Latest news with #WonderoftheSeas
Extra.ie
28-05-2025
- Extra.ie
Set sail this summer with Royal Caribbean on one of the world's largest ships
Here's your last chance to book the holiday of a lifetime for you and your little ones this summer! Royal Caribbean is charting a course for unforgettable adventures across the Bahamas and Caribbean aboard one of the world's largest cruise ships, Wonder of the Seas , and you're invited. The renowned ship offers everything from world-class dining and entertainment, for all members of the family while maintaining luxury for the adults of the group. Here's your last chance to book the holiday of a lifetime for you and your little ones this summer! Pic: Royal Caribbean Running throughout July to September, their upcoming itineraries include 7-night round-trip sailings from Port Canaveral (Orlando, Florida) to the Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean, and Western Caribbean. These routes offer up a range of sun-soaked beaches, cultural exploration, and high-fuelled fun. One of the major highlights of these routes is the stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas. Royal Caribbean is charting a course for unforgettable adventures across the Bahamas and Caribbean aboard one of the world's largest cruise ships, Wonder of the Seas , and you're invited. Pic: Royal Caribbean This exclusive experience features the tallest waterslide in North America, private floating cabanas and overwater bars. Perfect Day allows holiday goers to relax at seven stretches of beach and at the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, with experiences suitable for all ages. Routes that stop at the Caribbean paradise include: Eastern Caribbean and Perfect Day (7-nights) : St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and the Virgin Islands' best beaches : St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and the Virgin Islands' best beaches Western Caribbean and Perfect Day (7-nights) : Stops in Mexico, Honduras, and Cozumel : Stops in Mexico, Honduras, and Cozumel Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise (3-nights): Short getaway ideal for a last-minute holiday Prices start from approx. €410 per person and more details can be found here.
Miami Herald
21-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Video: Royal Caribbean ship needs assist from Wonder of the Seas
Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas arrived in Costa Maya, Mexico around 7:30 a.m. facing high wind gusts and rough seas. The ships was able to come alongside the inner pier facing easterly but it was very rocky so the captain, suspended the disembarkation process. Winds were about 15-18 kts and seas rough at 4'-6'. "The hope and now reality/success that Wonder of the Seas arrived and is now miraculously blocking the swells and wind from the other side of the pier (Our portside) and allow a safe disembarkation process to the pier," said Come Cruise With Me's Dennis Post, who is onboard. Wonder of the Seas is a newer Oasis Class Ship with newer technology for maneuvering and stability with a gross tonnage of 228,000 compared to Enchantment of the Seas at 82,000 gross tons. "Wonder is now providing us with significant protection from the elements making the disembarkation procedure safe and underway," according to Post. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Enchantment of the Seas Costa Maya (0:47) Two mega ships Carnival Jubilee from Texas and Wonder from Port Canaveral along with Enchantment of the Seas all docked in Costa Maya on May 21. Those ships brought over 10,000 passengers to the port, which maxes out with three cruise ships. Wonder of the Seas carries 7,900 plus passengers, while Carnival Jubilee has 5,300 plus and Enchantment of the Seas at 2,400, makes it a tight squeeze for the relatively small port area. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. That's more people than Costa Maya can serve well, according to multiple passengers on Enchantment who made the trip. "No I'm not getting off into that mess," Becky from Tampa shared as she looked at the situation in port. Brandon Green from Lakeland Florida, a passenger of Enchantment of the Seas did manage to make it off the ship. "It was a nightmare getting into the port and once we got in, the shops were overun," he said. Some ports like Nassau and Cozumel are build to handle six ships or more. Costa Maya has docks for three, but it's crowded any time more than one ship is in port. With two mega-ships in port, that's simply more people than the island has capacity to handle. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean makes a huge casino and loyalty program change
All Royal Caribbean cruise ships offer a Casino Royale onboard casino. And regardless of the size of the ship, the spaces are generally divided into a smoking side and a non-smoking side. In reality, however, the entire main casino is a rather smoky environment. It's not uncommon to see someone with a lit cigarette walking through the non-smoking side of the casino, and there's no physical barrier separating the two sides. So, some smoke travels throughout the some of the cruise line's modern (and more recently renovated) ships, there is an entirely separate non-smoking casino. For example, the cruise line replaced the Vintages wine bar on the Royal Promenade aboard Freedom of the Seas with a non-smoking casino space. Royal Caribbean's extremely popular Oasis class and Icon class mega-ships feature non-smoking casinos. On the Oasis class ships, the nonsmoking casinos are located towards the back of deck four. The casino space was purpose-built on Wonder of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas, the