Wandering on the Wonder--A Semi-Live (Maybe) Review

[crewsweeper]

Haven't seen a lot of Wonder of the Seas reviews on this forum,  so I'll give it a shot.

We're sailing over Easter Week (April 2-9), a bit late in the year for us. But it's a birthday (mine..same age as Jack Benny used to be😁) and pre-retirement ( mine...again...was booked as post -retirement but work got in the way) so here we are. We're going Eastern C.  And if I read the prior itineraries correctly, it's the first porting of the WOS in St. Maarten. St Thomas and Coco Cay round out the stops.  DW has booked us on some Royal excursion in SXM but hoping to have time to hit the boardwalk a bit maybe stop at Miguels or just head for the gelato place.  St Thomas is Water Island Day---fish tacos at Helen's if open. And we'll be at CocoCay Beach Club .

We're driving down on Saturday with an overnight stop in Ocala (cheaper hotels), dinner with old HS buddy, then on to PC early.  Managed to get a 10:30-11 AM check in time. Hoping geed parking spot as well.

We have UDP, so rushing to book dining.  Bringing a spreadsheet with all dining places and preferred/alternative days and times. 

DW wants to try Mason Jar for the embarkation day lunch.   Think the entire FB group is heading there as well. 

Plus, DW wants to see if we can book the Icon for February 2025 and get some goodies in doing so.  But mainly getting a good cabin for that cruise.  We'd look at 2024 but we're back on the WOS already.

We have a handicap OV balcony cabin on Deck 10.  

My days in the pub with Newcastle and Stones IPA, or playing cocktail scavenger at various bars are over, sadly.☹️  Gout onset.  But will still have a glass of wine on occasion at dinner and then mostly mocktails in the day.  Might sneak a bourbon or rye a night or two.  @seadog had a Whistle Pig in Coco Cay.  So I might grab one.  But no Taste of Royal wine lunches or caipirinhas in Bolereos.  

 

More to come. 

 

[crewsweeper]

Countdown:  3 Days!! 

 

Luggage still in attic!😄

[cruisegirl1]

Have a great time.  We just returned from 2 weeks  on Wonder and had the dining package the second week.  We concentrated on entertainment the first week and went back to shows we really liked on the second week.  

 

Ship is beautiful and the staff/crew are wonderful. 

 

Have fun.  Looking  forward to your remarks. 

M

Edited March 30, 2023 by cruisegirl1

[mandyleighflies]

We sail on Grandeur OTS on the same day! Have a great cruise!!! 

[crewsweeper]

24 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Have a great time.  We just returned from 2 weeks  on Wonder and had the dining package the second week.  We concentrated on entertainment the first week and went back to shows we really liked on the second week.  

 

Ship is beautiful and the staff/crew are wonderful. 

 

Have fun.  Looking  forward to your remarks. 

M

@cruisegirl1Realizing tastes may be different.  Your thoughts on the specialty restaurants?  Shows not to miss? 

We're set for ice skating and the Aqua show.  May have to stand in line for adult comedy depending on comedian. Seen Taps and Effectors. Curious on Voices.

[crewsweeper]

19 minutes ago, mandyleighflies said:

We sail on Grandeur OTS on the same day! Have a great cruise!!! 

And you as well! Enjoy Key West.  Blue Heaven for Key lime pie!!  El Siboney or Key West Cuban Coffee Shop ( Good pie there too) for great Cuban sammies.

[Weluv2cruise2gether]

1 minute ago, crewsweeper said:

And you as well! Enjoy Key West.  Blue Heaven for Key lime pie!!  El Siboney or Key West Cuban Coffee Shop ( Good pie there too) for great Cuban sammies.

I second Blue Heaven, food is delicious, especially the banana bread! Have a great cruise. We hope to be on Wonder in December 🤞🏻

[Thisguylikestocruise]

1 hour ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Have a great time.  We just returned from 2 weeks  on Wonder and had the dining package the second week.  We concentrated on entertainment the first week and went back to shows we really liked on the second week.  

