Freedom Of The Seas
Cruises
Departure Ports
Starting Price, Per Night*
Maximum Duration
| Spec |
Value |
|---|---|
| Age | 20 years (in service since 2006) |
| Class | Freedom class |
| Length | 339 metres (1,112 feet) |
| Beam | 38.6 metres (127 feet) |
| Tonnage | 154,407 gross tonnes |
| Capacity | 3,782 lower berth (4,829 maximum) |
| Crew | ~1,360 |
| Speed | 21.6 knots |
| Itinerary | Miami year-round + Southampton summer: Caribbean, Bahamas, Northern Europe |
Prefer to sail Royal Caribbean from Australia?
Freedom of the Seas sails from Miami and Southampton, so an Australian booking is a fly-cruise. For a no-fly Royal Caribbean cruise from Sydney or Brisbane, see:
What is the Freedom of the Seas?
Freedom of the Seas is a 154,407 gross tonne, 339-metre Freedom-class ship operated by Royal Caribbean International, the lead and namesake of the three-ship Freedom-class and in service since 2006. She carries 3,782 guests at lower-berth capacity (4,829 maximum when every upper berth and sofa bed is filled), with around 1,360 crew on board. Her signature spaces are the Freedom-class hallmarks: the four-deck Royal Promenade (the interior shopping-and-entertainment boulevard at the centre of the ship), the Studio B ice rink, and the FlowRider surf simulator.
Built in 2006 by Aker Yards at Turku in Finland with the first FlowRider surf simulator at sea, Freedom of the Seas was the world’s largest cruise ship until Oasis of the Seas surpassed her in 2009, and a 2020 amplification of around US$116 million brought her up to current Freedom-class standard with The Perfect Storm waterslides, a redesigned pool deck, laser tag, and new dining and bar venues. She is registered in the Bahamas and sails year-round Caribbean and Bahamas cruises from Miami with a northern-summer Northern Europe season from Southampton, with no Australian homeport, so Australian guests fly to join her.
How many decks does the Freedom of the Seas have?
Freedom of the Seas has 15 passenger decks, with cabins on nine of them, so your stateroom sits on one of those. The remaining decks hold the public spaces you use during the cruise: the four-deck Royal Promenade, the three-deck Main Dining Room, the Windjammer Marketplace buffet, the Arcadia Theater, the Studio B ice rink, the Vitality Spa & Fitness Center, the Adventure Ocean kids’ centre, Casino Royale, and the redesigned top-deck Pool deck with The Perfect Storm waterslides, the FlowRider, Splashaway Bay, the 40-foot Rock Climbing Wall on the aft funnel, and the adults-only Solarium.
What cabins does the Freedom of the Seas have?
Freedom of the Seas carries 2,012 cabins across four core tiers. You can book:
- Interior cabins, including the Freedom-class signature Promenade View Interior with bowed windows that look down over the four-deck Royal Promenade rather than out to sea, the larger Family Interior at around 324 square feet, and the standard Interior.
- Ocean View cabins, which add a picture window, in sizes from standard up through Spacious Oceanview, a forward-facing Panoramic Oceanview, and an Ultra Spacious Oceanview for families.
- Balcony cabins, with a real private balcony, in standard and Spacious versions.
- Suites, which on the Freedom of the Seas are tiered by size rather than grouped into Royal Caribbean’s Star, Sky, and Sea Royal Suite Class (that program runs only on the line’s newer Oasis, Quantum, and Icon-class ships, not this Freedom-class hull). They run from the Junior Suite up through the one and two-bedroom Grand Suites, the Owner’s Suite, the forward Panoramic Suite, and the single Royal Suite at the top, at around 1,358 square feet, larger than the equivalent Royal Suite on the older Voyager-class ships. Larger suites add Concierge and Suite-Lounge access, a Suite-Only Sun Deck, and priority check-in and boarding. There is no loft suite in this class.
There are around 127 suites in total.
What does the Freedom of the Seas itinerary look like?
Freedom of the Seas runs a two-region schedule, with the Miami homeport carrying her year-round Caribbean season and Southampton picking her up for a summer Northern Europe season. Her Caribbean sailings always include a day at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. You can choose:
- Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas voyages of 3 to 7 nights from Miami, including short 3 and 4 night Bahamas getaways and longer 7-night runs that call at ports such as Perfect Day at CocoCay, Philipsburg in St. Maarten, Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas, and Nassau.
- Western Caribbean voyages of 6 to 7 nights from Miami, calling at Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico, Roatan in Honduras, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
- Northern Europe and transatlantic voyages of 7 to 14 nights from Southampton in summer, calling at Norwegian-fjord ports such as Bergen, plus Bruges via Zeebrugge, Hamburg, Vigo in Spain, and the Azores.
What are the top facilities on the Freedom of the Seas?
Freedom of the Seas has eight standout facilities:
- The four-deck Royal Promenade, the interior shopping-and-entertainment boulevard down the centre of the ship.
- Studio B, the ice rink that stages professional ice-show productions.
