Wonderland on Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas

When you review the menu for Wonderland on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, you may be a little freaked out or scared, but I am telling you that a meal at Wonderland is worth it, especially if you have children, especially picky ones. Our experience at Wonderland wasn’t just a meal, it was a culinary adventure and if you like to taste new things, you will love it. If you want to see the cocktail I ordered to start the meal, visit the Yumness.Eats Instagram page for the reel with the Cheshire Cat Cosmo. I also later sipped on a blue margarita that tasted like Palmolive, so I quickly swapped it for a glass of wine and let my uncle suffer through it.

Our server brought us a variety of appetizers from the menu and that totaled six different and interesting dishes, and we tried each and every one. They were divided up into five elements: Sun, Ice, Fire, Earth, and Sea. I have ranked my most favorite to my least favorite, starting with 1. Mad Hatter’s Purple Potted Shrimp (I think) from Fire because the dipping sauce had a kick. It wasn’t purple, so I may be incorrect, but this was the only shrimp appetizer listed on the menu. Anyway, it had a great crunch and the shrimp were huge. The dipping sauce reminded me of a spicy aioli and it added another flavor aspect that I enjoyed.

1. Mad Hatter’s Purple Potted Shrimp (Fire)

Ranked next was 2. Reconstructed Caprese from Sun. I enjoyed this because when you create one all-encompassing bite, it tastes exactly like caprese with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. The large red object in the middle was tomato and so were the smaller green and tan globules. My bite included mozzarella, green glob, and the oil splashed on the side, and it all worked.

2. Reconstructed Caprese (Sun)

Up next is 3. Liquid Lobster from Sea. After enjoying a bowl of lobster bisque the day before, this was reminiscent of that. The dish is only one bite and includes lobster, caviar, and broth. If you like lobster bisque, like I do, you will like this, but unlike lobster bisque, you don’t have a whole bowl of it, you only have one bite. You will need to savor it.

3. Liquid Lobster (Sea)

The next up was 4. Crispy Crab Cones from Ice. These cones were made of wonton and were stuffed with wasabi, crab, and avocado mousse. The wasabi was at the bottom, so my first bite was great because I went in from the top, but my second bite was awful because it was just cone and wasabi. Fortunately, others at our table ate the whole cone correctly and had a more pleasurable experience. It reminded me of the crunchy sushi rolls that I normally order, but that wasabi was a killer.

4. Crispy Crab Cones (Ice)

Now, I am going to get to the two dishes that I did not enjoy but ate anyway. So, 5. Tomato Water from Sun is exactly what it sounds like. The top had a bread foam that ended up kind of just mixing in with the water. If you like to eat raw tomatoes, this one would be for you. If you do not, like me, then it is two seconds of your life that you can say you spent eating a liquified tomato. Moving on.

5. Tomato Water (Sun)

Finally, we get to my least favorite 6. Citrus Seas Shhhh from Ice. My husband and uncle loved it and said it was, “Awesome.” For me, it was a scoop of floral snow and caviar on top of spicy tuna poke. It was freezing and the citrus and flower taste wasn’t my favorite. I preferred others over this one and didn’t love the temperature of the spoonful of icy tuna.

6. Citrus Seas Shhhh (Ice)

While the adults were enjoying the interesting appetizers, the kids had their own smaller adventure. My daughter and my son received their appetizers and they were both the Mad Hatter’s Crispy Mac & Cheese Fries. The mac and cheese was shaped into a fry and then deep-fried until crispy. They loved them and my daughter won’t even eat mac and cheese with “sand” (AKA breadcrumbs) on it. That was a win.

Mad Hatter’s Crazy Mac & Cheese Fries

My son loved his King of Hearts Royal Wonderland Burger because it came on a stick. It had all the ingredients of a cheeseburger but the cheese was a little more fancy than my son is used to, so he didn’t love the cheese but enjoyed the rest of it and tried his best to eat it together. He even tasted the palette of dipping sauces.

King of Hearts Royal Wonderland Burger

My daughter ordered the March Hare’s Corn Chicken and it was a basket of crunchy little popcorn chicken bites. She ate a few of them but then said she was full. She even tried the fries on the side, but I think they were yuca or something similar so she didn’t eat them.

March Hare’s Corn Chicken

My uncle and aunt ordered The Chicken and the Egg from Earth for their entrees. It looked great. I like when chicken has a sauce, so it was probably delicious.

The Chicken and the Egg (Earth)

My mother and I ordered the Rib T Luscious Short Rib from Earth for our entrees and it was tender and tasty. The sweet potato puree (the orange one) on the side was great with it too.

