Loyal Celebrity cruisers try RCCL - LONG review

[lysolqn]

We’re loyal Celebrity cruisers (32 X cruises under our belt, with 33 and 34 between now and year’s end) who were looking for a quick end-of-summer getaway with our children and grandchildren. We had exactly one week during which all our schedules jived, thus no time for a cruise in Europe; and since we’ve all been on multiple Alaska cruises, this time we were left with only Caribbean cruises from which to choose. Since Celebrity has no ships in the Caribbean during the summer months, we had to look to another cruise line; and with Carnival and NCL never a consideration, we were left to choose from one of Royal Caribbean’s ships, ultimately deciding on Freedom of the Seas. This was our fifth cruise on RCCL but our first time back on the line since a cruise on Explorer of the Seas some eight years ago. We are well aware that RCCL’s product is quite different from X’s and wanted to avoid making comparisons between the two - which, admittedly, was difficult to avoid. I’ve tried to be as objective as possible and want to remind anyone who bothers to read further, that this review is based solely on our own experiences and observations.

 

Even before boarding, the first thing one notices about Freedom is how huge and how pleasing to the eye this ship is. Once onboard (embarkation was a breeze), it’s clear that unlike Celebrity ships which are more traditionally and more elegantly appointed, Freedom definitely excels in the “wow” factor. Whether it’s the Royal Promenade, the H2O Zone, the three-story dining room, the Flow Rider, the ice rink or any place else for that matter, on Freedom of the Seas you’re always surrounded by some kind of structural or entertainment eye candy that grabs your attention. A major plus is that the ship stops short of being an overbearing, glitzy assault on the senses and despite being a vast feast for the eyes, is tasteful in appearance. What Freedom lacks, besides the quiet, intimate places that can always be found on X ships, is the large fine art collection on X ships. There are some prints sporadically placed in the hallways but the artwork on Freedom is the ship itself, and it doesn’t come close to that on any X ship.

 

The other thing that is immediately obvious on Freedom is that you’re sailing with 4000+ other passengers. To RCCL’s credit, we never felt particularly crowded, never had to wait on long lines and never had to wait for an elevator (including on the morning of disembarkation!). The only time we ever really took notice of the vast number of people on the ship was on the pool deck on sea days – and even then, it wasn’t so much the number of people as it was the noise generated by the large number of people. Since Freedom is more than one-and-a-half times the size of X’s M-class ships (our favorites), we were concerned that we would find it much too big for our liking and had visions of having to allow for “travel” time when moving about the ship. Again to RCCL’s credit, the design is such that everything seemed to be comfortably within reach and even when walking from one end of the ship to the other, we never felt we were walking great distances to get where we were going. With very few exceptions, the ship was absolutely immaculate and showed no signs of any wear and tear that we could see.

 

We booked two balcony cabins and one junior suite on Deck 7, and the accommodations were great. (Our Crown & Anchor diamond status – mostly due to being Elite Captain’s Club members on Celebrity – afforded us a much appreciated discount on the cabins, a perk not offered by X.) The cabins on Freedom are considerably larger than those on any X ship we’ve sailed (and we’ve sailed them all numerous times) and we really enjoyed the extra spaciousness of the cabins, the balconies and the bathrooms. (Note: we didn’t miss the notorious clinging shower curtains on X!) There was ample storage space, the bedding was very comfortable and none of us noticed any wear and tear in our cabins. Unlike the small desk/vanity space on X ships, we had a rather large (almost expansive) desk/vanity area with good lighting, plenty of storage and a flat-screen TV. In addition to the queen-size bed, balcony cabins have a full-size sofa opposite the vanity area and a glass table; the junior suite also has a chair and ottoman. The air-conditioning worked especially well in our cabins (and throughout the ship), even in the intense heat and humidity of the Caribbean with the sun beating down on our side of the ship – a plus over some cabins on X, especially on the older ships. Cabin service was very good but we missed the pitcher of water that is always there on X, and we were a bit surprised to find that unless you request otherwise, the rather small ice bucket is filled only once a day. When we asked, our cabin attendant brought us a larger ice bucket and filled it twice daily but water was available only from the mini-bar ($1.95/small bottle) or the bathroom sink (didn’t even try it). Other than the shampoo dispenser in the shower, the balcony cabins provided no other bathroom amenities, although the junior suite was supplied with lotion, etc. I’d have to give RCCL the advantage over X, at least in the area of accommodations.

