Is it disappointing to go on Royal Caribbean’s older, Freedom Class ships, after making an attempt their newer ships?
The cruise line’s smaller vessels, such because the Voyager and Explorer Class, are nice for exploring distinctive ports and unique itineraries.
Its mega-ships, just like the Icon and Oasis Class, famously supply an awesome quantity of onboard actions and facilities.
So the place does that depart Royal Caribbean’s medium-sized vessels, just like the Freedom Class?
Eighteen years in the past, Freedom of the Seas debuted because the very first Freedom Class ship, and the most important cruise ship on the earth.
In 2006, the 1,111-foot-long and 156,271 gross-ton vessel surprised company with its water slides, 15 decks, and 1,963 staterooms.
Nonetheless, practically twenty years later, Freedom of the Seas has lengthy been dwarfed by six Oasis-class ships—each bigger than the subsequent—and now a brand new Icon Class of even greater mega-ships.
Freedom was Amplified in 2020, present process a $116 million improve that included a brand new pool deck, water slides, and eating venues.
How does a cruise on Freedom of the Seas evaluate to Royal Caribbean’s latest ships?
Coming scorching on the heels of my cruises on Icon of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas, I used to be keen to check this older vessel.
Freedom feels small and crowded compared to greater ships
I nearly felt upset after I first walked onboard Freedom. The golden, shiny elevators and the tiled Royal Promenade felt a lot smaller compared to the Oasis and Icon Class.
When in comparison with the large open areas of Icon of the Seas, for instance—with a two-level Royal Promenade and large Pearl staircase—Freedom of the Seas feels tiny.
The general public areas and seating areas regarded dingy and crowded. When crusing on ships like Surprise of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas, I appreciated how a lot seating and strolling areas there have been.
On Freedom, nevertheless, I discovered myself stalled in large throngs of individuals and wandering the pool deck looking for a seat.
The general public areas felt tiny, particularly the center of the Royal Promenade, the elevator areas, the Windjammer’s aisles, and the pool deck.
Whereas it felt inconvenient, having to cope with extra crowds onboard Freedom made me contemplate the communal nature of cruising.
There’s something enjoyable, in spite of everything, about squeezing right into a packed elevator and exchanging quiet laughter with strangers.
Whereas the crowds have been annoying, additionally they made the cruise really feel extra united. I noticed the identical faces again and again till we started to acknowledge one another
The cabin had fewer trendy facilities
Whereas I loved my oceanview cabin on Freedom of the Seas, I seen it missed a few of the extra trendy facilities I’ve seen on newer Royal Caribbean ships.
Elements like extra ports across the room (as a substitute of simply on the desk) spoiled me by enhancing my expertise on newer ships.
I felt the shortage of the trendy fixtures within the lavatory. Icon of the Seas, for instance, has a big bathe space, full with clean sliding doorways and footstands within the bathe.
Standing in Freedom’s astronaut-sized bathe, by comparability, felt cramped and uninteresting.
The lavatory was small, with dimming lights and slamming sliding doorways.
I additionally seen much less artistic organizational designs, and fewer adjustable AC and announcement controls.
Nonetheless, every facet of the cabin was nonetheless clear and purposeful. It wasn’t that any a part of it was missing—essentially the most inconvenience I felt was the shortage of charging ports all around the stateroom.
My stateroom was nonetheless a snug, luxurious house at sea.
I wanted the complimentary eating choices on newer ships
The meals onboard Freedom of the Seas was tasty and got here with marvelous service, however I missed the complimentary eating choices on newer Royal Caribbean ships.
I spent my time eating without spending a dime on the Windjammer buffet, the Essential Eating Room, Sorrento’s Pizza, El Loco Recent, and the Café Promenade, however discovered that I shortly bored with the breakfast choices.
For breakfast, I might head to the Windjammer or the Café Promenade, or order room service—continental breakfast comes free.
However on a 7-day cruise, these choices received outdated. The 2 venues served principally the identical dishes for breakfast: waffles, hashbrowns, oatmeal, pancakes, fruit, yogurt, and muffins. After I ordered room service, the meals regarded unappealing, and the fruit was moldy.
Greater than that, I longed for some new venues to change up my breakfast surroundings. I missed the AquaDome Market on Icon of the Seas, and the Park Cafe on Utopia of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean strove so as to add extra complimentary eating on its newer ships, and I actually missed that improve after I sailed on Freedom.
I didn’t miss the flashier reveals and leisure
Freedom might not have the flashy, unbelievable Aquashows and light-weight performances of newer ships, however the onboard leisure didn’t lack something.
Freedom of the Seas has ice reveals, reside music and comedians, films, nightclub occasions, and different manufacturing reveals.
All of those performances nonetheless felt entertaining, even when in comparison with the marvelous technological wonders on newer ships.
Plus, the smaller nature of the cruise meant the leisure got here from the sport reveals, trivia nights, and different cruisers.
As a substitute of attending a flashy robotic efficiency, the largest occasions of the night could be a reside piano participant on the Schooner Bar or the finale of the karaoke competitors.
This communal leisure struck a stability amid extra thrilling reveals, just like the FreedomIce.com ice skating present and the As soon as Upon a Time efficiency.
The sports activities middle was fairly action-packed, with a mountain climbing wall, basketball courtroom, FlowRider surf simulator, two water slides, and an arcade. Plus, cruisers can expertise laser tag and ice skating onboard, identical to on the Oasis Class.
Freedom’s onboard actions create a fantastic middle-ground for a extra itinerary-intensive cruise.
When the climate was wet and windy, there have been loads of indoor cruise actions to get pleasure from.
However on a port day, I didn’t really feel the necessity to rush again to the ship to attempt all the pieces onboard.
Backside line: Freedom jogs my memory why I like to cruise
Though I discovered myself lacking some trendy facilities, Freedom of the Seas jogged my memory of what I actually get pleasure from about cruising.
I don’t cruise for the world data, the flashy expertise, or the over-the-top actions. As a matter of reality, crusing on a ship with a much less hyped-up popularity made for a calmer, extra relaxed cruise.
I cruise Royal Caribbean for its laid-back trip ambiance, cheerful service, limitless meals, and communal cruise leisure.
Freedom of the Seas is probably not the cruise line’s latest or largest, but it surely was crammed with real crew and fun-loving cruisers.
The actions, service, and leisure held up as high quality, regardless of the ship’s age.