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Freedom OTS - A Post-Dry Dock Review w/ Pictures

wgraves

By wgraves,
in Royal Caribbean International

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wgraves

wgraves

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CRUISE INFO

Sail Date: April 10th, 2011

Ship: RCI Freedom of the Seas

Ports: Coco Cay, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten

Cruisers: Myself and the Mrs.

Click here to see all trip photos!

 

 

INTRODUCTION

The goal of this "review" is not to discuss port information, ramblings about the weather, etc. My intention here is to give fellow RCI cruisers details on the recent changes made to the Freedom during its week-long dry dock. I also sailed on the Freedom in late 2009, so I have a pretty good understanding of the changes made. So without further ado...

 

 

DRY DOCK ADDITIONS & CHANGES

General Comments:

Without question, the Freedom had the sparkle and shine of a new ship. Carpet was new and pristine, the railings had a fresh coat of wood stain applied, and furniture throughout had been noticeably refurbished or replaced. This is not to say that I've ever noticed RCI ships to be run down or dilapidated. But everything on the Freedom just seemed renewed. There was one exception to this, however, and that was the glass ship layouts hung near the elevators. It seemed like nearly half of these had been intentionally damaged, and a portion of the ship diagram was "flaked off." These signs weren't nearly as crucial as they used to be thanks to the digital signage (more on that below), but I'm not sure why they weren't restored during dry dock. Maybe they have plans to take them down at some point. This was the ONLY aspect of the ship I noticed that was not in pristine condition, however. I just thought it was worth mentioning.

 

 

Digital Signage:

Since I've already mentioned it, I guess I'll go ahead and touch on the new digital signage that is all over the ship. Having been on Voyager / Freedom class ships a few times, we know our way around, so I was not expecting to use these signs at all. That wasn't the case, however. In addition to helping guests find their way around the ship, the signs also provide the ability to pull up the cruise compass and dining room menus. I can't tell you how many times in the past we've been making plans for dinner and had to walk across the ship and up or down a few decks to get to the printed menus outside the dining room. Being able to quickly pull out the night's menu from nearly anywhere on the ship was a big help for us, as we usually skip a few nights in the dining room, depending on the menu. I should mention that on one particular day, the menu listed on the signage was for the wrong day, but I'm sure they're still adjusting to the new system.

5642180370_abfd1c77cd.jpg 5642181146_2566bd6c3c.jpg

 

 

Vintages Wine Bar:

The new self-serve wine dispensers in Vintages are excellent! Feel like a small glass of merlot before dinner? Walk up, swipe your SeaPass card, and have your wine (in either a 1oz, 3oz, or 5oz portion) dispenssed into the glass you've picked up off a nearby rack. One evening we even created our own custom wine flight using these dispensers. All in all, it's a great system, and I was surprised that they weren't used more than they were.

5642154816_3a32cbb504.jpg

 

 

Cupcake Cupboard:

Without question, the Cupcake Cupboard is a great replacement for the space previously occupied by the Clean Shave. The cupcakes were reasonably priced (I want to say $2.50) and delicious. My only complaint, however, is that the glass case the cupcakes are displayed in is refrigerated. Cupcakes shouldn't be cold, in my opinion. This is especially the case for a turtle cupcake that has (what should be gooey) caramel inside. Cold, hard caramel in a cupcake is not ideal! :) My suggestion - get your cupcake an hour or two before you want to eat it and let it thaw out. I intended to try at least one flavor each day, but with all the other food options, this was hard to do. I did try the bubblegum flavor, which is worth trying just to see how spot on the flavor is! If you are able to get this many cupcakes, they did have a "frequent customer" card, which I believe was buy 6 cupcakes, get the 7th free.

5642168328_b675c3dbf2.jpg 5642169058_2a514009ce.jpg

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wgraves

wgraves

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DRY DOCK ADDITIONS & CHANGES (contd.)

