Random Observations on the Wonder

[PG Cruiser]

Observation:  To open the door to the Diamond Lounge,  you need to keep the card on the sensor for about 5 seconds

[bobroo]

Ahhhh! The door to the Diamond Lounge: it's the secret handshake of the Diamond Club.

Each one is a little different. A special sequence of pushing or pulling. Some kind words. A lot of patience. Each one has it's own special way it likes to be touched. And, maybe exiting is something different???

 

...and then there are the new Diamond double points cruisers <snort>. Struggling, confused between Push and Pull, concierge intervention; there are a lot of them that I don't think will ever get it to be honest. How have they managed to live so long? I dunno....

[12thman]

36 minutes ago, PG Cruiser said:

Observation:  Creaking sounds from the ceiling in stateroom

Oh yes! There's a lot of that and at times it'll wake you from a dead sleep. Bring ear plugs people. 

[PG Cruiser]

1 hour ago, bobroo said:

Ahhhh! The door to the Diamond Lounge: it's the secret handshake of the Diamond Club.

Each one is a little different. A special sequence of pushing or pulling. Some kind words. A lot of patience. Each one has it's own special way it likes to be touched. And, maybe exiting is something different???

 

...and then there are the new Diamond double points cruisers <snort>. Struggling, confused between Push and Pull, concierge intervention; there are a lot of them that I don't think will ever get it to be honest. How have they managed to live so long? I dunno....

I thought at first a slight tap would work, but it didn't.  Initially I thought it was about the occupancy limit, but after being "denied" entry twice on separate occasions, I went to the Loyalty Desk to ask about it.  The ambassador made me a new SeaPass card but it still didn't work.  That's when I discovered the "secret handshake."  

[12thman]

There's a lot of European plus at for level in the bedroom and living room, bring an adaptor if you want more places to plug in at. 

[12thman]

The mattress isn't firm rather a bit soft.

[GatorCruiser]

this boat sounds like a floating shanty, I may cancel my december cruise on her 

[AlmondFarmer]

4 hours ago, PG Cruiser said:

Observation:  Creaking sounds from the ceiling in stateroom

Creaking sounds? Hold my beer, says every part of a Carnival ship 

[PG Cruiser]

4 hours ago, bobroo said:

...and then there are the new Diamond double points cruisers <snort>. Struggling, confused between Push and Pull, concierge intervention; there are a lot of them that I don't think will ever get it to be honest. How have they managed to live so long? I dunno....

Oh we will eventually get it, if only the single point cruisers who were there way ahead of us will be patient with us, double points cruisers, and maybe even show us how.

[bobroo]

2 hours ago, PG Cruiser said:

Oh we will eventually get it, if only the single point cruisers who were there way ahead of us will be patient with us, double points cruisers, and maybe even show us how.

I'll throw out a couple quick tips::

1) Move cappucino/cocktail to non dominate hand.

2) Is there another human being on the other side of said door? Always bad form to open a door into someone.

3) Exiting? You'll need to push a magic button first! 

4) Slow down!!! You've got more time than you realize.

5) Most DL doors are ornate. Some look like the entry to a janitors closet. But they are all big, wide, and heavy! Be careful.

[ptod]

7 hours ago, 12thman said:

 

9 hours ago, PG Cruiser said:

Observation:  Creaking sounds from the ceiling in stateroom

 

7 hours ago, 12thman said:

Oh yes! There's a lot of that and at times it'll wake you from a dead sleep. Bring ear plugs people. 

I was wondering why I hadn't heard the creaking, but then realized that I sleep with ear plugs. 

[ptod]

I have yet to spot "Brad Pitt" on this cruise. Does he really exist? The Royal app needs a "Matt" locator button.

 

On the other hand, I can't seem to get away from Ben & David.  Pass them in the halls, ride elevators with them, have lunch at the next table in El Loco Fresh.....really nice guys, but maybe they are following ME!

[12thman]

FYI: Day 5 is lobster night not Day 6.

