Freedom from the Mouse! Our first non-Disney cruise, and we LOVED it!

[karajeboo]

After unpacking (all our luggage was there the time we got to our cabin at 1:30 when rooms were available!), we decided to go find Nana and PapPap (they were in 8640 which was immediately adjacent to the elevators. Perfect for them!

 

We grabbed them to head up on deck and check out this ship.

 

Now let me tell you, THIS is my biggest beef with DCL. So you decide to build some ships and market heavily toward families with small children. Let's build a pool the size of a postage stamp and expect 500 (being generous) kids to get in there at the same time! And the other 500 can wade in the equally tiny Mickey pool. Just crazy.

 

RCCL shows that this isn't their first rodeo and they know cruising. I have lots of photos of the pool deck, but they are all over the place, so you will see some here, and some later on, too.

 

 

 

 

In this photo alone (taken from Olive or Twist lounge), you see 1 wading pool (under the waterfall), comparable to DCL's Mickey pool, 1 deeper pool (with glass walls to see your kids), comparable to DCL's Goofy pool, plus 2 hot tubs. So this alone has the ships equal on family/kids pools.

 

Then throw in the main pool area with TWO more swimming pools (that are actually large enough for someone to take a stroke or two in) and two more hot tubs and RCCL kicks butt on swimming pools. Did I mention the adult pool? I will later....

 

 

Sorry, but this alone allowed Ally to actually spend time in the pools on this cruise and the main reason we probably would not spend the money on DCL again. We had one booked for NYE this year on the Fantasy but my boss ixnayed that due to the time of year and the seasonality of our business, making it way too busy at work to take vacation in the winter. :( But I think that would've been our last DCL cruise.

 

Luckily we live in a neighborhood with an Olympic size pool and clubhouse, and we are always there with friends and neighbors, so a pool on a ship is not a huge deal to Ally, but to kids who do not have a neighborhood pool, and vacations are the only times they get to swim? They are basically corks bobbing in the DCL pools. No room to move at all, and VERY dangerous, too.

 

OK, rant over, but I guess after what happend to little Chaser on the Fantasy, I'm angry, knowing that should have never happened. The pool on Freedom was NEVER packed like that, not even close, and there were 1400 kids on board.

 

Pools:

 

RCCL 1

 

Total:

DCL 4

RCCL 6

 

 

 

[karajeboo]

Thanks for the review and the comparisons. We have always sailed RCCL, but with the new grandbaby was thinking of the Disney Fantasy. Looked into pricing and WOW. I Could not believe the price difference. And believe me we are Disney folks. Annual passholders etc. So I am liking you be able to compare the two.

 

I'm jut like you! At least I WAS...... but I really am sold on RCCL, at least this ship. That's all I have to compare. So I've done DCL Magic and Dream (which is basically the FAntasy) and just RCCL Freedom. I almost laugh at some of the blunders that I feel DCL has made. And all the things you look at Disney and say, "wow, they're good....." RCCL did the same.

 

It's like RCCL has nailed the market for cruising. DCL has nailed the market for theme parks. Again, before I sailed RCCL I was in love with DCL. But that was like loving Cedar Point before ever going to WDW, know what I mean?

[mjldvlks]

Great review -- are you related to KansCocoa?

[karajeboo]

Great review -- are you related to KansCocoa?

 

Nope, should I be? lol

[karajeboo]

It may even be cheaper. Keep looking for price reductions up until final payment!

 

Oh you know it! At least once I week I check just to see, and usually I can snag $50 or so!

 

This is fun. I'd read your reviews over on the Dis Boards before a couple of our DCL cruises and now we are going on the Freedom of the Seas as well. We are a bit different in that we've sailed many lines including both RCCL and DCL a few times so we know that they are equal and where they each excel. Will be fun to hear how you copare the two, since we've done the same! (We leave in a week and a half for our FOS cruise! Wooohoo!)

 

I'm jealous! I want to go back sooooo bad!!! We need a do-over for reasons I'll let you in on as the trip report progresses. And I'm already counting down until next year - only 348 days to go!!! lol

 

And we are already vacation voyeurs again. Wondering about Carnival Dream? We like port canaveral because we can drive, so we save quite a bit of money that way. You know, onboard expense money!!!! ;)

[karajeboo]

Enjoying your review. I can't wait to read more!

 

Thank you! I feel like I'm reliving it each time I add a new photo!

