Freedom of The Seas to be amplified in March 2020

Perfect Storm aboard Freedom of The Seas. Render courtesy of Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean has released the details for the upcoming amplification and refurbishment of Freedom of The Seas.

The $116 million refit touches all areas of the much loved ship, the lead vessel of Royal Caribbean’s Freedom Class, with a definite focus on adventure and excitement.

All-day Thrills on Deck
Cruisers can get more of of their sea days with more ways to play joining fan favourites like the FlowRider surf simulator, mini-golf and the rock-climbing wall. New additions include:

  • The Perfect Storm. A heart-pumping duo of racer waterslides three storeys high. On Cyclone and Typhoon, guests can race friends and family head to head through the high adrenaline twists and turns.
  • Reimagined Pooldeck. The pool deck comes to life with all-day Caribbean vibes, a larger variety of seating and shade with casitas, daybeds and hammocks, the Splashaway Bay aquapark for the youngest travelers, and for downtime, guests can escape to the renewed, adults-only Solarium.
  • The Lime & Coconut. Royal Caribbean’s new, poolside signature bar is three storeys of live music, a lineup of cocktails and a rooftop deck for a bird’s eye view of the action.
Reimagined Pool Deck. Render courtesy of Royal Caribbean.

Specialty Dining fit for royalty
Freedom’s amplification will introduce more speciality dining venues, spanning Italian, Asian and Mexican cuisine.

  • Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen. A fresh, new twist on a guest favourite. Cruisers can have their pick from authentic Italian dishes with a contemporary flair, including made-to-order pizzas hand tossed front in an open kitchen, and baked in the new, in-house pizza oven. With a wide selection of wines and limoncellos on the reimagined menu, it’s “Sunday supper” Royal Caribbean style.
  • Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, the Asian-inspired restaurant with teppanyaki tables and a sushi bar, features a variety of hot and cold appetizers, entrees, desserts and more.
  • Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade. This sports bar has proved popular on recent Royal Caribbean ships & refits. Guests can watch lives sports on more than 80 TV screens, burn some energy on any one of the arcade games, and refuel with a menu of classic bar bites and ice-cold brews on tap. (Editor: We recommend the chicken wings!)
  • El Loco Fresh. A new poolside venue that offers fresh grab-and-go Mexican fare, from tacos and burritos, to quesadillas, along with an array of salsas for an extra kick. For the first time, the venue will include a full-service bar with a selection of tequilas on offer.
Family dining Italian style. Render courtesy of Royal Caribbean.

Playtime Reimagined
Adding to the roster of activities on board, Royal Caribbean will offer glow-in-the-dark laser tag adventure ‘Clash for the Crystal City’, and the debut of a floor-to-ceiling redesign of Freedom’s dedicated teens spaces and award-winning Adventure Ocean.

  • Adventure Ocean. This venue for babies and younger children takes on a whole new look after a makeover that will touch every inch of the spaces specially designed the youngest of guests. The imaginative layout encourages young vacationers to venture into a world of interactive experiences, from thought-provoking exploration at Play Place to art, science and tech activities at Workshop, and friendly challenges at Arena. Kicking back is just as fun with gaming consoles and places to chill at Hangout. Babies and 3- to 5-year-olds will each have personalized areas with AO Babies and AO Junior.
  • Teens will rejoice at their exclusive hangout, entirely transformed to feature the latest in movies, gaming and music, plus a new, private outdoor deck.
Teens hangout private deck. Render courtesy of Royal Caribbean.

Beginning March 8, 2020, the reimagined Freedom of The Seas will sail 7-night, roundtrip Southern Caribbean cruises from San Juan. The year-round itineraries are set to visit tropical locales in the region, including Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; Castries, Saint Lucia; Bridgetown, Barbados; Saint Johns, Antigua; and Kralendijk, Bonaire.

For more details on the new, bold Freedom of the Seas, visit www.royalcaribbean.com.

Freedom joins her sister, Independence of the Seas, as part of the Royal Amplified fleet modernization effort. You can read my review of the Amplified Independence of The Seas here.


If this was interesting to you consider sharing it using the buttons below. Have you sailed on Freedom of The Seas? Do these new features make you want to book right now? Got a question I haven’t answered here? Feel free to leave a comment, or contact me on twitter at @CruisingWithTom or Instagram at @TomLovesCruising

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