The Rib T Luscious Short Rib (Earth)

The desserts were up next and my dessert video can be viewed on the Yumness.Eats Instagram. It was The World and it was chocolate and peanut butter decadence. My daughter ordered a fun dessert called the Jabber Wocky’s Golden Egg, and it included Oreo mousse on a brownie surrounded by pink cotton candy. She obviously didn’t finish it but got through a bunch of the cotton candy and half of the brownie.

Jabber Wocky’s Golden Egg

We were served another interesting dessert called the Mystical Mushroom Garden. It was a collection of mousse, sorbet, and meringue. Hard meringues are kind of useless unless you have to form a shape like a mushroom, but the rest of it was good. The mango sorbet was refreshing and the pistachio white chocolate mousse hiding under the red mushroom shell was creamy.

Mystical Mushroom Garden

For Wonderland on Wonder of the Seas, I give the whole experience a 10/10 because it was a memorable family journey through culinary delights. I can’t wait to experience all of this again on our next cruise but I do hope to try a few of the other items on the menu that we missed out on like Wonton Soup or Baby Vegetables in the Garden which probably do not even closely resemble what their name depicts. So fun!

Wonderland, Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean

Chops on Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas

We embarked on our voyage on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, currently the fleet’s largest ship, and decided on a reservation at the signature steakhouse Chops. Our server’s name was Tony and he treated us like VIPs. He started our service with a bread basket that included onion rolls and pretzel rolls. Of course, I went for the pretzel roll because I can never pass up a soft pretzel no matter the shape or form it comes in. Is it still a pretzel if it is not twisted?

Pretzel Roll

As we were enjoying our rolls and deciding what we would eat for appetizer and dinner, we perused the wine list and decided we would each order a different glass of red wine from the extensive wine list. I cannot remember the kind I ordered but my dad enjoyed his glasses of Kendall Jackson because Tony came around and refilled our glasses when they were running low.

Red Wine

I started my meal with the Lobster Bisque. I was told it would be fishier than my usual bisque, but I didn’t find it fishy and that was good because I do not love when the fish taste overpowers any spices or ingredients of the dish.

The kids made sure they ordered a side of Macaroni and Cheese and the adults also ordered a side dish of it to try. We weren’t blown away by the side, but it was a nice alternative to the asparagus and steak.

Macaroni and Cheese

For my entree, I ordered the Prime Bone-In Ribeye in Medium Rare. It was delicious. I was also given a vinegar-based sauce and a peppercorn sauce, but the steak didn’t need anything. The flavor and the consistency were perfect. With the bone in, it was a tastier steak and I gave TK a large chunk of it so I could also try his New York Strip.

Prime Bone-In Ribeye

TK’s New York Strip in Medium Rare was also very good. It was cooked to perfection and was very flavorful. There was some fat in the cut, but he really enjoyed the whole steak. We both agreed that the Ribeye was the better choice. Sometimes, I do make great choices.

Prime New York Strip

For dessert, I ordered The Truffle so TK could try it. I was so full from eating the bread, soup, steak, and sides that I could not fit a dessert. The ingredients were Frangelico, Stoli Vodka, and espresso. It was a smooth cocktail, but I like my Espresso Martinis a little creamier.

The Truffle

My daughter ordered the Warm Chocolate Cake and generously allowed me to taste it. She’s pretty particular about her chocolate so I must have allowed her to do something she was thankful for that day. It was a sweet and spongy cake, but it was warm, and paired with the ice cream, it was great.

Warm Chocolate Cake

My aunt ordered the Key Lime Pie and it was a mile high. That meringue was tall and it looked delicious, but I am not the biggest fan of Key Lime anything, including pie. She enjoyed it though and ate her way through that fluffy meringue.

Key Lime Meringue Pie

TK ordered the New York Cheesecake for his dessert and then Tony ended up bringing me one too. I ended up eating just the top, but it was pretty good. I love anything with whipped cream.

New York Cheesecake

TK also ordered a Haute & Steamy which included Absolute Vanilla Vodka, Creme de Cacao, dark coffee, whipped cream, and a caramel drizzle on top. He liked his dessert drink but said that he liked mine better, again.

Haute & Steamy

The next time we sail on a Royal Caribbean ship, we will definitely make a reservation at whatever version of Chops there is because the signature steakhouse is a great choice for dinner. We even tried to eat lunch at Chops during our cruise, but it was all booked.

