Freedom of the Seas - Good Points/Suggestions/Tips

[Ontario Traveller]

Returned 2007 Nov 11 from Freedom of the Seas - Eastern Caribbean.

 

4000 passengers from 50 countries. 500 children. 80 honeymoon couples.

Tropical Storm Noel was out of the region, but some swells remained for the first few days. Overall excellent weather.

 

Good Points to be noted, and Suggestions for Improvement that we made via our Cruise Feedback form:

 

Overall:

 

- An excellent cruise - we would recommend it to friends and would travel again with RCCI.

 

Good Points:

 

- Beautiful Ship. Solidly built. Very little flex or creak compared with other ships.

- Royal Promenade is quite amazing (a four storey high, block long main street down the middle of the ship).

- Wide exterior Promenade deck -- can walk around the ship (~7 minutes) includes access to the helipad at the very front of the ship. Lots of lounge chairs for sitting.

- Room size / balcony size large compared with other ships we have been on. Layout is great.

- Well maintained / clean / staff everywhere wiping down hand rails, etc.

- Very friendly staff on board, always helpful and hard working and attentive.

- Online services via in-room TV handy - includes ability to check your folio charges.

- Food excellent with lots of choices at every meal in the Windjammer, and good selection at dinner in main dining room.

- Anytime dining option excellent -- very handy and we hope this option will continue to be available for those who wish to select it.

- Plenty of lounges available for people in deck areas even on at sea days.

- John D'Souza - Excellent head waiter in Galileo's dining room (for anytime diners).

- Waiters Ajith, Slaney, Bongay always made us feel welcome.

- Skybar - Carvelle bartender - Entertaining and Recommended.

- Daily cruise publication -- Compass -- always available early in evening.

- Drinks are reasonably priced. (eg, $5 for a Mai Tai, many bottles of wine in mid-$20 range.)

- Express disembarkation option much appreciated.

 

Suggestions for Improvement:

 

- Windjammer has insufficient seating and it is difficult to negotiate around and music is often a bit too loud.

- 8% Miami tax was added unexpectedly to wine ordered for dinner first night -- it was removed after a complaint.

- Hair conditioner / hand lotion should be provided in-room for guests.

- Smoking is still allowed in many areas of the ship making it unpleasant for those who do not smoke. Should restrict smoking to one bar and one small outside area.

- Windjammer food containers (esp in salad bar area) are a bit too high to see what is in them, and the signs identifying the food are also mounted a bit too high for all but tall people.

- A night light in washroom should be added -- rooms are dark at night and the one electrical outlet in the washroom is disabled if the main light is off.

- Consider adding a waffle-bar to the Windjammer for morning breakfast service (there is a omelette station).

 

Tips:

 

Check in - Given group number card based on time of your check in and then wait until your group number is called for boarding. Boarding started about noon. Access to room areas on ship was opened at 1pm.

 

Express Departure - Sign up via form delivered to your stateroom - Must carry your own bags off -- you are off the ship as soon as ship is cleared by US Border Protection, in our case by ~6:20am.

 

Time Changes -- Clocks and tours/departure times, etc, remained on Ship's time (Miami time) (which was off by one hour from island time).

[Duck111]

Great info Thanks!!!! We plan on spending alot of time with Carvelle the bartenter at the sky bar if you left any Mia tia's on board!!!:p

[jamie560]

Thanks for the great infor. I would like to point out that there are still a lot of smokers left and having them restricted to one area would be like a smoking room in an airport. Smokers have rights too; they just need to be more courteous of non-smokers.

[rprehoda]

on smoking. I just got back from the Freedom and the smoke in the casino was very irritating to the point where several in our party developed coughs and stuffy noses. I can tolerate some cigarette smoke but it even bothered me. We couldn't even enjoy our balcony because the smoke from the one next to us was blowing over onto ours.