Freedom when having cruised allure before

[Sasrsc]

Setting expectations: we are not cruise regulars but we loved our allure cruise 2 years ago. Due to scheduling issues we are limited to the freedom in November. There is a general consensus that allure is a great experience. We agree. But that's not an option, nor is oasis so to set expectations for the family ( 10, 12 kids) what would you say. There is no doubt we will always be comparing but what areas should we mentally prepare for most of all so we're not left being disappointed. We know this is difficult to answer as people like different tastes. Obviously we get that is about 100 tonnes less of a vessel! We really ate most in the main dining room and enjoyed it yet I'm hearing that freedom doesn't rate as highly food. I realize it's subjective. But you get the idea. We hope to partake in the flow rider quite a lot and we realize there is only one vs two on the allure. Are the cabins that different? We will do an outside stateroom with a balcony. We hear the ice show is excellent. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Clarea]

I don't think you will be disappointed in the Freedom staterooms compared to Allure. I actually prefer the balcony staterooms on Freedom to Allure. More space and better storage.

[CntPAcruiser]

As far as MDR food is concerned, while Allure was better than Oasis, overall we've enjoyed the food and dining experience more on non-Oasis class ships.

 

We like numerous other things more about Freedom and Adventure class ships over Oasis/Allure. You'll be on a cruise with lots to enjoy, so enjoy it, rather than thinking about what you might be missing. Except for the entertainment--that's the one thing Oasis and Allure have over the other Royal ships.

[Sadie cruiser]

We went on the Freedom of the Seas 2 years after the Allure and didn't like it. LOVED the Allure and we are not frequent cruisers by any means so we want the best for our money. Even though Freedom of the Seas is highly rated and most people compare it to the same level of service, food and entertainment as the Oasis/Allure although understandably a smaller ship, it surely wasn't as nice or better than the Allure. We really felt mislead by the exemplary reviews written here on cruise critic of the FOS. We are a family of 3 with a teen son. We went when the ship was full during Easter week. We actually were a bit bored on the FOS and we did everything. No one was that friendly. The food wasn't that great. The cabins are comparable on both ships. Good or frequent live music was hard to find. We just didn't feel any WOW factor at all on the FOS. I didn't like the smaller promenade (very dark). I also thought the pool area was ugly (small and ugly mosaics on the wall). Towels left everywhere, plastic glasses blowing around....just a general dirty look to the deck! I would have gone on the Allure or Oasis again in a heartbeat if I had known what a step down this ship was (and more expensive?}. Everyone seems to sugar coat their experiences on the FOS. The Oasis and Allure are far superior ships! Also, the entertainment/activities when you are sailing with a family with kids are the most important. I hope your experience will be a good one. I know....no cruise is a bad cruise but I just wasn't impressed with FOS. Cruising RCL feels a bit generic of an experience to us now. Maybe we will try another cruise line to experience things fresh and new.

[dacsmom]

The Freedom is my favorite ship. I really enjoy the food and the entertainment. Is it the Oasis/Allure experience, no. It all depends what you want out of your cruise. I was never at a loss for something to do. If you go with the expectations of it being like the Oasis class you may be disappointed. Each class of ship is different and contributes something unique to my vacation. The staff is wonderful and really gets to know the passengers.

[laurac22]

Our last Family cruise was on Oasis, the cruise prior on Freedom. Without "Sugar coating" it.:rolleyes: Freedom is by far my families favorite RCCL ship, and we have cruised every class. It all depends on what your looking for. My Husband, 17 yr old son, and myself found many of the things you pay extra for to get on an Oasis class ships are things we did not care to do or need for a great vacation. We also love to cruise because of the water and the feel of being on a ship. We all felt like we were more on a land vacation with a carnival feel than a ship.

 

The Cabins on Freedom were just as nice, We find the food comparable on all ships, good and bad. Plenty to do, and the Freedom crew was the kindest, and most helpful of any cruise we have been on!!

 

I hope you go and have a fabulous cruise on whatever ship you choose!!

[Rick-n-Lisa]

OP, I wouldn't give it a 2nd thought. We have done Allure and Oasis and also Freedom 2 times. Love love love Freedom. While Central Park and the Boardwalk are nice, we did not hang out at either place. We were at the pool during sea days or on the balcony. If you check out the member review section here on CC 86% of people love the Freedom. I dont think there has been any sugar coating going on as the people here on cruise critic dont seem to have any problems complaining about things they dont think are perfect.:D:D:D

 

Almost everything you read on here about Freedom is positive. Not saying that the poster above didn't have a bad experience as that can happen anytime anywhere but I think you can be confident that your family will most likely have a great time.

