Freedom of the Seas, Southern Caribbean Departing From Puerto Rico 5/12/18

Freedom of the Seas, Southern Caribbean Departing From Puerto Rico 5/12/18

If you’re like me, you’re more interested in the negative than the positive. So here goes…

MAXIMIZING PROFIT

This was my 5th cruise in the last 10 years and my 4th on Royal Caribbean. The fact that cruises are advertised as being “inclusive” was a major attraction to cruising. Since I started cruising on Royal Caribbean on the Oasis years ago however, it seems as though maximizing profit is being taken to the extreme. I’m certain every option, every amenity, ANYTHING and everything that could possibly cost money is targeted for cost control. This is the sense I get.

The best analogy I can give is this: It would be like if Disney started charging to get on individual rides - while still charging the same to let you into the Magic Kingdom. It seems the threshold is ever increasing on the things for which they charge. Picture Disney charging to get on the most popular rides like Space Mountain or Splash Mountain -- and the next time you go, including The Haunted Mansion. And so on, and so on.

For example, they have moved premium food choices to the bottom of the dinner menu with an associated cost for each. From my understanding, this is something brand new, and seasoned passengers were mad about it. To make matters worse, the cost of the premium entree choices are at full market price - with no discount whatsoever for the contribution you presumably already made for your dinner by choosing an “inclusive” cruise. On more than one night, I found myself not wanting anything on the “standard” entree menu - choosing instead to order entrees I didn’t like or eating triple appetizers.

Using my past experience as a gauge, I’m guessing more and more things on the ship will be excluded in the future - which means if you are not paying attention and you order ice cream from the wrong place (Ben & Jerry's) or a hamburger (at Johnny Rockets), you will be surprised when you are asked to pay. My experience is that you will pay anyway when presented with the bill, and thereby RC gets more cash and the passenger gets more resentful.

On the topic of ice cream and cost control... there is only one ice cream machine on the pool deck, and the line is often very long. The cynic in me is convinced this was a deliberate cost control decision to “meter” (limit) the amount of ice cream being dispensed. I know I personally didn’t want to stand in that line - so limiting availability worked on me as far as I was concerned. Also in their quest to find every penny where they can, the $77 soda package (per person) is obscene and absurd. And although I can afford it, I refused to pay for soda out of principle. Same on bottled water.

I’m guessing this all started with alcohol, and the threshold for which they charge for something has expanded ever since. Personally, I’m starting to be resentful.

While you’re at it, remember to check your bill for a “towel charge” as well as the “gratuities” which will likely be hundreds of dollars (again shifting the costs, in this case labor, to the passengers). Remember, they are looking anywhere and everywhere for extra income.

I get it. Operating such a huge ship with so many employees is expensive. But it is getting to the point where I am feeling slighted and will now consider other “inclusive” options that are really more “inclusive” (such as a resort).

THE BEDS

Without soliciting opinions from others, many people mentioned their beds were way too firm. Some passengers were outright mad about it. In my case, I could not sleep through the night without waking up because it was that uncomfortable.

LEAVING FROM PUERTO RICO

FYI, if you leave from Puerto Rico, there will be a large spanish population on the ship. Relative to the Oasis from Ft. Lauderdale, you will find much more spanish music around the ship. For example, you will find DJs speaking Spanish along with Spanish music on the pool deck, lounges, karaoke bar, dance club and various bars. If you’re looking for a band to play top 40 (essentially a wedding band) like you did at Dazzles on the Oasis class ships, you may be out of luck. If you like spanish music, DJs, and clubs, you will enjoy this cruise.

THE SHIP

Yes, it is showing its age. You will see it mainly in the carpets and your stateroom paneling and bathrooms. But I understand the Freedom of the Seas is scheduled for dry dock upgrades in 2020.

GUEST SERVICES/CHARGES

And finally, while we spent an hour in line to settle (pay) some charges the night before disembarking, we were still stopped at the exit the next morning and told to proceed to guest services. This idiotic process brings the entire line to a halt (there’s only 2 to get off the ship). We learned that it is possible for a charge to be added overnight, so waiting in the long line to pay expenses the night before disembarking may not guarantee you will be let off the boat.

To make matters worse, they can add charges right up to the moment you present your Sea Pass at the security station & your bank may not instantaneously issue a credit card approval (perhaps because the charge is being made outside the continental US?). This means THEY WILL HOLD YOU AGAINST YOUR WILL until it does clear (even for a small charge). Fortunately for us, we had a later flight, but could have missed our flight if we hadn’t.

