We have been cruising for several years on Royal Caribbean. This was our second cruise in the Southern Caribbean from Puerto Rico. The Freedom is a large ship with many activities and opportunities on board. We went to several evening shows, tried the flowrider surf machine, played group trivia and scavenger hunt games, got a massage, and purchased several items in the onboard shopping stores. We stayed in a balcony room and put our two teenagers In a room overlooking the Royal Promenade directly across the hall from us. This worked really well, giving them their privacy and a separate bathroom.
In our experience, guests are friendlier and more polite when sailing out of Galveston. You are pushed less frequently and hear “Excuse me” more often from Galveston. The ports of call in the southern Caribbean almost make up for the lack of manners. We love St. Thomas, but Curaçao may be our new favorite island. There are flamingos, beautiful beaches, and fantastic shopping at Curaçao! The southern cruises offer 4-5 ports of call - definitely a more adventurous seven-night cruise than those leaving from the States.
RC has made some improvements since our last cruise two years ago, and there are a few negative changes.
The mattresses are very hard and uncomfortable. The balcony itself is spacious and worth the extra price. The attendant was awesome!!