 

Anxiously waiting your first impression of this awesome ship! Great review so far. :)

 

Well? Was it what you thought?

[karajeboo]

more please!

 

Hold your horses, it's coming! :p

 

We also have sailed Disney. Once on Wonder and once on Magic. Have Fantasy booked for this Fall but after sailing NOS last spring break we are seriously considering canceling Fantasy and booking the Freedom for this fall. The price is just so much better. Can't wait to hear more of your review.

 

That's where we are. We had Fantasy booked and the only reason we were keeping it is that it was NYE, how fun would THAT be? And we were sailing with some dear friends, plus a lot of others that I've met over on the DIS over the years. Now I know holiday cruises are a lot more, but we were in an oceanview cabin, and it was $5k just to walk on the ship!!!! Once we had a couple drinks, excursions, hotel before, gas, etc, we'd be well over $7k for three of us. Crazy!!!!! I was so excited for that cruise, but my boss made the decision for me.....

[ARCruisinNana]

Nope, should I be? lol

 

KansCocoa also does awesome reviews:)

[karajeboo]

Very true. I live 30 minutes from Disney and have lived in central Florida for 30 years. When I was little we had annual passes and would go sometimes twice a month to one of the parks. And now I know someone who works there so we are able to get in free and pop in for special events or just to see a new ride. But having been so much it does lose its excitement. Now we don't even bother going unless something special is going on.

 

We lived in Jacksonville from 2007-2010 and had annual passes. One year I personally spent 34 days in WDW. Now that we've moved back to SC, it's kind of "out of sight, out of mind." We went back in 2011 with my whole family, but now we see it so much differently. I'm glad we lived nearby when we did - Ally was 6-9 years old so the "magic" was alive and well. We will go back, but looking at every 3-4 years now so we can experience other things, too. It's easy to get in a WDW rut when you are so close.

 

That's funny because after 4times with Disney Cruise and I always want cruise with Freedom of the Seas and we booked it for my special birthday, that was two years ago and we did same as you, we stayed same hotel also we went along to Fishlip to watch the cruise sailed too...

 

When we were on FOS, and I thought no not for me because it was huge ship then my husband took me for walk around and end of our last day, we enjoyed it and we love promenade and we asked our kids which one best Disney or RC. They said they love both....

 

We find foods was better than Disney but I think Magic is hand down as it is my favourite ship...

 

Scottishwee35

 

I totally agree the food is better on Disney!!!! That is the only area that I give them 100% edge over Freedom. And you're right it is very large. Much larger than the Magic (which will always be my first love). I didn't care for the Dream at all. I would probably sail the Magic again, but I really have no desire for the Dream or Fantasy. Freedom was large, but I never felt it was "too" big. We loved hanging out in the Promenade (the Bull and the Bear was always our meeting spot for Ally or Jeff' parents), but also the dining room was beautiful, the Flowrider, rock wall, putt putt golf, ice rink...... just so much more to do on sea days!

[mjldvlks]

Nope, should I be? lol

A little joke -- she also writes popular reviews, including a recent one about Allure.

[karajeboo]

Anxious to hear more.....we sailed the Disney Fantasy last year and I've been nervous about our Freedom Cruise this year...mainly because of our 10 year old comparing everything to Disney.

 

I know one thing, my husband was looking forward to not having to go to all of the character meet n greets Disney has on their ships, until I told him this ship has Dreamworks characters! :D

 

We didn't do a single meet and greet. We ran into Gloria and Puss a couple of times, but there was never a line. They just roamed the ship, much like the characters do on DCL. We also did not do the character breakfast. Ally was now 12, and she was "too old" for that! :p Trust me, all the things you are nervous about in comparison? They match up.

 

We are also huge Disney people. We had booked the Fantasy for our trip this summer, but our 11 yo daughter saw some RCI commercials on TV and convinced me to check their prices. After seeing a savings of about $1500, we cancelled Fantasy and booked Freedom! Can't wait until July!

 

Loving the review, can't wait for more.

 

I'm seeing more and more people doing this. You won't regret it, I promise!!!

[karajeboo]

I'm excited to hear more too! We have a 6 and 4 year old and have sailed with disney three times and loved it! We are booked for Freedom this June and excited to see how we like it- looking forward to the review.

 

I hope you love it as much as we did! I will continue with as much detail as I can!

 

Just like you our family would be making the leap from the mouse to the Radiance of the seas this June. A big leap I say...after a few DisneyWorld/Land trips we tried our first cruise on the wonder. Ever since then we are hooked....have done the bahamas, the mexican rivera, so much so that the kids now call the "Wonder" their ship.

 

Heard about the accident on Fantasy..really said.. hopefully the kid has recovered by now.

 

I know nothing about Radiance. What size is that ship? I've also heard bad things about Liberty (Freedoms' sister ship) but I can say that I've never heard anything negative about Freedom, and we also loved her!

 

The boy from the Fantasy is still in a bad way. He was moved back to Minneapolis and has moved again to another hospital. He was in a medically induced coma, and he has a feeding tube. Poor little guy has a lot of brain damage, but they are seeing slight signs of improvement each day.

[AF-1]

You can't go wrong with Freedom. We took our 5 grandkids on for their first cruise. After comparing pricing with DCL, and since my wife and I were paying for everyone. We chose this ship.

[Winnigirl]

Loving your review! And the rating system!

 

We're DVC members, so we're at WDW every year - our tradition is to add a cruise to our land vacation at Disney. We've had two Disney cruises and they were fantastic, but I've never understood those who have the attitude that if it's not Disney, it's not worth doing! We're sailing on the Oasis this September and I can't wait! Just like I can't wait for more of this review!

[karajeboo]

Subbing...

We love Disney, and the two Disney cruises we've taken. But, we also had a really great time Mariner of the Seas a few months ago. So much that we booked the Freedom for February 2014. I'm excited about that trip, especially since we are going with friends. However, I am even more thrilled about our next Disney cruise.

 

bottom line, I am incredibly thankful for having the opportunity to cruise at all!

 

Oh, Hi Scottishwee! I recognize you from that other message board....we are on the Disney WBTA with you next fall.

 

That is exactly right!!!!! I couldn't agree more!

 

I took my DD on her first cruise when she was 8. The following year I took her on her second trip to WDW. And I asked her while we were at Disney what was better ... Disney or a cruise. She didn't hesitate. She said "Cruise!" I was stunned. I knew which one I preferred, but I never thought a 9-year-old at Disney World would say she could think of a better way to spend a vacation.

 

I've never cruised on anything bigger than the Voyager class yet ... but am booked on the Liberty a year from now, so I'm looking forward to your experiences.

 

I think Voyager is about the same size as Disney's Dream, and Fantasy, right? One class down from Freedom? I think our server said it's the same is a lot of aspects but it's just shorter, and that makes the Promenade shorter.

 

It's funny, before this Jeff said he wanted this to be our last cruise for awhile and go back to an all-inclusive in the Caribbean next year. And Ally said she didn't want to do a spring break trip next year because she wanted to be home for her birthday with her friends. Guess what? They were all begging me to book for next year!!!! :D

[Redsfan]

Thanks for posting your review. We took our 5 grandkids on Freedom. They had a ball. The cost on Freedom was a lot cheaper than Disney, but the onboard experience was great. Since this was their first cruise that had nothing to compare to. And since my wife and I paid for everyone's trip we feel we got more bang for our buck on Freedom. Someday we may take them on Disney. But then again, I feel they would have as much fun on Allure or Oasis than on Dream or Fantasy. Let me stop. It's your review and I am looking forward to more.

 

great to see my fellow RedsFan now you can take a fellow Canuck Reds Fan and his 3 girls on a cruise as well! Let me know when to pack!

[karajeboo]

I've just posted a Liberty review :-)

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1823446

 

Oooooh, goodie! I'll be checking that out!

 

will be following your great review with interest, because Freedom is on our radar for a future treat.

 

Kathy

 

And what a treat she is!!!

[karajeboo]

Woohoo, loving the review! Can't wait for more, Freedom is a beautiful ship :D

 

Is she EVER!!!!!

 

Thanks for posting your review. We took our 5 grandkids on Freedom. They had a ball. The cost on Freedom was a lot cheaper than Disney, but the onboard experience was great. Since this was their first cruise that had nothing to compare to. And since my wife and I paid for everyone's trip we feel we got more bang for our buck on Freedom. Someday we may take them on Disney. But then again, I feel they would have as much fun on Allure or Oasis than on Dream or Fantasy. Let me stop. It's your review and I am looking forward to more.

