 Expert Review |  | | | | |
| | | | | Overview
Liberty of the Seas is the second sizeable offspring in the Freedom-class family, a litter of vessels that began with Freedom of the Seas in 2006 and culminated with Independence of the Seas in 2008. There is little new on Liberty of the Seas that either sister ship Freedom of the Seas or, for the most part, the other five Voyager-class vessels do not already possess -- including popular onshore brands such as Johnny Rockets and Ben & Jerry's, cruising's only ice rinks, a rock-climbing wall, the novel "Promenade" concept, and Boleros Latin lounge. There were certainly new additions that debuted with the Freedom class, which had the benefit of approximately 15 percent more space than its Voyager-class siblings. In 2006, cruisers became acquainted with surfing at sea through the FlowRider, were able to experience a dynamic new children's offering with the H20 Zone water park, and deal with suppressed rage in the Everlast boxing ring. But the ship's overall concept -- both in terms of design and choices -- actually emerged some time ago. Introduced back in 1999, Voyager of the Seas is the ship responsible for the majority of the above-mentioned features, which are now staples of the Royal Caribbean fleet. (In fact, Johnny Rockets and Boleros have proven so successful they were added to the older Sovereign-class vessels during that class' extensive refurbishment.) And so, through a culmination of Voyager- and Freedom-class innovations, Royal Caribbean has introduced a ship in Liberty of the Seas that offers infinite options in the areas of fitness, recreation and entertainment. With the sheer number of options onboard (especially if the seas are calm), you may find yourself forgetting that you're actually on a massive floating object, gliding quickly through the Caribbean Sea. While little has changed in terms of new facilities, dining options and cabin styles, Liberty of the Seas is presenting at least one novel concept, the Explorer Weddings program. This is an extension of RCI's Royal Romance program, allowing guests to create a customized wedding experience or renew vows at sea -- though technically, ceremonies cannot be performed at sea. Marriage licenses must be obtained in port, and a symbolic wedding and reception can occur onboard. See Editor's Picks: Best Cruises for Weddings for more info. What the Explorer Wedding offers is the option for guests to fashion an adventure-minded "ceremony" at onboard venues such as the FlowRider, rock wall or ice rink, or onshore (helicopter ride in Alaska; medieval castle in Europe). The problem -- and this may not be a "problem" at all if you're a Royal Caribbean fan -- is that the combination of innovative features -- particularly aimed at a younger, more active cruiser -- may make it difficult to ever settle for another line, or even a smaller ship within the RCI fleet, with fewer options. There's one essential caveat, however. There are two key factors that may make a cruise on Liberty of the Seas the most expensive mainstream cruise you've ever taken. The booming popularity of Freedom-class vessels has summarily driven up base prices for cruising onboard Freedom and Liberty of the Seas. When we compared the rates of Liberty of the Seas against the newest models from Princess and Carnival (same date range in November 2007, same itinerary of seven-night Eastern Caribbean), we were surprised to find prices ranging from $499 for an inside cabin with Princess, $599 for an inside cabin with Carnival, and $849 for an inside cabin on ... Liberty of the Seas. Even its older fleetmate, Radiance of the Seas, featured a November 10 weeklong Eastern Caribbean cruise from significantly less ($599). And then there are the a la carte items. More so than any other cruise on which I've traveled, Liberty of the Seas' list of a la carte items does harm to cruising's reputation as a relatively all-inclusive experience: Ben & Jerry's, the specialty restaurants, onboard bars, specialty coffee drinks, the most impressive arcade at sea, Johnny Rockets, etc. It's not that other ships don't have these things on offer, but that Liberty of the Seas has all of them -- and more. And the issue? The for-fee items are generally quite hard to resist. The meals in the specialty restaurants are significantly better than those in the dining rooms, and following my first meal at Johnny Rockets (the fourth meal of the day, between lunch and dinner), I was addicted and quite willing to pay for future meals there for the remainder of the cruise. | | |  top | | | | Public Rooms