So we again “zeroed out” our balance and RAN to get off the ship for fear another late charge would keep us from disembarking. Running away from the ship as fast as we could for fear of being held against our will was not exactly the last memory I wanted to have of our southern Caribbean cruise. It would help if they weren’t allowed to add charges right up to the second you reach the security station.

With all this said, I am done with cruising. At least with Royal Caribbean. There’s a whole world out there that doesn’t involve a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

Mod, please correct thread title. Thanks.

This was more of a rant then a review? I agree with jszmarch to change you're thread title.

I was so excited to finally see a review of FOS sailing out of PR. I was hoping to hear about the entertainment, islands, and excursions. According to you I must be a minority on this board...

Good luck finding an "inclusive" vacation that meets your needs.

"If you’re like me, you’re more interested in the negative than the positive. So here goes…"

Wow, just...wow. I can't believe people like this actually exist. Spending all this money on something with the intention to nit pick and find something wrong.

OP, never leave the US. There is nothing but foreigners out there and the major don't even speak English. How dare they, am I right?

Interesting read as we are on the June 23rd - 30th itinerary. I enjoyed the twisted humor of trying to get off the ship before they incurred another service charge. It sounds like it may be well worth the extra $ to stay in a suite simply to avoid the cattle call. As for the food choices, I have seen the recent menus for the Freedom and saw a lot of options plus one could always simply eat at the buffet if they want even more options. Thanks for the rant & am hopefully that our cruise will be the opposite of this particular OPs.

My husband and I were also on the 5/12 Freedom sailing.

Yes, there were a lot of Spanish-speaking fellow cruisers, but that didn't bother us. A few of the Karaoke songs were in Spanish, so I didn't recognize those songs, but honestly, there were a few country songs that I hadn't heard before because I don't usually listen to country music. It was still a fun time.

We ate in the specialty restaurants on the BOGO offer, did the Chef's Table and then ate in the MDR the rest of the nights. We found the food to be very good and our waiter in the MDR was fantastic. I was surprised that the Chef's Table was not our favorite meal. The Windjammer was a bit too chaotic for us, so we were glad to eat in the MDR for breakfast and for lunch on the sea day.

FWIW, the bed was much softer than the bed at the Hyatt House that we stayed at the night before the cruise. I slept well on the cruise, including a few midday naps.

When we sailed on Adventure earlier this year, the persistent pushing of drink and dining packages on the Promenade (loudly, via a microphone) was very annoying and I was glad that we didn't experience this on the Freedom.

I was even surprised that we found chairs by the pool on the sea day.....I was expecting far more empty chairs with the towel placeholder than we encountered.

Overall, we had a great time. Yes, the carpet isn't brand new, but that didn't impact our vacation. The ship was clean, the staff was friendly, the food was good and our fellow cruisers were lots of fun.

Freedom of the Seas, Southern Caribbean Departing From Puerto Rico 5/12/18

 

If you’re like me, you’re more interested in the negative than the positive. So here goes…

Where is the positive here?

 

MAXIMIZING PROFIT

 

This was my 5th cruise in the last 10 years and my 4th on Royal Caribbean. The fact that cruises are advertised as being “inclusive” was a major attraction to cruising. Since I started cruising on Royal Caribbean on the Oasis years ago however, it seems as though maximizing profit is being taken to the extreme. I’m certain every option, every amenity, ANYTHING and everything that could possibly cost money is targeted for cost control. This is the sense I get.

 

Haven't seen the word inclusive in decades. Where do you see it?

 

For example, they have moved premium food choices to the bottom of the dinner menu with an associated cost for each. From my understanding, this is something brand new, and seasoned passengers were mad about it. To make matters worse, the cost of the premium entree choices are at full market price - with no discount whatsoever for the contribution you presumably already made for your dinner by choosing an “inclusive” cruise. On more than one night, I found myself not wanting anything on the “standard” entree menu - choosing instead to order entrees I didn’t like or eating triple appetizers.

 

Been this way for years. When did you last cruise? The 90's

Using my past experience as a gauge, I’m guessing more and more things on the ship will be excluded in the future - which means if you are not paying attention and you order ice cream from the wrong place (Ben & Jerry's) or a hamburger (at Johnny Rockets), you will be surprised when you are asked to pay. My experience is that you will pay anyway when presented with the bill, and thereby RC gets more cash and the passenger gets more resentful.

