Just returned from the Freedom!

[yj2cute]

I just got off of the Freedom from the 2 night TA event from Cape Liberty. I must say I'm glad I went because now that I've experienced the ship I can form an opinion based on experience and not assumption. Here are a few of my thoughts about the Freedom:

 

IMO, it's just too big. I felt like I was walking for days. It's pretty much just a bigger Voyager class ship with a surf machine and the H20 water park. H20 was a big hit with the kids and they looked like they were having a ball. However, I wonder if this will be very crowded with a full ship. Nothing else special about it, IMO. There were long waits for the elevators, which again had me wondering how much worse it would be with a full ship. I didn't care for the Solarium at all on this ship. While the Radiance class Solariums are the best, this one was more underwhelming than even the Voyager class. On the Voyager, while the Solarium wasn't enclosed, it still had a tropical, tranquil feeling to it. The huge hot tubs were very nice. The Solarium on the Freedom is not enclosed at all. It's pretty much just another extension of the main pool. No sliding doors to go through to get to it, it didn't seem secluded at all. The hot tubs that are suspended on the side are no big deal at all. People stayed in them for a long time, so when we tried to use them yesterday they were always full. When we finally got in, it didn't really give any special feeling of being suspended over the sea. I prefer the ones on the Voyager. Also, it was very noisy. They had a game akin to tv's The Amazing Race going on. It's called The Ultimate Race, and one of the stops is the Solarium whirlpools, so you had teams of people, running and yelling through the area. Kids were running through also. The pool area had no spouting fountains and no tropical theme. Just some fake looking palm trees. Most of the loungers were in the sun, with a few in the shade. It just felt like the main pool without the band music. Who knows, since there wasn't any playing, you very well may be able to hear it in this area. I was very disappointed with the Solarium as it's normally one of my favorite places on RCCL ships. Everything else is set up just like the Voyager class. One notable experience was a performance by Jon Secada. It was a surprise and I enjoyed the show very much. We were left a signed CD in our cabin. The ice show was great. The Karaoke venue is going to be too small. I'm a big fan of Karaoke and on RCCL ships it's normally held in one of the larger lounges, like Pharoah's Palace on the Voyager. Lots of seating. While on the Freedom, the room is technically advanced with updated equipment and flat screen monitors around the room so the audience can read the lyrics along with the singer, but the room is right outside of Studio B, the ice rink, and from my experience, won't hold a lot of people at all. Way too small. We enjoyed the food in the Windjammer and the dining room, however our ass't waiter for dinner last night was terrible. I don't know if it's because the gratuties were "included", but he made us feel as if we were putting him out. The rest of the crew was great, though, particularly the casino dealers.

 

I think that's it. If I can think of anything else I'll let you know. If you have any questions, ask away!

[judyjbest]

Thanks for your perspective. Interesting!

 

We're going to boarding right behind you in Miami on 5/31. How were folks dressed during the day? Our invitation says business casual, so just wondering?

[yj2cute]

Thanks for your perspective. Interesting!

 

We're going to boarding right behind you in Miami on 5/31. How were folks dressed during the day? Our invitation says business casual, so just wondering?

 

I know many may not agree with me, but it's my perspective and how I viewed it. For this event, it was casual during the day and business attire for dinner on the 2nd evening. Most adhered to this, I saw a few in jeans and worse. I was one teenager in skin tight leopard print pants in the dining room! Lol.

 

I just thought of a couple more things. The Crypt dance club was excellent. It is 2 levels and the theming was very cool. There's some seating on the top floor and the dance floor and add'l seating on the lower level. There were several non smoking tables down there and it really didn't seem to be much smoke. My DH who really, really hates smoke didn't complain at all. We had a great time dancing the night away last night, however I had to pull the DJ's chain. We went in right after the ice show, 11 pm, which was the posted opening time for the evening's dancing. When we got in, he was playing terrible music. Some sort of 60 sounding, surfing music or something. I asked him was that what he was planning on playing for the rest of the evening and he stated that because the crowd hadn't arrived yet and many were in the 2nd show for Jon Secada, that he was just playing some "lounging music". I pointed out to him that there wasn't a huge crowd yet, but there were some patrons in there that deserved an opportunity to dance and since the posted opening time had past it was time to crank it up. He basically told me he didn't want to "waste" the good music until it had started to pick up. I thought that was real nice for him to say that he'd be "wasting" the good dance music on us. He did start to place some better dance must, albeit from the 70's, but he made his way through the decades until he finally made it to this century. It did coincide with the crowd getting larger, however. Ultimately we had a great time in there dancing and I think most people will enjoy this location.

 

Also, the cabins were great. The standard balcony is indeed larger and very enjoyable. The beds in the cabin were very nice, very comfortable as were the linens. The bath towels were awesome, thick and fluffy. There was a flat screen tv as well. We toured most of the other cabin categories and the suites were gorgeous! I think everyone will be very comfortable in the Freedom's staterooms.

