Kaleidoscope Travel & Cruise

Article Published: April 27th, 2006

Royal Caribbean biggest ship to date, the Freedom of the Sea will set sail in June from Miami – sailing 7-day Western Caribbean Cruises. While Freedom of the Seas will feature many of Royal Caribbean’s signatures – ice skating rink, indoor promenade and rock climbing wall – the 158,000-ton, 3,600-passenger ship also offer more unique-to-cruising features. Easily the most impressive sight will be the pool deck area. Freedom of the Seas will have three separate pool areas. Absolutely, the coolest new spot will be the H2O Zone, a fabulous interactive water park. Whimsical and playful — and most definitely aimed at families – features include numerous water-spouting contraptions, such as a waterfall, umbrella jets, a cone spill bucket, spray cannons and spray loops all decorated as colorful sculptures. There are two splash pools as well, one of which will have a current that shoots water around a central island. At night, this area, with the integration of a fantastic and dynamic lighting system, will be transformed into a sculpture garden. The surf park, a 32-foot-wide by 40-foot-long FlowRider, looks a bit like a swim-against-the-current pool that’s been propped up on a 45-degree angle; a three-inch sheet of water actually flows up the incline to create a wave-like reverse waterfall. Riders can surf or body board against the continuous flow of water moving at an impressive speed of 30,000 gallons per minute. Another first-ever feature is a dedicated sports pool in the main pool area. There are two side-by-side pools that comprise that part of the deck, one will be used almost exclusively for athletic pool games, ranging from basketball and volleyball to and synchronized swimming.

Entry Filed under: Cruise