After booking a solar eclipse cruise, some passengers were worried they wouldn't see the eclipse, but Royal Caribbean has stepped in to clarify and adjust the plans. 

The August 6, 2026, sailing aboard Liberty of the Seas was marketed as a special voyage to witness the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026.

However, according to guests, the original itinerary meant they would only "experience 94-96% [totality], which [would not] even be close to a total eclipse experience."

After receiving complaints, the cruise line adjusted the ship’s route to ensure passengers were positioned directly in the path of totality. The cruise line changed the itinerary for a once-in-a-lifetime sailing.

(Credit: plasmid732/Reddit)

"We're looking forward to welcoming you onboard Liberty of the Seas TOTAL Solar Eclipse & Spanish Flair cruise later this year! As we prepare for our upcoming adventure, we wanted to share an update to our itinerary," the letter sent to booked passengers reads. 

Continuing, it says, "To give everyone the best possible total solar eclipse viewing experience during our sailing, we'll adjust our route after our visit to Gigón, Spain. Instead of stopping in Lisbon, Portugal, we'll head directly to Vigo, Spain, which places us in route to the optimal viewing area."

Cutting Lisbon was an important and necessary change for this special sailing. Had Liberty of the Seas kept the Portuguese port of call on the itinerary, the visit would have been extremely short and largely impractical for guests hoping to explore the city.

Other Changes to Liberty of the Seas' Solar Eclipse Itinerary

(Credit: plasmid732/Reddit)

Axing Lisbon wasn't the only change made to the 9-night European voyage aboard Liberty of the Seas. 

Initially, the Freedom Class ship was scheduled to visit La Coruña on Aug. 11, followed by a day at sea before calls in Lisbon and Vigo. However, the revised itinerary now has the ship sailing directly from Gijón to Vigo, with the solar eclipse viewing taking place at sea on Aug. 12.

Additionally, the visit to La Coruña has been moved to after the eclipse viewing. The reshuffled schedule has allowed the cruise line to add an extra port to the itinerary — Le Havre (Paris), France — on Aug. 15.

"[W]e are now able to offer a more rewarding and unhurried visit to Paris," the letter adds, "In Le Havre, make your way over to Paris and see why it's the European center for excellence in cuisine, architecture, fashion, and the fine arts...Whatever you decide to do, it will be an amazing time, as you will still be on a high with that Solar Eclipse afterglow."

This is the updated solar eclipse 2026 cruise itinerary on Liberty of the Seas:

• Aug. 7, 2026: Southampton, England (Depart 5:00 p.m.)
• Aug. 8, 2026: Cruising
• Aug. 9, 2026: Bilbao, Spain (8:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.)
• Aug. 10, 2026: Gijón, Spain (9:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.)
• Aug. 11, 2026: Vigo, Spain (10:00 a.m. — 7:00 p.m.)
• Aug. 12, 2026: Solar Eclipse (Cruising)
• Aug. 13, 2026: La Coruña, Spain (7:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.)
• Aug. 14, 2026: Cruising
• Aug. 15, 2026: Paris (Le Havre), France (8:00 a.m. — 9:00 p.m.)
• Aug. 16, 2026: Southampton, England (Arrive 5:30 a.m.)

"Woot Woot! I’m just so glad they listened!"

The change has been met with widespread excitement online. Passengers expressed relief that Royal Caribbean listened to feedback, while other cruise enthusiasts chimed in with excitement over the rare celestial event getting the spotlight it deserved.

"That's actually really awesome and I'm glad to hear the company was receptive to feedback," one Redditor commented. 

Someone else added, "I’m not on this cruise but this is an incredible success story of a massive corporation listening to feedback from their customers. This is something other companies should take note of."

Solar Eclipse Cruise 2026: A Rare Viewing Opportunity at Sea

Witnessing a total solar eclipse is an extremely rare event, and it's even more special if you're at sea!

The total eclipse on Aug. 12, 2026, will be Europe's first total solar eclipse since 1999. As such, destinations along the path of totality are already preparing for a major tourism surge — cruises included. 

Along with Royal Caribbean, cruise lines like Carnival, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Albatros Expeditions, Holland America, HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions), Princess Cruises, and Virgin Voyages are offering unique itineraries that allow passengers to witness the eclipse from the water.

Read more: Carnival just added a solar eclipse cruise, and it's the hot trend for 2026

An American grandmother was arrested and fined after "accidentally" forgetting to leave her gun in her car. 

Mary Robinson, 69, of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, was caught with a black Kel-Tec .380 armed with four rounds of ammunition while on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas. 

The Royal Bahamas Police Force boarded the cruise ship shortly after 3:00 p.m. on Dec. 2 at Prince George Wharf in Nassau, according to the crime report. 

Robinson was identified and subsequently arrested after being found in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

(Credit: Graci Exendine/GoFundMe)

She then spent about five days in the island's infamous Fox Hill Prison, which — according to the U.S. Department of State — is infamous for overcrowding issues, inadequate sanitation and medical care, and poor nutrition. 

Robinson pleaded guilty to the possession charges on Dec. 4 and paid an $8,000 fine, her attorney, Bjorn Ferguson, confirmed. 

"In default, she would have [had to spend] 24 months at the Bahamas Department of Corrections," Ferguson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. 

