Cruise Screen

First ImpressionsIn some quarters, there’s been a “ho hum” feeling about Royal Caribbean’s new, mammoth Liberty of the Seas cruise ship. This could be attributed to the fact that this vessel, the second in its class, is pretty much a carbon copy of older sibling Freedom of the Seas.Indeed, the prototypical 160,000-ton, 3,634-passengers Freedom of the Seas, which earned the moniker of “biggest ship ever” when it debuted last year, unveiled lots of nifty new features. Cruising’ s first-ever surf park and a boxing ring - again, a first. There’s the H2O Zone water park and the enormous Presidential Suite (which will accommodate three generations of your family and then some). And there’s plenty of room for a variety of dining options, from the ultra-casual

Sorrento’s pizza parlour on the promenade to Royal Caribbean’s classic Portofino, one of its best alternative restaurants.If we boarded Liberty of the Seas on a recent preview cruise in Southampton feeling less excitement than Freedom had generated a year prior, we were soon disabused of our cynicism. That’s because from the moment we first stepped onto the art deco-inspired Royal Promenade, the energy and electricity of the decor, of the crew, of the entertainers and yes, of passengers who’d boarded with the sole intent of escaping from their daily routines, we felt it. I’d almost call it magic.Beyond its copied-from-Freedom features,

Liberty of the Seas capitalizes on the innovations introduced on Voyager of the Seas in 1999, including the three-deck-high Royal Promenade that runs from the main dining room in the stern to the forward stairway just aft of the theatre. This 140-metre (152 yards) venue not only acts as a shopping mall with restaurants and shops, but also an entertainment venue (and it’s a terrific focal point to help find your way around).Liberty of the Seas is essentially a warm water ship, as none of the pools have a sliding glass roof over them that could be closed in bad weather. This does not matter much when the ship sails in warm climates, such as the Caribbean, but given RCI’s drive to expand its presence in Europe as well, a deployment on the eastern side of the Atlantic may well take place — and then the picture could be different. If you cannot stay out during the day, you will go in, and so will everybody else.

Ultimately, Liberty of the Seas - as is Freedom of the Seas - is the kind of ship that will appeal to people who cruise a lot as well as to those who’ve previously been leery about the big-ship milieu. Driving to Southampton to board the preview cruise, Harvey Baker, my 37-year-old travelling pal who is a self-described non cruiser, was definitely remorseful about agreeing to tag along. “Cruising,” he said, as we arrived at the port and he was stretching his neck to take in the vast height of Liberty of the Seas, “is for old people. I don’t want to watch cabaret at night.” And afterward?Heading home, after a couple of days spent boxing and rock climbing (along with pub crawling), he couldn’t have been more enthusiastic. “That was great, mate! The show, the street party - everything!”

He’s a convert. You will be too.

Bedtime

Royal Caribbean’s major plans to replace cruising’ s most uncomfortable cots, or beds with premium mattresses and bedding fleetwide is old news this year - but who cares? Liberty of the Seas does of course have the new beds, and my mattress felt just right - not hard as a plank nor so soft that you sink into it and get up after little sleep, but with an achy back.The ship has 1,817 cabins in all that range from the 1,215-square-ft. Presidential Suite that sleeps 14 to inside twin-bedded cabins. Of the total, 1,084 have an ocean view and 842 come with a private balcony, while 733 are inside cabins. The bathrooms seem quite spacious, though except for suites are shower-only.

We had an outside cabin with balcony (# 9062); the flat-screen television was terrific and the stateroom was big enough that you could reach the balcony without mountaineering skills even when the beds had been separated.

A further 172 cabins look onto the Royal Promenade — but before you opt for one of these, bear in mind that it is equal to living along a busy pedestrian street with lots of nightlife for the duration of your cruise.

