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

[crewsweeper]

12 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Did you decide to order hooked lobster?  While  the lobster was fairly small, they bring you two giant claws per person.   And obviously, everyone is different, we were not thrilled with wonderland. 
 

BTW. we were also onboard 3/19 

 

m

DW wants that on Saturday. Plus CBC steak and lobster lunch.

[OCSC Mike]

3 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

DW wants that on Saturday. Plus CBC steak and lobster lunch.

 

Enjoy the Beach Club lunch! FWIW, I really liked the coconut crusted lobster sandwich there. Steak was also excellent last May.

[crewsweeper]

Day 5 St Thomas.

Water Island scrubbed. Walked off ship into significant wind. Got 1/2 way to marina, saw the rough water in the harbor, turned around and went back to ship. 
The closed the outside decks 15 and up. Some excursions cancelled on dock.

Must have had a Med Emergency last night. Ambulance showed up on pier at 7:30A.

[crewsweeper]

Update:Day 4.

Tap Factory was really good. Better than the version on the Odyssey last year.

[BecciBoo]

On 4/5/2023 at 8:14 AM, jmh2006 said:

I follow one of the new ice cast members on YouTube, named Jordan.  Would love to actually see her in person but I am not on Wonder till 2025 so probably not gonna happen. 😞

Was hoping to meet Jordan this Sept on Wonder, but we switched it to Icon Sept. '25...Now I am betting she is going to ICON for her next contract...so hoping I get to meet her there.  She's great.

Edited April 6, 2023 by BecciBoo

[crewsweeper]

Almost forgetting about Central Park’s wonderful gardens.

[crewsweeper]

The 3 people in blue and grey are the horticulture team. Kudos to them for keeping great care.

[mjmiller]

Hi! Thanks so much for this great info!  I'm looking forward to our Wonder cruise in Dec, seems like forever...

 

One question - I've seen on Compasses from WotS, the only places to get lunch at a "normal" lunch time (noon-1pm) on PORT days are the buffet, Park Cafe, Cafe Promenade or pizza.  Johnny Rockets, Playmakers, Loco Fresh and even the Dog House don't open until 2 or even 3 pm. Is this true? We usually cruise Carnival, where all the casual restaurants open at noon, so it seems odd for the free alternative places to open up so late - I can't have lunch at 2 or 2:30 and be hungry for dinner at 5:30-6pm. And no, we won't change dinner time to late - we enjoy all the evening entertainment. And we just don't like eating late! 😂

 

Thanks again! Love the food porn and good info.

[OCSC Mike]

5 minutes ago, mjmiller said:

Is this true?

 

This is pretty standard on Oasis-class. Also, Johnny Rockets and Playmakers are not free.

 

FWIW, between WJ and Park Cafe, you will have a lot of food options.

Edited April 6, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[LindyWebb]

1 minute ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

This is pretty standard on Oasis-class. Also, Johnny Rockets and Playmakers are not free.

Is Johnny Rockets ever free for any meal?  I have read conflicting messages about this.

[Denversail]

1 minute ago, LindyWebb said:

Is Johnny Rockets ever free for any meal?  I have read conflicting messages about this.

Breakfast at Johnny Rockets was free when I was last on Symphony.

[OCSC Mike]

1 minute ago, LindyWebb said:

Is Johnny Rockets ever free for any meal?  I have read conflicting messages about this.

 

Breakfast, I think. I haven't stepped foot in Johnny Rockets in forever, sorry. As someone who is not ashamed of how much I enjoy eating on cruises, largely at free venues, if you have any other questions, fire away.

[mjmiller]

11 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

This is pretty standard on Oasis-class. Also, Johnny Rockets and Playmakers are not free.

 

FWIW, between WJ and Park Cafe, you will have a lot of food options.

Oh, yeah, of course. We have UDP, so I didn't think about those being extra. 😂 

 

And we have cruised Royal a couple times (and other lines many times) - I don't like buffets, and well... The Cafes have sandwiches, salads, soup.  Blah. I get that in my own home. That was one of my biggest gripes about Allure - lack of lunch variety.  

 

[OCSC Mike]

19 minutes ago, mjmiller said:

That was one of my biggest gripes about Allure - lack of lunch variety.  

 

Wonder shouldn't be all that different, sorry. To each his/her own.

 

I have simple tastes and enjoy buffets. I don't carve roast beef or make paninis at home so I enjoy Park Cafe for lunch. It's a step up from throwing store bought lunch meat on bread to me.

