world's largest cruise ship wonder of the seas

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ORLANDO’S BEST FAMILY VACATION

Wonder of the seas.

Wonder of the Seas® is more than just another attraction. It’s Orlando’s best family vacation — sailing from Cape Canaveral.

Everything is a big deal on the boldest and biggest ship in the world, Wonder of the Seas®. This is a larger-than-life, island-hopping adventure with epic thrills for all ages. Kids can revel in next-level playtime. Adrenaline chasers meet their match at Ultimate Abyss℠. And everyone savors delicious dining options from homespun Southern classics with a twist to rustic Italian favorites. Get ready to launch from the Space Coast to our private island, Perfect Day at Coco Cay and discover the eastern and western shores of the Caribbean. Only on Royal Caribbean®.

BLAST OFF FROM THE SPACE COAST

Cape Canaveral is your launching point for out-of-this-world adventures to sun-kissed eastern and western Caribbean shores — plus our private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

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A BOLD CLASS ACT

The biggest ship in the world is also the first to bring eight unique neighborhoods to the epic Oasis Class — including the luxurious Suite Neighborhood. So there's more room than ever for adventure, palate-pleasing dining, and awe-inspiring entertainment — only on Royal Caribbean®.

ALL OUT. ALL DAY.

This isn't just another day at sea. It's way more to see — and do. From fleet favorite thrills, like the FlowRider®* surf simulator’s 30,000 gallons of rushing awesome, to adventures designed to change the way you play, including a whole immersive spin on mini golf and a climbable, slidable space that’s leagues away from your ordinary playground.

BOLD BITES AND ENDLESS DELIGHTS

The biggest ship in the world is going even bigger on flavor, with limitless options to satisfy every palette. Upscale cuisine? Check. Craveable comforts? Check. Quick but delicious bites you can grab between adventures? It’s all on the menu.

SHOWS THAT WHOA

Vacation is no time for tame — and Wonder of the Seas® definitely ups the ante on downtime. Whether you’re looking for jawdropping feats at the AquaTheater, your own slice of the spotlight at our signature karaoke bar, or cocktails with a view at the Vue Bar℠.

Suite Neighborhood

BIGGEST BOLDEST

ULTIMATE FAMILY SUITE

LET ADVENTURE BE YOUR GUIDE

Wonder of the Seas® is going to change the way you vacay — big time. With thrills at every turn, a pool deck overflowing with sun and games for all ages, bold bites of all types, and showstoppers that never stop. Launch from the Space Coast to our private island,  Perfect Day at CocoCay and explore the gems of the Caribbean.

WHERE THRILLS COME TRUE

It’s always an exciting time in Cape Canaveral, with everything from captivating museums to unforgettable manatee sightings, and world-class golf to out-of-this-world adventure at the Kennedy Space Center. And now, the Space Coast is your launch site for the best family vacation in Orlando — onboard the Wonder of the Seas®. Let the bolder memory-making begin.

EXPLORE CRUISES FROM ORLANDO

SET YOUR SIGHT ON PARADISE

Get ready for your gateway to the gems of the Caribbean. Take on rainforest roaming in Roatán and cenote scoping in Cozumel on a Western Caribbean itinerary. Or claim your slice of paradise on the beaches of St. Thomas and take a true culture trip to the two sides of  St. Maarten  — Dutch and French — on Eastern Caribbean sailings. Both with stops at our totally reimagined private island,  Perfect Day at CocoCay .

EXPLORE CARIBBEAN CRUISES

BIG TIME THRILLS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

You’ve never had a family vacay like this before — with more onboard to see, do, play and conquer. Like the underwater-themed Wonder Playscape℠. Wonder Dunes, where you can tee up for an immersive, story-based mini golf journey under the sun or stars. And so much more.

A Hole Way To Play

Tee off for a game of mini golf unlike anything you've played before —on land or sea, day or night. This isn't your regular round of putt-putt. It's Wonder Dunes, onboard the Wonder of the Seas®. Immerse yourself in a wild, watery, undersea story where seasnails sport racings stripes, turtles guard the way to winding mazes and a giant octopus rules the course.

A Hideout Hangout

Teens will get an exclusive space that’s all their own —Social100. Beyond the secret entrance, there’s a hangout spot where it’s always game on with the latest consoles. Plus music to jam out to, movies, and plenty of comfortable places to kick back with new friends. Just outside is our most maxed-out patio yet, with lawn games, a juice bar serving up tastebud tempting mocktails and ice cream floats, and for the first time ever, a whirlpool to chill beneath the sun or stars.

Playtime Redefined

This is not paint by numbers —this is play outside the lines. Kids can let their imaginations guide the way, with plenty of whimsical rooms to roam and climbable creations to explore at Play Place. Interactive tinker time at Workshop. Friendly competition at Arena. Spaces to call their own at Hangout. Plus dedicated programs that will engage all the senses for babies and younger kids at AO Babies and AO Juniors.

The Mason Jar

Chops grille, 150 central park, schooner bar, johnny rockets, spotlight karaoke, sugar beach, solarium bistro, the vue bar, wonder playscape, what to know before you go wonder of the seas® is orlando’s best family vacation..

From endless onboard thrills to gourmet globetrotting and top-notch shows, Wonder of the Seas® surprises with thrills and wow-worthy experiences at every turn. Like The Perfect Storm℠ waterslide trio and a zip line 10 decks high. Or SplashawayBay℠ aqua park, where kids have gallons of fun. And with over 20 mouthwatering dining options, it’s easy to treat yourself to a delicious globetrotting adventure. Plus when it comes to showstopping entertainment, the world’s biggest ship dazzles with shows that transcend air and water. Take a peek at our guides to discover all the adventures that await you onboard Wonder of the Seas®.

Guide to the Best Cruise Restaurants Onboard Wonder of the Seas

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World’s largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas, officially joins Royal Caribbean fleet

Wonder of the Seas, a highly anticipated cruise ship that can carry close to 7,000 passengers plus 2,300 crew, has officially joined the Royal Caribbean fleet. It's the fifth ship in the line's Oasis Class, and it usurps sister ship, Symphony of the Seas, for the title of world's largest ship. At 236,857 tons, the Wonder is nearly 4% bigger than the Symphony.

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Royal Caribbean took delivery of the ship in Marseille, France, with dignitaries from the shipyard, Chantiers de l'Atlantique, in attendance for a traditional flag-changing ceremony.

Construction of the massive ship involved overcoming pandemic-related challenges.

"Taking delivery of Wonder of the Seas is the culmination of 30 months of ingenuity and partnership across more than 2,000 committed crew members and workers who are among the best at what they do," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. He called the new ship "the most innovative" in the fleet.

"Our teams have worked under difficult conditions but in a very united way to finally make major changes that enhanced the ship performance," said Laurent Castaing, general manager, Chantiers de l'Atlantique. "Wonder is really an outstanding new ship."

Related: The best destinations you can visit on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Wonder of the Seas will officially debut in Fort Lauderdale on March 4, and conduct a series of seven-night Caribbean cruises before relocating to the Mediterranean in May. In Europe , the ship will sail from Barcelona and Rome . The Wonder returns to Florida in November for cruises from Port Canaveral.

Like Royal Caribbean's other four Oasis-class ships, Wonder of the Seas is a floating city with "neighborhoods" – such as a boardwalk area with a carousel and high-diving show and the Central Park area with 20,000 real plants. The new ship adds an eighth neighborhood reserved for big-spending suite guests.

Wonder of the Seas was originally supposed to debut in Asia and sail from Shanghai. With cruise travel in China shut down due to COVID-19, Royal Caribbean changed plans and announced the switch to the Caribbean and Mediterranean earlier this year.

Related: Royal Caribbean just announced the most epic around-the-world cruise ever

I Sailed on the World's Largest Cruise Ship. Here's What It Was Like

Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas is as big as it is impressive

Jalyn Robinson is the assistant travel editor at Dotdash Meredith, working for both Travel + Leisure and TripSavvy. She started at TripSavvy in 2021 and joined Travel + Leisure in 2023, where she writes, edits, and assists with other editorial operations. 

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean

COVID-19 Policies

Before embarkation, embarkation, my experience, disembarkation.

When I first learned I had the opportunity to travel on Royal Caribbean's newest and biggest cruise ship , I felt two things: excitement (I had never traveled outside the U.S. or Canada before) and fear, mostly because I kept picturing Jack from "Titanic" slowly drifting to the bottom of the ocean. But regardless of my conflicting emotions, I knew I couldn't pass up traveling on one of the most impressive ships in the world, especially for my first cruise.

