Debuting on Quantum of the Seas, Wonderland on Royal Caribbean ships is a unique restaurant. The design and theming of this venue is a psychedelic take on the classic story of Alice in Wonderland. With creative decor and a distinct tasting menu with several different “elements”, we took our third trip “down the rabbit hole” during our last cruise. We are back and have all of the tasty details to share with you. Here is our Symphony of the Seas Wonderland review.
 

Symphony of the Seas Wonderland Review

Inside Wonderland on Symphony of the Seas

One of the first things we did after securing our reservation on this record-breaking ship was to book a dinner reservation at this extraordinary venue. Months before our cruise, we secured a prime dinner reservation on the first formal night.

Similar to Harmony of the Seas, the entrance of Wonderland is located on Deck 12, mid-ship. Overlooking the Boardwalk, the backdrop of this restaurant is one large picture window offering clear views of the bright lights from this outdoor area.

Even if you do not want to pay to dine at Wonderland, you will still want to stop by the Wonderland Bar on Deck 12. This venue offers an exclusive cocktail menu. Each night of the cruise, there is a “Happy Hour” with half-priced drinks. So, it is a great way to get a taste of the Wonderland experience without breaking your budget!

The main restaurant is located on Deck 11. When compared to the other versions of this restaurant, the furnishings and decor were very similar to Harmony of the Seas with a few new and unique additions, making this experience the most immersive dinner yet.

Related Post: Complete Guide to Symphony of the Seas Restaurants with Menus

Welcome to Wonderland on Symphony of the Seas

The only reservation that we could secure was at 5:30 pm. This was quite early, even for us! We arrived at the restaurant around 5:40 pm and ended up waiting about 10 minutes before being escorted downstairs to our table.

As we were being seated, our waitress came over to introduce herself and not far behind was the Mad Hatter himself! This “host” was a lively and charismatic individual who stopped in throughout the night to fully engross diners in this fantastical world of Wonderland. His comedic banter was a welcomed addition to the dining experience.

We began our adventure by “painting” our menu to see what “creations” would be unveiled. Reviewing the menu, it was a mixture of new items, familiar items, and then a few items that were slight tweaks on previous menu items that we have tested before. 

Similar to our other experiences, the waitress asked our food preferences and then put together a customized selection for us to test from the different “elements”. Of course, I let her know some of my must-have selections as well. 

Dining at Wonderland on Symphony of Seas

To get the night started, we ordered a round of specialty drinks. With four options, we later ordered a second round to test them all. My personal favorite was the Smoke Rings, while the Princess was a fan of the Cheshire Cat Cosmo. For her, you can’t go wrong with a drink topped with cotton candy!

On our first visit to Wonderland, we had commented at how large the portions were, but we felt like the pendulum had swung to the other extreme during this trip. We literally received just one of the different offerings! In hindsight, I could have sampled a few more starters, but I certainly didn’t leave the restaurant hungry, so I can’t complain. 

We did appreciate our waitress’ attempt to accommodate the Princess’ palette. For instance, the waitress made a vegetarian option along with my seafood starters. 

As for the rest of the options, it was a mix of old favorites and new takes, like the Bird’s Nest, which was very similar to the Princess’ favorite Buffalo Chicken Eggs. Among my top choices were the Liquid Lobster and the Mad Hatter’s Purple Potted Shrimp.

Overall, while the food was good, we felt that it fell short of our other dining experiences at this restaurant. We are not sure if these changes to the menu and recipes are the same fleet wide.

For entrees, I went with the short rib. The beef was well prepared and tender. In fact, the couple next to us commented that he should have ordered my dish instead. As for the Princess, she did the only chicken dish that was available.

For dessert, our waitress indicated that there were only two options, so we ordered both of course. We were both fans of the peanut butter and chocolate combination of the heavenly “The World” dessert. It is really the only dessert that you need at the restaurant.
 

Recap of Wonderland on Symphony of the Seas Review

Overall, we had a whimsical dinner at Wonderland on Symphony of the Seas. We would say that it was certainly the most entertaining time as the Mad Hatter was a great addition to the venue. Even when he wasn’t directly interacting with us, watching him at the other tables was equally as magical. 

When it comes to the food, this was perhaps the most disappointing visit. Nothing we had was bad, but nothing really wowed us either. Our dishes were well prepared, but it was tough to rationalize the $49.95 cover charge at the restaurant based on our meals.

For cruisers who have never dined at Wonderland, we would still suggest that you try this restaurant. We recommend that you order several starters to sample as much of the menu as possible but also because the portions are smaller than we have had on previous cruises. 

If you can’t justify the cover charge, then the Wonderland Bar is a great option. You can test out the different specialty cocktails and still enjoy the ambiance of this one-of-a-kind restaurant.

Wonderland Drink Menu | Wonderland Dinner Menu | Kids Menu
 

Comments

Have you dined at the Symphony of the Seas Wonderland restaurant? What are your favorite dishes at this unique dining venue? Drop us an anchor below to share your experiences at Wonderland.