Mealtime

Most things on the Liberty are on a grand scale, but hardly anything is more so than the main dining room. Spanning three decks, it has a total of 2,101 seats. In effect, the space is divided up in three different restaurants. Despite the Italian artists after whom its three decks are named, the overall feel of the vast place is more 19th-century English country house elegant (in a rather light and airy way) than gaudy Italian. The lowermost on Deck 3 is called Rembrandt; the mezzanine on Deck 4 has been named Michelangelo, and the topmost one has derived its name from another Italian renaissance painter, Botticelli. A huge chandelier adorns the well in the center of it all. Despite its size, it has an intimate feel about it.Though our stay was too short to eat everywhere, there’s definitely no shortage of restaurants, from Johnny Rockets for fast food to Portofino and Chops Grille, the ship’s alternative eateries. As well, the Windjammer Cafe, the ship’s buffet venue, offers the usual fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner (and yes, the Asian Jade is onboard as well). Sorrento’s feels a tad more spacious onboard Liberty than on Freedom as the space has been reconfigured - there “storefront” antipasto stations have been moved inside and replaced with a brand-new bar area.Grand Old Favourites

On this ship, the four-deck-high, 140-metre-long Royal Promenade - in essence an indoor mall - runs from the main dining room at the stern to just aft of the theatre. Here it’s got a Miami/South Beach sort of vibe - but other than minor cosmetic changes it’s the same colourful, full-of-energy magnet that it’s been since it was introduced back in the 20th century on Voyager of the Seas! As with Freedom of the Seas, new additions to the Royal Promenade include a stand-alone ice cream shop (Ben & Jerry’s) and a barber shop.

One change from Freedom is that the small book shop that adjoined the Royal Promenade’s coffee bar has been eliminated; that area is now used for extra seating. The Hoof and Claw Bar is the name of the Royal Promenade’s British pub — and from my U.K. vantage point — it had the feel of a small but well patronised counterpart in London or elsewhere.The evening street parties along the promenade still rock. Don’t miss ‘em.

Liberty of the Seas, has one of the best gyms at sea (likewise its Freedom sibling), with proper attention to weight training equipment as well as the cardio side. The boxing ring, punching bag and chance to play speedball further widen the appeal of it. The FlowRider surf simulator and rock climbing wall only adds to Liberty of the Seas’ appeal to the sporty lot. New and Nifty

As the ship is pretty much the same as Freedom of the Seas, the overall design is identical, save for some cosmetic touches. Where the line is introducing new stuff is in programs such as the fleet’s first-ever Crown & Anchor Society Youth Program; this will offer benefits for the first time to kids as well as their parents each time they sail on a Royal Caribbean ship. Perks will range from puzzles and games to freebies from Y-Spa, which is a treatment menu specially created for teenagers.
As well, Liberty will be the launching pad for RCI’s new Vitality program, one that incorporates spa and fitness activities such as tai chi, meditation and mini-makeovers with healthy cuisine. Huh?

Maybe Royal Caribbean has taken its gothic-themed disco design a bit too far with the late night spot on this ship. It’s called the Catacombs, and it’s most definitely on the gloomy side, featuring a huge gargoyle-like character that dominates the upper level of what reminds us of a converted morgue. Doesn’t put you in the party mood.

This is a ship that’s designed for good weather sailing — and the lack of a sliding glass roof over any of its pools means that on inclement days everyone (the ship can handle a total of 3,600 passengers) will be indoors, which may strain areas like the Royal Promenade … we’ll be curious to see if there will be any design changes in this area on Independence of the Seas, the next Freedom-class ship to debut (2008); such a feature could be particularly important for that vessel because it will home port in the U.K.’s oft-rainy Southampton.

Kid-Friendly Factor

At this point, Royal Caribbean’s Freedom-class ships are even outdoing Disney with their kid’s facilities and programs; there’s so much to do that the typical seven-night cruises simply aren’t long enough!

And we love the aforementioned addition to Royal Caribbean’s past passenger program, which now lets young folks accumulate points and privileges just like mom and dad.

Bottom Line

Royal Caribbean’s Adam Goldstein was overheard at our preview to say that the reason that Liberty of the Seas so closely copies Freedom of the Seas — with only the slimmest of cosmetic differences — is that this design is hugely popular. It is, no question, one of the liveliest series of vessels afloat and I’d heartily recommend it, particularly for younger (in spirit, age doesn’t matter) cruise travellers who don’t yearn for ships operating in more traditional ways. It’s easy to see that one seven-night trip onboard either Freedom or Liberty is by no means enough to sample everything (and re-sample particular favourites), so I can see coming back time and time again. Surfing, for instance, never gets old (well wiping out does, but that’s another story).
-by Kari Reinikainen. Reinikainen, based in the U.K., is a regular contributor to the cruise industry’s top business publications, from Fairplay to Cruise Business Review.
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