A local news outlet reported that, while before Magistrate Lennox Coleby, Robinson apologized and explained that she forgot her handgun was in her purse because of Oklahoma's open carry laws.

Robinson's granddaughter, Graci Exendine, launched a GoFundMe to raise money to cover the fine and extradition costs. In just nine days, the fundraiser had surpassed its goal of $12,000. 

"She went on a cruise for her adopted son Johnny's 12th birthday. She is 69 years old and on her trips she usually [brings] some kind of protection but usually leaves it in the car since you aren’t allowed to bring it on the ship," Exendine shared in the GoFundMe description. 

"Well accidentally she didn’t leave it and it was found in her bag when they checked at the Bahamas and she was arrested."

Weapons are prohibited from cruise ships

Royal Caribbean has a long list of items that guests are prohibited from bringing on board their ships, among them knives, firearms, ammunition, and other weapons. 

It's unclear how Robinson's handgun made it past security in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when embarking on the 4-night cruise — and it has puzzled cruisers who have gotten seemingly less dangerous items confiscated. 

"I couldn’t get a [handheld] steamer on board," Derek Von Langen commented on Cruise Blog's Facebook post. 

Others aren't as trusting of Robinson's story, arguing that it is hard to "forget" that you have a weapon on your person. 

"If you don't know where your weapon is, you aren't safely carrying and should have your right to carry revoked," Richard Leatherman added on the post. 

Ferguson told PEOPLE that bringing a firearm to The Bahamas is "problematic," as possession charges are taken very seriously. Consequences are severe, ranging from massive fines to lengthy prison sentences. 

As such, it is important to understand the local laws of where you're traveling. For example, you shouldn't wear camouflage clothing in The Bahamas, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, or Dominica. 

Moreover, even if marijuana is legal in your state, it is prohibited aboard cruise ships since it is still banned at the federal level. 

Possession, like with handguns, can lead to arrest, fines, being denied boarding, or getting kicked off the cruise ship. 

Read more: 5 things you can't bring on a Royal Caribbean cruise in 2025

Another cruiser was arrested for firearm possession on a Royal Caribbean cruise earlier this year

On Feb. 25, a guest on Oasis of the Seas was arrested in Aruba for attempting to board the ship with a revolver.

The firearm was discovered during a routine security check, a local media outlet reported. The unidentified male was then detained, escorted off the ship, and transported to the local precinct for questioning. 

Oasis departed from Florida on Feb. 22, meaning — like Robinson — the passenger’s weapon either slipped past embarkation screening or was purchased during the ship’s 14-hour visit.

Liberty of the Seas is finally getting its much-needed Royal Amplification. 

Earlier this year, Royal Caribbean announced plans to upgrade three of its older cruise ships with new features as part of its next phase of ship updates. 

Royal Caribbean Blog has already shared the plans for Ovation of the Seas, so in this article, we'll take a deeper look at what changes are coming to Liberty of the Seas. 

Liberty of the Seas' Royal Amplification is scheduled to take place in late April and May 2026. Liberty will depart from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 3, 2026, on a 16-night one-way cruise to Southampton. She's not scheduled to re-enter service until May 29. 

There's a lot of exciting stuff on the horizon — though Sabor fans might be a little heartbroken. 

Deck-by-deck changes coming to Liberty of the Seas

Starting on Deck 2, the Conference Center is being removed and replaced with 24 new inside cabins. The Loyalty Desk is also being moved to near the aft elevators. 

Moving on up, the Shore Excursions desk is being relocated to Deck 3, taking the place of the On Air Club. On Deck 4, the former Shore Excursions area will be replaced with an expanded casino. 

Royal Caribbean has been expanding its casino footprint on a few of its ships. Freedom of the Seas, for example, had its wine bar replaced with a non-smoking casino directly off the Royal Promenade. 

More casino space means more revenue, and it's the most likely reason that Royal Caribbean decided to replace the On Air Club with the Shore Excursions desk.

Aside from the bigger casino, Deck 4 has a lot of other changes coming its way. Starting at the forward section of the deck, Sabor is being replaced with Izumi Teppanyaki. This shouldn't come as a surprise, though. 

Recently, Linken D'Souza, Royal Caribbean's Vice President of Food & Beverage, said that Chops Grille is no longer the most popular specialty restaurant by sheer number of guests served. Instead, Izumi is the most popular restaurant by volume in the fleet. 

The Teppanyaki experience is even more appealing than standard sushi fare. D'Souza calls it "eatertainment," since it combines a multi-course meal with a show, where the chef cooks right at your table. 

Further back, the Boleros Bar is being replaced with a full-service Starbucks. 

There's not much being changed on Deck 5. However, the Connoisseur Club will become the Royal Escape Room. This will give guests a new, interactive activity, as the escape rooms have become popular on other ships in the fleet. 

Decks 6 and 7 will also remain the same. However, Deck 8 will receive a few new inside staterooms. These include cabins 8127, 8129, 8131, and 8133 in the front of the ship.

Moreover, since the Loyalty Desk is being moved to Deck 2, there will be room for more interior cabins towards the aft elevator bank: 8441, 8443, 8445, and 8447. 

Likewise, the Card Room on Deck 10 is being removed to make way for new staterooms, highlighting Royal Caribbean's focus on increasing occupancy by repurposing underused public spaces. These new cabins include 1343, 1345, 1347, and 1349. 

