Freedom of the Seas - Royal Caribbean International
Fact File - Freedom of the Seas
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean International
Vessel: Freedom of the Seas
Tonnage: 160,000 GRT
Max passenger capacity: 4375
Total crew: 1360
Entered Service: June 2006
Facilities: Freedom houses 16 bars and lounges for imbibing and entertainment. Dining facilities include a formal dining room, serving dinner in two traditional seatings (early at 6:15pm and late at 8:30pm). Ten alternate eateries include Sorrento's for pizza on the Royal Promenade and Johnny Rockets, a 1950s-style diner for burgers, fries and shakes, located on the sports deck near the FlowRider.
The casual buffet offers a range of international food stations: there is, for example, Jade for Asian fare, Wild Greens for salads, The World Kettle for soups and Sweet Dreams for desserts. Separate stations also serve pizza, burgers, pasta and a variety of hot entres that change daily. Also part of this expansive, upper-deck dining complex are two reservations-only, extra-charge alternative restaurants. Chops Grille serves steaks and seafood. Portofino delivers ever-popular Italian dishes.
Freedom of the Seas
Few ships are launched with as much fanfare as Royal Caribbean International's Freedom of the Seas. The ship - the largest ever built - spent a week in New York City for pre-inaugural activities, culminated by a christening ceremony broadcast live on American network television, May 12, 2006.
At 160,000 GRT, Freedom is about 12 per cent larger by interior volume than its predecessors in the Royal Caribbean fleet. The giant vessel carries 3634 people double and 4375 when fully loaded. It stretches 340 metres in length and spans 56 metres from side to side.
The ship's additional length allowed Royal Caribbean to expand its groundbreaking "horizontal atrium", a four-deck interior thoroughfare officially known as the Royal Promenade, which runs down the centre of the ship like a main street. On Freedom, this unique boulevard has been enhanced with several thematic lounges. Among our favourites is The Bull and Bear, modelled after a 17th-century British pub. Also noteworthy is Vintages, a Napa Valley wine bar that takes passengers back to the California of the 1930s.
The Caf Promenade blends Seattle's Best Coffee with the wholly new Book Nook, a shop offering travel books and other mainstream titles for sale, many with a cruise-oriented theme. The atmosphere is designed to evoke "the ambience of a rare bookseller's shop, with caf seating that invites guests to linger with a good book or magazine and a light snack".
Ben & Jerry's, meanwhile, occupies its own separate venue across the Royal Promenade. On Freedom of the Seas, it's been re-created as a stainless-steel, 1950s-style ice-cream parlor.
A new addition to the promenade is A Clean Shave, modelled after a neighborhood barbershop. Here, male guests find their own equivalent of the traditional shipboard ladies' salon: a place for a hair cut, maybe a shave, and perhaps a shoe shine - all just in time for formal night.
Of course, Freedom of the Seas houses a Schooner bar, Royal Caribbean's signature nautical lounge. On this ship, it's located one deck below the Royal Promenade, forward of another Royal Caribbean hallmark: the colourful, chiming, cavernous casino filled with slot machines, roulette wheels, blackjack tables and other games of chance.
Besides its customary entertainment venues, Freedom adds a new space, On Air, for karaoke, featuring two semi-private booths with green-screen technology. Here, guests can make their own music videos and take home the results on souvenir DVDs. Freedom also boasts Bolero's, the company's Latin nightclub, which has become a big hit on other vessels.
However, the greatest differences on this ship lie on the outer pool decks and fitness areas, where Royal Caribbean has chosen to unveil its most impressive innovations. At the stern may be found the FlowRider, cruising's first surfing simulator at sea. Measuring 9.75 by 12 metres, this wave pool generates 132,500 litres of water a minute to create a gentle, one-and-a-half-metre ocean-like wave that moves at roughly 50 kilometres per hour.
A little further forward is Royal Caribbean's now-famous rock-climbing wall. At 13 metres tall by 13.4 metres wide, it has 11 routes to the top, making it the largest in the Royal Caribbean fleet.
The combined pool area aboard Freedom of the Seas is divided into three distinct areas. A family water park, known as the H2O Zone, is a wonderland of brightly hued sculptures and fountains that spray, sprinkle and spurt water in every direction. A separate, dedicated sports pool is designed for jousting tournaments, water volleyball, synchronised swimming and other events.
At the very forward end of the pool deck lies the adults-only Solarium, replete with two oversized whirlpool tubs cantilevered 3.65 metres out from either side of the ship and suspended 34 metres above the ocean - very dramatic.
In the fitness centre, meanwhile, set high above the bow with commanding 180-degree views of the sea, Royal Caribbean has installed cruising's first boxing ring - a full size, six-by-six-metre model made by famous ring-maker Everlast. The boxing ring is part of an expanded gymnasium where experienced boxers can hone their skills and novices can try something new.
Accommodation on Freedom of the Seas may be found in 20 categories, with a total of 1817 staterooms, including unique inside cabins with a view overlooking the horizontal atrium. Brand new is the 14-person Presidential Suite - the largest stateroom on any Royal Caribbean ship. It features 1128 square metres of interior space combined with 752 square metres of outdoor living area, so guests can bring their whole brood aboard, whether it's a nuclear or extended family getaway.
Every cabin, however, features Royal Caribbean's new and improved bedding, plus an impressive array of high-tech stateroom amenities. Upgrades include new bed frames, mattresses, sheets, pillows and doonas. Every cabin also has a Samsung flat-panel television and, in a first for Royal Caribbean, WiFi access in every stateroom.
Freedom of the Seas will soon be joined by a sister, Liberty of the Seas, in May. Another sibling will join the Royal Caribben family in spring 2008, Independence of the Seas.
Written by MT Schwartzman