The Wonder of the Seas is the fifth ship in Royal Caribbean's Oasis class , coming in at 236,857 gross tons. At 1,188 feet long and 210 feet wide, it has earned the current title of the largest cruise ship in the world. It can hold up to 6,988 guests and has about 2,300 crew members from worldwide servicing it. And with 18 decks, there's plenty to do at all times.

Now that I'm back, I'm glad that I faced my fears and set sail on the cruise of a lifetime. Here's how it went.

Construction for Wonder of the Seas began before the pandemic, but when COVID-19 hit, Royal Caribbean made sure to consider all possible aspects of health and safety. Wanting guests to have the “safest possible vacation,” the cruise line worked closely with a team at the University of Nebraska to study airflow through the rooms and ships to create a healthier cruise experience. There are more than several sanitization stations on board, and the buffet-style restaurant, Windjammer Market , has an entire row of sinks for guests to wash up before getting their food. (As you enter, the staff chants “washy-washy before yummy-yummy;” eventually, they had the kids saying it, too.) 

In my opinion, Royal Caribbean’s COVID policies are more than fair and straightforward. All guests over the age of 12 must be vaccinated to board the ship, and although the cruise line isn’t mandating booster shots at this point, they are strongly recommending them. A negative COVID-19 test is also required to board, to be taken 48 hours before embarking, and a health questionnaire must be completed within 24 hours of departure. All crew is vaccinated and must take regular COVID tests while working. Masks are entirely optional for vaccinated guests; I wore mine, but most guests did not.

Those who catch COVID during the cruise will be required to stay in their rooms, and food and drink will be delivered to their door at mealtimes. Royal Caribbean takes it a step further by covering all costs related to onboard medical care and travel home. If you test positive before the trip and cancel before 48 hours, they’ll give you a “Future Cruise Credit” that matches 100 percent of whatever you paid. That, at least, should quell some COVID concerns for those hesitant to book a cruise again.

Upon arrival to Port Everglades , we were hustled through security. They had us put all of our bags through a luggage scanner and walk through metal detectors. After we had the all-clear, we lined up as they checked to make sure we had all of our travel documents : passport, boarding pass, vaccination card, health questionnaire, and negative COVID test. Having the Royal Caribbean app made this part a bit easier—they gave us the option to upload photos of our travel documents before boarding. Once our documentation was all checked out, we were guided upstairs. The staff took my picture before boarding, which was then attached to my Royal Caribbean account. Whenever I used my SeaPass card (which serves as both a room key and credit card for onboard purchases), my photo was pulled up, so staff and crew could quickly identify me. Then, it was time to board the ship.

As it was the inaugural sailing, I expected some setbacks here and there. And setbacks are what we got.

When we boarded, they asked everyone to report to their muster station, where each passenger's assigned lifeboat is located. The ship is huge, so finding my way around initially was super challenging, and almost everyone on board was confused about where to go. Luckily, the staff was super helpful in pointing everyone in the right direction. After reporting to our muster stations, they started going through what would happen in the event of an emergency; this demonstration admittedly quelled a majority of my fears about the ship.

After the demonstration, I was free to head up to my room. It took me a while to find mine (I didn't realize that the first number of the four-digit room number was the floor, and the last three were the actual room numbers), and that's when I hit my first snag: The keycard left outside of my room didn't work. After several attempts (I even tried using the Royal Caribbean app , which can also be used as a keycard), I went to guest services with all my luggage. When I got there, I realized I wasn't the only one with this problem. The guest services line was long enough that it started jutting into the main walkway. And it wasn't just keycard issues that people were having. There were missing drink packages, problems with prepaid excursions, and more. I was anxious to leave that line as soon as I could.

Luckily, the team also expected that something like this would happen, and there was plenty of staff on hand to help people as soon as possible. I was in the middle of the line and had been waiting for about 20 minutes when a staff member approached me and offered her assistance. (Always expect a bit of chaos on boarding day, she told me.) After that, the hard part was over, and I was finally able to put my luggage down.

I couldn't have been more impressed with my room. I stayed in a balcony stateroom (facing the ocean) , and if you're going to sail, this is the way to go. The room itself was both nice and spacious—it came with a full-sized bed with plenty of storage space, a safe, access to the thermostat, and a couch. But it was the balcony that stole the show. I enjoyed an excellent breakfast there, I did some work, and I watched the sunset; there was no better place to look up at the stars at night and enjoy the sound of the ocean.

The room, as amazing as it was, wasn't perfect. The first night, I woke up to the sound of jiggling doorknobs and a slamming door. I panicked, thinking someone was trying to get in my room, but soon realized it was just my neighbors. While I couldn't hear them in their rooms, I definitely heard them every time they came in and out. Also, there wasn't any water in the rooms, nor was there an iron and ironing board. For passengers who've purchased a drinks package, I recommend picking up a complimentary cup at one of the many onboard restaurants and filling it up before taking it back to your room; otherwise, consider packing an extra water bottle (and a travel steamer).

For those returning to Royal Caribbean, Wonder of the Seas still includes some of the brand's signature specialties. The rock climbing walls and zip lines are both waiting for you on the boat, as well as FlowRider, the surf simulator, and The Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea. 

But what's so appealing about being on the biggest ship in the world is partaking in all the new experiences that set Wonder of the Seas apart from Royal Caribbean's other cruise ships. From a Southern-style restaurant to a new suite neighborhood, you won't be disappointed with anything that's on Wonder.

The Mason Jar

If you’re a fan of Southern eats, the Mason Jar serves up dishes like lobster and crawfish gumbo and fried chicken. They offer a fantastic brunch, too—a first for Royal Caribbean—and the people loved it: Seating at the Mason Jar was booked solid throughout my whole trip. I did manage to snag a spot during brunch, however, and got to try the breakfast biscuits and the Sweet-Tooth Cinnamon Roll. Both were delicious and super filling; I had to take the cinnamon roll to go (it was still good when I went back to it that night). If you’re there for dinner, you’ll be treated to a live country band from California (and probably some country dancing, too).

Suite Neighborhood

Royal Caribbean has several different neighborhoods on their vessels, which are themed areas that offer unique experiences. The Wonder of the Seas offers the standard seven of the Oasis class —the Boardwalk, Central Park, Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Entertainment Place, the Youth Zone, and Vitality Spa and Fitness—in addition to a brand new neighborhood, the Suite Class Neighborhood. This exclusive neighborhood features a private whirlpool, plunge pool, sun deck, bar, and the Coastal Kitchen restaurant and is available only to passengers who've booked a suite. The Suite Class Neighborhood also includes the Ultimate Family Suite , built to fit a family of 10. It's every kid's dream room.

Wonder Playscape

The coolest part about Royal Caribbean is the designated play spaces for kids, and they’ve taken it a step further on Wonder. The Wonder Playscape is the new, outdoor family-themed area, and it is something to behold. My inner child was amazed at everything they packed into it—tons of games, slides, spring riders, puzzles, and more. It isn’t in an entirely enclosed area, but it has its own designated section, making it perfect for families to watch their little ones. 

The Vue Bar

Also new to Wonder is the Vue Bar, located on deck 15. Overlooking the water, it’s a colorful new edition to the ship and a great spot to settle in when the weather is nice. Just be careful—if the wind picks up, you might just get blown away. 

365: The Seasons on Ice

Who would've ever thought that we'd be able to see an entire ice routine on a boat floating in the ocean? "365: The Seasons on Ice" is one of the newest shows on Wonder, and admittedly my favorite one. Projecting different colors and images on the ice, the show takes you through each season of the year, and the skaters deliver a choreographed skate to the many songs of the season. A lot of the songs are right on the nose (i.e., Alice Cooper's "School's Out" during their summer routine), but the familiarity of the music makes it that much more enjoyable. This is something you want to check out, whether you're an ice skating fan or not.

Royal Caribbean can add another feat to their repertoire: the biggest and best all-women aqua show at sea. "InTENse" takes place in Wonder's Aqua Theater, located at the back of the Boardwalk on deck 6. It is a stunning sight—it's an open-air theater, and the background scales up about three decks high. With projections on the walls and back screen, loud techno music, and performers suspended dozens of feet in the air, the entire show aims to give guests an incredible experience. Did I mention the all-women cast? That aspect was unintentional, Nick Weir, the line's senior vice president of entertainment, said during my tour of the practice studio. "Out of all the candidates we saw, the ones that fit the roles the best were women," he said.

"Voices" was the only new entertainment addition that I did not get to see. Described on their website as "a show that delivers a dynamic combination of virtual and live performances—in real-time," the show brings together singers and dancers from all over to perform in the world's "largest theatrical venue at sea."

