Wonder of the Seas

Wonder of the Seas is the fifth ship of Royal Caribbean's Oasis class, built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique at Saint-Nazaire in France and entering service in early 2022. On her debut she became the largest cruise ship in the world, a title she held briefly until the arrival of the Icon class. At about 236,857 gross tons and roughly 362 metres long across eighteen decks, she carries more than 5,700 guests at double occupancy and over 6,900 at maximum, served by around 2,300 crew.

Wonder refined the Oasis formula by expanding it to eight neighborhoods, adding the Suite Neighborhood, an exclusive enclave for suite guests with a private sun deck and restaurant, to the familiar seven. Her Central Park was planted with more than 10,000 live plants, and her roster of attractions included the AquaTheater at the stern, the ten-story Ultimate Abyss dry slide, the Perfect Storm waterslides, a FlowRider surf simulator, a zip-line, and dual rock-climbing walls, along with a dedicated youth area called Wonder Playscape.

Her construction and delivery were shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed her originally planned launch. She was christened in 2022 with Marie McCrea, a Royal Caribbean employee, serving as godmother, and she began her career with a season based in the United States before ranging more widely.

Registered in Nassau, Bahamas, and homeported in Miami, Wonder of the Seas sails short Bahamas and Caribbean itineraries and remains in active service, the last and largest of the Chantiers de l'Atlantique-built Oasis ships before the class's LNG-powered evolution.

Getting around — smart elevators: Royal Caribbean has been rolling out destination-dispatch "smart elevators" across its largest ships, including the Oasis class. Where fitted, guests select their deck at a console outside the elevators and are directed to a specific lettered car (A, B, C, and so on) rather than pressing a button inside the car; the system groups riders by destination to reduce waiting time.