Freedom of the Seas (full name: MS Freedom of the Seas) is a large cruise ship operated and owned by Royal Caribbean International, one of the largest cruise lines in the world. Freedom of the Seas belongs to Royal Caribbean’s Freedom class; indeed, it is the namesake ship of this class of vessels. Below is an overview of Freedom of the Seas, including information about its history and offerings, as well as some of the ship’s statistics.
Freedom of the Seas is a relatively new vessel. It was ordered by Royal Caribbean in 2003, and construction started on the vessel the following year. It was built at Aker Yards (now called STX Europe) in Finland. The other two ships of the Freedom class (Liberty of the Seas and Independence of the Seas) were also built by Aker Yards. When it was completed, it became the largest passenger ship ever built. It held this title until 2009, when the first ship of the Oasis class, Oasis of the Seas, took its maiden voyage. (Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, which took its maiden voyage a year after Oasis of the Seas, make up the Oasis class. They are the two largest cruise ships in the world, with Allure of the Seas, a mere 50 millimeters longer than Oasis of the Seas, technically being the largest cruise ship in the world.) Freedom of the Seas took its first voyage in June of 2006, and up until this year it only sailed in the Caribbean.
All of the ships in the Freedom class share the same design and therefore the same statistics. Freedom of the Seas has a gross tonnage of 154,407 and it is 1,112 feet (338.9 meters) long. The boat’s max beam (the width at the boat’s widest point) is 184 feet (56 meters). The ship has 18 decks, 15 of which are passenger decks. The ship can accommodate 3,634 passengers and it has a crew of 1,360, making the passenger-to-crew member ratio approximately 3:1.
Like other huge cruise ships, there is much to do on board in terms of relaxation, entertainment, and dining. There are four pools and six whirlpools (two of which overlook the ocean) on board the ship, and there is also a large spa (the “Vitality Spa”) that offers an assortment of treatments (some medical, some cosmetic). There are tons of sports-related activities that can be pursued on board as well. There are some fairly standard facilities, like a full-sized basketball court and an ice-skating rink, but you can also pursue more unique activities, like rock climbing on the climbing wall or “surfing” on the FlowRider surf simulator. Finally, there are numerous places to eat (many of which are complimentary to guests) and nearly two dozen bars, clubs, and lounges to drink and/or dance. And all of this merely hints how many things there are to do on Freedom of the Seas (or the other two ships in the Freedom class).
If you are interested in learning more about Freedom of the Seas, you should consider checking out its official page on the Royal Caribbean site. If you are interested in booking a cruise vacation on Freedom of the Seas, you could do so through Royal Caribbean directly, or you might consider finding a cruise deal through a third party.