Chops, Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean

Breakfast in the Main Dining Room of Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas

After waking up on the first full at-sea day on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, we decided to get breakfast in the Main Dining Room (MDR) where meals are included with our cruise fare. The MDR serves breakfast and dinner, but lunch is served sporadically, I believe. We never ate lunch there, so I am unaware if it is even served. Let me know in the comments if you’ve had lunch in the MDR on Royal Caribbean’s ships.

For breakfast, you have to wait for a table, so my uncle and aunt arrived first and secured our table for eight while TK and I got our morning lattes at Cafe Promenade. We had lattes every single morning because they were included in our Deluxe Beverage Package and at home, we drink tea and coffee together on the weekends. Since we bought the drink package, I started my breakfast with a mimosa with fresh-squeezed orange juice. At both breakfasts that we enjoyed in the Main Dining Room, I started my days with mimosas, actually … because, why not?

Mimosa

For my meal, I ordered the Eggs Benedict. This is a treat because we’ve never ventured to make poached eggs at home and restaurants now include more elaborate versions on their menus that include ingredients like lobster or avocado. I like the classic. It is buttery and just the right amount of messy with nothing messing with the creamy hollandaise or the salty ham.

Eggs Benedict on a plate with a roasted tomato
Eggs Benedict

My daughter loves her chocolate covered with chocolate sandwiched between chocolate, so she was enamored by her Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes. They even drizzled chocolate over these two pillows of sweetness. The hashbrown actually looks a little jealous in the corner because it has zero chocolate. If you have a chocolate lover who can eat the treat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, you may want to take them to the Main Dining Room for breakfast.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes and a Hashbrown

We enjoyed our breakfasts in the MDR and the wait staff was excellent. Even before our entrees came, they offered us pastries and bread, and they brought my daughter chocolate-frosted donuts to bring back to the room for later. It was lovely.

Main Dining Room, Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean

Giovanni’s on Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas

On our last night cruising on Wonder of the Seas, we had dinner at Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant. It is situated in the Central Park region of this Royal Caribbean ship and it is my favorite neighborhood. I love that the tables are inside and outside, and there are trees and plants throughout. It is peaceful, yet active, like the real Central Park in New York City. And, it’s great for grabbing a drink and a snack, and people-watching.

Our server first brought over a plate of garlic knots with marinara dipping sauce. They were chewy and light, and my daughter even ate a few bites. There were plenty for everyone.

Garlic Knots

I ordered a glass of Prosecco to start my meal and it was perfect–plenty of bubbles and just a little bit of sweetness.

Prosecco

The server also brought appetizers that we did not order like the Cheese & Cured Meat Board. It included mozzarella, prosciutto, mortadella, breadsticks, olives, and an Italian bleu cheese. I enjoyed the mozzarella and meat but hated the bleu cheese and didn’t even try the olives. My dad made me try the bleu cheese with a fig jam and it was better but still not good. I don’t like stinky or bitter cheese, so if you like that, then you may like this.

Cheese & Cured Meat Board

The server also brought over some Stromboli with salami and cheese. It was very good and not as greasy as it looks. It had a little smokiness that I liked.

Stromboli

My mother ordered the Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo. She let me taste it and it was good and like most pasta alfredo. I liked that the chicken wasn’t mixed in so you could achieve two separate flavors on the plate.

Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

My dad ordered the Chicken Parmesan but with Pasta Puttanesca on the side instead of spaghetti. They served that type of pasta with salmon but my family doesn’t eat salmon, except in sushi, so my dad wanted the pasta without. He liked it but wasn’t amazed.

Chicken Parmesan with Pasta Puttanesca

For my entree, I ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara and it was great. It was the perfect portion size for me after eating appetizers. It was creamy and could taste the egg. I loved it and had never had real Carbonara before. I did not eat that bacon hat that came with it and looking back on it now, I regret it.

Spaghetti Carbonara

We also received a small glass of Limoncello after our entrees and before dessert. It was included with our meal and it was basically the same size that you receive in Epcot for $11.

Limoncello

The dessert followed and the server placed Go Bananas in front of us. It was like a warm hazelnut and banana stromboli. It was pretty good because I can’t resist anything with Nutella.

Go Bananas

My husband ordered the Cannolis and did not like them. Being that we are from New York, we have high standards for cannoli. We even had a Mets cannoli groom’s cake at our wedding. Cannoli isn’t really my thing, but my husband knows it pretty well.

Cannoli

On our next cruise, we will probably enjoy the wine bar at Giovanni’s with some apps and wine, because those were yummy, but Royal Caribbean has better restaurants for a full dinner.