 

We have sailed many Royal Caribbean ships and have found the experience to be way more similar than different even comparing the Sovereign or Monarch to the Oasis class. The ships were different but the overall experience was pretty much the same. Great service, great food, clean ship, many fun activities to do throughout the day and the evenings. We have had a hit or miss mediocre service or food at one time or another but not the norm.

 

I think if you read many of the Freedom reviews it will alleviate any worries you may have. Hope you have a wonderful cruise!!!!

[mattpro]

My experience between the 2 is that you get larger rooms and more bang for your buck on Freedom Class ships.

 

I would suggest having your breakfast's in the MDR and lunches , when available, there too.

 

Kids will still love the Flow Rider ( 1 instead of 2 ), the ice shows are definitely worth getting tickets for and the entertainment is what it is.

 

This is still a very large ship and has a Promenade which is open 24/7 for coffee and snacks.

 

If you and your family are going on this cruise to have a good time - you will have a good time !!!

[M&JfromSDL]

We've sailed both and are looking to book another cruise for January 2015. Honestly, we were a little disappointed when we realized FoS is going to drydock and we will have to sail on Allure. While the ship is gorgeous, has tons of amenities and great restaurants Freedom just always seemed like the right size and scale.

[Paulette3028]

Setting expectations: we are not cruise regulars but we loved our allure cruise 2 years ago. Due to scheduling issues we are limited to the freedom in November. There is a general consensus that allure is a great experience. We agree. But that's not an option, nor is oasis so to set expectations for the family ( 10, 12 kids) what would you say. There is no doubt we will always be comparing but what areas should we mentally prepare for most of all so we're not left being disappointed. We know this is difficult to answer as people like different tastes. Obviously we get that is about 100 tonnes less of a vessel! We really ate most in the main dining room and enjoyed it yet I'm hearing that freedom doesn't rate as highly food. I realize it's subjective. But you get the idea. We hope to partake in the flow rider quite a lot and we realize there is only one vs two on the allure. Are the cabins that different? We will do an outside stateroom with a balcony. We hear the ice show is excellent. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

 

Clearly set the expectation that you will have a great time on your Freedom cruise. Will it be a different experience.....yes. It is a different ship.

 

If you go on a land vacation and then the following year go on another land vacation in a different location, you will not have the same experience -- no difference here. Your children will probably have activities through the Adventure Ocean program as well as doing things with you around the ship, if that is how you spend your vacation time.

 

Food can vary from ship to ship, but having cruised in every class in Royal, generally the MDR food is good -- we always find something to eat, and often look forward to some items on the menu. My husband loves the risotto, I love the lobster ravioli and the shrimp cocktail; they offer a lobster bisque which is very very good. Things vary also....but if I don't like something I order something else.

 

There will be plenty to do on Freedom. We sailed on Liberty, her sister ship, and were as busy as we wanted to be....or did as little as we wanted to NOT do. Just like on Allure.

 

I like that on Freedom class ships, you don't have to pay extra to use the sauna and steam room. I feel Royal made a mistake with that on Oasis class ships....so I would not pay for it, when we recently cruised on Allure this past June.

 

What I did not like about Allure, was that in the WJ for breakfast, they did not have an omelet station for fresh omelets to be made. I had to go to the WipeOut Café. We did it one morning, but not again. The omelets were Ok, but not the kind of breakfast environment I enjoyed.

 

So not everything to this person is BETTER on Oasis class ships.

 

I am looking forward to our upcoming cruise on Independence, which is the sister ship to Freedom. I am SURE I will have a great time...it will be different from all the other 15 cruises I have taken on Royal ships.

[Big_G]

I won't sugar coat it either. Freedom is a fantastic ship and we'll sail her a third time in October followed by her sister the Independence in February. We loved the big girls but variety is the spice of life and sometimes we just need a little less 'Go' in our cruise. Happy sailing! ;)

[BillOh]

I sailed Freedom in 2008, Allure in 2011 and 2013. I'm going back on Freedom to refresh my memory. I do love them both and they both have things I like better.

