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Great Christmas cruise by
James C. from Knoxville, TN Sailing date: Dec 2012Pros: Stateroom Cons: Shore excursion experience Had a wonderful time. Junior suite provided ample room. Stateroom attendant was superb! Ship Quality
Dining/FoodChops and Portofino were great experiences with great food. Highly recommended. Stateroom QualityComfort was great. Room very quiet, near front of ship. Ship Staff QualityStateroom attendant- Salvador was the jewel of the trip! Entertainment & ActivitiesCrew did not seem to have access to our free spa treatments and shore excursions from Orbitz. Very confusing! 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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   Remarkable Cruise on RCI again by
Robin R. from Seattle Sailing date: Aug 2012Pros: Awesome beaches at most of the ports. Cons: Missing most of the shows because of our dinner time. Freedom of the seas was very similar to the Mariner. It is bigger, but has a lot of the same type of venues. Very impressive. Ship QualityThe ship is still in great shape. I did notice a few areas that were showing some age. The wood work was in need of varnish in a few areas. Overall a great ship though. Dining/FoodThe only complaints about the dining were related to time. We booked 8:00 dinner, so going to a 7 or 9 show was basically impossible. Next time we will do anytime dining and pick 7:00. Also there should be a 24 hour snack or buffet area. Princess offers pizza, burgers and ice cream type stuff all day. Stateroom QualityWe had a balcony room that was mid ship. we were on the 9th floor which was close to the windjammer cafe. Our room was fine as usual. Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & ActivitiesHad a blast on the flow rider. All of the staff was friendly and helpful. 1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Great Vacation by
Sharon P from Dillwyn, VA Sailing date: Jul 2012Pros: Lots to Do Cons: Too pushy with alcohol This was our first cruise. It was fun and we would go again. The food was good but not awesome. There was plenty of it though! Lots for kids to do but I saw several teenagers with alcohol. I think it is very easy for them to get it on the ship. Their curfew and alchol use really needs to be enforced better. Enjoyed the ice show, 80s dance party, and magic show. Great pools and hot tubs but if you don't get a chair early, forget it! Ship QualityEverything was very clean. Dining/Food
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A Great Cruise by
TomB from Chicago, IL. Sailing date: Mar 2012Pros: The ship Cons: The Adventure Ocean Staff Freedom of the Seas is a great ship at a fair price. We were able to book for 699 a person. The cost was about 400 dollars cheaper than Royal's bigger ships but you did not lose out on much. Ship QualityVery clean ship. Dining/FoodTypical ship food nothing above and beyond. We dined at the chops grille one night. The steak was great and at30 dollars a person it was about what other ships charge you for fine dining. Stateroom QualityAgain typical cruise ship size rooms. The layout is similar to other Royal ships. Ship Staff QualityStateroom attendant and Waiters were awesome. There were several encounters with bad service. A photographer berated us for riping photos that we were not going to purchase. A barista at Starbucks mixed up our order and then continued to blame us for his mix up. The Adventure Ocean staff did not give proper attention to a situation in which our son was hurt on premises. We reported this to managment and they downplayed the incident. Adventure Ocean camp attendants are not equipped to deal with children in my opinion. Entertainment & ActivitiesIce rink, flow rider, rock climbing wall, mini golf and basketball. Plenty of activity on this ship. Children's ProgramsI only rated this poorly because of the Adventure Ocean staff. 3 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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The Best Cruise Ever. by
Barbara C. from Jacksonville FL. Sailing date: May 2011Pros: The Ship was awesome. Cons: The excursion tour rides, This ship is awesome, You wont be disappointed. Ship QualityBeautiful, almost breathtaking. Dining/FoodVery tasty. Waiters are great. Albert is the best. Stateroom QualityVery nice. balcony is the best. David was awesome. Ship Staff QualityBest crew I have ever met. You will feel at home. Entertainment & ActivitiesIce skating show is a must see, the other activities are awesome. Children's ProgramsMy child was 10 and she really was not eager to go, maybe it was too young for her. Staff could of been a little bit friendlier with the kids. 