Things become more interesting on Deck 11. First, new ocean-view and balcony staterooms are being added near the Vitality Fitness Center: 1150, 1152, 1154, 1155, 1100, 1102, 1104, and 1106. 

The Solarium is staying the same, but the pool deck is going to receive a major upgrade. For starters, the standard Pool Bar will be transformed into the popular Lime and Coconut Bar. Moreover, Squeeze will become El Loco Fresh and Cantina Fresca. 

Don't worry, though. Although the pool deck will be completely reimagined with a fresh look and new casitas, the Splashaway Bay aqua park for kids isn't going anywhere. 

The Lime and Coconut will extend onto Deck 12, replacing the Sky Bar. 

Finally, Royal Caribbean plans on adding 10 new cabins near the Adventure Ocean youth club: 1892, 1894, 1896, 1898, 1900, 1902, 1904, 1906, 1908, and 1910. 

Changes coming to two other ships

As mentioned earlier, Ovation of the Seas is one of three Royal Caribbean ships getting major upgrades through the cruise line's Royal Amplification process. 

Like with Liberty of the Seas, Ovation's casino will be expanded, effectively eliminating the Music Hall. Moreover, the ship will get a Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and an Izumi Teppanyaki, as well as a Pesky Parrot tiki bar — a Quantum Class first. 

The ship will also get a brand-new Sound Cellar, Ultimate Family Suite, and Panoramic Suite. 

Harmony of the Seas is the other ship getting an overhaul in 2026. 

During her drydock, Harmony's pool deck, including the Solarium, will be revitalized. Likewise, the pool deck will receive The Lime & Coconut. Other updates include the addition of Samba Grill Brazilian Steakhouse, the largest Casino Royale in the fleet, and the Ultimate Family Suite. 

A Royal Caribbean passenger was arrested after allegedly beating up another person while on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas, according to court documents.

Documents obtained by WPLG show Michael White and others assaulted the victim to the point of unconsciousness. He, and another unnamed person, were arrested by Broward County police on Friday after the Liberty of the Seas returned to Port Everglades.

The police report says the victim and a woman asked a group of youths to “stop jumping up and down on the elevator,” which was causing it to sway. This happened last Thursday, while the ship was at sea.

The group started yelling and saying, “B----, who are you talking to?”

BSO Deputy Demetrius Williams wrote in the report, "At this point, (the victim) said he yelled to stop jumping in the elevator, but the kids wouldn’t stop; they kept arguing and fussing at them and calling them names."

The report continues that the elevator stopped on the eighth floor and the victim and the woman decided they needed to exit the elevator immediately, "We got to get out of here."

"The kids did not move when the door opened, so he pushed through the crowd to exit the elevator."

"Once he got out, he said he started getting struck by individuals in the face area, causing him to stagger backward. After staggering backward, he (redacted) fell to the floor and that’s when he started getting kicked. Also, at this point, (the victim) said he blacked out and the next thing he knew, he woke up in a pool of blood on the floor."

The 3,648 passenger Liberty of the Seas was sailing a four-night Bahamas itinerary that departed Port Everglades on Monday, April 14th.

Mr. White is from Siler City, North Carolina and was charged with a felony of aggravated battery causing bodily harm. The co-defendant's name was not listed in Broward court records.

BSO records show he was released from jail on Saturday after posting a $5,000 bond.

A judge ordered Mr. White have no contact with the victim.

Violence on cruise ships: what happens

While Royal Caribbean has not issued any kind of statement or update on the incident, they take security incidents like this very seriously.

A few months ago a man was detained after attempting to break down a cabin door in an altercation with other guests.

A cell phone video captured the moment a man was seen hurling threats and trying to kick down a door aboard Navigator of the Seas. 

In an attempt to subdue him, the disruptive passenger kicked a crew member in the face and punched another.

Eventually, the ship's security team—armed with pepper spray, zip ties, and handcuffs—detained the shirtless guest who had also been spewing profanity and racial comments. 

Unruly guests disrupt the experience for other passengers and risk the safety of guests and crew, which is of paramount importance to cruise lines. 

Incidents like these often result in immediate intervention by the ship's security staff, with offenders facing fines, legal action, and permanent bans from the cruise line, especially when crew members are assaulted. 

In fact, Royal Caribbean will ban passengers for life for far less violent attacks.

Hurricane Ernesto has affected the itinerary for another Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

With the storm's anticipated path headed for Bermuda, Royal Caribbean has altered the plan for Liberty of the Seas August 15, 2024 cruise.

The original plan was for Liberty to sail a 9 Night Bermuda and Eastern Caribbean cruise.

Instead, Liberty of the Seas will skip its visit to Bermuda and go west of the storm and south to Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos.

An email sent to booked passengers explained the change, "Along with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, we've been monitoring the track of Hurricane Ernesto along our intended path. 

"In order to stay safe and clear of this hurricane, we will now skip our visit to Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda, and travel west of the storm and south to Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos. While not the original itinerary planned, we're excited to have an extra day to enjoy Grand Turk with you!"

Any pre-booked shore excursions through the cruise line will be automatically refunded.

The new itinerary includes a visit to Grand Turk twice on consecutive days, followed by the resumption of their original itinerary.  

Cruise lines will alter the itinerary of a cruise ship to avoid bad weather, especially tropical storms. Usually an itinerary change similar to what has happened to Liberty of the Seas is all that's needed.  

