The Freedom of the Seas cruise ship was ordered by cruise operator Royal Caribbean International in September 2003.
Constructed at Aker Finnyards’ Turku Shipyard, the Freedom has its home port in Miami, US.
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It was floated out in August 2005 and christened in Bayonne, New Jersey, in May 2006, embarking on its maiden Caribbean cruise the following month.
The ship was built at a cost of $800m, it underwent a $116m refurbishment in 2019 and was relaunched in March 2020.
Freedom of the Seas’ sister ships Liberty of the Seas and the Independence of the Seas were delivered in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
Freedom of the Seas design and features
The ship measures 338.63m in length, with a beam of 56.38m, a draft of 8.99m, and a height of 63.7m. It spans 15 decks and boasts a gross tonnage of 156,271 tons (t), cruising at a speed of 21.6 knots.
The Freedom of the Seas is equipped with ten pools and whirlpools, a fully serviced Vitality at Sea spa, and 22 bars, clubs, and lounges.
Its 445ft-long Royal Promenade is the hub for shopping, dining, and entertainment and housing the majority of the ship’s amenities, including a library with 3,600 books, a barbershop, and an Italian-style pizzeria.
Accommodation and dining facilities
The cruise ship can accommodate 4,635 passengers in 1,963 cabins, attended to by 1,365 international crew members.
It offers 16.5ha of deck space, with accommodation options, including 282 Ocean View rooms, 738 Balcony staterooms, and 131 Suites.
Dining venues range from the Johnny Rockets 50s-style diner and Portofino Italian restaurant to Chops Grille and a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream parlour. Bars include Vintages wine bar, Wipe Out bar, Squeeze juice bar, and the Bull and Bear, an English-style pub.
In September 2010, Royal Caribbean launched a partnership with Chefmakers Cooking Academy to offer cooking classes for guests, known as Chefmakers at Sea.
Sports and wellness amenities
The Sports Deck features a nine-hole miniature golf course, a golf simulator, basketball and paddleball/volleyball courts, and a ten-route rock climbing wall.
The Ship Shape Fitness Centre includes a range of cardiovascular equipment and a full-size Everlast boxing ring.
The spa provides a variety of treatments, massages, and a sauna and steam room. New additions include the FlowRider surfing simulator and two cantilevered whirlpool baths 112ft above the ocean.
The ship also boasts several swimming pools, including one with hammocks and another dedicated to sports in the H2O Zone water park.
Entertainment options
The on-board Royal Theatre seats 1,394 guests while Studio B features an ice-skating rink and doubles as a multipurpose complex with stadium seating.
Additional venues include a karaoke club, the Viking Crown Jazz Club, Pharaoh’s Palace nightclub, and Boleros Latin lounge.
The $116m refurbishment introduced the Perfect Storm waterslides, a Caribbean poolscape, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, and dedicated spaces for kids and teens.
The transformation also included The Lime & Coconut poolside bar, the Splashaway Bay kids aqua park, and a renewed adult-only pool space in the Solarium.
Dining options were expanded with El Loco Fresh bar, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade.
The youth programme, Adventure Ocean, was revamped to include Play Place, Arena, Hangout, AO Juniors, AO Babies, and a teen area called Social033.
Propulsion
Powering the Freedom of the Seas are six Wartsila 46 V12 diesel engines, each rated at 12.6MW, driving electric generators at 514rpm, with a total output of 75,600kW.
The ship features three ABB Azipod podded electric propulsion units – two azimuthing and one central fixed unit – each providing 14MW of thrust power.
Additionally, the vessel has four bow thrusters for manoeuvring. ABB Maritime supplied the medium-speed switchgear, generators, transformers, and low-voltage distribution apparatus.
Contractors involved
Orsap, a marine turnkey solutions provider based in Finland, designed, supplied and installed 800 cabin modules for the vessel.
The company also supplied cabin modules for four officer’s suites, four family suites, double cabins and the bell box.
TeleDimensions International installed the on-board sound systems, supplied by MeyerSound.