Giovanni’s Table, Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean

Playmakers on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas

So, Royal Caribbean has their own version of Applebee’s and it is called Playmakers and we decided to have lunch there one afternoon. It is located in the Boardwalk district of Wonder of the Seas right next to the carousel.

Even though it was more of a beer vibe, I had a glass of Pineapple Sangria to start my meal and it was so refreshing and had a hint of sweetness.

Pineapple Sangria

For a starter, we got Chicken Tenders which came with fries. The dish was only $4 and can be a full meal if you aren’t too hungry. That’s a pretty sweet bargain if you do not have a dining package.

Chicken Tenders

We also ordered the Crispy Onion Ring Tower and it was very tall. The rings weren’t that smooth but they were pretty crispy, so they were true to their name. This dish was $6.

Crispy Onion Ring Tower

Next up were the Pile On Nachos and they were peppered with peppers. My uncle really likes spicy food, so I left the jalapenos for him to eat. There was also a ton of cilantro on there, so I really just had a chip and tried my best to steer clear of the rest. These were also $6.

Pile On Nachos

On another night, we popped in for dessert because I had heard about the Touchdown Sundae with the souvenir helmet. This sundae was $12 and four of us got to work with our spoons. There were five scoops of ice cream, caramel, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, chocolate sticks, cookie sticks, and sprinkles. We enjoyed it and had a mini helmet to take with us at the end.

Touchdown Sundae

If you need a quick and inexpensive bite or drink, Playmakers is a good spot to grab a table inside or out. You won’t be getting anything gourmet, but you will fill your belly.

Playmakers, Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean

Dinner at Hooked on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas

Since we had already eaten lunch at Hooked, we decided to have dinner there too but eat some different menu items. For instance, I went all out. I ordered a whole lobster, so I had the cracker and the bib, and I took photos of myself with my crustacean friend, as one does.

Anyway, one of my family members ordered the Messy Fish Sandwich and it was pretty messy. The fish was crunchy, but the cole slaw spilled out the sides. The fries were also crunchy and salty.

Messy Fish Sandwich

And, like I said, I ordered the Whole Lobster. I broke it apart with my hands so I could start with the claws and then pull the meat out of the tail. I am sorry, but I did not eat any part of the head. I know people who do eat the head, but for me, the green gook scares me away. I had my bib on and my drawn butter, so I was all set to dig in. I loved it all and didn’t mind getting a little messy.

Whole Lobster

By the time dinner was over, we probably ate all of the items on Hooked’s menu. The restaurant was so clean and bright, the table we had was huge, and the servers were kind, so it was a very enjoyable experience, twice.

For a quick view of other menu items, you can pop over to the Yumness YouTube channel to watch the Hooked short.

Hooked, Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean

Lunch at Hooked on Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas

With the deluxe dining package, it is rather easy to make a reservation for dinner but lunch is an anomaly. Royal Caribbean staff on Wonder of the Seas said that they could make dinner reservations for me, but did not have access to lunch. Then, we asked a server how busy lunch is at the specialty restaurants. He responded that we could walk right up and get a table. So, we tried that at Hooked and they refused us at first. TK had to speak to the manager because we saw numerous tables that were empty and it made no sense as to why we couldn’t sit down for lunch. After some discussion, they finally let us sit down and throughout the meal, I still saw the same empty tables. I guess they wanted those who didn’t buy the dining package to pay the extra reservation fee.

After that debacle, we sat down at an enormous table and the server was super nice. We started with dishes of bread and they were a more buttery and crunchier version of Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits.

Bread Dish

Several of us started with Drunken Mussels. TK ordered the white with wine and garlic sauce, but it needed a small loaf of soft bread to sop up all of the sauce.

Drunken Mussels (White)

Dad ordered the Drunken Mussels with marinara sauce and it needed some spaghetti. Both the white and the red were both delicious and brought back memories of my childhood when I first started eating mussels as a kindergartner.

Drunken Mussels (Red)

After tasting everyone’s mussels, I started my meal with the Clam and Crab Chowder. It was creamy and I enjoyed the chunks of lump crab and clams.

Clam and Crab Chowder

My lunch was the Maine Lobster Roll. It was cool and full of lobster, but the hero roll was a little too big, so I had to rip a few pieces off. Usually, I worry about everything falling out of the little hot dog bun that the lobster salad is served in, but this kept everything together and I had to slightly improvise.

Maine Lobster Roll

At the end of the meal, Addie received the Decadent Chocolate Brownie and she enjoyed it because, duh, it was chocolate. She also enjoyed the vanilla ice cream on the side. The little white peaks were like little chalk kisses, so they were not edible.