 

Entertainment on Freedom was pretty much endless. We caught the ice show which was very good, especially when you realize it’s taking place on a cruise ship. We caught two of the three production shows which were entertaining but virtually the same as those offered on X (though perhaps a bit more elaborate, if for no other reason than the size of the stage). We’re not fans of Bingo, pool games, discos, art auctions, wine tastings, theme nights and the like but those activities were plentiful – especially as repeatedly “advertised” over the PA system. Which brings me to the number of announcements made throughout the day (and evening). All I can say is boy, how we missed the just-once-a-day noon announcement from the bridge on Celebrity. We didn’t particularly care for the many daily announcements, especially those designed to lure pax to part with their dollars on one thing or another.

 

With 4200 people (900 children on our sailing) on Freedom, the passenger demographics were much more diverse than any we’ve encountered on Celebrity. Firstly, there were many more families with children of all ages - most of whom (I’m pleased to say) were quite well behaved. Clearly, RCCL markets to a younger, more family oriented demographic than does Celebrity and that is quite evident. We also noticed a difference in the socio-economic demographic between RCCL and X passengers. Please don’t flame me; I am not passing judgment on the socio-economic group of passengers on RCCL. I am, however, noting that there is, in fact, a very definite difference in passengers which may or may not have been unique to this cruise, the length of the cruise, the time of year, all of the above or none of the above.

 

Service on Freedom of the Seas was very good. With very few exceptions, staff and crew were particularly friendly and helpful – and that includes those who worked in Guest Relations, often a sore spot on other cruise lines. It was obvious everyone onboard knew he/she was acting as ambassador of good will for the cruise line and smiles abounded. Throughout the week, we came across only two people who clearly didn’t like their jobs; one worked in the Windjammer Café, the other waited on us for lunch in the dining room. Otherwise, there was no fault to be found with respect to service provided during the cruise. If there is a difference between service on RCCL and service on X, I’d have to say service on X is aimed at a somewhat more sophisticated, better traveled passenger and is therefore a bit more refined.

 

There is a published dress code on Freedom of the Seas which offers two formal nights, one smart casual night and four casual nights. Prior to our cruise I frequented the RCCL boards and read many posts about the dress code which were similar to many posts on the Celebrity boards – those vehemently in favor, those vehemently opposed, those who didn’t give a hoot. All I can say is that if I didn’t know RCCL has an evening dress code, the odds are I never would have suspected there was one based on how people were dressed. With respect to evening dress on Freedom, just about anything goes – and that includes shorts, bathing suit cover ups, exercise gear, jeans, tee shirts, caps, flip-flops, you name it – even in the dining room. Yes, there were those who followed the guidelines but with all due respect, what we observed was that the majority of passengers did not. Tuxedos were a rarity, dark suits and cocktail dresses weren’t too far behind. There was no distinction between smart casual and casual; and frankly, based on what we observed, for most passengers there was no distinction between casual and formal. What other people were or were not wearing was of no consequence to us, it didn’t ruin our cruise, we could care less – but it was surprising, a real eye-opener. I will never again complain about Celebrity’s failure to enforce its own dress code. ‘Nuf said about the ever-incendiary subject of the dress code.

