NEW ROYAL Cruiser going on Freedom of Seas

[RyanMFitz1]

Hello to all RCCL cruisers !!!

 

My name is Ryan and I am currently booked on my VERY #1st RCCL cruise on Freedom of the Seas....

 

That all being said...Can you guys and gals give me some "inside" information on this ship. What to avoid or a definite "must do".

 

I am looking forward to this and have SOOOOOO many questions that I hope you all can help me with..

 

Safe Travels !!!

Ry

[BobbyD]

Freedom of the Seas is my favorite ship (so far)! It definitely has the Wow factor compared to the other ships you have sailed. I have sailed CCL a few times and had great cruises, but I do think that the lines are similar in many ways. All things being equal, Royal usually gets my vote on service and the overall experience. Walking onboard the Freedom onto the Promenade is a sight to behold! It is a bigger ship than you are used to but the flow of passengers is quite impressive. There are many threads with all the details of the ship so do some research and enjoy!

[lag9122]

You must do the ice show,and also the love and marriage game show . Richard is the best cruise director you will ever have so enjoy your first royal cruise ! Chop steaks are also very good.

[RyanMFitz1]

Freedom of the Seas is my favorite ship (so far)! It definitely has the Wow factor compared to the other ships you have sailed. I have sailed CCL a few times and had great cruises, but I do think that the lines are similar in many ways. All things being equal, Royal usually gets my vote on service and the overall experience. Walking onboard the Freedom onto the Promenade is a sight to behold! It is a bigger ship than you are used to but the flow of passengers is quite impressive. There are many threads with all the details of the ship so do some research and enjoy!

 

Thanks so much Bobby. Knowing you have cruised CCL like me, Its nice to get that comparable opinion of the two lines. I am so excited and know I will have a blast !

[RyanMFitz1]

You must do the ice show,and also the love and marriage game show . Richard is the best cruise director you will ever have so enjoy your first royal cruise ! Chop steaks are also very good.

 

Thanks LAG...I am looking forward to ice skating at sea. Just the thought of being able to do it is neat to me !!!

[Lost_in_BC]

I'm on Freedom for the first time in a couple weeks. One thing I'm looking forward to is checking out the helipad on the front of the ship. From what Im told FOS is one of the few ships that allow you to visit that location. It's sort of between floors. To get there you have to go as forward as you can on deck 4 or 5 (I cant recal which) and go up the exterior stairs there to get to the helipad.

 

That's my tip. :) Have a great time on your criuse!

[Lionesss]

We so loved the Freedom, from the time we set foot on board, and it took almost all week to explore and see what there is to see.

I know you too will love her.

The shows are well done, and there is always something new to find and explore.

Enjoy, we did (twice).

Sea Ya

[riclop]

Hello to all RCCL cruisers !!!

 

My name is Ryan and I am currently booked on my VERY #1st RCCL cruise on Freedom of the Seas....

 

That all being said...Can you guys and gals give me some "inside" information on this ship. What to avoid or a definite "must do".

 

I am looking forward to this and have SOOOOOO many questions that I hope you all can help me with..

 

Safe Travels !!!

Ry

Its a beautiful ship and a great crew so enjoy. Next Oasis/aAllure.

[RyanMFitz1]

Thank you all so much..>So warm and welcoming...

 

I jsut thought of a question....

 

On carnival, they have an option where you can buy a "fast to the fun" which enables you quicker boarding and access to your room before the normal time...Does RCCL offer something like that? When can you access your room normally?

[BleednBlu]

The ship is amazing. You can surf or body board on the flow rider.

If you plan to go ice skating make sure you bring long pants, they are required to skate.

Enjoy,

Tom

[Coralc]

Thank you all so much..>So warm and welcoming...

 

I jsut thought of a question....

 

On carnival, they have an option where you can buy a "fast to the fun" which enables you quicker boarding and access to your room before the normal time...Does RCCL offer something like that? When can you access your room normally?

 

Not available on Royal Caribbean. Members of the loyalty program and suites have priority boarding. Staterooms are usually accessible at 1 PM for everyone.

[RyanMFitz1]

Not available on Royal Caribbean. Members of the loyalty program and suites have priority boarding. Staterooms are usually accessible at 1 PM for everyone.

 

 

Thank you so much for this information. I am more excited and its so far out...:)

[Jimnbigd]

I'm on Freedom for the first time in a couple weeks. One thing I'm looking forward to is checking out the helipad on the front of the ship. From what Im told FOS is one of the few ships that allow you to visit that location. It's sort of between floors. To get there you have to go as forward as you can on deck 4 or 5 (I cant recal which) and go up the exterior stairs there to get to the helipad.

Helipad technically is on deck 5 at the very front of the ship.

You can take the front elevators or stairs to deck 4, go outside, and walk forward up some stairs.

Or I think you can go into the lounge on deck 5 and go out a side door on the right toward the back.

 

On tip: No charge for Cafe Promenade (CP). I like desserts here better than the MDR or buffet. And CP is open almost all the time.

Another tip: Deck 4 outside is a good place to sit and watch the ocean. That's also where you find shuffleboard.

Edited November 12, 2013 by Jimnbigd

[Cruzn Fool]

I seond BobbyD as preferring RCI to CCL but take it a step farther when it comes to the Freedom and Oasis class ships in that once you go on this Freedom cruise you most likely will not want to go back to Carnival. We started out with RCI on the Mariner of the Seas and when we did our first Carnival cruise soon after that, we were disappointed because our expectation level had been set by our experience on the Mariner.