It's rare for a cruise to be cancelled because of a hurricane.

The cruise line apologized for having no choice but to change its original plans, "We're terribly sorry for this last-minute change caused by the weather - your safety is our top priority. Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because our ship can quickly move out of the way of any inclement weather."

Liberty of the Seas is a Freedom Class cruise ship, capable of sailing with up to 4,960 passengers at maximum capacity.

Read more: What I liked (and disliked) about my Liberty of the Seas cruise

Liberty of the Seas is still on schedule to return to Cape Liberty on August 24.

Fourth Royal Caribbean cruise ship affected by Ernesto

Liberty of the Seas is the fourth Royal Caribbean cruise ship to change its itinerary this week.

Icon of the Seas had to swap itineraries, going from an Eastern Caribbean cruise to a Western Caribbean sailing.  

Sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Rhapsody of the Seas reversed its port order to avoid the path of the storm and went to Barbados first.

Symphony of the Seas replaced a port visit to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic with a visit to Nassau, Bahamas.

These changes were made before Ernesto had become a hurricane.

Other cruise lines changed their plans too.

Carnival had to alter the itinerary for Carnival Magic and Carnival Pride, and is monitoring the itineraries for the Carnival Freedom and Mardi Gras.

Norwegian Cruise Line had three ships change plans, including Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Sky, and Norwegian Joy.

Hurricane Ernesto's path

The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Ernesto is a Category 1 Hurricane centered about 600 miles south-southwest of Bermuda and is moving north.

The storm moved through Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and it's now past those islands.

While not a threat to the United States mainland, it appears headed straight for Bermuda.

Ernesto is heading north at 13 mph early Thursday with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, the hurricane center said.

Ernesto could become a major hurricane by Friday, which means it would have to reach Category 3 or higher.

The National Hurricane Center that Bermuda will see a "dangerous storm surge" that will produce significant coastal flooding and destructive waves. The island nation will see about half a foot of rain and in some areas, up to a foot, possibly resulting in "considerable life-threatening flash flooding."

Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class cruise ships are an excellent balance of fun things to do onboard and value. They're big enough to include lots of activities, but they don't come with the price tag of newer cruise ships.

Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas are two ships within this category of Royal Caribbean cruise ship that appeal to families looking to get a good value for their vacation dollar.

Read more: What I liked (and disliked) about my Liberty of the Seas cruise

I often get questions on how to choose between the two ships, and what you should know about the similarities and differences each has. They're quite similar, but there's just enough variations to make one a better choice over the other depending on your preferences.

It's important to note that Freedom of the Seas received a major upgrade in 2020, while Liberty of the Seas' scheduled upgrade in 2021 was postponed and has yet to happen.  This is going to be a recurring theme in comparing these two ships.

Liberty of the Seas received some updates in 2016, which gave her an edge versus Freedom until its 2020 refurbishment.

Here's a look at Liberty of the Seas vs Freedom of the Seas so you can understand what stands out about each.

Ship size

Technically, Liberty of the Seas is one foot longer than Freedom of the Seas, but you really shouldn't factor that in at all.

Freedom Class cruise ships are 1,111 feet long and they were both the largest cruise ships in the world at the time of their debut.  They've since been eclipsed by larger ships, but they still offer that "big ship" experience many cruisers look for in any vessel.

Here's a look at Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas statistics:

Both cruise ships have just under 4,000 passengers, but Freedom of the Seas has a higher guest count because of her upgrades in 2020.

The ship layout is exactly the same, with a Royal Promenade in the middle of the ship, ice skating rink, surf simulator, and water slides. Both ships are 15 decks high.

Dining

The choices in dining venues diverge a bit between the two cruise ships, as you'll find certain restaurants on each ship.

Here's a breakdown of the complimentary dining venues on both Freedom and Liberty of the Seas.

The primary difference is that Freedom of the Seas has El Loco Fresh, which is a casual Mexican restaurant on the pool deck.

You'll find nachos, burritos, quesadillas, and chips along with a toppings bar at El Loco Fresh.

Freedom of the Seas has another advantage with its specialty dining offerings, as it has newer venues.

In my opinion, the specialty restaurant choices on Freedom of the Seas are superior because it has a greater variety of popular restaurants.

Both ships have an Italian restaurant, but Giovanni's Italian Kitchen is the updated version with a newer menu and more choices, including pizza.

Izumi hibachi is one of the most popular restaurants on any Royal Caribbean ship, as its teppanyaki tables often sells out every voyage.

Playmakers is super popular with cruisers because it offers a true sports bar experience, along with excellent bar food to go with it.

Bars

Because Freedom of the Seas got amplified in 2020, she has a few more bar choices.

At the pool, there's the Lime and Coconut. This is a vibrant multi-deck venue that has a wider selection of drinks and seating choices than you'll find at the pool bars on Liberty of the Seas.

Freedom of the Seas also has Playmakers Sports Bar, which is conveniently located on deck four between the atrium and casino. It replaced what is the photo gallery on Liberty of the Seas.

Playmakers is a fun spot to catch your favorite sporting event, with dozens of big screen televisions and lots of seating. It also has a great a la carte priced menu you can order from, so you have bar food for the game.

