Royal Caribbean has officially taken delivery of the fifth Oasis-class vessel, Wonder of the Seas, from shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique. And just in case you did’t already know, Wonder of the Seas is now the new world’s largest cruise ship, taking over the title from her sister ship, Symphony of the Seas.
Wonder of the Seas Is Delivered!
Delivery from Chantiers de l’Atlantique took place on Thursday in Marseille, France, where the Oasis-class vessel had been for her final touches before being handed over. The flag-changing ceremony took place to mark the significant milestone as Royal Caribbean now takes over the responsibility of the new world’s largest cruise ship.
The ceremony was attended by Royal Caribbean Group Chairman Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France.
“Wonder of the Seas will energize cruising in a bolder and bigger way. Adding this ship to our already best-in-class fleet elevates the company in continuing to lead the industry with new features and innovation,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “This is one more way that we’re delivering world-class and memorable vacations, responsibly, to guests around the world.”
It has been a long journey since construction started at the shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, in April 2019. Since then, Wonder of the Seas reached significant construction milestones, including floating out onto the water for the first time and sea trials. In November 2021, the Royal Caribbean cruise ship arrived at the shipyard in Marseille for final touches, especially on the interior spaces. Crew members have also been joining the ship to prepare for guest operations.
You can take a look at a new video released by the cruise line showing how the ship has come together from the first steel cutting to delivery:
When Will Wonder of the Seas Sail?
Now that Wonder of the Seas is part of the Royal Caribbean fleet, preparations are underway to make sure she is ready to welcome the first guests.
The ship will begin cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March 4, 2022, and will offer seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, including calls to Royal Caribbean’s private islands of Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, Nassau, The Bahamas; Roatan, Honduras; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Starting in May, the vessel will head back across the Atlantic to begin sailings out of Barcelona, Spain. Wonder of the Seas will offer seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises with calls to Naples and Florence, Italy; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and Provence, France.
The new Royal Caribbean ship will continue her busy first year of service as she will head back to the U.S. to begin Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries from Port Canaveral year-round. Sailings will include Perfect Day at Cococay, along with Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Cozumel, Mexico.
A Floating City!
Wonder of the Seas has some impressive stats at 236,857 gross tons and a guest capacity of 5,734 at double occupancy, along with 2,300 international crew members. The ship has a total of 18 decks, 24 guest elevators, and 2,867 staterooms.
The vessel continues the neighborhood concept that is already seen on other Oasis-class vessels. However, the ship has a new Suite Neighborhood, offering Royal Suite Class guests an elevated Suite Sun Deck in a new location, complete with a plunge pool, bar, and plenty of loungers and nooks to kick back; along with favorites such as Coastal Kitchen, the private restaurant, the Suite Lounge, and the largest Ultimate Family Suite yet to host a family of 10.
Also new onboard is The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar, a new southern-inspired venue. There’s the Wonder Playscape, an underwater themed play area for kids; The Vue Bar, offering panoramic ocean views; Caribbean Pool Deck that features The Lime & Coconut, alongside the trio of high-speed waterslides, The Perfect Storm, aqua park Splashaway Bay, Casitas, in-pool loungers, live music and more.