 

All that said, big fan of Playmakers as well. Even when cruising frugally, I'll happily pay $9 for their burger and garlic parm fries. It's the only thing anywhere on the ship I actually find to be underpriced, lol.

[mjmiller]

23 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

To each his/her own.

 

I have simple tastes and enjoy buffets. I don't carve roast beef or make paninis at home so I enjoy Park Cafe for lunch. It's a step up from throwing store bought lunch meat on bread to me.

 

Absolutely.  And I appreciate your comments - not being snide, as so many CCers are.

 

Hubby likes buffets, and Windjammer is definitely a step up from Carnival's buffet. However, I make numerous from-scratch soups, I have a big salad at home every other day, and don't eat much bread/wrap.  That's why I'm not enthused about the Cafes.  But I'm sure I'll find many great items to enjoy!  Heck - I'm not cooking or cleaning - it's all good. I'll nibble lunch at Windjammers and save my appetite for the UDP dinners - it's an absolute splurge for us!

 

I just don't understand "lunch" options not being open at lunchtime. Yes, many people are onshore, but I'm sure there are a lot of people on the ship at lunchtime as well. It seems odd to me.  I'm sure RCCL has their reasons - probably staffing and/or $$.

 

THANKS! 

Edited April 6, 2023 by mjmiller

[Fun2snorkel]

Breakfast was free on the Wonder. They did have a very small section on the breakfast menu that would cost extra. I don’t remember which items or how much though. 😊

[crewsweeper]

@OCSC Mike

El Loco Fresh pics.

 

[BecciBoo]

1 hour ago, mjmiller said:

I get that in my own home.

Not trying to be snide, but it beats having to make them myself.LOL I too wish more would open on port days though.  We ate at El Loco Fresh on Port days.  Not TexMex but ok for tacos and nachos.  Looking forward to eating at Sabors on Allure in Sept.

[OCSC Mike]

2 minutes ago, mjmiller said:

Absolutely.  And I appreciate your comments - not being snide, as so many CCers are.

 

I didn't take your comments in any negative way and totally know what you mean.

 

Enjoy your UDP splurge! Mason Jar looks very appealing to me despite reading mixed reviews. We have a similar restaurant created by celebrity chef Art Smith here at Disney that we love (not sure where you live in FL).

 

Our Wonder cruise in June is a splurge (at least for my generous FIL who has gotten our family of 8 side-by-side GS's after he did the same thing last summer for the 1st time for his 50th anniversary, our 20th, and wife's sister's 15th). When he saw Wonder had an entire suite neighborhood he booked this one shortly after we got back.

 

Most of the family prefers to eat in CK (which I have no issues with, it's definitely better than the MDR IMO) so I'll be making side trips to WJ, Loco Fresh, Park Cafe, etc. on my own unless my wife or niece feel like tagging along. Everyone actually seems to enjoy a quicker, casual lunch most days but I definitely eat more than 3X a day while cruising, lol. As an example, last family cruise my morning routine was to grab my cappuccino from the suite lounge and what I call the Park Cafe McMuffin (or a bagel) in the early AM before meeting the family for breakfast #2 in CK.

[crewsweeper]

The one and only Flowrider😳

 

[OCSC Mike]

2 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

El Loco Fresh pics.

 

Awesome, thanks! I'd eat the entire menu, so asking for others... is that a plain quesadilla I see?

 

And out of curiosity, what are the dessert-looking items in cups. Flan?

[BecciBoo]

3 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

cappuccino from the suite lounge and what I call the Park Cafe McMuffin (or a bagel) in the early AM before meeting the family for breakfast #2 in CK.

First breakfast, second breakfast, levensies, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, supper.... ah the life of a Hobbit!.

[OCSC Mike]

4 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

Looking forward to eating at Sabors on Allure in Sept.

 

We loved Sabor on Harmony last June! Even our family members who don't eat Mexican enjoyed certain items.

[OCSC Mike]

1 minute ago, BecciBoo said:

First breakfast, second breakfast, levensies, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, supper.... ah the life of a Hobbit!.

 

Good thing I'm 5'10" and skinny so I can handle the 10+ lbs. I gain on a 7-night cruise. 🙈

[cruisegirl1]

4 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

The 3 people in blue and grey are the horticulture team. Kudos to them for keeping great care.

Watch the compass/app.  The horticulture officer offered an informative walking tour of central park, on one the sea days. 

M