If you're on Liberty of the Seas and want to watch sporting events, they have the On Air club.  It doubles as a karaoke bar and de-facto sports bar because it has a few televisions that can show sporting events.  But it's not nearly as expansive as Playmakers, nor does it have food.

The rest of the bar choices is largely similar between the two ships.

Cabins and suites

You will find plenty of the core four cruise ship room categories on both Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, such as inside, oceanview, balcony, and suite cabins.

There are Promenade View cabins on both ships, which have a bay window that looks into the Royal Promenade rather than outside.  While there's no natural light with these rooms, it's great for people watching and offers a bit more space than a conventional interior room.

There are two very popular types of cabins that quickly sell out on most sailings.

A balcony located on the ship's "hump" can be found on either ship.  This refers to the rooms that are located on the outwards part of the ship deck plan, right around the middle.

The reason why these rooms are desirable is because their balcony space tends to be larger than other balcony cabins without a higher price.

Speaking of balconies, the other room type worth looking at is an aft balcony.

Located on the back of the ship, these balcony rooms face the ship's wake and their balcony space can be enormous.

Aft balcony rooms on the lower decks have the most balcony square footage, and it's like having a suite balcony.

Both ships also have family oceanview cabins at the front of the ship, which have bunk beds and an extra bathroom. They may not have a balcony, but they're great choices for families on a budget.

The suite offerings on Freedom and Liberty are more or less the same, but there is one important distinction.  

The cabins are similar, but the suite sun deck choices are different. Freedom of the Seas received the Lime & Coconut bar, which took up the space that used to be reserved for suite guests. Liberty of the Seas still has reserved chairs right in the middle of the pool deck for suite guests only.

The suite lounge has a newer look on Freedom of the Seas.

Entertainment

Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas have the same entertainment venues, but the show line-ups are different.

Liberty of the Seas has a full Broadway show onboard, while Freedom of the Seas does not.  Guests can enjoy Saturday Night Fever, which is shown in its entirety as you would see it in a theater on land.  The show is complimentary.

In the theater on Freedom of the Seas, you'll find musical acts and dance production shows, but nothing with as much plot and familiar music as what Liberty has.

Both ships have an ice skating rink, where you can see ice skating shows at no additional cost.

At the bars and lounges on both ships, there is live music each day. The pool deck has a live band as well as a DJ.  In the evening, the Schooner Bar has a piano player and the English pub has a guitarist.  There are other live musical acts at Boleros and other venues.

Pools & slides

Liberty of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas both have multiple pools and whirlpool hot tubs to enjoy, but the aesthetics of both differ along with the top-deck attractions.

Both ships have a common set of activities onboard:

• Main pool
• Solarium adults-only pool
• Splashaway Bay kids aqua park
• Rock climbing wall
• Flowrider surf simulator
• Mini-golf course

Freedom of the Seas' pool deck has a Caribbean vibe to it, while Liberty has the traditional Royal Caribbean pool deck look.

More importantly are the water slides. Both ships have a pair of Perfect Storm racer waterslides, but Liberty of the Seas has a big difference.

In addition to the duo of water slides, Liberty has "Tidal Wave", which is a boomerang style slide where two guests ride in a raft that goes up a near vertical wall to provide a moment of weightlessness before sliding back down.

Read more: The best cruise itineraries for every type of traveler

Bottom line

Is Freedom of the Seas or Liberty of the Seas better for you? It really depends on which features are the most important, as well as the itinerary.

The biggest difference between the ships are the dining choices and pool deck experiences. The newer restaurants on Freedom of the Seas represent some of the best concepts the line has come up with in recent years.  That isn't to say the specialty dining on Liberty of the Seas is sub-par by any means.

The itineraries offered might be the most compelling factor to select one over the other.

Freedom of the Seas sails from South Florida year-round and offers cruises to Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. In summer 2024, Freedom will start offering longer Caribbean cruises.

Liberty of the Seas mixes up her itineraries, and moves between Florida cruises in the winter, and the Northeast United States in the summer.  Liberty visits Canada, New England, and Bermuda, along with longer sailings to the Bahamas.

The two sister ships are quite similar, and you really have to dig into the details to find a good reason to select one over the other.

Every cruise is bound to come with aspects you enjoyed, but you may also encounter certain parts of the cruise you disliked or wish you did differently.

I recently returned from a 4-night cruise on Liberty of the Seas. This was my first time sailing on this ship, but because I had sailed on other Freedom Class ships before, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect.

Every cruise comes with surprises, though, and I encountered both positive and negative surprises onboard Liberty of the Seas. From the waterslides to entertainment and food, here is what I liked and disliked about my Liberty of the Seas cruise.

What I liked

Washy Washy ladies

Walking into the Windjammer buffet on any Royal Caribbean ship is sure to be met with the words "Washy Washy” as the Windjammer staff encourage guests to wash their hands before entering.

While Liberty of the Seas does not yet have hand washing facilities in the Windjammer, there’s 0% chance any guest will enter the buffet without clean hands.

The reason? The “Washy Washy” ladies, also known as the happiest, most colorful, and funniest crew members you’ll find onboard.

Related: Guide to Royal Caribbean's Windjammer Cafe buffet

As soon as you arrive at the Windjammer, you’ll find one of these crew members dressed in a costume (which changed each day) and holding a bottle of hand sanitizer. While this may sound like a boring job, these women danced, sang, laughed, and had huge smiles when everyone passed through the Windjammer’s doors.

