97hrs on Worlds Largest Cruise Ship in First Class

Today I’m getting onboard the worlds largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas. Operated by Royal Caribbean, I’ll be exploring every aspect of the experience from one of the very best first class suites onboard, to the various dining and the incredible activities you can enjoy. Ice skating, to broadway shows, to taking a zip line across the ship..it’s all possible!

As usual, I paid in full for this experience as a regular guest. Royal Carribean had no idea I was coming, so I can offer a honest and non bias account of the experience. I explain fully in the video, and whilst we had a brilliant time there were some drawbacks, and areas for improvement especially at this price point.

0:00 - Intro
2:48 - Suite tour
6:10 - Wonderland
12:48 - Pools
17:20 - Dinner
22:08 - Central Park
26:25 - Cost

[Trektrendy]

Thanks for watching. I'm thinking of booking the new Icon of the seas next year, which will (in 2024) be the new worlds largest ship. Would you like to see this video on the channel?

[UnwaryThunder]

$20, 000+ for a theme park on the sea and still having to pay extra for food and drinks? Absolute madness. I’d much rather sail on the Queen Mary 2 than the Wonder of the Seas.

[walover]

I think this might be the first video of yours I've watched where I've been completely aghast at the price. Normally I get sticker shock from your videos, but the luxury and food and drink balances it out. But the sheer amount of extra money needed on this ship is insane. At that price point everything should be included. But this is why I enjoy your videos - you're super honest about how bad that experience is.

[aeomisso]

The costing on this trip is insane. No barista coffee, extra tipping required and the pricing on the food and drinks is wild! Love the videos as always ❤

[johngraves]

Thanks for saving me $22000 dollars. I'm very empathic, you see. That was really fun and a very efficient way to experience 4 days in a floating, high-end shopping mall. How easy it is to overlook all the logistics you surely must employ to film everything properly, including the camera drone. Thanks to you and your lovely companion.

For 22K, I could visit many awesome destinations in Europe for 2 to 3 months or on a budget, 4 months. (single occupancy, of course) Much more sensible and far less insulated from reality. I prefer "roughing it." Lol.

[Skittl]

I'm shocked that suite didn't come with a drinks package or at least some dining package. That's insanity.

[TheWilbz]

10%-20% tip on top of mandatory 18% when you've paid £20k to be there. What on earth.

As always, stellar video Will

[kade]

I watched this video a couple of weeks ago and was really appalled at the cost, number of passengers, and inflated extra meal costs. I see from the comments I wasn't alone.
While it is nice to have a large suite, at $22, 000 for 96 hours its quite ridiculous. The huge disadvantage of that suite is the staircase. Given 50% of cruise passengers are over 50 having to use stairs is not as simple and has potential for accidents.
It was good that you took one for the team by trying the restaurants where you have to pay extra, however at $22, 000 both the food and drinks should be included.
There is a compulsory gratuity of 18%; to suggest an additional tip of 10-20% is outrageous.

[eddienoodles]

Me and my family have also went on The Wonder of The Seas and we went with 8 people including me. The cost was about 7k+ because we didn’t get first class, but for the 7 days we spent there we barley did anything since everywhere was filled. Numerous things that were actually fun required you to be 18+, so my younger siblings just ate and go to their rooms. The water park had extremely salty water, which peeled my skin and caused multiple scars. The food was pretty good, but the only place you’d get food for free would only be the buffet, hot dog stand, a pizza place, and a Mexican grill. Me and my siblings would only go to the card room and play ping pong for free time, while my parents would go gamble at the casino. Even though we went to the Bahamas and the other islands everything including an Uber - for a tour around the island -, and getting access to the water park on the islands would cost an excessive amount of money, and the places that were free would always be overcrowded. I was even more dissatisfied that everything that included food would had be bought in packages, which added more payment into our experience. Overall, was it worth it? Ofc not, but for experience? Probably not, but I wouldn’t go on it again. 4/10.

