Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WONDERS NEVER CEASE
Dave Monk explores the world’s biggest cruise ship
More than 500 years after Christopher Columbus sailed into Barcelona following his first voyage to the Americas, another ship has arrived from across the Atlantic – only it’s a tad larger than the explorer’s Santa Maria.
Wonder of the Seas is the latest giant to claim the title of the biggest cruise ship in the world. At 17 decks high and 1,188ft from bow to stern – longer than The Shard is tall – it holds 5,734 passengers based on two per cabin, or nearly 7,000 using every available berth.
This 236,800 gross tonnage Royal Caribbean baby is the youngest of five sisters, following in the wake of Oasis, Allure, Harmony and Symphony of the Seas – each made just a little bigger to ensure it becomes the new record-holder.
Launched in Florida in March, Wonder of the Seas is now sailing a series of voyages in the Med before heading back to the Caribbean for the winter, so I hopped on board to check out the exciting new features.
Most spectacular, the Aquatheater at the stern is hosting an innovative show called intense where an all-woman troupe dive from as high up as 55ft into the deepest pool at sea.
They also dance, do acrobatics and even fly above the audience on wires.
A male performer joined them to give a breathtaking display of slack-lining – flipping back and forth on a rope suspended just above the pool, creating sprays of water as he spun in the air.
Another night in the main theatre I saw a Voices, a beautifully melodic and technically brilliant celebration of human vocal sounds, with no instruments involved.
A new bar called The Vue sits in a sun trap just outside the huge solarium at the front of the ship. And a Southern comfort food restaurant called The Mason Jar proves beyond doubt – if you’ve ever considered it – that you can deep-fry Oreo biscuits in batter and serve them with a bourbon sauce as a dessert.
Top-paying customers now have their own suite ‘neighbourhood’, including an exclusive sun deck. The top-of-the-range Royal Loft Suite has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a blue piano and an outside dining area with whirlpool, while the Ultimate Family Suite – a two-level apartment with a slide from the bedrooms to the living room below - can sleep as many as 10, at a cost of up to £25,000 a week.
At the heart of Wonder of the Seas is a two-deck shopping and dining promenade, with an English pub – the Cask & Clipper – from where I watched a colourful welcome parade involving Vikings, pirates, spice traders and matelots.
On deck 8, Central Park – a green oasis of more than 20,000 plants and trees – is open to the sky thanks to the ‘hollow’ design of the Oasis-class ships. From deck 16, you can glide over a boardwalk far below on a zipline, though the fastest way down is to ride a long, twisting dry slide called the Ultimate Abyss that takes 13 seconds to spit you out close to a traditional wooden carousel.
For food, this supership has a main dining room and eight other complimentary options plus 11 speciality restaurants, including a steakhouse, Italian, American diner and sushi venue. Among the 11 bars is one operated by a couple of robots. If they run out of ice, there’s a huge skating rink on the deck below.
And let’s not forget the water slides, surf machines, laser tag, outdoor movie screen, rock-climbing walls and karaoke bar. Feeling exhausted? Relax in the solarium, in the spa, on a sun lounger or even on your own balcony. Wonder of the Seas is so huge, it is a destination in itself, though it will be stopping at the odd port, too. To properly take it all in, I can only advise that you go and try it yourself. Still, this record breaker should make the most of its time in the limelight. Another sister ship, Utopia of the Seas, is due to join the fleet in 2024. And, yes, it’s bound to be the biggest in the world.
If only Columbus had known what he’d started…
‘‘ It has 20 restaurants, 11 bars and, on deck 8, 20,000 trees and plants!