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Cozumel, MexicoJust did the pier Shopping. they will try to rip you off on their Jewelry so buyer beware. If it sounds to good to be true it is.
Don't Miss: The beautiful blue water. Labadee (Cruiseline Private Island)Could of been better, did not like the market. very pushy.
Don't Miss: The water. Falmouth, JamaicaThe 21/2 hour ride for this trip was awful, the 21/2 hour ride back was awful. The Dunns River falls was really scarey, the guide was not good at all, he spent the time with people that was not in our group helping them. I feel this excursion was very un organized. we had to run for the boat, and we did not get to do all we were suppose to do.
George Town, Grand CaymanStingray Island was awesome. Was also un organized, did not get to do what we were suppose to do. Island is beautiful.
Don't Miss: Stingray island, and the Dolphin encounter. 5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Freedom OTS Amazed Everyday by
David Draper II from NC Sailing date: Jul 2010Pros: Beautiful Ship, Promenade, Staff was friendly to the point you remembered everyone, Alan the Cruise Director was the funniest and most experienced director i have ever seen. Cons: As soon as a show let out, good luck getting back to your cabin. But LITTLE cons I have been on 5 Carnival Cruises (The Paradise, the Triumph 3 times, and the Celebration) so it was nice to try a new cruise line. This ship is beyond amazing. If you want to be blown away the moment you step on board, go on this ship. We had the grand suite and got VIP check it it took 15 minutes for a family of SEVEN! Alan the cruise director was amazing and never let you down. The Promenade was BEAUTIFUL i ate at Cafe Promenade every day and the bar tender remembered my name and my favorite coca cola and always had it ready. This ship does not disappoint, PERIOD Ship QualityCleaning staff was there 24/7, seen but not heard. Colors, layout, locations all were exactly what you need to navigate easily. Dining/FoodWellllllll, if you've been on Carnival like me then own RCL at food. I am sorry to say so. Stateroom QualityGrand Suite: AMAZING Interior on floor 10 also amazing Ship Staff QualitySo friendly, always remembered you on a ship that huge! Entertainment & Activitiesgood activities, the parades are iffy Children's ProgramsMy sister never wanted to leave 8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Awesome Cruise!!! by
A Traveler from Mission Viejo, Ca Sailing date: Aug 2010Pros: The ship. Freedom of the Seas is a beautiful ship... endless amount of activities to do, great food. Cons: Wish it was a longer trip This is my third cruise with Royal Carribean. The Freedom of the Seas was a beautiful ship. Hard to see all of the ship in one trip. Many activities to do. Ship QualityThe ship was huge and very very clean. They had THE cleanest restrooms I have ever seen in a public place outside of being in your own house.!!!! Lots of artwork displayed throughout the ship. The ship has many deck , so you will get your exercise walking about, or if you prefer they do have many elevators. Dining/FoodFOOD, FOOD, FOOD, and more FOOD. The food was great. You wont go hungry. The ship has many venues in which to eat at. Most available 24 hrs, or close to it. (and included with the price of your cruise, BIG plus) Stateroom QualityWe had a promenade view stateroom. Room was small, but very comforlable. Cozy beds. I slept like a baby! Room well appointed with safe , blow dryer, desk, tv, storage, complementary soap, phone, etc etc... Ship Staff QualityThey treat you like royalty. The staff is outstanding! Everyone has a warm smile. All eager to help. I think most hotels, resorts, could learn a thing or two from Royal Carribean's cruise staff. Entertainment & ActivitiesThey keep you busy all day long, something for everyone.
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Cozumel, MexicoThe cheapest shopping of all the ports.
Labadee (Cruiseline Private Island)Beautiful. Clear warm water, Lush mountains. What else more could you want. Plus the Cruise line feeds you on the island , so you dont have to return to ship or spend money!
Don't Miss: Just hit the beach!!!!! George Town, Grand CaymanGorgeous!