Royal Caribbean has ingeniously created a two-level promenade that you'll walk through many, many times per day. Along with the well-attended Casino Royale on Deck 4, the Deck 5 promenade, four stories in height, spans much of the length of the ship. Looking as if its been carefully excised from a New Jersey mall, there are a cluster of shops on both sides including stores for logo items, perfume, duty-free alcohol and jewelry, as well as Vintages Wine Bar, the Hoof & Claw British pub, Cafe Promenade coffee shop, A Clean Shave barber shop, etc. On Deck 7 aft is the modest library, and though not teeming with readers, the space had a few passengers engaged with books each time I passed en route to or from my nearby cabin. One deck directly above the library is Royal Caribbean Online (connected by a staircase), the ship's Internet cafe. There are 19 terminals, and at least half were often in use. There was a range of connection speeds, from approximately what you'd expect at home with a cable modem to the early days of Internet, the 14.4 dial-up. The flat rate is 50 cents a minute, but if you buy packages, the rate can decrease to as low as 33 cents a minute. The same rates apply to Wi-Fi, which is available in cabins and in various public area hot spots. A new addition to Liberty of the Seas, a series of interactive touch screen ship maps, is located at the base of the port and starboard stairs (aft) on Decks 4, 5 and 11. Currently, there are no plans to add these maps to other ships, but future guests can expect to see them on the Oasis-class vessels. One of Liberty's finest public features is the artwork on display in the ship's three stairwells. Focusing on an altered photo collage aesthetic, I found myself stopping to gaze at several of the pieces, some of which were a bit racier than you'd expect from such a wholesome ship (Wim Bosch's "Corridor Wait" with nudie calendar inset in its apartment tableaux, aft stairwell). At the top of the ship, Cloud Nine, which is next to the Seven Hearts card and game room (adjacent to the Viking Crown Lounge), can be used for private meetings or parties. There are a few Ping-Pong tables just outside the game room. The Skylight Chapel one deck up is the spot for onboard weddings. With such an enormous vessel, it stands to reason that Royal Caribbean would introduce some sort of audio tour to help guests navigate Liberty of the Seas. And sure enough, there's a tour, led by the voice of journalist, editor and author Tina Brown in the testing stages (not yet available to the public, no date of release yet). Hopefully, the final tour will include some comments on the ship's art collection. | | | | top | | | | Cabins
For the most part, staterooms represent the standard industry move toward a high percentage of outside and/or balcony staterooms; 842 of the 1,817 cabins, or nearly half, have balconies. All cabins are clean and functional, with peach and teal decor, and equipped with desks, safes, hair dryers, Wi-Fi Internet access, mini-fridges and flat-screen TV's featuring a range of channels (ESPN, Fox News, TNT, Cartoon Network, VHI en Espanol, several RCI ad channels) as well as interactive options (order shore excursions and room service, or check your expenses). Editor's Note: Because the TV's are modern flat-screen (Samsung), kids can (and do) bring their PlayStations and Wii consoles for in-room use. More specifically, potential passengers can choose from four different categories of stateroom: inside, oceanview, balcony and suite. Then, within each are different setups at different price points, including larger configurations for families. Interior and promenade-view staterooms measure 152 square ft. and 149 square ft. respectively -- quite small for a new ship -- and feature shower-only bathrooms with sliding doors as opposed to curtain. A single pump in the shower is preloaded with shower gel/shampoo. Family insides measure 300 square ft. with room for up to six to sleep on two twin beds that convert into a queen plus a sofa and/or Pullman. Ranging from 161 to 200 square ft., oceanview cabins offer slightly more space and a porthole, an ideal compromise for the semi-claustrophobic cruiser. Family oceanview cabins are 293 square ft. and include a sitting area, two twin beds that convert into a queen, and a sofa and/or Pullman. Liberty offers two balcony choices, the 177-square-ft. Deluxe (balcony: 74 square ft.) and the 189-square-ft. Superior (balcony: 68 square ft.). Balcony furniture is comprised of a small table and two upright plastic-ribbon loungers. There are a variety of suite choices, including Junior Suites (287 square ft., tub, walk-in closet, balcony: 101 square ft.), Grand Suites (387 square ft. tub, walk-in closet, balcony: 126 square ft.), and Owner's Suites (614 square ft., tub, walk-in closet, separate sitting area, balcony: 209 square ft.) with names taken from musical nomenclature (Harmony, Symphony, etc.). The one Royal Suite (1,406 square ft., balcony: 377 square ft.) also boasts a whirlpool marble tub and shower, entertainment center, king-sized