Freedom
of the Seas—The Biggest Cruise Ship Afloat
—Makes Her Debut
By P W Mooney
Freedom of the Seas sailed into the
New York/New Jersey area in May on her inaugural tour before
embarking on week-long Caribbean cruises out of Miami. I took
a preview cruise on the ship while she was here and this is
what I found.
She’s big, she’s brash and she’s sure to
wow passengers of all ages. She was so big, that the gangway
facilities at the Cape Liberty terminal in Bayonne, New Jersey
did not line up properly to the vessel and we had to be bused
to the ship to enter through “the back way.”
Freedom of the Seas is now the biggest cruise
ship ever, having taking that title away from the Queen Mary
2, though the latter is still the longest ship. Weighing in
at 160,000 gross tons more than the combined tonnage of RCI’s
first four ships, Freedom’s beam measures 185 feet. (Factoid:
Freedom of the Seas is actually wider at 168 feet than the White
House is long). It took $800 million to build her and she carries
3,634 passengers double occupancy—520 more than her prototype
Voyager of the Seas—with 1,360 crew.
She appears as a bigger version of the Voyager
class ships as she sports some of their trendsetting innovations
such as the Studio B ice rink, the rock-climbing wall; the Royal
Promenade that was designed to connect all the disparate areas
of the giant ship into a focal point; and the placement of interior
cabins with window views overlooking the promenade.
But in the ongoing evolution of bigger cruise
ships at Royal Caribbean, Freedom boasts some firsts. She has
the first FlowRider(R) surfing simulator at sea, where guests
are invited to test their skill on staying afloat against a
wave-like water flow of 34,000 gallons a minute. There are the
two whirlpools at sea, cantilevered 12 feet out from the sides
of the ship and suspended 112 feet above the ocean as part of
the innovative adults-only solarium that features a pool flanked
by hammocks and piped in underwater music.
The ship’s centerpiece, the largest ever
for RCI, is the Freedom Fitness Center situated midship with
a wall of glass windows and the latest workout equipment and
sporting the PowerBox Ring, cruising’s first boxing ring at
sea. And there is the carnival-like H2O Zone water playland
of odd-shaped sculptures doubling as interactive fountains squirting
water in all directions. Also on this ship, is the first appearance
of Samsung flat-paneled televisions and the debut of the line's
new bedding program in every stateroom.
Public Areas
The four-deck high Royal Promenade on Deck
5 is the crux of the ship’s theme of earth, fire, water and
air. Longer than the Voyager Class vessel promenade, this 445-foot
long thoroughfare serves as the focal point for strolling, bar
hopping, and shopping. Its vastness is highlighted by the suspended
models of F18 and F16 airplane models created by Italian sculptor
Antonio Riello for his Mythological Camoflage work. The
sculptor incorporated gold leaf to enhance the aluminum, wood,
fiberglass and resin materials of the suspended military aircraft
models located near Deck 10 in the Centrum (Air). The Promenade’s
three striking chandeliers—Stop and Go—were created by
Dutch artist Harald Vlugt who used authentic Dutch traffic lights
(Fire). Water is represented by David Mach’s sculpture “Down
Under,” which depicts a female diver suspended from the
dome above the promenade trailed by a stream of bubbles.
The promenade is central to the life aboard
the ship featuring a Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Parlor; a unique
Clean Shave barber shop where male guests are pampered; a book
nook offering mostly coffee table books for sale, and various
shops such as the Get Out There Retail Shop offering sports
apparel. Then there are several watering holes such as Vintages
offering tastings of premium wines, the Bull & Bear Pub
offering a selection of beers and nibbles and the Egyptian-themed
Pharaoh’s Palace. Sorrento’s pizza eatery with its red awnings
and café furniture is popular as is the Latté-tudes coffee and
pastry bar for snacking.
