Royal Caribbean International officially launched Wonder of the Seas, the next highly anticipated and innovative ship in the cruise line's award-winning lineup, after three years of construction.

"Taking delivery of Wonder of the Seas is the culmination of 30 months of ingenuity and partnership across more than 2,000 committed crew members and workers who are among the best at what they do," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International.

Built by shipyard partner Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Wonder will make its official debut in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 4, to begin sailing seven-night cruises to the Caribbean before heading to Barcelona, Spain and Rome in May.

"Wonder of the Seas represents a new step forward in the Oasis Class ships. Our teams have worked under difficult conditions but in a very united way to finally make major changes that enhanced the ship performance," said Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l'Atlantique. "Wonder is really an outstanding new ship."

New features
The fifth in Royal Caribbean's revolutionary Oasis class of ships, Wonder, debuts the ultimate combination of new and returning adventures for all ages across thrills, entertainment, dining and nightlife. Highlights onboard include eight unique neighborhoods featuring the new Suite Neighborhood, an interactive, open-air play area for kids – Wonder Playscape – a new restaurant and bar, The Mason Jar, and more.

Its Suite Neighborhood offers 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 kickback. The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar serves up southern staples and new twists on classics for brunch and dinner, including savory johnnycakes, southern fried chicken, crab beignets, and shrimp and grits.

Wonder Playscape is the underwater-themed play area for kids with a whole new adventure with slides, climbing walls, games, an interactive mural, while Caribbean Pool Deck features the trio of high-speed waterslides, The Perfect Storm, kids aqua park Splashaway Bay, Casitas, and in-pool lounges.

The ship also features The Vue Bar, El Loco Fresh, Cantina Fresca, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, The Ultimate Abyss, Adventure Ocean, Social100 and The Patio, the FlowRider, and the Central Park neighborhood lined by more than 20,000 real plants.

Upcoming U.S. and Europe Cruises

Wonder will set sail to the Caribbean from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale between March and April 2022. The seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries include visits to the cruise line's private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Nassau, The Bahamas; Roatan, Honduras; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Starting in May, the new Oasis Class ship charts course for summer vacations in the Mediterranean. The seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises will visit marquee destinations like Naples and Florence, Italy; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and Provence, France.

Meanwhile, near-round adventures on Wonder will begin in November 2022, when the newest addition to the Royal Caribbean lineup cruises to the Caribbean from Port Canaveral. The destinations vacationers have in store range from Perfect Day at CocoCay and Philipsburg, St. Maarten to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, and Cozumel, Mexico.