LIVE from Wonder of the Seas Transatlantic April 2022

[bobmacliberty]

1 hour ago, laurieal said:

That’s interesting, thanks for sharing! I was sure they were the Alice in Wonderland pills. 

 

I think you are (both) correct.  The blue and red pills in The Matrix are a reference to the original Alice in Wonderland idea.  As are the lyrics in Jefferson Airplanes' song White Rabbit..."One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small".

[laurieal]

I think I remember someone asking if there are kids around. I don’t have exact numbers, and I’ve been some kids, but really not that many. I hung out in the Playscape area yesterday and saw a couple of kids at most. It’s currently sunny and the kid’s splash area is empty. 

[laurieal]

I started my day filled with confidence in my Diamond coffee making abilities. And it was a successful attempt! I took my coffee to Central Park where I had some pre-brunch fruits from

the Park Café and some sunshine. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, I had a stroll around deck 16 to investigate the accessibility of that deck. From pictures, it looked like there were stairs to go down to the Abyss and Wipeout Bar and I didn’t know if there was a way for me to get down there. There is! There’s a ramp next to the flow rider that goes down to where the Abyss is. I also noticed a family bathroom next to the Wipeout bar. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is another ramp in the Playscape area that will get you down to the lower play area and to the Windjammer on deck 15. The ramps are a bit steep, so some people may need some help getting up. 

 

 

 

The MDR was serving chicken and waffles for lunch, so I got there right as they were opening so it would count as brunch. The chicken was fine, better than the one I had on night one, and the waffle was a good, regular waffle. The mozzarella sticks I got as an appetizer were amazing and I would happily go back to the MDR for lunch to get those. I asked for a fun brunch cocktail and got a Tequila Sunrise, which I thought was appropriate for early in the day. 

 

 

 

After brunch, I went back to deck 16 to enjoy the sun. It was a lovely day, warm but not too hot and not too windy. At 2pm, we had our first time change and suddenly it was 3pm. I stayed on deck 16 until it was time for Friends trivia in the Schooner Bar. I did ok, but not ok enough to get a prize. 

 

 

After that, I went to Boleros with a friend to listen to the country trio who was playing under the cowboy hat. I had a Painkiller, which was very good. 
 

 

 

There was “Empire Trivia” in Spotlight Karaoke, which ended up being Star Wars trivia. It wasn’t very well attended compared to Friends trivia and I’m not sure if it was because everyone was getting ready for formal night or if “Empire Trivia” was a bit too vague. We did terrible (I love Star Wars, but I don’t know anyone’s name), but it was good fun. 

 

 

After that, it was dinner time. We decided to skip formal night and go to the Windjammer. It’s probably my favourite Windjammer I’ve ever been in. It’s so large and the views are terrific! Here’s a look at the selection on that night. The theme was Caribbean. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing was really catching my eye, but I had a piece of salmon that was very good. From our table, we had a very good view of the Boardwalk and Playmaker’s, and we started talking about that campfire cookie they have on the menu. I’ll let you guess what happened next. 

 

 

Yup. It was cookie time. Between the five of us, we shared two and there was still some leftovers. It was delicious, but very large and very filling. We thought it was very good value for the price. I had an espresso martini because I thought a caffeine kick would go nicely with the upcoming sugar rush. It did. 

 

After our cookies, we took a spin on the carousel. It has a ramp to help get you on if you have mobility issues and there’s a swan that I could roll into and feel like I was riding an animal like everyone else. I named him Philip and he’s a sweetheart. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a reservation for the adult comedy show in the Attic to finish the day. I asked the bartender for a nice surprise and he made me something that tasted like a mojito and a spritz had a baby. It was very delicious and refreshing. The show itself was hilarious, especially Simeon Kirkles. I highly recommend seeing him if you get the chance. 

 

 

 

After that, it was time for bed. Overall a very good sea day. 

[RicoRoxy]

Thanks for posting the drink package deal!  This is quite helpful in planning for my upcoming cruise.  Good to know the onboard BOGO 1/2 off still exists...at least on Day One. 

