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If you’d asked me just a year ago what I thought of cruises, my answer would have been a resounding “meh.”
Many misconceptions and stereotypes people who have never cruised before share were firm in my head: Cruises were crowded germ fests with subpar food — and it’s boring and stressful to be trapped at sea. The list went on and on.
Fast-forward to earlier this year when my family of five decided to go on one of the world’s largest cruise ships, Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, during spring break.
Fellow parent friends who had cruised before assured me my family would have the best time ever and that we’d never look back, yet I remained doubtful.
But now that I’m on the other side of our weeklong cruise, I’m happy to report that I was proven wrong — and all of us are eager to sail again.
The crowds didn’t bother me as much as I thought
Considering we were cruising during spring break, our ship certainly wasn’t empty, but it never felt crowded, either.
Wonder of the Seas can hold over 6,000 passengers but is so vast — seriously, it’s hard to describe exactly how enormous this 1,188–foot-long ship is — I never felt like we were packed in.
We didn’t wait in long lines for the buffet or for anything, really. The only thing we ever waited for was elevators, which, according to frequent cruiser friends we made on board, feels par for the course for most ships.
And despite how big and populated the ship was, it was really easy to get some alone time. I liked grabbing a coffee and strolling through the ship’s tree-filled Central Park neighborhood. (Yes, Wonder of the Seas has full-on neighborhoods and trees on board.)
We had access to endless forms of entertainment
I struggle just sitting around and doing nothing, so I was very concerned I’d feel trapped and bored during our days at sea.
Had I known the sheer volume of shows, entertainment, and amenities available at almost all hours, I wouldn’t have worried.
Most nights, we scored reservations through the Royal Caribbean app for the nightly main show. One highlight was the high-flying acrobatics show that I still can’t believe happened on a cruise ship. Our kids, ranging in age from 5 to 12, were all entertained.
Family karaoke was also a hit for us. We all had a blast watching kids belt out everything from Taylor Swift songs to oldies they couldn’t possibly understand the lyrics to.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this cruise ship also has multiple water slides, a full-on carousel, an arcade, a mini-golf course, an ice-skating rink, an escape room, and other activities.
It was great not to worry about what we were going to eat each day
As a parent who just dreads making dinner and figuring out what to cook every night, having constant access to a wide variety of food that would appease everyone was a top highlight of the cruise.
We took advantage of our scheduled dinnertime at the sit-down main dining hall and splurged on meals at premium restaurants, like a hibachi joint where the chef threw shrimp into our mouths and a whimsical eatery where my kids could have cotton candy for dinner.
We had plenty of access to food throughout the trip and especially liked being able to stop for delicious grab-and-go pizza on days when the kids had to be fed, like, 10 minutes ago.
No cooking, no cleaning, and no whining? Count me in.
The kids’ club was a massive perk, too
As befitting the grand scale of this ship, Wonder of the Seas’ kids’ club was far more than just a themed room with a babysitter.
It had a craft and science lab for the bigger kids, an indoor playground for the younger crew, and even a dedicated teen lounge on the pool decks.
Each day, we’d sign all three kids into the club and enjoy a few hours of adult time having cocktails by the pool — a true vacation. My little one loved the kids’ club so much that she begged for more time there whenever we went to pick her up.
I’m a fan of cruises now — and I think the bigger the ship, the better
Ultimately, having so many things taken care of alleviated much of my daily mental load.
The plethora of activities and dining options meant everyone was happy — and I learned that maybe relaxing wasn’t so bad after all.
After this cruising experience, I think the bigger the ship, the better.