 

That doesn't mean we didn't do any other Carnival cruises since then and would still do them today if the price and location (we are on the West Coast and there isn't much RCI options for us out here) were too good to pass up but would just go in with the expecation that the ship will not be anywhere the level of the Freedom or Oais class, in our opinions.

 

There is so much to do and see on Freedom and the Royal Promenade alone just blows me away each time I get to go on a cruise that has one. You actually tend to forget you are even on a ship while you are hanging out there. Make sure to catch the parade(s) that happen there during the cruise.

 

There really is a lot of information on cruise critic for you to look at and you have plenty of time until the cruise so search away.

 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your cruise....actually, I am sure you will enjoy it.

[Ocean Boy]

You picked an awesome ship for your firat RCI cruise. If you come back not blown away by this ship then I will be very surprised. No other cruise lines have any ship design that is similar to the Freedom class ships.

 

Enjoy the anticipation!

[PattyG12]

Almost all of the RCI ships that I've been on have allowed you to go on the Helipad. It's really nice to go up there late at night and look at the stars!! We love the Freedom too!

 

Make sure you take some time to just relax. People tend to overdo to try to get it all in!!

[Brigbound]

Hello to all RCCL cruisers !!!

 

My name is Ryan and I am currently booked on my VERY #1st RCCL cruise on Freedom of the Seas....

 

That all being said...Can you guys and gals give me some "inside" information on this ship. What to avoid or a definite "must do".

 

I am looking forward to this and have SOOOOOO many questions that I hope you all can help me with..

 

Safe Travels !!!

Ry

 

Welcome! I always recommend to try breakfast in the main dining room (maybe on one of your sea days) at least once rather than Windjammer Buffet. It is far less hectic. We asked our Main Dining Room dinner- table mates if they wanted to plan and join us and they were all ecstatic (I guess we lucked out with such a nice group of people). Ask for the eggs benedict if they don't have it already on the menu.

 

Have a terrific cruise!

Brig

Edited November 12, 2013 by Brigbound

[Lost_in_BC]

Helipad technically is on deck 5 at the very front of the ship.

You can take the front elevators or stairs to deck 4, go outside, and walk forward up some stairs.

Or I think you can go into the lounge on deck 5 and go out a side door on the right toward the back.

 

On tip: No charge for Cafe Promenade (CP). I like desserts here better than the MDR or buffet. And CP is open almost all the time.

Another tip: Deck 4 outside is a good place to sit and watch the ocean. That's also where you find shuffleboard.

 

Great thanks! I like the sounds of the outside space on deck 4. We'll have to check it out. :)

[Jimnbigd]

Great thanks! I like the sounds of the outside space on deck 4. We'll have to check it out. :)

Grab a drink and/or some food and take it with you. Usually there are no waiters on deck 4 outside -- at least I've never seen any.

[Loyal2RCCL]

Try and get to the MDR for lunch on the seas days. The salad bar is amazing and can easily be a meal in itself.

 

Be sure to get to know the crew and let them know if you have any special requests.. you'll find that if there's any way they can make something happen, they will.

 

As others have stated, if you're not blown away by the ship and the service I'd be very surprised.

 

Enjoy the Freedom!

[RyanMFitz1]

Welcome! I always recommend to try breakfast in the main dining room (maybe on one of your sea days) at least once rather than Windjammer Buffet. It is far less hectic. We asked our Main Dining Room dinner- table mates if they wanted to plan and join us and they were all ecstatic (I guess we lucked out with such a nice group of people). Ask for the eggs benedict if they don't have it already on the menu.

 

Have a terrific cruise!

Brig

 

I have always enjoyed breakfast in the Main Dining room on any cruise I have been on. Thanks for the tip..:)

[RyanMFitz1]

Is it possible to request a 2 top table for me and my mom in the main dining room? we enjoy looking out the window on previous cruises in the back of the ship watching the sunset.

 

Also is there a place to see the menu? Has anyone posted that on a website or anything?

[kingstonKouple72]

My wife and I are booked for Freedom as well in January. Our first on Royal Carribean as well.

 

We have been on NCL and once Carnival. I understand that RC is less "casual" than the others. Generally I enjoy wearing dress pants and a tie to dinner, but no jacket. Will this be out of place on the Freedom?

[RyanMFitz1]

My wife and I are booked for Freedom as well in January. Our first on Royal Carribean as well.

 

We have been on NCL and once Carnival. I understand that RC is less "casual" than the others. Generally I enjoy wearing dress pants and a tie to dinner, but no jacket. Will this be out of place on the Freedom?

 

Even though I have never been on RCCL, I would say if thats what makes you feel good, then wear it :)

 

So far, from the posts I am reading the majority of people dress for formal nights and nice for the casual/smart casual evenings as well. Of course there are always those people that march to their own drummer, however, I highly doubt you will be out of place at all.

 

have a great cruise my friend !!

[pe4all]

After 16 CCL cruises in a row (and one NCL this past summer) we are sailing on the FOS for our first RCCL experience this Christmas. We will have 4 of us in a GS, and are looking forward the the Concierge Lounge perks. One thing I would do is to reserve the ice skating show as soon as it opens for your booking. For us, it was about 3 months out. I heard the show is great, and it books up right away. I'll let you know how the cruise was in about 39 days!:D