Returning to Royal: Review of Wonder of the Seas

When the pandemic ended, we chose to regain our Royal Caribbean sea legs with Wonder of the Seas. We’d been on other Oasis-class ships, so we had basis for comparison. 

Below are the highlights: 

The shows were energetic. With booming music and singing, fast-paced dancing and extensive use of the huge digital screens, the shows were an adrenaline rush, but may not appeal to an older crowd. “The Effectors II: Cash & Burn” brought to mind a comic book. “Taps Factory” featured tap dancing to a range of contemporary music, relying heavily on drums. 

“Voices” was closer to a traditional production show, with singers and dancers performing familiar songs spanning decades and background vocals displayed on the digital screens. The aqua show, with its unusual all-female cast, included aerial acrobatics, diving, music, lights and splashing water. The ice show was reliably wonderful, showcasing awesome twirls, dips and lifts, with colorful sets and costumes. 

Rehearsal for the aqua show

There were crowds, but empty places too. With 6,000+ vacationers on board, you expect crowds on Oasis ships. Embarkation, debarkation, the buffet and pools on a sea day are when you feel it the most. In the past, we’ve found refuge from the buffet by breakfasting in the usually tranquil Solarium Bistro. Clearly, word has gotten out on this alternative (and free) spot. This trip, food lines were long, the waiters could barely restock fast enough and all seats were taken. 

Central Park was often empty during the day.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of places to find respite from the crowds. Most of the day (not lunchtime), Central Park is an oasis and we enjoyed many a drink at the Trellis Bar without competition. The Diamond Lounge (for loyalty club Diamond and above) during the day was peaceful. And nothing can compare to the serenity of your balcony! 

Breads and such in the Windjammer

The food was a mixed bag. It’s hard to say if this was due to Royal Caribbean’s pandemic-produced debt, or just a Wonder of the Seas thing, but the Windjammer buffet selection was more limited than we’ve experienced on other ships. If your taste bends toward the basic, such as hamburgers, hotdogs, pizza, chicken parmesan and carved meats, you’ll be fine. But if you prefer more varied choices, you may be disappointed. Particularly noticeable was the minimal international food options, usually a buffet standout. 

However, the main dining room was a very pleasant surprise. All three dinners we had there lasted 90 minutes or less, a far cry from the two hours or more we were used to on other Royal Caribbean ships. And each meal was decent, particularly the last night of the trip. 

Wonder of the Seas main dining room

Service was consistently terrific. Our room steward was not only efficient and responsive, but friendly, always stopping to chat or smile when he saw us coming. We found the overall service—from the waiters to the bartenders—to be helpful and pleasant.

The loyalty club is better than ever. Not only does Royal Caribbean have the best loyalty club at sea, but the cruise line recently made it even better. Its daily drink vouchers (Diamond and above), now good all day and almost anywhere on the ship, enabled us to sample a greater variety of beverages and check out many more of the bars, which was a trip highlight. 

Tidbits 

Briefly, a few other notable changes: cabin service is down to once a day (you choose morning or evening)…cabin showers have dispensers with a combo body soap/shampoo…the tutti salad bar in the MDR on sea days is no more…printed newsletters are not provided, but your room steward will deliver one each day if 

you ask…for a nifty one-of-a-kind souvenir, consider the Starbucks Wonder of the Seas mug, for sale on the Promenade at, of course, the Starbucks concession. 

Already booked? 

If you’re already booked on Wonder of the Seas, check out “Be in the Know Before You Go” on what you can expect and what you need to do as your trip nears.

Modern Music: A Review of Harmony of the Seas

This is a ship that’s uber up to date—from the tablets stem to stern to the robotic bartenders who shook and served to the WOWbands that ordered drinks to the sea cards that turned on lights. I expected Scotty to beam me from one deck to another.

The robots taking a rest in between drinks

Yet many of the familiar Oasis class ship features are reassuringly still there—the quaint Boardwalk carousel, the serenity of Central Park at night, the “sidewalk café” on the Promenade.

Here, in brief, is my take on what Harmony brought us that’s new, and what it’s kept to ensure it pleases us all:

Better balcony with a “but”

The layout of our balcony stateroom facing the ocean was much improved over its sister ships. The his-and-her closets, set far apart from each other, were a great innovation—no more bobbing and weaving around each other to get dressed.

There’s also much more storage space, with several deep drawers under one closet, and ample shelf space in the other.

The porch furniture was also way better—reclining chairs! Hassocks! At last, naps outside! Thank you, Royal Caribbean!

Reclining chairs and footstools on the balcony--who could ask for anything more?

Here comes the “but”: if you use a night table, forget about it. Harmony has the smallest I’ve ever seen. Anywhere. It’s about a foot wide. And mine was totally consumed by the cabin phone until I shoved it under the bed.

