Freedom of the Seas Cruise Reviews - Reviews

We had a great time.  The cabin steward was able to conform to our schedule, the private island, Labadee, is the most beautiful we have ever seen (been to Disney's and Holland's) .  We were in the most forward cabin on the starboard side with the "bubble" and really enjoyed the view to the front of the ship.

We chose this ship because of its itinerary visiting our desired islands and we weren't disappointed. We have cruised before but this was our first time with Royal Caribbean so our expectation was high. As for the ship design and buffet food we would give it 5 stars. Entertainment is average and needs improvement. Shore excursions are over priced so we ended up getting our own tours. Staff and crew were smiley and always there when needed. All and all we had a great time and we would cruise with Royal Caribbean again. Happy Cruising!

We had an amazing time, all of the crew were fantastic.Godwin was amazing at dinner. He was very quick with the food, had a great personality, and accommodated all of our needs. Patricio was excellent as well.

Wait staff was great, but the food was mediocre at best. We felt nickel and dimed to death - bottled water, lattes and wine. Making reservations for the main restaurant on a daily basis was another huge inconvenience. Dinner lines on the first few days were very long, but it got better towards the end.

Our cabin was ok, but small.

We enjoyed our trip on Freedom of the Seas.  The service was over the top!!  They alway strived to make it a very relaxing trip.  The service was the best part of the cruise.  The food was good.  The service in the Dining room was great!  

Had a great time.  Food was good - especially enjoyed Giovanni's Specialty Restaurant. Only thing I didn't like was the smoky casino and lack of staff in the casino.

We had an absolute blast!!! The ship was maculate and the staff was awesome! Getting on and off the ship was convenient and ran like a "well oiled machine". Really appreciate Bernie who took care of our cabin. The shows were absolutely amazing!!! The amount of talent on one ship is incredible! The only disappointment was eating at Chops Grill, average steak and wasn't cooked well at all. I will definitely cruise on his ship again! 

I really enjoyed this cruise. This was my second cruise with Royal Caribbean and it was extremely enjoyable.  The food was better than I expected.  I got used to having a cheese, mushroom and pepper omelet every morning cooked just for me as I waited  in two minutes or less. My dinners were always in Leonardo's at late seating with an assigned table with 5 other travelers.  So over the evenings we all got to know each other.  My only complaint is that the First Monday and Last Friday it was formal dress and I don't dress up to eat or anything else.  I'm retired and the last time I wore a suit was at my daughters wedding.  The shore cruises were excellent, however except for the one on Cococay, Bahamas were extra cost.  I took one in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas called "Kon Tiki Glass-Bottom Boat Cruise" which was very disappointing.  The wooden framed glass viewports were not cleaned well and you really couldn't see anything.  Plus the area we stopped at the water was not clear, so all in all a complete waste of money.  The second shore cruise at Philipsburg, St. Maarten called "An Ultimate Island Tour, Explorer Cruise and Island Tour" was fabulous!  They took us by coach thru the Dutch side of the island, stopped for pictures at the top of a hill, and then down thru the French side of the island where we boarded a catamaran to cruise around the bay.  Then reboarded the coach and drove back to the Dutch side. It was a fun 8 hours and well worth the money.  The entertainment was excellent.  Two different comedians gave a show at 7:00 PM for everyone and a second show at 11:00 PM for adults only.  They were both very funny and quite enjoyable.  They also had an aerialist act with a man and a woman from Hungary that was very impressive.  They did the whole act hanging from a suspended cable and the guy was amazingly strong to handle all of the moves without dropping the girl. Acts from Las Vegas could not have done better! Paul Borland (I think who was billed the man with a 1,000 voices) gave a great show with voice impressions of all kinds of movie stars and famous singers.  Really well done.  They also put on an ice show twice over two days which was impressive enough that they were doing it on a moving ship and also that the ice rink was not that large.  Again the skaters did amazing flips and leaps and the choreography and outfits were very well done.  They also gave a show with an illusionist/magician who did a Las Vegas-like act using assistants dressed in beautiful outfits and using cages and curtains which was amazing.  They also had two song and dance shows which were top-notch, the one on the last night was truly incredible!  There was many opportunities over the days to use the climbing wall, play mini golf, use the table tennis tables, swim in the pools, use the waterslides, play shuffleboard, use the soccer court or basketball court.  If you couldn't stay busy, it was your own fault.  I could say more but I think you get the idea.  This was a fun cruise and I formed a lot of good memories.

Freedom was built in 2003 and updated once.  3,600 passengers was a bit much for us although there was little waiting for anything.  Balcony cabin was about average.  Food was average plus.  Service was spotty.  Specialty restaurants were indeed special.  Chops filet mignon could literally be cut with a fork.  Entertainment was very good.  Illusionist and the Once Upon a Time production were outstanding.  The cruise director was a hoot.  Very creative and outrageously funny.  Casey Pelton (sp?).

Very solid trip all around, but not to rush back for.  However, many returning cruisers on board. 

   Freedom of the Seas is a great ship with one problem.  Some of the interior rooms are so crowded that getting into bed at night is a major struggle.

  At 74 years of age our bodies just don't bend like the old days and it was nearly impossible to walk between the desk and the bed.  So we had to climb in from the bottom of the bed.

  Otherwise, what can we say.  This was a wonderful trip. Great shows, wonderful excursions, and, as we have come to expect from Royal Caribbean, a fantastic staff.  Overall a 10 plus despite our annoyance with a crowded room.  In case anyone is listening it was room # 8405.   At the end of the hall, too far from the elevators, and very crowded.

