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Review of Freedom of the seas!

Natalie2015
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Natalie2015

Natalie2015

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Hi! First of all, my main language is not english, so il do my best on this review!

 

We just got off the Freedom and it was FANTASTIC!!! i just dont understand all the negative reviews on the Freedom or on Royal...

 

It was my first Cruise with royal, but i've Cruise with Disney (Disney Dream) last year. To my surprise, this Cruise was better on many levels than the one with Disney last year.

 

-embarcartion: easy and fast. As everyone had said, our rooms were ready by 1pm.

-debarcation: we choose to carry our own luggage. We went to the Buffet at 7h and around 7:30 we went to the gangway (exit) on the 4th floor. We were in our car at 7:50!!! But i could see that people who choose to not carry there luggage had to wait a little longer. So if youre in a hurry, carry it yourself!

-no need to arrive more than 20 minutes before the parade

-the service and the food in the main dinning room is just excellent! We all gain 10 pounds!

 

 

 

 

 

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Natalie2015

Natalie2015

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-the food in the windjammer was ok. It's a Buffet, so as expected

-we did not pay for a beverage plan. In the Buffet for lunch and dinner there was free glas of water, lemonade, unsweeten ice tea, coffee, and mango water. For breakfast: Orange and Apple juice and coffee. We did buy the water bottles (6 big bottles for 39$) and we are coming back with 4 bottles! So a waste of money.

-i've read that you should bring an empty water bottle to refils it in the Buffet and bring it back to your room. But your not alound to do that and we brought it for nothing... If we were thirsty we would just go and grab a glass of water or lemonade and bring it near the pool or somewhere else

-in the main dinning room: Also free lemonade or free glass of water or coffee.

-the kids club and the teens club was way better on the Disney, but it was still ok here

-we had inside rooms that connect 1605-1607. It was small as we were expecting, but it was always clean. In the rooms i can definitly say that the Disney dream look better. The freedom show it's age specialy in the rooms and in the bathroom. The should chance the color...

 

 

 

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Natalie2015

Natalie2015

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-the shows were all great. Marquee: a Broadway show, not my Kind of show, but it was good. Ice show: excellent. We went on the first sea day, but they were showing it on another day and Also at night at the end. The 2 comedy show were excellent and the magic show was good.

-since we have kids and go to sleep early, we did not participate in any late show, but i think that there plenty of choice and activites to see and do

 

 

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Natalie2015

Natalie2015

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-on sea days, yes it gets crowded around the pool side. The first sea day we were there around 8:00 and we were the first one. On the second sea day (last day of the Cruise) we were there around 9:00 and we could see that people were sleeping later on this last day, cause there were alot af chairs available. You can get 2 towels per sea pass. Just remember to bring you sea pass When you give back the towels, so the're able to scan it off your account. They say they could charge 25$ per towel lost

-breakfast with the dream works.... Not sure if ils worth the cost. It cost 13.50$ CAD per person (so a little less americian). You dont go there for the food, cause it's the same you could get somewhere else. You go the for the mascotte. But we saw only 3 :king Julien, Gloria and Alex the lion. During the week, they are all coming at different Time for about 10 minutes and you bring your own camera for picture. If i'd known that there would only be 3 mascottes in the special breakfast, i would not laid for it and make sure that i would bring my kids to see every mascotte. No need to arrive early for that, it"s not like on the disney's ship... No wait Line, you just show at the Time, you take a picture right away and youre free to do wathever you want to do after

-yes they sell all Kind of stuff on the ship (spa treatments, jewelry, etc). But you just pass youre way and you'll be fine. I did not botter us, ans we did not buy anything.

-i've read lots of reviews and tips before going on that Cruise, so i was well prepare. It help me in a lot of ways.

 

Freedom is a big beautifull ship. It was clean. And except for one lady at the casino, every body who work in there was Nice. They always try to please you.