MDR efficiency plus

We had the best My Time Dining experience on any of our 20+ cruises. We ate dinner in the main dining room only on the two formal nights—without reservations—and breezed right in, to a table for two, per our request. On every other ship, these nights meant a 15-20 minute wait for seats—at the least.

The pacing of dinner was the same pleasant surprise—we were out of there in under an hour and a half. It wasn’t only efficient, but our wait staff were friendly and eager to please. On the second formal night, our waitress was distressed when she proactively brought a second helping of lobster tail and I turned it down. Meanwhile, her assistant waiter kept entertaining us with magic tricks.

Whatever the Harmony is doing at dinner, it’s working. The dining experience was memorable (even if the food, alas, was not).

We also did the sea day lunch in the main dining room, where we were excited to see a dessert bar, complete with chocolate fountain. Oh yes, there was the large “Tutti” salad bar, large hot food buffet and superb selection of rolls.

Do a lunch in the MDR on a sea day for a sea of surprises.

The hip ship appeals to all   

It pains me to say this, but for us, the featured aqua show, “The Fine Line,” was a disappointment—a lot of pounding music, flashing lights and water spray— theatrics with just a sprinkling of what we like best—diving, water ballet and acrobatics.

 

Be prepared for loud music, lights and spray--oh, and some diving and acrobatics at the featured show

In fact, we much preferred the add-on afternoon show, “Hideaway Heist” on Day 7, which was much more upbeat and playful, chockful of those aqua events we came for.

 

Good clean fun in the afternoon show--with plenty of diving, water ballet and more

While hip seemed the primary order of the day, there was still plenty to appeal to everyone. “Grease” was high-spirited fun (note: there are some minor plot differences from the movie) and the ice show was as good as any other Oasis ship, with the usual crowd-pleasing lifts, spins and swirls, and colorful, constantly changing costumes.

Love on ice at the "1887: A Journey in Time"

Night music was all over the map—from the cool jazz in Jazz on 4 to classical guitar under the Central Park lights to the ’90s dance party in the Promenade to the older oldies in Dazzles. And Boleros still served up the salsa.

 

The December "supermoon" over the lights of Central Park

Tech touches everything

The techie touches were everywhere. Tablets all over the ship offered the chance to check what’s on your calendar or account status, or find out what’s going on at any given moment (no wi-fi cost). You can access it all through your smartphone, too, by downloading the Royal IQ app from Google Play or Apple App Store.

 

Keep tabs on your tab or plan your day with tablets all over the ship

Sea cards turned on the cabin lights, those who paid a bit extra for a WOWband could use their wrist to pay for drinks or gifts, and some elevator lobbies had experimental screens displaying floor name options instead of up and down buttons. Even Guest Relations was unrecognizable—gone was the opaque barrier between guest and rep. In its place were monitors on a table, so you could watch your rep rebalance from one tired leg to another.

Tap, chill, shake and pour

But the biggest whiz-bang by far were the two robotic bartenders. Clearly recognizing the draw, cushy seats were stationed in front of the gleaming stars in a prominent position on the Promenade. Guests ordered drinks from a tablet, which displayed a menu, complete with drink ingredients, cost (sample price: $14.95) and guest ratings. The orders went into a queue and then the real fun began.

The robotic arm loaded a cup with ice, sucked alcohol from bottles hanging from the ceiling, shook and poured, with each step displayed on a big screen for all to see.

Royal Caribbean does it again

With or without the-future-is-here doodads, the Harmony delivers what RCI is so very good at—a great vacation for everyone. Whether your fancy is climbing the walls, gliding across the ice, hitting the (mini) links, perusing the shops, downing a pint at the pub, surfing the faux waves or staring at the real ones, you’ll find it all and more on this grand new ship.

Musing’s Top Tip: If you have a drink package that covers cocktails, it will also cover the concoctions created by the robotic “bionic” bar. See this link for more info.

The Bright Side of Rainy Weather

In the spirit of “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” for this posting, I’m going to borrow a topic from cruisefever.net, a good site for cruise news and tips, pricing out trips, port cams and the like. Their article, “Top 10 Things to Do on a Rainy Day,” has some great suggestions, but I’m going to add some of my own ways to avoid cabin fever on those rainy days at sea:

Make the best of those soggy patches! (Above, "Splish Splash" aqua show on Oasis of the Seas)

Start a journal—I do one each cruise and never regret it. While it’s a bit of work, it’s a way to capture memories, thoughts and observations, and remind you of smaller things you may forget. It’s especially handy when planning your next cruise (or for writing a review of your trip…or a blog like mine!).

The author and spouse release their inner artsy-fartsy and 
have a ball on Oasis of the Seas.

Get a head start on dealing with your photos—If you’ve brought a laptop, download photos from your camera or phone and begin the lovely task of organizing/deleting/editing. You’ll appreciate that you made a dent in this when you get back home.