two newest ships in the class, and the same locations (which used to be the Jazz on 4 venue) were renovated into casinos on other ships in the to several social media sources (and one cruise line source) and on-site reports, the non-smoking casino space on the cruise line's newest ship in service, Utopia of the Seas, is getting significantly bigger. When the renovations are complete, the non-smoking casino will occupy the existing casino space, as well as the spaces currently occupied by the Attic (comedy theater) and Crown Lounge (for Royal's higher-level loyalty members). As a result of the changes, the Crown Lounge is moving to Deck 16, a move that will likely make Diamond and higher-level members happy, taking some of the space occupied by the teen club. Attic comedy shows will simply move to the Royal Theater. As far as the timeline is concerned, the non-smoking casino will temporarily move into The Attic by May 9, and the full, expanded space will be open in the May 30-June 2 timeframe. And to clarify, the Crown Lounge will not close during the renovation at all. The new location will be ready to open by the time the existing space is needed. The same changes are also reportedly planned for Wonder of the Seas, but are scheduled to take place over the summer, and will be ready before the ship switches from week-long itinerary to 3- and 4-night cruises later this year. We reached out to Royal Caribbean for comment on the changes but had not received a reply as of this writing. To be sure, if you've cruised on Wonder of the Seas or (especially) Utopia of the Seas, it's easy to understand why the expansion is a smart move. On a September 2024 sailing of Utopia that I was on, it was difficult to find any open slot machine in the casino on all three evenings of the cruise. More Royal Caribbean news:It's unclear whether other Oasis-class ships will get the same changes. Utopia and Wonder are the mega-ships scheduled for shorter itineraries where the casino tends to be busier, so it makes sense to start with them. Many cruisers believe that the larger (main) casino should be the non-smoking space, with a smaller smoking room. Virgin Voyages uses a setup like this, so it wouldn't be completely unprecedented. But Royal Caribbean's management has stated numerous times that every time they test going completely non-smoking in the casino, revenue falls. With that in mind, a greatly expanded, completely separate non-smoking casino could be the next best thing. A common complaint is that while there non-smoking casino is nice to have, the small size prevents it from having nearly as much of a selection of gaming machines and tables as the main casino, so this could help alleviate the problem. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
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The Independent
07-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Behind the scenes of $100 million Allure of the Seas cruise ship revamp
One of Royal Caribbean's largest cruise ships, Allure of the Seas, is getting ready to welcome passengers on board in Europe this summer with a major $100 million (£77 million) revamp. At 225,282 gross tonnes, the ship is the seventh largest in the Royal Caribbean fleet and has been what the brand describes as 'newly amplified' in time for the spring and summer season. The Oasis class ship entered dry dock in the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, in February and is receiving a range of new features ahead of its return to service this month. The revamp or 'amplification' has been overseen by experienced cruise consultant Stephen Fryers, whose previous projects include Celebrity Silhouette and Wonder of the Seas. There are 2,300 contractors working on a daily basis across the ship, including electricians, carpenters, painters and plasterers. Royal Caribbean is bringing many of the popular features from its newer ships onto Allure, which was launched in 2010 and is now 15 years old – so due a makeover. It is not just old furniture that has gone and new interiors that have come in. Fryers explains that 28,000 bulbs have also been replaced across staterooms with more energy-efficient LED lighting. Thousands of cracked or worn tiles at Central Park on deck 8 are also being replaced, as is the lawn on the mini golf course on deck 15. Many of the new features are already popular on other Royal Caribbean ships, so will be familiar to regular passengers. Here is what to expect from the newly-amplified Allure of the Seas. New staterooms An extra 111 cabins are being added to Allure of the Seas, giving it a total of 2,859. This includes two new 'Ultimate Panoramic Suites' above Allure's bridge. It may be hard to tell with all the plasterboard on the walls and wires hanging out the ceiling, but these cabins will eventually offer 200-degree ocean views as well as a walk-in wardrobe and living area. New cabins have also been built where the ship's photo gallery and conference centre were previously located. The extra cabins will take the ship's capacity from 5,496 to 5,718. New bars and restaurants Pesky Parrot, a Caribbean cocktail bar made popular on Utopia of the Seas, is coming to Allure. The tiki bar will offer a range of fruit-based cocktails made with rum, tequila and gin, alongside frozen drinks. It replaces the brand's Bionic Bar, where passengers were served drinks by robotic arms. The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar, currently only on Utopia and Wonder of the Seas, is also being built on Allure. It will provide comfort food inspired by the southern US states as well as live country music. Ultimate Abyss A drop slide is a now must-have on many