RCI’s ‘Liberty of the Seas’ Makes Her Debut In Grand Style

By P W Mooney

Liberty of the Seas made her entrance recently as Royal Caribbean’s second largest ship in the world. Sister to record-maker Freedom of the Seas, which made her debut a year ago in 2006, this newbuild has been fine-tuned into an even better venue for a cruise holiday.
I briefly took a short cruise on the vessel when she was at Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, prior to her May 18 christening in Miami. And I must say I was more than impressed with this latest version of the Freedom Class group of ships.
Liberty was built at the Aker Yards in Turku, Finland. The 160,000 gross ton ship is 1,112 feet long and has a 21.6 knot cruising speed.  She is the first ship in the RCI fleet to offer new wellness, family and wedding programs. And her interior design has been sleeked up and much improved. Most importantly, the crew offers a better attitude in the service area, which was not the case when I was on Freedom.
Liberty offers for the most part the same amenities as Freedom—the FlowRider, the H2O Zone water park, a full-size boxing ring and a 14-person family suite. Her three-deck-high, 445-foot-long Royal Promenade that extends from aft to forward through a “village” seemed not as glitzy as on Freedom. The promenade sported similar bars and boutiques such as the Italian style Sorrento’s pizzeria, the Clean Shave men’s barbershop and the Hoof & Claw pub as seen on Freedom. But the book nook that I saw on Freedom has been replaced with a cruise reservations setup. The requisite sports car is still there— a British sports coup of some age parked near the Vintages Wine Bar—and contemporary sculpture is suspended over the promenade.
Elsewhere, the popular On Air Club, the ship's karaoke venue for those wishing their moment in fame, and the Art Deco-style Platinum Theatre (1,350 guests) next to it presenting new Broadway-style shows—Ever After and Somewhere in Time—were enhanced. There is the popular Ice Spectacular presented at Centre Ice at Studio B. The program Encore On Ice on this cruisewas outstanding in both talent and presentation. During the day, guests may taking skating lessons or do their own free style on the rink. Skate rentals are available
Other active onboard amenities are similar to Freedom and include the 43-foot-high rock-climbing wall with 11 separate climbing routes; an interactive water-sculpture garden located in the H2O Zone water park for family play, and just feet away, cantilevered whirlpools are suspended 112 feet above the ocean. Close by is Liberty's, an adults-only solarium flanked by a small pool, hammocks and colorful art sculptures.

Art: Illusion or Reality . . .
Here Liberty of the Seas shows where she is different from her sister by her innovative design and décor showcasing spectacular artwork commissioned by the cruise line. The Centrum and Royal Promenade feature dramatic artwork by Miguel Chevalier, a noted French artist and pioneer of interactive digital art who incorporates color, video and light projection to affect an ever-changing and immersive art décor entitled "Illusion or Reality" that enlivens all of the public spaces aboard Liberty. In addition, guests will experience the Renaissance-themed three-deck-high restaurant and the star-bursting Casino Royale with a décor that salutes Hollywood classic films.

New wellness program introduced . . .
For health and wellness enthusiasts, a completely revamped Vitality wellness program has been introduced on this ship and will eventually be fleetwide. The Vitality program aims to provide guests with opportunities to incorporate sports and fitness of every activity level into their cruise vacation such as taking Tai Chi and meditation classes, therapeutic Chinese herbal medicinal offerings and acupuncture at sea.  There’s a New Look & New You program offering mini-makeovers during the cruise. Healthier food choices and new eating habits as well as advice on de-stressing and relaxation are offered in the program by a qualified instructor. Check out the virtual personal-trainer kiosk developed by New Balance to assist guests in creating a customized cruise vacation fitness regimen as well as a post-vacation exercise plan. During ship port calls, New Balance has also designed self-guided running maps for guests as well as biking or zip-lining activities. These Vitality excursions are paired with discounted onboard spa treatments to rejuvenate guests' senses after an exhilarating day shoreside.
Energy bars, protein and green tea drinks, and Tazo iced- and hot-teas have been added to menus in the Windjammer café. And do try the popular Power Blend juice bar by the H20 Zone. The bar offers, for a small charge, smoothies made from a variety of vegetables, citrus and berry fruits.

