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On May 7th, 2007, I had the pleasure of visiting the
Liberty of the Seas at the Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal in Bayonne, New
Jersey. Her stay in New Jersey was part of her inaugural events which
exposed her to a number travel agents, media and prospective cruise
passengers.. The enormous, gleaming white, ship is now tied for the title
of the largest ship in the world, with her sister ship, the Freedom of the
Seas, which was delivered almost a year earlier.
The ship, fresh from the Kvaerner Masa Yards in Turku, Finland, incorporates all of the
facilities found onboard Royal Caribbean Voyager class ships. Onboard the
Liberty of the Seas you will find a rock climbing wall, an inline skating
track, ice-skating rink, the Royal Promenade, a jogging track, basketball
court and miniature-golf course.
New amenities found aboard the 15 deck, Liberty of the Seas include the
Flow-Rider where you can try your luck surfing or boogie boarding. The
Flow Rider actually appeared bigger in pictures than in real life, but is
very popular with young cruisers. Even if you do not choose to
participate, it is fun to watch other passengers show off.
Located in the Spa and gym area, the Liberty of the Seas has a boxing
rink where passengers are invited to demonstrate their boxing skills or take
lessons.
In addition to the extensive kids program and arcade, the Liberty of
the Seas has the H2O Zone, a water playground, where kids (and adults) can run under brightly
colored sculptures, squirting water in every direction. For the younger
kids, this is sure to be a hit.
Forward on the pool deck are 2 hot tubs (one on each side),
which extend over the side of the ship - some 10+ decks above the sea.
While sitting in the hot tub, passengers are provided with 180 degrees of
exceptional views.
The ship’s library and internet center are quite spacious and overlook
the Royal Promenade. The Royal Promenade is a four deck high area located
in the center of the ship, which contains many of the ship’s public rooms,
eateries and shops. The area is set-up like a street, winding through the
middle of ship with a pizzeria, Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream shop, a barber
shop, gift, perfume and liquor stores, bakery and pub. Throughout the day,
street performers and musicians can be found entertaining passengers
wandering through the promenade.
The ship’s dining room is very impressive with its three tiers,
balconies, regal stair case and elegant, oversized chandelier. For me,
this room exemplified the incredible size of the ship. Although one large
room, each level of the dining room has a unique name to avoid passenger
confusion. In addition to the formal dining room, there is the buffet area
on Deck 11, where there are many choices for lunch including freshly
sliced roast beef, roast pork, catfish, fried chicken, pasta dishes and salad bar. The desert
bar had a number of selections including coconut squares, cookies, custard
with fresh fruit and apple tarts. The quality, variety and presentation of
the food is above average..
The ship also offers alternative restaurants for dining. The Portofino
Italian restaurant, Chops Grille for Steak and Seafood favorites, The Jade
for Asian Cuisine, Johnny Rockets and Sorrento's for Pizza,. Some of these
dining venues require reservations and an additional surcharge may
apply.
Royal Caribbean does offer unique entertainment. The ice-skating shows
tend to be very enjoyable and are not your stale, ordinary ice shows. They
usually are acrobatic in the nature and quiet entertaining. In addition,
depending on the evening, there are comedians, singers, Broadway
productions, dancers and magicians. The larger shows are usually held in
the Platinum Theatre which can comfortable seat 1,320 guests.
The Liberty of the Seas is action packed for those traveling with kids.
Royal Caribbean has an extensive kids program, separating kids into 4 age
groups and having activities specific to each age group. For the
teenagers, the ship ever has a teen disco. Beyond the structured kids
programs, there are pools, arcades, hot tubs, mini-golf, inline skating,
rock climbing and more.
For the adults, there is the Solarium which is an adults only pool and
sunbathing area, where grown-ups can kick-back in a kids free environment.
Staterooms onboard the Liberty of the Seas are comparable to any new
ship. Accommodation choices include inside, outside and balcony
staterooms. In addition, the Freedom class and Voyager class offer what I
refer to as inside-outside cabins. These are cabins which overlook the
Royal Promenade. All cabins onboard the ship provides ample storage space
and have private facilities which are compact and functional.
The ship offers a wide range of spa treatments which are available at
an additional cost. The gym is located forward above the bridge and offers a
wide array of exercise equipment. While exercising, you can watch a flat
screen TV or gaze out over the expansive ocean ahead of the ship.
For those who want to try their luck in the casino, there are all games
of chance, including blackjack, roulette and slot machines. The casino is
one of the most brightly and colorful rooms aboard the Liberty. In
general, the color scheme of the ship is very subdued using light wood
tones, with brass and silver accents. The Casino with its bright colors
and flashing lights, stands out among the public rooms onboard the ship.
The ship’s two tier disco, named "The Catacombs" is decorated as a
labyrinth with a Nordic theme and pictures of famous Norsemen including
Thor.
In conclusion, the Liberty of the Seas is a Voyager class ship on
steroids. The look and feel of the ship is exactly like the Freedom class
with all of the same amenities plus the Flow-Rider, H20 Zone and boxing
rink, but on a grander scale. At 1,132 feet long, the 160,000 tons and
3,634 passenger, Liberty of the Seas offers
something for everyone.
Liberty of the Seas
Copywrite Royal Caribbean International
| Statistics |
Liberty of the Seas |
| Photo (copy write Royal
Caribbean ) |
Above |
| Owners |
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line |
| Gross Tonnage |
160,000 GRT |
| Length |
1,112 Feet |
| Beam |
185 Feet |
| Cruising Speed |
21.6 Knots |
| Guest Capacity (Double Occupancy) |
3,634 (Double) 4,375 (Total) |
| Total Staff |
Norwegian/International |
| Maiden Voyage |
May 19, 2007 |
| Total Cabins |
1,817 |
| Total Public Rooms |
37 |
| Registry |
Bahamas |
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