A fun weekend getaway. Freedom of the Seas has everything you’d need, and is still a fantastic time.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
I actually think there was a glitch in the matrix with embarkation. It’s like people forgot there was a cruise. I’ve cruised out of Royal Caribbean’s Miami terminal before and seen traffic get backed up, but my Uber driver drove me directly to the front of the terminal. No waiting in traffic whatsoever. I basically walked right onboard without stopping, and was one of the first to reach the windjammer. It honestly feels like people forgot to do early check-in, or I had a glitch in the app or something, but this was by far the best embarkation experience I’ve ever had.
I also know this is not typical, and would not count on this to be the standard experience boarding a Royal Caribbean ship in Miami.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
I tried two specialty restaurants while on board, Chop’s Grille and Giovanni’s Italian kitchen. I enjoyed both and thought the specialty restaurants available will be a perfect fit for short 3-4 night sailings like the one I did. I didn’t think there was anything special or unique to this ship, however.
Additionally, I did go to playmakers and get the campfire cookie, which I will always recommend to anyone sailing on a ship with Playmaker’s.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
At the time of sailing on Freedom, it was the smallest ship I’d ever been on, and I went in expecting it to feel cramped. I was impressed. It felt like even though it’s significantly smaller than Oasis class, it still has 90% of the venues as its successor, and I could easily see myself spending a full week on a Freedom class ship without getting bored.
I think my favorite part of the ship was the solarium pool. It was the deepest pool I’ve seen on a cruise ship, and it was a walk in pool, which was a nice change of pace from most cruise ship pools.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
After seeing the incredible Broadway shows on Allure and Harmony, Once Upon a Time was a huge step down. It was still a good time, but a company just can’t compete with Broadway, and I wish Royal Caribbean would make an effort to expand incredible shows to more of their ships.
I also saw the ice show onboard freedom of the seas, and continue to think the figure skaters are wildly talented.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
I had expected Freedom class to just be a worse version of Oasis class, and while similar, there were two things about Freedom that I really liked. Firstly, the Royal promenade was three decks high, and that made it feel huge in comparison. The exterior promenade was also massive, and had the ability to go on the helipad, which quickly became one of my favorite places onboard the ship, whether it was to watch sailaway or to stargaze.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
I got what I expected with an interior cabin. It was much more spacious than Mardi Gras had been, and was pleasantly surprised, but it was still a small interior cabin that felt a little bit dated. For the most part, I treat staterooms like a locker, and it did the job, I had a place to sleep, but there was nothing special about the stateroom.
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