Liberty Of The Seas Review
Liberty Of The Seas: Get ready for a tide twisting thrill-a-thon where every experience is larger than life. Sailing from Galveston, Texas, you to some of the most incredible shores in the Caribbean — all while offering plenty of whoa-worthy satisfaction, game changing slides, and next level nightlife to keep you checking firsts off your bucket list in between havens.
If high-speed white-knuckle rides are your kind of experience, you’ve come to the right ship. Liberty of the Seas is loaded with cruise activities and slides that maximize the thrills. Like the epinephrine amping Tidal Wave℠, the first boomerang style slide at sea, and The Perfect Storm℠ dueling water slides. Even the littlest thrill claimants can get in on the action with mini slides at Splashaway Bay℠.
Royal Caribbean Liberty Of The Seas
Liberty of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean International Freedom-class sailing ship which began regular service in May 2007. It was initially announced that she would be called Endeavour of the Seas, however this name was later reversed. The 15-deck ship accommodates 3,634 passengers delivered by 1,360 crew. She was built in 18 months at the Aker Finnyards Turku Shipyard, Finland, where her sister ship, Freedom of the Seas, was also built. Initially built at 154,407 gross tonnage (GT), she joined her sister ship, Freedom of the Seas, as the largest cruise ships and customer vessels then ever built. She is 1,111.9 ft (338.91 m) long, 184 ft (56.08 m) wide, and cruises at 21.6 knots (40 km/h).
Liberty of the Seas is the second of the Freedom-class vessels. A third ship, Independence of the Seas, was transferred in April 2008. In 2009, the first in a new Oasis class of ships measuring 220,000 gross tons displaced the Freedom class as the world’s largest customer ships.
On April 19, 2007, Liberty of the Seas was delivered to parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. On April 22, 2007 she made her first port of call Southampton, on a advertisy visit. She arrived at Cape Liberty Journey Port on May 3, 2007.
On May 18, 2007, the ship was christened by Toronto-based travel agent Donnalea Madeley, who, along with her companion, is also the founder of the charity Hands Across the Nations.
In January 2011, Liberty of the Seas underwent improvements which included an outdoor video screen in the main swimming pool area.
Later in 2011, Liberty of the Seas completed her first transatlantic repositioning cruise, heartbreaking from Miami, Florida to being home-ported in Barcelona, Spain. She stayed in Europe for the summer and part of fall, and then replaced to Miami. Until 2015, Liberty of the Seas spent summers in Europe and winters in either Port of Miami or Port marshland in Florida. In 2015, Liberty of the Seas repositioned to Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, New Jersey from May to November, after which she repositioned to Galveston, Texas.
In February 2016, Birthright of the Seas again underwent improvements, adding additional cabins atop the front of the ship, introducing new restaurants, and making improvements to the pool deck. After the enhancements, Liberty of the Seas was 155,889 gross tonnage (GT), producing her larger than the other two Freedom-class ships, and the eleventh largest cruise ship in the world, beating Norwegian Epic by 16 GT.
Liberty Of The Seas Deck Plans
A member of Royal Caribbean’s Freedom class of ships, Liberty of the Seas is a large ship that can feel crowded but is ideal for families and offers peace and quiet if you know where to find it. The ship’s heart is in the central Royal Promenade. With glass staircases and bridges that cross from port to starboard lit in cool purple and blue tones, this area, which soars four decks high, comes alive with daily deal seekers and character parades. You’ll also find several bars here, perfect if you like lingering over a pre-dinner aperitif while people watching.
Despite being 10 years old, Liberty of the Seas feels new and contemporary throughout most of the public areas (though the rooms are a bit worn). Cruisers on Liberty of the Seas can dine in style in a rich mahogany three-story dining room, each level named in honor of an Italian Renaissance painter, with sparkling chandeliers and romantic sunset views. And there are optional specialty restaurants, as well, making for an easy date night.
And when it comes to outdoor fun, Liberty’s got it all with three distinct pool spaces plus an area for thrill-seekers who can’t help but scream on the gut-grinding water attraction, Tidal Wave.
There are no two ways about it though: This is a large ship that regularly hauls 4,000 passengers, and it can sometimes feel crowded, particularly when you’re waiting for an elevator or trying to angle for a slice of pizza in the Windjammer buffet. But while some areas of the ship feel cramped, others do not and once you get a feel for the flow of traffic and part ways with your at-home stress levels, you’ll find the quieter, less traveled areas — if that’s what you want.
Liberty of the Seas is an ideal cruise for families, especially given the quality of the onboard programming for kids. You won’t find a ton of bells and whistles, technologically speaking, in Adventure Ocean (the kids’ club) or the nursery, but children always have a full slate of age-appropriate programming, and without fail, ours asked every day to go back. That leaves plenty of time for parents to relax at the adults-only Solarium pool, in the casino or at the spa.
Included with your cruise fare:
- Meals in three main dining rooms, the Windjammer Marketplace, and at Jade, Cafe Promenade, Sorrento’s Pizza, plus continental breakfast room service; also snacks at Sprinkles Ice Cream
- Main theater production shows
- Most activities and events onboard, including use of the Studio B ice skating rink
- Fitness center use (except most fitness classes and personal training sessions)
- Use of the Sports Court, mini-golf, water slides, flowrider surf simulator and rock climbing wall
- Adventure Ocean kids’ programming until 10 p.m.
- Gratuities, only if you booked your cruise in Australia and New Zealand in AU and NZ dollars
Liberty Of The Seas Reviews
Most recently updated in 2016, Liberty of the Seas houses up to 4,960 guests and 1,360 crew members. Recent cruisers praise the food, which includes four complimentary options and six specialty eateries for an extra fee. The ship also boasts line staples like a surf simulator, a rock climbing wall and an ice skating rink.
When kids aren’t playing in the three pools, zooming down the ship’s waterslides or going airborne on Tidal Wave, the only boomerang slide at sea, they can mingle at age-specific youth clubs or meet DreamWorks film characters. Meanwhile, adults can grab a cocktail at one of 12 bars and lounges, try their luck at the casino or participate in the Mystery Dinner Theater.
Like other ships in the fleet, Liberty of the Sease features four stateroom categories (Interior, Ocean View, Balcony and Suite). While Interior cabins range from 150 to 327 square feet, Suites measure to up 1,358 square feet. All cabins are outfitted with flat-screen TVs and vanity areas, but Suites receive additional perks like concierge service.
Liberty Of The Seas Deck Plan
The newly renovated Liberty of the Seas® is packed with all the phenomenal onboard experiences you’d expect from our innovative Freedom class of ships, plus new offerings to stir your imagination. Share a high five with Shrek as part of The DreamWorks® Experience. Put on your boogie shoes for hit Broadway musical Saturday Night Fever. Catch a first-run movie in the 3D theater or poolside under the stars on the outdoor movie screen. And finish the evening with a selection of reds or whites at the renovated, now-more-intimate Vintages wine bar. Plus, enjoy all the revolutionary features Liberty of the Seas has always been known for – like the FlowRider® surf simulator, rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, Royal Promenade, cantilevered whirlpools, mini golf course, and much more.
Is Liberty of the Seas a good ship?
A member of Royal Caribbean’s Freedom class of ships, Liberty of the Seas is a large ship that can feel crowded but is ideal for families and offers peace and quiet if you know where to find it. The ship’s heart is in the central Royal Promenade.
When was the Liberty of the Seas refurbished?
Royal Caribbean revealed the details of its scheduled refurbishment for Liberty of the Seas that will take place during her month-long drydock in January 2016.