Britto Store:

A new addition to the Freedom I wasn't expecting but was excited to see was the Romero Britto store! The wife & I have loved Britto since our first cruise together on the Mariner, and they had art pieces ranging from $20 to $1000+. We spent $65 on a cute table-top piece.

5642167614_d5bfabea68.jpg

 

 

Dreamworks Experience:

When I first heard about the "Dreamworks Experience," I'm pretty sure I visibly cringed and audibly groaned. The thought of some loon in a 7-foot Shrek costume parading through the dining room, making silent but obnoxious gestures to anyone under the age of 13 sounded like a nightmare. My fears were pretty much ungrounded. Excluding the Dreamworks parades, of which there were two, you had to actively seek out the Dreamworks events to even see the characters. There was one exception that irked me though. Any avid cruiser is familiar with the "Farewell Show" on the last night, where a handful of the ship's staff comes up on stage to receive their much-deserved applause. Not only were two Dreamworks characters on stage for this, but the cruise director made special mention of them, as though they were on par or even more significant than the crew members (sort of a "last but not least" scenario). I just found this distasteful and ridiculous.

5641617485_96da44fe2d.jpg

 

 

3D Movies (Dreamworks Experience contd.?)

There was one aspect to the Dreamworks Experience that I found to be very positive. They showed quite a few 3D Dreamworks movies in the theatre. The picture and audio quality was truly top-knotch, and it was a great way to fill in some of the mid-afternoon "dead time" on sea days. We saw both How to Train Your Dragon and Megamind in 3D and thoroughly enjoyed them both.

5642175424_e36d380c64.jpg

 

 

Outdoor Poolside Screen:

We're not really sun worshippers, so we don't spend hours at the pool like many do. But the poolside screen did seem like a pretty big hit. Most of the times I walked by they just had tropical scenes playing on it, but I did notice a Kenny Chesney concert being played one morning (Bummer if you don't like country, heh). They also played a few "movies under the stars" on the screen, but most of them started around midnight. By then we were usually winding down in our cabin or enjoying a late night snack before turning in.

 

 

CONCLUSION

What, you're still here!? :)

 

The Freedom class ships have always been stellar to me. The recent changes to Freedom have taken a ship that seemingly didn't even need to be improved and done so anways. If the ship was a good value and had something for everyone before, that is the case even more so now.

 

I've tried to touch on each of the significant changes made to the Freedom during its dry dock, but it's certainly possible I've overlooked something. If anyone has any questions about these changes, I'd be happy to answer them the best I can. I'll also certainly answer any other questions about the ship in general, food, ports, etc. You name it.

 

Thanks for reading, and happy sailing. :D

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DarthGrady

DarthGrady

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Dreamworks Experience:

When I first heard about the "Dreamworks Experience," I'm pretty sure I visibly cringed and audibly groaned. The thought of some loon in a 7-foot Shrek costume parading through the dining room, making silent but obnoxious gestures to anyone under the age of 13 sounded like a nightmare. My fears were pretty much ungrounded. Excluding the Dreamworks parades, of which there were two, you had to actively seek out the Dreamworks events to even see the characters. There was one exception that irked me though. Any avid cruiser is familiar with the "Farewell Show" on the last night, where a handful of the ship's staff comes up on stage to receive their much-deserved applause. Not only were two Dreamworks characters on stage for this, but the cruise director made special mention of them, as though they were on par or even more significant than the crew members (sort of a "last but not least" scenario). I just found this distasteful and ridiculous.

 

 

Great review, and thanks for sharing the pics. I have been interested in seeing how she looks after dry dock.

 

I was also very happy to see the above quoted section. One of my fears with our upcoming Allure cruise is having to deal with the Dreamworks garbage. Thanks for posting!

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Racquetball

Racquetball

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CRUISE INFO

Sail Date: April 10th, 2011

Ship: RCI Freedom of the Seas

Ports: Coco Cay, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten

Cruisers: Myself and the Mrs.

Click here to see all trip photos!