As a first-time cruiser , I had no idea what to expect on Wonder. I knew it was big, and I heard of some things that Royal Caribbean offers, but even then, my expectations were obliterated. I can't think of any place, resorts included, that provides the same things that this cruise did. With just the standard package, you can have dinner, see a show, hit the pools, and take a turn at karaoke—all for no additional charge.

While the ship is large, it doesn't feel as big as it looks. Depending on how fast you walk, it would probably take about five to seven minutes to go from forward to aft on deck five, where it's all connected. The worst part, and the thing that'll consume the most of your time, is waiting for the elevators, especially during days at sea. Even though the longest I waited was probably around five minutes, sometimes I had to wait for the next one because there were just too many people on it, especially on the entertainment decks.

The entire staff was pleasant and wonderful, from the bartenders to the waitstaff. They were all super engaging and ready to accommodate, and each had their own unique stories. The woman who cleaned my room greeted me every morning with a smile and by name and was always ready to chat about what I did onboard the previous day.

All of the food was excellent, both at the complimentary and specialty restaurants (I'm still dreaming of the lobster thermidor at 150 Central Park and the New York strip steak from the Main Dining Hall). Sorrento's pizza was also a highlight, as there was nothing quite better than getting a slice after a show or dance party. It was the perfect late-night bite—and this is coming from a New Yorker very serious about her pizza. The buffet, Windjammers Market, was usually packed, but I didn't have to wait long for food at all. There were so many stations to choose from, and there were doubles of each station on either side of the restaurant.

On this sailing, we stopped at Labadee, Haiti; San Juan, Puerto Rico ; Nassau, The Bahamas ; and Perfect Day at CocoCay , also in the Bahamas. Labadee and Perfect Day were both places meant for relaxing and soaking up the sun, and that's exactly what I did: I had some delicious drinks and enjoyed the beautiful ocean water. Through the Royal Caribbean app, I signed up for an on-shore excursion in San Juan, where a tour guide led us around Old San Juan and took us to make mofongo from scratch. It cost me around $129, but it was worth it to learn more about the city, its culture, and Puerto Rico's culinary scene. I didn't get to explore Nassau as much as I would have liked, but we did end our day there with a giant party on the dock, which was a blast.

A couple of days before the end of the cruise, all guests received a QR code that led to a quick survey about disembarking. Then, on our last night, they sent around departure information and a luggage tag with a number on it. There are two ways to disembark—you can either take your luggage with you off the ship or have the staff take your luggage down to the port for you. If you decide to handle your own bags, you can pretty much disregard the bag tag and leave the boat anytime before 9 a.m. or whenever the ship clears through customs. It's the fastest way to get off and head to the next destination.

Those who want their bags taken down for them will attach the luggage tag to their bag and leave it outside their room before 11 p.m. on the last night. The number on the bag tag lets passengers know when to head down and pick up their luggage (smaller numbers are earlier and larger ones, later times) the following morning. As I chose this latter option, I headed to my designated waiting area (based on the tag number) and waited for my number to be called. Once it was called, my bag was ready at the port, and I was free to leave the ship.

I then hopped on one of the many shuttles that Royal Caribbean offers (you have to purchase a seat on the shuttle before the trip) to Miami International Airport , which I flew out of that evening.

The experience I had on Wonder of the Seas is one that I'll never forget. In fact, I was so impressed that I might start planning a cruise for my 30th birthday—it'd be fun to head back on Wonder, but there are already rumors flying around about their next Oasis-class ship, and it might be even better.

Royal Caribbean. "Wonder of the Seas Fact Sheet." Accessed March 14, 2022.

Royal Caribbean. "Royal Caribbean Group, In Collaboration with the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the National Strategic Research Institute, Release Study on Cruise Ship HVAC System." February 26, 2021.

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Wonder of the Seas Review: Royal Caribbean’s Newest and Largest Cruise Ship

• Eight different neighborhoods
• Over 20 dining options
• Ice skating rink
• Theatre and Aqua Theatre
• Pool deck with waterslides and three pools
• Park with real trees and plants
• Robot bartenders
• Bar that rises three decks
• 10 story slide
• Mini-golf course
• Two rock climbing walls

View Prices on Cruises on Wonder of the Seas

Here are my thoughts and review of Wonder of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship.

Embarkation/Debarkation – This is one area where Royal Caribbean really stands out from other cruise lines. Embarkation was a total breeze, even though over 4,000 passengers were boarding the ship that day.  Since I had an early flight into FLL, I arrived a bit early at the terminal. Because of that, there was maybe a 10 minute wait after checking in before I could board Wonder of the Seas.

As long as you complete the check-in process through Royal Caribbean’s App, you should breeze right through embarkation.

Debarkation was quicker than ever and I carried all my luggage off myself. I think I went from ship to curb in around 5 minutes.  I literally never stopped walking from the time I scanned my card to get off the ship until I was outside the terminal. The new machines that scan your face for customs have really eliminated most lines when getting off the ship.

Cabin – I stayed in an oceanview balcony cabin on Deck 6. I loved the number of power outlets the cabin had including on each side of the bed. Overall, the cabin had everything that I needed for a week long cruise and I had zero complaints about it. It was clean, comfortable, and roomy (for a cruise ship cabin).

You can watch a short two minute video tour of my cabin below:

Crew – On every maiden voyage, there are always a few hiccups since the staff is on a brand new cruise ship. However, I can’t say enough good things about the staff on Wonder of the Seas.  Several of them remembered my name from day 1 and I was always greeted with a friendly smile and hello.

Restaurants/Food – The world’s largest cruise ship comes with a plethora of dining options. You can find the world’s largest Windjammer buffet and a nice variety of complimentary and specialty dining options. There are places to eat all around the ship.

One new restaurant that Royal Caribbean added on Wonder of the Seas is The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant.  I tried out this new dining hotspot for brunch and it was my favorite meal of the cruise since I love southern and comfort food.  You can see photos and the brunch menu below.  Everyone at our table was raving about it.

There is also Chops Grille (steakhouse), Hooked (seafood), Izumi Sushi and Teppanyaki, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Wonderland (truly unique dining experience), and 150 Central Park. I ate at 150 Central Park on the first night of the cruise and it’s the ship’s upscale specialty restaurant.  I thought the food was good but the portions were a bit small for the extra price. I did love the setting in Central Park though.

Ship – Yes, Wonder of the Seas is the largest cruise ship ever built.  We sailed at around 75% capacity and the ship never even came close to feeling like I was crowded.  I have sailed on Oasis class ships before at full capacity and always felt the same way.  Even though the ship carries over 6,000 passengers, there are so many public places that you never really feel crowded unless a show was just getting out.

Family Area – Royal Caribbean added something that I’ve never before seen on a cruise ship. In the place of one of the Flowriders, they have a new family playground where parents can play with their kids.  This is an unsupervised area but something I would really enjoy if I cruised with my family.

Solarium – The Solarium at the front of the ship quickly became my one of my favorite spots on board. I really love how Royal Caribbean completely enclosed this area so you can enjoy it no matter what the weather is.  They can heat it when it’s cool and turn the air conditioning on when sailing to the Caribbean in the summer months.

The Solarium also has a large hot tub with glass walls overlooking the ship.  I mean, how cool is this?

Boardwalk/Central Park – If you have never sailed on one of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class cruise ships, there are two areas of the ship that are unlike anything else offered at sea.

Central Park is located on Deck 8 midship and is full of real trees and plants. There are several restaurants and shops in this area.  This is quickly became my favorite area of the ship at night and it felt like I wasn’t even on a cruise ship. It was so peaceful, it’s the perfect area to sit back and enjoy a drink or to enjoy one of the ship’s specialty dining options.

Boardwalk is located at the aft on Wonder of the Seas and has all the vibes of Coney Island.  There’s a carousel, huge sports bar, a Johnny Rockets, candy store, hot dog stand, and the Aqua Theatre.

The Aqua Theatre offers unique water, light, and diving shows.  It’s really incredible the shows that Royal Caribbean puts on in this area and something you won’t find on any other class of cruise ship in the world.

Entertainment – Royal Caribbean offers shows in three different parts of the ship.  They have the standard main theatre shows, ice skating shows in Studio B (Yes, there’s an ice skating rink on board), and in the Aqua Theatre.  They also brought on several comedians throughout the cruise.

There really is something for everyone including laser tag.