Edited April 23, 2022 by RicoRoxy

[Sea Dog]

Great review and great pics! I love that you are giving an accessible point of view. It will be very helpful to others. I don’t have too many Cat pics since Kylar doesn’t like to have his picture taken but here he is in a smack down with Charlie our puppy.

 

[FionaMG]

15 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Great review and great pics!

 

And great sound effects! 

[Margarita Jane]

17 hours ago, chawkjewel said:

Not always true. We were on the Harmony WB transatlantic in 2016. I worked the whole trip and never had any issues. 

I don’t think I wrote “always true”, but it does happen. Recently, November, 2021, we were on the Regal Princess TA and lost internet for several days. The Sky Princess was a couple days behind us doing a TA, and they lost their internet also. People who were trying to work were very upset. This is not just a Princess phenomenon. @Jim_Iainis currently on the Celebrity Silhouette doing a b3b and a live review on the Celebrity boards. He commented on intermittent connectivity on the TA portion of his cruise. Maybe dependent on ships route or weather or satellite positioning…I don’t know. But it sometimes happens.
 

I am thoroughly enjoying @lauriealreview and especially her perspective about accessibility issues. I hope she continues to have a great cruise and no issues - internet or otherwise.

[laurieal]

6 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Great review and great pics! I love that you are giving an accessible point of view. It will be very helpful to others. I don’t have too many Cat pics since Kylar doesn’t like to have his picture taken but here he is in a smack down with Charlie our puppy.

 

Is that a Disney World yeti?

 

Charlie looks so excited about the whole thing 😂 but yes, but sniffing is more of a “ask first” activity. 
 

Thanks for sharing!

[laurieal]

The internet has been very good so far. I’ve been mostly using it to write this review and communicate with friends using Messenger. Sometimes I’ll get an error message trying to like posts on here and sometimes the picture upload will fail, but usually refreshing the page does the trick.

 

I haven’t tried streaming anything yet, but I’ll have a go tonight and let you know how it goes. 

[StanleyandGus]

9 hours ago, laurieal said:

If you have good one on one banter with strangers or are good at conversation, I’m sure it would be a very fun solo experience. I’m kind of awkward with strangers, especially if there’s a theatre-like element to the interaction. I would still have enjoyed my meal solo, but I know I would have spent most of the time trying to avoid eye contact with the Mad Hatter. 
 

We had a chat with him after the meal while he wasn’t in character and it was absolutely lovely. Much more comfortable for me. 

I always find it easier to listen than to talk, and I am somewhat quiet, so even when I speak, sometimes people don’t hear. 
 

I’m you had a lovely evening!

[StanleyandGus]

8 minutes ago, StanleyandGus said:

I always find it easier to listen than to talk, and I am somewhat quiet, so even when I speak, sometimes people don’t hear. 
 

I’m you had a lovely evening!

That was supposed to say I’m glad you had a lovely evening!

[laurieal]

Day 4 Compass

 

 

 

 

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, laurieal said:

Is that a Disney World yeti?

 

Charlie looks so excited about the whole thing 😂 but yes, but sniffing is more of a “ask first” activity. 
 

Thanks for sharing!

It was a yeti squeaky dog toy.

 

Yes Charlie likes to push Kylar’s button.

[djyellowsub]

Love, love, love your picture on the carousel.  One time on the Harmony, while waiting for the ice skating show to begin, the man next to me leaned over and whispered, "I am 85 and just rode the Abyss.  My wife is 84 and just did the zip line."  I replied  back to him, "I am 64 and my daughter is 29.  We just rode the carousel."  He proudly stated, "We are going to try that too."  He was a delight, we all really enjoyed the ice skating show.

[laurieal]

Hello from the ocean (but more specifically, deck 16 over the Vue bar)

 

Breakfast this morning was at Johnny Rockets. Weather was lovely, so I got an outside table and enjoyed my expertly made macchiato from the Diamond Lounge. I am getting so good at this Diamond thing! For breakfast, I got the French toast with bacon. It was very tasty. 
 

 

 

It was so lovely outside that I headed up to deck 16 to find a spot where I could do my best impression of a lizard. I found a seat on deck 16 next to Hooked and over the Vue Bar. I stayed there for a while enjoying the sun, the views, and my book. 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was getting a bit too hot, I returned to my cabin where a surprise was waiting for me. Apparently someone has been paying attention to my review and I can 100% confirm that no snacks were stolen. In fact, snacks were added! Although those could be Crown and Anchor snacks, but they were much appreciated all the same. 