Ocho Rios, JamaicaJamaica has beautiful clear waters. Probely would have enjoyed it more if were not hassled by the locals for buisiness. We were followed 3 blocks before one person have up. They followed another 2 blocks by another. We ended up going back to the ship early. TIP: Book an excursion with the cruise line, maybe you wont be hassled as much.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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1st Timers Thrilled by
Tracey J from California Sailing date: Jun 2010Pros: So much to do on ship for all ages and interests Cons: Food was average, some activities/food not included in price but we could pay We were not sure cruising would be for us and I would comfortably say we are pretty hard to please when it comes to vacations but this was by far the best decision we made. The ship was WONDERFUL, clean and everyone was so friendly. I loved the Cruise director. Shows were good and so much going on that we had tons of options.. My kids loved the teen clubs and were entertained the entire trip. The total trip was a bit more pricy than we wanted to spend but we LOVED it. Ship QualityBig enough I didnt get sea sick at all and I usually get motion sickness all the time. Ship was beautiful Dining/FoodMy husband is a fantastic chef so in comparison the food was not great. But, I was comparing to what we are use to. There were lots of choices and free room service up until midnight. Our waiter in the main dining room was not friendly but he was the ONLY one that we found grumpy. Everyone else serving us was GREAT. Stateroom QualityOK so its small for family of 4 but it had a good use of space and the layout worked well. Beds were SO comfortable....I was surprised. So glad we had a balcony. We sat out there often. Ship Staff Quality99% of staff are great. Lots of good service, all friendly. Our room attendant was so friendly, calling us all by our first names on the first day. He really took the time to talk with us. The cute towel animals each night was a treat for my kids. OUTSTANDING Service. We only ran into ONE staff member on the ship we felt needed to go! Entertainment & ActivitiesNot all the shows were up my ally but it didnt matter as there was SO much to choose from each day I could taylor the activities to what interested my family. Cruise director Allan Brooks is OUTSTANDING. You need to go on this ship just to meet him! If you do, catch his morning show on TV which outlines the days activities and really does become a comedy hour as his personality is so FUN. You just wake up and start smiling. Children's ProgramsHave a 15 and 12 year old. Both are outgoing so meeting people is not a problem. But, I do have to say that they really enjoyed the teen programs. Maybe not ALL the programs but they enjoyed having something organized so they could just hang with the new people they met.
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Cococay (Cruiseline Private Island)Small island, shopping is a bust there- just a few huts from the locals-. However, the cruise did a good job of providing lots of water activities. My kids did the huge water slide and we all did the jet skis. Fun to relax a bit in the ocean there. Took a little bit of time to get off the ship as we had to take a water taxi to the island. Not bad tho
Don't Miss: jet ski Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.Once on land we went to shipwreck cafe on the island. Food was pretty good. Bad service from Shipwreck Cafe and paid $57 for lunch for two (i got a salad). They brought me a bill with 18% tip already added in....that was the bummer. Streets are narrow and cars didnt seem to want to yield to us. Shopping was pretty good. LOTS of jewelry shops. I wanted something unique that you cant buy back home. Most was all the same things you see here but slightly better prices. We also went Parasailing here. about 10 of the 12 people got seasick on the trip. Only up in the air for 6 min. Cost was around $95. Could do without Parasailing next time!
Don't Miss: BOSS underwater scooters!!!! Philipsburg, St. MaartenI felt heavy pressure from locals to Tip and Buy. They were standing at the edge of their shops calling people in, once in the store they kept showing me items that I didnt ask for!! THey didnt stop when I said I was just looking. Out of 30 shops I only found about 4 shops that this didnt happen. It was disappointing. I did not like the quality of the shops. If I went back I would go to the beaches and stay out of the shopping zone. Oh, My favorite store where they treated you with respect and had GREAT things Parana Joes. Go there first.
