Carnival Cruise Lines

Best For People Who Want:
Exciting and ritzy nightlife; numerous singles; alternative dining venues; one of the largest ships in the Carnival fleet; spacious cabins for three and four passengers; cabins with balconies; excellent fitness and spa facilities; high-energy atmosphere with varied daytime activities, including abundant children's programs.

Should Be Avoided By People Who Want:
An elegant, quiet and relaxing cruise; private areas away from the public, especially children.

	Article continues below

Onboard Experience:
Carnival Freedom, as well as Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, and Carnival Liberty are the big sisters of Carnival's Destiny class. Freedom weighs over 110,000 tons. Expanded children's facilities, comprising a separate children's pool, a mini-movie theatre, and an indoor playground, account for some of the extra footage on the ship, as does the trendy supper club "The Point", serving gourmet cuisine, and the best U.S.D.A. prime beef.

There are 22 bars and lounges throughout the 13 passenger decks. Other amenities include an Internet café, four swimming pools, and a 15,000-square-foot health club. The ship has no lack of entertainment of all varieties, featuring the Cinn-A-Bar sing-along piano bar and White Heat disco, along with gorgeous production shows and side-splitting comics in the main theater called Amber Palace.

Decor:
Carnival's ship designer, the renowned Joe Farcus, chose "Decades through the Centuries" as the theme for Freedom. Each of the rooms is dedicated to a period of history, especially "decades" that have gained renown, such as the "Roaring 20's". The atrium is the 2010 with hard angles, and geometric figures of neon-like paint and constantly changing lights.

Public Rooms: As the Millennium Lobby atrium has elongated figures that have been descibed as "giant worms". In the center is a small stage for non-imposing background music; behind the musicians glass elevators rise to the top deck.These elevators are the best way to view the digital light effects. The "Promenade" on Deck 5 includes the Bar Nouveau (wine bar), a kid's area called Action Alley Video Game Room, The Babylon Casino, Scott's sing-along piano bar, The Swingtime Jazz Bar for combo music and the 70's Dance Club disco. The Habana Cigar Bar is like being in a cigar box, wrap a lebel around yourself and lie down. There are labels from real cigar boxes reproduced as posters on the walls, and table bases and stools in the shape of cigars complete with cigar bands. It features jazz music and dancing before dinner

On the opposite end of Freedom is the three-deck high Victoriana Show Lounge inspired by 1880's London West End theaters ; aim for the lower balcony seats, a little off-center, for the best view. For sports fanatics, there is a Sports Bar with satellite ESPN on seven large-screen televisions, in addition to video poker machines built into the bar.

Other diversions include the small Black & White Library open for several hours each day and various boutiques selling a wide range of duty-free jewelry, perfume, and alcohol along with the usual cruise items.

Cuisine:
Freedom offers attractive breakfast and lunch buffets ,including an excellent salad bar and made-to-order dishes. For those with a sophisticated palate, the new menus feature chateaubriand, rack of lamb, and lobster, along with chocolate desserts. On the other end of the scale, delicious pizza and Caesar salad are available 24 hours a day. Delightful specialties can be found near the Prometheus Lido including the Sur Mer seafood station and an Asian food station that regularly rotates its dishes. There's a complimentary sushi bar on the Promenade Deck in the evenings, and vegetarian and low-salt items on every menu and at all stations.

Restaurants:
Carnival's Total Choice Dining provides for four seating times for a table in the main dining rooms at 5:45 or 6:15p.m.m and 8 or 8:30p.m.m. Of the two main dining rooms, the Posh, located aft, is framed by three walls of windows so it boasts better views. The Chic Restaurant is located mid-ships with windows only on two sides. The best tables are on the balcony, the middle lower section being a bit noisy. The friendly atmosphere is encouraged by the tables seating between four and six people, although there are quite a few tables for only two diners.

The sunny and spacious Grand Buffet restaurant, which features amazing views of the sea, offers breakfast and lunch buffets. Alternatively, you can enjoy a meal served alfresco poolside in the Freedom Lido area just behind the Grand Buffet. For those who prefer to dine when the mood strikes them, this poolside Lido restaurants offer buffet dinner between 6:00 and 9:00p.m.m without reservations. Breakfast is also available in the Chic dining room. For those looking for a quick snack, the hamburger and hot dog stand, located in the Azure Lido near the stern pool, serves food throughout the afternoon. There are self-serve frozen yogurt and ice cream machines, and multiple lemonade, coffee, and iced tea stations. The Freedom's pizzeria has a great variety of pizza types on offer in addition to Caesar salad, both served 24 hours a day. There is also a deli for lighter lunch choices and new to Freedom is the Tandoori Grill. The room service menu features sandwiches, desserts and breakfast fare.

There is a Coffe Café; on the Promenade Deck serving delectable sweets and a range of coffees. The Sushi Bar, adjacent to the coffe bar is open evenings only and serves sushi.

For a cover charge of $30, guests can sample fine wines and dine on the excellent menu choices at Sun King Supper Club . There is a small combo playing behind a tiny dance floor, which proves to be ample for those couples obviously celebrating a special date together.

Service:
The staff on Freedom is prompt, well-organized, and prone to showing off, as when balancing trays on their heads while serving dessert. The maitre'd makes a point of learning the names of all couples celebrating an anniversary.

Tipping:
All Carnival cruises have a $10.00 per person per day (excluding children under two years of age) gratuity comprising $5.50 for the Dining Room service, $3.60 for the stateroom steward, and $.90 for the alternative dining rooms. This charge can be either automatically added to the Sail & Sign card or it can be prepaid (prepayment is mandatory on the Cruises-to-Nowhere). The purser's desk can decrease or increase this amount throughout the cruise. Tip room service, the maitre d', casino, spa, or other staff as you deem fit. The bar and beverage tabs all include a 15 percent gratuity to the bill.

Entertainment:
The main theater, the Victoriana Show Lounge, presents outstanding production shows featuring beautiful costumes and Vegas-quality light shows, but even the smaller venues have great acts and music, particularly the sing-along Scott's piano bar. There is a Caribbean band on the pool deck. More interactive activities include numerous bingo games, ballroom dancing, karaoke, and "game show mania".

Cabins:
While the décor in the cabins is somewhat reserved, they are some of the largest available on any cruise ship, and many are fitted with lovely private balconies. The suites and ocean view staterooms come with complimentary bathrobes and a mini bar. The cabins located on the outside are 220 sq. feet and include a coffee table and plush leather sofa. The inside cabins are 195 sq. feet in area and are great for families or large groups of singles due to their pull-down berths that provide extra sleeping space. Families might prefer the 230 sq. feet cabins located next to the children's center. All the large bathrooms include a shower (the suites are the only cabins with tubs), basket of toiletries, and hair dryer. The cabins come standard with a color TV that includes ESPN, CNN, and movies. There is plentiful storage space, with three closets and a several drawers. Cabins for those of special needs are available.

Fitness/Spa:
The gym's 15,000 sq. feet is full of treadmills, stationary bikes, stairmasters, rowing and hydraulic weight machines, and of course free weights. The strategically placed equipment allows you to enjoy the lovely panoramic views offered by the floor-to-ceiling windows. For runners, a lap on the jogging deck, which surrounds the smokestack, is equivalent to 1/11 of a mile.

Attire:
Casual wear is standard during the day. For the two formal nights, men can rent a tuxedo, though most men opt for dark suits. The ship has men's and women's accessories available to rent for these formal nights. No jeans in the dining room ever, no shorts after dark.