They had the most energy I've ever seen from any crew member (or maybe any person ever). We looked forward to our meals in the Windjammer every day not only for the food, but for the guaranteed entertainment we would encounter when needing to sanitize our hands.

Tidal Wave waterslide

I don’t usually use the waterslides on a Royal Caribbean cruise, especially the ones that are fully enclosed, as they make me feel a little too claustrophobic. Liberty of the Seas, however, has one of the fleet’s most unique waterslides: the Tidal Wave.

The Tidal Wave waterslide is a raft slide, and two guests can slide down together before “boomeranging” off a large wall. While the ride is really short, it was way more fun than I initially anticipated.

We went on the slide over and over again and couldn’t get enough!

Saturday Night Fever

Something that makes Liberty of the Seas unique is that she has a Broadway show available onboard: Saturday Night Fever. I knew nothing about this show before I entered the theater, but was beyond impressed by the acting and dancing of the cast members.

This show follows the story of a Brooklynite, Tony Manero, who spends his weekends at a local disco dancing and finding love while also distracting himself from life’s struggles. The show features dancing with songs from the Bees Gees, KC and the Sunshine Band, and Tavares.

Related: Broadway shows on Royal Caribbean: Everything you need to know

My favorite part of Saturday Night Fever were the performances from the crew members playing the Puerto Rican dancers in the story. If I could give one reason to see this show, it would be to watch this dance couple cha cha, merengue, and salsa their way around the stage.

While I wouldn’t say it was my favorite Broadway show on a Royal Caribbean ship (that goes to We Will Rock You on Anthem of the Seas), I would definitely see the show again next time I’m onboard.

Freedom Class features

Freedom Class cruise ships are some of my favorite ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Just like on Independence and Freedom of the Seas, I enjoyed the features of a Freedom Class ship on my Liberty of the Seas cruise.

Read more: Freedom of the Seas vs. Liberty of the Seas

I love having access to the ship’s helicopter pad, taking walks on the scenic outdoor Promenade deck, and hanging out at the outdoor Diamond lounge deck.

Related: All about Freedom Class cruise ships

I find the size of a Freedom Class ship to be ideal, too, as it isn’t too big nor too small. Plus, the shorter Caribbean itineraries offered on Freedom Class ships means they always have a higher “party” atmosphere compared to longer cruises or itineraries visiting places like Alaska.

I spent a lot of time outdoors on Liberty of the Seas, whether relaxing on the helicopter pad or suntanning at the outdoor Solarium, and I have no complaints about the Freedom Class-specific features and amenities.

Classical guitar at Vintages

During my Liberty of the Seas cruise, a classical guitar player performed outside of Vintages wine bar each evening.

I don’t usually spend too much time at Vintages while on a Royal Caribbean cruise, but sipping a glass of wine with live guitar music created the perfect atmosphere that I kept coming back to every day.

What I disliked

No Izumi

I found it quite odd that there was no Izumi restaurant on Liberty of the Seas, as Royal Caribbean’s Japanese specialty restaurant can be found on nearly every ship in the fleet. Even 3 out of the 4 smallest ships, the Vision Class, have an Izumi location!

Instead of Izumi, Liberty of the Seas offers specialty dining at Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, Sabor, and Chef’s Table. While I love all of these options, I felt something was missing without Izumi onboard.

Part of the Windjammer buffet is named “Jade” and supposedly this used to be a specialty sushi counter where guests could purchase sushi at an extra cost. This did not appear to be offered on my Liberty of the Seas cruise.

Perfect Storm waterslides

Speaking of how much I loved the Tidal Wave slide on Liberty of the Seas, the opposite can be said for the Perfect Storm waterslides.

Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Storm waterslides are found on several ships in the fleet. These racing slides twist and turn several times as guests make their way downhill.

Related: Which Royal Caribbean ships have waterslides?

I’ve gone on these slides on other ships and found them exciting, but I was disappointed with the slides on Liberty of the Seas. The water pressure was extremely light and the slides had such a low slope that I had to push myself down.

The water pressure might be strong enough to get kids down the slide quickly, but it took us adults a while to reach the bottom!

Long lines

I'm not sure if this is something specific to Liberty of the Seas, but I encountered worse lines on this ship than any other in the fleet so far.

Whether grabbing an ice cream cone on the pool deck, a slice of pizza at Sorrento's, or boarding the ship after our port day, the lines seemed to be longer and slower than usual.

The Italian-themed dinner in the Windjammer, in fact, had lines so long we didn't even dare wait for pasta. 

I may have just gotten to these places at the wrong time, and an extra five minutes of waiting here and there was fine, but this was one thing I didn’t enjoy about my Liberty of the Seas cruise.

Game show

My cousin and I were looking for a way to pass the time one evening and came across an activity I had never seen before: Game Show: Rock the Room.

This show appeared to be a dancing competition between different sides of the room where both the game show’s participants and audience stood up and danced.

If I ever wanted to show a new cruiser that cruising can be modern and trendy, this would absolutely not be the way to do it. This show was like a stereotypical cruise ship activity you’d see on a comedy skit poking fun at cruises, and I couldn’t think of a better way to describe the show than “cringeworthy”.

We dipped out almost immediately after the show began. Two minutes later, I saw a huge hoard of other guests leaving the Star Lounge. One guest mentioned it was a “mass exodus”, so I wasn't the only one that didn’t like this activity!

