The Wonder of the Seas is the largest ship in the world. It's 1,188 feet long and spans over 200 feet wide. This is the largest passenger cruise ship in the world with 6,988 people on board.
This megaship was originally built for the Chinese market. The line's plans for its home base and regional Asia sailings were disrupted by the swine flu. The company moved the ship to the US and Europe.
I liked the new ship on the August cruise from Barcelona to Mallorca, the French Riviera and down the coast of Italy.
I was curious as to how the ship would differ from other Oasis-class vessels, since it was supposed to be dedicated to the Chinese market. There would be differences in the passenger experience. Not really. The decision to abandon the all-in-on-China itineraries led to a flurry of changes on the ship.
A lot of last-minute updates helped prepare the ship for its new mission. It took less than a week for Starbucks to open in a space that was originally intended to focus on tea-based drinks, which are more popular in China. It now has the same level of service as a Starbucks.
The Mason Jar is a new restaurant on the ship that serves Southern cuisine. The photo is courtesy of Royal Caribbean.
The Mason Jar, a Southern-themed dining room, is a new specialty dining option at Royal Caribbean. There is a pimento cheese brunch, decadent fried chicken sandwiches and johnnycakes for dinner, late night snacks and weekly omelets. It was not always going to be like that. The original plan was for the space to be a Chinese hot pot restaurant.
The first Royal Caribbean ship to have the Mason Jar was the Wonder. It is so popular that it could appear on other ships.
The decision to switch was swift, but it didn't affect creativity. The menu design at Royal Caribbean has a lot of colorful cocktails. The mint julep and the PB&J cocktail drew raves from guests as they sipped them in rocking chairs near the sea.
The talented bar staff, dedicated only to this restaurant, spent weeks learning how to make these unique drinks and filled me in on how much effort went into creating something that still had wide appeal. Europeans don't enjoy Southern cooking as much as they would like, but they enjoy it once they try it.
The Wonder Playscape is a play area for children. The photo is courtesy of Royal Caribbean.
Royal's poolside staple Lime and Coconut is one of the new bar concepts added to the ship.
Royal Caribbean kept the karaoke bar to see how it would fare with other travelers. I enjoyed the ship's brave performers on more than one occasion, but I didn't want anyone to fall in love with me.
Changes may be on the way. As the Chinese market tends to gamble more, the Wonder was built with both a main casino and a smaller one. It was usually empty on the Wonder's new sailings. The space is still being planned for what to do with it.
Many of the plants and flowers are from China and were chosen for the climate in that country. When the ship crosses the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean sun on the other side is likely to be harsh, according to a staffer.
The Solarium is an adults-only escape that has pools, whirlpools and other ways to relax. The photo is courtesy of Royal Caribbean.
I was concerned that the large ship would feel crowded and overwhelming, but like any city, you find the neighborhoods that appeal most to you.
I was only on the ship for seven days but already had routines that included breakfast in the Solarium and a smoothie in the spa cafe.
The new playground at the back of the ship was very popular with families. The Wonder is the first ship to have a play area for kids.
The shift in destinations and homeport shows how the brand can change with every ship it sails. A passenger who didn't know the original plan for the ship wouldn't have known it was built for a specific market. The entertainment and dining options on the ship were a big hit with passengers no matter what passport they had.
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