And for junior guests . . .
Enhancements were made to the popular Adventure Ocean program to give younger cruisers a more enriching and immersive cruise experience. The play areas were expanded and there were more computers tailored for small fry. New programs were added. Adventure Theater by Camp Broadway, a New York City's children's theater group, is on board, introducing kids and teens to the world of theater arts by weaving folktales, music, dance and cultural elements. Tots also can learn the basics of cooking by participating in brand Fisher-Price's Chefs on Deck, or families can share in the fun and construct their own ship in Build & Grow.
Teens can hone their turntable skills in Scratch DJ classes hosted by the Scratch DJ Academy. And in another first, RCI has created an advisory board comprised of teenagers ages 15 to 17, many of them with extensive cruise experience, to give their suggestions on how to improve the teen programs onboard to make them more appealing to this age group.

Weddings and vowal renewals . . .
For betrothed couples and couples wishing to renew their vows, Explorer Weddings has been introduced on Liberty. An alternative and adventurous extension of the line's existing Royal Romance wedding and vow-renewal program, this first-of-its-kind program combines a cruise with an exotic destination or themed wedding. Couples saying "I do" for the first time or repeating their vows will share in a customized wedding experience onboard or on land. Explorer Weddings also adds the unusual for couples by allowing them the opportunity if they so wish to exchange their vows in distinctive settings onboard such as the ice-skating rink, by the FlowRider surf simulator, rock-climbing wall or ship's golf course, or they may choose shoreside settings, including the top of a volcano, in a rainforest, or on a vineyard, all of which would be decorated thematically for a private ceremony.
Explorer Weddings coordinators work closely with the bride and groom to customize their wedding or vow renewal and arrange all the transportation and priority check-in for the couple and their guests. As part of the basic Explorer Weddings package, the bride and groom will receive an elegant bouquet, a boutonniere with matching bloom, traditional or customized music accompaniment, champagne and wedding cake, and a keepsake Explorer Weddings marriage certificate. The ceremony is performed by a nondenominational officiate and a professional photographer is also at hand. There is also the Skylight Wedding Chapel on the uppermost Deck 15 for a more traditional service.
(For further details and pricing, contact Royal Romance Wedding Consultants at (888) 933-7225 (US) or royalromance@theweddingexperience.com.

Dining options. . .
The three-deck main dining room is divided into three restaurants named after famous Renaissance artists—Rembrandt, Michelangelo and Botticelli. The décor resembles that time period with its dark furnishings but ample light flowing in from the large surrounding windows give the dining areas a lighter effect.
The menu offers a good variety of fish, fowl and meat to choose from and vegans also have ample choices. The table service was very efficient—far better that I found on the Freedom. Perhaps a year between ships helped to iron out the inadequacies I originally witnessed. There are two sittings for dinner. Breakfast and lunch is open sitting and served in the Rembrandt. There is, as in all the restaurants, an extra charge for wines and bottled water.
The Jade and Windjammer cafés offer a varied menu of fresh and grilled foods. Open 24 hours, guests can choose from a selection of pastas, salads, roasted or grilled meats and fowl, Thai, Chinese and Japanese dishes, and a variety of fresh fruit and desserts. The food stations are spaced nicely apart to avoid the usual gridlock at peak times.
Other informal options include the very popular and hard to get into Johnny Rockets for hamburgers and malteds. There is a fee to dine here.
On the Royal Promenade, Sorrento's offers a variety of pizzas while Café Promenade serves up a variety of sandwiches and pastries to go with one of many Seattle’s Best coffee selections.
For guests wishing to have a special dinner, there are two specialty restaurants, as on Freedom. Chops Grille specializes in steaks and seafood while Portofino specializes in Italian cuisine. I had dinner in Chops Grille and the food was quite delicious. Not only did I relish the Dungeness crab and shrimp cake appetizer but my filet mignon was grilled to my taste. The dinner was topped by a flourless chocolate cake topped with whipped espresso cream. Yummm. There is a $20 charge per person to dine at either restaurant.
Room service is available 24/7 for those wishing to dine privately on their balcony.

