sailing exclusive for reporters and travel agents. The ship was not at capacity.
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The three water slides provided a fleeting thrill I hadn’t experienced since childhood …
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… while the large water playground provided plenty of fun for young children and their families.
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During the day, it looked like the busiest hub aboard the cruise ship.
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5. The Wonder of the Seas has enough outdoor activities to occupy a family’s entire afternoon.
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The outdoor deck above the pools had a dry slide, playground, mini-golf course, surf simulator, sports court, and zipline.
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I saw young children climbing the playground, families at the mini-golf course, and a lone person testing their balance at the surf simulator.
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As a traveler who’s easily bored, I appreciated all of these options. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to try out these activities. The rest of the ship kept me busy enough.
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And if I had another day or two aboard the ship, I would’ve been first in line for the zip line.
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6. The Central Park neighborhood felt like a gentle reprieve from the rest of the ship.
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Here, there were no thrilling slides or rambunctious bars blasting loud music.
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Instead, the Central Park neighborhood was a peaceful escape.
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The neighborhood is a walkway lined with plants, dining, shopping, and music (sometimes live).
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The ambiance, restaurants with outdoor tables, and foliage made Central Park look more like an outdoor mall in California than a cruise ship.
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And when the live musicians came out to perform, the neighborhood transformed into a peaceful outdoor music venue.
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7. There were plenty of bars aboard the ship.
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I tend to stay away from cruise ship bars — I was here for work after all. But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the watering hole options.
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And there were plenty aboard the Wonder of the Seas from a bar operated by robotic arms …
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… to a karaoke bar …
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… to the Rising Tide, a bar that rises and lowers between two decks throughout the day.
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There were plenty of places for people to quietly enjoy a cocktail, watch the latest football game over a pint, or even drink and dance to a live band.
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8. The Boardwalk neighborhood was nearly identical to a real boardwalk.
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Here, the wood-planked floors, bright lights from the hot dog stand …
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… and temptation from the candy and ice cream store brought back childhood memories of walking down boardwalks with my family.
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Like the water slide, it was a sense of nostalgia I hadn’t experienced in years.
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And this instantly made Boardwalk one of my favorite neighborhoods.
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Like other decks, there were plenty of open-air family activities from the carousel that grounded the neighborhood to the two large rock climbing walls.
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9. The Boardwalk ended at the Aqua Theater, home of the nighttime “inTENse” show.
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Let’s be real: Cruise ship shows are almost never thrilling.
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Some cruise lines — Royal Caribbean included — have seen plenty of success doing Broadway musicals.
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But “inTENse” was the most unique show I had ever seen on land and at sea.
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The divers, tightrope walkers, changing stage, and waterworks made this an exhilarating performance.
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And it’ll be a hard show for other cruise ships or cruise lines to top this heart-pounding nighttime event.
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