ROYAL CARIBBEAN NAMES WONDER MOM AS GODMOTHER OF WONDER OF THE SEAS

A Pennsylvania Local Receives the Time-honored Role after the Cruise Line's Popular TikTok Search

MIAMI, Nov. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean International's search for a Wonder Mom and the Godmother of Wonder of the Seas is complete. Pennsylvania resident Marie McCrea, nominated by her daughter – Allie – in the #SearchforWonderMom TikTok contest, was chosen to take on the time-honored role for the newest Oasis Class ship. A devoted mom, wife and cancer survivor, Marie overcame adversity with incredible strength, and at the center of her story are the memories she inspired and made with her family through it all. She will accept the honor of blessing Wonder during a celebratory naming ceremony at its first year-round homeport of Port Canaveral, Florida, on Dec. 9, 2022.

"The search for such an inspiring mom who embodies the spirit of Wonder of the Seas was anything but easy. Marie and her family have a heartening and encouraging story that made us cry and rejoice and hopeful, and throughout it all, she inspired wonder and adventure in those around her," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "I want to thank everyone who nominated the Wonder Moms in their own lives. More than 16,000 videos were created, and I was in awe of all the incredible stories of the everyday heroes who are motivating those around them to discover, wonder and make memories."

As part of a longstanding maritime tradition, Marie's blessing as Godmother will bestow safekeeping onto Wonder, its crew and the millions of families who will make vacation memories on board in the years to come. Marie and her family have in store one adventure after the next on board Wonder, beginning with an exclusive, invite-only naming ceremony celebration cruise that visits Royal Caribbean's private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay. They will also enjoy an epic 7-night Caribbean cruise and stay in a home away from home befitting of the Godmother of the new family vacation, the one-of-a-kind Ultimate Family Suite, which features an in-suite slide, a cinema and karaoke room, game consoles, a private balcony and more. Plus, they'll have five-star hotel accommodations, first-class flights and spending money to round out their unforgettable family getaway.

"This is a tremendous honor to have been chosen amongst all the incredible nominees, and I am so excited to have the opportunity to serve as the Godmother for Wonder of the Seas," said Marie McCrea.

In the widespread search on TikTok for the ultimate Wonder Mom, more than 16,000 videos were submitted as part of 10.6 billion #SeachforWonderMom hashtag views. A Royal Caribbean panel considered the top submissions, and from those compelling stories, Marie was chosen for the honor. The cruise line has also invited the Wonder Moms who were finalists to set sail on Wonder with their families, honoring their inspiring journeys and the lifelong memories they've created with their loved ones.

Today's reveal of Wonder's Godmother follows the largest cruise ship in the world's first arrival into Port Canaveral on Sunday, Nov. 13. Royal Caribbean's latest in the lineup of revolutionary Oasis Class ships is primed for memory making with a thoughtfully crafted combination of new adventures and fan favorites across eight unique neighborhoods. Highlights include the Suite Neighborhood, the new neighborhood that welcomes Royal Suite Class guests to an elevated experience, and The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar that serves up Southern staples and classics with a twist for brunch, dinner and late at night, along with live country music and more.

Also on deck are more than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges, plus returning experiences like The Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea; the FlowRider surf simulator; rock climbing walls, The Perfect Storm racing waterslides, newly designed areas just for kids and teens; and original entertainment across four "stages": air, ice, water and theater.

For more details about Wonder, now sailing to the cruise line's private destination – Perfect Day at CocoCay – and more on 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, vacationers can visit Royal Caribbean's website. To hear more about Marie's story, viewers can visit TikTok.

About Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International, owned by Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), has been delivering innovation at sea for more than 50 years. Each successive class of ships is an architectural marvel that features the latest technology and guest experiences for today's adventurous traveler. The cruise line continues to revolutionize vacations with itineraries to 240 destinations in 61 countries on six continents, including Royal Caribbean's private island destination in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, the first in the Perfect Day Island Collection. Royal Caribbean has also been voted "Best Cruise Line Overall" for 19 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards.

Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on Twitter and visiting RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to make reservations, vacationers can call their travel advisor; visit RoyalCaribbean.com; or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN.

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SOURCE Royal Caribbean International