Wonder of the Seas vs other Oasis Class ships

Wonder of the Seas is the fifth Oasis Class cruise ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, but she has several key differences that make her stand apart from other ships in the class.

Photo by @AdamsAway

In some ways, Wonder of the Seas can be looked at as an “Oasis Plus” class compared to just an Oasis Class ship. While she shares many of the same restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues as other Oasis Class ships, significant enhancements were made to her design and layout.

Whether you’re simply curious as to what Wonder of the Seas is like or you are planning a cruise on the ship, it’s helpful to know the ins and outs of how Wonder of the Seas differs from other Oasis Class ships.

Suite Neighborhood on Wonder of the Seas

The biggest difference between Wonder of the Seas and other Oasis Class ships is the addition of an eighth neighborhood onboard: the Suite Neighborhood.

The Suite Neighborhood is an exclusive enclave onboard just for suite guests. Within the suite neighborhood is the Suite Lounge, Coastal Kitchen restaurant, and suite concierge. Hallways and entrances to most suites are located within this area as well.

The most upgraded enhancement to the Suite Neighborhood is the Suite Sun Deck. On other Royal Caribbean ships, the sun deck is usually quite small with lounge chairs available. The sun deck on Wonder of the Seas, though, is complete with a private bar, plunge pool, in-pool loungers, and a variety of comfy seating for guests.

While not entirely a “ship within a ship” concept, the Suite Neighborhood on Wonder of the Seas can really enhance the cruise experience for suite guests by offering private, quieter areas onboard to relax and dine.

Staterooms on Wonder of the Seas

Wonder of the Seas shares the same stateroom categories as other Oasis Class ships. From interior rooms to extravagant suites, there is a cabin to fit any budget.

She does have a few differences in layout, location, and offerings of staterooms, though.

Unlike other Oasis Class ships, where many loft suites face the Sports Court, this area is now taken by the Suite Sun Deck on Wonder of the Seas. Therefore, most suites located in this area of the ship face the ocean instead.

Wonder of the Seas, like Symphony of the Seas, has the Ultimate Family Suite. Designed to be the most kid-friendly stateroom onboard, the Ultimate Family Suite has its own in-suite slide, jacuzzi, step climbers, piano key stairs, and private game/movie room. The Ultimate Family Suite on Wonder of the Seas is larger than on Symphony, with three bedrooms and the option to convert the game room into a fourth.

Like all Oasis Class ships, Wonder of the Seas has Boardwalk and Central Park balconies. One important thing to note before booking a Central Park balcony on Wonder of the Seas, however, is that the jumbo television screen from the pool deck overlooks Central Park.

As movies and music are often playing loudly on the screen during the day and evening, a Central Park balcony on Wonder of the Seas may be less peaceful than on other Oasis Class ships.

Windjammer on Wonder of the Seas

When Royal Caribbean originally designed the Oasis Class ships, the Windjammer was not held to the same importance as on previous classes of ships. With so many other new complimentary dining locations onboard, such as Solarium Bistro and Park Cafe, Royal Caribbean thought the Windjammer would be less important to guests. 

Therefore, on other Oasis Class ships, the Windjammer is smaller and tends to get crowded during meal times.

When designing Wonder of the Seas, though, Royal Caribbean recognized that even with a plethora of other dining options onboard, the buffet remains an extremely popular dining venue. Rather than keeping the venue small, they decided to create the largest Windjammer in the fleet.

The Windjammer on Wonder of the Seas wraps around the entire Boardwalk neighborhood on Deck 15, which differs from other Oasis Class ships both in deck number and layout.

There is also a standalone vegetarian section available at the Windjammer on Wonder of the Seas, making dining as a vegetarian a breeze.

Solarium on Wonder of the Seas

Unlike other Oasis Class ships, where the Solarium is only partially covered for shade, the Solarium on Wonder of the Seas is totally enclosed and climate-controlled.

The Wonder of the Seas Solarium resembles the Solarium on a Quantum Class ship more than that of other Oasis Class ships. Quantum Class ships have a fully enclosed Solarium, allowing them to sail in both warm and cold regions of the world, whereas Oasis Class ships tend to stick to warm weather climates.

The Solarium has plenty of padded pool chairs and other comfy seating as well, giving guests a relaxing, adults-only oasis that can be enjoyed rain or shine.

