Freedom of the Seas Review
Cruise with the kids. .. some thoughts about our experience
Rating by category
Additional details
I read extensively the reviews here so I knew what to expect. I had gone on a Disney Cruise and I had concerns that this ship would not be as nice, the service not as good, or the kids clubs not as enticing to our kids. The reviews were mostly accurate in all those. Let me expand.
Check In: I found this to be relatively easy. Got there early. People friendly throughout, and it went smooth. I recall Disney taking much longer but my sample size is limited.
Welcoming: Disney puts on the announcement thing at the start which is cool but it didn't bother me that RCC didn't have it. It was fine.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Balcony
Like the cabin. Bed was comfortable. We fit two adults and two kids in the room and it was fine.
You can hear noise from the deck above. You can hear chairs moving as you read in reviews. It never bothered me or woke me up but I heard it from time to time.
The bathroom is roomy. I didn't like any of the toilets onboard. They are airplane type of toilets.
Port Reviews
St. Thomas
Loved it. People friendly. Just paid a cab to drive me around the island so that I could get the flavor. They do take you to "touristy" spots where you can view the scenery. That was fine. I did make sure we went to all the beaches to get a good sense.
The commercial for Direct TV with the horse was filmed there. Went for a quick look-see. Didn't stay but was beautiful. Same with literally every other beach. If I had more time, it would be awesome.
Port Canaveral (Orlando)
Had zero issues getting on and off the boat.
St. Maarten
This island sealed the deal for me. We took a cab and went to the the beach that is at the end of the airport runway where you can see the planes land. There is a bar next to it. We paid $20 to get two beach chairs. We never sat there but put our stuff down. We bought drinks and then went to the main area where people are at the beach.
We spent our entire time on this beach and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Our kids loved it. It was a vibrant and fun atmosphere with the people there.
You do have to leave early (about 2 hours) to get back in time. We made it back with plenty of time but I understand it can get hectic because some planes arrive mid-afternoon.
Can't say enough about how fun this is. I would do the exact same thing next time. Love it. Once in a lifetime thing.