Decadent Chocolate Brownie

Dad completed his meal with the Cherry Pie and cherry is his favorite flavor of pie. He

Cherry Pie

Mom had the Coconut Cream Pie and it was creamy and flaky.

Coconut Cream Pie

We were glad to have lunch at Hooked and we were pretty stuffed. It was nice having seafood for lunch, but we had dinner coming up on another day also.

Hooked, Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean

Mason Jar on Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas

We live in the South now, so we don’t seek out Southern cuisine because we can get it at home. For instance, we absolutely love Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ in Disney Springs. We were hoping the Mason Jar on Wonder of the Seas would be reminiscent of that. TK was excited to try some of their Bourbon cocktails.

I started with the Mississippi Moonlight which was made with blackberry moonshine, soda, muddled berries, and mint. I thought it was sweet and refreshing, and my only gripe was that I kept sucking muddled fruit up the straw. I had several of these while on the cruise because we returned to the lounge to listen to a live country band called the Country Crew Trio and enjoyed the rocking chairs. It was an ideal chill spot.

Mississippi Moonlight

TK enjoyed a Pretty as a Peach Tea to start his dinner and even though it was pretty, he did not love it. He drinks Manhattans and other Bourbon-based drinks, so he tries whatever sounds good and includes whiskey.

Pretty as a Peach Tea

Aunt Rosie ordered the PB&J Old Fashioned because she thought that the mini sandwiches were adorable. We were surprised that she finished it because it was strong. TK also ordered one later on and said it was underwhelming because he wanted it to be a little sweeter, and said it may have been better to swap the real jelly for Chambord so that he would get more of a PB&J taste instead of a strong cocktail with a sandwich garnish.

PB&J Old Fashioned

For my appetizer, I was really excited to try the Crab Beignets. The beignets were warm and pillowy and had a little sprinkling of Old Bay, so you won’t confuse them for dessert. The crab dip was pretty mellow and I got a hint of crab, but mostly it was thick cream. I love Old Bay, so I was happy.

Crab Beignets

We also ordered the Smoky Deviled Eggs because we love this dish. They were cool and creamy, but I could definitely taste the smokiness of the peppers and paprika. Even though we enjoyed them, this dish wasn’t ranked up high with others we’ve had, unfortunately.

Smoky Deviled Eggs

Aunt Rosie ordered the Blueberry Johnnycakes as her appetizer. I tasted it and thought separately, they were good, but seemed like an odd pairing. She wasn’t thrilled with them. I thought that maybe a corncake or corn muffin might have paired a little better.

Blueberry Johnnycakes

Dad ordered the Lobster and Crawfish Gumbo, as he always does. He enjoyed it and it was done rather quickly. We don’t love seeing the crawfish eyeballs, but that’s what you get whenever you order crawfish no matter where you go.

Lobster and Crawfish Gumbo

Jax ordered the Lil Southern Burger with Sweet Potato Fries. He enjoyed it, but on the menu it said it would be “stacked high,” but you can see that’s not the case. However, he liked it all and gobbled it up.

Kids Lil Southern Burger

My entree was Shrimp N Grits and I order this as much as I can when it is available. I really liked my meal because the shrimp were cooked well, it included bacon, and there were plenty of cheesy grits. I will repeat … there’s bacon.

Shrimp N’ Grits

Mom ordered the Meat N Two Fixins and her choices were Meemaw’s Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Collared Greens. I know she didn’t finish it because it was a lot of food for her, but I didn’t hear any complaints until she told us she was so full.

Meat N’ Two Fixins with Meemaws Fried Chicken

Upon completion of our meals, I couldn’t pass up on the Gone Bananas! It included light and airy vanilla pudding speckled with roasted bananas and topped with whipped cream and crunchy toffee pieces. I loved it because it wasn’t heavy and was sweet enough for dessert, but not too sweet.

Gone Bananas!

My parents ordered the Warm Bread Puddin’ to share and it was slathered in vanilla sauce. My Dad hates cooked raisins, so he would have preferred it without them, but they ate it in a few bites.

Warm Bread Puddin’

I know it is unfair to compare the Mason Jar to Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ in Disney Springs, but we had to because it is one of our favorites. We enjoy southern cuisine so much that we were excited for this new eatery on Wonder of the Seas. There were some dishes that missed the target, but there were some that I would love to eat randomly for takeout or while rocking on one of their chairs in the lounge.

Mason Jar, Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean