Exercising Freedom: Spa and Play on the World’s Biggest Cruise Ship
Freedom of the Seas’ Fitness Center claims the title as the largest-ever cruise ship gym: Although it has one full size boxing ring in it, it could contain 62 of them.
The largest cruise ship in the world also turns out to be one of the most innovative in terms of spas and fitness. From its revolutionary full size boxing ring to its surfing FlowRider and cantilevered whirlpools suspended 112 feet above the ocean, Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas takes top marks in beauty and comfort as well as size.
At 160,000 tons and 3,634 guests, Freedom of the Seas is longer than New York’s 1,046-foot Chrysler building laid on its side. It’s wider than the White House is long, and from the waterline to the top of its funnel is roughly the height of two Statues of Liberty placed head to toe. You could fit all the teams and coaches of the NFL, MLB and NBA in the staterooms for one cruise.
Having said all this, once on the ship the feeling of size is gone: the space is cut into extremely manageable and comfortable segments. There are so many things to do that the thousands of passengers are dispersed throughout the ship and there are no long lines anywhere; even coming on board and leaving is quick and easy. Where you do find the result of its size is in the really magnificent touches and innovations that give Freedom her greatness.
This ship is as big as it is, because this is what it takes to offer our customers what they want, said Royal Caribbean president Adam Goldstein. The range of active experience necessary to please our guests needs this much space.
One of the most wonderful spaces is the adults-only solarium, with striped hammocks, beautiful furniture, and pools the innovation being the cantilevered Whirlpools at Sea suspended floating in the air and each big enough to swim a few strokes. In the evenings the area becomes a really charming lounge with entertainment, so there is hardly an hour when it isn’t filled with guests taking their pleasure.
A trip to the sports deck takes you to a full scale basketball game, a 9-hole miniature golf course, golf simulator, ice skating rink, baseball, paddleball or volleyball, and the line’s signature rock climbing wall lined with guests advising one another about the easy or hard routes up. The newest innovation and the one producing the few long lines on the ship is the FlowRider, where passengers surf on a wild and taxing ride.
Freedom of the Seas Fitness Center claims the title as the largest-ever cruise ship gym: Although it has one full-size boxing ring in it, it could contain 62 of them. Twenty treadmills, seven Pilates reformers, a huge dedicated aerobics area, spinning, and weights are all available in enough quantity to satisfy the large number of passengers working out, and there is ample top notch resistance equipment with an LCD screen on each piece. The gym boasts a Next Generation Power Plate, which uses subtle vibrations to increase workout efficiency. Goldstein commented, These are not even in land-based fitness facilities yet, but we are told Madonna has one.
A Royal Caribbean partner, Life Fitness, is the largest health club exercise equipment supplier in the world and has brought to the Freedom’s gym the Cable Motion Series, which allows exercisers to do flexible strength training with different weights for arms and legs.
Freedom’s Fight Klub will offer a variety of boxing-related activities, including one-on-one training sessions with an experienced instructor in the 20 by 20 Everlast boxing ring, sparring sessions, with freestanding body master bags and carefully prepared workouts.
Steiner Leisure, which recently launched Generation Y spa services for teens on the ships, provides Pathway to Yoga classes, step classes, conditioning sessions, stretch classes and BOSU training, a core workout with a rubber domed BOSU balance trainer. They are also initiating a Night Klub indoor cycling program in a high-tech nightclub environment.
In addition, Goldstein said they are offering onboard seminars on healthy eating, detoxification and the use of their polar body age system, which tests fitness and measures physical age compared to chronological age.
Even on shore the active mentality is carried through as Royal Caribbean’s partnership with New Balance is producing mapped out routes for avid runners in ports of call, as well as self-service kiosks on board with tips for marathon runners.
Two 65-inch interactive plasma televisions located in the entryway to the fitness center will make it easy for guests to understand the classes and equipment and to schedule the workouts they want.
All this is in addition to the H2O Zone for children, with colorful sculptures doubling as fountains that spray and sprinkle water in all directions, all spread through a central wading area equipped with spray cannons, water jets and ground gushers. With two other huge pool areas, Freedom has 43% more combined pool area than the Voyager class ships, including a dedicated sports pool.
Another innovation is A Close Shave, a real gateway for men since it is placed in the flow of shops and cafes in the ship’s Royal Promenade. Offering regular barber services, they also provide facials. Spa director Catherine Wilson noted that men who did not feel comfortable making a spa booking are lining up for the barber shop. Wilson said other new offerings are Salsamania Latin-inspired exercise classes, boxing as personal training and conditioning and a broad range of spa services for young cruisers. They also have a dedicated person on board for teeth whitening, which is offered much more reasonably than on shore and has become very popular.
The salon is very comprehensive, with two pedicure thrones and a nail bar that serves three clients simultaneously. The ship has 19 therapy rooms, all extremely busy from 8:00 in the morning until 8:00 at night. Three are couples rooms and one of these is a special flotation room, where one person floats in a bed of heated water while the other is being worked on ($179 an hour for two people).
Wilson said a team of 32 provides services, including two barbers, five fitness staff, two hairdressers, two nail specialists, a dedicated teeth whitening specialist and an acupuncturist a very popular service initiated by Royal Caribbean’s sister company Celebrity Cruises. A dozen people attended an acupuncture seminar at a time when at least seven very attractive activities were competing for passenger interest.
Wilson noted that another Freedom innovation is a touch screen at the door of the fitness area on Deck 11 listing all services, as well as the day’s fitness schedule and spa specials.
Services are very well done and careful attention is given to each client. Carys Gray from Cardiff, Wales, gave me an excellent massage. The treatment room was spacious and very pleasing music was played for once, something other than Enya, who, although wonderful, has become such a darling of the spa community that the ubiquitous music can drive the client (not to mention the therapist) crazy. The table is unusually wide, so arms resting away from the body don’t fall off. I had opted for a Swedish massage, but Gray found the most unpleasant knots in my shoulders and moved right into the deep tissue massage they needed.
My second treatment was a lime and ginger scrub, beautifully executed by Joanna O Gorman of Liverpool. After putting on paper panties, I was brushed and scrubbed with the scented salt rub. A shower in the treatment room revealed the result: smooth skin, soft to the touch and a great circulation glow.
Freedom of the Seas sails seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries from Miami, calling in Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Royal Caribbean’s private destination, Labadee, Hispaniola.
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