 

Ship is beautiful and the staff/crew are wonderful. 

 

Have fun.  Looking  forward to your remarks. 

M

Wonder is awesome. We booked it again within days of returning home. Food, drinks, shows, and staff were excellent. One night they had crispy breaded cauliflower in chili sauce at the windjammer, very tasty. 

[crewsweeper]

Quick Update: 

 

2 Days til cruise.  Luggage still in attic.  LOL.😁

 

 

Gotta work today.  But we're set to complete everything tonight and hit the road tomorrow.

[Cdavis5110]

I’m on this sailing as well! 😬

[crewsweeper]

10 minutes ago, Cdavis5110 said:

I’m on this sailing as well! 😬

Hope your travels are safe and free of the weather systems arouund today and tomorrow.  See you on board.

[crewsweeper]

On the road. Luggage made it out of the attic.

 

[lv2cruisgrl]

We sail her April 23 so let us know how it goes!

[crewsweeper]

Road lunch Burger Fi Gainesville😋

 

 

[crewsweeper]

At Hilton in Ocala. I 75 was a jam south of Gainesville. 35 minutes to go 10 miles.

[kittymamma]

How do you like this Hilton ? We have considered staying there numerous times but never made that choice, assuming you are at the multi story one on the left, going south on I-75

[Ozzie26]

We sailed Wonder 3/19 and were very pleasantly surprised. We expected it to be so very crowded and although it was full we never felt it was crowded. I loved  Voices and the Ice show but not the aqua show. That is just personal preference. We saw Effectors and Taps also and they were both good. We sail again on 4/30 and can’t wait to get back on board. Hope you have a safe and wonderful trip! You will love the crew and the ship. 

[Ozzie26]

Also caught the last parade and was so glad we did. It was so much fun.

[crewsweeper]

23 minutes ago, kittymamma said:

How do you like this Hilton ? We have considered staying there numerous times but never made that choice, assuming you are at the multi story one on the left, going south on I-75

That’s the one. 2nd time here. We like it, except no free breakfast. Rates are good. Rooms are clean. Lobby is nice.

[kittymamma]

Thanks. Will give it a try.

[renza]

What time is your check in? Did you buy dining package? 
Have been on all oasis class multiple times but going on her for the first time next month. 

[Thisguylikestocruise]

23 minutes ago, renza said:

What time is your check in? Did you buy dining package? 
Have been on all oasis class multiple times but going on her for the first time next month. 

It’s an awesome ship. Enjoy!  

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by Thisguylikestocruise

[crewsweeper]

Dinner at Bonefish Ocala. Joking we dined early with the AARP/Villages crowd 😄

Nothing against that as we’re AARP too.

For those wanting to know, Bourbon selection mirrors Royal ships.

But supposedly they have Woodford Reserve . As driver, went with unsweetened tea.😐

38 minutes ago, renza said:

What time is your check in? Did you buy dining package? 
Have been on all oasis class multiple times but going on her for the first time next month. 

We’re 10:30-11.  We have UDP.

Plan on boarding is for DW to hit Next Cruise in case there are specials or additional OBC. This will be for Icon in 2025. I’m set to either hit the UDP kiosk/table if there or one of the specialty restaurants and get our reservations for the week set.  Then brunch at Mason Jar.

But no plan survives first contact 🤔. So might be winging it.

[crewsweeper]

Left Ocala 7:30. Easy traffic except for an exit who thought he could squeeze around me in passing a truck. Almost cut me off.

we were parked in terminal under cover Level 2, and checked in seated waiting by 10:05. No lines but lots of folks beat us here.

 

[Cdavis5110]

I have a 10:30 boarding time too, but just my luck that they are having “unforeseen technical difficulties” and not letting anyone board. Been sitting here 30 min and can’t imagine the jam this is going to cause once they begin.