By Kellie Ainsworth, a Marvelous Mouse Travels agent
Specialty Dining is the perfect way to enhance your next Royal Caribbean Cruise, as it gives you even greater options for dining and access to elevated or more unique menus. As a travel agent onboard a recent sailing on the Wonder of the Seas, I was able to experience the "imaginative cuisine" available at Wonderland. It features decor inspired by the traditional children's story Alice in Wonderland, but with an adult twist. This fine dining option is a great choice for adventurous adults who are foodies or for those who are looking for an overall dining experience including creative food and amazing ambiance!
The food at Wonderland is truly unique! Appetizers are arranged into categories of Sun, Ice, and Fire and feature bite sized dishes that are as beautiful as they are tasty. The favorite of mine was the Mad Hatter's Purple Potten Shrimp which resembled a fried shrimp texture with a little more crunch. The dipping sauce added a little spice as well. Main courses are in categories of Earth and Sea. For more basic eaters, I would recommend the Rib T Luscious Short Rib for the main dish as it was a basic short rib which was very tender along with several sauce options lining the plate. The desserts were truly the highlight of the meal, so be sure to save room! Consider ordering more than one dish per course for the full experience. The portions are smaller but you will surely be full upon finishing the meal.
Wonderland's true appeal is with its ambiance. From the moment you enter through the beautifully decorated entrance and door to the mad hatter making his way around the restaurant for greetings and photo opportunities, the entire restaurant is very well themed. I especially enjoyed the unique experience of "painting" the framed menu for the food options to appear. Each guest has this opportunity at their seat at the table. There are tons of photo opportunities as well so be ready to capture them all.
Here's some travel tips - be sure to arrive a little early to enjoy a cocktail at the bar near the entrance. The Cheshire Cat Cosmo was my selection and featured a large fluff of cotton candy with vodka, Cointreau, and juices to complete the drink. The preparation of each drink is what makes it even more fun and wonderful!
Request to be seated near the windows, as you'll have a view of the beautiful restaurant, but also the Boardwalk area of the ship below.
If you're interested in experiencing all that Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has to offer, including some of the unique specialty dining onboard like Wonderland, please reach out to any of the other Marvelous Mouse Travels agents.
