New images released of Dubai-bound Wonder of the Seas under construction

New pictures have emerged on social media showing the construction progress of Royal Caribbean’s fifth Oasis-class cruise ship Wonder of the Seas, which will be the largest cruise ship in the world when launched and will likely cruise from Dubai en-route to China.

Like MSC Cruises’ Middle East-bound MSC World Europa, the second-largest class of cruise ship in the world, Wonder of the Seas is being constructed at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.

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As the pictures posted to social media show, the giant ship is being built in sections, with each huge block assembled separately and then welded together with the rest of the ship like a mammoth Lego set.

Also like MSC World Europa, Wonder of the Seas will be sent to China after she is delivered. Although Royal Caribbean hasn’t confirmed it, every other new China-bound cruise ship has cruised via Dubai between Europe and Asia, including the brand-new Spectrum of the Seas last year.

Royal Caribbean plans to homeport the ship in Shanghai in the Spring, 2021, which means she will likely cruise from Dubai during the 2021/22 winter cruise season on her repositioning cruise.

Wonder of the Seas will be the first Oasis-class ship to sail in the Arabian Gulf region and China, as because she will be the largest of all the Oasis-class ships, it’ll also mark the first time the largest cruise ship in the world has sailed in both regions.

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She will be 130,000 gross tons with a guest capacity of over 5,500 at double occupancy, served by more than 2,200 crew members.

Wonder of the Seas won’t be the largest cruise ship in the world for long though. A sixth Oasis-class cruise ship is on order and scheduled to be delivered in 2023.

Royal Caribbean has three further vessels on order for its new LNG-powered Icon class as well. They are due to be delivered in 2022, 2024 and 2025.

Royal Caribbean hasn’t announced any of the onboard features or attractions for Wonder of the Seas yet, but renderings of the vessel suggest she’ll have the Ultimate Abyss slides at the stern, the Perfect Storm trio of slides at the front of the pool deck, the FlowRider surf simulator and the Aqua Theatre where gravity-defying shows wow passengers.

Wonder of the Seas is also likely to have at least 12 dining venues and 20 cafes and bars like Symphony of the Seas, the most recent of the Oasis-class ships.