Freedom vs Liberty - Why is Freedom More?

[gooselover]

Any idea on the reason why?

[FitzLA]

I believe that on the Eastern Caribbean Freedom has an additional port.

[Cuizer2]

I don't know why the price difference. But on the Eastern both have the same number of ports, but not the same ports.

 

Freedom: Miami, sea, San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Martin, sea, sea, Miami

 

Liberty: Miami, sea, San Juan, St. Martin, sea, Labadee, sea, Miami

[PeterPan]

Perhaps Labadee has something to do with it. Since Labadee belongs to RCCL, do they have less cost associated with taking a ship there?

 

I'm not saying this IS the answer, I'm only throwing it out there for discussion:)

[Sea3PO]

Any idea on the reason why?

 

It may be that some cruisers consider St. Thomas a more desirable port of call because of the higher $1,600 duty-free exemption allowed by virtue of the visit to a U.S. insular possession, versus the more standard $800 exemption allowed based on Liberty's itinerary. The $1,600 exemption allows 5 liters of booze :) and 1,000 cigarettes versus the $800 exemption's allowance of 2 liters of booze and 200 cigarettes. This is just a guess, it may be higher based on port fees or some other factor.

[pmshirl]

I don't know seem to feel that Freedom prices are more than the Liberty. I am Cruising on the Liberty in June 2007 and cost for E1 balcony is 4334.00. I am cruising on the Freedom Oct. 2007 and the same cabin cost 2460.00 for 3 passangers without airfare. So I find the Liberty to be more expensive in my case.

[FitzLA]

I think it just must depend on what rooms are avaiable in what category.

[sunandsalt]

Some weeks book heavier than others. I believe Liberty and Freedom go east on alternate weeks. Prices adjust according to bookings.

[lori450]

It might just be a temporary thing. We all see the prices go up and down depending on the week or day. Maybe they haven't been getting as many bookings for the Liberty, so they temporarily dropped the price to increase sales. Are you looking at the same cabin on the same day? Remember, different times of the year are more desirable and therefore, more expensive (e.g. Easter, summer, Christmas, etc.). There are a lot of reasons why they would be different, but I doubt it has anything to do with the ship itself. (IMHO). A previous poster mentioned East vs. Western Caribbean. Eastern has always been more expensive (on any RCI ship). It may have to do with port fees, or fuel consumption (maybe Eastern is a longer route - I know it's always much windier, which could cause increased fuel consumption), etc.

 

Fun subject to contemplate, though!

[Cuizer2]

Some weeks book heavier than others. I believe Liberty and Freedom go east on alternate weeks. Prices adjust according to bookings.

 

The Freedom's prices for the Western Caribbean are also higher.

[alexkrn46]

We have a cruise booked on the Freedom, I thought I would try to Liberty but both prices are very expensive. We booked over a year ago and will stay with the price we got in 2005.

[Maxiecat3]

I don't know seem to feel that Freedom prices are more than the Liberty. I am Cruising on the Liberty in June 2007 and cost for E1 balcony is 4334.00. I am cruising on the Freedom Oct. 2007 and the same cabin cost 2460.00 for 3 passangers without airfare. So I find the Liberty to be more expensive in my case.

 

You shouldn't compare June prices with October prices. June will always be much more than off season pricing. If you compare your 10/7 Freedom cruise with the Liberty 10/13 Eastern cruise for 3 people in an E-1 cabin, prices are identical $2,335 + taxes. Another post questioned the desirability of St. Thomas but Freedom goes to St. Thomas and Liberty goes to Labadee instead. I guess it just depends on how fast cabins are selling on which ship at comparable times might be more.

[Cuizer2]

The reason is simple. You have to have Liberty before you can have Freedom. Therefore, you can have Liberty without Freedom, but you can't have Freedom without Liberty. Thus, since Freedom includes Liberty, Freedom costs more. Just ask Patrick Henry.

[Esmerelda]

Odd that I found this post, I just looked yesterday for next August. We are booked on the Eastern route of Freedom. We have two cabins booked and each one of us is costing about $1,550 to start with. The Liberty route in August right now would cost us $1,189 per person per stateroom. The only difference is that Freedom stops at St. Thomas and the Liberty stops at Labadee. I have never been to either port. Would you switch? That would be a savings of 1,440 for all 4 of us right off the bat!! I can't figure this one out at all. Is St. Thomas really that important? All input appreciated here.

