This was our ninth cruise, and our fifth on Royal Caribbean. At present Freedom of the Seas is the biggest cruise ship afloat-3500 passengers-until Oasis of the Seas debuts in December. Apologies for the length of this, but there's lots to talk about.
Embarkation. Quick and easy. We live in south Florida, so we can drive to, and park at the port. We arrived at the port at 11:45, checked our luggage, and parked in a lot convenient to the terminal. The check in process took no more than a half hour, and we were on the ship by 12:30. A key here is to have all your cruise documents filled out ahead of time. Excursions. Very little to say here. We didn't do any excursions as we have been to Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St Maarten before. Mostly we shopped. We did take the short walk to Fort Moro in San Juan. Lots of history there. The sights as you come into this port are just made for pictures. I do wonder why the cruise lines stop in San Juan You don't get there until 3:00pm. It's rush hour with lots of traffic, and not a lot of daylight to see anything. It's the same with most cruise lines who stop here.
Promenade This is a feature exclusive to Royal Caribbean. There are shops, bars, Sorrentos Pizza, and even a barber shop, and tattoo parlor
We had a Promenade on deck six. Plenty of room for clothes, including lots of hangars in the closet. Tip-remember to put your suitcases and other luggage under the bed.
Bathroom and shower were average size. For those who complain about this, you're on a cruise ship where space is at a premium, not at home. My only complaint here is that I wish someone could work out a cabin design where the bathroom door and the closet didn't collide. It's the same on most cruise lines Speaking of home, the bed and bed linens were as comfortable and luxurious as you'll find anywhere. Better than home. Our cabin location was also great for watching the shows on the Promenade.