I have just added an extensive photo tour of Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas to the Beyondships website based upon my recent visit to that ship. http://www.beyondships.com/FOStour.html Also, I have added some menus and daily programs to the profile page for Freedom. http://www.beyondships.com/FOS.html I think these will be useful for those trying to get a feel for this impressive ship or for those who just want to remember their time on Freedom.
Freedom of the Seas is a larger version of Royal Caribbean International's (RCI) Voyage-class cruise ships. At over 150,000 tons, she is the largest passenger ship now in service. (Freedom's younger sister Liberty of the Seas can make the same claim and a thrid member of the class, Independence of the Seas, will go into service later this year. However, RCI is building two 220,00 ton ships, the first of which is due out in 2010).
The first thing people focus on with Freedom is her size. Yes, she is very big and holds some 4,300 passengers in her 1,817 staterooms. However, by virtue of that size, the ship is able to house an extensive array of facilities. Indeed, the ship has just about every amenity that one can find on a cruise ship and several that are unique to her class including a boxing ring and a surfing simulator.
As the aforementioned examples indicate, the emphasis on Freedom is on action. That is what Royal Caribbean is alluding to with its slogan "Get Out There" - - Freedom and her fleet mates were designed for people with an active lifestyle. The other side of the coin is that intellectual enrichment is not emphasized.
This is not to say that Freedom is unsophisticated. There is an extensive art collection built around the theme of the four basic elements of ancient times - - water, air, fire and earth. For the most part, these are contemporary works including several rather whimsical pop-art style giant statues. The overall feel that they give off is consistent with a young, active lifestyle.
The decor of the public areas adds to this ambience. The focal point of the interior public spaces is the Royal Promenade - - a 445 foot, multi deck high boulevard that runs the length of the ship from the theater to the reception area. It is done in a light-hearted manner and resembles an up scale shopping mall. However, other rooms, such as the Champagne Bar, Boleros, and the Schooner Bar, to name a few, are done in an elegant contemporary style. Finally, the three-level main dining room is a spectacular space done in a grand 19th Century style.
Freedom is clearly not bound by tradition. As seen by the fact that RCI has injected such nautical novelties as skating rinks, rock climbing walls, boxing rings, and surfing simulators to its ships, the criterion for adding a feature is whether it will be fun and popular rather than whether it is a traditional feature of ships. This may appear irreverent but the same was probably said when libraries, movie theaters and other features that are now commonly associated with passenger ships were first introduced on passenger ships. Such evolution is necessary in order for passenger ships to remain viable holidays.
In sum, Freedom is well-suited to do what she was designed to do - - provide enjoyable holidays for people who have an active lifestyle.
Freedom of the Seas is a larger version of Royal Caribbean International's (RCI) Voyage-class cruise ships. At over 150,000 tons, she is the largest passenger ship now in service. (Freedom's younger sister Liberty of the Seas can make the same claim and a thrid member of the class, Independence of the Seas, will go into service later this year. However, RCI is building two 220,00 ton ships, the first of which is due out in 2010).
The first thing people focus on with Freedom is her size. Yes, she is very big and holds some 4,300 passengers in her 1,817 staterooms. However, by virtue of that size, the ship is able to house an extensive array of facilities. Indeed, the ship has just about every amenity that one can find on a cruise ship and several that are unique to her class including a boxing ring and a surfing simulator.
As the aforementioned examples indicate, the emphasis on Freedom is on action. That is what Royal Caribbean is alluding to with its slogan "Get Out There" - - Freedom and her fleet mates were designed for people with an active lifestyle. The other side of the coin is that intellectual enrichment is not emphasized.
This is not to say that Freedom is unsophisticated. There is an extensive art collection built around the theme of the four basic elements of ancient times - - water, air, fire and earth. For the most part, these are contemporary works including several rather whimsical pop-art style giant statues. The overall feel that they give off is consistent with a young, active lifestyle.
The decor of the public areas adds to this ambience. The focal point of the interior public spaces is the Royal Promenade - - a 445 foot, multi deck high boulevard that runs the length of the ship from the theater to the reception area. It is done in a light-hearted manner and resembles an up scale shopping mall. However, other rooms, such as the Champagne Bar, Boleros, and the Schooner Bar, to name a few, are done in an elegant contemporary style. Finally, the three-level main dining room is a spectacular space done in a grand 19th Century style.
Freedom is clearly not bound by tradition. As seen by the fact that RCI has injected such nautical novelties as skating rinks, rock climbing walls, boxing rings, and surfing simulators to its ships, the criterion for adding a feature is whether it will be fun and popular rather than whether it is a traditional feature of ships. This may appear irreverent but the same was probably said when libraries, movie theaters and other features that are now commonly associated with passenger ships were first introduced on passenger ships. Such evolution is necessary in order for passenger ships to remain viable holidays.
In sum, Freedom is well-suited to do what she was designed to do - - provide enjoyable holidays for people who have an active lifestyle.
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