Liberty of the Seas

Liberty of the Seas Theater and Shows

Your main venue for prime evening entertainment is the 1,320-seat Platinum Theatre, located on decks 2, 3 and 4, forward. It's a venue with a majestic, Art Deco-throwback feel, from the cascading white marble stairs at the entrance to the 1920s design on the stage curtain and the gold-backed seats.

On most nights, there are two productions of the headliner show to accommodate for the early and late dinner seatings. The one show not to miss is the Cirque du Soleil-styled "In the Air," featuring the Royal Caribbean singers and dancers as they perform aerial feats with silks, swings and stunning costumes. The Broadway show “Saturday Night Fever” on Liberty of the Seas is also a passenger favorite, but the remaining Liberty of the Seas shows lack the level of pizazz of "In the Air," with a somewhat tepid lineup of comedians, singers, impersonators and jugglers.

Studio B (Deck 3, midship) is the secondary theater onboard, a much smaller venue that performs triple duty as the Liberty of the Seas ice-skating rink, movie theater and gathering venue. With a little more than half the seats of the Platinum Theatre, you do run the risk of missing the show if you don't arrive early to "Encore! An Ice Spectacular," the Liberty of the Seas ice show, which is performed twice two nights of the cruise. With a through-the-decades theme, this show is a crowd favorite.

Daily Things to Do on Liberty of the Seas

During the day, you'll find the most action going on near the midship all-ages pool (Deck 11), where a small poolside stage functions as the performance space for belly flop contests, line dancing classes and other games, plus occasionally a steel pan band. There's also a large movie screen here that shows films and TV clips throughout the day. Liberty of the Seas movies are generally well-known family-friendly flicks.

The Liberty of the Seas Royal Promenade on Deck 5 is another central gathering place. The shops here promote sales on various items during the week, with occasionally long lines of passengers waiting to purchase the hottest jewelry or discounted T-shirts and trinkets. 

Trivia buffs will want to make the Schooner Bar (Deck 4) their home base, as there is usually trivia planned morning, afternoon and evening, plus the occasional family scavenger hunt or napkin-folding seminar.

Strap on a free pair of rental skates and make your way around the Liberty of the Seas ice rink in Studio B (Deck 3) for one of the 30-minute open ice-skating sessions throughout the afternoon.

At-sea art auctions (along with salesy seminars about collecting art) and a variety of spa seminars on losing weight or looking younger ("The Lips You Want, the Lines You Don't!") take up a sizable amount of real estate on the daily Cruise Compass and in the daily onboard announcements. Other Liberty of the Seas activities include dance classes and a range of workshops, which take place daily at different locations around the ship.

Liberty of the Seas at Night 

A stroll through the ship in the evening is a trip through various musical genres, from Latin music or classical guitar to piano and country and western music throughout the ship's bars.

One of our favorite quiet activities in the evening was to visit the helipad on Deck 4, forward, to watch the stars and look for lights from other vessels.

The Battle of the Sexes game show and Karaoke Superstar competition are always big draws for adults at On Air (Deck 3), located next to Studio B, with winners earning bragging rights and receiving high fives from strangers the next day throughout the ship. (One passenger on our cruise did a surprisingly good rendition of "Under the Sea" from "The Little Mermaid.")

The Liberty of the Seas Casino Royale (Deck 4), featuring a mural depicting old Hollywood celebrities is chock-full of nearly 300 slot machines and 19 gaming tables, including blackjack, craps, roulette, Caribbean stud, Texas Hold'em and three-card poker. Slot and blackjack tournaments, plus bingo are offered. Smoking is permitted in the casino.

Occasionally there are dance parties scheduled in the Liberty of the Seas Promenade (Deck 5) or late-night adult comedy in the Platinum Theatre (Deck 3). Dance into the wee hours with DJ dance music up high at Olive or Twist (Deck 14).

Liberty of the Seas Bars

On Air Club (Deck 3, forward): This fun space has a slightly retro-futuristic vibe, with blue walls that are covered with quotes from songsters from the past, and there's a stage that plays host to undiscovered passenger talent during the always-popular karaoke nights. During the day, passengers can play Wii games here, but it's probably the emptiest bar you'll find during that time.

Boleros (Deck 4, aft): Stunning blown-glass artwork frames the interior of this bar, while oversized porthole windows make it an ideal location for watching the ship pull into or out of port while enjoying a cocktail. At night, salsa and jazz bands inspire passengers to test out the small dance floor.

Schooner Bar (Deck 4, forward): Located just outside the casino, this nautical-themed bar with a mermaid figurehead, ropes and sails, tends to be a quieter bar during the day, and usually the meeting location for trivia and family games. At night, it's transformed into a sometimes-raucous piano bar.

Vintages (Deck 5, midship): This cozy, elegant wine bar located on the Promenade features a WineStation, which keeps open bottles fresh for tasting. Wine tasting events (including blind tastings) are frequently offered here, and you can always order flights, paired with tapas, cheese or charcuterie.

Hoof and Claw Pub (Deck 5, midship): You'll feel like you've gone to an English pub with the dark wood tones, old-fashioned benches, vintage-looking glass lamps and pub chairs, which complete the backdrop for your Caribbean pub crawl. Beer tasting events are scheduled often at the Hoof and Claw on Liberty of the Seas.

R Bar (Deck 5, aft): Formerly styled as a Champagne bar, and conveniently located between the Promenade and the dining rooms, this was one of our favorite places to grab a glass of wine before or after dinner. It's statement furniture pieces give it a fresh feel.

Star Lounge (Deck 5, forward): Black, white and gold accents give a sophisticated Art Deco vibe to this lounge, which has a stage and a large number of couches and chairs. This is where you'll find bingo, as well as the Captain's Corner (your chance to ask the captain and crew all your burning cruise-related questions) and a few game shows.

The Plaza Bar (Deck 11, aft): This is the bar located directly at the entrance to the buffet dining area, between the specialty restaurants. In the morning, you'll find specialty coffees and fresh-squeezed orange juice for sale here, but you can also order sake and tea, as well as regular bar drinks, the rest of the day.

Pool Bar (Deck 11, midship): The go-to poolside drink spot during the day serves frozen cocktails and buckets of beer.

Squeeze (Deck 11, aft): A pint-sized cheerfully colored bar located near the children's pool area serves fresh juices, smoothies and shakes.

Sky Bar (Deck 12, midship): Offering the same drinks as the Pool Bar, this is located one deck above, with a view of the pool and all the activities.

Viking Crown Lounge (Deck 14, aft): An expansive space offering great views of the pool decks below from atop the ship, the Viking Crown Lounge on Liberty of the Seas was always fairly quiet and empty during the day. At night in the Olive or Twist bar area, a DJ spins tunes for adults to dance the night away. This area is also home to the Liberty of the Seas Diamond Club and Suite Lounge.

Liberty of the Seas Drink Packages

There is no shortage of bars, lounges and clubs here, and passengers expecting to have more than a couple of sodas, beers or drinks will be better off purchasing one of the Liberty of the Seas drink packages. Options run the gamut from the all-inclusive Deluxe package – which includes most cocktails and beers and is the only alcohol package on Liberty of the Seas – to water-only packages. In between those two, the Classic Soda includes unlimited soda, while the Refreshment adds mocktails, fresh fruit juices, upgraded coffees and teas, and still and sparkling water.

Overall, Liberty of the Seas restaurants were some of the least exciting features of the cruise, but the great service made up where the cuisine might have lacked. The dishes were consistently average and just didn't measure up to previous Royal Caribbean cruises we've been on in terms of flavor or imagination, both in the main dining room and the buffet. Liberty of the Seas specialty restaurants weren’t outstanding either – with occasional exceptions.

Restaurants on Liberty of the Seas offer a wide variety of options, though. Passengers have their choice of dining in the main dining room or Jade and the Windjammer buffet for breakfast and lunch. Vegetarian, gluten- and lactose-free items are always available on the menu. Fee-based dining is available in five specialty restaurants for lunch or dinner, and there is a variety of snack-type options throughout the ship.

Liberty of the Seas Free Food

While Liberty of the Seas dining is decent but nothing to write home about, passengers can choose from a wide variety of free restaurants, ranging from the elegant dining rooms to the expansive buffet and the cozy Café Promenade.

Rembrandt, Michelangelo and Botticelli (Decks 3, 4 and 5): The three Liberty of the Seas dining rooms are stacked atop one another, with filigree iron railings overlooking an open atrium filled with the warm glow of chandeliers. Passengers seated near the oversized windows are treated to premium waterfront views. A grand staircase toward the aft of the dining rooms is the backdrop for various songs and dances performed by wait staff on select evenings.

Breakfast and lunch are served on Deck 3, when the Rembrandt dining room is called Royal Brasserie. The Liberty of the Seas breakfast menu offers a choice of cooked to order eggs, breakfast meats, yogurt, fruit and cereals, French toast, pancakes and pastries. Lunch is only available on sea days. The daily menu includes soups, sandwiches, pastas and specialty entrees such as hamburgers, enchiladas and a fish of the day. A salad bar during lunch in the main dining room involves a chef assembling your ingredients for you and whisking them together with your chosen dressing.

For dinner, you can choose traditional set seating dining (5:30 or 8 p.m., with the 5:30 slot being the most popular, especially among families) or the Liberty of the Seas My Time Dining option, which gives passengers flexibility on when they'd like to eat. The menus are the same, but you won't necessarily have the same wait staff or tablemates, as you will with traditional dining.

Families with kids old enough to attend the Adventure Ocean kids' club can enroll their kids in My Family Time Dining, which means counselors will pick them up outside the dining room and escort them to the kids' club near the end of dinner, saving parents a trip to the Liberty of the Seas Deck 12 (and maybe giving them some time for a quiet dessert course).

