Wonderful Cruise

Freedom of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western

dbeauchamp

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 62

Overall rating:

4 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Western Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip)

Sail date: February 28, 2016

Ship: Freedom of the Seas

Cabin type: Inside

Cabin number: 3617

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

This was my first RC cruise. I have to say the service was exceptional. The few problems I had were resolved right away. The staff know you by name. I felt very safe aboard this ship. I enjoyed the shows, the dining room, the adult only pool and the ports of call.

There are a few negative things I could say. For one the internet packages are $20 per day and you have to purchase it for the entire cruise. That's $140 for one device. People who bought it complained the internet was too slow. Also, the prices for the arcade games are $1.50 each. They warn parents that children are able to use their seapass cards here, but I don't understand why they don't have packages where parents can pay for a certain amount of time. Also, they are always trying to sell you stuff - watches, jewelry, etc. The ATM machines charge you a $6.50 service fee. Casino slots are tight. Don't even bother.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Food in the dining room was great. The portions are small but they will give you a second plate if you ask.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

There is a mini-putt area, Ping-Pong tables, rock climbing wall, flow rider, arcade, sports area, skating rink. There are lots of things to do.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Headliner shows were excellent. The Arcadia theater is a beautiful theatre. Ice Skating show was also entertaining.

Children's Programs

5 out of 5

They have lots of activities for teens. There were 4 3D movies shown (3 for children, 1 for adults).

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

The staff know your name on the first day. You don't just feel like a number.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Super clean public washrooms and common areas.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Great location. Very clean. Lots of mirrors & storage space. Adequate for 2 people. Room was next to dining room and two minutes from elevators. Five minutes to café promenade and Arcadia theatre or Studio B. Did not experience any sea sickness.

Ship tip

Don't buy anything the first day. It all goes on sale by 60% by the last day. All spa packages that were $179 on Day 1 go down to $99 on Day 5. Ping Pong tables hidden behind flowrider section on side of ship. Regular coffee and tea at back of Starbucks free 24~7. They have free food and desserts to

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Port Canaveral, Florida

5 out of 5

Did the JFK space centre tour. It was more interesting than I thought it would be, but a bit rushed. No time for Imax Movie. It runs from 9 -2 and they drop you at airport for 3pm.

Thumbs Up 5

Labadee (Cruise Line Private Island)

3 out of 5

Bring water shoes or your feet will get cut from rocks on beach. Buffet lines are long and food is not great. People who did the zip lines or roller coaster were the only people who seemed satisfied.

Thumbs Up 0

Falmouth, Jamaica

5 out of 5

Organized tour with Reggae Tours to Montego Bay. Guide was friendly and prompt. They were much cheaper than RC.

Thumbs Up 2

George Town, Grand Cayman

5 out of 5

Stingray city and snorkel tour was great. Internet café located near post office, 5 minutes from pier.

Thumbs Up 0

Cozumel, Mexico

3 out of 5

First, no one wants plastic. It is cash only. Also, they mostly want American money, not even pesos. Beware of ATM fees and exchange rates. When I got home I was charged $150 Canadian to take out $100 US!

Thumbs Up 2

3 Comments

dannylws 8 years ago

Congratulations on your cruise. Welcome to the RCI family. We are looking forward to our 4th cruise coming in April, just 23 days away. We love RCI.

Thumbs Up 1

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chadley77 8 years ago

Love the slots even if I didn't win much.

Thumbs Up 1

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MnSqAtSea 8 years ago

I won over $200 on the slots. I just played the penny slots, played one cent per line and made sure I played the ones where my max bet was like .15-.20 max. Of course, this doesn't happen much for me. I'm not usually lucky in the casinos. Lol.

Thumbs Up 0

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