Symphony of the Seas vs Wonder of the Seas: A Magnificent Cruise Comparison
Introduction
If you’re thinking of comparing Symphony of the Seas vs Wonder of the Seas for your upcoming cruise holiday, this is an important article to read. These two cruise ships come from the family of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class of ships which are setting records and attracting passengers of all age groups with its bigger and better ships.
These sister ships are not exactly same but have some minor differences between the two ships; some are negligible, while others could influence your choice of which to cruise on.
Whether you’re looking for roomy areas to unwind in, an array of dining options, or thrilling events to participate in, our thorough analysis of Symphony of the Seas vs Wonder of the Seas will assist you in selecting the ideal cruise.
A little bit of History
Royal Caribbean launched the Symphony of the Seas ship in 2018, which was the fourth ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet of Oasis Class of ships.This was the largest ship in the fleet at the time in terms of gross tonnage, but had a slightly lower maximum capacity than Oasis, Allure, and Harmony of the Seas.
As the fifth Oasis class ship, launched in 2022, Wonder of the Seas dethroned Symphony of the Seas as the title of “Largest cruise ship in the world.”
Ship Size Comparison
It was primarily a marketing move, but Wonder of the Seas is marginally larger than Symphony of the Seas. Through this transformation, Wonder becomes the world’s largest cruise ship, garnering additional attention for Royal Caribbean.
This is how they compete with respect their sizes.
| Symphony of the Seas | Wonder of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 1,118 feet | 1,188 feet |
| Width | 215.5 feet | 215.5 feet |
| Tonnage | 228,081 | 236,857 |
| Number of Passengers | 5,518 | 5,734 |
| Number of Crew Members | 2,200 | 2,204 |
Wonder of the Seas, with its gross tonnage and maximum passenger capacity boasts as the larger ship. It carries 5,734 passengers at its maximum capacity and by adding 2,204 crew members it can carry nearly 8,000 people at once.
Therefore, when Symphony of the Seas vs Wonder of the Seas cruise ships are compared in terms of their sizes, Wonder of the Seas is the obvious winner.
Availability of Suite Varieties
The accommodations offered by Wonder of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas, particularly the suites that they offer are one of their biggest differences.
In terms of regular staterooms, the choices are very similar between the two ships. These standard steterooms include,
- an Ocean View stateroom
- an Interior stateroom
- a Balcony stateroom
- a Stateroom with Virtual Balcony, which is an interior stateroom equipped with a computer display that projects live images from outside the ship from floor to ceiling.
| Suite Type | Wonder of the Seas | Symphony of the Seas |
|---|---|---|
| Crown Loft Suite | YES | YES |
| AquaTheater Suite – 1 Bed | YES | YES |
| AquaTheater Suite – 2 Bed | YES | YES |
| Owner’s Suite | YES | YES |
| Grand Suite – 1 Bed | YES | YES |
| Grand Suite – 2 Bed | No | YES |
| Junior Suite | YES | YES |
| Royal Loft Suite | YES | YES |
| Villa Suite | No | YES |
| Ultimate Family Suite | YES | YES |
| Star Loft Suite | No | YES |
However, Symphony of the Seas offers a greater variety and a larger number of suites. While Wonder of the Seas only offers 174 suites with 8 categories, Symphony of the Seas boasts 188 suites altogether across 11 categories.
So, when Symphony of the Seas vs Wonder of the Seas cruise ships are compared in terms of the choices of the cabins available, Symphony of the Seas is the clear winner.
Dining Options
There are just slight differences among the dining options aboard Wonder of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas. Both ships have identical complimentary dining venues.