 

 

 

I’m honestly tickled pink and I wish I had payed more attention to English grammar in school. But hey, the pictures are upright so it’s fine, right?

 

Feeling pretty happy, I went to deck 15 and met up with some friends to watch the ice carving demonstration, which was incredibly impressing. I also learned that there is a chainsaw on board and…I don’t know…I feel like that’s a horror movie waiting to happen? Apparently there are more ice blocks on the ship, so I’ll be keeping an eye out hoping to see more ice sculptures. Maybe in my stateroom instead of a towel doggo? Can we make that happen? 

 

 

Once that was over, we went to lunch at Park Café for some very delicious kümmelweck sandwiches. My first one ended up on the floor, and in all the excitement I forgot to take pictures. I think the Park Café is the only place on the ship where you can get bags of chips, and that alone makes it worth a visit in my opinion. And if you need more convincing, the chocolate chip cookies were soft and gooey and delicious. A+ lunch, will eat again. 

 

 

 

 

 

After that, I went to the Schooner Bar for The Office trivia and a lavender martini. The martini was very sour and tasty, but my trivia performance was very poor. I need to watch the later seasons of The Office again at some point before I sail with RCI again. 

 

 

 

 

 

Eager to drown my trivia sorrows in alcohol, I went up to The Vue bar for a strawberry daiquiri and more sunshine. That new venue has stunning views and a fun, laid back vibe. I’m sure it will also be a great spot for people watching when in port. Oh, and it has hooks for your bags and USB plugs at the bar!

 

 

 

 

 

I was meeting my friends for dinner at the Windjammer for TexMex night. Looks like all the sunshine from the day had an effect on my brain, because I completely dropped the ball on pictures. They had cheesy pasta that was very good and cheesy, and the nachos were alright. 

 

Anyone else gets buffet anxiety? Everything my friends brought back looked good, but once it was my time to pick I just went from station to station like a zombie. 

 

If you have mobility issues, you will very easily find help in the Windjammer. Everyone is very eager to help, even if it means walking around stations with your plate to fill it for you. After my kümmelweck on the ground incident, I got over my desire to do everything myself and got some help with my churros. Churros on the ground would have made me too sad. 

 

After dinner we had some cocktails at the Mason Jar where the country trio was playing. The chocolate martini and the band were on point, but the early evening crowd didn’t seem as into the music as the late night one from a previous night. Still, a very fun venue worth visiting. 

 

 

I had some time to kill before my ice show reservation, so I decided to check out The Broken Link game show in the theatre. In other ships, I’ve seen some backseat covers for the chairs that are for people with mobility issues or their companions, but they don’t have those on this ship. Unfortunately, it means those chairs fill up very quickly by people who may not have mobility issues. 

 

 

The ice show was fantastic. Probably my favourite ice show I’ve ever seen. It has some very high energy segments, but also some quieter ones and I think most people will find something they enjoy in it. If I have the opportunity to see it again, I definitely will. Oh, and for those tracking vouchers, I got a rum punch. 
 

 

 

It was getting late, and nothing hits the spot like late night Sorrento’s, so that’s what we did. It ended up being a very late night of just talking about all sorts of random things with another cruiser. 

 

 

Edited April 24, 2022 by laurieal

[laurieal]

I forgot to post my question of the day, yesterday so I’m asking two today:

 

What is everyone’s favourite breakfast spot on the Oasis class?

 

What is your #1 thing you must do on every cruise and that makes you go “aaaw yes I’m on a cruise”?

 

Cat update:

 

Looks like this princess is enjoying springtime in Quebec City. And with me not being there to disturb her naps with scritches, this must also feel like a vacation for her. 

 

 

[laurieal]

23 hours ago, djyellowsub said:

Love, love, love your picture on the carousel.  One time on the Harmony, while waiting for the ice skating show to begin, the man next to me leaned over and whispered, "I am 85 and just rode the Abyss.  My wife is 84 and just did the zip line."  I replied  back to him, "I am 64 and my daughter is 29.  We just rode the carousel."  He proudly stated, "We are going to try that too."  He was a delight, we all really enjoyed the ice skating show.