It’s definitely a bustling place. On the
first night of a cruise a Party Around the World parade takes
place here, while on other nights be prepared for a ruckus circus-oriented
festival with stilt walkers, clowns and aerial performers. The
paraders descend from a bridge that traverses the promenade
and from which music entertainers perform for the guests below.
Elsewhere on Freedom the Latin-themed Boleros
on Deck 4 is the place to go for salsa music and tasty mojitos
and caipirinhas. The marine-themed Schooner Bar is nearby
and features some ship models and other naval artifacts in a
cozy setting and a great place for after-dinner sing-alongs.
And for those wanting to dance the night away, the creepy Crypt, a two-deck, gothic-themed night club on Deck 3,
offers the venue.
My favorite lounge on this ship was the Olive
or Twist jazz club, which is part of the glass-enclosed signature
Viking Crown Lounge located at the very tip of the ship aft.
It is wonderful to sit here and sip a Martini and watch the
setting sun or the scenery when the ship leaves port. The complex
also includes a card room, and the private Crown & Anchor
club for members of Royal Caribbean’s frequent cruisers program.
The earth-inspired artwork found in the Viking Crown and Boleros
complete the ship’s theme of earth, fire, water and air.
Vegas-style revues are held in the two-level
Art Deco-style Arcadia Theater on Deck 4 that seats 1,350 guests—there
are three different presentations during a week’s cruise. On
the same deck is the popular Casino Royale Gaming area with
19 tables and 308 slot machines. Quarters seemed to be ruled
out for slot machines in this casino—players have to slip bills
into the slot machines to play and/or get their change.
If ice skating is your preference, rent a
pair of skates (no charge) at Studio B’s Ice Center on Decks
2 and 3 and take a whirl. Interactive ice shows are also presented
here periodically.
Just outside the Ice Center is the On Air
Club karaoke spot where guests can have their brief taste of
the limelight. Equipped with state-of-the-art theatrical lighting,
video cameras and flat-panel TVs and even a “green screen,”
aspirants can record their own music video to bring home.
On the uppermost deck, aft, there is the
Skylight Wedding chapel where weddings and renewal of vows can
be held.
Recreational activities
Sports activities are paramount on Freedom
of the Seas. The spacious ShipShape Fitness Center located in
the center of the ship on Deck 11 outdoes itself with state-of-the-art
exercise machines and equipment surrounded by a curved glass
wall.
A separate section holds the spinning bikes
and adjacent is a Pilates/aerobics workout area. But the highlight
of this center is the 20 square foot PowerBox ring—offering
one-on-one sessions with qualified boxing instructors; or groups
of three persons people can partake in sparring sessions with
Everlast (a partner with RCI) freestanding body master bags,
all supervised by an on-site boxing coach. The boxing workouts
include an Everlast warm-up, bag work, mirror boxing, footwork
and pad work.
Royal Caribbean again teamed up with Life
Fitness, one of the major health club exercise-equipment suppliers
in the world, to provide nearly all of the exercise machines
onboard Freedom of the Seas. All cardio-training
equipment have personal LCD screens to keep guests entertained
while they are working out. And thanks to RCI’s partnership
with New Balance, the athletic shoe and apparel manufacturer,
passengers can follow mapped-out routes at select ports of call
for a safe run, or get stretch and fitness tips along the ship’s
running track.
Additional strength-training options include
another industry first —Power-Plate, a device utilizing advanced
reflex technology. The central component of the machine, which
resembles a large scale, vibrates subtly between 30 to 50 times
per second, triggering a reflexive response that stimulates
an increase in blood flow to muscles and joints and exponentially
increasing the efficiency of the workout.
To help familiarize
guests with all of the fitness activities available in Freedom’s
ShipShape Fitness Center, two 65-inch interactive plasma televisions
located in the entryway allows guests to find out more about
the classes and equipment available and to check class schedules.
“We have a legacy of offering the unexpected
to our guests and we knew with Freedom of the Seas we
had to come out with something fabulous at every turn – our
fitness center, the largest one found on any cruise ship, is
no exception,” says Adam Goldstein, president of Royal Caribbean.
