This is our third cruise, but first on RCL (first two on Carnival). We absolutely LOVED Freedom of the Seas and cannot see ourselves every going back to Carnival. The amenities of this ship were perfect for our DS's (14 and 12).

Our flight arrived in Miami at 10:20. The RCL staff at the airport was extremely helpful and patient. We had collected our luggage (which took some time) and were on a bus en route to the port by 11:15. While the lines at the port were lengthy, they moved quite well. The security and check-in process were pain-free. We thought the complimentary drinks and cookies was a nice touch. We had to wait an hour to board the ship. The RCL representative told us that there was a problem with immigration from the previous trip. Apparently from reading other reviews, this seems to be the standard answer to deflect RCL from taking the blame. Once the line moved, we were onboard the ship in less than 10 minutes. Our room was ready, so we dropped off our carry-on luggage and headed up to the Windjammer for lunch.

Even with the size of this ship, we never felt as if we had to wait in a line. Obviously when everyone was trying to leave a show, there was a slow down, but otherwise, we never noticed the other 4000 people on the ship - even on sea days. Read more