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 the world's largest cruise ship.
Being one of the newest ships in the fleet, sailing on Icon isn't necessarily the most affordable vacation. According to Royal Caribbean's website, the cheapest sailing starts at $1,450 per person based on double occupancy in September 2025. Compartively, a 5-night cruise on Freedom of the Seas starts at just $472 per person, breaking down to roughly $95 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. However, having sailed on Freedom a total of 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. Onboard, you'll find everything from a grand three-deck Main Dining Room to the FlowRider surf simulator, a mini-golf course, a rock climbing wall, waterslides, and more.
Here's why I'm convinced that Freedom of the Seas has the best value of any Royal Caribbean ship.
Lots to do onboard
Though 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 waterslides, 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 and quesadillas?
The Perfect Storm waterslides 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, the ship itself doesn't just offer 3- and 4-night Bahamian cruises like Utopia or 7-night Caribbean cruises like Icon.
Here's a list of Freedom of the Seas itineraries to give you a sense of where this ship can take you:
- 3-night Bahamas cruise to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas
- 4-night Western Caribbean cruise to Falmouth, Jamaica
- 5-night Eastern Caribbean cruise to Labadee, Haiti, and Nassau, Bahamas
- 6-night Western Caribbean cruise to George Town, Grand Cayman; Falmouth, Jamaica; and Perfect Day at CocoCay
- 8-night Southern Caribbean cruise to Phillipsburg, St. Maarten; Castries, St. Lucia; and Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis
- 9-night Eastern Caribbean cruise to Nassau, Bahamas; Perfect Day at CocoCay; San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. John's, Antigua; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten
So even if you've cruised on Freedom of the Seas before, you do not have to settle on a similar itinerary. Instead, you can sail on a familiar ship to new-to-you ports, which is half the excitement of cruising!
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 18-year-old ship also has seven specialty (or extra charge) restaurants: Chops Grill, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, Playmakers, Chef's Table, Johnny Rockets, and Vintages for light tapas.
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 the experience. Who wouldn't want a teppanyaki-style meal at sea? Fried rice, juicy filet mignon, and a show? Sign me up!
Though 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 per inside cabin and doesn't include gratuities or add-ons):
- 3-night Bahamas & Perfect Day cruise on July 25, 2025: $1,033.90
- 6-night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day cruise on August 22, 2025: $1,534.98
- 9-night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Holiday cruise on December 27, 2025: $3,049.48
- 5-night Eastern Caribbean cruise on March 7, 2026: $1,025.00
The above pricing is subject to change and was accurate at the time of publication in January 2025. 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. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