“Through partnerships with such “heavyweights” as Steiner Leisure
Limited, Everlast, Life Fitness and New Balance, we are confident
we are providing our guests with the best and most innovative
options in the marketplace.”
Another
Royal Caribbean first is the much touted FlowRider®.
Created by WaveLoch, Inc. of La Jolla, Calif., the 32-foot-wide-by-40-foot-long
FlowRider® generates a thin sheet of water that flows
over the ride surface, creating a wave-like shape. Similar to
swimming against a current in a stationary lap pool, adventurous
surfers can try their hand and legs at stand-up surfing (called
flowboarding) or opt for less-balance-demanding body boarding
against a wave-like waterflow of 34,000 gallons per minute.
The FlowRider’s® design features a composite surface
similar to a trampoline that provides a cushion to absorb the
impact of falls. But safety precautions are heeded: when guests
sign up, they are required to attend a safety session before
using the FlowRider. There is no fee to ride the FlowRider and
surfing gear is available.
Placed around the FlowRider, are bleachers
where surfers’ supporters can cheer them on as well as well
as a sports bar with large flat panel TVs showing the surfers
in action. “There’s no greater feeling of freedom than challenging
yourself to expand your limits,” says Goldstein. “In the same
way that our rock-climbing walls have inspired cruisers to get
out there and try new things, we know the FlowRider®
will add to our guests’ excitement with an adrenaline-pumping,
unforgettable new experience.”
The Freedom Day Spa, run by Steiner Leisure
Ltd., offers a variety of therapeutic treatments in its 13 treatment
rooms, two of which can be combined for couples. New spa services
include acupuncture, teeth whitening and therapeutic stone massage.
The Spa’s services also have been expanded to include a “Time
for Men” menu, and the innovative Generation YSpa that offers
a menu of treatments for teenage guests.
In addition the spa features an adults-only
jungle-themed Solarium decorated with tropical inspired mosaics
and murals, towering metal palm trees and two seven-foot-tall
parrot sculptures. The oasis has a retractable dome and features
hammocks around the small pool as well as with two cantilevered
whirlpools extending 12 feet past the sides of the ship. When
I swam in the unheated fresh-water pool, I heard music and soon
learned that it is piped in underwater. There is also a submerged
glass-encased photo collage depicting a coral reef.
Mid deck, there are two large pools, one for
lap swimming, and one for water sports. At night, the main pool
area transforms into an open-air nightclub, with a large dance
floor situated between the two pools.
Just beyond, is the children’s colorful H2O
Zone water park with sculptured fountains depicting family members
of different shapes and even the family mutt spread over a large
wading area that includes water jets and ground gushers. In
one corner a circular pool shoots a current of water in a river
around a central island. Guests can float with the flow as they
are misted by one of the fountain sculptures—great for a hot
day. Next to the circular pool, a shallow pool, fed by a flamingo-shaped
fountain, creates a secluded space for toddlers while at the
rear of the waterpark, a waterfall cascades from an overhanging
bridge. At night, the water park is transformed into a dramatically
lit sculpture garden.
Other RCI favorites include an expanded rock-climbing
wall—43 feet high by 44 feet wide—that has a central spire to
add a new dimension to the sport. Now climbers can choose from
11 different routes ranging from easy to expert.
There’s also a sports court for basketball,
paddleball and volleyball, a nine-hole miniature golf course,
and a golf simulator. A jogging track circling Deck 12 works
off the calories gained from all the food offered on board.
Tots, Kids and Teens Facilities.
RCI has gone all out to make sure the younger
members of family cruise passengers are well entertained. In
the Adventure Ocean Youth Facility, toddlers and older kids
are programmed offering Fisher-Price Aqua Babies and Aqua Tots
interactive classes and Adventure Art by Crayola. On the deck
outside the kids indoor play area, there are tic-tac-toe, hopscotch
and checkerboard squares imbedded onto the deck covering for
children to play their favorite games.