 

And now to the subject of food on Freedom of the Seas which is clearly subjective. In a word, we found it - disappointing. With early seating too early for the adults in our family, and late seating too late for the children, prior to the cruise we booked My Time Dining - which worked out just fine for us. We were especially pleased with the waiter and assistant waiter we had the first night and requested that we be seated with them for the rest of the cruise (excepting the nights were at Portofino’s and Chops). Service was excellent as both were very pleasant, incredibly efficient and very accommodating, as was the assistant maitre d’ in charge of our section of the dining room. For us, MTD offered the best of both worlds, allowing us to eat at a time convenient for us, while at the same time affording us the advantage of having the same table and wait staff each night. In general, we thought the food at dinner was unremarkable in selection, quality and plating. Yes, some things we ordered were quite good but as a rule, from appetizers to desserts, there is no question whatsoever that the per passenger food dollar allotment on RCCL is far below that on X, obvious in both taste and presentation. On the other hand, we thought food and service in Portofino’s was exceptional; and, while the beef in Chops was far better than that served in the dining room, the restaurant otherwise fell far short of any decent landside steakhouse. Breakfast and lunch served in the Windjammer was (from our collective perspective) simply functional. It was what I would expect to see in a cafeteria or college dining hall, and seemed to be designed to please those who favor quantity in lieu of quality. Breakfast in the dining room was somewhat better; lunch in the dining room – though the same every day - was pretty good.

 

To sum it up, we enjoyed our cruise on Freedom of the Seas and are glad we had the opportunity to once again sail with RCCL. While we prefer a more traditional cruise experience, Freedom certainly has a lot going for it and RCCL offers its target demographic a lot of bang for the buck. We’ve come to the conclusion that when it comes to cruising, bigger isn’t always better. As incredible as Freedom is, it’s one big downfall is that it feels less like a cruise ship and more like a Las Vegas theme hotel - and we just happen to like the feel of a cruise ship better than that of a theme hotel. Compared to what we’ve become accustomed to on Celebrity, the RCCL product (at least based on our experience on Freedom of the Seas) is a bit too mainstream for us. We clearly prefer the niche X provides in the cruise industry. RCCL is also a bit too commercial for us. There are far too many announcement and way too much hawking of bingo and retail sales (every which way we turned, there was someone selling [not so] gold by the inch!) - not to mention extras like a $4.95 charge for fresh-squeezed orange juice at breakfast or the $14.95 charge for steak at dinner in the dining room. We saw a big difference between our first three RCCL cruises in the early 90s and our Explorer cruise in the late 90s. We saw an even bigger difference between our Explorer cruise and this one on Freedom. No doubt, RCCL offers a good product but not one that is necessarily a good fit for us.

[mafig]

$14.95 charge for steak in the dining room???? Is this new?:confused:

[NCMtnBoys]

What a great, unbiased review and comparison. Thank you. I've not sailed on Celebrity but hope to some day. In addition to RCCL, only they and Princess would be my other choices.

[lysolqn]

I've no idea if it's new since this was our first time back on RCCL in eight years but...on the dinner menu, between the entree selections for any given evening and the standard entrees that are available nightly, is a highlighted box noting that (New York strip?) steak is available for an additional charge of $14.95. Honest!

[Merion_Mom]

or the $14.95 charge for steak at dinner in the dining room.

 

$14.95 charge for steak in the dining room???? Is this new?:confused:

 

I'll double that HUH?????? :confused: :confused: :eek:

[lysolqn]

I'll double that HUH?????? :confused: :confused: :eek:

 

It's clearly highlighted on the dinner menus.

[Lynnees]

thank you for an excellent review.

 

The $14.95 for a New York strip doesn't really surprise me although you are the first person I've heard mention it. Of course, RCL will not make a regular announcement of this as it would generate a lot of feed-back and most of it will not be nice.

[dfishner]

In all the cruises you took on X I know how difficult it must of been to be unbiased but you did a darn good job at it. It is also great that you have found the cruise line you enjoy and have stood by them for 34 cruises that is a testament in itself. We have sailed on X once and found the food to be far superior to RCL and had a great time with one of the bartenders in the lounge who we enjoyed so much. Each cruise line offer a different experience for us we enjoy the overall experience on RCL but would take an X cruise again. Thank you for your review I enjoyed reading it.

[Cruising89143]

thank you for an excellent review.

 

The $14.95 for a New York strip doesn't really surprise me although you are the first person I've heard mention it. Of course, RCL will not make a regular announcement of this as it would generate a lot of feed-back and most of it will not be nice.

