Left "wondering" about the Wonder.

Wonder of the Seas Cruise Review

justlovincruisin

Contributor Level: Second Mate

25 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 3

Helpful Votes: 53

Overall rating:

4 out of 5

7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day (Port Canaveral Roundtrip)

Sail date: November 20, 2022

Ship: Wonder of the Seas

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 2 years ago

Review summary

I would have liked to say it was WONDERful. Unfortunately due to some of the circumstances I've mentioned I can't. Still find myself WONDERing what happened? What caused our disappointment? Wasn't one thing specifically but a combination of variables that came together at the wrong time, in the wrong place that left us disappointed compared to past sailings. In case you're wondering, we did book a Next Cruise while onboard... I'm not that stupid.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Port Canaveral and Royal have managed to make this practically a seamless, trouble free start to cruising.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Main dining. I can't imagine things getting much worse - in my seating at least. Early seating - seems to have been ill-prepared. Short staffed, prior Odyssey sailing set the high bar...Wonder knocked it off. Bread cold, staff rarely had drinks ready. Day 1, waited 20 minutes before wait staff even came to table. Breakfast much better although the breakfast pastry offering at table now had to be asked for. Don't understand how they ran out of lettuce on day 6.

Sorrentos

5 out of 5

Good go to for quick, (take that back, not so quick)... I think everyone else on the ship felt the same. Rarely was there not a line for pizza. Sad part, those kids previously mentioned who would get 7 slices of pepperoni pizza, eat 2 and the pepperoni off the other 5 and throw away the rest. Americans waste sooo much food.

The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant and Bar

4 out of 5

This was my "have to try" restaurant. Being the newest offering to dining venues in the fleet the expectations were there but the realization it's prepared on an ocean going vessel is considered. That being said, shrimp & grits were good but fell short of some land based restaurants. Johnny cakes w/ pulled pork was excellent starter. Fried chicken was good for not being "fried." Navy vets will get that one. They should have left the catfish in the pond. Highlight...fried Oreos - don't miss.

Park Cafe

5 out of 5

Very good and mostly quiet venue for quick bites. Cubans were good and salad offerings are also available as well. Wraps too. Not widely known, there's a certain beverage dispenser within.

Chops Grille

5 out of 5

There's a reason it's their "signature" restaurant. The filet is excellent and that's what they "steak" their reputation on.

150 Central Park

5 out of 5

150 out of 100. A real treat and fantastic experience.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Haven't figured out...still wondering why the Wonder put so many well attended events in Spotlight Karaoke venue. Peeps pulling chairs from the Promenade just to sit with many standing.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Voices is outstanding and not to be missed. Aqua show good but very " busy." The "Effectors II" is the sequel to the original and I enjoyed more than the first. Ice show was as most on RCCL's fleet, excellent. Comedy team were simply hilarious...take note. Book as soon as you get onboard for any shows you want to see.

Children's Programs

1 out of 5

Not my kids...mine wouldn't have acted like many. It wasn't the pre-teens who were the obnoxious, noisy PITAs that left a bad impression. It was the teens, the one who thought throwing an ice cream cone into the wind from the Social100 was appropriate. The kid who didn't want to wait for his brother to pull his seapass card to open the gate on the pool deck and lunged over and broke the locking mechanism. The ones who bumped, ran into and just did what they wanted without care of other passengers. Not my kids...mine were raised better. Of course some parents are to blame. Insisting their child under the age of 17 is allowed to go to the "adult" comedy show because he said it was. That's me throwing my ice cream cone.

Service and Staff

3 out of 5

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

The design is great. RCCL is without question, the leading innovator for implementing new ideas and putting them on the high seas. Cleanliness, I've seen better. Never have I noticed so much dishware outside rooms, on the pool decks, in and about the elevators. Blame that on the teenagers, or at least the lazy people who expect someone to clean up after them.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Just what I expect. Aft starboard ocean view balcony. Nothing like the fresh open ocean air.

Ports of call

Port Canaveral, Florida

4 out of 5

Perfect Day At Coco Cay, Bahamas

4 out of 5

Weather prohibited the stop. Been there, done that but feel bad for some who've never been. That explains the pent up energy.

Thumbs Up 0

Basseterre, St. Kitts

4 out of 5

Easy to tell the difference between the two "sides" of the island.

Thumbs Up 0

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

4 out of 5

St. Thomas is good but there are better.

Thumbs Up 0

Disembarkation

5 out of 5

Doesn't get much better. Grab 'n go... that's how it should be.

Traveler Photos

5 Comments

Gwbigdog 2 years ago

Thanks for sharing

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AuntPinkie 2 years ago

Appreciate your feedback.

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javawoody 2 years ago

Thanks for sharing

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Flcruisepro 2 years ago

Thanks for the good review with good comments explaining everything. It always amazes me that some parents will just let their kids run wild unsupervised on a ship that has the population of a small city. From what I've seen on many cruises, many unsupervised kids end up doing no good, vandalizing and stealing things and ruining other peoples experience. And sometimes, some adults are just as bad. Hopefully your next cruise will be better.

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CruzeFan 2 years ago

A four-star experience is about the best you can expect with cruising now.

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