You may enjoy each of these restaurants while cruising on either ship:
- Coastal Kitchen
- Windjammer Cafe (buffet)
- Solarium Bistro (breakfast and lunch)
- Main Dining Room
- Park Cafe
- Cafe Promenade
- Sorrento’s Pizzeria
- Dog House food truck on sea
- El Loco Fresh
- Vitality Cafe
- Room service
When it is regarding specialty dining restaurants, the Wonder of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas have an equal number of choices, however they are not identical.
| Restaurant | Wonder of the Seas | Symphony of the Seas |
|---|---|---|
| Vintages Wine Bar | NO | YES |
| Solarium Bistro (dinner) | NO | YES |
| Playmakers | YES | YES |
| Johnny Rockets | YES | YES |
| Starbucks | YES | YES |
| Chef’s Table | YES | NO |
| Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar | YES | NO |
| The Mason Jar | YES | NO |
| Chops Grille | YES | YES |
| Jamie’s Italian | NO | YES |
| Wonderland | YES | YES |
| Izumi | YES | YES |
| Hooked Seafood | YES | YES |
| 150 Central Park | YES | YES |
Wonder of the Seas’ restaurants that you won’t find on Symphony are:
- Chef’s Table -offers a private dining experience with a five-course wine pairing menu.
- Giovanni’s Italian is a family-style Italian restaurant serving delicious Tuscany cuisine.
- The Mason Jar is a Southern restaurant offering Bayou favorites.
Restaurants on Symphony of the Seas, but not Wonder, include
- Jamie’s Italian, owned by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, which serves rustic Italian cuisine.
- Vintages Wine Bar serves superb wines and modest bites.
- Solarium Bistro offers a nutritious supper menu.
So, when dining options are compared between Symphony of the Seas vs Wonder of the Seas, the two cruise ships are similar. It’s difficult to distinguish between the ships here because they all have the same amount of venues; it’s simply a matter of which specialty restaurants you opt for.
Bar & Lounge Options
Most of the bars and lounges available on Wonder and Symphony of the Seas are identical, just like the restaurants. There are just a few aspects that differ.
Each ship features 14 bars or lounges in total, 13 of which are accessible to all guests. As the name implies, the Suite Lounge is only available to visitors staying in suites.
Here is a complete list of bars and lounges:
| Bar/Lounge | Wonder of the Seas | Symphony of the Seas |
|---|---|---|
| English Pub | YES | YES |
| Vue Bar | YES | NO |
| Wipe Out Bar | YES | YES |
| Cantina Fresca | YES | NO |
| Vintages | NO | YES |
| Dazzles | NO | YES |
| Pool Bar & Sand Bar | NO | YES |
| The Lime and Coconut | YES | NO |
| Boleros | YES | YES |
| Diamond Club | YES | YES |
| Rising Tide Bar | YES | YES |
| Solarium Bar | YES | YES |
| Suite Lounge | YES | YES |
| Bionic Bar | YES | YES |
| Schooners Bar | YES | YES |
| Trellis Bar | YES | YES |
| Playmakers Bar & Arcade | YES | YES |
The Wonder of the Seas has the following bars, but Symphony does not:
- Cantina Fresca is a bar next to El Loco Fresh that serves robust Mexican beverages, including superb margaritas.
- The Lime and Coconut, a Caribbean-inspired bar with live music and DJs, a party atmosphere, and some of the greatest drinks on the ship,including the signature Lime & Coconut
- The Vue Bar, located at the top of the ship, provides stunning panoramic views. At night, the mosaic canopy transforms into a brilliant web of coloring.
The bars on Symphony of the Seas but not on Wonder include:
- Dazzles is a multi-level music venue with stunning views of the seafront. It offers classic drinks, swing bags, and rock cover performers.
- The Pool Bar & Sand Bar, which serve the pool deck with roaming waiters as guests rest on their loungers.
- Vintages offers a diverse selection of reds and whites from renowned wineries, with skilled bartenders offering suggestions.
Again, you can’t separate the ships into the Bar and Lounge segments; both have an unbelievable variety of places to unwind with a drink, so it’s all down to personal taste between the venues on each ship.
Spas and Swimming Pools
Nothing is like relaxing alongside a pool with a drink in hand, feeling the sea breeze pass by. The challenge is that with thousands of passengers aboard a ship, there isn’t always ample space.
If you want to spend seven days alongside a pool, a cruise isn’t for you. You would be far better off finding a resort with a large pool complex. But its perfectly fine that you take a dip in the pool for refreshing yourself on a hot day.
The Symphony of the Seas has four pools and ten hot tubs. Tired of loud children and splashing? One of the pools and two hot tubs are for adults only.
The Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas features more pools than Symphony of the Seas, but fewer hot tubs. The Wonder of the Seas also offers additional exclusive pools and hot tubs. For those who don’t mind spending for exclusive access to locations with less crowds. This may be a better option.
| Particulars | Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas |
|---|---|---|
| Total Hot Tubs | 10 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 8 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
| Total Pools | 4 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 1 |
These numerical differences illustrate the variety of pool and hot tub options available on each ship, giving visitors a wide range of choices for their ideal holiday, whether it’s a lively family affair or a relaxing adult-only escape.
Entertainment Options
Wonder of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas provide exceptional entertainment onboard. There are at least 70 things to do on each ship, so even if you accomplished ten of them every day, you would struggle to complete everything in a week.
Considering water parks and slides, the ships are nearly identical. Both include Splashaway Bay as a splash park for kids who are younger, as well as the same water slides,
- Typhoon
- Cyclone
- The Perfect Storm
- Supercell
- The Ultimate Abyss (the dry slide)
The ships provide many live entertainment choices, but these can vary, so it’s wise to verify what’s on offer on each ship before a booking, especially if live performances are essential to your cruise selection.
Both contain the AquaTheater, which features fantastic diving displays. Wonder of the Seas offers unique experiences such as the Music Hall, an exclusive location for look-alike live performances and cover bands performing popular songs.
The Wonder Playscape is an underwater-themed play area for all ages, with climbing walls, games, riddles, and an interactive marine monster mural.
Aside from the many live events, Symphony of the Seas does not provide many unique entertainment offerings. There is, however, a live orchestra in the main theatre, which is appropriate given the name.
Every concert is accompanied with a live performance, with no recorded tracks.
It’s quite close, but Wonder of the Seas has a few of extra elements that Symphony does not, yet it’s worth checking out the live concerts since you might like what Symphony has on offer.
So, when Symphony of the Seas vs Wonder of the Seas cruise ships are compared in terms of the entertainment offerings available, Wonder of the Seas wins in this category.
Activities to do
There are many things to do on both ships. It is what has made the Oasis Class so popular among cruisers, yet there are some significant differences between them.
Wonder of the Seas has Wonder Playscape, an underwater-themed climbing playground for youngsters. Children may enjoy slides, climbing nets, and activities. The Wonder Playscape is linked to the Wonder Dunes mini-golf course.
Wonder Playscape takes up space that would have been occupied by a Flowrider, hence Symphony has two Flowriders and Wonder has just one. Symphony of the Seas offers an exclusive escape room game.
Destinations to Explore
The ships are also difficult to differentiate based on their destinations, as the itineraries of the Wonder of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas are very similar. There is one tiny difference: whereas Wonder of the Seas sails completely in the Caribbean, Symphony of the Seas includes Bahamas itineraries in addition to Caribbean sailings.
Both ships provide itineraries featuring Royal Caribbean’s exclusive resorts in Labadee and CocoCay.
The second major distinction is the home port. Symphony of the Seas starts its journey from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Cape Liberty however Wonder of the Seas departs from Orlando.
Once again, there is no ship that is clearly superior here. The Bahamas and Caribbean provide comparable experiences, so it truly depends on the ports you want to visit and where you want to cruise from.
Price Comparison (Symphony of the Seas vs Wonder of the Seas)
An important distinction between Wonder and Symphony is the pricing. Symphony is typically priced lower than Wonder since it is older. Royal Caribbean often charges a higher price on newer ships.
So, when Symphony of the Seas vs Wonder of the Seas cruise ships are compared in terms of the price, Symphony of the Seas wins.
Final Verdict
- Despite the fact that the Wonder of the Seas is slightly larger in size, there is nothing that differentiates these sisters.
- Wonder has significantly more to do on board, but Symphony of the Seas still boasts an astonishing number of activities.
- Symphony also offers somewhat more suite accommodation choices, but if you are not reserving a suite, this will make little difference to you.
- These sisters provide an amazing cruise experience, and there is little to differentiate between them; you will have an incredible vacation regardless of which one you select.