bed, baby grand piano, and a private hot tub on the balcony. Grand, Owner's and Royal Suite guests have access to the Concierge Club lounge (Deck 10 midship, open 24 hours, but manned for just over half that), where guests can enjoy complimentary pre- and post-dinner canapes and cocktails. You can also use the concierge on call to book your shore excursions, dining reservations, spa appointments, etc. For larger family groupings, there are four Royal Family Suites (610 square ft, balcony 234 square ft.) that hold up to eight and feature a living area with a double sofa bed, two bedrooms with two twin beds that convert to a queen (one also features third and fourth bunks), a verandah and two bathrooms with showers (one with tub). Making its second showing for RCI is the Presidential Family Suite (1,215 square ft., balcony 810 square ft.). The suite sleeps up to 14 of your kin and is made up of two master bedrooms with private baths, as well as two smaller bedrooms, each with two Pullman beds and two twin beds that convert to a queen. Moreover, there are two additional shower-only bathrooms (the same as you'd see in standard accommodations). The 810-square-ft. private balcony (over four-times larger than my cabin alone) boasts a hot tub, teak dining set (table and chairs) and padded loungers. Like Freedom, Liberty also features the B & J room (6305), a promenade-view cabin overlooking two cow tukases that stand atop the Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlor (just below). Cruisers who end up in this obstructed view will receive complimentary ice cream at Ben & Jerry's every day of their cruise. Editor's Note: Beginning January 1, 2008, guests will no longer be able to smoke in their staterooms. Balcony smoking will still be allowed. | | | | top | | | | Entertainment
Beyond the cruise industry standard offerings -- "R"-rated comedians, the Love and Marriage Game Show, mind-numbing amounts of bingo and karaoke -- Freedom- and Voyager-class vessels feature cruising's only ice rinks, here called Studio B. Guests can watch a group of earnest skaters making the best of the small, choppy ice surface, balancing admirably, at the mercy of the ship's potential for random shudders. Given the circumstances, I found myself rooting for the skaters not to fall and encouraging them when they did. Ice show tickets are free, but they need to be obtained in advance; check your Compass for details on your sailing. The Platinum Theater features the ship's nightly production spectacles, including "In the Air," a Cirque de Soleil-style offering where little of the action takes place on the stage. During the day, guests have any number of typical activity options -- sexy legs, trivia, family pool games, seminars on tooth whitening and attaining flawless skin, wine tasting -- the majority of which are based around the open-deck pool areas, the spa and the Deck 13 aft sports area, which houses the rock-climbing wall, FlowRider, Sports Court and mini-golf course. But a ship with such endless choices couldn't possibly limit itself to simply the status quo. One of the more unique offerings is the D.J. class hosted by Scratch DJ Academy. Check your Compass for times. Casino Royale makes no claim to be the largest at sea, but its 308 slots and 19 tables provide more than enough real estate for gamblers. Common favorites like Black Jack, Caribbean Stud Poker and Roulette were always well attended, even in the early a.m. hours. And following a relatively popular onshore trend, the casino featured a Texas Hold'Em tournament with a $5,000 prize pool for finalists. On our particular sailing from Miami, which featured several "Quinceanera" celebrations (a Latin girl's 15th birthday), there was an incredibly high percentage of Spanish-speaking passengers. There was more high-energy evening dancing in Bolero's -- to a poblano-pepper-hot Latin group, Sol y Arena -- than I've ever experienced on a cruise. And although the Cruise Compass listed the closing hour as 1 a.m., the band certainly went well beyond that, catering to the desires of the clientele. Editor's Note: One side (the side with the dancing and band) is designated for smoking, the other side is nonsmoking. Located on the Promenade, The Hoof & Claw is ideal for your casual afternoon cocktail. Its black walls, dark brown leather seating and romantic images of eloquent English gentry -- see wealthy palefaces holding court, stroking their mare's mane, or an enormous mastiff with sausage links balanced on his nose -- aim for a vibe of sleepy refinement. I found the staff here to be particularly congenial, engaging guests (first-name basis) in easy conversation ("So I says to him, Frankie, I says ... And he says to me...."). If you're hungry, you can ask for some peanuts to accompany your Murphy's stout (Yank choices also