[lkhall]

For twenty thousand, you’d think it would be all inclusive, seems way to expensive, very nice vid though, cool to see the largest ship

[EmmaCruises]

Emma cruises approved indeed! 🤣🍪

It’s so fun for me to watch this video, we took basically the same cruise but in the opposite way. My total onboard spend came to $50, I bought the soda package and stayed in a ‘inside’ balcony cabin. 😀🥳

I always look at those speciality restaurant and suites so it’s so good to see inside. 🤣🤣

[BrennenL]

Dude, I have never been on a cruise, and my peers & family are always going on cruises. This ship, being the current largest in the world, is a large exception for a cruise example... but what a video to immerse viewers to show what it's like to be on a cruise! I can't imagine families with multiple children, trying to eat & entertain each day, after paying for the cruise alone. Very, very fascinating.

[gidgitvonlarue]

My mother and step father did the Nordic ocean liner - said it was just pure luxury and perfect and didn't have to pay ANY extra for anything on board. Pick your cruises wisely people!

[serasotasadie]

There are a lot of travel youtubers out there, but something about your soothing voice, calm demeanor, thorough explanations, inside jokes and honest reviews, make yours ever so much more watchable! (Also Millie!) I LOVE seeing the menus for each place whenever possible, and what you ate! (My fave part, won't lie!) Thanks for posting, it is very entertaining and great to watch!

[catherinewright]

I will never be able to afford £18000 for 97 hours on a boat, so thank you for the experience hahahah
I’d still be getting titanic vibes on a ship this big. I’d be worried that 7000 people would never fit on the lifeboats, but it’s a very fancy, fun and beautiful ship! But for £185 an hour, it should be world class. And all the food should be complimentary. Having to pay for soft drinks is actually offensive considering the price you paid.

[Table_]

For all the people expressing concern for all the additional add ons, I, having recently been on a Royal Caribbean cruise can confirm that you can still have a great cruise without spending any extra money. We payed $1800 for our interior room and spent $30 on the soda package. We ate dinner every night with the rest of our family in the main dining room, which had way better food then you'll get on a run of the mill resturant on land. Breakfast and lunch were eaten in the windjammer buffet or the free pizza joint. As for entertainment, we went to all the shows and did all the free activities and talked with family. Was on of the best vacations i've ever had and we spent a grand total of $3000 for the entire trip including flights.

[rickbase]

I've done my share of cruising....all on Norwegian. It was eye popping that the Suite was so expensive. For almost 20K I would think you could get more space. I've stayed in the Honeymoon and Penthouse suites and both were considerably less in cost albeit over ten years ago. The Norwegian Garden Villas (only 2 on the ship) are 27K but over 5000 sqft and multiple rooms. The Suite in this video is not big and the appearance of greater volume is made with the additional floor main bedroom. The Norwegian penthouse suite is more volumous and the bathroom is quite large with floor to ceiling window in the full shower. Overall I get a sense that these bigger ships and the extreme packing in of 7K souls is indicative of corporate greed mentality where you get nickel and dimed at every opportunity. Sheesh....even the Penthouse suite on Norwegian had full drink card included. My cruising days are over for sure and I'm also a USN veteran so I've had my fill of herding onboard ships of any kind.

[elliottstride]

My wife and I sailed Wonder in a junior suite (a slightly larger balcony cabin without most suite neighbohood perks) for our honeymoon and I think a trick has been missed here with not prebooking, you can skip so much of the upsell. A 3 night speciality dinning package even paying a supplement for the Hibachi effectively organises a buy 2 get 3 deal. Same with drinks the drink package was much cheaper booked before the journey coming to about 80 pounds a day, everyday we got our moneys worth especially since cocktails are allowed in the solarium hot tubs.

For things not covered here (we couldn't do everything over a week in the Mediterranean so this trip couldn't do everything if it tried) I'd recommend boozy brunch at the Mason jar (southern soul food restraunt) and the aforementioned Solarium an adult only pool complex with a hot tub extending off the edge of the ship.

[MarkLee-]

Your conclusion pretty much matched my own feelings on why the premium experience didn't entirely deliver. I would have expected more at that price point and certainly made to feel a tad more special than usual. Now im going back to rewatch your Virgin cruise again! Thanks for your efforts in showing us warts and not just this video, but all the ones you do have been super useful in allowing me to make better decisions on my next travel plans. Thanks again!!!!

[jcbrooksie]

Praying extra for food and then having to pay an additional 10-20% over the mandated 18%???? That's insane based on what you've already paid!