That is so sweet. I love how there’s a thing for kids of all ages on those big ships. 

[laurieal]

Day 5 Compass 

 

 

 

 

[Semi Retired]

Was hesitant to follow your journey because we had to cancel last minute due to hubby getting a mystery health issue. He is immune compromised and in an electric chair. But now glad I am because it helps feel like we are there. Thank you.

We also had 2 sailing/ship shifts to get on the Wonder. Happy Sails to you🌊🙂

[shopaholic6]

Your cat is absolutely gorgeous 🐈😍😍 loving your review - you have a brilliant writing style! I wish I could write like you! 🌞🌞🌞

[cruiselover04]

On 4/21/2022 at 10:27 AM, laurieal said:

Thanks to everyone who shared their transatlantic and transpacific crossings experiences. It was a pleasure to read while I was having my breakfast this morning. 
 

Never hesitate to hijack my thread with cat pictures. It’s my first time leaving mine for so long and I miss all her little sounds. Hopefully I won’t get too much cattitude when I come back. 
 

She doesn’t look like she’s missing me too much. 
 

Now for the question of the day. What is everyone’s favourite cocktail on RCI? I tend to stick to the menus, but I would like to branch out and try some new things. I’ll drink anything that doesn’t have bananas in it. Bananas should be ashamed of themselves. 

Fellow Canadian here. Just got off the Wonder as you were getting on. It’s going to be fun following along with you on the cruise. 
I discovered two new cocktails to me on the cruise- Aperol Spritz & an Amaretto Sour. 
If you haven’t already discovered the table/desk in your cabin will move. So if you wanted room service it could be moved over to the sofa if that would be more comfortable for you. 
Safe travels! 
Jenni 

[h20cruzer]

On 4/21/2022 at 7:27 AM, laurieal said:

Thanks to everyone who shared their transatlantic and transpacific crossings experiences. It was a pleasure to read while I was having my breakfast this morning. 
 

Never hesitate to hijack my thread with cat pictures. It’s my first time leaving mine for so long and I miss all her little sounds. Hopefully I won’t get too much cattitude when I come back. 
 

She doesn’t look like she’s missing me too much. 
 

Now for the question of the day. What is everyone’s favourite cocktail on RCI? I tend to stick to the menus, but I would like to branch out and try some new things. I’ll drink anything that doesn’t have bananas in it. Bananas should be ashamed of themselves. 

I love a lemon drop martini, mudslide, or a B52.

Norma

[h20cruzer]

Really enjoying your review. Love all the pictures. It’s a lot of work to do a review, I have done several and loved it, my biggest issue was fighting to get my pictures posted.

Norma

[perfect match]

I was looking at the pictures of your surprise snacks in your cabin, and it was apparent that your cruise director is impressed with your review! The note on the bottle said it was your cruise director Mike. I believe that Mike S is still on Wonder, and it doesn’t surprise me at all that he would do something like that. We met him on Symphony before the pandemic and both DH and I were very impressed with him. 
 

I tried to quote just the picture from your post, but I couldn’t get it to work. It was all or nothing and I didn’t want to quote the whole long post, so I gave up and didn’t quote anything. Go back and look at your of the bottle with the bow on it.  Oh, and don’t ask me to spell Mike’s lengthy last name. I’d fail miserably!

[Semi Retired]

2 minutes ago, perfect match said:

I was looking at the pictures of your surprise snacks in your cabin, and it was apparent that your cruise director is impressed with your review! The note on the bottle said it was your cruise director Mike. I believe that Mike S is still on Wonder, and it doesn’t surprise me at all that he would do something like that. We met him on Symphony before the pandemic and both DH and I were very impressed with him. 
 

I tried to quote just the picture from your post, but I couldn’t get it to work. It was all or nothing and I didn’t want to quote the whole long post, so I gave up and didn’t quote anything. Go back and look at your of the bottle with the bow on it.  Oh, and don’t ask me to spell Mike’s lengthy last name. I’d fail miserably!

Mike was on Odyssey before this. He is Canadian.