 

You hit the nail on the head. My inlaws were considering DCL with us and my SIL and her family. But after we raved about Freedom, and they personally had a great time, we basically said that if you've never done DCL, you aren't missing anything. Especially if you've done WDW. The one thing that's great on DCL is the character attention. It's nothing like WDW, waiting in lines for a 10 second hug from Cinderella. On the ships it is so personal. I remember running into Donald and Daisy while I was by myself. Nobody else around, and I stopped to have my pic taken, and I was talking to them just like I had a little kid with me! It was wonderful! But really Freedom had more to do on board.

[karajeboo]

Thanks for sharing. A very good review. We've sailed on Freedom twice and find the staff excellent.

 

This had a LOT to do with our great experience. I was so afraid we would be lacking the "Disney attention" but we were not. We had the best waiter we've had in 4 cruises, best stateroom attendant, best cruise director, some of the best bar servers!!!! Really really great attention to detail all around!

 

Looking forward to your review. Next April for us on FOS...

 

When in April? We are sailing on the April 6 Eastern.

[karajeboo]

And then what happened? :confused:

 

And then...... :p

 

You can't just leave us hanging. Will be eagerly awaiting your next installment!!

 

I'm working on it!!!!

[karajeboo]

Looking forward to the rest! :)

 

Me too! ;)

 

We are from SC as well (love your daughter's Clemson shirt GO TIGERS!), Myrtle Beach, SC. We are sailing on the Freedom doing the Western on 5/12/13 (ready to go now). We were on Freedom last year and really enjoyed it as well as our AFT balcony. Enjoying your review!

 

What cabin did you have? We have friends looking at 8710 and I hear something about sooting issues?

 

And so glad you didn't say "Go Cocks!" :D

[narsibvl]

I hope you love it as much as we did! I will continue with as much detail as I can!

 

 

 

I know nothing about Radiance. What size is that ship? I've also heard bad things about Liberty (Freedoms' sister ship) but I can say that I've never heard anything negative about Freedom, and we also loved her!

 

The boy from the Fantasy is still in a bad way. He was moved back to Minneapolis and has moved again to another hospital. He was in a medically induced coma, and he has a feeding tube. Poor little guy has a lot of brain damage, but they are seeing slight signs of improvement each day.

 

Radiance size wise compares to Wonder. The itineraries are far better with Radiance to Alaska. From what I hear, Radiance was built with Alaska voyages in mind, so much glass around that you could see outside from where ever you are in the ship.

 

I guess if we had the dreamworks experience it would have been more interesting for the kids, but this time around we are doing it more for sightseeing then the kids experience.

[Redsfan]

love the passion in your review!

 

We are a family of 5 with 3 girls, so we have been wanting to try something outside of our Carnival Cruises, which we have 2 of. We booked Independence of the Seas last year but cancelled for a great 8 Day Carnival Breeze itinerary.

 

This year we want to take a break from Carnival to test other Cruise Lines and either RCI or Disney were of interest. Of course Disney is so over priced for a large family like ours so our only hope is that they have another Kids Sail Free or 25% off Promo for Canucks. If so, we will try it to say we have.

 

We have Freedom of the Seas booked for December 1 this year, and love the great reviews like yours!! Interested in what Islands you visited, and what you did as well..

[AF-1]

great to see my fellow RedsFan now you can take a fellow Canuck Reds Fan and his 3 girls on a cruise as well! Let me know when to pack!

 

I am very happy with the Reds. Go Joey votto. Actually I'm headed to the game tomorrow afternoon. The Cubs r in town and we r headed to Disneyworld with our now 6 grandkids ( we've added one since the cruise, and yes we are paying for everyone; I think we r up to 11 now). But I am in process of planning a family cruise for everyone on Allure. My wife and I did it a few years ago and we both agreed; the kids need to be here. So that's my story.

[mjldvlks]

. . . I think Voyager is about the same size as Disney's Dream, and Fantasy, right? One class down from Freedom? I think our server said it's the same is a lot of aspects but it's just shorter, and that makes the Promenade shorter. . . .

 

That is basically correct, The Freedoms are essentially "stretched" versions of the Voyager class. The Voyagers are approx 137,000 gt which is slightly larger than the Disney Dream class [just under 130,000]. The Radiance class is approx 90,000 gt which is a bit larger than the Disney Magic and Wonder at about 83,000. But the Radiance class tend to be more geared to adults with a fully enclosable solarium and without some of the attractions of the larger ships.