[beachrus4]

Thank you so much for your review. So you did not have the formal attire for the 2nd evening? Our confirmation for this coming 2 night weekend said dinner the second night was formal. Better still count on that I think. Thanks again.

[mikeytambo]

I too am just off the 2 night on FOS from Port Liberty...Not here to write a review, but to make a comment on the ships propulsion. I am prone to motion sickness, but this ship was the WORST ever. All it did was roll all night . Even my husband ,who never gets sick ,was sick... and we heard numerous complaints from other guests...The sea did not look that rough,

makes me think there may be a problem with the ship. I have been on the Voyager,too, and was never ill.

[negc]

Don't know how the seas were in NY/NJ, but we spent the end of last week in Newport, RI and with all the rain and high winds, the seas looked quite rough. Torrential rains have continued through the weekend and into today and flooding has been a serious problem. I am not surprised or terribly concerned that motion could be felt onboard. As big as the Freedom is, in comparison to the vast ocean, the ship is still just a miniscule object and is going to be subject to the conditions of the ocean. Of course mixing rough seas with seemingly limitless supplies of free booze is a clear recipe for mal de mer.:)

[cruisebug]

hi, i'm going on the port liberty cruising of freedom tomorrow through thursday. i'm prone to sea sickness and worried about your report of the ship rolling. any tips or suggestions? i'm new to cruising. where was your stateroom?

[negc]

There are a number of over the counter medications (Sea bands, Bonine, dramamine etc.) that may help. Some folks also swear by some form of ginger. Your physician can prescribe the "patch" which is worn behind the ear and is said to be quite effective, although some of the side effects (dry mouth etc.) can be a bit off-putting. Onboard, the ship's doctor may be able to give you a shot that will help (but may be expensive). Whatever you decide to use, make sure to do so before you board and well before you exhibit any symptoms. I am fortunate enough not to suffer from seasickness but I would never claim that because of the size of the ship you will not suffer from it. If you are at all prone to seasickness, take whatever measures you can to eliminate or at least ameliorate the symptoms.

[mikeytambo]

Firstly we cruised down to Chesapeake bay, We were not up in New England and the sea was relatively calm, and the sun was shining. The ship had ALOT of movement. I have been on the Voyager, Victory, Constellation, Millenium and Harmony, and this ship had the worst non stop rolling...I was in a foward balcony on the eighth deck, it was worse in the cabin, but I felt it everywhere on the ship, from the craps table to the dining room. AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!

[mikeytambo]

Oh...I forgot to mention...I do not drink, not even wine or beer.

[FitzLA]

Firstly we cruised down to Chesapeake bay, We were not up in New England and the sea was relatively calm, and the sun was shining. The ship had ALOT of movement. I have been on the Voyager, Victory, Constellation, Millenium and Harmony, and this ship had the worst non stop rolling...I was in a foward balcony on the eighth deck, it was worse in the cabin, but I felt it everywhere on the ship, from the craps table to the dining room. AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!

 

That makes it more enjoyable for me. I hope it still rolls like that when I get on!!! :D You are at sea ya know. If you don't like rolling, take a land vacation.

[GMoney]

I know motion sickness affects different people in different ways, so I don't doubt the OP at all, ut I really thought there was very little motion. Could barely tell we were at sea.

[The Grumpus]

Oh...I forgot to mention...I do not drink, not even wine or beer.

 

Maybe you should have had a drink or two.;) I've heard wonder stories about how drinks alleviate sea sickness, sometimes it's the best medicine. I threw my back out years ago and none of the drugs the doc give me worked until I had a couple beers... and the pain went away.

 

I've been at sea lots of times fishing, cruising and what not, it's funny what can send a person off and the next thing you know, they're sick. Stress, hunger, bad food you ate and many other things can contribute to getting sick at sea no matter what it's like out there. The sea can play strange games on us sometimes and even if you're a rock it can come up and bite you on the a** when you're not expecting it.

 

That being said, if you are right and FREEDOM is top heavy, it's going to make for a bad reputation for her in the future.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Fred

[eroller]

 

That being said, if you are right and FREEDOM is top heavy, it's going to make for a bad reputation for her in the future.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Fred

 

 

FREEDOM is no more top heavy than any of her smaller Voyager Class sisters. I believe they are all the same height, and FREEDOM does not have any additional decks. This being said, the Voyager Class ships are considered fairly good handlers in rough seas, and no doubt FREEDOM will be even better due to her additional length.

 

Ernie

[The Grumpus]

FREEDOM is no more top heavy than any of her smaller Voyager Class sisters. I believe they are all the same height, and FREEDOM does not have any additional decks. This being said, the Voyager Class ships are considered fairly good handlers in rough seas, and no doubt FREEDOM will be even better due to her additional length.

