One big boat

BY ALAN SOLOMON | CHICAGO TRIBUNE

August 11, 2006

OK, it's a big boat. Can we get past that? No. Not until the next Largest Cruise Ship in the History of the World eases its aft into the sea, probably three years from now.

So, welcome to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines' Freedom of the Seas, new for 2006, all 154,000- plus tons of her. This poundage (308 million or so, not counting the ice sculptures) is just one of the numbers beyond our ability to comprehend. They're meaningless to all but authors of almanacs and stout-sponsored record books.

We talk about them anyway.

The ship's 1,815 guest staterooms can comfortably house 3,630 as couples, 4,375 individuals if all the auxiliary beds are activated. The main dining room -- a tri-level job -- seats 2,101, except on formal nights, when many flee to other options. The main pool, the literature says, can handle 534 people, presumably standing side-by-side.

There are 16 bars serving alcohol, the earliest opening at 7 a.m., the latest closing "late." There are four bow thrusters. Yes, four bow thrusters.

"We've created a ship here based on guests' needs and wishes and demands," said Martin Rissley, who became Freedom's first hotel director after runs with Voyager and Voyager-class Adventure of the Seas. "They want all this alternative dining. They want all this entertainment. They want these additional activities -- the rock wall and the golf course and the FlowRider [a surf-wave simulator].

Here and not on the Voyagers: the FlowRider, a second specialty restaurant (Chops Grille, a steak house, joining Portofino, fine Italian), H20 Zone (a kiddie water park), a regulation boxing ring (with appropriate programs), a Ben & Jerry's (real ice cream for a small extra charge), in addition to other things.

Aside from a certain loss of intimacy most cruise fans don't seem to mind (Freedom is virtually sold out for the rest of the year), there should be downsides to all this size, right? Judging from a late-June sampling of Freedom of the Seas passengers over parts of three days, the downsides are, well, no big deal.

The designers found solutions to some of the potential problems. Prime example: Carefully placed bends mean the length of stateroom corridors isn't mind-bogglingly infinite.

Our one full day aboard Freedom was an "at-sea" day -- which meant everyone who boarded in Miami presumably was still onboard and would stay there. Blessed with absolutely ideal weather, the "at-sea" day would provide a fair test of how this ship could handle crowds -- at pool and pool-decks, activity and meal venues, shopping and just getting around.

It was a revelation. No problem getting a chaise by the pool. No problem getting fed -- my room-service breakfast arrived on time and without a glitch -- and no problem finding a place to sit after filling the tray at the Windjammer/ Jade buffets. (Later, no problem getting dinner seating at Portofino, one of the ship's two extra-charge "specialty" dining rooms.) No problem finding an available computer to check e-mail. The Royal Promenade, which figured to draw a crowd with its shopping and light-meal options, was merely pleasantly active.

Said cruise director Ken Rush: "Everybody's like, 'Are there really 4,000 people on the ship? Where are they?'"

Well -- where are they? "They're everywhere," Rush said. Because it's so big, we're able to feature so many different activities and so many different events and so many different venues at the same time that you'll never see it being overly crowded." There was, additionally, the unexpected.

"For example," noted Rissley, "the FlowRider. You would think that that is going to be very popular for people who want to learn how to surf or try surfing. It's significantly more popular for people who want to watch it.

"So hundreds of people are out watching the FlowRider rather than being inside eating breakfast, lunch and dinner and afternoon tea and midmorning snacks and midnight buffets and whatever else."

The size of the ship isn't entirely irrelevant. Some ports -- Bermuda, for one -- simply can't or won't welcome ships this large. Other problems were anticipated. One: potential damage by this behemoth to delicate -- and touristically vital -- reefs such as the famous ones off Cozumel.

Freedom of the Seas Capt. Carlos Pedercini said Freedom has newly designed computer-guided equipment that allows the ship to maintain offshore position. ... There was concern over possible long lines at ports requiring tenders -- essentially, taxi-boats -- to bring people ashore and back to the ship. After two voyages and part of a third, that concern has eased.

"Because there's so many more late-night activities, the energy and vibes around the ship seem to be keeping people up later. They're not getting up early in the morning. So we're sending the early tenders out half-empty."

The only noticeable crowding aboard Freedom was at dinner time, when passengers, despite reserved seating, nonetheless gather en masse waiting for the dining room doors to open. Cruise veterans will verify this phenomenon is not unique to Freedom of the Seas.

So who, among those inclined toward a cruise-ship vacation, should and shouldn't sail on the World's Largest Cruise Ship?

Should, for sure: Families, especially families with kids at the age when they no longer want to be seen clinging to Mom and Dad; and adults who like having easy access to a little action at all hours.

Should not, for sure: Travelers looking for a relatively quiet, slower-paced time at sea.

Everybody else: Hey, if you like cruises. ...