Roam the ship with your camera—Be goofy and creative. Take photos of you and your companions in the elevator mirror. In the shops holding an “I love cruising” tee-shirt. In front of murals. Do a selfie by photographing your reflection in a glass door. You’ll be amazed how much you’ll notice for the first time once you pull out a camera. See Fun Ship Photography: Releasing Your Inner Artsy-Fartsy for some ideas and shots.

Break your routine—Always lunch in the buffet? Try a specialty restaurant—some of them don’t charge for lunch. And Royal Caribbean ships have lunch in the main dining room on sea days, featuring the massive “Tutti” salad bar spread that lets you load up on lettuce—but also meats, veggies, cheeses and great bread (note: the hours are tight; look for them in the ship newsletter).

Book the next one—Visit the sales office to book your next cruise and enjoy a smile when you see the line forming there the last day of the trip.

But the very best way to spend a wet day? Sleep late. Eat late. And just relax. Think of it as saving your energy for when the sun comes back out. And, hey, this is the Caribbean—the sun will come out!

When Bigger is Best: a Review of the Oasis

You notice it most when you’re in port. Oasis is big. It commands attention. And it dwarfs every other ship.

But what does big do for the cruiser?

Oasis commands attention

Big means better entertainment. Like its sibling, Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas has top-flight entertainment, starting with the full version of the musical Cats (see tip below). It has a colorful and lively ice show with former championship skaters. An extensive DreamWorks parade.

In short, it has shows and events you just won’t see on any other ship. And some productions, like the aqua show with its mesmerizing high divers, you won’t see on land, either.
 


A dive from above in the Oasis of Dreams aqua show

Big means more activities. Only a ship that’s 1,800 feet long (five football fields!) can have a full-sized carousel (rides are free), wave-making machine for surfing and boogie-boarding, 82-foot long zip line, and two rock-climbing walls with multiple levels of difficulty.

Big means more places to call your own. Of the three “neighborhoods” (Promenade, Boardwalk and Central Park), Central Park was the most underutilized and thus, became our favorite. Nighttime, you pretty much have the place to yourself. A glass of wine at the Trellis Bar, surrounded by the (real) tropical foliage and sparkling restaurant lights, is a great way to get away from the bustle.
 

Central Park at night: cushy chairs with your name on them

Big means more food choices. There are 25 restaurants—some will cost you, but others will not. The complimentary venues begin with three main dining rooms, where the entrees are adequate (thankfully, lobster tails still grace the menu on the second formal night), desserts are good and the rolls are superb (try the pumpkin seed ones). Along with the usual fare, the Windjammer buffet at night has some interesting Asian dishes, such tandoori chicken and curry specialties; brie; and an occasional surprise or two.

Among the other free options are Park Café for breakfast and lunch (paninis and salads assembled to order); Sorrento’s, where pizzas can also be made to your taste; and the 24-hour Café Promenade with sandwiches and desserts (try the wonderful cheesecake pops).

Big means more space to walk off your meals. The covered jogging track on Deck 5 spans the length of the ship and has one lane dedicated to runners and another to walkers. Be sure to check out the cute sayings overhead. One mile is just 2.4 laps. And aside from the occasional crew member using the track as a short cut, you won’t have much competition for foot space.

Ironically, even with its vast size, Oasis still runs out of room. Comedy is relegated to a small theater, forcing the comedians to do show, after show, after show on a seven-day cruise—a fact they never fail to mention. Our Crown and Anchor event was held on the helipad, in the sun, on a hot day.

When big is not the best. Big doesn’t necessarily mean better food. While the food on Oasis is okay, it doesn’t get the same emphasis that you’ll see on some other cruise lines. Royal Caribbean focuses on activities and entertainment and for that reason, perhaps, the crowd on Oasis was decidedly younger than on other cruise line ships.

And big means more people and longer lines. For the most part, Oasis has crowd control down to a science. Getting back onboard after a port visit always involved some kind of line, but it moved swiftly. Amazingly, disembarkation took significantly less time than it did when we sailed on Celebrity’s Constellation, a ship half of Oasis’ size.

Despite the occasional inconveniences and unremarkable food, what you can count on is that Oasis of the Seas is big on fun.

Musing’s Top Tip: The Oasis production of Cats is fabulous and shouldn’t be missed. However, it’s not as easy to follow as traditional musicals like Oklahoma or West Side Story. To ensure you enjoy the show, consider doing some homework before you leave home. We did and it made all the difference:


Courtesy of Wikipedia

See the movie version. We rented the 1998 version of Cats with Elaine Paige and John Mills for free at our library. You can also check out movie clips on YouTube. Once you get familiar with the music, you’ll really be looking forward to seeing it on the ship.

Read the plot summary. You can find it on catsthemusical.com or read the story line in Wikipedia.

Download the lyrics. Some of the lyrics are quite clever but it can be hard to make them out at times during the singing. You can download the lyrics for free at metrolyrics.com or songlyrics.com.