For years, writer Sarah Cinq-Mars wanted nothing to do with cruising — a childhood fixation on the Titanic and a mother prone to severe motion sickness will do that. But when her fiancée, a seasoned cruiser, finally convinced her to give it a go, Cinq-Mars boarded Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas for a four-night round-trip from Miami to The Bahamas in October 2023 knowing almost nothing about what awaited her. What she found turned her into a convert.
The sheer volume of onboard activities was the first shock. Rather than lounging poolside for four days, Cinq-Mars found mini-golf, waterslides, a rock wall, and a sports court — most of it included in the fare. The ship's private island stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay delivered a second jolt: a towering waterslide complex, a massive swim-up lagoon pool called Oasis Lagoon, and a surprisingly broad spread of complimentary food, from tacos to cookies. The cruise line's drink package also worked ashore, a perk she later learned not all lines extend to their private islands.
Dining proved equally eye-opening. Beyond the Main Dining Room and the Windjammer buffet, Freedom of the Seas is home to Izumi Hibachi, which Cinq-Mars — a lifelong hibachi fan — calls a must-do on any Royal Caribbean sailing. She also discovered that guests are free to carry food and drinks anywhere on the ship, a small freedom that made a surprisingly big impression. As for the motion sickness she dreaded most, it turned out to be a non-issue; she brought motion sickness patches and Dramamine but needed the medication only once across the entire trip.
Evenings filled up just as quickly as the days. Game shows, karaoke, live ice skating performances, and the adults-only Crazy Quest kept her schedule packed from sail-away to the final night. Three years on, Cinq-Mars has completed 15 sailings on lines including Royal Caribbean, MSC, Disney, Carnival, Princess, and Celebrity, with two more already booked.
This first-hand account was originally published by Royal Caribbean Blog.
