Liberty of the Seas first timer questions

[KittyCruz]

We've done NCL and MSC in the past and decided a day drive to Galveston + current deals was enough to give Royal Caribbean a try, we sail second week of December and had a few questions.

1. Will the ship be decorated for the Christmas holiday?

2. Is there any sign in or waivers required for the water slides or surf pool?

3. If you buy a specialty dinner can you reserve a date/time

4.do they assign you a MDR? If so how are these assigned (were on floor9)

5. Has anyone done massages on RCI, worth it?

 

Thanks in advance!

[PhoenixCruiser]

Ships start decorating for Christmas soon after Thanksgiving. We think they do a great job with decorations.

 

[LilBlackDress]

24 minutes ago, KittyCruz said:

We've done NCL and MSC in the past and decided a day drive to Galveston + current deals was enough to give Royal Caribbean a try, we sail second week of December and had a few questions.

 

Thanks in advance!

1. Will the ship be decorated for the Christmas holiday?

Yes.

2. Is there any sign in or waivers required for the water slides or surf pool?

I don't remember but if there are, you can sign it near the activity

3. If you buy a specialty dinner can you reserve a date/time
Loaded question... There are several options for specialty dining.
You can buy one night and select the restaurant and time(if it is available) 
You can do Chops+1 Which is dine in chops either the first or second night and then pick either chops or a different specialty dinner later in the cruise (which you can pick date and time) 

They have a 3 night package same as above... 
They typically pick the time for the 1st night but it is normally very easy to change it once you get on the ship (That is the first thing I do) 
Then they have the Ultimate Dining Package that includes every night and sea days, again you pick day and time based on availability
 

4.do they assign you a MDR? If so how are these assigned (were on floor9)
You have either an Early Seating, Late Seating or My Time Dining. After you decide that you can pick to share a large table or just dine with your group (Talk with who you booked with so they know your preference) 

5. Has anyone done massages on RCI, worth it? 
We have not... My sister has said they are enjoyable. 

[firefly333]

Sounds like we are on the same cruise. I'm not sure what a surf pool is but I dont think we have one, just regular pools. I think maybe if liberty was amped it would have but it's only a regular dry dock from what I've read. It's on it's way or in dry dock now so it will be nice for us. 

[c-leg5]

7 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Sounds like we are on the same cruise. I'm not sure what a surf pool is but I dont think we have one, just regular pools. I think maybe if liberty was amped it would have but it's only a regular dry dock from what I've read. It's on it's way or in dry dock now so it will be nice for us. 

Liberty of the Seas does have a flow rider.

[Merion_Mom]

1 hour ago, KittyCruz said:

We've done NCL and MSC in the past and decided a day drive to Galveston + current deals was enough to give Royal Caribbean a try, we sail second week of December and had a few questions.

1. Will the ship be decorated for the Christmas holiday?

2. Is there any sign in or waivers required for the water slides or surf pool?

3. If you buy a specialty dinner can you reserve a date/time

4.do they assign you a MDR? If so how are these assigned (were on floor9)

5. Has anyone done massages on RCI, worth it?

 

Thanks in advance!

1. yes

3. if you pay full price, not a package, yes.

4. random, except that some space is for fixed/traditional diners and some for My Time diners

5. "worth it" is in the eye of the beholder.

[firefly333]

5 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Liberty of the Seas does have a flow rider.

Oh I thought only if it was amped. Thanks

[firefly333]

I was trying to remember and seems I remember liberty had one surfing area. Oasis had two, one for trying to stand up and one for just riding on your belly. Liberty just had the one not two?

 

It's been a while, though my cruise history says I was on liberty before oasis twice out of miami and jewel out of tampa. A while ago. By the time these cruise i have booked are done i should know it backwards and forwards lol. 

[ericfromri]

2 hours ago, LilBlackDress said:

1. Will the ship be decorated for the Christmas holiday?

Yes.

2. Is there any sign in or waivers required for the water slides or surf pool?

I don't remember but if there are, you can sign it near the activity

3. If you buy a specialty dinner can you reserve a date/time
Loaded question... There are several options for specialty dining.
You can buy one night and select the restaurant and time(if it is available) 
You can do Chops+1 Which is dine in chops either the first or second night and then pick either chops or a different specialty dinner later in the cruise (which you can pick date and time) 

They have a 3 night package same as above... 
They typically pick the time for the 1st night but it is normally very easy to change it once you get on the ship (That is the first thing I do) 
Then they have the Ultimate Dining Package that includes every night and sea days, again you pick day and time based on availability
 

4.do they assign you a MDR? If so how are these assigned (were on floor9)
You have either an Early Seating, Late Seating or My Time Dining. After you decide that you can pick to share a large table or just dine with your group (Talk with who you booked with so they know your preference) 

5. Has anyone done massages on RCI, worth it? 
We have not... My sister has said they are enjoyable. 

2.   in years past there was. havent used it in a while.

5.  it was more expensive than on land, but good.  i really like the acupuncture

[Merion_Mom]

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Oh I thought only if it was amped. Thanks

 

All of the Freedom class ships (Freedom, Liberty, Independence) were built with a flowrider.  As a matter of fact, Freedom was the first ship to have one.

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

10 hours ago, KittyCruz said:

 

5. Has anyone done massages on RCI, worth it?

If your question is how do RCI massages compare to other cruise lines, I've personally found the spa services on Royal, Celebrity, Carnival and Princess to be virtually indistinguishable.