Itinerary – Our cruise left from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and visited San Juan, Nassau, and the cruise line’s two private cruise ports/islands, Labadee and CocoCay.  Having a cruise that visited both Labadee and CocoCay was really nice.

I did the zipline on Labadee and it was the highlight of my day.  It’s the longest over the water zipline in the world and I can’t wait to do it again on my next visit there.

You can watch a video of me going down the zipline below.

Here are a few tips that I want to share with you that I learned after my week onboard Wonder of the Seas.

If you have a beverage package, Starbucks is not included with it. However, you can get a specialty coffee at Cafe Promenade that is included in the beverage packages (deluxe and refreshment). They even use Starbucks coffee beans and you can get cappuccinos, mochas, lattes etc.

I discovered the Park Cafe for breakfast near the end of the cruise and I wish I had found it earlier.

The Bionic Bar, robots that make drinks, has a nice selection of non-alcoholic drinks that you can order.

The WiFi was good, it did go out a few times for a couple minutes but I was able to work all week on it without any problems.

Royal Caribbean added a TV screen on the pool deck for the first time on an Oasis class ship.  The best spot to watch the TV is by the Astronaut.

Speaking of Astronauts, there are three of them around the ship.  I hope you have fun trying to find them on your cruise.

Since the ship was originally scheduled to sail in Asia, there is a Karaoke room that was a lot of fun at night.

In the spa, there is a juice bar that is included with beverage packages.

At night, there is live music all around the ship including at Boleros, Schooner Bar, Mason Jar, Central Park, and Music Hall.

Learn the cruise secrets most people don't know and cruise like a boss. Check out Intelligent Cruiser here for a better cruise vacation. (Sponsored)

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Overview of Wonder of the Seas

Theresa Russell

• April 28, 2022

It’s been several years since my last sailing on a ship in the Oasis Class, so waiting for the world’s largest cruise ship to start sailing again seemed to take forever.

However, having learned during the pandemic that patience really is a virtue, I knew that when Wonder of the Seas finally set sail, the wait would be well worth it.

What a relief it was to finally board the ship – in just about 11 minutes, I might add. No need to sit in the terminal waiting for a boarding number to be called.

Signing up for a boarding time really seems to have improved and shortened the process of actually getting on to the ship. In this case, I did keep in mind that Wonder of the Seas was only sailing at about 70 percent capacity.

As I entered the ship, I was shocked to be offered a glass of champagne. It brought back memories of the old days when it seemed that there was always some type of cheap champagne offered as you boarded the ship.

Now that I think of it, I don’t even remember being offered a frou-frou drink when I boarded any of my past sailings for many years.

I recalled how, on an early cruise, I thought that those were welcome drinks, but made sure that I asked before taking one from the server.

Some things have changed, and that is the case due to COVID-19. Although Royal Caribbean does require a vaccination and a negative test for most guests, they do have a few exemptions. Those are changing constantly, so it is best to check the Healthy Sail Center on their website for the most up-to-date requirements.

On this inaugural sailing, Royal Caribbean had removed the mask mandate. So, while some people did continue to wear masks, my unscientific observation indicated that most people did not wear masks.

Walking into the Royal Promenade seemed like old times.

Plenty of people were at the bars and eateries, and some were even dancing in the area. And there did seem to be plenty of people in the space, even with this not being a full cruise.

I have been spoiled sailing on other ships with a far more reduced capacity. I had gotten quite used to seeing very few people on board and often felt that it was akin to a private yacht.

Having survived a less-than-ideal journey getting to Fort Lauderdale and then getting to the ship, it was time to grab something to eat and chill out.

One of my favorite spots for boarding lunch is the Park Café. Their Kummelweck sandwich is a favorite, and there is both inside and outside dining.

I had to wait for some freshly-made buns for my made-to-order sandwich. After receiving it, we went out to sit in the soothing Central Park neighborhood.

While it seems that the crew prefers to send guests up to The Windjammer for lunch on embarkation day, I avoid that like the plague.

Wonder of the Seas lays claim to the largest Windjammer at sea, so that’s all the more reason to have a quiet lunch. After enjoying a relaxing meal, we explored the ship for a while.

My travel companion had never been on any Royal Caribbean ship other than Monarch of the Seas. He found the ship amazing, if not a bit overwhelming. Our first stop was to go to Deck 15 for a drink and to see if we could scope out a place to sail away.

Could every passenger really have had the same idea as we did? The deck was crowded, and the bar had three people waiting in a deep queue to get a drink.

We had found a table nearby, but nobody stopped to take a drink order, so waiting at the bar seemed the best option.

Too many people up there were taking selfies or videos of themselves, so we quickly finished our drinks and decided that this deck was not the place for us to get a view of our departure from Port Everglades.

The railings on that deck were full of passengers who were also excited about getting a view during our departure. We headed down to Deck 5 and found some alcoves scattered about in between some of the lifeboats.

Deck 5 is where we boarded, and it also has a running track. Maybe that is what kept people away. We found a spot both along the side of the ship and also at the aft.

Being an eventful sailing trip, Wonder of the Seas departed with several fireboats that followed us and saluted us with streams of water.

Few people had found this uncrowded spot, so we waited and took photos until the fire boats returned to their berths.

These areas on Deck 5 became our go-to spot to get away from the constant drone on the rest of the ship.

Although large, Wonder of the Seas is relatively easy to navigate. Having separate neighborhoods helps somewhat. Like other Oasis Class ships, the center of the ship is where most public spots exist. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule.

There are interactive electronic boards throughout the vessel that can help guests with finding their bearings. The app is also helpful. I will be awaiting a navigational component of the app that gives verbal directions for getting from Point A to Point B.

MORE: Wonder Of The Seas Dining Guide: Which Restaurants Are Complimentary?

We stayed in balcony stateroom 6324 on Deck 6 aft port side. Before I say anything about this cabin, don’t even consider booking in that area. Little did we know that Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade had a rear entrance into our hallway.

The smell of chicken wings permeated the air of the hallway and also found its way into our cabin. It was not pleasant. Of course, if you find the smell of wings pleasant, you might want to book this stateroom.

As we reached our cabin, we found our promised room keys in the slot. For some reason, we had four key cards. Only one of them opened the door.

It was very convenient to put the non-working cards into the power slot that controlled the electricity in the room.

The stateroom looked quite lovely, decorated in fairly neutral colors with just a touch of other hues in the décor. The room was fresh and inviting. We quickly made ourselves comfortable after exploring the other features in the room.

First on the agenda was to watch the muster drill instructions for the umpteenth time. We had done this on our app once it was working, but I guess that it never registered.

We were directed to our muster station to have our cards checked by the muster attendant. That is when our card problems really began, but more on that later.

Our stateroom seemed roomy, perhaps because of the neutral tones throughout. The two twins had been converted to a Royal King. Next to each side of the bed were two tiny stands with shelves for storing smaller objects.

On top of the bedside stands a small lamp had both USB ports and an outlet. What a nice amenity this was. A switch for the overhead lights was also there.

Next to each bedside stand was a closet. On one side was a hanging rod with space for short items. Alongside that were shelves, one of which held a safe. Below the shelves and the hanging area were two adequate drawers.

There was plenty of room under the bed for our larger suitcases. On the other side of the bed, the closet had room for hanging longer items, once the lower bar was removed.

Across from the bed was a flat screen television. Poking from below the television were several dowels for hanging. They might be perfect for scarves or non-protruding items, but something like a backpack would impede the pathway between the bed and the television.

The bathroom was small but efficient with a shower. The shower had a grab bar, a shaving bar, and a retractable clothesline. Provided in a dispenser was a combination of body wash/shampoo. Other than bar soap at the sink, there were no other toiletries, like conditioner or body lotion.

The sink area had a long shelf underneath, where the wastebasket was, providing adjacent room for storage there.

The long counter had adequate space for toiletries. In addition, there were several shelves for other toiletries. Both the floor tile and the backsplash had nice shades of blue that added a touch of elegance to the space.

Our room had the bed near the door, a sofa near the balcony door, and — across from the sofa — a desk with several drawers. We found adequate space for our belongings.

One part of that storage area contained a refrigerator that was not filled with beverages. The desk had a comfortable chair and plenty of outlets and USB ports for charging a multitude of electronics.

A New Neighborhood

Wonder of the Seas has added an eighth neighborhood. Like other cruise lines, this neighborhood copies the ship-within-a-ship concept. A quick tour certainly didn’t excite me enough to consider staying here.

Like on other ships, entry is via a key card and is restricted to guests who booked these special suites. The Suite Neighborhood houses the Coastal Kitchen, where guests may dine throughout the day. A bar makes it possible to enjoy drinks without having to leave the confines of this restricted area.