 

That's quite funny

On the topic of ice cream and cost control... there is only one ice cream machine on the pool deck, and the line is often very long. The cynic in me is convinced this was a deliberate cost control decision to “meter” (limit) the amount of ice cream being dispensed. I know I personally didn’t want to stand in that line - so limiting availability worked on me as far as I was concerned. Also in their quest to find every penny where they can, the $77 soda package (per person) is obscene and absurd. And although I can afford it, I refused to pay for soda out of principle. Same on bottled water.

 

You have someplace to be?

I’m guessing this all started with alcohol, and the threshold for which they charge for something has expanded ever since. Personally, I’m starting to be resentful.

 

While you’re at it, remember to check your bill for a “towel charge” as well as the “gratuities” which will likely be hundreds of dollars (again shifting the costs, in this case labor, to the passengers). Remember, they are looking anywhere and everywhere for extra income.

 

I get it. Operating such a huge ship with so many employees is expensive. But it is getting to the point where I am feeling slighted and will now consider other “inclusive” options that are really more “inclusive” (such as a resort).

 

THE BEDS

 

Without soliciting opinions from others, many people mentioned their beds were way too firm. Some passengers were outright mad about it. In my case, I could not sleep through the night without waking up because it was that uncomfortable.

 

Everyone has an opinion on what their idea of a comfortable bed is. The cruisline is supposed to know yours?

LEAVING FROM PUERTO RICO

 

FYI, if you leave from Puerto Rico, there will be a large spanish population on the ship. Relative to the Oasis from Ft. Lauderdale, you will find much more spanish music around the ship. For example, you will find DJs speaking Spanish along with Spanish music on the pool deck, lounges, karaoke bar, dance club and various bars. If you’re looking for a band to play top 40 (essentially a wedding band) like you did at Dazzles on the Oasis class ships, you may be out of luck. If you like spanish music, DJs, and clubs, you will enjoy this cruise.

 

I would have never thought, LOL

 

GUEST SERVICES/CHARGES

 

And finally, while we spent an hour in line to settle (pay) some charges the night before disembarking, we were still stopped at the exit the next morning and told to proceed to guest services. This idiotic process brings the entire line to a halt (there’s only 2 to get off the ship). We learned that it is possible for a charge to be added overnight, so waiting in the long line to pay expenses the night before disembarking may not guarantee you will be let off the boat.

 

To make matters worse, they can add charges right up to the moment you present your Sea Pass at the security station & your bank may not instantaneously issue a credit card approval (perhaps because the charge is being made outside the continental US?). This means THEY WILL HOLD YOU AGAINST YOUR WILL until it does clear (even for a small charge). Fortunately for us, we had a later flight, but could have missed our flight if we hadn’t.

 

So we again “zeroed out” our balance and RAN to get off the ship for fear another late charge would keep us from disembarking. Running away from the ship as fast as we could for fear of being held against our will was not exactly the last memory I wanted to have of our southern Caribbean cruise. It would help if they weren’t allowed to add charges right up to the second you reach the security station.

 

With all this said, I am done with cruising. At least with Royal Caribbean. There’s a whole world out there that doesn’t involve a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

Where is the positive here?

I wondered the same thing.

I wondered the same thing.

It was definitely a rant, the kind you will join a forum just to do. I was perplexed by his statement about the best being too hard and adding, Not to solicit the opinion of others. Seemed odd.

And I'm not like him, I'm not more interest in the negative. Though on other platforms thats all we were at CC are portrayed as, "critics"

I appreciate your comments and honesty.

I have the same concern departing out of SJ. We have departed out of SJ on a few cruises, RCCL and Carnival. They tend to gear the cruise to the locals, like entertainment, etc. I have seen this leaving NOLA as this is where we live and so many local entertainers we are familiar with join us. Passengers can take that "locals" however they like...

Thank you for your opinion and thoughts on your experience. I will not criticize you for thoughts and your personal review that you shared.

I will second that Kristy. It was his or her honest opinion of their cruise vacation. I appreciate that they took the time to post it. And not everyone's cruise is all hunky dory. We have also experienced the super hard mattress problem and other issues onboard on various sailings. People shouldn't be criticized just because they had a less than stellar experience.

Interesting read OP. All of the things you were frustrated about would have been known before your cruise if a little research had been done. (dining room premium options, Paid eating locations like Johnny Rockets, the demographics of a cruise from Puerto Rico, etc...).

Hopefully these things didn't ruin your cruise. It seems all cruise lines are finding ways to "nickle and dime" the clientele.

Dan