[VoidoftheSeas]

On 3/5/2022 at 6:56 AM, PG Cruiser said:

The hangers don’t slide smoothly on the closet rods.  The make a “nails on chalkboard” sound when hanging them

I’m thinking this was a solution to hangers making noises in the closets when the ship was rocking in the middle of the night.

Given that I could hardly sleep on the Odyssey last month because of the rattling hangars, I'm very okay with this feature.

[ptod]

There are mirrors over the hand washing stations in the Windjammer.   Every time I stop to "washy washy before yummy yummy",  there is someone staring back at me with a look that says "should you really be here AGAIN?" 

[12thman]

If you are in Sky class they don't have the L'Occitane products it's some economy size body wash that's smells like it's for men and shampoo and conditioner. Bring your own stuff.

[ptod]

I know what the swag is for tonight in the cheap rooms.  Got ours this morning due to a hiccup in the system.

[12thman]

Just now, ptod said:

I know what the swag is for tonight in the cheap rooms.  Got ours this morning due to a hiccup in the system.

What is it?

[ptod]

6 minutes ago, 12thman said:

What is it?

And ruin the surprise?

 

 

 

 

It is not bigger than a bread box.

[12thman]

More chocolate...I want the inaugural magnet from the FB. Why didn't royal come up with that!?

[ptod]

10 minutes ago, 12thman said:

More chocolate...I want the inaugural magnet from the FB. Why didn't royal come up with that!?

It is not edible.  It is not a magnet either - James, our stateroom attendant, wasn't impressed. James' supervisor is still trying to figure out how a guest knew what the next gift was before the stateroom attendants were told.

 

I am stilll wondering if the Mason Jar mason jar can be exchanged for one filled with moonshine.....

[barbeyg]

1 hour ago, 12thman said:

If you are in Sky class they don't have the L'Occitane products it's some economy size body wash that's smells like it's for men and shampoo and conditioner. Bring your own stuff.

If you are talking about the Malin & Goetz products they changed to, I prefer them.  

[12thman]

Just now, barbeyg said:

If you are talking about the Malin & Goetz products they changed to, I prefer them.  

Okay, but it's not that either. I'll post a picture later. Do they make large economy size products?

Correction: it's Malin & Goetz. 

[ptod]

In case anyone is wondering, there is a clothes line in the shower in my regular balcony room on deck 12.

I saw a comment/question somewhere on the message board and finally remembered to post about it.

[smokeybandit]

Wonder's teen area has a (mocktail) bar and a whirlpool?  Nice.

[SarahLouWho]

Are there any walkthroughs of a GS yet? i haven't been able to find any on YT, but lots of the other suites. I just read this article that seems to indicate they got rid of the dual sinks in the bathroom which would be a huge bummer. 

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/royal-caribbean-suite-neighborhood/amp/

[GKMCruising]

I didn't pay for VOOM, so I'll post my random observations now.

1) Ditto what everyone else said about the creaky ceilings and the sticky doors. 

2) Definitely loved the new closet bars, as previously mentioned as well - not hearing the hangers clacking together all night was a nice change.

3) Be on the lookout for a 7-legged (7-tentacled?) octopus (septapus?) near the golf course.

4) The new elevator screens are great, but sometimes one side freezes, so always double-check to make sure the floor you wanted actually got selected.

5) They really should have went with a different floor / finish for the platform with the giant hat, the number of times we saw staff scrubbing and cleaning scuffs off that floor was insane.

6) I'm sure someone on the next sailing will find at least one or two stowaway ducks with as many people that hid them this week - even as late as 9 or 10 last night we still found one.

7) The smoke smell coming from the casino is terrible, but the Golden Room is completely smoke-free and the perfect place to use up your free $2/$8 credit.

One of the doors leading onto the boardwalk has a bit of a lag, so watch out that you don't run into it (or get hit by it).

9) The new glass-sided hot tubs work like magnifying glasses... but we also realized it gives the lifeguards better visibility from the lower pool deck in the event that someone needed assistance.

10) Someone needs to tell people who design the toddler splash pads that most little kids (0-3) *hate* things that dump water on their heads. Great for the older kids playground, not so much for theirs.

