Perhaps no ship is as anticipated in 2022 as Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas. The newest ship in the fleet isn’t just another addition to the cruise line’s Oasis-class vessels. When it makes its debut beginning in March 2022, it will take the throne of the world’s largest cruise ship.
Wonder of the Seas, which is just months away from its inaugural sailing, comes in at 237,000 gross tons. That’s just slightly larger than her sister ship — and current largest cruise ship — Symphony of the Seas, which registers at “just” 228,000 gross tons.
And now, we’re getting a better picture of how Wonder will spend her first year in service. The new ship is set to sail first from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale beginning March 4, 2022. Then in May 2022, she will cross the Atlantic to sail in Europe from May through October.
After that, Port Canaveral announced the ship will sail from there beginning November 2022.
“We’re very proud to have Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas homeport here, and we look forward to welcoming her next fall,” said Captain John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO. “This is terrific news for our entire Port community and another endorsement of our commitment to excellence in providing a world-class experience for our cruise guests.”
While cruises Port Canaveral cruises don’t yet appear on the Royal Caribbean website, the port said Wonder of the Seas will sail 7-night trips to the Caribbean, including ports of call like San Juan, St. Maarten, and of course, CocoCay.
The Newest Addition to the Oasis Class
Having the world’s largest ship sail from its docks marks another feather in the cap of Port Canaveral. Already one of the busiest cruise ports in the United States, Port Canaveral is also home to Carnival’s newest ship, Mardi Gras. That ship sails from Cruise Terminal 3, a new facility completed during the pause in cruising and designed specifically for Mardi Gras.
The addition of Wonder of the Seas will mark two of the newest — and largest — ships in the Royal Caribbean and Carnival fleets to sail from the port.
As an Oasis-class vessel, Wonder will offer the most of any ship in Royal Caribbean’s lineup. At full capacity the ship can carry nearly 7,000 passengers in 2,800+ staterooms, along with 2,300 crew members.
The ship features 18 decks and 20 different places to get something to eat. Like other ships in the class, it will feature a “split” design opening up lower decks to the open air. There will also be Central Park, the Aqua Theater, and the massive Solarium for adults.
New features will include a “Suite Neighborhood,” along with a cantilevered pool bar called The Vue. As well, there is a new Wonder Playscape, which is an open-air play area for kids.
As mentioned, sailings aboard Wonder of the Seas from Port Canaveral aren’t showing on the Royal Caribbean website just yet. However, your chance to book a trip aboard the world’s largest cruise ship sailing from the Orlando area is coming soon.
