Freedom vs. Serenade of Seas for Families

[fhadams]

First cruise with kids (girls 10 and 11). We like the southern caribbean ports on Serenade better, but wonder if there is enough for the kids to do on that ship. Are we better off with Freedom with the H2O zone and the flowrider even though the ports don't looks as good (Falmouth, LabadeeGrand Cayman and Cozumel)?

 

Thanks for all your comments.

[cb at sea]

Do you want the ship or the ports? That's the question! There's plenty to do on Seranade.....putt putt, rock wall, sports deck, and AO will be about the same. And, of course, the pools!

 

Personally, Cozumel and Falmouth don't thrill me.....I'd rather go south, too!

[dohertm1]

First cruise with kids (girls 10 and 11). We like the southern caribbean ports on Serenade better, but wonder if there is enough for the kids to do on that ship. Are we better off with Freedom with the H2O zone and the flowrider even though the ports don't looks as good (Falmouth, LabadeeGrand Cayman and Cozumel)?

 

Thanks for all your comments.

 

NO CONTEST - So much more for the kids to do on Freedom of the Seas, which is much newer and much bigger. In addition to FlowRider and the H20 Zone, it has the Dreamworks Experience, a new movie screen above the pool, the new Cupcake Cafe, ice skating (my kids love skating on board several days during the cruise, as well as the ice show), Karaoke booths in the On Air Club, the rockclimbing wall, mini-golf and excellent kids's clubs. Kids also love hanging out in the huge Royal Promenade. Serenade is much older and much smaler. I suggest you check this Website for the reviews of both ships.

 

The ports on the Westerm Carribean have some exciting things for the children -- StingRay City in Grand Cayman, dolphin swims and snorkeling in Cozumel, the amazing zip line and beach at Labadee (yes, it is in Haiti) and great beaches in Jamaica, as well as Dunn's River Falls.

[tiggypooo]

I've been on both and I would agree Freedom hands down.

The kids will love everything that is onboard for them and you also will have a good time.

The ports are fine on Freedom. I love Labadee. So much for the kids to do.

There is good excurisons in Cozumel and Cayman.

I haven't been to Falmouth, but do an excursion and you should be fine.

[LBumb]

i vote freedom, but i do love s caribbean ports

[Chrisknowsbest]

Last year we did the Western itinerary on the Liberty of the Seas with our two sons. They loved Labadee (great beach). On Grand Cayman, we visited Boatwain's Beach Adventure Park and Turtle Farm (turtles, birds, snorkling). In Cozumel we did the semi-submersible boat tour and viewed the coral reefs. The Atlantis submarine is there as well. The western itinerary has lots of other things for kids to do as well.

[will773]

I'd go for the Freedom!

[ohCanada]

We have been on the Freedom and loved it however we love the southern Caibbean more. For March 2012 we have decided to try the Serenade largely for the itinerary however we are very excited to explore the Serenade. We have watched a bunch of videos on youtube and it looks great with all the glass. Our kids are excited as well. Another thing is that we can do an inside cabin / balcony cabin combo for $1000 cheaper than 2 inside cabins on the Freedom and we get the Southern Caribbean. Between land vacations and cruises the Western Caribbean does not appeal to us like the Southern Caribbean does. We hope the Serenade will be a great way to go.

[bajathree]

I know a family that just recently picked Serenade because of it's itinerary. They had a group of people traveling with them including many kids around the age of yours as well as teens....I kept trying to explain to them the activities benefits of the big ships verse itinerary of smaller when with kids....well they pick Serenade and enjoyed the sailing but when they came back told me that they didn't like the ship...it was all the itinerary they liked and next time they will try one of the big ships instead. IMO....when traveling with kids...unless you are talking Europe...ship is more important than itinerary...in the Caribbean islands are pretty much islands....yes some nicer than others but remember most time is spent on the ship.

[ohCanada]

I know a family that just recently picked Serenade because of it's itinerary. They had a group of people traveling with them including many kids around the age of yours as well as teens....I kept trying to explain to them the activities benefits of the big ships verse itinerary of smaller when with kids....well they pick Serenade and enjoyed the sailing but when they came back told me that they didn't like the ship...it was all the itinerary they liked and next time they will try one of the big ships instead. IMO....when traveling with kids...unless you are talking Europe...ship is more important than itinerary...in the Caribbean islands are pretty much islands....yes some nicer than others but remember most time is spent on the ship.

 

We went through the same thought process when selecting the Serenade. We are a group of several families. Most of the group are beach people so our quest is to always get to the best beach we can find and stay there for the day (That is one of the reasons we have converted from land vacations to cruising. We get to see a different island every day and return to the amazing ship to be spoiled). On our return to the ship we watch the sail away from our balcony while we get ready for dinner. In the evening after dinner we do the shows. There is only one day we are on the ship for a full day which is the sea day. The kids in our group range from 8 - 20. On that one day there will be plenty for the kids to do onboard. So for us when doing a port intensive southern Caribbean cruise it is 80% about the islands and 20% about the ship.

[bajathree]

We went through the same thought process when selecting the Serenade. We are a group of several families. Most of the group are beach people so our quest is to always get to the best beach we can find and stay there for the day (That is one of the reasons we have converted from land vacations to cruising. We get to see a different island every day and return to the amazing ship to be spoiled). On our return to the ship we watch the sail away from our balcony while we get ready for dinner. In the evening after dinner we do the shows. There is only one day we are on the ship for a full day which is the sea day. The kids in our group range from 8 - 20. On that one day there will be plenty for the kids to do onboard. So for us when doing a port intensive southern Caribbean cruise it is 80% about the islands and 20% about the ship.