Teens not only have a variety of video games
in the enlarged Challengers’ Arcade—check out the game where
you drive a Ferrari— but there is the Living Room furnished
with computers, a soda bar and games, and a teens-only sundeck.
At night, teens can enjoy themselves at their own nightclub.
Baby-sitting services at night are also available.
Dining
Freedom’s main dining area spans three decks:
Leonardo’s (Deck Three), Isaac’s (Deck Four), and Galileo’s
(Deck Five) – named, you guessed it, for scientists Da Vinci,
Newton and Galileo. Up to 2,101 guests in two sittings can be
accommodated by the restaurants decorated with deep-colored
carpeting and upholstery. The dining rooms open out onto a three-level
circular area so it can get quite noisy at dinner. Food was
adequate and menus included Kosher, vegetarian and ShipShape®
selections as well as a variety of international dishes. Wines
and sodas ordered are an additional cost.
Alternate dining options include the Windjammer
Café on Deck 11, which offers buffet food nearly round the clock.
Popular during breakfast and lunch, guests can choose their
repasts from the various stations that offer a selection of
salads, roast meats, pastas, and deserts. Part of the Windjammer
Café is a special dining area called Jade where guests can choose
from Indian, Thai, Chinese and Japanese dishes. It is also open
for dinner and has a lovely bar for a pre-dinner cocktail.
Another popular option is family friendly
Johnny Rockets, a 1950’s style diner dishing out comfort food
such as freshly made shakes, hamburgers, hot dogs, and lots
of French fries. Diners can eat al fresco here as well. The
fee is $3.95 per person
Freedom’s two specialty restaurants, which
were closed during my trip, provide a more intimate dining experience.
As on the other RCI ships, Chops Grille specializes in steaks
and seafood. Portofino, across from the Chops Grille, offers
antipastos and other classic Italian specialties. Reservations
at the specialty restaurants are required and a $20 charge per
person applies.
Also on the Lido deck near the main pool
is the H2O Zone, a fruit bar serving delicious whipped fruit
coolers. And on the Royal Promenade, Sorrentos, the neighborhood-style
pizzeria is a perfect place for families or friends to share
a pizza pie.
Room service is also available around the
clock.
Accommodations
My balconied cabin in the Deluxe category
on Deck 9 was somewhat bigger than the norm on other mainstream
ships. At 
189 square feet with a balcony measuring 68 square feet,
we had a queen-size bed, a small settee and a vanity. Our balcony
had two mesh chairs and a small table. The bathroom was small
with no amenities except bars of hand soap, so one will have
to bring bathing cap, body cream and shampoo and rinse. Only
bathing soap is dispensed in the shower.
Storage space off the narrow foyer leading
into the stateroom was skimpy, and inadequate for a seven day
or longer cruise.
All staterooms regardless of category have
either a queen size bed or twin beds—your choice. There are
closed-circuit 23-inch flat-panel TVs, minibars, safes and hair
dryers. Bedding has been updated on this ship with sturdy bed
frames, thick spring mattresses with two-inch-thick pillow tops,
220 thread-count cotton-blend sheets and cotton-covered duvets.
Families in mind
Since this is a ship focusing heavily on
family activities, Freedom of the Seas offers several different
family-focused stateroom categories especially designed to accommodate
larger families and groups of friends.
The biggest addition is the 14-person Presidential
Family Suite, the largest stateroom the line has offered
to date, with 1,215 square feet of interior space and an 810-square-foot
outdoor living area. The oversize suite has dual entryways as
well as two master bedrooms; sleeping two people each, with
30-inch, flat-panel televisions and en suite bathrooms with
bathtubs. Two additional bedrooms accommodate four people each,
with convertible twin/queen beds and two Pullmans. The common
area includes two additional bathrooms with showers, a spacious
living room with a sectional sofa that sleeps two, a card/dining
table and an extensive entertainment center, including a 42-inch,
plasma TV. Suite guests will be tempted to spend all their time
outdoors on the spacious balcony equipped with a whirlpool,
wet bar, eight lounge chairs and a 14-person table for dining
al fresco.