[BillOh]

We went on the Freedom of the Seas 2 years after the Allure and didn't like it. LOVED the Allure and we are not frequent cruisers by any means so we want the best for our money. Even though Freedom of the Seas is highly rated and most people compare it to the same level of service, food and entertainment as the Oasis/Allure although understandably a smaller ship, it surely wasn't as nice or better than the Allure. We really felt mislead by the exemplary reviews written here on cruise critic of the FOS. We are a family of 3 with a teen son. We went when the ship was full during Easter week. We actually were a bit bored on the FOS and we did everything. No one was that friendly. The food wasn't that great. The cabins are comparable on both ships. Good or frequent live music was hard to find. We just didn't feel any WOW factor at all on the FOS. I didn't like the smaller promenade (very dark). I also thought the pool area was ugly (small and ugly mosaics on the wall). Towels left everywhere, plastic glasses blowing around....just a general dirty look to the deck! I would have gone on the Allure or Oasis again in a heartbeat if I had known what a step down this ship was (and more expensive?}. Everyone seems to sugar coat their experiences on the FOS. The Oasis and Allure are far superior ships! Also, the entertainment/activities when you are sailing with a family with kids are the most important. I hope your experience will be a good one. I know....no cruise is a bad cruise but I just wasn't impressed with FOS. Cruising RCL feels a bit generic of an experience to us now. Maybe we will try another cruise line to experience things fresh and new.

 

Just a bid jaded. I won't even touch on so many good reviews and yours is bad and you are the one that is right? Perhaps it was the week you cruised, spring break/Holiday cruises tend to be more party oriented.

[cruisegirl1]

We can go from ship class to ship class with absolutely no problem. Each ship class has something to offer. Just make sure the ship meets your needs.

 

enjoy

M

[EatSleepCruise]

We have sailed on Freedom and Independence as well as Allure.

 

Love Allure and she is still our favorite ship.

 

We actually thought the Freedom service was awful in the MDR and the best on Independence-just okay on Allure.

 

The food was about the same on all ships, but you have a lot more options on Allure with places like Park Cafe and Solarium restaurant.

 

Depending on when you travel Allure can get busy. On the last Sea day the weather was not so great so all inside areas were packed. Promenade was a sea of people (pun intended?!?) and the casino did not have an empty slot machine. But, that was the only time we felt the crowds and the rest of the time Allure felt like Freedom and Independence when it came to crowding at other public spaces.

 

We actually loved the Boardwalk and spent a ton of time relaxing at Boardwalk Bar-see if Joe is the bartender there. With our inside room, this outdoor space was perfect place for us to be when the pool deck was getting to us. We did like Central Park at night and would relax there having a drink if we wanted to find a quiet outdoor space. The lighting effects at night are great. You can also enjoy the Rising Tide Bar and take a trip up and down to this area of the ship.

 

The Freedom and Independence entertainment, while mostly enjoyable, do not compare in the least bit to the Allure shows. If you are not into cruise shows, I still think you will find the Aqua show and Chicago well worth your time. We also thoroughly enjoyed Blue Planet.

 

We love RCI and all three ships have pluses and minuses, but dollar for dollar, we think Allure is an unbeatable vacation.

[RCCL Fan]

We did and loved Oasis & Allure, our favorite ship, and were very worried about going on Indy after her.

 

While I had service issues on Indy, the ship was great. I truly didn't miss much and was worth the huge amount of money you save.

[mominva]

We went on FOS with my 3 teens one year ago and did Oasis of the Seas last month. My kids loved the teen room on FOS. They had a blast at the nightly parties. There were tons of kids to meet and hang out with. It is very family friendly.

 

This summer, on Oasis, there were, of course, lots of kids. The problem was that because of the 200 quinceaneras on board (as compared to 35 on FOS), they played a lot of Spanish music in the teen club. My older teens completely lost interest in going to the teen club on the first night. Luckily, they made friends that first night, but they just roamed the ship every night. Your kids are young enough now to not be in that age group (15-17 years old). But, for future reference,....

 

I agree that the entertainment on Oasis is awesome. But, if I were you, I would want to try another ship with different entertainment. There is an illusionist on FOS that I loved. Try to get a seat on one of the front rows. I think your kids will love it. The ice show was fun too. We were so busy on FOS that we didn't get to do everything.

 

Another point I want to make is that booking the entertainment on Oasis took me so long to do. I reserved the late dinner seating on Oasis and then booked the entertainment around it. Then, my kids said that it was too late and that they would miss a lot of teen activities. So, I had to change everything! It was a pain. On FOS, you only have to book the ice show in advance.

 

Another point: it will probably be easier for you to keep track of your kids on FOS.

 

One last point: My family liked having 4 ports of call on FOS. The same Western Caribbean cruise on Oasis only has 3 ports of call.

 

Don't get me wrong. We absolutely loved the Oasis. Next summer, I will be comparing prices, and we could end up on FOS. It was such a good experience one year ago. I have to believe we will have as great a time.