 

This was just cleared up by a poster on another thread. The New York Strip that they offer is the one that is served in Chops and they charge $14.95 for ordering it. It is an alternative to the other offerings that are currently on the menu. Now we have the entire story.

[petesweet]

Thanks for the great review. I, too, look forward to cruising with Celebrity sometime.

 

DH will be sad to learn about the charge for steak. His habit has always been to order TWO steaks every night. At least his wife and his doctor will be happier.:)

[Cruising89143]

Thanks for the great review. I, too, look forward to cruising with Celebrity sometime.

 

DH will be sad to learn about the charge for steak. His habit has always been to order TWO steaks every night. At least his wife and his doctor will be happier.:)

 

He can still order two steaks. I suggest that you read this thread to get the "entire" story to this story about the steak.:)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=837525

[TexCruise371]

Thank you for your great review!

 

Solstice or Allure are on our list in the future :D

[cruiseorbust]

Great review...thanks so much for taking the time to post it!

[rubrrick]

Thanks for a great unbiased review. I, too, find the Freedom of the Seas to be larger than any ship that we want to cruise aboard.

 

It will be interesting when we sail in a week.......to see if the NY strips that have been offered in the past, now become miniscule.......sort of like the lobster tail. That way we will be forced to purchase a decent steak for $$$.

 

I'm glad that you enjoyed MyTimeDining. I have heard rumors that MTD will be discontinued in December. Anyone else heard the same rumors?? I personally think that MTD was a hit.........we thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

I also have to agree..........as we have sailed X on more than several occasions.........that the food is superior to RCCL. But, then that is expected and I know that we pay an additional amount on X to enjoy the food.

 

Thanks again for such a great review.

 

Rick

[Lynnees]

This was just cleared up by a poster on another thread. The New York Strip that they offer is the one that is served in Chops and they charge $14.95 for ordering it. It is an alternative to the other offerings that are currently on the menu. Now we have the entire story.

 

Thank you. Still a bit of a "coming in the back door" change don't you think?

 

Our next two cruises are on X. We have sailed them once before and enjoyed it immensly. We are more than looking forward to it again.

[Cruising89143]

Thank you. Still a bit of a "coming in the back door" change don't you think?

 

Our next two cruises are on X. We have sailed them once before and enjoyed it immensly. We are more than looking forward to it again.

 

Not really. It's there if someone wants it. Hopefully this will not go over well and RCI will remove it from the menu but time will tell. I know for me personally, if I want Chops quality then I will dine in Chops where it is much more quiet and the atmosphere is better.:)

[Lynnees]

Not really. It's there if someone wants it. Hopefully this will not go over well and RCI will remove it from the menu but time will tell. I know for me personally, if I want Chops quality then I will dine in Chops where it is much more quiet and the atmosphere is better.:)

 

 

While I agree that when I want a Chops steak I go to Chops (which we do on every cruise at least once) I do believe this is just the beginning of charging in the main dining room for "extras" or better quality or whatever you want to call it. Yes, they will always have a regular menu which is included in the cruise fare (I just hate it when people say "free" food - it's not) but it definitely coming in the back door. Regular shrimp cocktail vs jumbo shrimp cocktail at an extra charge. Certainly sounds like it's on it's way to paying for your fare only and everything else is going to be added charges eventually.

[RCCLCARIB]

Wonderful review!

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Fabulous and unbiased review! Thanks for taking the time to post it. It really reaffirms to me that I dont want to go on anything bigger than the Voyager class cruise ships. In all honesty, DH and I preferred X but travelling with kids, we chose RCI.

Celebrity, we'll be back in a short few years! :D

To the poster who said "food isnt free", I couldnt agree with you more! That is one big pet peeve of mine (when people say things like "Loved my cruise and all the free food" or I cruise b/c the food is free.....*****, hide the ignorance! lol)

[lysolqn]

He can still order two steaks. I suggest that you read this thread to get the "entire" story to this story about the steak.:)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=837525

 

Sorry, cruisingator2, but I respectfully take exception to your suggestion that I presented anything less than what you refer to as the "entire story" with respect to the $14.95 charge for steak in the dining room. I read the thread for which you provided a link and was perplexed by those who insisted I was being less than truthful. It's interesting to see how defensive some people become when something unflattering but nonetheless accurate is mentioned about their favorite cruise line. No matter how you slice it (no pun intended!), dinner menus on last week's sailing of Freedom of the Seas offered a steak entree upgrade for a price. Paying to upgrade your entree at dinner leaves as bitter a taste in my mouth as paying to upgrade your morning juice to fresh-squeezed.