Outside is a Sun Deck, also exclusive to guests staying in the Suite Neighborhood. The sun deck has plenty of loungers and its own bar.

Plunge pools are also found there. As somebody who likes quiet, I wasn’t thrilled that the Sun Deck overlooked the activities on the sports deck below. I would much prefer a view of the sea.

Speaking of the sea view, if you do decide to stay in the Suite Neighborhood, be careful when choosing a stateroom. The stateroom that I viewed overlooked a basketball court. Who would ever assume that a stateroom with a balcony would not overlook the sea?

Dining Choices

For this cruise, we selected My Time dining as we rarely know our daily schedule and prefer having some flexibility with our meal times.

Although we have made friends on past cruises by sitting at the same table every night, we also experienced the worst dining experience with obnoxious, tiresome, rude, and entitled table mates.

And that describes just one couple we suffered with, but that’s a different story. Since that dreadful experience, we have never again subjected ourselves to a communal dining experience.

There’s no lack of complimentary or specialty dining rooms on the ship, with the options being fairly evenly divided.

My Time dining guests go to the Main Dining Room (MDR), which is a three-level seating area. There were a few restrictions with My Time dining. Dining was after 6:45 p.m. and only available on the Deck 4 level.

No matter what your tastes, there is a dining option that will suit you. Specialty restaurants take dining to another level. All come with costs. (See separate dining article.) Wonder of the Seas offers seafood at Hooked, steak and seafood at Chops, Italian at Giovanni’s, and diner food at Johnny Rocket’s.

With so many choices, it’s difficult to fit everything in with just seven days of cruising. Southern-style cooking is on offer at the all-new Mason Jar. For an ultimate dining experience with 6-8 tasting menus, 150 Central Park can’t be beat.

More intimate experiences can be had at the Chef’s Table. If the magic of Alice in Wonderland captivates you, then you should try the magical creations in Wonderland.

In addition to the MDR, complimentary restaurants include Windjammer, Johnny Rocket’s for breakfast, Sorrento’s, Park Café, El Loco Fresh (Mexican), Café Promenade, and Boardwalk Dog House.

One spot, the Solarium Bistro, fell off our radar until late in the cruise. You will definitely not starve on Wonder of the Seas.

Entertainment

Activities range from daytime events like trivia or other games to larger evening shows.

Guests have plenty of choices, including more active options like FlowRider, Ultimate Abyss, water slides, mini-golf, and pool activities.

Evening shows include the popular diving show at the AquaTheater, known as inTENse on this ship. The ice show is 365, skated to the different seasons. On certain days, it’s possible for aspiring skaters to use the facility, which is also used as a laser tag venue.

Unlike other Royal Caribbean ships, Wonder of the Seas offers no large production show. We opted to see “Voices,” and as the name suggests, it is a vocal performance. What is notable about this show is that voices are used to mimic instruments and other sound effects.

If you are familiar with the Pentatonix, a capella group, you will find some similarities. The show did start in a chronological order of songs but somehow lost its way and went off into a tangent of what seemed like a disconnected slate of songs.

The day we saw inTENse, the sea was rough, so the usual show was cancelled at the last minute for safety reasons. A substitute show took its place. We tried to see the next show, but could not get a reservation.

The bigger shows require reservations. We found it very frustrating that most shows had no availability even though we were not sailing at full capacity.

There were some comedians performing on several nights, often with two performances. Our attempts to secure reservations for any of these shows were unsuccessful.

We heard some other guests mention that they had seen a few of the same shows. Perhaps Royal Caribbean should consider limiting the number of times you may book the same show. One person bragged about having seen inTENse three times.

Public Areas and Watering Holes

Plenty of different bars draw passengers to imbibe their favorite drinks. One of the new outdoor bars is The Vue, which takes the place of a cantilevered hot tub found on other ships.

Located just outside of The Solarium, this space seemed quite popular, although the wind was often a detractor. The bar is basically a satellite of The Lime and Coconut.

We had a drink package, and that involved showing our key card. As mentioned earlier, only one of the cards worked, but it was not connected to the proper account. Every time we got drinks, we had to explain that part of one card was correct and part of the second card was correct.

We had been to guest services multiple times without success trying to resolve this problem. It really got old having to explain the situation every single time we ordered drinks.

We sometimes visited Promenade Café for a quick tea or coffee. This spot serves some Starbucks products, which, if ordered here, are included in the beverage package.

However, if we had gone to the branded Starbucks just a few steps away on Royal Promenade, we would have been charged for the exact same beverage.

Again, we had to explain the card situation to our server. He asked for both of our cards and walked over to guest services. He returned shortly after and told us that he thought he had figured out the problem, but we would have to go to guest services to confirm some information.

At this point, we were skeptical. But, sure enough, we got another set of cards and our problem was resolved.

I recalled when the Bionic Bar, the robotic bar, was so popular when it first came out. Oddly enough, that location never seemed to be very busy on this particular cruise. We tried it and made a drink that consisted of Kahlua and vodka.

We had tried this similar drink at several different bars but found them ordinary. Our ‘handmade’ drinks from here were excellent.

We then thought we should attempt to mix our own margaritas here. Unfortunately, some drinks have default recipes that cannot be significantly altered or have ingredients substituted. That prevented us from mixing a perfect margarita.

High on our list was the all-new Mason Jar, which offers southern-style dishes and a very large selection of interesting drinks, many bourbon-based. We tried several of these drinks and, in hindsight, should have made that our regular watering hole.

The restaurant is open for brunch on sea days and dinner every day. There is live country-style music in the evenings.

Fitness Center and Spa

For those so motivated, there is a large and well-equipped gym. A staircase leads down to the running/walking track with inspirational or snarky sayings on the beams above. The sports deck has a basketball court and an enclosed area for playing ping-pong.

The gym is large with a variety of modern equipment. Classes are offered throughout the day. Some are complimentary, while others – usually those using specialized equipment – incur a fee.

MORE: 9 Cruise Concepts That Didn’t Quite Catch On

Vitality Spa sits directly behind the Vitality Café, which offers a variety of fresh-squeezed concoctions and also some energy-type shakes. During our cruise, this spot ran short of some of the ingredients for its creations. It is a quiet place for enjoying an energy pickup between meals.

The spa offers a full complement of treatments, including facials, massages, and some medi-spa treatments. Beauty salon services are also available, as is a thermal spa.

Closing Thoughts

Our experience on Wonder of the Seas was certainly enjoyable. We tried to take advantage of as much as we could without exhausting ourselves. One thing we noticed was the shopping offerings. We aren’t big shoppers, but we didn’t find common things like toiletries in the shops on Royal Promenade.

We asked and were directed to Deck 16. It took us numerous times to find this area where there are several vending machines with toiletries, gaming cards, and other interesting selections.

There is no large camera shop; there are just a few offerings. And although we did find a shop for men’s clothing, we never found a similar shop for women other than the branded item shop. If you forget your bathing suit, you are out of luck.

On a few occasions, we saw kids being picked up from their programs, and they were all delighted. For teenagers, there is a new outdoor hangout area called Social100, their private space.

Besides the programs at Adventure Ocean, younger kids may enjoy the new underwater-themed activity area, Wonder Playscape.

In general, Wonder of the Seas was much like we expected, but with a few new additions that gave us an incentive to do further exploration.

For us, the real drawback of the ship was the lack of quiet spots. Yes, there is a windowless card room, but that wasn’t a real alternative. Our balcony suited us very well for that quiet and relaxing spot that has a real connection to the sea.

Wonder of the Seas will sail from Barcelona and Rome starting in May of 2022. She will return to Port Canaveral in November of 2022 to cruise to the Caribbean.

RELATED: My Dining Experience on Wonder of the Seas

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The World’s Largest Cruise Ship Is Nearly 1,200 Feet Long

Scheduled to debut in January, the vessel can accommodate 5,600 guests and 2,350 crew members

Daily Correspondent

The world’s largest cruise ship is almost ready to set sail.

Royal Caribbean’s massive new ship, Icon of the Seas , passed its inaugural round of sea trials with flying colors, bringing it one step closer to hitting the open ocean with passengers, the cruise line  announced late last month. If all goes as planned, the record-breaking vessel will begin sailing in the Caribbean in January 2024.

Just how big is Icon of the Seas ? Really big. As Jalopnik ’s Ryan Erik King writes, it’s the size of five Titantics. More specifically, Icon of the Seas measures 1,198 feet long—nearly a quarter of a mile—and has a gross tonnage of 250,800. All that space means it can accommodate 5,600 guests and 2,350 crew members.