 

 

Esmerelda

[krystall]

The reason is simple. You have to have Liberty before you can have Freedom. Therefore, you can have Liberty without Freedom, but you can't have Freedom without Liberty. Thus, since Freedom includes Liberty, Freedom costs more. Just ask Patrick Henry.

 

:D :D :D

[lori450]

Esmerelda - NO- neither one of those ports is worth that much money. Labadee is a private section of Haiti that RCI owns. It's basically a lovely beach day with some water activities (many people find it very enjoyable). St Thomas is a shopping port (duty free is basically all you'll get) and some excursions with snorkeling, sailing ,etc. It is a beautiful island but hardly worth $1100 for a few hours there.

[Cuizer2]

Odd that I found this post, I just looked yesterday for next August. We are booked on the Eastern route of Freedom. We have two cabins booked and each one of us is costing about $1,550 to start with. The Liberty route in August right now would cost us $1,189 per person per stateroom. The only difference is that Freedom stops at St. Thomas and the Liberty stops at Labadee. I have never been to either port. Would you switch? That would be a savings of 1,440 for all 4 of us right off the bat!! I can't figure this one out at all. Is St. Thomas really that important? All input appreciated here.

 

Esmerelda

 

The problem with St. Thomas is that it is part of the US, and thus you have to go through customs again. Three hours and what a waste of time. For all the checking they did they could have handled it via e-mail in a matter of minutes.

 

No customs at Labadee. It is a very relaxing beach day. St. Thomas in my opinion is not worth $1440 more. I would not even pay $440 more.

[Inshape]

I would switch in a second! I do not like St thomas anyways. It is so very expensive to get around. For instance: to get to coki beach yrs ago it was 7$ a person. We were then a family of 5, so that was 70$ just to take us to the beach. NO big deal beach either. Terrible venders hawking their wares and pressuring you at every minute. Labadee: Free to get to. Nice beach. Totally relaxing bbq served at the beach. Walk around, nice area. Fun wave runner tour...DS and DH had a great time on that. And then to boot: Liberty is that much cheaper and newer. GO for it!

[DonnaK]

Odd that I found this post, I just looked yesterday for next August. We are booked on the Eastern route of Freedom. We have two cabins booked and each one of us is costing about $1,550 to start with. The Liberty route in August right now would cost us $1,189 per person per stateroom. The only difference is that Freedom stops at St. Thomas and the Liberty stops at Labadee. I have never been to either port. Would you switch? That would be a savings of 1,440 for all 4 of us right off the bat!! I can't figure this one out at all. Is St. Thomas really that important? All input appreciated here.

 

 

Esmerelda

 

I would definitely switch. Labadee is the best private island we've ever been on! To me, it's more desirable than St Thomas!

 

When faced with a situation like this, where it's basically an equal product, I would take the less expensive option.

[Esmerelda]

I just switched and saved myself almost $900!!! I had gotten the $99 off per stateroom on the Freedom that I didn't get on the Liberty but still $900!! That is almost a free person. Our cabin locations are great also.

 

I am so thrilled....I will see St. Thomas some other time...no big deal.

 

thanks!

Esmerelda

[Inshape]

Good deal. St Thomas is just another island stop. With the few hours there, you would not even miss it. Last time there on Mariner, eastern in jan, we stayed on the ship when in that port. You will love Labadee.

[Cruising89143]

The problem with St. Thomas is that it is part of the US, and thus you have to go through customs again. Three hours and what a waste of time. For all the checking they did they could have handled it via e-mail in a matter of minutes.

 

No customs at Labadee. It is a very relaxing beach day. St. Thomas in my opinion is not worth $1440 more. I would not even pay $440 more.

 

Not sure which ship you are talking about but US citizens would not have to go through customs again in St. Thomas on the Freedom as they are not visiting a non U.S port first. Not sure about the non U.S citizens.

[Dave85]

When we looked at our mid-June Liberty cruise for next year we priced Liberty v. Freedom and the price difference was SUBSTANTIAL. It was substantial enough that we upgraded to a junior suite on the Liberty for minimal price difference. I'm sure the difference most weeks isn't quite as substantial, but we too were extremely confused by it. The 3rd cruise on a brand new ship for that much less! Plus we've already done all those islands numerous times, so it's all about the ship.