Exploring the Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas: An 18-deck Cruise Ship with 8 Distinct ‘Neighborhoods’

I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, the second-largest cruise ship in the world.

It can hold up to 7,000 guests and has eight “neighborhoods” full of activities and amenities.

The ship was even bigger than I imagined. Here’s a tour of the 18 decks and all the venues.

In April 2022, I took my first cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas and it was bigger than I could even imagine. I felt as if I were in a small town in the middle of the ocean. At the time of my sailing, Wonder of the Seas was the largest cruise ship in the world. Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas took over the title in January 2024.

Board the world’s second biggest cruise ship.

The Wonder of the Seas, which has been operating since March 2022, measures almost 1,200 feet in length and 210 feet in breadth, boasting 18 decks. It is capable of accommodating around 7,000 guests.

I managed to spend seven nights in an ocean-view stateroom located on the eighth deck for a mere $2,000. The cruise had been discounted, with the original price tag reading $3,000.

Throughout my journey, the ship took a route to Roatán in Honduras; to Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico; and ended at Royal Caribbean’s private island situated in the Bahamas.

The massive ship housed eight shared spaces that were christened as “neighborhoods” by the Royal Caribbean. Each neighborhood was bustling with its distinctive activities.

Two dozen elevators were installed to ferry guests across 16 out of the total of 18 floors. The privilege of unwinding on the topmost decks was reserved only for suite guests.

I noticed that the elevators teemed with passengers during peak hours, which drove me to opt for the stairways situated on either side of the elevators.

The seventh deck, along with the tenth and the eleventh, held only staterooms, but most decks were a jumble of staterooms, food joints, venues, and recreational areas.

Decks two and three have boarding areas to enter and exit the ship. Deck three is the lowest deck with staterooms.

The main dining room spans levels three, four, and five.

Meals in the main dining rooms were included in the price of my ticket.

Deck four is home to Entertainment Place, a neighborhood with fun venues surrounded by framed art on display.

One of the venues, Studio B, is used for shows and activities that require ample room, such as ice skating and laser tag.

In close proximity to Studio B, you’ll find the casino, a bustling atmosphere where guests can immerse themselves in numerous game tables and slot machines.

Entertainment Place plays host to a sushi restaurant named Izumi as well.

Although a lot of shows are available at no extra charge, dining experiences at several eateries including Izumi do call for extra expenditure.

On deck five, there’s a neighborhood named Royal Promenade packed with eateries, bars, and shopping outlets.

There’s also a location called the Royal Theater that hosts various performances on both decks four and five.

A unique feature of this area is the Bionic Bar, where drinks are crafted by robots.

In the Royal Promenade neighborhood, you can also find two coffee joints — Starbucks and Cafe Promenade.

The Boardwalk is an outdoor neighborhood on deck six.

The Boardwalk deck caters to families with kids with a carousel, a candy store, and rock-climbing walls.

There are two restaurants on the Boardwalk: a hot-dog stand, which is included for guests, and a Johnny Rockets, which has burgers and shakes, for an added fee.

Across from the Boardwalk restaurants is Playmakers, a sports bar.

The Boardwalk ends with the Aquatheater, where Royal Caribbean puts on outdoor movies and a water show featuring dancers, divers, and acrobats.

At night, the boardwalk lights up for the show.

On the other side of deck six is the spa and fitness-center neighborhood, Vitality at Sea.

Just past the Vitality at Sea entrance is a café before the spa area and gym, which was full of cardio and strength machines I’ve seen in most fitness centers.

From the fitness center, there’s access to an indoor track.

Up on deck eight, there’s another outdoor neighborhood, Central Park.

This deck is home to 20,000 plants, according to Royal Caribbean.

There are many spaces to chill in this neighborhood, including benches and outdoor couches. I thought it was the most relaxing area on the ship.

Central Park is home to three upscale restaurants — Chops Grille, 150 Central Park, and Giovanni’s Italian. There’s also Park Cafe, a casual eatery that is free for guests.

The Central Park deck has also two bars — Trelli’s and Rising Tide, a moving bar that goes up and down floors five through eight.

Deck 14 is home to the Youth Zone neighborhood.

The deck functions as a play area for kids, which includes an exciting escape room.

Located on Deck 15, the pool deck makes you feel like you’re on a beach with its three considerable pools enveloping the lounge chairs just like ocean waves.

Moreover, several whirlpools and petite plunge pools scattered across the deck offer a perfect relaxation spot. Kids also enjoy the Splashaway Bay, a water playground designed just for them.

The heart of the pool deck houses Sprinkles – a spot offering a limitless supply of soft-serve ice cream with a range of flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, plus a few mixed selections. Guests enjoy these on the house.

Deck 15 also has the Solarium, an adults-only indoor lounge with pools, a bar, a complimentary bistro, and stunning views.

Outside the Solarium, there’s a bar called Vue with more ocean views.

Windjammer, a complimentary buffet that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is on deck 15, too.

The buffet served a wide range of food options, including everything from waffles and bacon to fried chicken and tacos.

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The eighth neighborhood is the most exclusive — Suite Class Neighborhood.

Decks 17 and 18 are accessible only for guests with suites and include private pools and terraces.

The ship felt bigger than I imagined, especially since I’d never been on a cruise before.

As we left the port to start our journey, I marveled at how the ships passing by looked like toy boats in comparison.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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