11) Shows were fantastic, even if they weren't 100% complete. As Mike the CD told @PG Cruiserduring the entertainment Q&A, supply chain issues are holding up a lot of the props and things, plus rough seas on the TA meant that the aqua cast lost a lot of practice time.

12) Everyone should go check out the country band and bar up at Mason Jar, even if you don't make it up there for a full meal.

14) The showers (in the regular interior cabins at least) vent way better than before, so if you're planning on using the steam from the shower to get wrinkles out of your clothes you're gonna have to figure out a way to rig the shower door open or some way to hang your clothes inside the shower while it's running without getting them wet.

15) The Mario Kart game in Playmakers was randomly on Free Play at one point, along with all the vintage arcade games in there. When we went back later, it had been turned back to paid mode - don't know if the early setting was an accident or something they do randomly throughout the cruise.

16) The wind blockers on the pool deck are great, until you accidentally walk into them because they're so clean. Felt like a bird in a Windex commercial a couple times.

 

 

[PG Cruiser]

4 hours ago, GKMCruising said:

 

One of the doors leading onto the boardwalk has a bit of a lag, so watch out that you don't run into it (or get hit by it).

 

Almost got hit by those doors.  I wonder why they couldn’t make them both sliding doors.  I can’t seem to remember if they had the same doors on the Harmony, Oasis and Allure.

[GKMCruising]

1 hour ago, PG Cruiser said:

Almost got hit by those doors.  I wonder why they couldn’t make them both sliding doors.  I can’t seem to remember if they had the same doors on the Harmony, Oasis and Allure.

I haven't been on Harmony (yet, sailing her in September), and it's been several years since I've been on Oasis or Allure, but I feel like the doorway setup leading out to the Boardwalk was different on them.

[PG Cruiser]

9 minutes ago, GKMCruising said:

I haven't been on Harmony (yet, sailing her in September), and it's been several years since I've been on Oasis or Allure, but I feel like the doorway setup leading out to the Boardwalk was different on them.

That's what I've been thinking too.   I've been on the Allure in September 2021 and on the Oasis in November.  I don't remember the doors swinging towards me when exiting the boardwalk.

 

[PG Cruiser]

5 hours ago, GKMCruising said:

 

7) The smoke smell coming from the casino is terrible, but the Golden Room is completely smoke-free and the perfect place to use up your free $2/$8 credit.

 

The aft elevator bays on Deck 4 are filled with the smell of cigarette smoke.

[GKMCruising]

17) I'm convinced the thermostat in the room did nothing. Was perpetually cold unless we turned the A/C completely OFF.

[FoxboroCruiser]

If the passengers have lists this long, imagine what the crew has found!

[twangster]

No creaking in my cabin.

Door didn't stick either.  It did require a firm push to close, just like Odyssey and other new ships.

The WiFi access point within the room is a major improvement.  Celebrity started doing on Edge.  Glad to see Royal catch up.

Thermostat worked fine in my cabin.

Smoking in casino is bad.  Couldn't even walk through it.  

All in all for a maiden voyage it was pretty well operated.

 

 

[GKMCruising]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

All in all for a maiden voyage it was pretty well operated

Amen to that. Just like any grand openings, there were bound to be hiccups, but it was super smooth in my opinion.

[AshleyDillo]

New to me was the arcade credit machine. It sounded like from the instructions on the screen that you could use that machine to load arcade money to a SeaPass without charging privileges.

[twangster]

The cabin towels were fluffier.  (pool towels the same)

The beds softer which my back isn't totally fond of.

[GKMCruising]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

The cabin towels were fluffier.  (pool towels the same)

Definitely noticed this too.

18) The mini-golf course is awesome, but one of the holes has a habit of stealing balls. I think there's a blockage or a bad connection on one of the big features.

[Matt]

4 hours ago, twangster said:

The cabin towels were fluffier.  (pool towels the same)

Noticed this as well. Nice touch (see what I did there)

[GKMCruising]

19) Am I the only one who was a little sad to see the end of staggered release after shows? It made it so much easier to catch an elevator afterwards when we were on Ovation back in September.