 

 

INTRODUCTION

The goal of this "review" is not to discuss port information, ramblings about the weather, etc. My intention here is to give fellow RCI cruisers details on the recent changes made to the Freedom during its week-long dry dock. I also sailed on the Freedom in late 2009, so I have a pretty good understanding of the changes made. So without further ado...

 

 

DRY DOCK ADDITIONS & CHANGES

General Comments:

Without question, the Freedom had the sparkle and shine of a new ship. Carpet was new and pristine, the railings had a fresh coat of wood stain applied, and furniture throughout had been noticeably refurbished or replaced. This is not to say that I've ever noticed RCI ships to be run down or dilapidated. But everything on the Freedom just seemed renewed. There was one exception to this, however, and that was the glass ship layouts hung near the elevators. It seemed like nearly half of these had been intentionally damaged, and a portion of the ship diagram was "flaked off." These signs weren't nearly as crucial as they used to be thanks to the digital signage (more on that below), but I'm not sure why they weren't restored during dry dock. Maybe they have plans to take them down at some point. This was the ONLY aspect of the ship I noticed that was not in pristine condition, however. I just thought it was worth mentioning.

 

 

Digital Signage:

Since I've already mentioned it, I guess I'll go ahead and touch on the new digital signage that is all over the ship. Having been on Voyager / Freedom class ships a few times, we know our way around, so I was not expecting to use these signs at all. That wasn't the case, however. In addition to helping guests find their way around the ship, the signs also provide the ability to pull up the cruise compass and dining room menus. I can't tell you how many times in the past we've been making plans for dinner and had to walk across the ship and up or down a few decks to get to the printed menus outside the dining room. Being able to quickly pull out the night's menu from nearly anywhere on the ship was a big help for us, as we usually skip a few nights in the dining room, depending on the menu. I should mention that on one particular day, the menu listed on the signage was for the wrong day, but I'm sure they're still adjusting to the new system.

5642180370_abfd1c77cd.jpg 5642181146_2566bd6c3c.jpg

 

 

Vintages Wine Bar:

The new self-serve wine dispensers in Vintages are excellent! Feel like a small glass of merlot before dinner? Walk up, swipe your SeaPass card, and have your wine (in either a 1oz, 3oz, or 5oz portion) dispenssed into the glass you've picked up off a nearby rack. One evening we even created our own custom wine flight using these dispensers. All in all, it's a great system, and I was surprised that they weren't used more than they were.

5642154816_3a32cbb504.jpg

 

 

Cupcake Cupboard:

Without question, the Cupcake Cupboard is a great replacement for the space previously occupied by the Clean Shave. The cupcakes were reasonably priced (I want to say $2.50) and delicious. My only complaint, however, is that the glass case the cupcakes are displayed in is refrigerated. Cupcakes shouldn't be cold, in my opinion. This is especially the case for a turtle cupcake that has (what should be gooey) caramel inside. Cold, hard caramel in a cupcake is not ideal! :) My suggestion - get your cupcake an hour or two before you want to eat it and let it thaw out. I intended to try at least one flavor each day, but with all the other food options, this was hard to do. I did try the bubblegum flavor, which is worth trying just to see how spot on the flavor is! If you are able to get this many cupcakes, they did have a "frequent customer" card, which I believe was buy 6 cupcakes, get the 7th free.

5642168328_b675c3dbf2.jpg 5642169058_2a514009ce.jpg

Thanks for the review and LOVE THE PICTURES...we are traveling in the FOS in October. We are traveling with our children 10 and 13. I was hoping that the dreamworks experience would be good for the kids! I hope it's not too hard to find the characters! Also curious to know where you went on your excursions, especially in St Thomas. We had heard that Coki was nice for kids snorkeling but have heard it's not a safe place to go anymore. Didn't know if you had heard anything about that or if people are still going there? Thanks again for the info!

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wgraves

wgraves

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What about the food in MDR? I read a lot of reviews saying that quality went down...