available) or "James Bond" martini. At night, guitar-man Jimmy Blakemore takes your requests. There are a range of other bars to choose from throughout the ship, including Deck 4's nautical-themed Schooner Bar, Vintage's Wine Bar, the Champagne Bar, a cigar club for decidedly masculine choices (scotch), and of course the popular Olive or Twist (Liberty's iteration of RCI's Viking Crown Lounge), perched atop the ship. Of course, watching the active sporting pursuits going on around the clock make for excellent entertainment as well. The FlowRider has seats for viewing potential clothing mishaps, and there were in fact reports circulating about a woman with tiny bikini top who was warned to put a T-shirt on, insisted on not doing so, and summarily lost her top. | | | | top | | | | Fitness and Recreation
The Lido area features two main pools, with one for swimming and one for sports, as well as three Jacuzzis. The H20 Zone, with its kids-only pool, waterfall and abstract colorful sculpture fountains easily garners the most attention. Though adults are not technically supposed to be playing in this pool area, I did in fact run through myself to test out the product. It was enjoyable and an outstanding way to lower your body temperature on a blistering Caribbean day. In the adults-only Solarium pool area, located farther forward, you'll see swinging chairs (surprisingly, usually unoccupied) and the two cantilevered whirpools, which jut out over the side of the ship (they hang 100 ft. above the ocean's surface), and provide fantastic views through clear glass panels. For your workout, you can head to the ShipShape Fitness Center, the finest gym on a cruise ship, with a number and variety of equipment -- a long row of sea-facing Lifestyle treadmills, plenty of bikes, a large separate room for Yoga, Pilates and stretching classes, weight machines that focus on every individual muscle in your body, free weights in every weight -- mirroring the overall size and offerings of the ship. Whether your goal is to correct a prematurely hunched posture or to improve your skin in the pore-destroying climate of the Caribbean, there are several morning and afternoon fitness seminars offered for free (with the aim of selling those products or services of course). But frankly, I found the seminars more confusing than beneficial -- restructuring years of bad diet and lifestyle habits in 30 minutes is a bit of a stretch -- and the amount of information on nutrition, metabolic function, water retention, glycemic index levels, fat deposits, Chinese herbs, etc. requires an indefatigable will to focus. With chocolate sauce ringing the corners of my mouth and a modest-sized brown stain on my shirt, I was relieved that I would be able to sweat out some of my consumption via the various programs. And perhaps that's the idea -- creating a cycle of food gorging, slight guilt, activity, food gorging, guilt, activity. You may pick up some ice cream at Ben & Jerry's, stuff your face with a burger at Johnny Rockets, and then attend a biking class in the afternoon. Liberty of the Seas has just introduced acupuncture, something that sister line Celebrity has been offering. I attended a seminar on acupuncture, and the acupuncturist noted that it typically takes three or four treatments to notice a visible effect. The main potential side effect of acupuncture is bruising -- if the capillaries right on the skin are irritated -- and bruising is not something that a cruiser would want if they were wearing a backless dress on formal night. My suggestion: Try it on land if you're interested, where you won't pay cruise spa prices, and where more and more insurance companies are actually covering the procedure. The basketball court featured constant, nearly day-long pickup games, organized tournaments, as well as amusingly violent organized soccer games (pleading RCI staff: "Guys! Guys! Please, keep it clean! Guys!") We have to mention the FlowRider, the popular surf simulator that's found on all three Freedom-class ships. Surfing is free and open to everyone (check hours), but if you really want to master it, try booking a one-on-one private FlowRider lesson for $75 per person, per hour (up to 8 people per session). Individuals, or groups looking to "free-surf" without an instructor can book the FlowRider for $350 per hour, with no limit to the total number of participants (50 percent no-show fee will be charged if you don't cancel at least 24 hours in advance). People aiming to take advantage of all the "fitness" offerings should augment their T-shirt, underwear and socks allocations -- or be prepared to do some laundry. In the muggy 90-degree Caribbean clime, you will sweat through your clothes. One note of contention from a fellow cruiser: The buffet features oversized ovular plates, and there seems to be a natural inclination to fill the plates to, at minimum, capacity. Why not offer smaller plates? Though RCI, and many, many other lines have gone entirely trans-fat free, there are no vitality options currently offered in the Windjammer dining complex. | | | | top | | | | Family