Final thoughts

While there were some aspects of my Liberty of the Seas cruise I didn't enjoy as much as others, I still had a wonderful experience onboard. As a matter of fact, my cruise on Liberty of the Seas was one of the most fun cruises I've experienced yet. From the positive vibes of the crew members to party atmosphere onboard this short sailing, there was never a dull moment.

I'm already looking forward to returning to Liberty of the Seas this January to discover more of what this ship has to offer!

Planning a cruise? Star here:

• 8 cruise tips for first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• What is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise?

Liberty of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbean’s Freedom Class cruise ships, is packed with onboard activities, dining options, and impressive entertainment. Everything from waterslides and ice skating to a Broadway show can be found onboard, but with all the excitement of a Royal Caribbean cruise, it’s easy to miss out on some of the ship’s best features.

To make sure you are as prepared as possible for a cruise on Liberty of the Seas, we’re sharing our top 10 hidden secrets that you shouldn’t overlook.

Tidal Wave waterslide

Waterslides have become more and more common on cruise ships, and Liberty of the Seas has one of the most unique waterslides in Royal Caribbean’s fleet: The Tidal Wave.

The Tidal Wave waterslide is a boomerang-style slide, which allows guests to slide on a raft downhill before “boomeranging” up a nearly vertical wall. This boomerang motion brings a feeling of weightlessness to passengers before they slide back down for a big splash.

Related: Which Royal Caribbean ships have water slides?

Because this type of waterslide is only found on Liberty of the Seas, don’t miss the opportunity to try it once onboard!

Other than the Tidal Wave, you can also find the Perfect Storm waterslides on Liberty of the Seas.

In-pool seating at the Solarium

There’s no swim-up bar available on Liberty of the Seas (the fleet’s first is on Icon of the Seas). You can, however, order a drink at the Solarium Bar and enjoy it from the ship’s in-pool table and chairs.

Located directly under the bridge above the Solarium pool is a small table with chairs located underwater. If you’re looking for the most refreshing place to enjoy a tropical cocktail or beer onboard, this is undoubtedly the best spot.

Because this area is located in the Solarium, it’s reserved for guests aged 16 and above.

Related: Everything about Royal Caribbean’s Solarium

Free saunas and steam rooms

One perk of sailing on Liberty of the Seas is having access to complimentary saunas and steam rooms in the Shipshape Fitness Center.

These saunas and steam rooms are gender-segregated. They can be found in both the men's and women’s changing rooms in the gym on Liberty of the Seas. Each changing room has one sauna and one steam room.

On newer or recently amplified Royal Caribbean ships, these complimentary spa areas have been removed. On some ships, this area has been removed altogether whereas on others they have built a thermal spa in its place.

The thermal spa on those ships, though, comes at an extra cost. This makes the complimentary saunas and steam rooms a huge benefit of sailing on Liberty of the Seas.

There’s a Broadway show

Most Broadway shows are found only on Oasis or Quantum Class ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, but did you know Liberty of the Seas also has a Broadway show?

Saturday Night Fever can be found on Liberty of the Seas. This show transports guests straight to the 1970s to follow the story of Tony Manero, a Brooklynite who spends his weeknights dancing at a local nightclub.

The 90-minute show features music from the Bee Gees, Sunshine Band, and Tavares.

Sabor

Liberty of the Seas is one of the only ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet without Izumi Sushi, but another top-notch restaurant can be found in its place: Sabor.

Sabor is Royal Caribbean’s Mexican specialty restaurant which focuses on combining traditional flavors with a modern twist. The restaurant is most well-known for offering endless guacamole customized to your spice preference.

Related: How to know if you should buy a Royal Caribbean dining package

Don’t miss the opportunity to build your own tacos with a choice of barbacoa, spicy chicken, fish tempura, or shrimp. If you’d prefer something different, consider a burrito, quesadilla, ceviche, calamari, or chicken-stuffed jalapeños.

You can also pair your meal with one of Sabor’s specialty margaritas, such as the Sweet & Spicy Margarita. Combining Patrón Reposado tequila with fresh juices from pineapple, carrot, lime, and red chili pepper, this drink is sure to pair perfectly with endless Mexican food.

Helicopter Pad

All Radiance, Voyager, and Freedom Class cruise ships provide guests access to the helicopter pad. Located in the front of the ship, this spot is one of the best places to watch the sailaway on Liberty of the Seas.

Related: The best spot for sailaway on every Royal Caribbean cruise ship

To access the helicopter pad on Liberty of the Seas, go to the outdoor Promenade Deck on deck 4. Walk all the way forward until you reach a set of stairs. Go up the stairs to deck 5, walk all the way forward, and you will reach the helicopter pad.

Easily missed quiet areas

While most people spend a Royal Caribbean cruise enjoying activities, entertainment, and lounging by the pool, some guests are looking for a quiet space to relax.

Liberty of the Seas has quite a few hidden places to take a break from the hustle and bustle found elsewhere onboard. Most of these locations can easily be overlooked, however, especially if you don’t stumble upon them by chance.