Staterooms and suites….
Guest accommodations are nicely done. My premier balcony cabin on Deck 9 measured 189 square feet, which had comfy bedding on a queen-size bed. There was a small sitting area, flat-panel TV, a vanity and closet storage, though I would wish more space for a longer cruise. The bathroom, though small, had a shower and some shelf storage for toiletries. But bring shower cap and your own toiletries as there were none supplied by the cruise line except for an in-shower shampoo dispenser and soap. The balcony feet seemed to have more depth than usually found on large ships and had two chairs with a small table.
For those wanting more, larger suites are available for families or groups. The 588-square-foot Royal Family Suite includes two bathrooms, a living area, and best of all, a 234 square-foot balcony for sunning or dining. There are eight Owner Suites sleeping up to four people and have a separate living room area. Most of the suites have tubs and showers and some feature bidets. And hot tubs on the balcony. Another plus is the extra closets for long cruises, and, yes, toiletries are provided.
Outstanding, of course, is the 1,215 square feet Presidential Suite that sleeps 14 people and features an 810-square foot outdoor living area with a Jacuzzi and private wet bar.
Of the 733 interior cabins, 172 overlook the Royal Promenade, which could be less than restful at times when “village activity” is at its peak.
There are 32 wheelchair accessible staterooms on board.

Thoughtful touches around the ship. . .
The placement of plasma TVs in the ship’s public areas that give directions for getting from Point A to B as well as other useful information for guests.
Public bathrooms with motion-activated paper towel dispensers; and hand sanitizers conveniently placed in public areas.
The daily program—Cruise Compass—available in six languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese—for international guests that are delivered to the stateroom or are readily available at the Customer Relations Desk area.
The courteous and efficient staffers manning the Customer Relations Desk.
The computer center conveniently centered midship on Deck 9 and offering a quiet place for tapping away at any of the 20 or so computers on board. Users pay by the minute for Internet access but prepaid minutes can be had at a reduced rate. There is also a charge for personal laptop Internet usage.
A nice library two decks below the computer center with an ample supply of fiction and nonfiction books for quiet reading.
Those glass cylindrical elevators that afford great views of the Promenade.
The friendliness of the service staff.

Overall…..
Liberty of the Seas compliments her sister very well. An almost duplicate copy of Freedom, the ship has been refined in small ways that allow her to shine and tweaked to give a feel of newness. Despite her size, she has a feel of coziness in the public areas. One never felt that more than 3,000 guests who were on board nor were the lines in the Windjammer/Jade cafes gridlocked even at peak times.
I was impressed by the training of the service staff, something that was amiss on Freedom in her early days. Perhaps the bonhomie is affected by the congeniality of the ship’s master, Capt. Hernan Zini. A very personable captain, who was born in Argentina, he is one of the youngest sea captains at sea. But it is his intelligence and eagerness to meet with staff and guests and learn about their impressions of the ship or how things could be done better that evidently carries through to the personnel on board. And it shows!
The food is much improved; the cabins are comfortable; the efficiency of the hotel- service staff is commendable. The entertainment is better than usually found on a mainline cruise vessel. And the facilities for the junior guests have been expanded to insure a happy voyage for parents and offspring.
And so I tip my hat to Liberty and RCI—and I bet guests both young and old will too.

Itineraries  . . .
Liberty will operate cruises to the Caribbean from Miami, departing Saturdays. while sister ship, Freedom of the Seas, departs on Sundays from Miami. The two sister ships will alternate between seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Both itineraries include a call at Royal Caribbean's private destination Labadee, Haiti. Liberty's Western Caribbean itinerary calls in Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Cayman Islands; and Montego Bay, Jamaica. The Eastern Caribbean itinerary calls in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Philipsburg, St. Maarten, allowing for a third day at sea to take advantage of all the ship has to offer.
The two Freedom-class ships will be joined by a third, Independence of the Seas, when she debuts in Europe in May 2008. Tailored for the UK market, she will sail from the United Kingdom during her premier season and will be the largest ship home-ported in Europe.

Note: Since Liberty is a sister ship to Freedom of the Seas, you may want to read ShipsandCruises’s review of Freedom of the Seas in the Ship Review section for more details about the Freedom class of ships.

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