  Dr. Larry and Susan Dunsster

The over all cruise was delightful, with just a little weather related rough seas on a cruise day. It made being on the top deck impossible. Royal Caribbean has plenty to do on their ships, so this was not a problem however. Nice production shows, an adult game show that was hysterically funny, the casino and more.

We upgraded  our dining package to have a little variety. Chops is Five Star. Excellent cuts of meat, cooked to perfection. We enjoyed the Italian restaurant too. Sabor is a New Mexican restaurant with table-side guacamole. The bonus was a wonderful dessert tray with many different small desserts to sample such as churros, a coconut flan that was wonderful and more. I would have like a few more selections on the entree side however. 

The main dining room at dinner was  just ok, however many entrees were rather drab. Small portions for a mans appetite, but they did bring additional food for him to make it better. It made us wait longer, when we could have spent time doing other things. I thought the food was not as good in the past on their cruises for this cruise line. Our waiter was a gem though, as well as his assistant.

We went on the Five Star Island tour in St Thomas. Do not go on this Excursion as it is a total waste of money!!!!!!!!! It was nothing but  a taxi ride to the beach with a couple of small rushed stops at best. It was supposed to go to one beach, but we were taken to another due to e coli problems after heavy rains in St Thomas the day before. The beach at Lynchberg Beach AKA: Emerald bay was just ok. Tthe water was beautiful, but the facilities were run down and dirty. The tour quide could not be heard because the speakers were blown as he drove thru town just to point out the police station and the chief's house, then past the sewage and electric for the island. He stopped on a high spot to let people take a photo overlooking the beach. This is where it really became a joke. It was overgrown with bushes and had two garbage trucks with garbage hanging out parked there.It just got worse from there!!!!!! We got other transportation back, because this tour was a absolute bust. I would not tell anyone to go on this. 

We went on the Mirrabella Catamaran in St Maarten. This was 5 star!!!!. Fun and exciting for all ages. Safe. Stopped to snorkle. Had equipment for adults and children on board. Had beer and rum punch for adults and soft drinks and water for children. Served sandwiches and had chips and salsa and snacks during the sail around the the island. Stopped at one of the beautiful beaches as a second stop for swimming. Water was deep there, so those with young children need to make sure they have on live jackets. They provide floats for adults that are not the strongest of swimmers.

They even stopped off the famous Airport Beach to see the planes come in overhead. This was fun for all ages. Great way to see the Island!! I highly would suggest this excursion.

Too much to write about.  RCL has it all.  Boarding and debarking was very easy.  Food was outstanding.  Entertainment was very good, with a variety of entertainment, to please anyone..  All RCL personnel were very attentative to vacationing personal on Freedom of the Seas.

Of course there are things I would do differently and different decisions....However the overall experience was a positive one. I would consider taking another cruise. My wife wasn't to keen on the inside cabin,  so that would be the first change, although our attendant was fantastic. Our dining( Servers) crew were great, service was A1. We learned how to schedule seeing the shows while having the late dinner. If I could change anything it would be the 1st stop (Port of Call). The Private Island was not something that impressed me. We're from Florida so spending a day on the beach is something we could do any weekend. 3 real Ports of Call would have been more enjoyable for me, anyway.

Royal Caribbean is our favorite cruise line and one of our favorite ships is Freedom of the Seas.  The staff is better (if that's possible) every time we sail on this ship.  Our cabin steward always paid attention to what we wanted and did everything on our time schedule.  The dining room staff was the best yet and our table (thanks to our travel agents) was wonderful.  Located where we could talk and enjoy each other's company and even next to a beautiful window in a nice corner of the dining room.  St Thomas and St Marten are beautiful and great shopping stops.  The ship is beautiful and always decorated beautifully.

Our cruise was darn near perfect but for a minor issue of our stateroom toilet running over from a sprung part needing replaced but it was taken care of within minutes of calling maintenance. The dining room food and service were excellent. The shows and entertainment were well done and riveting. Our cabin steward took care of all of needs and always greeted us by name with enthusiasm.

After cruising on "Carnival" for the past several years, we made the decision to check out "Royal Caribbean" and so glad we did! The 2 companies are so different from each other and our experience on Royal Caribbean was so much more enjoyable. From the people/Staff on the ship to the food/entertainment and cleanliness - Royal Caribbean is the only way to go from now on! You may have to pay a little more, but you get what you pay for.

Thank you Royal Caribbean for the best cruise vacation ever!

Our first cruise on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship was a great experiance, The ship was the largest ship we have ever been on.the food was very good, the service was great, but the debarkation needs some work.

Our stateroom attendant was very helpful and our servers in the dining rooms were awesome! This ship was totally updated with lots to do such as rock climbing wall, flow rider, ice skating rink etc. Show were really entertaining. Ship was clean and food was excellent. It was the best cruise we've ever been on. 

Excellent ship and cruise staff. The ship was extremely luxurious. The stateroom, casino, disco, dining room, stages, stores, in short everything. The dinner was awesome very formal and the food slap-up. The ship activities for all ages were great and the shore excursions were varied for all likes and for a good rate.My family, friends and me are very grateful with all members that make our stay a memorable.

Thanks!!!

We enjoyed every moment on the ship and off the ship. It's a Luxury experience that will satisfy every age group...and more Staff very well trained and very pleasant.  It offers more options that you can take advantage of! The only thing I would like to change is priority boarding for Off-Shore Excursions purchased through cruiselines-it should be first come first get off the boat. Kudasik Family