Royal Caribbean International has released a debut date for its majestic Wonder of the Seas, which will be the world’s largest ship. It will initially set sail on March 4 from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and will be sailed around the Caribbean for a number of cruises before it is taken to Europe in May to spend the summer in the Mediterranean.
“Wonder will shine bright as the world’s newest wonder in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean,” Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley said.
The final steps of the construction process are taking place at a shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, a French city located on that country’s west coast with a long-held reputation for shipbuilding.
After Wonder of the Seas arrives in Florida, it will embark on alternating seven-day itineraries, one week sailing to the east – e.g. the Bahamas and Puerto Rico – and the other heading west – e.g. Honduras and Mexico. Both itineraries will include a stop at CocoCay, a Bahaman island solely used by Royal Caribbean and its passengers. Reservations for these Caribbean journeys may be made now.
Allure of the Seas will take the Wonder of the Seas’ place in the Caribbean once the latter heads to Europe.
After making that cross-Atlantic Ocean journey, Wonder of the Seas will sail on seven-day itineraries throughout the western Mediterranean with departures from Barcelona, Spain, and Rome. Reservations for Wonder of the Seas’ European journeys will be initially possible on Wednesday.
Amongst this ship’s attractions are the Ultimate Abyss slide, the tallest waterslide at sea, Playscape, an interactive area home to other slides and climbing walls, and The Vue, a bar that offers panoramic vistas.
One of the other things that sets Wonder of the Seas apart is it having eight designated neighborhoods. One is its Suite Class Neighborhood, available to suite guests, who will have access to their own bar, private dining experience, the Suite Lounge and a plunge pool.
This announcement is another sign of the resurrection of the cruise ship industry. According to Bayley, half of Royal Caribbean’s fleet is on the water, and he envisions that figure continuing to rise.