- The FlowRider surf simulator, which the Freedom of the Seas introduced to sea at her 2006 debut.
- The Perfect Storm waterslides, added in the 2020 amplification.
- The Battle for Planet Z glow-in-the-dark laser tag arena, also added in the 2020 amplification.
- Splashaway Bay, the kids’ aqua park on the redesigned pool deck.
- The 40-foot Rock Climbing Wall on the aft funnel, plus mini-golf, golf simulators, and a sports court for basketball and other court sports.
- The adults-only Solarium, the quieter pool retreat away from the family decks.
What is the onboard experience of the Freedom of the Seas?
Freedom of the Seas‘s onboard experience covers six areas:
- Dining
- Bars and lounges
- Entertainment
- Activities and pools
- Wellness and fitness
- Kids and teens programming
Dining is the most extensive line-up of any Freedom-class ship, anchored by the traditional three-deck Main Dining Room with set seating or flexible My Time Dining, and the Windjammer Marketplace buffet. Casual included options add Sorrento’s Pizza, the 24-hour Café Promenade on the Royal Promenade, the adults-only Solarium Bistro for Mediterranean, and El Loco Fresh for casual Mexican, added in the 2020 amplification. Specialty (extra-charge) venues run deep: the Chops Grille steakhouse, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen for Italian, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi for Japanese teppanyaki and sushi (also a 2020 addition), Sabor Modern Mexican with its tequila bar (which gives Mexican lovers a casual-and-specialty pair of venues to choose between), the Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade for American sports-bar fare, the multi-course Chef’s Table tasting menu, and Johnny Rockets for burgers. Starbucks serves branded coffee for a fee, and 24-hour room service is available.
Bars and lounges spread along the four-deck Royal Promenade and across the pool decks. The Schooner Bar is the nautical piano lounge and Boleros covers Latin music and cocktails. The Lime & Coconut, added in the 2020 amplification, is the two-level pool-deck bar with live music. The Star Lounge hosts live music, the R Bar handles classic cocktails, Vintages covers wine, and Café Latte-tudes runs the specialty-coffee bar. Casino Royale runs the gaming floor and its bar.
Entertainment centres on the Arcadia Theater, which stages Broadway-style production shows, comedy, and game shows, and Studio B, where the ice rink hosts professional ice productions. The four-deck Royal Promenade carries parades and party events down its length, the Battle for Planet Z arena adds glow-in-the-dark laser tag, and Casino Royale covers the gaming.
Activities and pools lead with the 2020 amplification’s headline additions: The Perfect Storm waterslides and the redesigned pool deck, alongside the FlowRider surf simulator the Freedom of the Seas introduced to sea in 2006, the 40-foot Rock Climbing Wall on the aft funnel, mini-golf, golf simulators, and a sports court. Water options include Splashaway Bay for younger children and the main pools and whirlpools, while the adults-only Solarium is the quieter swim and sun deck.
Wellness and fitness centre on the Vitality Spa & Fitness Center, with a full menu of massages, facials, and body wraps plus a thermal suite and a salon. The adults-only Solarium is the calm retreat away from the family pools, and the gym carries cardio and weights with paid group classes.
Kids and teens programming runs through Adventure Ocean for ages 6 months to 17, with a nursery for 6 to 36 months, then Aquanauts (3 to 5), Explorers (6 to 8), and Voyagers (9 to 11). Splashaway Bay is the kids’ aqua park on the pool deck, and teens get a dedicated lounge, disco, and arcade for ages 12 to 17.
Who is the Freedom of the Seas best for?
Freedom of the Seas is a strong fit for you in three scenarios:
- You want a big, lively Freedom-class ship on a flexible 3 to 7 night Caribbean sailing from Miami, with the four-deck Royal Promenade and the Studio B ice rink alongside the modern thrills the 2020 amplification added, from The Perfect Storm waterslides and the glow-in-the-dark Battle for Planet Z laser tag to the Playmakers Sports Bar and the new Izumi and El Loco Fresh restaurants. Every Caribbean sailing typically calls at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
- You’re a short-break cruiser who wants a 3 or 4 night Bahamas getaway from Miami, a length that’s uncommon on Royal Caribbean’s larger megaships and ideal for a long weekend or a first taste of cruising.
- You’re a Northern Europe cruiser who wants a Norwegian-fjord, Baltic, or transatlantic voyage on a big amplified Royal Caribbean ship from Southampton in summer, which makes her a natural pick-up point for Australian guests already travelling in the UK or Europe.
Freedom of the Seas is a mid-sized Freedom-class hull, so she’s less suited to you if you’re after the scale of Royal Caribbean’s larger Oasis-class ships, with their Central Park, Boardwalk, and AquaTheater neighbourhoods, or the line’s newest Icon-class features such as the AquaDome and Surfside. She’s also not an option for Australian guests wanting a home-port departure: she sails only from Miami and Southampton, so this is a fly-cruise.
Where does the Freedom of the Seas dock in Miami?
