Freedom of the Seas Review
Good vacation, but won't book a GS again!
Rating by category
Additional details
Travel to embarkation: Fly to MIA, jump in a taxi. It's the quickest way to get to the port and they require flat pricing, so you know what to expect. (side note: Carnival offers check-in right in the baggage claim area, RC should follow suit because it's very convenient.)
Dining: We had dinner pretty much every night in the dining room using My Time dining. The service was great and the food was consistently good. Most of the time, we had breakfast in the private dining area for suite guests, which was great. You don't have to be in the chaos of the buffet area. We did have lunch in the buffet area just because of the variety of options.
Entertainment: The ice skating show was amazing! Definitely show up early to get a good seat. The live music near the bar areas was a highlight of the cruise too.
Cabin Review
Grand Suite
I was really excited about booking our Grand Suite on Freedom of the Seas. The room was definitely spacious and clean. The bathroom was amazing (two sinks, large shower/tub combo). The extra large balcony was also a plus.
The biggest disappointment was the mattress! It was very uncomfortable and felt like sleeping on a brick. We like to lounge around in the bed on sea days and that was virtually impossible on this mattress. We requested an egg crate mattress topper, which they provided the same day. It offered minimal relief. I've cruised on other RC ships with very comfortable beds, so I was expecting the same here... not the case. Considering how much you pay for a GS upgrade, the bed must be comfortable or else it's not worth it.
The concierge service was great. The pre dinner drinks/appetizers served in the private club was also great.
Port Reviews
St. Maarten
I almost feel like you have to book an excursion at St. Maarten. The area near the port has several stores for shopping, but no beach area. On a previous cruise, we booked an excursion to the beach and had a great time.
Orlando (Port Canaveral)
We didn't go on an excursion at Port Canaveral. Usually, we are just focused on getting on the cruise ship or heading home.