modern ships – and Allure is getting one. Ultimate Abyss, already on Harmony, Symphony and Oasis of the Seas, will give adrenaline seekers a 10-deck drop that twists and turns from the Sports Zone on deck 16 to the Boardwalk on Deck 6. Waterslides The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides, also on Harmony, Symphony and Oasis of the Seas, are now available on Allure. Rather than having to build the mega-slides onboard, they come ready made and were lifted directly onto the ship by crane. The new slides on the pool deck are the Cyclone and Typhoon racing waterslides and the SuperCell champagne bowl. They brighten up the space that previously housed sunbeds. But there are still places to relax with new cabanas and hot tubs being built overlooking the pool and the sea. Allure's kids' club Adventure Ocean has been completely demolished, rebuilt and redecorated with a new larger layout that includes more soft play areas, room for art, science and technology workshops, and a hangout space for teens to play video games and watch films. Allure of the Seas is due to return to service on 11 April when it sails from Barcelona for a four-night cruise. Jay Schneider, chief product innovation officer for Royal Caribbean International, said: 'From the new Icon and Utopia of the Seas to now the more than $100 million transformation of Allure of the Seas, we've upped the ante threefold on the different ways vacationers can get away and make memories with Royal Caribbean. ' Allure will be reimagined with the best of Royal Caribbean and what travellers love. Between new favourites, like the Pesky Parrot tiki bar, and experiences that unlock core memories time and time again, from an incredible pool deck to an unmatched combination of thrills and ways to chill, Allure will have even more of everything that makes it a standout favourite.'
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
Caribbean cruise port could ban popular activity
Roatan is one of the most popular destinations for cruisers on several major cruise lines. Royal Caribbean ships, for example, often dock at Roatan's main cruise port, while Carnival Cruise Line utilizes its private Mahogany Bay port a few miles away. In all, Roatan, which is part of Honduras and is located about 45 miles away from the mainland, has become the most-visited cruise port in all of Central be sure, there is a lot to do in Roatan. There are excellent beaches, many places to shop, and much more. But Roatan is perhaps best known for its animal encounters – particularly when it comes to sloths and monkeys.I cruised on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas in December with my family, and we booked a sloth and monkey interaction tour. And the biggest reason we wanted to do it was because we could hold the animals (well, we didn't exactly hold the monkeys – we were locked in a cage with them, and they climbed all over us). Recently, Honduras' attitude towards Roatan's animal-based attractions has changed. In late January, the nation sent a document to animal owners that aimed to crack down on the 'over manipulation of wildlife' on Roatan Island. This specifically includes 'carrying and holding animals for exhibition and taking photographs.' The guidelines apply to endangered or rare species, including sloths, monkeys, and parrots, all of which are frequently used in Roatan's animal-centered shore excursions. In fact, the tour I took in December prominently featured all three, with opportunities to physically hold or interact with each cruise lines offer excursions that are not likely to be impacted – specifically, those that are simply meant to visit the animals. For example, some tours visit animal sanctuaries but don't advertise the ability to hold any animals. On the other hand, several popular locations on the island, which are generally booked without the involvement of the cruise lines, offer highly interactive experiences – including the one I visited as part of a tour. The tour company I booked through, Discover Roatan, posted on their website on March 1: 'Recent developments in wildlife protection efforts in Honduras that may affect your experience at Roatan's animal parks and sanctuaries. Recently, the government of Honduras, through the Wildlife Department of the National Institute for Forest Conservation and Development, Protected Areas and Wildlife (ICF), has conducted several raids and confiscated various endangered and protected animal species at the mainland's port city of La Ceiba.' More cruise news:The company issued an update on March 5, clarifying that the government or its agencies have not made any final determinations. So, to be perfectly clear, visitors can still interact with wildlife, including sloths and monkeys, for the time being. However, this is a very fluid situation, so if an animal excursion is on your to-do list for your Roatan stop, be sure to keep up with recent developments. Even if the determination is made to shut down physical interactions with animals, Roatan's sloth and monkey tours aren't necessarily going away, they are just becoming more restrictive. For example, instead of actually holding a sloth, you might be able to take a selfie with one that is perched on a nearby branch. And instead of actually being inside a monkey cage where they can climb all over you, cruisers might be restricted to observing them from outside the not completely clear how the rules will be implemented. For example, does a monkey choosing to climb on your arm count as you handling or holding wildlife? But it's likely that significant changes are coming to some of Roatan's most popular tours. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