[thegima]

FOS will not disappoint. It's a great ship with plenty to do and they've done updating to stay with the times. We live in FL and FLL is only a few hours more south but we haven't felt the need as we've been quite happy with everything FOS offers. Rock wall, flow rider, sports court, arcade, I think the kids will be happy. Enjoy :D

[A2Mich]

FWIW, I will give my opinion, and I haven't been on ANY RCI ship yet, but have researched RCI ad nauseum. I do have experience with different classes and size of ship on Carnival. If you have already sailed on the largest class of ship, and will be sailing on a smaller ship, you will need to set your expectations a bit differently, not necessarily lower. On a smaller ship, you likely won't have as many public spaces for passengers to spread out, however, you likely won't have the same number of passengers, so the passenger-space ratio may be similar. Smaller ships also may not have the same number of alternative dining or entertainment venues, or the same number of casino games/tables, or less lounges, etc. BUT, only YOU know what is important to you.

 

I am the kind of person that does not like, and actively AVOIDS large crowds of people. I also go on vacation to RELAX and not be very active. I don't need to be entertained 24/7, nor do I need a stateroom larger than my home. I also do not need 15 different options of where to eat dinner every night. Between the MDR and buffet, I can generally find something decent, if not really good, for dinner. I am by no means high maintenance, I do not require zip lines, flowriders, rock climbing walls, mini golf, rope courses (like the newer Carny ships have), to be happy. I'm fine with a pool, a cold drink, and a lounge chair in the shade/partial shade. I can read or listen to my iPod for hours, or take a nap (only in the shade, BTW). If you are the kind of person who NEEDS that kind of stuff, you may wish to stick with the ship with more options.

 

My first cruise was on the old Carnivale in the early 1980's - most of the gimmicks and novelties of the newer ships were not even a thought in those days. The Carnivale had a few ratty looking pools full of seawater that would slosh out of them any time the ship was sailing - no rock climbing, no flowrider, no zip line, etc. But everyone had a great time without all of these things (probably because some of them had not even been invented yet). I was also a child of the 1970's, and grew up in a much simpler time. We simply didn't have the conveniences we do today, so don't really deem them to be necessary for our survival or enjoyment.

 

My best advice is to read as many reviews as you can, and make a baseline comparison. Keep in mind that a few extreme high and extreme lows may not really be indicative of any issues in particular. You will likely find blind cheerleaders and consistent complainers in every bunch - take an average of what you read, gather that information, and apply your needs and desires.

[cruisetrail]

We cruised on both classes.

Freedom class are lovely ships.

Standard balcony cabins are more comfotable (more space).

You'll have great time!

[Sail2k]

We just got off our 1st Freedom cruise yesterday.....we have done Oasis in the past with our 3 kids. I really wouldn't worry about a thing, Freedom was great!! Your kids are at a great age for the Freedom and to them they won't even notice the difference because they will be having too much fun!!!

 

Enjoy it and don't miss these shows - Battle of the Sexes, The Quest, and Love and Marriage.

[TCBFlash]

Here is my input - We have sailed on the Liberty (sister to Freedom) and just got off of Oasis. Not only do I think you will not be disappointed, you may just like it better. Oasis/Allure are huge ships, and there are more public areas (like Central Park and the Boardwalk) that the Freedom class ships don't have. But there were a lot more things to pay for as well. I felt like the Oasis did not compare to the Liberty in the service area. Overall, we were treated much better on the Freedom and Voyager class ships. The entertainment was awesome on the Oasis, but other than the Aqua Show (which you won't have on FOS) entertainment was great on the "smaller" ships too. They are still big ships with plenty to do, and with the Freedom/Voyager ships being refurbished, a lot of the Oasis class features are there. For our next cruise, we are purposely choosing a Voyager class ship. I'm sure you will love the Freedom.

Edited August 19, 2014 by TCBFlash

[pinkrosesdeb]

When you leave a Freedom class ship you will probably feel a littlel more relaxed than on Oasis/Allure class. We never truly relaxed on Oasis or Allure and we have been 3x between them. I find the Freedom class to be the perfect size for us. I also much prefer the cabins on the Freedom class. The D-1 we had on Oasis was tiny!!! Also, the suites on the bigger ships are much smaller. The huge plus for us on the Oasis class is that amazing concierge lounge! It is beautiful and a great place for breakfast and lunch. However, on our last Oasis cruise Caroliina was the DL concierge and we loved her so much we never went to the CL. I think you will love the Freedom class if you just go realizing it will be a really different cruise but one with a lot to do, a beautiful ship and great service. Don't forget to come back and let us know how you would compare!