Pool deck

Wonder of the Seas brings a more upgraded pool deck experience compared to other Oasis Class ships.

Like Oasis of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas has a Caribbean style pool deck, featuring colorful decor, The Lime and Coconut bar, and private casitas.

Aside from decor, though, the pool deck has a few layout differences from other Oasis Class ships. First is the movie screen viewing area, where guests can relax on padded theater chairs during the day and night, whether to watch a movie or catch some sun.

Speaking of a movie, the TV screen on the pool deck is the largest television on any Royal Caribbean ship.

On either side of the theater chairs are padded pool chairs. This area resembles the Suite Sun Deck found on Voyager and Freedom Class ships, but is available to all guests onboard. 

While more of a design difference than an amenity, Wonder of the Seas has an exterior shell at the sides in the middle of the pool deck which is used as support for the ship’s giant Crown & Anchor logo.

Activities and entertainment on Wonder of the Seas

Wonder of the Seas is the first Royal Caribbean ship to feature the Wonder Playscape, an underwater-themed climbing playground for kids. Here kids can enjoy slides, climbing nets, and games. The Wonder Playscape is connected to the Wonder Dunes mini golf, offering an area of the Sports Court filled with activity for young cruisers.

The Wonder Playscape has taken the spot of what would have been a second FlowRider. Therefore, unlike other Oasis Class ships, Wonder of the Seas only has one FlowRider.

In regards to entertainment, Wonder of the Seas is currently the only Oasis Class ship without a full-length Broadway show onboard. Instead, she has two headliner shows in the Royal Theater: Voices and The Effectors II.

A second entertainment difference found on Wonder of the Seas is the lack of Jazz on 4. Unlike other Oasis Class ships which have a standalone venue for live jazz music, Wonder of the Seas has a high-roller casino in its location.

The Golden Room is a high-roller casino space designed for top casino guests. Currently this area is open to all guests, offering slot machines as well as table games such as roulette. It is also currently a non-smoking casino.

The Golden Room is likely a leftover design choice from when Wonder of the Seas was being built for the Asian cruise market, as ships sailing from China tend to have more casino space onboard.

New bars and restaurants on Wonder of the Seas

Cantina Fresca is a new bar found only on Wonder of the Seas. Connected to El Loco Fresh, Cantina Fresca offers a Mexican-inspired drink menu with the best margaritas you’ll find onboard. This has proved to be a popular bar on Wonder of the Seas, with many guests grabbing a drink while eating at El Loco Fresh or hanging out on the sports deck.

The Vue is the second new bar on Wonder of the Seas, which takes the spot of what would have been a second cantilevered hot tub near the Solarium. The Vue extends over the side of the ship and a signature drink menu specific to the bar is coming soon.

The Mason Jar is the third new venue on Wonder of the Seas, as well as the first southern-inspired restaurant on a Royal Caribbean ship. One side of the venue is a restaurant open for brunch and dinner, which offers a diverse range of dishes from around the American south.

The other side of the venue is The Mason Jar Bar, focusing on drinks made from bourbon and moonshine and featuring a live country band.

While not a new restaurant, Wonder of the Seas is the first Oasis Class ship to have Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar. The menu at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen tends to lean more towards Italian-American cuisine compared to traditional Italian food, and offers a selection of homemade pastas, pizzas, and meat dishes.

Miscellaneous differences on Wonder of the Seas

The Diamond Lounge has virtual balconies, so guests can see outside in the venue as there are no windows in the space.

Located on the Boardwalk is a kids-only souvenir store with apparel, games, legos, stuffed animals, and more.

The AquaTheater has a more enclosed design compared to other ships, and the AquaTheater show is the only one to feature an all-female cast.

The Social100 Patio for teens on Wonder of the Seas has its own non-alcoholic bar and jacuzzi.

What would have been the Suite Sun Deck area on other Oasis Class ships (deck 17 forward) is now seating space available for all guests.

The casino has sliding doors that open and close as you enter, which helps to keep smoke contained.

Elevators on Wonder of the Seas use a touchscreen feature, and several floors have images or graphics next to the number to help guests remember what is on each floor.

There is a room with vending machines, selling everything from toiletries to headphones, located on deck 15 near Social100.