Like sister ship Freedom, Liberty of the Seas is easily the best ship for families in the Royal Caribbean fleet. And if the phenomenal number of kids onboard during my summer cruise (nearly 1,300 or 30 percent of the population) is any indication, the fleet is aiming to rival even family stalwart Disney. It will be interesting to see how the family market evolves when Disney's fleet officially doubles by 2012. Children are broken into five separate age groups that get both their own activities and private rooms. Each room has its own activities area, and Internet consoles line at least one wall. There are Aquanauts (3 - 5) (I admired a "Look What I Did Today!" board displaying chaotic art pieces), Explorers (6 - 8), Voyagers (9 - 11), Navigators (12 - 14) and older teens (15 - 17). Another dynamite option for kids aged 12 to 17 is the chance to attend several free D.J. classes through RCI's agreement with the Scratch DJ Academy. Here you can learn the basics of being a D.J. using the latest equipment. Also back on Liberty of the Seas are the cool teens-only hangouts Fuel (a mini-club with dance floor, soda bar and Internet terminals) and the Living Room (a lounge that often bustled with activity). There were also quite a few kids, and especially those in the more awkward teenage phase, who were perfectly content hanging out in packs. I stumbled into Catacombs, the adults-only nightclub (hosting one "teens take over" night), where about 15 teenagers were holding court, touching the gargoyles, snapping photos, etc. As I was leaving the scene before being detected, one particularly saucy teeny bopper casually remarked, "Guys, we're playing truth or dare. You know you want to kiss us." For younger children, RCI offers the Aqua Babies (6 - 18 months) and Aqua Tots (18 - 36 months) programs, boasting a series of interactive classes developed by early childhood experts at Fisher-Price. This isn't babysitting -- parents are there to spend time with baby and learn how to play properly and safely with a tiny being. You can watch baby play with other tots, help baby learn about the connection between farm animals and the sounds they make, and play with some sweet toys. Editor's Note: I noticed a grandma returning supplies -- paper, glue, scissors, tape -- to the Adventure Oceans area. If you're looking for a little constructive one-on-one time with your baby's baby, inquire about borrowing the goods. The staff is quite accommodating to any ideas you may have. Without a doubt, the Challenger's Video Arcade (located adjacent to the Adventure Ocean rooms) is the best arcade at sea, with a fittingly huge number of games. Prices however are a bit excessive -- cheapest game at 75 cents, most at least $1.45 per play -- and it would be easy to amass hundreds of dollars in charges per kid by week's end. Youths can play bingo (with a parent or guardian) for free -- and they can win too, with only a parent's signature required at the Explorations desk to collect the cash. On our cruise, a young'un won the final jackpot, nearly $6,300. Not sure if his parents, who had every right to do so, snapped that up ("See Mildred, I told you he'd amount to something."). | | | | top | | | | Fellow Passengers
On my seven-night Eastern Caribbean summer departure, there were over 1,300 children. That's nearly a third of the entire onboard passenger population, and families were certainly the majority of cruisers. Besides seeing one of the youngest demographics in cruising, expect to cavort with mostly North Americans, and out of Miami a large number of bilingual Spanish-English speaking passengers. | | | | top | | | | Dress Code
Seven-night cruises have two formal nights and five casual nights. A decent number of men choose to wear tuxedos for formal dining, though dark suits were more common on our sailing. Women are typically found in cocktail dresses or gowns. | | | | top | | | | Gratuity
Royal Caribbean recommends $3.50 per person, per day to the dining room waiter; $3.50 per person, per day to the cabin steward; and $2 per person, per day to the assistant waiter. Envelopes are provided for tipping in cash, but passengers can also prepay their gratuities at the time of booking or have the amounts added to their shipboard (SeaPass) accounts. A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to bar tabs; tipping for spa services is at guests' discretion. --by Dan Askin, Associate Editor | | | | top | | | | | Expert reviews are provided by CruiseCritic.com, an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation. | |  | |
|