Freedom of the Seas sails year-round from the Miami Cruise Terminal in Florida for her Caribbean and Bahamas season. In summer she repositions to the Port of Southampton in England for her Northern Europe and transatlantic season, which makes Southampton the easier pick-up point for Australian guests already in the UK or Europe. Pier assignments can vary by voyage, so check your booking for the exact terminal. She does not sail from Australia, so Australian guests fly either to Miami or to Southampton to join her.
Prefer to sail Royal Caribbean from Australia?
Freedom of the Seas is a Miami- and Southampton-based ship, so an Australian booking is always a fly-cruise. If you’d rather board closer to home, three Royal Caribbean fleetmates sail from Australian homeports:
- Anthem of the Seas is the upgrade pivot, a newer Quantum-class ship that homeports in Sydney and Brisbane in the Australian summer. Her signature features, the North Star observation pod and the RipCord by iFLY indoor skydiving simulator, are a step up from the Freedom-class feature set on Freedom of the Seas. See Anthem of the Seas cruises.
- Ovation of the Seas is the other Quantum-class Australian regular, with a similar newer-generation feature set to Anthem of the Seas on Sydney and Brisbane summer rotations. See Ovation of the Seas cruises.
- Voyager of the Seas is the closest size-and-feel match, a Voyager-class fleetmate sailing Australian summers from Sydney and Brisbane that carries the same four-deck Royal Promenade, Studio B ice rink, and FlowRider surf simulator format on a slightly smaller, older platform. See Voyager of the Seas cruises.
Freedom of the Seas FAQs
How old is the Freedom of the Seas?
Freedom of the Seas entered service in May 2006 as the lead and namesake of Royal Caribbean’s three Freedom-class ships, which makes her 20 years old in 2026. She was built by Aker Yards at Turku in Finland at a cost of around US$800 million, and she was named on 12 May 2006 by her godmother, Katherine Louise Calder. Her landmark update was the major 2020 amplification of around US$116 million, which added The Perfect Storm waterslides, the Battle for Planet Z laser tag, the Playmakers, Izumi, and El Loco Fresh restaurants, the Lime & Coconut pool-deck bar, and a redesigned pool deck.
How many passengers can the Freedom of the Seas carry?
Freedom of the Seas carries 3,782 guests at lower-berth capacity (standard double occupancy) and up to 4,829 passengers when every upper berth and sofa bed is filled. With around 1,360 crew, that is roughly 5,142 people on board at standard occupancy and about 6,189 at full capacity.
How long is the Freedom of the Seas?
Freedom of the Seas measures 339 metres (1,112 feet) in overall length, with a waterline beam of 38.6 metres (127 feet) and a maximum beam of around 56 metres at the bridge wings. At 154,407 gross tonnes she was the world’s largest cruise ship when she launched in 2006, holding that title until Oasis of the Seas arrived in 2009.
What are the noisy rooms to avoid on the Freedom of the Seas?
Two cabin positions on the Freedom of the Seas are worth avoiding if you’re a light sleeper, based on researched architectural patterns for the Freedom of the Seas that transfer across the Freedom-class hull (sisters Liberty of the Seas and Independence of the Seas):
- Cabins on Deck 10, directly below the pool deck, the gym, and the Windjammer Café, which pick up early-morning deck-chair movement and pool-deck setup from above.
- Aft cabins on Deck 2, above the engine room, which can pick up engine noise and vibration, though the evidence for this pattern is thinner than for the Deck 10 one.
Call Cruise Guru on 13 13 03, use Contact Us, or submit a Request a Call Back form, and a consultant can advise on specific deck and cabin numbers within the category you are considering.
Does the Freedom of the Seas have a water slide?
Yes, Freedom of the Seas has waterslides at The Perfect Storm, added in her 2020 amplification, alongside her redesigned pool deck. They’re included in your cruise fare and open during scheduled hours, weather permitting. For younger children there’s Splashaway Bay, the kids’ aqua park on the pool deck, and the Freedom of the Seas is also the ship that introduced the FlowRider surf simulator to sea at her 2006 debut.
Can Australian cruisers book the Freedom of the Seas?
Yes, Australian cruisers can book the Freedom of the Seas, but you’ll need to fly to join her, most often to Miami for her year-round Caribbean and Bahamas season or to Southampton in England for her summer Northern Europe season. She has no Australia, New Zealand, or South Pacific departures, so for a no-fly Royal Caribbean sailing from Sydney or Brisbane, the section above on Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, and Voyager of the Seas is the better starting point.
Royal Caribbean prices these fares in US dollars, and at recent exchange rates indicative cruise-only fares for her sailings start from around A$1,550 per person for an interior cabin, around A$1,815 for an oceanview, around A$2,095 for a balcony, and around A$3,600 for a suite, which works out to roughly A$170 per person per day at the entry tier, making her one of the more affordable Royal Caribbean ships in the fleet, though these are volatile snapshots that move with the exchange rate, so check the live fares on this page for current pricing on your chosen sailing.