 

Ernie

 

Probably so, but if it's not engineered correctly, it could be. I'll bet Freedom does have more weight at the top than any of the Voyager class ships. It almost has to be. If so, and the engineers used the same stabilization as Voyager class ships then it has to be less stable than a Voyager class ship. If this ship was rushed into production and those issues were not addressed, then what mikeytambo said could be true. The ship could be bouncy. I don't think RCCL would design a ship that way, but it is a possibility.

[eroller]

Probably so, but if it's not engineered correctly, it could be. I'll bet Freedom does have more weight at the top than any of the Voyager class ships. It almost has to be. If so, and the engineers used the same stabilization as Voyager class ships then it has to be less stable than a Voyager class ship. If this ship was rushed into production and those issues were not addressed, then what mikeytambo said could be true. The ship could be bouncy. I don't think RCCL would design a ship that way, but it is a possibility.

 

 

I don't think she is any more top heavy. The extra length of the ship compensates for any extra weight, and again she is no higher and has no additional decks.

 

I also doubt very much she was rushed into production. Cruise ships are planned well in advance, and many, many computer models are run to determine the best hull length, width, design, and height to best achieve fuel savings, speed, and stability. You don't spend almost a billion dollars on a ship and discover later she is top heavy, especially when you have five near identical sister ships already sailing to gain best practices from.

 

To be honest, this is the first I've heard from anyone about FREEDOM moving more than any other ship. My guess is it's the person and not the ship. Also, it's pretty hard to determine if one ship moves more than another unless you can simulate the exact same sea conditions.

 

Ernie

[The Grumpus]

I don't think she is any more top heavy. The extra length of the ship compensates for any extra weight, and again she is no higher and has no additional decks.

 

I also doubt very much she was rushed into production. Cruise ships are planned well in advance, and many, many computer models are run to determine the best hull length, width, design, and height to best achieve fuel savings, speed, and stability. You don't spend almost a billion dollars on a ship and discover later she is top heavy, especially when you have five near identical sister ships already sailing to gain best practices from.

 

To be honest, this is the first I've heard from anyone about FREEDOM moving more than any other ship. My guess is it's the person and not the ship. Also, it's pretty hard to determine if one ship moves more than another unless you can simulate the exact same sea conditions.

 

Ernie

 

Yes, I agree that it would be almost impossible for the owner and the ship builder to design this ship "top heavy" giving their experience with these particular cruise ships. More then likely this is nothing at all. I would just hate to think they used the same stabilization on Freedom that was used on a Voyager class. Not that it would cause a safety hazard, it would just make the ride a little more bumpy.:)

[FitzLA]

Yes, I agree that it would be almost impossible for the owner and the ship builder to design this ship "top heavy" giving their experience with these particular cruise ships. More then likely this is nothing at all. I would just hate to think they used the same stabilization on Freedom that was used on a Voyager class. Not that it would cause a safety hazard, it would just make the ride a little more bumpy.:)

 

I think that I remember hearing that they used an entirely new system and that there are 4 of them....2 forward and 2 aft

[yj2cute]

Hi, Ernie!

 

I must say, that I hardly noticed any motion at all on this sailing. If anything, this ship rocked the least of any I've been on.

[ACCagent]

Just a couple of remarks to twon things that have been mentioned:

 

I do know that different pre-innaugural sailings have requested different dress. Ours ( 13th-15th ) only asked for casual on the first night and business casual on the second with no mention of what to wear daytime. I have associates whosr invitation were for business casual in daytime and black tie and resort casual at night. Just go by what yours says. However, if you want to be dressier I'm sure that's fine. Many were on ours.

 

I was really surprised to hear the statement that the ship was rolling all night. I thought it was exceptionally smooth and rarely felt any movement at all.

[LBB]

I was on the ship from the 15-16th. I felt some movement, but no more than on any other ship I've been on.

 

As far as dress.....our Compass said business for dinner and business casual during the day. I would be fired from my job if I wore some of the stuff I saw. There were jeans at dinner.....during the day, there were a lot of jogging suits, shorts, torn t-shirts...every possible state of dress that you can think of.

[mojo4trav]

post deleted by user's conscience... ;)

[DNCButler]

Interesting comments on the ships roll. For me the Summit was the worst for roll due to being top heavy but the RCI ships all were easy to sail. I am on this Friday for the weekend and I'll be bringing Meclizine (sp) and ginger root for just in case and hopefully will report back with no problems next week! With all the rain and flooding in Boston on up the coast not sure what to expect for seas!! I'm sure we'll do fine though, we'll be sailing and that's the best part!!

[lindanick]

I think we have a troll!

[DNCButler]

Well, I don't think this person is a troll. I think that this person is subject to motion sickness and didn't have the best time. I know when I have a bunch of people on the same ship (unrelated to each other) and they come back I usually get at least one person who says what a horrible time they had and always say they were sick from something and the ship "moved" SOOO much and the rest say it was the best trip ever and you barely knew you were on a ship! This might just be one of those things.