Climb Aboard Royal Caribbean’s Newly Revitalized Freedom of the Seas

When was the last time you woke in the morning to an unbelievable view of a sunrise over open waters? I can now say that This Girl has as I was recently invited, along with a guest, on a weekend voyage aboard Royal Caribbean’s newly revitalized, Freedom of the Seas, one of the world’s largest ships. This amazing 1,112 feet long ship has absolutely everything you need to enjoy a fun-filled weekend and more.

Having never been on a cruise before, my teenage daughter and I had no idea what to expect. Prior to our trip, I read through articles, asked fellow bloggers for any tips and suggestions over Facebook, and even scanned travel websites for any information I could find. I will say that from the details I did come across, this ship built in Turku, Finland looked ready to impress!

Freedom of the Seas

Here are a few quick facts to help you visualize the size and capacity of this ship:

• 185 feet wide
• 14 guest decks
• 15 total decks
• 14 passenger elevators
• 1,891 total staterooms
• 4,515 guests total
• 1,360 crew (international)

Now that I have shown you how large the Freedom of the Seas is, let’s talk about the numerous things to do while on board. You will never run out of things to do. Ever. Even if you want to play a nine-hole miniature golf course, you can do that aboard the Freedom!

My daughter and I were in awe at the amount of things you can do on Freedom of the Seas. We had so much fun exploring the ship together and only 2 days and nights to do it in. One of our favorite shows we attended at Studio B on Deck 3 was FREEDOM-ICE.com. The ice cast kept us on the edge of our seats, it was amazing, something to definitely check out when you are cruising on the Freedom.

More highlights aboard the ship – the massive 42-ft high Rock Climbing Wall and the 40-foot-long Flowrider Surf Simulator on Deck 13. If you are the adventurous type and like to live life on the wild side, these activities are just the thing for you.

Highlights

• Flowrider Surf Simulator
• Rock Climbing Wall
• Ice Skating Rink
• DreamWorks Experience

We also enjoyed perusing through the many boutiques and lovely art galleries on board. One of me and my daughters favorite things to do together. And I must not forget the all-new Cupcake Cupboard on Deck 5, a vintage-style gourmet bakery with 30 types of cupcakes! We may have visited this bakery once or twice during our journey.

Though I’m not much of a gambler, and I had my young daughter on board as my guest, we did not actively play any games in the Casino Royale on Deck 4, but I will say that it looked to be a pleasant casino offering much entertainment to last wee hours into the night.

Other Venues

• Sports Court
• Video Arcade
• Outdoor Movie Screen
• 3 Pools
• 6 Whirlpools
• Arcadia Theater
• Studio B
• Casino Royale
• Art & Photo Gallery
• Britto Gallery
• Boutiques
• Library & Card Room
• Vitality Spa & Fitness Center
• Skylight Wedding Chapel

Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas is not just for grown-ups, not at all. The ship offers many activities for young children and teens and they even offer a dedicated nursery where they are cared for by trained professionals. Such a terrific option for parents who would like to sneak away for a few hours to spend time together while on the cruise.

Kids & Teens

• Royal Babies & Tots Nursery
• Adventure Ocean
• The Living Room
• Full Teen Disco

We very much enjoyed our meals throughout our excursion. We were excited to see a Johnny Rockets and Ben & Jerry’s on board! My daughter especially loved the Windjammer Cafe on Deck 11 which offers a huge buffet of many different choices of foods. My favorite meal we attended was at the all-new Sabor Modern Mexican on Deck 4. The food was most delightful and the service outstanding.

Dining

Complimentary:

• 3 Level Main Dining Room
• Windjammer Cafe
• Sorrento’s
• Cafe Promenade

Specialty:

• Chops Grille
• Giovanni’s Table
• Sabor Modern Mexican
• Johnny Rockets
• Ben & Jerry’s

The ship offers a large selection of bars, clubs and lounges. Passengers can discover a fun evening filled with dancing, socializing and live music at clubs and lounges that do not feature a cover charge. It’s the ultimate evening out on the town without ever having to leave the ship.

Bar & Lounge Entertainment

• Vintages
• Boleros
• Schooner Bar
• Bull and Bear Pub
• The Plaza Bar
• Wipeout! Bar
• On Air Club
• Star Lounge
• R Bar
• Viking Crown Lounge

As part of this press trip with Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas, we sailed to Nassau, Bahamas and I will be writing about our adventure there in another post very soon. Let me just say, it was interesting and entertaining!

Overall, the Freedom of the Seas is an amazing ship with restaurants, theaters, shopping, clubs, pools, sports and much, much more. There is much to do for the entire family or spend time together as a couple simply relaxing. Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas will most certainly be a journey not forgotten.

My plan is to return and spend time in the Vitality Spa that offers a luxurious line-up of signature treatments, massages, medi-spa services and a salon. Now that’s relaxation.

Where would you spend your time aboard the Freedom of the Seas?

Disclosure: Me and a guest were provided an all-expense paid trip in order to facilitate this review, however, all opinions and experiences are honest and my own.