[Cruising89143]

Sorry, cruisingator2, but I respectfully take exception to your suggestion that I presented anything less than what you refer to as the "entire story" with respect to the $14.95 charge for steak in the dining room. I read the thread for which you provided a link and was perplexed by those who insisted I was being less than truthful. It's interesting to see how defensive some people become when something unflattering but nonetheless accurate is mentioned about their favorite cruise line. No matter how you slice it (no pun intended!), dinner menus on last week's sailing of Freedom of the Seas offered a steak entree upgrade for a price. Paying to upgrade your entree at dinner leaves as bitter a taste in my mouth as paying to upgrade your morning juice to fresh-squeezed.

 

Many including myself took your comment as RCI was now charging for the steak alternative that has been on the menu. Had your review stated that the New York Strip was a "Chops" quality alternative then it would have made more sense to those of us that are used to the menu and ordering the alternative items. The other thread just cleared up the confusion.

[lysolqn]

Many including myself took your comment as RCI was now charging for the steak alternative that has been on the menu. Had your review stated that the New York Strip was a "Chops" quality alternative then it would have made more sense to those of us that are used to the menu and ordering the alternative items. The other thread just cleared up the confusion.

 

Fair enough...but what you refer to as "confusion," I view as "blinders" that prohibit some rather myopic RCCL fans from accepting the fact that their favorite cruise line is now charging for a dinner upgrade in the main dining room, and it matters not where that upgraded steak comes from. It's one thing to pay extra to dine in a specialty restaurant; it's an altogether different story to pay to upgrade dinner in the main dining room. We can play a game of symantics, but the bottom line is that RCCL has entered a new phase of commercialism/nickle-and-diming by offering an upgrade charge for an item on its dinner menu.

[Cruising89143]

Fair enough...but what you refer to as "confusion," I view as "blinders" that prohibit some rather myopic RCCL fans from accepting the fact that their favorite cruise line is now charging for a dinner upgrade in the main dining room, and it matters not where that upgraded steak comes from. It's one thing to pay extra to dine in a specialty restaurant; it's an altogether different story to pay to upgrade dinner in the main dining room. We can play a game of symantics, but the bottom line is that RCCL has entered a new phase of commercialism/nickle-and-diming by offering an upgrade charge for an item on its dinner menu.

 

I agree and time will tell if RCI is successful with this. If guests do not order this item then the cruise line will know that their decision was a failure.

[Captain Jake]

Fair enough...but what you refer to as "confusion," I view as "blinders" that prohibit some rather myopic RCCL fans from accepting the fact that their favorite cruise line is now charging for a dinner upgrade in the main dining room, and it matters not where that upgraded steak comes from. It's one thing to pay extra to dine in a specialty restaurant; it's an altogether different story to pay to upgrade dinner in the main dining room. We can play a game of symantics, but the bottom line is that RCCL has entered a new phase of commercialism/nickle-and-diming by offering an upgrade charge for an item on its dinner menu.

 

Well said!They already charge extra for ice cream,calling it Ben and Jerry's.Next they will charge an extra buck for a Pizza topping or White Meat Chicken.Sad,So Sad

[sailor moon]

Thanks for taking the time to post this review. I share your feelings about the size of the ship and how it affects the overall cruise experience. While the largest ship I have sailed to date is the voyager class, I must confess that I am not sold on the concept of bigger is better. I find that I prefer the radiance class because of its abundance of glass and ocean views. I never really felt like I was "at sea" on the voyager class but merely on a floating hotel. While I undrstand that the "ship" is now becoming the destination rather than the ports themselves, I think I will continue sailing the smaller ships when it is just my DH and myself and leave it to the larger ships when we take the kids.