Maybe I'm just not that picky, but I haven't noticed any changes in the food quality in the past few years, certainly not negative changes anyways. If anything has changed, I would say it's that food in the Windjammer has improved. A lot of the meat dishes in "mystery sauces" during Windjammer actually taste much better than they look, so give them a chance.

 

 

WGraves....

We are sailing the Freedom in 48 hours...

What a refreshing review along with pictures with the new changes....

Thanks again for taking the time....

A Florida Cruiser

Have a wonderful cruise! Be sure to check your cabin TV in the mornings until noon (on channel 10 I believe) for the cruise director's daily morning show. It is usually pretty funny!

 

 

We are traveling with our children 10 and 13. I was hoping that the dreamworks experience would be good for the kids! I hope it's not too hard to find the characters! Also curious to know where you went on your excursions, especially in St Thomas. We had heard that Coki was nice for kids snorkeling but have heard it's not a safe place to go anymore. Didn't know if you had heard anything about that or if people are still going there? Thanks again for the info!

Best advice I can give for seeing all the Dreamworks characters would be to watch your cruise compass carefully. Dreamworks activities are indicated by a small Dreamworks logo. Also, on the first page of the compass, there is information on the day's dining (attire in the dining room, etc.), and this is where info will be listed on the "Character Breakfast," so watch this space carefully.

 

As far as St. Thomas, I can't vouch for Coki, but I would say Magen's Bay Beach is the beach to see - assuming the port isn't too crowded. Due to being listed as one of the top beaches in the world, it gets a lot of traveler visits, and I've heard it's a nightmare on a very busy port day with many ships. It'd be a great beach for kids though. You can walk fairly far out into the water before it starts getting too deep to stand in. The far side of Coco Cay (Barefoot Beach) is also like this.

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ucfknight07

ucfknight07

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Wgraves - I'm looking forward to the rest of your review! Do you recall what was next to Britto? All the information provided by RCI regarding Freedom's drydock never mentioned the Britto store, and I haven't read in any other reviews since the drydock that this was added. We loved the gallery on Allure, and splurged on a canvas portrait called "Honeymoon at Sea." It's a great way to remember our original honeymoon (which was on Freedom) and the 'second part' on Allure!

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wgraves

wgraves

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Wgraves - I'm looking forward to the rest of your review! Do you recall what was next to Britto?

The Britto gallery was in a small space to the left of Cafe Promenade. I believe this space used to be used for Pets at Sea (RCI's version of Build a Bear) and the loyalty ambassador.

 

What is the average price of the wines per size at Vintages please?

It varied, and there were of course a few abnormally pricey options, but I would say the average cost was $3, $5, and $8 - for 1oz, 3oz, and 5oz portions, respectively.

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Cinbub

Cinbub

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Do you recall the approx times of the Dreamwork parades?

 

We sailed on Freedom last month (before drydock) and all the parades were around 11PM. So, we didn't go to any as it was to late for the kids. We have booked Freedom for April 2012, so hoping to catch some parades this time.

 

PS. Nice review, and great pics!

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wgraves

wgraves

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Do you recall the approx times of the Dreamwork parades?

 

We sailed on Freedom last month (before drydock) and all the parades were around 11PM. So, we didn't go to any as it was to late for the kids. We have booked Freedom for April 2012, so hoping to catch some parades this time.

 

PS. Nice review, and great pics!

 

There are two Dreamworks parades. The first is around 11pm, as you remember, but the second was early evening - I want to say 5:30pm on either day 6 or 7.

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proudpatriot07

proudpatriot07

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Thanks for writing this up :). Sounds like you guys had a really great time. My hubby and I are going on the Freedom in a little over 2 weeks (May 8) and can't wait! Reviews like yours make us that much more excited.

 

And thanks for the cupcake cupboard tip too... turtle cupcake sounds yummy...

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lrn2cruise

lrn2cruise

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I understand not wanting the Dreamworks from an adults point of view, but parents with kids will love it! I just told me 11 yr old about the 3D movies that you saw. He does not want to see "How to Train" but want to see "Mega" We are looking forward to the 3D. We cant wait till the end of July!

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