Royal Caribbean is spending more than $1 billion upgrading of their 10 cruise ships over four years. The cruise line has announced the latest ship that will receive a massive $116 million renovation early next spring.
Freedom of the Seas was the world’s largest cruise ship when the vessel debuted in May 2006. Royal Caribbean is adding high-energy features and guest favorites to the ship that include waterslides, a redesigned Caribbean poolscape, a new take on a signature venue with Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and completely transformed kids and teens spaces.
Starting March 2020, the newly amplified Freedom of the Seas will set sail from San Juan, Puerto Rico on 7-night Southern Caribbean cruises to idyllic destinations, from Saint Lucia and Antigua to the ABC islands – Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.
Here is a look at all of the new features being added to Freedom of the Seas when the ship goes into dry dock early next year.
All-day Thrills on Deck
The Perfect Storm, the heart-pumping duo of racer waterslides, is three stories of adventure that will take excitement off the charts. On Cyclone and Typhoon, guests are in for the ultimate race as they go head to head through twists and turns for bragging rights.
A reimagined poolscape comes to life with all-day Caribbean vibes, a larger variety of seating and shade with casitas, daybeds and hammocks, and the Splashaway Bay aquapark for the youngest travelers. For downtime, guests can escape to the renewed, adults-only Solarium.
The Lime & Coconut, Royal Caribbean’s new, poolside signature bar, is at the center of it all. The three-level spot serves up live music, a lineup of cocktails and a rooftop deck for a bird’s eye view of the action.
View Prices on Cruises on Freedom of the Seas
Next-level Culinary Delights
Freedom’s amplification will also introduce more dining venues, spanning Italian, Asian and Mexican cuisine, tantalizing guests’ taste buds more than ever.
Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen will feature a reimagined menu of authentic Italian dishes with a contemporary flair. From made-to-order pizzas hand tossed front and center, and baked in the in-house pizza oven, to a wide selection of wines and limoncellos, the lineup brings to life a fresh, new twist on a guest favorite.
Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, the Asian-inspired restaurant with teppanyaki tables and a sushi bar, features a variety of hot and cold appetizers, entrees, desserts and more.
Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, where everybody wins. Guests can catch their home team on more than 80 TV screens, hit “play” on any one of the arcade games, and refuel with a menu of classic bar bites and ice-cold brews on tap.
El Loco Fresh will sit poolside and offer fresh grab-and-go Mexican fare, from tacos and burritos, to quesadillas, along with an array of salsas for an extra kick. For the first time, the venue will include a full-service bar with a selection of tequilas on offer.
Playtime Reimagined
Adding to the roster of activities on board, Royal Caribbean will offer glow-in-the-dark laser tag adventure Clash for the Crystal City, and the debut of a floor-to-ceiling redesign of Freedom’s dedicated teens spaces and award-winning Adventure Ocean.
Adventure Ocean takes on a whole new look after a makeover that will touch every inch of the spaces specially designed for babies and kids. The imaginative layout encourages young vacationers to venture into a world of interactive experiences, from thought-provoking exploration at Play Place to art, science and tech activities at Workshop, and friendly challenges at Arena. Kicking back is just as fun with gaming consoles and places to chill at Hangout. Babies and 3- to 5-year-olds will each have personalized areas with AO Babies and AO Junior
Teens will rejoice at their exclusive hangout, entirely transformed to feature the latest in movies, gaming and music, plus a new, private outdoor deck
Beginning March 8, 2020, the reimagined Freedom will sail 7-night, roundtrip Southern Caribbean cruises from San Juan. The year-round itineraries are set to visit tropical locales in the region, including Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; Castries, Saint Lucia; Bridgetown, Barbados; Saint Johns, Antigua; and Kralendijk, Bonaire. View Prices on Cruises on Freedom of the Seas
After 13 cruises on Royal Caribbean there tips have raised 27% since 2015 and there Large cruise ships go nowhere! I have 2 more cruises booked with Royal and after that, Princess I am going to give you another try after 2 cruises with you.I was impressed with the last 10 night cruise on the Royal Princess I thought it had better ports to visit,and the food and service was better then Royal Caribbean.