 

I would not hesitate to go back. I'm very please whit Royal team and we all had a FANTASTIC time!

 

Like i said, we were all surprise that we like it that much, especially since our other Cruise was with Disney Line.

 

Dont hesitate if you have questions, i'll do my best to answer you!

 

 

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

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We sail on Freedom in November and have been on her sister ships in that class already -- Liberty and Independence. We expect a terrific time and a great crew. Food is always very subjective, but in all of our cruises on Royal we have never walked out of the MDR hungry or unhappy with our meals and fully expect the same on Freedom.

 

Nice to read this thread!

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Tara619

Tara619

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Thanks for the review. We're going on Freedom in March. It'll be our first RC cruise. We've done 4 Disney cruises, so we're nervous to try something new. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

Did you have to reserve tickets for the shows or any other activities?

Did you sit with strangers at dinner?

What do I need to do/plan before the cruise other than excursions?

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Natalie2015

Natalie2015

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@wendyland: movies during the day: Home, penguins, kung fu panda 3

Night film in the arcadia: star wars

Night film at the outside pool: race, Batman VS Superman and another one that i dont remember. One thing that is weird is that the movies at night (either Batman or race) were there at least 2 nights during the week... For the cost of a film, i would put different one on each night

 

@Tara619

No need to reserve tickets for the show. The ice show, we went on the first day of that event (day 2). We arrive about 40 minutes before and It was really to early. I think 15 minutes before you'll be fine. For the night show, we had early dinner at 5:30 so we were suppose to go to the late show at 9:00. But since we always go to bed early, we chose to go to the 7:00 show. We went after dinner (6:45 sometimes 7:00) and we always had a good Seat. The only show that was crowded was the magic show, but we still had good seats.

We were 7 in our party and the table were set for us. On our sea pass the number of our table, the Time of the dinner and the dinning room was on it. Every night that we wanted to go to the main dinning room, we sat at the same table and had the same 2 waiters. You dont change dinning room like on Disney. And it's all in the same dinning room (wich is gorgeous) but on three levels so the name of the restaurant represent the Level you'll be. Ex: leonardo's deck 3. No you dont sit whit strangers.

 

There's really nothing to plan other than the excursion. Be carefull to stay on ship Time When in port. Bring a watch, not a cell phone that change Time automatically. We left 2 people behind in cayman, so it does happen! :(

 

 

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Biker19

Biker19

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-i've read that you should bring an empty water bottle to refils it in the Buffet and bring it back to your room. But your not alound to do that and we brought it for nothing...

You can just grab 2-3 glasses of water and use those to refill your bottle.;)

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iahawkfan21

iahawkfan21

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We sail on Freedom in November and have been on her sister ships in that class already -- Liberty and Independence. We expect a terrific time and a great crew. Food is always very subjective, but in all of our cruises on Royal we have never walked out of the MDR hungry or unhappy with our meals and fully expect the same on Freedom.

 

Nice to read this thread!

 

So true! I know food is completely subjective, and especially when preparing for 4000+ people, but as you said we never go hungry. I am not a "foodie" and as such can always find something. There have been times where I got an entree I either didn't like or something was off about it and the waiters have always been quick to bring something else.

 

To the OP, thanks for the review! We love the Freedom class of ships, they have so much to do. And as another mentioned, no need to apologize for your English, it was just fine.

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

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So true! I know food is completely subjective, and especially when preparing for 4000+ people, but as you said we never go hungry. I am not a "foodie" and as such can always find something. There have been times where I got an entree I either didn't like or something was off about it and the waiters have always been quick to bring something else.

 

To the OP, thanks for the review! We love the Freedom class of ships, they have so much to do. And as another mentioned, no need to apologize for your English, it was just fine.

 

I can remember once when I ordered something and it came more 'well done than I really liked' and the waiter noticed I wasn't enjoying it very much and offered to get me something else....but I was actually rather full already. But the staff wants everyone to be happy, and will do what they can to make it happen.

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