The cruise line is positioning the vessel as “the ultimate family vacation,” as CEO Michael Bayley told reporters earlier this year, per  CNN ’s Maureen O’Hare.

“When you step back and look at all the energy and time that has gone into creating this ship, it is mind-blowing,” he added.

The previous world’s largest cruise ship was also a Royal Caribbean vessel, Wonder of the Seas , which spanned 1,188 feet long and featured 18 decks.

Crews in Turku, Finland, began work on Icon of the Seas in 2021. Last month, the vessel sailed the open ocean for the first time, as staffers spent four days testing the main engines, hull, brakes, steering system and other components. They also measured noise and vibration levels. 

The vessel will undergo another round of sea trials later this year before officially launching in Miami early next year, according to Royal Caribbean. Icon of the Seas will primarily take cruisers to the islands of the eastern and western Caribbean on seven-night itineraries.

With progress on Icon of the Seas moving along, Royal Caribbean has already started building another large “icon class” ship. The cruise line expects that unnamed vessel to launch in 2025, per a  statement .

Icon of the Seas has 20 total decks, 7 swimming pools and 8 “neighborhoods,” or distinct areas with entertainment and dining. Another noteworthy feature is Category 6, which will be the largest waterpark at sea when Icon of the Seas sets sail.

The ship will be equipped with a special grooming robot that will clean the hull whenever it’s in port to help reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency by 3 to 4 percent, reports  TTG Media ’s Charlotte Cullinan.

Icon of the Seas will also be the first ship in the cruise line’s fleet to run on liquefied natural gas and  fuel cells , which are similar to batteries but do not need to be recharged. Water is the main byproduct of fuel cells—which combine oxygen and hydrogen to produce energy—which should help the ship reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Liquefied natural gas , meanwhile, is a controversial energy source that involves cooling natural gas to a liquid state to make it easier to transport. The liquid version is “actually worse than ordinary gas,” writes the  Natural Resources Defense Council . “The energy required to chill, ship and regasify the fossil fuel makes it far more carbon-intensive and increases the potential for leakage of dangerous methane,” according to the organization.

Royal Caribbean’s leaders say they view liquified natural gas as a “ transitional fue l,” and that they hope to continue to  reduce the environmental impact of their ships moving forward. 

"[Liquefied natural gas] is about 20-30 percent better for the environment [than heavy fuel oil], but it’s still not going to be the solution,” Bayley tells TTG Media . “We don’t know the answer, but the whole industry is working towards the answer.”

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Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.

The 10 Biggest Cruise Ships in the World

Where to float on the biggest boats.

E very vessel that's once held the title of "biggest cruise ship" has one thing in common: It is a destination in and of itself. Of course, these enormous passenger cruise ships also transport guests to thrilling ports, exotic islands and remote locations too. It's almost as if you could live on a cruise ship !

These massive ships each have so much going on: theater and music on a multitude of stages, water slides, roller coasters and go-kart tracks, zip lines, ice skating rinks, laser tag arenas—you name it. There are also hidden cruise features waiting to be discovered and more restaurants than you will ever need to feed yourself. They are, simply put, awe-inspiring creations. Have you ever thought about how cruise ships float ?

One of the most important cruise tips for vacationing on one of these big boats is to accept that you won't be able to do it all on your first visit. Thankfully, with many itineraries to choose from, you can sail on the largest cruise ship again and again, learn cruise ship code words and have new experiences every single time you're on board one of these massive ships.

What is largest cruise ship in the world?

The current reigning champion is Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas. But next year, there will be a brand-new biggest cruise ship, the Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas . Planned with 20 decks, 2,805 staterooms, seven pools and nine hot tubs, the future largest ship in the world is currently being built in Finland. Here are the details about the biggest and grandest ships to sail on.

Wonder of the Seas

Cruise line: Royal Caribbean

Length: 1,188 feet

Width: 215 feet

Guest capacity: 7,084

A true wonder, the current biggest ship in the world delights guests every week with a feast of activities, shows, meals and memories. Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas , an Oasis-class ship that is a city at sea, has 16 guest decks, 2,204 crew members from every corner of the planet and more than 10 bars and 20 dining destinations—nine of which are complimentary. Curiously, even though the Icon of the Seas will eventually take the mantle as the largest cruise ship, Wonder will still have more staterooms than its new big sister, a whopping 2,867 of them.

It also features a carousel on a real boardwalk, a dry slide that twists down 10 decks, surfing simulators, a laser tag arena, an ice skating rink and a zip line that spans the interior width of the ship. It also has interior rooms with balconies that look out over the restaurant and a tree-lined neighborhood that looks like Central Park. Wonder of the Seas will soon lose its crown as the biggest cruise ship in the world, but it'll never lose its ability to provide unique vacations thanks to affordable cruises for every kind of traveler.

World Europa

Cruise line: MSC

Length: 1,093 feet

Width: 154 feet

Guest capacity: 6,762

MSC is not only a privately held shipping company, the largest in the world, they are also the maker of some of the largest cruise ships in the world. The World Europa , which took to the sea for the first time in 2022, is currently escorting passengers all over the Mediterranean, using one of the cleanest marine fuels to do so.

The World Europa features some of the best rooms on a cruise ship, thanks to having the most cabins with a balcony. It also has the world's longest dry slide at sea, taking adventurous cruisers down 12 decks in a shiny, twisting stainless steel tube, and bumper cars in a SportsPlex arena that also hosts rollerblading—not at the same time, however. People looking for something a little less dramatic will enjoy six pools, some surrounded by tropical greenery, 14 whirlpools and MSC's first-ever department store at sea. Finally, you'll never go hungry on this ship , given its 10 restaurants, including four main dining rooms and three buffets.

Cruise line: P&O Cruises

Length: 1,130 feet

Width: 138 feet

Guest capacity: 6,685

Whether you want the sunshine of the Caribbean or the culture found in and around Mediterranean ports, Arvia is P&O's largest cruise ship and one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, with 1,800 crew members, a three-screen cinema complex, a wide range of staterooms to choose from and four pools, including an infinity pool with a swim-up bar. There are also nearly two dozen whirlpool spas, a sauna, steam room and a hydrotherapy pool.

This means that whether you're taking a singles cruise or have children in tow—the Arvia is a family-friendly ship with age-specific kids clubs on board—serious rest and relaxation are definitely on the agenda. Then, when you're feeling spry and ready for some adventure during your vacation at sea, you can try an escape room or ropes course, play in the sports arena or strut your stuff in a dance class.

Costa Toscana

Cruise line: Costa Cruises

Length: 1,105 feet

Width: 137 feet

Guest capacity: 6,600

A sister to the Smeralda , the Costa Toscana became the fleet's largest cruise ship when it took to the water in March 2022. The ship uses LNG propulsion engines to make sea travel more sustainable, both while cruising and in ports of call around the world. An international crew of 1,678 works to deliver dream vacations for up to 6,600 passengers who will love to discover all there is to do, see and experience on board.

The ship has 1,550 staterooms ranging from interior cabins to elaborate suites, a baker's dozen pools and whirlpools, and a total of 20 restaurants, bars and lounges. Costa's new flagship vessel is a smart city at sea, offering subtly high-tech sailings that provide fun for the whole family, thanks to Peppa Pig character parties, an aqua park with water slides and a mind-bending skywalk 213 feet above the ocean! So book a vacation on one of the largest cruise ships in the world, then pack your cruise ducks and your appetite for learning how to cook at Toscana 's Food LAB cooking school, among other adventures at sea.

Celebration

Cruise line: Carnival

Guest capacity: 6,631

As cruise lines jockey for position at the top of the biggest cruise ship in the world leaderboard, the original family-fun ships are also getting larger. A total of 1,735 international crew, famously considered the best in the business, will ensure that every family's cruise on the Celebration not only maximizes the fun but also the memories, and all at some of the most affordable prices in the cruise industry.

This ship has BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, Dr. Seuss children's themed cruises with character appearances, and incredible water parks with multiple slides. Delicious food is made fast-and-fresh at Guy's Burger Joint, Shaq's Big Chicken and the Seafood Shack, as well as tasty street-food carts located near the pools. Plus, with all the extra space on the largest cruise ship in their fleet, Carnival's Playlist Productions has more stages to dazzle you and your kids with famously fantastic live music and musical theater.

