I was aboard the largest cruise ship in the World, Wonder of the Seas, for her inaugural cruise on March 4th. As you can imagine, the largest cruise ship in the World has a lot of options from food choices, entertainment, and activities available onboard. As a parent, I couldn’t help to think how great a Wonder of the Seas cruise would be for a family cruise. I wanted to share six things families will love aboard Wonder of the Seas.
Things Families Will Love Aboard Wonder of the Seas
The Pools & Waterparks
The Wonder of the Seas offers families a wide range of water-friendly fun that you’ll not find anywhere else. Our family loves to cruise, and our kids often wear a bathing suit under their clothes so they can hit the pools/slides once they are onboard. On Deck 15, you’ll find the Caribbean-themed pool deck helps set the tone of relaxation. You’ll find easy access to two main pools and a beach pool. Younger kids (tots to tweens) head to the Splash-Away Bay aquapark, which features colorful waterslides, water cannons, a fountain, and whirlpools. Don’t forget the dunk bucket and the drenching it will bring when it tips. Older kids and adults can head over to The Perfect Storm, which features dual racing and the first boomerang-style and headfirst mat racer waterslides at sea. Don’t miss the live band music when you are pool-side if you enjoy live music.
Wonder Playscape
The Wonder of the Seas is so large it features eight different neighborhoods. Well, They also added the best neighborhood park at sea. Brand new for Royal Caribbean and currently only found aboard Wonder of the Seas, Wonder Playscape offers kids a chance to discover an underwater-themed World filled with slides, climbing walls, puzzles, and games. Kids will find an interactive mural of sea creatures inside the cavern that come to life when touched. Toddlers and family members can solve puzzles together. As the sun goes down, the entire space transforms into a beautiful seascape at night. Parents will love the cool ocean breezes as they watch their kids play.
The Ultimate Family Suite and NEW Suite Neighborhood
New for Wonder of the Sess is a new Suite Neighborhood, a new eighth neighborhood added to this Oasis Class ship. Located here is the grandest Ultimate Family Suite yet, with room for a family of 10. This one-of-a-kind suite features an in-suite slide to the cinema. It also has its karaoke area. When not playing, step onto your private balcony with a whirlpool. This suite offers two floors of luxury fun that will surely make memories for a lucky family.
Regardless of your budget, you can find a stateroom onboard that will work for you. One of the options is to have connecting cabins for large families or even have extended family and friends stay nearby. If you get a stateroom next to each other, your room steward can open your balcony divider to give you a much more expansive shared balcony and easy access to both cabins.
Entertainment Options
Some traditional cruise ships only have a limited amount of entertainment in the evenings. Not so when onboard Wonder of the Seas, a family may find it hard to choose what options to choose from during their cruise. I was happy to see regularly scheduled family-friendly comedy shows. However, You’ll find yourself in awe of the dynamic performers in the AquaTheatre Shows and the ice show. We watched a preview of the InTENse and the 365 Seasons ice shows during our cruise. Both shows are incredible and very family-friendly.
Walking through the ship, we would find a classical guitar player playing in Central Park during an evening or a full live band playing in the Promenade. I think this is so enriching for families and one reason we love cruise travel so much. Also, don’t miss the piano player in the Schooner Bar. This upfront concert is a must-attend.
One of my favorite things is running into the Stowaway piano player, who you may find playing his piano onboard. You never know where he might show up. It’s exciting entertainment experiences that make Royal Caribbean even more unique.
Activities Onboard
Are you ready to go rock climbing or zip-lining onboard with the kids? Or how about going down the Ultimate Abyss slide? Aboard Wonder of the Seas, you can also take a turn surfing aboard the Flowrider. The ship also has a sports court for some hoops. You may also want to relax by the pool or in the Solarium sipping a CoCo-LoCo drink while the older kids have fun playing. Such a wide variety of included activities enhances your cruise vacation.
You may need to pace yourself between many activities, game shows, and other events available each day. Don’t forget the kids in your family also can enroll in Adventure Ocean and age-appropriate Teen programs for no extra cost.
Dining Options
The wonder of the Seas features the largest Windejammer Cafe’ on any Royal Caribbean ship. This eatery offers a charming and casual buffet meal experience. It was one of my favorite places on my recent cruise and perfect for any family on the go. You also will find many different specialty restaurants that are sure to enlighten a family’s palette. I would recommend Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen for a family meal together. If you like Hibachi Dining, don’t miss making a reservation for Izumi Hibachi & Sushi. Both of these options are reservation only and have a per-person fee.
The main dining offers excellent meals and great everyday options and specialties that change daily. I recommend eating here regularly if you have young children as it could be much easier than in a buffet environment. Our family enjoys trying different foods on a cruise and being adventurous.
We also recommend ordering a complimentary breakfast each evening for delivery in the morning. Just fill out the form and leave it on your door handle, or you can call via phone to schedule it. We ordered complimentary coffee, doughnuts, and a fruit plate each morning to help get us started. You also can pay a little extra for a fuller breakfast experience. Room service is an excellent option when everyone is busy or tired from a long day at the beach or activities. Just know the breakfast room service is not available the morning of disembarkation.
It doesn’t get any better than sitting on your balcony with the best view in the World, enjoying your family, and relaxing with great food.
