Freedom or Liberty?

[heatherbean]

So since our Splendor cruise has been cancelled for April 2015, we our looking into other options. We've found 2 that fit into the time frame within when we want to go.

 

Freedom from Fort Lauderdale Southern Caribbean

Grand Turk

La Romana, DR

Curacao

Aruba

 

Liberty from Port Canaveral

Grand Turk

St Thomas

St Maarten

San Juan, PR

 

For those who have sailed either or both of these ships, what are your thoughts. Also, which ports to you find more appealing. We've not been to any of the ports, so all will be new to us. :)

 

While we do enjoy spending time on the beach and in the ocean, we do not snorkel. Since all the ports will be new, we would probably want to explore a little and visit a beach or resort.

 

Also, any thoughts on which port would be easier (and perhaps less expensive :o) to fly into. We would be coming from the Philadelphia area.

 

 

Thank you in advance for your input!!!

[michelle1836]

Freedom is going in for a dry dock. if you are sailing after, I would choose the freedom.

[CarnivalBreeze319]

Freedom. It will most likely get more upgrades than the liberty has

[rockbock]

I have been on both. Right now, my opinion is that the Liberty is FAR superior in food, entertainment, and service. It also looks much nicer...the Freedom decor is ugly and the Lido pool/hot tub setup is horrible However, if you are planning to travel post-dry dock, the Freedom is probably the way to go. Everything will be fresh and new, and if this dry dock goes the way it did on the other Conquest ships, the Lido pool area setup will be completely changed.

 

 

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[rockbock]

As for ports, both are good choices since they are all new to you. If the pricing is similar, opt for the southern itinerary. Southern Caribbean cruises are generally priced higher than Eastern.

 

 

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[funinthesun1964]

Both ships are nice. I haven't been keeping up with the specifics of the Freedom dry dock; so not sure what the ship will have. Liberty has, to name a few, Guys Burgers, Alchemy Bar, Red From Rum Bar, Blue Iquana Burritos and Bar.

 

Out of the ships I've been on, I would rank Liberty as my #1 ship and Freedom as the second best.

 

Flying into Port Canaveral seems like a pain, since I believe the closest airport is MCO (Orlando). You would need to arrange some sort of transportation from the airport to the port. Freedom out of Fort Lauderdale is very close to FLL airport.

 

I haven't been to any ports on the first itinerary. The second itinerary has nice ports. If you go to St. Maarten, be sure to go to Maho beach and see the flights arriving and departing. San Juan has a lot to do right in the port area, in walking distance (if you are up to walking a lot and don't mind hills).

 

Whichever you choose, have a great time.

[heatherbean]

Thank you all for your input. As of this morning we are leaning torwards the Liberty.

 

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[crooooze]

I've been to all those ports and on both ships, including a B2B on Freedom.

Yes, there are differences, but both were great. I would sail either of them and visit any of those ports again.

[sprint180]

Freedom, for no reason other then I think she is beautiful slipping into port at night.

[larronry]

I've been on Freedom 3 times so a bit sick of it and the decor but I would sail her again. As for the post dry dock I read somewhere reliable? who knows that due to the size of the Lido she would not be getting all the 2.0 upgrades because they would not fit. Of course no clue exactly what she would get. She is also scheduled for (I think she is the first ship scheduled for) the Dr. Seuss upgrades.

 

I went with a large group on a cruise out of Port Canaveral and we kept our cars at an Orlando Hotel (we had stayed there the night before) took the hotel bus to the airport and then the cruise transportation from their to the port. It is a looooonnnnggg bus ride.

 

As for the ports you can check the port board for details but

Grand Turk is essentially beach

La Romana, unless things have changed go to the artsy area not downtown.

St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and San Juan are good to explore in and/or do taxi tours on your own. I love the underwater observatory in St. Thomas and my husband and I have fun silly memories (a monkey and a thrown nut are involved) of the zoo in St. Maarten.

[Butterbean1000]

We cruised the Liberty last year and absolutely loved her. We are sailing the Freedom in a couple of months. I have got to say we pick the itinerary over the ship. We did Grand Turk, St Maarten, St Thomas and San Juan on the Valor a couple of years ago and it was wonderful. Enjoy your cruise no matter what ship you choose.