 

You are also talking in reference to a sailing/ship you haven't yet been on;)....your opinion could easily change after the sailing. The people I am talking about thought the same exact thing prior to their sailing.

[Ocean Boy]

I love the Southern Caribbean but I would opt for Freedom over Serenade. I am glad that we sailed Serenade in order to experience the Radiance class for myself and be able to form opinions based on my experiences but I really have no interest in sailing the class again unless the itinerary was something that I really wanted to do. I just really prefer the Voyager class of ships and larger.

 

One option you could consider, depending on the time of year that you are cruising, is sailing Adventure in the Southern Caribbean. It has many of the amenities of Freedom though not all of them. I much prefer Adventure over Serenade but there are many people on these boards that have the opposite viewpoint.

[ohCanada]

You are also talking in reference to a sailing/ship you haven't yet been on;)....your opinion could easily change after the sailing. The people I am talking about thought the same exact thing prior to their sailing.

 

We just think that since the kids had a great time on the Princess ships (which are not necessarily geared for their age bracket either), there will be more than enough for them to do. However they are pretty easy to please when it comes to getting away from the snow for a week or so. We may be a strange case but we think the Serenade will be a really good fit for the adults (solarium) and the kids. But as you mentioned that may change after we cruise but I hope not.

[ohCanada]

I love the Southern Caribbean but I would opt for Freedom over Serenade. I am glad that we sailed Serenade in order to experience the Radiance class for myself and be able to form opinions based on my experiences but I really have no interest in sailing the class again unless the itinerary was something that I really wanted to do. I just really prefer the Voyager class of ships and larger.

 

One option you could consider, depending on the time of year that you are cruising, is sailing Adventure in the Southern Caribbean. It has many of the amenities of Freedom though not all of them. I much prefer Adventure over Serenade but there are many people on these boards that have the opposite viewpoint.

 

Good point and that was our other dilemma, which which ship (Serenade or Adventure). For us it came down to itinerary again between the two and the lack of the florider and H20 on the Adventure. Without these 2 things we decided to try something new and different. Time will tell if made the right decision but we also do not beleive it is possible to have a bad cruise. We did a lot of reading on CC before we decided and people spoke very highly of the Serenade so hopefully we have the same positive experiences. As a side note we were able to get reasonable flights to San Juan and Hotwire rooms so between that and the lower cruise fare it made the Southern Caribbean work for us.

[Ocean Boy]

Good point and that was our other dilemma, which which ship (Serenade or Adventure). For us it came down to itinerary again between the two and the lack of the florider and H20 on the Adventure. Without these 2 things we decided to try something new and different. Time will tell if made the right decision but we also do not beleive it is possible to have a bad cruise. We did a lot of reading on CC before we decided and people spoke very highly of the Serenade so hopefully we have the same positive experiences. As a side note we were able to get reasonable flights to San Juan and Hotwire rooms so between that and the lower cruise fare it made the Southern Caribbean work for us.

 

That was why for our first Southern Caribbean sailing we did Serenade. We had already sailed on Explorer and Mariner and wanted to try something different. We had a great cruise on Serenade so I hope I didn't come across otherwise in my post. It is a beautiful ship, it has an awesome Windjammer with outdoor seating, and I loved the enclosed solarium. It made for a great retreat from the Southern Caribbean heat. But we did very much miss the Royal Promenade during that sailing.

 

I am sure you will have a great cruise on Serenade. It will give you the opportunity to form your own opinions based on your own experiences as it did for me.

[yummymummy99]

We are big ship lovers but hang cruised the eastern and western Caribbean 4x we want to try southern. The ports are fab and we chose adventure. We LOVE freedom but we on.y used the flow rider once (loved it but a bit bruised after it!) and it still has the climbing wall, ice skating and we are interested in seeing the in line skating! Theckids usually headcto the kids club on sea days and make friends and then hang with them! We are looking forward to onecsea day and some good port days!

 

I'm also of the thinking that no cruise hol will be a bad one! My folks have been on 3 different companies and havecalways came home raving about their hols! We met folk this yr whom had been on costa cruises and loved them - no one on this site would even dream of going with costa!lol!

[ohCanada]

That was why for our first Southern Caribbean sailing we did Serenade. We had already sailed on Explorer and Mariner and wanted to try something different. We had a great cruise on Serenade so I hope I didn't come across otherwise in my post. It is a beautiful ship, it has an awesome Windjammer with outdoor seating, and I loved the enclosed solarium. It made for a great retreat from the Southern Caribbean heat. But we did very much miss the Royal Promenade during that sailing.

 

I am sure you will have a great cruise on Serenade. It will give you the opportunity to form your own opinions based on your own experiences as it did for me.

 

Thanks Ocean Boy, I was starting to wonder if I just made a several thousand dollar mistake (family of 5 equals 2 cabins etc.). Don't get me wrong if the freedom or any of it's sisters were sailing from San Juan I would be on them in a heart beat. But with the ships and company's sailing from San Juan we had to choose from we, are hoping the Serenades beauty will make up for some of the differences.

[rciprincess]

Freedom....the kids wont care where they go they'll love all the activities it has to offer compared to the Serenade