Step aboard Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, a mega cruise ship that has 8 ‘neighborhoods’ spread across 18 decks

Wonder of the Seas began sailing in March 2022. My seven-night voyage was a month later.

I booked an ocean-view stateroom on deck eight for $2,000. The cruise was on sale, as it was originally priced at $3,000.

The ship sailed out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Roatán, Honduras; Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico; and Royal Caribbean’s own private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The enormous ship has eight communal areas, which Royal Caribbean calls “neighborhoods.” Each neighborhood has its own activities.

During my cruise, the elevators were packed at busy times, so I found it faster to take the stairs on either side.

Decks two and three have boarding areas for entering and exiting the ship. Deck three is the lowest deck with staterooms.

Meals in the main dining rooms were included in the price of my ticket.

One of the venues, Studio B, is used for shows and large-scale activities like ice skating and laser tag.

Down the hall from Studio B is the casino, where guests can gamble on a floor full of game tables and slot machines.

While most shows were free, many restaurants, like Izumi, cost extra.

I thought the Royal Promenade felt like a mall.

A venue called the Royal Theater also hosts shows on decks four and five.

The Royal Promenade neighborhood also has two coffee shops — Starbucks and Cafe Promenade.

The Boardwalk deck caters to families with kids with a carousel, a candy store, and rock-climbing walls.

There are two restaurants on the Boardwalk: a hot dog stand, which is included for guests, and a Johnny Rockets, which has burgers and shakes for an added fee.

Across from the Boardwalk restaurants is Playmakers, a sports bar.

This is where Royal Caribbean hosts outdoor movies and a water show featuring dancers, divers, and acrobats.

At night, the Boardwalk lights up for the show.

Vitality at Sea has a café, spa area, and gym, which was full of cardio and strength machines I’ve seen in most fitness centers.

There’s access to an indoor track in the fitness center.

This deck is home to 20,000 plants, according to Royal Caribbean.

This lush neighborhood has many spaces to chill, including benches and outdoor couches. I thought it was the most relaxing area on the ship.

The restaurants are Chops Grille, 150 Central Park, and Giovanni’s Italian. There’s also Park Cafe, a casual eatery that is free for guests.

The Central Park deck also has two bars, Trelli’s and Rising Tide. The latter is a moving bar that goes up and down floors five through eight.

The deck is a kids’ area with an escape room.

Three large pools made me feel like I was at the beach, with water coming up and around the lounging chairs.

The deck also has a handful of whirlpools, small plunge pools for relaxing, and a water playground called Splashaway Bay.

In the middle of the pool deck, Sprinkles has all-you-can-eat soft-serve ice cream with vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and mixed flavors. It’s included for guests.

The lounge has pools, a bar, a complimentary bistro, and stunning views.

Outside the Solarium, there’s a bar called Vue with more ocean views.

The buffet served a wide range of food, including waffles and bacon, fried chicken, tacos, and more.

There are also covered casitas for lounging that guests may reserve for a fee.

Up here, there’s an indoor arcade, outdoor mini-golf, table tennis, basketball, water slides, and a stationary surf simulator.

I wasn’t able to access this neighborhood, as Decks 17 and 18 are accessible only for guests with suites and include private pools and terraces.

As we left the port to start our journey, I marveled at how the passing ships looked like toy boats compared to Wonder of the Seas.