I took my first cruise aboard Freedom of the Seas in 2010. The 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise went to CocoCay, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas and introduced me to the Royal Caribbean brand. Ice skating rinks and surf simulators at sea? You had to be kidding me!
Royal Caribbean ships have only gotten bigger since Freedom of the Seas initially launched in 2006. Icon of the Seas, for example, made her long-awaited debut in January 2024 and holds the record as one of the world's largest cruise ships, alongside Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas (launching July 2026).
Being one of the newest ships in the fleet, sailing on Icon of the Seas isn't necessarily the most affordable vacation. According to Royal Caribbean's website, the cheapest 6-night sailing starts at $1,217 per person based on double occupancy in September 2027.
Comparatively, an 8-night cruise on Freedom of the Seas to Spain, Portugal, and France starts at $1,030 per person, breaking down to roughly $128 per night.
Plus, some cruisers aren't fans of Royal mega-ships and prefer the intimacy found on older vessels, like Freedom of the Seas. While Freedom isn't the smallest or oldest ship, it doesn't have the same bells and whistles as Icon and Oasis Class ships. For example, you won't find the Category 6 Waterpark or AquaTheater venue.
However, having sailed on Freedom three times, it's a special ship for those looking to break into the world of cruising without blowing thousands of dollars. You'll still get the quintessential Royal Caribbean experience, too — from the grand three-deck Main Dining Room to the FlowRider surf simulator, a mini-golf course, a rock climbing wall, original entertainment, water slides, and more.
Here's why I'm convinced that Freedom of the Seas offers the best value of any Royal Caribbean ship.
Lots to do onboard
Although Freedom of the Seas doesn't have the same bells and whistles as ships like Symphony or Icon of the Seas, there's plenty to do and enjoy aboard.
Freedom underwent a major $116 million renovation in 2020. As such, she has newer concepts, including El Loco Fresh, Playmakers, the Perfect Storm water slides, a laser tag course, the Lime and Coconut bar, and an amplified pool deck.
The drydock helped bring Freedom up to speed with newer vessels without compromising the cozy, intimate vibe. El Loco Fresh, for example, gave cruisers another complimentary dining option. Plus, who doesn't enjoy poolside tacos, quesadillas, and nachos? Say less.
The Perfect Storm water slides offer guests another way to cool off without cramming into the main pools, and the laser tag arena is great for families or groups looking for a fun sea day activity to get their heart rate up!
There are other brand staples onboard, too, including the casino, rock climbing wall, sports court, FlowRider surf simulator, adults-only Solarium, Splashaway Bay aqua park for kids, and ice skating rink.
Royal Caribbean also has a jam-packed daily itinerary called the Cruise Compass. It's important to give it a read every morning so you don't miss activities like trivia, bingo, original theater productions, parades, parties, and more.
Itinerary variety
Most of Royal Caribbean's newest ships sail exclusively to the Caribbean and Bahamas. While Freedom also stays in this region, primarily sailing from Miami, Florida, the ship itself doesn't just offer 3- and 4-night Bahamian cruises like Utopia of the Seas or 7-night Caribbean cruises like Star of the Seas.
Here's a list of Freedom of the Seas itineraries to give you a sense of where this ship can take you:
- 4-night Eastern Caribbean cruise to Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos
- 4-night Western Caribbean cruise to Costa Maya, Mexico
- 5-night Eastern Caribbean cruise to Nassau and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
- 7-night Western Caribbean cruise to Falmouth, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; and Costa Maya, Mexico
- 9-night Southern Caribbean cruise to Perfect Day at CocoCay; Cabo Rojo, Dominican Republic; Willemstad, Curaçao; and Oranjestad, Aruba
So even if you've cruised on Freedom of the Seas before, you do not have to settle on a similar itinerary to the Caribbean. Instead, you can sail on a familiar ship to new-to-you ports, which is half the excitement of cruising!
Even more interesting is Freedom of the Seas' European lineup in 2027. She will sail from Southampton, England, to countries like France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, and Germany.
Dining options
The food is one of the best parts of any cruise vacation, and Freedom delivers with variety. You aren't stuck eating the buffet every morning for breakfast or returning to the Main Dining Room for multi-course meals unless you want to.
Freedom of the Seas has six complimentary (or included) dining venues: the Main Dining Room, Cafe Promenade, Sorrento's Pizza, the Windjammer buffet, El Loco Fresh, and room service.
The 19-year-old ship also has seven specialty (or extra charge) restaurants: Chops Grill, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, Playmakers, Chef's Table, and Johnny Rockets.
This means that you could easily eat at a different restaurant each night of your weeklong cruise, so long as you're open to specialty dining venues.
Izumi Hibachi is a favorite of mine, not only for the food but also for the experience. Who wouldn't want a teppanyaki-style meal at sea? Fried rice, juicy filet mignon, and a show?
Although newer ships have significantly more restaurants, Freedom offers a good number for the size, especially compared to older vessels like Vision of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas.
Comfortable cabins
I will be honest — if you are expecting modern cabins with state-of-the-art amenities, you will be disappointed with the staterooms on Freedom of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean typically doesn't invest in redoing its cabins like other cruise lines; however, basic maintenance keeps them looking fresh and clean, even if they aren't the most contemporary in décor.
Though ships like Icon and Wonder of the Seas have cabins with more outlets and fresher color palettes, the staterooms of Freedom of the Seas are functional and provide everything you need for a comfortable place to relax between onboard amenities and exploring ports of call.
At the end of the day, as long as my cruise ship doesn't have bathrooms with clingy, stained shower curtains, I'm happy!
How much does a cruise aboard Freedom of the Seas cost?
Unfortunately, I can't give you an exact breakdown of how much a vacation aboard Freedom of the Seas costs. Everyone has different priorities.
For example, one family might want to keep costs as low as possible by staying in an interior cabin, avoiding specialty restaurants, and sticking to included drinks. Other parties, however, may want to cruise in a balcony stateroom and book one of Royal Caribbean's pricey drink packages.
However, here are a few base fares that you can expect to find over the next year and a half (note that the pricing is for two people in an interior cabin and doesn't include gratuities or add-ons):
- 5-night Bahamas & Perfect Day cruise — October 17-22, 2026: $889.22
- 9-night Southern Caribbean cruise — February 25-March 6, 2027: $2,322.44
- 7-night Spain & Portugal cruise — May 9-16, 2027: $1,800.18
- 7-night Norwegian Fjords cruise — June 14-21, 2027: $2,727.18
The above pricing is subject to change and was accurate in April 2026. It also doesn't include gratuities or add-ons like drink packages, shore excursions, or specialty dining. Other considerations include pre-cruise transportation and airfare.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
