Is it disappointing to go on Royal Caribbean’s older, Freedom Class ships, after trying their newer ships?
The cruise line’s smaller vessels, such as the Voyager and Explorer Class, are great for exploring unique ports and exclusive itineraries.
Its mega-ships, like the Icon and Oasis Class, famously offer an overwhelming amount of onboard activities and amenities.
So where does that leave Royal Caribbean’s medium-sized vessels, like the Freedom Class?
Eighteen years ago, Freedom of the Seas debuted as the very first Freedom Class ship, and the largest cruise ship in the world.
In 2006, the 1,111-foot-long and 156,271 gross-ton vessel stunned guests with its water slides, 15 decks, and 1,963 staterooms.
However, nearly two decades later, Freedom of the Seas has long been dwarfed by six Oasis-class ships—each one larger than the next—and now a new Icon Class of even bigger mega-ships.
Freedom was Amplified in 2020, undergoing a $116 million upgrade that included a new pool deck, water slides, and dining venues.
How does a cruise on Freedom of the Seas compare to Royal Caribbean’s newest ships?
Coming hot on the heels of my cruises on Icon of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas, I was eager to compare this older vessel.
Freedom feels small and crowded in comparison to bigger ships
I almost felt disappointed when I first walked onboard Freedom. The golden, shiny elevators and the tiled Royal Promenade felt much smaller in comparison to the Oasis and Icon Class.
When compared to the wide open spaces of Icon of the Seas, for example—with a two-level Royal Promenade and huge Pearl staircase—Freedom of the Seas feels tiny.
The public spaces and seating areas looked dingy and crowded. When sailing on ships like Wonder of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas, I appreciated how much seating and walking areas there were.
On Freedom, however, I found myself stalled in huge throngs of people and wandering the pool deck trying to find a seat.
The public spaces felt tiny, especially the middle of the Royal Promenade, the elevator spaces, the Windjammer’s aisles, and the pool deck.
While it felt inconvenient, having to deal with more crowds onboard Freedom made me consider the communal nature of cruising.
There is something fun, after all, about squeezing into a packed elevator and exchanging quiet laughter with strangers.
While the crowds were annoying, they also made the cruise feel more united. I saw the same faces over and over until we began to recognize each other
The cabin had fewer modern amenities
While I enjoyed my oceanview cabin on Freedom of the Seas, I noticed it missed some of the more modern amenities I’ve seen on newer Royal Caribbean ships.
Aspects like more ports around the room (instead of just at the desk) spoiled me by improving my experience on newer ships.
I felt the lack of the modern fixtures in the bathroom. Icon of the Seas, for example, has a large shower area, complete with smooth sliding doors and footstands in the shower.
Standing in Freedom’s astronaut-sized shower, by comparison, felt cramped and dull.
The bathroom was small, with dimming lights and slamming sliding doors.
I also noticed less creative organizational designs, and less adjustable AC and announcement controls.
However, each aspect of the cabin was still clean and functional. It wasn’t that any part of it was lacking—the most inconvenience I felt was the lack of charging ports all over the stateroom.
My stateroom was still a comfortable, luxurious home at sea.
I needed the complimentary dining options on newer ships
The food onboard Freedom of the Seas was tasty and came with marvelous service, but I missed the complimentary dining options on newer Royal Caribbean ships.
I spent my time dining for free at the Windjammer buffet, the Main Dining Room, Sorrento’s Pizza, El Loco Fresh, and the Café Promenade, but found that I quickly tired of the breakfast options.
Read more: I spent a week on the world's largest cruise ship, the free food was the best of any Royal Caribbean ship
For breakfast, I could head to the Windjammer or the Café Promenade, or order room service—continental breakfast comes free.
But on a 7-day cruise, these options got old. The two venues served mostly the same dishes for breakfast: waffles, hashbrowns, oatmeal, pancakes, fruit, yogurt, and muffins. When I ordered room service, the food looked unappealing, and the fruit was moldy.
More than that, I longed for some new venues to switch up my breakfast scenery. I missed the AquaDome Market on Icon of the Seas, and the Park Cafe on Utopia of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean strove to add more complimentary dining on its newer ships, and I really missed that upgrade when I sailed on Freedom.
I didn’t miss the flashier shows and entertainment
Freedom may not have the flashy, unbelievable Aquashows and light performances of newer ships, but the onboard entertainment didn’t lack anything.
Freedom of the Seas has ice shows, live music and comedians, movies, nightclub events, and other production shows.
All of these performances still felt entertaining, even when compared to the marvelous technological wonders on newer ships.
Plus, the smaller nature of the cruise meant the entertainment came from the game shows, trivia nights, and other cruisers.
Instead of attending a flashy robotic performance, the biggest events of the evening would be a live piano player at the Schooner Bar or the finale of the karaoke competition.
This communal entertainment struck a balance amid more exciting shows, like the FreedomIce.com ice skating show and the Once Upon a Time performance.
The sports center was quite action-packed, with a rock climbing wall, basketball court, FlowRider surf simulator, two water slides, and an arcade. Plus, cruisers can experience laser tag and ice skating onboard, just like on the Oasis Class.
Freedom’s onboard activities create a great middle-ground for a more itinerary-intensive cruise.
When the weather was rainy and windy, there were plenty of indoor cruise activities to enjoy.
But on a port day, I didn’t feel the need to rush back to the ship to try everything onboard.
Bottom line: Freedom reminds me why I love to cruise
Even though I found myself missing some modern amenities, Freedom of the Seas reminded me of what I truly enjoy about cruising.
I don’t cruise for the world records, the flashy technology, or the over-the-top activities. As a matter of fact, sailing on a ship with a less hyped-up reputation made for a calmer, more relaxed cruise.
I cruise Royal Caribbean for its laid-back vacation atmosphere, cheerful service, unlimited food, and communal cruise entertainment.
Freedom of the Seas may not be the cruise line’s newest or biggest, but it was filled with genuine crew and fun-loving cruisers.
The activities, service, and entertainment held up as quality, despite the ship’s age.