Don't Miss: Loitery Farms Rope climbing and Zip lines. 9 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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Terrific time by
Kathi G from Philadelphia,PA Sailing date: Aug 2009Pros: Crew, restaurant staff, shows, FloRider, basketball court, minigolf Cons: Shopping Shelby is annoying...obviously on the take for local stores, not giving advice that's best for the passengers.Also totally ripped off with sale of her $25 book of coupons...the book's touted value included discounts at ports we didn't visit! Amazing ship, awesome staff and crew, terrific evening shows. Our room was small but comfortable and incredibly clean! Loved the towel animals every night. Boarding process was smooth and easy as was the disembarking. Pools were wonderful and we really enjoyed the FloRider, basketball courts and mini golf. Tons and tons of positives but "Shopping Shelby" is a total ripoff who is obviously on the take from all the vendors in the different ports. Purchased $25 coupon book that she promised had $400 in savings and free items but didn't say that included several ports we werent even going to visit! In one port, she and her staff were sticking "Hard Rock Cafe" stickers on people without asking and telling them to go there for lunch. How dare they stick something on people without asking!!!! If I want to advertise for the Hard Rock, I'll get paid for it. Also didn't like the big push in the Royal Promenade to buy, buy, buy. It was so bad that we didn't realize until the last day that the food in the coffee shop and pizza place were free-of-charge. Also missed that there wasn't a midnight buffet. Ship QualityBest I've ever been on! Dining/FoodService in all dining areas was terrific as was most of the food. Steaks and prime rib in main dining room were small, and looked more like something you would find in a diner or off a buffet line. Food in the Windjammer buffet was terrific, well presented, hot, varied and imaginative. Stateroom QualityRoom was comfortable, location was great, spotlessly clean! Ship Staff QualityLoved everyone except "Shopping Shelby" and her staff. Entertainment & ActivitiesShows were professional, amazing and delightful. Disappointed not to be able to get into the ice show because it was SRO the first night and timing of added show didn't work for our dinner time. Cruise director was great and very talented. Instructors at the FloRider were amazingly patient and knowledgeable.
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Cozumel, MexicoLoved the Segway Tour. Guides were smart, funny, attentive. Beach Resort was beautiful....had a delicious lunch for two for $23 including tip and an AWESOME 15-minute massage for just $20.
Don't Miss: Segway Tour Labadee (Cruiseline Private Island)Unfortunately, our Ziip line was cancelled due to high winds - no one's fault but disappointing. All brochures, etc. led me to think that Labadee only offered activities that were an extra charge. Didn't know that there was a relaxing beach, hammocks and cabanas available at no charge so because we were scheduled for the Zip Line, I didn't bring my book and my mother stayed on the ship. By the time our Zip Line was cancelled, it was too late to take the tender back to the ship, collect my mother and my book and return to the islandl. It was beautiful, though, just the retreat it should have been but the cruise line was so busy trying to sell excursions, etc., I didn't know about the free amenities.
Don't Miss: Hammocks, cabanas, lunch George Town, Grand CaymanReminded me of Bermuda. Wonderful natives. Loved Margaritaville.
Don't Miss: Margaritaville - music, food, pool, views, play area for kids Ocho Rios, JamaicaThe non-stop harrassment by the locals was awful. We took a tour to Dun's River Falls. After a wonderful drive through Fern Gully, we were taken to 2 different shopping centers, parked in front of "recommended" stores and then totally ripped off. When we got to Dun's River Falls, we were accosted non-stiop by locals pushing "free gifts" in return for "donations" on the way into the park, in the shopping area of the park, itself, and on the way out of the park. It was scary and aggravating. The climb up the falls was terrific but a little more difficult than the brochures indicate. Tour guide made no effort to indicate restful locations for people who weren't going to climb the falls.
Don't Miss: Dun's River Falls but only if you can avoid the locals and the shopping centers 12 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
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a departation disaster by
A Traveler from Ann Arbor, Michigan Sailing date: Dec 2012Pros: my family Cons: cococay Second time cruising with RC - ship was beautiful and activities were excellent. Food was above average and service was excellent. Entertainment was mediocre. Felt a bit ripped off having to purchase drinking water for the room. Despite four requests to make sure billing was handled as I wished it was handled wrong. Flight check in onboard was a disaster - original luggage tags were for a flight that didn't exist, my wife and I weren't on the list of people to be transported to the airport even though they had a record that I had paid. Overall, little things that were handled poorly. Ship Quality
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3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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