Cruise line: Norwegian

Length: 1,094 feet

Width: 136 feet

Guest capacity: 3,998

With 1,700 crew members and more than 2,000 staterooms, including suites in The Haven—Norwegian's luxurious, private and tranquil ship-within-a-ship concept high atop the ship, which comes with 24-hour butler service and its own lavish sundeck—the Encore ranks among the largest cruise ships in the world. Curiously, this vessel from 2019 is still the largest in the Norwegian fleet! Both Prima  and the forthcoming Viva were built after Encore but are considerably smaller in size, bucking the cruise industry trend of "bigger is better."

Encore shines as a superior and super big ship, the fourth in the Breakaway Plus class, and features a multi-deck go-kart track, the Cavern Club music venue, fashioned after the famous Liverpool room where The Beatles became big, a virtual-reality gaming room, an outdoor laser-tag arena and some of the best food at sea. No doubt, this will become one of every passenger's favorite cruises.

Symphony of the Seas

Width: 216 feet

Guest capacity: 6,680

None of the many all-inclusive cruises take place on the largest cruise ships, but you may be forgiven for thinking you're enjoying an all-inclusive experience on Symphony of the Seas . The ship's many spectacular activities include a zip line that soars above the boardwalk many decks below, an old-fashioned carousel, Broadway-style theater shows, surfing simulators and the 10-story Abyss dry slide. There's also delicious food all over the ship that is 100% complimentary. And while you may fly on the zip line over and over again, you'll probably still wonder, Why do cruise ships have wings ?

After its maiden voyage in April 2018, Symphony was the biggest cruise ship in the world. But because of its ingenious neighborhood concept, guests rarely feel overcrowded. Seven distinct areas carve up the ship into unique spaces to play, eat, stroll, sleep and enjoy live entertainment, and the traffic flows brilliantly to make passengers feel as though they're on a more intimate ship and not cruising with upward of 6,680 other people in more than 2,700 staterooms, some of which are interior cabins with balconies that boast views of the Central Park neighborhood's greenery and eateries.

Cruise line: AIDA

Guest capacity: 6,654

While American travelers looking to cruise the Caribbean may not encounter her, the AIDAnova is not only the largest cruise ship in the AIDA fleet, she's also a revolutionary lady. The ship's Four Elements adventure deck, with its three water slides and climbing garden under the dome of a retractable glass roof, drops jaws on every sailing. The ship's more than 2,600 staterooms with 20 different types, ranging from a glorious two-deck penthouse to budget-friendly interior cabins, allow guests to sleep well and arrive in port well rested, and the two-deck spa offering 80 different treatments provides even more healing and luxury.

But AIDAnova is also impressive because it made history as the world's first cruise ship to be powered in port and at sea by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the world's cleanest burning fossil fuel. It's important that big ships can be more sustainable, but did you ever wonder why there are big balls on cruise ships ?

Sun Princess

Cruise line: Princess

Length: 1,133 feet

Guest capacity: 4,300

The Love Boat is getting much, much bigger! Yes, this is the namesake ship from the beloved '70s TV show. With 2,150 cabins, the Sun Princess is close to carrying 4,300 passengers to Europe for its inaugural season later this year. And then all around the world, people will be asking, "Why do cruise ships have to stop in Canada?"

The third ship in the history of the fleet to be graced with the iconic name, the S un Princess is poised to be a fan favorite. There are more than 29 bars, lounges and restaurants on board, with the Sea View Terrace and Bar ensconced in glass at the top and front of the ship, book-ended by the Wake View Terrace at the back, which has a stunning infinity pool hanging off the edge. Drawing inspiration from the tiered terraces of Santorini, Greece, this evocative area will have an indoor/outdoor pool to enjoy supreme relaxation during the day. But once the sun says goodbye, the pool becomes a stage and the dome above transforms into an entertainment venue with eye-popping lighting effects.

Length: 1,085 feet

Width: 141 feet

Guest capacity: 6,334

Come June 2023, one of the newest and biggest cruise ships at sea will be carrying eager pasengers, and more than 1,700 dedicated crew members, to world-class destinations in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. While on board the Euribia , cruisers will enjoy a massive amount of personal space (100-plus square feet per person) at any one of five unique pools, including one of the most intricate waterparks at sea, covering more than 10,000 square feet.

These watery areas of rest, relaxation and revelry will comfortably accommodate more than 1,000 guests at a time. Indoors, a 360-foot-long Mediterranean-style promenade is lined with myriad shops, along with some of the 20 bars and 10 restaurants found on the ship. It also features a domed LED screen that magically displays the sky and other animations throughout the day and night. MSC continues to be a favorite cruise line of environmentalist travelers looking to ease their mind and minimize their footprint, as the Euribia has an advanced onboard wastewater treatment system that doesn't allow any water to leave the ship without being treated and cleaned.

The post The 10 Biggest Cruise Ships in the World appeared first on Reader's Digest .

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'Utopia of the Seas': World's second-largest cruise ship to set sail from Florida's Port Canaveral this summer

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. - A new Royal Caribbean cruise ship will soon set sail from Port Canaveral in Florida – just in time for the summer!

The cruise line's Utopia of the Seas will make its debut in the Orlando area on July 19.

The ship comes on the heels of Royal Caribbean’s unprecedented launch of the world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas , in Miami earlier this year.

Utopia is considered the second-largest cruise ship in the world, measuring 1,188 feet long, 211 feet wide, and featuring 18 decks to accommodate 5,668 guests.

Officials said the ship will be the first Oasis Class ship tailored exclusively for weekend getaways. It will offer 3 and 4-night vacations to tropical destinations such as Nassau, Bahamas, the cruise line's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Cozumel, Mexico, according to Royal Caribbean's website .

The ship will feature:

Royal Railway – a first-of-its-kind immersive train car restaurant

Caribbean-inspired tiki bar called Pesky Parrott

More than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges

Five swimming pools and three waterslides

Two casinos for a Vegas-style vacay

A FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, mini golf, an indoor ice arena

The longest dry slide at sea

Entertaining shows across air, ice, water and stage

  Utopia will join her sister ships, Wonder of the Seas and Voyager-class Adventure of the Seas, establishing Port Canaveral as the homeport for two of the world’s largest three ships.

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I sailed on Royal Caribbean's 2 largest cruise ships. They were shockingly similar for the $1,000 difference

• Royal Caribbean operates many of the cruise industry's biggest ships.
• Icon of the Seas  launched in January, dethroning its predecessor, Wonder of the Seas, as the world's largest.
• Here's how the two mega-ships compare in size, neighborhoods, amenities, dining, cabins, and costs.

Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's new mega-cruise ship darling, was deemed a success before it was even built.

In January, the highly anticipated vessel — complete with more than 40 bars and restaurants, a six-slide waterpark, and a waterfall — set sail, dethroning its less than two-year-old precursor, the Wonder of the Seas , as the world's largest cruise ship.

Before its debut, Michael Bayley, the president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, had already repeatedly called Icon its "best-selling product" yet. The company experienced its largest booking day ever when reservations opened for Icon of the Seas more than a year before its launch, it said

Despite all of this fanfare, you might be surprised by how similar it is to its predecessor.

I've sailed on both ships. Let's see how Icon and Wonder compare in six categories: size, neighborhoods, amenities, dining, cabins, and costs.

Both ships stunt the size of their competitors.

Wonder of the Seas debuted in 2022 as the then-world's largest cruise liner, measuring 235,600 gross-tons, 1,188 feet-long, and 18 decks-tall. The ship can accommodate up to 9,288 people, including 2,204 crew.

Icon of the Seas is, comparatively, 13,063 gross-tons heavier, eight feet longer, and two decks taller. It can sail up to 9,950 people, including 2,350 crew, although it's 52 feet less wide than its predecessor.

Both vessels feel more like amusement parks than traditional cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean invited me on complimentary, non-revenue sailings on both ships: two nights on Wonder in late 2022 and three nights on Icon in January.

I spent most of my time lost, overwhelmed, and exhausted.

It's no surprise both ships are operating weeklong itineraries this year. Any less, and you might not have time to experience all the activities and restaurants on your list.

Like other Royal Caribbean ships, Wonder and Icon have eight 'neighborhoods' that serve separate purposes.

The new ship shares three of Wonder of the Seas' neighborhoods : Central Park, Royal Promenade, and Suite.

Icon's other five — Thrill Island , Surfside, Hideaway, Chill Island, and AquaDome — are a first for the cruise line.

Many of the ships' amenities overlap, but in differing quantities.

Wonder has three waterslides. Icon has a six-slide waterpark complete with rafting and racing options.

Both have increasingly popular cruise amenities like decks-long dry slides, mini-golf courses, rock climbing walls, and playgrounds.