There are also five additional types of extended
family accommodations over and above the standard triples and
quads. Each category includes twin beds, convertible to a queen
bed, as well as additional bunks to accommodate the whole family.
Guests can choose from the four Royal
Family Suites that accommodate up to eight persons. Each
suite has with two bedrooms, including a master bedroom with
an en suite bathroom with bathtub, a second bathroom
with shower, and a living area with a sectional sofa and an
entertainment center with a 30-inch, flat-panel TV. Royal Family
Suite balconies have four lounge chairs and a dining table for
eight. Each of the suites can be expanded to fit 10 people via
a connecting door to a neighboring stateroom. (588 square feet
with a 234 square foot balcony)
Other family accommodations include a six-person
Accessible Family stateroom with balcony, featuring a
curtained-off sleeping alcove with bunk beds, sleeper sofa,
an accessible bathroom and shower, and accessible closets. (423
square feet with a 120 square foot balcony); ten six-person
Family Oceanview staterooms at 293 square feet, each
having a curtained-off sleeping alcove with bunk beds, sleeper
sofa and two or more windows.
There are also four six-person Promenade
Family staterooms (355 square feet), each with a curtained-off
sleeping alcove with bunk beds, sleeper sofa, and a walk-in
closet. These suites also have two soundproof bay windows, each
with a window seat, overlooking the Royal Promenade. There are
also two six-person Inside Family staterooms (337 square
feet), each with a curtained-off sleeping alcove, sleeper sofa
and walk-in closet.
Other premium suites with extra large balconies
that accommodate two to four persons include eight Owners
Suites at 614 square feet, 22 Grand Suites with at
387 square feet; and 84 Junior Suites at 287 square feet.
These suites have bathrooms with tub and shower.
There are so single staterooms on board.
Overall assessment
While the ship boasts some new high-tech
recreational activities and focuses on fitness as her theme,
this reviewer had some reservations. I found some positive assets
about the vessel and yet….this ship is not for everyone, especially
cruisers used to personalized service and sophisticated food
not to mention a quieter setting.
The service was a bit wanting. While most
of the ship hotel staff were cheerful and accommodating, many
of the staff were inexperienced, especially in the dining rooms
where the lack of personal attention to passengers was very
evident. Perhaps this will improve in time. Congestion and lines
were also a problem during the peak breakfast and lunchtime
hours in the Windjammer and Jade dining areas.
Little annoyances such as excessive announcements
over the ship’s public address system and the prevalence of
smoke in the public areas were irksome. Hopefully this will
be corrected as the ship’s policy on smoking permits it only
in certain designated areas of public lounges/bars and out on
deck. The rules were not enforced during my cruise.
Surprisingly, because of her size, there
are only two major passenger stairwells and that means long
corridors and gridlock at the elevators. Guests must walk a
good deal to get to either the forward or aft stairwells from
their staterooms. At disembarkation, the lines were long waiting
to get on an elevator. When I asked RCI President Goldstein
at a press conference on board about why there were only two
stairwells on such a large vessel, he replied that RCI “has
always been a two-stairwell company.” Perhaps that company attitude
needs re-adjusting especially when the next class of RCI behemoths
makes its debut three years up the road. Dubbed Project Genesis,
the 220,000-ton ship due in 2009 will be carrying some 5,400
passengers. (Two other 155,000-ton Freedom Class ships are also
being built and will debut in 2007 and 2008.)
A lot to offer
Royal Caribbean has poured a lot of thought
and money into creating a family floating resort and they excel
in that area. Overall, Freedom will give cruisers a lot for
their money with her innovative athletic facilities. This is
a ship for families and RCI has made sure they are entertained
during their cruise time on board.
Ship Statistics
2006/2007/2008
Itineraries
Freedom
Gallery
