Freedom Review w/Pics: 4/3-4/10/2011, some good, some bad, some meh.

[JohnGaltny]

My travelling circus (Wife and 6 friends) and I are very Royal-centric. Given the same itnerary and even a close price, we will always sail RCI.

 

With that said, our cruise on the Jewel in January forces me to agree with the OP and others on here about the food. If I had written a review of this cruise, I would have raved about the service staff, our waiter and ass't waiter and the ship.

 

However, the MDR was usually just fair ("meh") and several entrees (including the steak and lobster) were flat out inedible. I mean old shoe and sea sponge horrible.

The WJ was, as usual, pretty meh but the trip was too short (5 days) to get terribly bored BUT the idea of facing the Windjammer on a 10 night cruise would have me smuggling food in a money bely and inflatable bra for my wife.

 

As of now, we see a total dicotomy. NCL has WAYYY better food but it takes an average 2.5 hours to finish dinner. RCI gets dinner to you more quickly and with much better service BUT there's a good chance you won't want them to.

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

My travelling circus (Wife and 6 friends) and I are very Royal-centric. Given the same itnerary and even a close price, we will always sail RCI.

 

With that said, our cruise on the Jewel in January forces me to agree with the OP and others on here about the food. If I had written a review of this cruise, I would have raved about the service staff, our waiter and ass't waiter and the ship.

 

However, the MDR was usually just fair ("meh") and several entrees (including the steak and lobster) were flat out inedible. I mean old shoe and sea sponge horrible.

The WJ was, as usual, pretty meh but the trip was too short (5 days) to get terribly bored BUT the idea of facing the Windjammer on a 10 night cruise would have me smuggling food in a money bely and inflatable bra for my wife.

 

As of now, we see a total dicotomy. NCL has WAYYY better food but it takes an average 2.5 hours to finish dinner. RCI gets dinner to you more quickly and with much better service BUT there's a good chance you won't want them to.

 

If it matters, I just got off Oasis and the food was GREAT compared to Freedom!! :)