But instead of Wonder of the Seas' zipline , Icon of the Seas has Crown's Edge, a thrilling agility course with a small zipline that leaves travelers dangling 154 feet above the ocean.

Wonder’s Boardwalk neighborhood was my go-to.

Boardwalk delivered exactly as it had promised: an open-air space grounded by wood-planked floors, a hot dog stand, a sweets store, and kitschy, colorful decor.

Icon of the Seas' Surfside , designed for families with young children, felt like its closest dupe.

Both neighborhoods had a carousel, an outdoor playground, and family-friendly dining. But Surfside was more toddler-friendly, as suggested by the children's water play area and nighttime story readings.

On to entertainment: Both mega-ships have ice skating performances and exciting multi-disciplinary shows at the AquaTheater.

But travelers who enjoy musicals at sea will want to stick to Icon.

Unlike its predecessor, the new ship shows a rendition of Broadway hit "The Wizard of Oz" — Munchkins, a puppet Toto, and a 16-piece live band included.

The layout of Icon's amenities were better than its cousin.

Some of Wonder of the Seas' enticing outdoor amenities — like the surf simulator, zipline, and mini-golf course — are clustered on the deck above and away from the pools and water slides.

This layout might be difficult for parents with children who bounce from one activity to the next. Wouldn't it be easier to have all of these outdoor extras near each other, or at least on the same deck, for parental supervision purposes?

This is where Icon of the Seas excelled: All its exciting open-air activities were adjacent.

The rows of pools flowed perfectly into Thrill Island's waterpark , rock climbing walls, mini-golf course, and Crown's Edge.

The best part? The adult-only Hideaway — which flexes an infinity pool club with a DJ — is right behind Thrill Island, creating a clear separation between parents and their children without being too far from each other.

'Free' options like the buffet and build-your-own tacos and burritos bar are available on both ships.

But you won't find the larger vessel's five-stall food hall or mini-golf-adjacent finger food stand on Wonder.

As expected, Icon of the Seas has more dining options than its predecessor, although there are some overlaps.

Wonder of the Seas has 11 bars and 21 dining venues (9 complimentary and 12 upcharged).

Icon of the Seas has eight more bars, four more complimentary restaurants, and three more specialty dining choices.

Nor will you find the new ship’s plush $200-a-person Empire Supper Club on any other cruise liner.

The multi-course dinner, paired with cocktails and live music, stunts the cost of either vessel's other dinner options.

But if you love Johnny Rockets, you’ll be disappointed by Icon of the Seas.

Restaurants like the popular burger chain and Southern comfort-inspired Mason Jar are only on Wonder of the Seas. Fine by me: My fried chicken at Mason Jar was as dry as a desert.

The younger ship doesn't have Wonder's robot bartender-armed bar either. It does, however, have new watering holes with dueling pianos and live jazz.

Surprisingly, Wonder of the Seas has 65 more cabins than its new cousin.

But several of Icon's 28 stateroom categories are a first for the cruise line.

This includes the new family infinite balcony cabin, which has a small bunk bed nook for children.

Royal Caribbean assigned me an ocean-view balcony stateroom on both ships.

My Wonder of the Seas' cabin was 20 square-feet smaller than the one on Icon. But my bathroom on the latter was so tiny, I accidentally elbowed the walls at almost every turn.

Sailing on the world's largest cruise ship doesn't mean you'll have the world's largest cabin after all.

Wonder and Icon are both operating seven-night roundtrip itineraries from Florida to the Caribbean.

In 2024, Wonder of the Seas is scheduled for year-round sailings from Port Canaveral to the Caribbean and Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay , starting at $700 per person.

Icon of the Seas is spending its first year in service operating nearly identical itineraries but from Miami instead. The cheapest 2024 option is $1,786 per person.

That's a difference of more than $125 per person per day.

"Bookings and pricing for Icon of the Seas can only be described as 'iconic,'" Naftali Holtz, the CFO of Royal Caribbean Group, told analysts in February.

Icon of the Seas’ name speaks for itself.

If your family is looking for a jam-packed kid-friendly cruise with enough amenities to stay entertained for a week, both ships are a great option.

But if you're a seasoned mega-ship-cruiser looking to experience something new, Icon of the Seas is your best bet.

They may be similar, but no other behemoth cruise liner has a waterpark for children and a pool club for adults just dozens of feet from each other.

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Subscriber only, travel | royal caribbean’s port canaveral-bound utopia of the seas heads out for sea trials.

Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas sails from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 to begin five days of sea trials ahead of its July debut from Port Canaveral. (Courtesy/Royal Caribbean)

The sixth Oasis-class vessel set to become the second largest cruise ship in the world has five days of sea trials ahead of it, sailing from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, on Tuesday where it has been under construction since April 2022.

With 10 weeks before its July 19 debut, the ship will perform hundreds of tests as it travels more than 1,000 miles.

“More than 900 experts, specialists across areas such as naval architecture, engineering, navigation and design, are on Utopia to push the ship to its limits and make sure it’s ready for smooth sailing,” according to a Royal Caribbean news release.

On the list will be confirming expected ship movement through the open water and making sure its navigation systems and engines perform as expected.

Port Canaveral chalks up record month amid growing cruise demand

The ship is taking over the three- and four-night Bahamas itineraries currently being performed by Allure of the Seas out of Port Canaveral, part of a strategy of parking two Oasis-class ships at the Orlando-area port that has led to record passenger numbers.

Each sailing will visit Royal Caribbean’s private Bahamas island Little Stirrup Cay, which the company has rebranded Perfect Day at CocoCay. The destination features a water park with 14 waterslides and a massive wave pool, the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean and the Bahamas and a new adults-only area called Hideaway Beach.

As the sixth Oasis-class ship, the ship is 236,860 gross tons and 1,188 feet long with 18 decks and a 5,668-passenger capacity based on double occupancy. Oasis of the Seas was the largest in the world when it debuted in 2009 followed by 2010’s Allure of the Seas, 2016’s Harmony of the Seas, 2018’s Symphony of the Seas and 2022’s Wonder of the Seas.

All but Symphony have spent some time calling Port Canaveral home.

It’s the first time Royal has assigned the short sailing duties to a ship of that size for its debut.

Port Canaveral head says it’s getting Royal Caribbean’s next new world’s largest cruise ship

It will not become the world’s largest ship because of the debut this year out of Miami of the even larger Icon of the Seas, the first in a new class of ship whose sister Star of the Seas will come online in 2025 and also make its way to Port Canaveral.

For now, though, Utopia of the Seas at No. 2 brings with it the Oasis-class favorites including the Ultimate Abyss dry slide. Utopia’s will be the longest at sea at 295 feet long — 43 feet longer than those on its sister ships. The ship’s outdoor features include eight hot tubs, five pools, three Perfect Storm waterslides, a surf simulator, mini golf, climbing walls and the Splashaway Bay water play area.

It will be home to seven neighborhoods that carve up the ship including the Boardwalk, Royal Promenade and Central Park.

Royal Caribbean details new dining on Port Canaveral-bound Utopia of the Seas

A new dining venue is called Royal Railway – Utopia Station will bring travelers on board a virtual train, offering a thematic dinner experience similar to the new Empire Supper Club that debuted on Icon of the Seas. The railway cars diners sit in will mimic train travel with digital screens showing a variety of destinations with matching cuisine.

The ship will also feature a new poolside food truck with quick bites called The Spare Tire, a walkup window for Japanese restaurant Izumi with Japanese-inspired street food and sweets, a repositioned, two-deck Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar and new outside terrace Gio’s Terrazza and the second iteration of the popular Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar that debuted on Wonder of the Seas.

Also on board will be Hooked Seafood, Chops Grille, 150 Central Park, Park Cafe, Sorrento’s, Boardwalk Dog House, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, Windjammer buffet, the main dining room and chef’s table experience.

One of 23 bar options, a new venue called the Pesky Parrot will feature fruit-based cocktails and frozen drinks on the Promenade taking place of the Bionic Bar found on some of its sister ships.

Utopia of the Seas will also be the first Oasis-class ship to run on liquefied natural gas, a cleaner burning fuel that is among the cruise industry’s efforts to reduce their ships’ carbon footprint. Port Canaveral was the first North American port to home port an LNG cruise ship when Carnival’s Mardi Gras arrived in 2021 followed by Disney Wish in 2022.

For its main show entertainment, new show titles have yet to be revealed, but it will have its three main performance venues with Broadway-style shows at the Royal Theater, a new diving and aerobatic show in the AquaTheater, new ice-skating performances in Studio B as well as comedy in The Attic.

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