Cruise
A perfect vacation: Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas
by Daniel Smajovits
There is arguably no better feeling than standing on deck with nothing but calm blue seas on the horizon. Whether you’re escaping for a weekend or a week, the Caribbean provides that and much more – and Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas has transformed itself into an affordable and perfect getaway for all.
Long before the latest mega-ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, the Icon of the Seas, the Freedom of the Seas was once the largest cruise ship in the world, however, despite its multiple pools, bustling promenade, rock climbing wall, ice skating rink – amongst a host of other amenities – you rarely feel the size and scope of its 156,000 tons.
Sailing from Miami, Florida, with four-to-eight-day trips in the Eastern and Western Caribbean, the Freedom of the Seas still hits all the notes cruisers have come to expect when sailing with Royal Caribbean with added surprises along the way.
On-Board Experience
From the moment you book your cruise, Royal Caribbean International has made the cruising experience as guest friendly as possible.
From the comfort of your home, we recommend downloading the Royal Caribbean application on your smartphone. Their user-friendly app will give you itinerary, dining and entertainment updates leading up to your sailing date. More importantly, it ensures your check-in process is as smooth as possible. Using the app, guests can check-in, complete a health assessment as well as all muster-station requirements before leaving your hotel. With the boarding pass saved on your phone, once you arrive at the port, cruisers can drop their luggage, pass through security and begin their adventure within minutes.
Only once on-board, via the app, you can make the most of your time at sea. Depending on your sailing, reservations are required for some production shows and activities – all of which can only be made via the app. The app also provides additional functionality in terms of free messaging to other guests, a ship map, daily schedule and weather updates. It can also be used to make certain purchases.
On our four-night voyage, the Freedom of the Seas offered us two unique production shows as well as a figure skating performance along with a child-friendly and adult-only comedy show. With a different entertainment option each night, Royal Caribbean allows you to make the most of your time at sea without missing out on a performance. Complementing the marquee evening events were a host of smaller options around the ship, which ranged from the traditional Bingo and pool games during the day to trivia, various singers, a Piano bar and dancing at night.
Dining
With a revamped menu in 2024, Royal Caribbean’s Main Dining Room continues to be the showcase of their dining experience. With early and late dinner options as well as My Time Dining for the laissez-faire traveler, you will have ample opportunity to sit down and enjoy some of the finest dinners at sea. Each night’s menu is themed, but the classic options are always available. For those with special dietary needs, such as Vegan, Low-Fat, Kosher, Halal and more, RCI will go above and beyond to cater, however, we suggest you contact RCI in advance of your sailing to notify them. While the Main Dining Room is also open for breakfast and lunch, those menus remain set, regardless of the evening’s theme.
For the even more casual traveler, the Windjammer buffet is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and provides an incredible variety of options for each meal. For dinner, the Windjammer’s central station reflects the theme of the Main Dining Room to ensure guests do not miss out on any option.
Particularly unique about all Royal Caribbean sailings is their Indian cuisine. Once an off-menu item to satisfy their Indian guests, their dishes have become so popular that an Indian option is available each night. Should you have a taste for Indian food, we highly recommend it.
Since part of the fun of cruising is the incredible variety of food, look no further than the Promenade, where either Sorrento’s Pizza or Café Promenade will satiate your hunger with pizza, light sandwiches, and pastries. On deck, El Loco Fresh serves up fresh Mexican favorites during the day and across the pool is Sprinkles for a classic frozen treat. While Room Service is available 24/7, only breakfast is complimentary.
If you want to take your dining experience up another notch, Freedom of the Seas also offers multiple paid specialty options, including the exclusive Chef’s Table for dinner or the family-friendly chain Johnny Rockets for a classic 1950’s diner experience.
Staterooms
With four classes of staterooms: Interior, Ocean View, Balcony and Suite, Freedom of the Seas offers guests all the amenities they have come to expect on board. While the ship was drydocked and refurbished in 2020, note that some staterooms lack ample charging options for today’s tech-heavy traveler, so we recommend bringing a charging-hub to mitigate any issues.
Itinerary
With the influx of larger ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, Freedom of the Seas can be found year-round in the Caribbean. On our four-night adventure, we had the opportunity to enjoy two days at sea as well as one day at Royal Caribbean’s private island, CocoCay, as well as a lovely day in Nassau.
As almost every Caribbean sailing brings their guests to CocoCay, Royal Caribbean does an excellent job at ensuring that guests do not feel overwhelmed. Although there are often 5,000 or more passengers off the ship at any given time on the island, with plenty of secluded beaches and pools to choose from, your day can be as serene or exciting as you make it. Complementing the activities are a number of restaurants and bars, most of which are included with your cruise fare and/or drink package. Naturally, Royal Caribbean also offers many paid add-ons such as the Coco Beach Club, where a day-pass will provide you access to an exclusive beach and the Thrill Waterpark, the largest waterpark in the Caribbean.
With Nassau as the only other port-of-call on our cruise, we chose to book an excursion to Pearl Island, where we had the opportunity to interact with some of the Bahamas’ most famous inhabitants, a colony of pigs, as well as enjoy various water sports such as snorkeling, jet skiing and banana boat rides. Although the Bahamian pigs are native to Bimini, a five-hour ferry or 30-minute flight from Nassau, locals brought a colony to Nassau so tourists can have a taste of the experience. Very popular with young families, the excursion lasts half the day, allowing you ample opportunity to visit Nassau’s shops and restaurants before returning to your ship. Note that while most tours offer snacks, such as chips or cookies, we suggest packing a lunch if you are traveling with children.
Without a doubt, the Freedom of the Seas provides travelers with one of the best values at sea. While many cruisers will opt for the thrills of the mega-class ships, if you are looking for a serene getaway, without feeling overcrowded, look no further than Freedom of the Seas.
