My $1,400 stateroom on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas wasn't impressive despite being on the world's largest cruise ship

Brittany Chang/Insider

• Royal Caribbean International invited me to spend two nights in the Wonder of the Sea's balcony stateroom.
• My stateroom — which starts at $1,400 for 2023 itineraries — had all the essentials but minimal decor.

I spent two nights in a balcony stateroom aboard Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, the Wonder of the Seas.

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At 1,188 feet-long, it's currently the world's largest cruise ship.

The Wonder of the Seas.      Royal Caribbean

But for a ship this grand, I was underwhelmed by my stateroom.

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Before I dive into the negatives, I have to start on a positive note.

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My balcony stateroom was in a great location on deck eight, home of the ship's Central Park neighborhood.

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This open-aired walkway was lined with live plants, music, speciality dining venues that looked like everyday restaurants, and shopping.

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And given its proximity to my stateroom, this tranquil park — which looked nothing like the rest of the ship — felt like my temporary backyard.

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But besides this optimal location, I don't have an endless index of high praises to give my hotel room at sea.

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Fair warning, I do have a handful of trivial complaints even though my stay was covered by the cruise line. Royal Caribbean hosted the two-night non-revenue sailing for travel agents and media.

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But given the price tag of this stateroom — which starts at $1,400 in 2023 — I believe these grievances are warranted.

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Like any typical cruise ship stateroom, the bathroom was well-sized for one person.

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Luckily I was traveling alone — This bathroom would've been uncomfortably small for two people.

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Despite its size, it had all the expected amenities.

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There were shelves that held my toiletries as the waves rocked the ship …

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… a glass-walled shower next to the toilet …

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… and a long countertop that led to the narrow sink.

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The clothesline and hooks in the shower were perfect for drying off my bathing suit.

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But the two-in-one body wash and shampoo felt cheap, although I am glad it was provided in a refillable dispenser.

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I acknowledge that I shouldn't be too judgemental given the ship's 7,084-guest capacity. That's a lot of body wash and shampoo to provide.

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I'm just glad I brought my own conditioner.

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The deep shelves provided plenty of storage for my toiletries. This became a necessity as the countertop was too narrow to hold more than a few of my belongings.

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The sink was equally small. And because the faucet head was positioned close to the edge of the sink, water splashed out of the basin whenever I washed my hands.

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This is definitely more of a personal pet peeve. But it felt like an issue that could've been easily fixed during the design phase.

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Outside the bathroom, I don't have too many complaints about the bedroom. The "room" in "bedroom" is used loosely in this context.

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Here, the comfortable queen bed was lined with plush pillows that enveloped me the moment I laid down.

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And the bed faced a wall-mounted television that provided some background noise while I worked and scrolled through my phone.

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There were small design features that made me appreciate the stateroom …

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… specifically the row of hooks to hang items like jackets and bags …

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… and the bedside lamps with built-in outlets and USB ports.

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Both sides of the bed were also lined with large closets, giving me more storage space than I would've ever needed …

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… even if we were sailing on one of the cruise ship's 2023 six to eight-night itineraries.

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Source: Royal Caribbean International

These closets were full of racks, hangers, shelves, and drawers to make unpacking and organizing easy.

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And it was uniquely placed compared to other staterooms I've seen.

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Stateroom closets are often tossed off to the side by the entry door or bathroom.

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Source: Insider, Insider

But here, they separated the bed from the bathroom and living "room."

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There was also a separate dresser in this living room space.

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This, combined with the two large closets by the bed, provided what may have been the most storage space I've ever seen in a traditional stateroom.

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The large dresser was located next to a desk facing the light-up vanity. I used this mirror more than the full-length one by the entry door.

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Having a desk was convenient but I ended up doing most of my work on the couch parallel to the desk.

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This couch could have pulled out into a bed to accommodate another two or so travelers.

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It was so comfortable, I spent more time here than on my balcony.

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The furnished balcony, located at the far end of my hotel room at sea, was like any other.

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Some of the ship's balcony staterooms faced the Central Park neighborhood, giving travelers a view of the peaceful outdoor walkway and other people across the park.

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Luckily, mine was located outwards, giving me an unobstructed view of the ocean.

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The balcony wasn't too large, which was to be expected.

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And like the bathroom, it would've been a tight squeeze for four travelers.

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But for one guest, it was perfect.

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That's not to say the stateroom isn't equipped to handle a full family.

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There are definitely enough storage spaces to keep guests from fighting over the closet.

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And like any stateroom on a new ship, my room had all the furniture families could want while vacationing at sea.

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But the balcony stateroom was missing something all of the other staterooms I've been in had: robust decor.

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Royal Caribbean's newest mega cruise ship is definitely one of the flashiest and most colorful vessels I've ever been on. Exploring it was a sensory overload.

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But the same couldn't be said for my room.

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It followed a general color scheme of neutral tans, blues, and whites.

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And besides a small cluster of negligible art on the wall above my couch, the walls were barren.

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The living room's ombre curtains, patterned carpet, and decorative pillows added some liveliness.

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And there was a sliver of a blue and white backsplash between the bathroom's counter and mirror.

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But the remainder of the stateroom felt muted and unexciting compared to the rest of the ship.

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I understand there's only so much decor that can be placed in a small stateroom.

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But in the past, I've stayed in ones with colorful murals …

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… wall panels …

The Infinite Veranda stateroom on the Celebrity Apex.      Brittany Chang/Insider

… and framed artwork that reflected the destination or cruise brand.

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So I was surprised a stateroom created by a brand as big as Royal Caribbean on a ship as giant as the Wonder of the Seas didn't provide this same excitement and decor.

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Maybe this is justifiable. There are endless activities in the common spaces, including multiple water slides and pools, a zipline …

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… an ice skating rink …

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... and a boardwalk.

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I spent two days exploring the ship and barely had a grasp of where everything was.

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In the end, I didn't spend much time in my private space.

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But the Wonder of the Seas' balcony stateroom has a double occupancy starting rate of $1,400 for 2023 itineraries.

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So maybe I'm being too picky. But at this price and aboard one of 2022's most highly anticipated cruise ships, I wanted more than just the essentials. I wanted to be wowed.

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