OK, but not great

Item: Freedom of the Seas
Rating: 3
Author: Hamburger

Freedom of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

Hamburger

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Reviews: 3

Helpful Votes: 146

Overall rating:

3 out of 5

Verified Review

Eastern Caribbean

Sail date: June 01, 2014

Ship: Freedom of the Seas

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 8410

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 10 years ago

Review summary

We had been on the Freedom of the Seas two years before, so we knew what to expect, and of course we hoped it would be even better than our 2012 experience. The cruise was good and we had a great time onboard, but we just felt that some things could have been better, like the food and the attention to detail. First of all, we expected "gourmet quality food", and we just did not get that. The fresh baked bread was outstanding, and some of the deserts were fantastic. The entrees were 'hit or miss', and that was really unfortunate. Some other issues included cabin maintenance, where we had to call a few times for repairs, management of the teen program, and responsiveness of customer service. We had an issue with a shore excursion, which was not resolved to our satisfaction. I guess, with over 4000 passengers on board, some things just slip through the cracks. Royal Caribbean is a great cruise line, and we plan to cruise again, but almost certainly on a different ship.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

RCL needs to focus on food quality and consistency.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

There is always plenty to do.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Overall, very good.

Children's Programs

5 out of 5

The kids we saw in the program seemed to have a great time.

Service and Staff

3 out of 5

Our dining room server was great. Customer service - not so great.

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

Some updates and maintenance required.

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5

We thought we would like this cabin, since it was at the starboard stern of the ship, a bit off the beaten path, with a more unique balcony experience. We did not expect the amount of movement and vibration that we experienced. Also, at times the food smell from the galley exhaust was a bit intense on the balcony. Aesthetically speaking, the bathroom needs to be updated.