The extraordinary Wonder of the Seas, the newest ship in the Oasis class, is already sailing in Caribbean waters and will set sail this spring in the Mediterranean from the ports of Barcelona and Rome. Royal Caribbean International has once again claimed to have built the world's largest cruise ship, surpassing the Symphony of the Seas, but this is not the only feature that makes it unique.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 60 – March 2022
This colossus began construction in April 2019 at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard. The fifth in Royal Caribbean's Oasis class, it boasts a gross tonnage of 236,857 and measures 362 meters in length, spread across 18 decks. This ship can accommodate 5,734 passengers at double occupancy, up to a maximum capacity of 6,988, and has a crew of 2,300. With 20 restaurants, 4 swimming pools, and 2,867 cabins, this behemoth is truly spectacular.
A First Look
: From stunning suites, dozens of bars and restaurants, lounges, entertainment venues and more, Wonder of the Seas seeks to raise the bar once again when it comes to what is possible on a cruise.
Anyone who has sailed on Royal Caribbean is familiar with the ship's "Windjammer" buffet, but the Wonder of the Seas also features the Kidjammer, a small station for children at a height that allows them to easily reach and serve themselves. Incidentally, if we're talking about the world's largest cruise ship, we're also talking about the largest buffet at sea. On the Wonder of the Seas, the buffet has 1,048 seats, approximately 300 more than any other Windjammer in the fleet.
It is the fifth member of the Oasis class, but it presents important new features compared to its siblings.
Also new is the Mason Jar restaurant, which offers classic Southern American food, typical New Orleans dishes, and the ever-popular barbecues, and why not, try Creole lobster, Louisiana gumbo crab, or grandma's fried chicken, all to the rhythm of folk music.
A popular spot on other sister ships of the Oasis class is “Jazz on 4”, a place to have a good drink and listen to live music in a cozy atmosphere, which on the Wonder of the Seas has been replaced by the Golden Room, a VIP casino area designed for those high rollers.
On Wonder of the Seas, the teen area is called Social 100. It features not only a lounge with video game consoles, music, and movies, but also an outdoor area with a juice bar serving soft drinks and ice cream, and, for the first time, a jacuzzi for relaxing under the sun or stars. Entry is controlled via their SeaPass card, which is programmed to grant them access.
The ship features four main pools and 10 jacuzzis. Three main pools are open to all guests, there is an adults-only pool on the sundeck, and a plunge pool on the VIP terrace, exclusively for suite guests. A beach-style pool is also included among the main pools. Other water features include the FlowRider surf simulator, the Perfect Storm water slides, and the Splashaway Bay children's water park.
The new Vue pool bar is a cantilevered panoramic bar located above the main pool deck. During the day, you can enjoy a drink while admiring the panoramic sea view. At night, a light installation above the bar adds extra visual appeal.
Another new feature is the Wonder Playscape children's area, an outdoor play space ideal for younger travelers, with climbing walls, games, puzzles, and murals, among other attractions. Located at the stern, it occupies the space of one of the FlowRiders found on the other Oasis-class ships.
Shows
has unveiled four new shows debuting aboard Wonder of the Seas, including the first all-female cast at Aqua Theatre, the open-air entertainment venue mounted on the stern of the ship.
The shows presented aboard Wonder of the Seas are:
InTense: The AquaTheater's first all-female cast ramps up the energy and intensity in the one-of-a-kind open-air amphitheater with the deepest pool at sea. The cast performs terrifying dives from a height of 55 feet, slackline feats, flips, aerial acrobatics, and more, accompanied by dazzling lights and sound.
365: The Seasons on Ice: At the Studio B ice rink, passengers experience a unique vision of Earth's changing seasons told through the movements of champion ice skaters. Each move by the performers is accompanied by innovative projection mapping, colorful lights and images, and sound, transforming the venue from one season to the next.
The Effectors II: Crash 'n' Burn. Debuting later this year at the Royal Theatre, Royal Caribbean's own superheroes, The Effectors: Captain Viz, Lume, Pixel, and Reverb, return in a thrilling high-tech battle with their arch-nemesis Crash and his new sidekick Burn. The heroes will use their superpowers, based on artistic talents, performance skills, and the boundless power of creativity, to save the planet and outwit their rivals once and for all.
Voices: An intimate performance on a grand scale: The modern world of virtual communication merges with the evocative power of live performances in a completely new style of music production.
All these shows are included in the price of the cruise, which distinguishes Royal Caribbean's entertainment offering from other cruise lines.
For the first time, the AquaTheater InTense show will be performed by women only.
The ship itself is the biggest attraction of the trip, just thinking about all the things you can do and see on the largest cruise ship ever built.
It has eight different “neighborhoods”, including a new suite neighborhood, the “Suite Neighborhood”, which is basically an entire section of the ship dedicated only to lucky guests staying in a suite, and includes access to a group of VIP areas, such as an exclusive deck with a pool and bar, as well as a private restaurant, the Coastal Kitchen.
Of course, all the suites on board this ship are magnificent, but there's one that truly stands out: the Ultimate Family Suite. This is the third Royal Caribbean ship to feature an Ultimate Family Suite, and it's truly the best. The suite sleeps up to 10 people and comes with fantastic features like play areas, a waterslide, a whirlpool tub, and more.
As with all Oasis-class ships, the Wonder of the Seas will feature two open-air parks in the center of the ship: Central Park, with more than 12,000 live plants, and Boardwalk, reminiscent of American waterfront promenades. In addition, its iconic Royal Promenade, where passengers gather for coffee, a beer in its English pub, pizza at any time of day, shopping, or attending one of the many parties held there, will once again feature a bar staffed by two robotic arms.
Another interesting new feature is the availability of USB ports in some restaurants and bars to charge the batteries of our inseparable smartphones during the day.
Itinerary from Barcelona:
The Wonder of the Seas will sail 7-day itineraries departing from Barcelona from May through October 2022, visiting Spain, France, and Italy. Ports of call will include Palma de Mallorca, Marseille, La Spezia (Florence/Pisa), Civitavecchia (Rome), and Naples. Ports will be relatively long to allow ample time to visit the more distant cities: from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in La Spezia, and from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Civitavecchia and Naples.
Club Royal: Royal Caribbean's Loyalty Program for Travel Agents.
Royal Caribbean International has launched its loyalty program for travel agents in Spain, granting them access to the Club Royal Loyalty Programme for the first time. The program offers travel agents the opportunity to earn incentives in exchange for their Royal Caribbean bookings, in addition to the standard agreed commission.
This initiative is designed to encourage travel agents to participate in the Club Royal platform, where they can also obtain more information about Royal Caribbean's product range, current offers, and agent benefits.
Agents can join the affiliate program through the platform www.royalcaribbeanagentes.es.
For each booking made with Royal Caribbean International, the agent will receive direct income via a Mastercard. This card can be used to purchase any product/trip but cannot be used to withdraw cash.
As part of the program, agents will be able to participate in contests where they can win different prizes, including traveling with Royal Caribbean and attending the inaugurations.
Benefits:
• Earn money for every reconfirmed booking on any Royal Caribbean International ship.
• You can use the money for whatever you wish.
• If you book a Royal Caribbean International cruise on your own, you will receive a bonus amount.
The program is launching in Spain after its success in other countries such as the United Kingdom. The company states that, on average, agents who are members of the Royal Club make bookings with values approximately 85% higher than those of non-registered agents, which translates into increased revenue for the agency. Furthermore, agents participating in this program show greater interest in learning about the company's cruises in order to offer the most suitable cruise to each client.