 

If the question is whether the cruise spa prices are worth it ... some people prefer to stick to their own massage therapists at home, both because of the price and because the therapist knows their preferences and health needs.  HOWEVER, I almost always splurge on a spa treatment of some sort.  When I get a massage at home, it's wonderful while I'm there, but then I have to get dressed and deal with traffic, and the laundry and dishes waiting for me at home. It's a bit of a buzz kill. 😉 Whereas on a cruise, I just slip on my bathing suit & coverup, walk back to my cabin and relax on my balcony lounge chair. DEFINITELY a better way to preserve the post-spa glow! 😄 

[footzz]

13 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Sounds like we are on the same cruise. I'm not sure what a surf pool is but I dont think we have one, just regular pools. I think maybe if liberty was amped it would have but it's only a regular dry dock from what I've read. It's on it's way or in dry dock now so it will be nice for us. 

The "Amplifications" for LOTS have been postponed until further notice. So, it will still have the Cigar bar, Sabor restaurant and the Champagne bar all of which will go away when it is finally amplified.

[Tree_skier]

16 hours ago, KittyCruz said:

We've done NCL and MSC in the past and decided a day drive to Galveston + current deals was enough to give Royal Caribbean a try, we sail second week of December and had a few questions.

1. Will the ship be decorated for the Christmas holiday?

2. Is there any sign in or waivers required for the water slides or surf pool?

3. If you buy a specialty dinner can you reserve a date/time

4.do they assign you a MDR? If so how are these assigned (were on floor9)

5. Has anyone done massages on RCI, worth it?

 

Thanks in advance!

1. Yes it will be decorated.  They begin decorating the day after Thanksgiving.  First week of Dec 2019 on Adventure had lots of decorations up and they were just beginning at that point.  I suspect that the second week would have even more.

 

This is from Adventure and not Liberty but I'd expect to see the same.

 

 

2. Yes, there is a little kiosk right beside the flowrider. It only takes a minutes.

 

3. Yes you pick the time you reserve when you purchase individual dinners through the cruise planner.  However, when you purchase the UDP you can not.  That being said, when we had the UDP, as soon as I was a aboard the ship on embarkation day and after my first drink, I went strait to Chops and booked all my specialty dining for the entire cruise all at once and got all the times, within 15 minutes, or what I wanted.

 

4. There is only one MDR on Liberty but it has 3 floors.  If you have booked traditional dining you will be seated on deck 4 or 5.  IF you have chosen MTD you will be seated on deck 3.  The cabin you are in has no bearing on where you are seated in the MDR, to my understanding.

 

5. Both DW and I have done a massage on Liberty.  We both loved it.  Is it worth it can only be determined by your relative value of  "worth". My wife regularly gets massages on land.  Usually at least once every few weeks. It is obviously more costly than massages my wife traditionally gets but it is extra nice to get it on cruise ship.  I have one booked for already on Serenade on Embarkation day for our Alaska cruise this August.

 

Liberty is an absolute treasure of a ship.  I credit Liberty with being the ship the got me cruise addicted. If you have younger ones or are younger at heart yourself the Tidal Wave 2 person waterslide is the best!

 

 

[Tree_skier]

14 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I was trying to remember and seems I remember liberty had one surfing area. Oasis had two, one for trying to stand up and one for just riding on your belly. Liberty just had the one not two?

 

It's been a while, though my cruise history says I was on liberty before oasis twice out of miami and jewel out of tampa. A while ago. By the time these cruise i have booked are done i should know it backwards and forwards lol. 

You and I can Flowride together in December. 🙂 

Edited June 22, 2021 by Tree_skier

[cruiselvr04]

We’ve been on Liberty 7 times.  Great ship.  It’s big enough but not too big.  
 

The flow rider is well used and there are slides also in the back.

 

The ice shows are great.  Saturday night fever is also very good.
 

If you like the specialty dining options you can book ahead of time or just go and book when you board.  Freedom class ships are less structured then Oasis class so you don’t have to plan everything before you go.  
 

Waivers for sports can be signed on line before you go.

While I’ve used the spa it’s not regular thing with me.  They will have specials on port days if you want to save a little. I never book ahead.

 

They will have a tree on the promenade for Christmas.

 

Liberty is a great ship with friendly people.   Enjoy.

[firefly333]

53 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

You and I can Flowride together in December. 🙂 

Lol you and the op!! 

 

You changed your avatar. Nice.. though now I cant picture you sking into a tree.

[KittyCruz]

Thanks to everyone for the answers!

 

Appreciate you all taking time to provide insight - I know that all the ship lines (or the ones I can afford) pretty much operate the same, but its nice to get a little glimpse ahead of the nuances. 

 

looks like I will be making my best attempt to schedule my husbands birthday dinner at the Chops

and really, really looking forward to seeing the ship in its holiday splendor!

 

Cheers

[Tree_skier]

If by second week of December you mean the cruise departing on the 12th, both myself and @firefly333 are on that sailing. Don’t forget check out our roll call and sign up for our meet and mingle. 😀

[taglovestocruise]

 

1 hour ago, KittyCruz said:

Thanks to everyone for the answers!

looks like I will be making my best attempt to schedule my husbands birthday dinner at the Chops

 

A little tip, and I am sure I will be slammed and shamed but I am used to it and it is a special occasion.  Make a full price reservation in the cruise planner, pick your night and time. Purchase the chops + 1 for both of you in the cruise planner. As soon as you board go to any specialty restaurant to make your specialty reservations, use one of your two nights for the special birthday night. Go to guest relations and cancel the full price dinner. You will receive the refund as a OBC that you can put towards daily gratuities. happy sailing. Tip 2.. be sure to order the Berkshire Port Belly appetizer, a carnivores delight..