Here are our favorite tranquil spots on Liberty of the Seas:

• Internet Cafe/Loyalty Ambassador space (deck 8 between aft elevators)
• Library (deck 9 between aft elevators)
• Card Room (deck 10 between aft elevators)
• Seating space near Liberty Dunes (deck 13 forward)

On Air Karaoke Club

Karaoke is a popular nighttime activity onboard any Royal Caribbean cruise ship, but Liberty of the Seas has a separate karaoke venue, the On Air Club. Located on deck 3 by the Studio B ice-skating rink, this area of the ship is often overlooked due to areas like the theater and Royal Promenade.

If you’re looking to watch your fellow passengers put their vocal skills to the test (or bust out your own favorite tune) be sure to spend time at On Air while on Liberty of the Seas.

Most karaoke-specific venues are only found on Oasis Class ships, with others opting to have karaoke in other onboard entertainment spaces instead. This makes the On Air club on Liberty of the Seas unique—and the best place to watch karaoke onboard.

Red dog statue

If you’re searching for a fun photo opportunity, head to the port side aft elevators on Liberty of the Seas. Here you’ll find a cute statue of a red dog overlooking the Royal Promenade.

This fun statue may not bark or play fetch, but it’s a fun piece of art in addition to all the other unique artwork found on Liberty of the Seas.

For the best photo opportunity with the big red dog, have the photo-taker stand directly across from the dog at the starboard side elevators.

More hidden secrets on our ship tour video!

Cruising soon? Check out more hidden secrets on Royal Caribbean cruise ships:

• Top 10 Oasis of the Seas hidden secrets
• Top 10 Mariner of the Seas hidden secrets
• Top 10 Wonder of the Seas hidden secrets
• Top 10 Odyssey of the Seas hidden secrets

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Cadiz, Spain will be a hot spot for Royal Caribbean cruise ships very soon.

The Navantia shipyards announced four ships are scheduled to get dry dock work there, beginning with Harmony of the Seas.

Cruise ships must undergo routine work every few years (usually five) in order to keep the ship properly maintained, as well as up to date with being seaworthy.

Harmony of the Seas just arrived in Cadiz on Monday to undergo technical work on her propellers, stabilizers and bottom valves, as well as give the ship some paint work. In fact, the shipyard estimates they will need about 8,000 liters of paint for the work.

Captain Johnny Faevelen posted photos on Twitter of Harmony's arrival at the yard.

Imagine you are pressure washing your car - and it’s 362 meter/1188 ft long and 47 meter/154 ft wide ?good luck!? @RoyalCaribbean #HarmonyoftheSeas @JamesVanFleet @RCGCareers @RoyalCaribPR @NavantiaOficial #drydock @RCCLNews pic.twitter.com/n369jsKmDZ

— Johnny Faevelen (@HarleyCaptain) April 5, 2021

How about this one?. The #HarmonyoftheSeas have a big mouth and a long nose! ? https://t.co/mwtnqffJOz pic.twitter.com/sbi02S9LTo

— Johnny Faevelen (@HarleyCaptain) April 5, 2021

The work on Harmony of the Seas is expected to last about a month.

The Navantia shipyards said Jewel of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas will follow in May 2021, followed by Liberty of the Seas in July 2021.  

In addition, Jewel of the Seas will get some work done prior to her summer season sailing from Cyprus to the Greek Isles.

The work done across the four ships will take about 500,000 hours and create 1,230 jobs at the shipyard.

Will these cruise ships get any upgrades or new features?

When a cruise ship goes into dry dock, that is usually a good opportunity for Royal Caribbean to add new features and things to do onboard, but not this time around.

The work being done on all four ships is limited to a technical dry dock, which means just maintenance work.

Royal Caribbean postponed previously scheduled upgrades for Libeerty of the Seas (and many other ships) once the cruise industry shutdown in March 2020.  The inability to cruise has created a lot of financial hardship for the company, and they have cut back on spending where they can.

In addition, Jewel of the Seas was never going to be Amplified.

As a result, the work being done on these ships will be limited to just "under the hood" type work, in order to ensure the ships can sail for another five years without problems.

Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas will resume sailings earlier than originally scheduled in February 2021, and take over for Jewel of the Seas as well.

Liberty of the Seas was scheduled to undergo a Royal Amplification dry dock in early 2021, but Royal Caribbean has postponed the remaining Royal Amplifcations until further notice.

The new schedule is for Liberty of the Seas to arrive to Galveston and take over for Jewel of the Seas, beginning with the February 21, 2021 sailing.

Liberty of the Seas will sail seven night cruises to the Western Caribbean and the Bahamas from Galveston in February/March 2021.

Guests bookings on Jewel of the Seas will be automatically transferred to an equivalent stateroom on Liberty of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean has no indicated yet if Liberty of the Seas will get a "technical drydock" similar to Allure of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas, where just the propulsion and navigation systems are repaired, leaving out the add-ons and enhancements such as new venues or activities.

With the Royal Amplifications on hold, the cruise line never announced that specific upgrades were coming to Liberty of the Seas as part of her drydock.

Royal Caribbean added Jewel of the Seas sailings from Galveston in December - March 2021 in order to accommodate the time needed for Liberty of the Seas to undergo her Royal Amplification.

The original plan was for Liberty of the Seas was scheduled to be out of service from January through early March, and return to service in Galveston in mid-March.

UPDATE: Royal Caribbean has released the updated itineraries for both ships.

Jewel of the Seas 2020-2021 sailings

Liberty of the Seas 2020-2021 sailings