Each night, you'll be presented with a menu with a variety of entree choices, as well as a specialty dish that highlights an ingredient the chef has chosen to spotlight. For example, on different menus you might see Mojo (mojo-marinated pork chop), Saffron (pan-fried fish with saffron cauliflower) and Shiitake (Japanese shrimp dumplings), paired with appetizers such as escargots, shrimp cocktail, caprese salad and chilled mango and pineapple soup. There are also "Classics," dishes that are on the menu every night, including beef sliders, pasta, fish, strip steak and chicken. You can always add a lobster tail or a premium steak for an upcharge, as well.

Menu symbols indicate which dishes are vegetarian, gluten-free or lactose-free, and a "Vitality" symbol indicates that it is health conscious. A bread selection is always offered (the freshly baked rolls were a family favorite) and if you have room for dessert, there are a handful of options, including housemade ice cream.

The service in the main dining room was generally impeccable -- we found that the wait staff remembered our likes and dislikes (including bringing a dish of fruit and a glass of iced tea for our kids at the start of every meal), and were quick to refill drinks and remove dirty dishes.

Jade & Windjammer Cafe (Deck 11): One part nautical theme, one part breathtaking (with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the aft of the ship) and two parts madhouse depending on the time of day, the Liberty of the Seas buffet is the quintessential casual cafe for grabbing breakfast, lunch, dinner and the occasional snack. It might take you five minutes to find seating during peak times, but you can usually reliably find a table in the lesser populated areas near the front of the restaurant.

The Liberty of the Seas Windjammer opens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You'll be greeted by a row of hand-sanitizing stations and an attendant who reminds you to smile and wash your hands before diving into the buffet ("no washy-washy, no yummy-yummy," one crew member on our cruise was fond of saying). 

For breakfast, passengers can enjoy a variety of fresh fruits, eggs, breakfast meats, Asian-style dishes such as congee, plus pastries, cereals and an omelet station. The lunch menu features a rotating menu of Asian dishes in Jade, like curries and fried rice, plus pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers and various hot entrees (ribs, honey fried chicken) and soups. A variety of salads are always available, as well. Dinner usually features a variety of sushi options in Jade, plus entrees you might find in the main dining room, like fish, steak and chicken, plus side dishes and desserts.

A departure from other Royal Caribbean cruises we've been on, we found the Windjammer's cuisine to be occasionally a bit better than what was served in the main dining room. In particular, the Asian cuisine in the Jade Restaurant portion of the buffet was authentically prepared and delicious. Although there is no Japanese restaurant onboard, Liberty of the Seas passengers craving sushi can stop by Jade for free Izumi-branded bites. Another surprise: Although there is a much-heralded lobster night in the Liberty of the Seas main dining room, we were shocked to find lobster tails also being served in the Windjammer late one random evening during a snack run. Seafood fans: keep your eyes peeled.

Cafe Promenade (Deck 5): If you're interested in some light bites, like cafe-style tuna sandwiches on a croissant or cranberry-coconut macaroons, pound cake and other baked goods, head to the cozy bookshop-styled Café Promenade on Liberty of the Seas, which is open 24 hours. This is somewhat of a hidden gem on Liberty, as many people don't realize that you can get a free snack or light lunch here. All the food in the display case is available for free, along with serve-your-own iced tea, lemonade and coffee. There’s no Starbucks on Liberty of the Seas, but Café Promenade serves Starbucks coffee drinks for an extra fee.

Sorrento's Pizza (Deck 5): Styled like a fast-casual Italian restaurant with red vinyl booths and porthole windows, 

Sorrento's

 is open in the Promenade until the wee hours. Here you can order up a slice of pizza, made with various toppings, along with a variety of salads and sides -- such as an olive tapenade and a caprese salad, along with a selection of desserts. During lunch hours, there can be a short line here. We found the pizza looked better than it tasted, and we opted not to return for another meal after our first experience, though as the line attests to, others seemed to enjoy it. It does make a great stop-off for a stack of cookies if you're in need of a snack.

Sprinkles Ice Cream (Deck 11): If you don't feel like splurging for Ben & Jerry's, you can twist your own soft serve ice cream into a plain cone next to the main pool. Don't let the name "Sprinkles" fool you -- it's garden variety soft serve in rotating chocolate, strawberry or vanilla flavors, no extras.

Liberty of the Seas Specialty Dining and Other For-Fee Options

Johnny Rockets (Deck 12); prix fixe: Much like the stateside chain restaurants, you'll find the same selection of tasty burgers, fries, onion rings and shakes at Johnny Rockets on Liberty of the Seas, plus a regular song-and-dance routine that just might get you out of your booth and dancing with the crew. A fountain soda is included with your cover charge; you'll pay extra for shakes.

**Sabor (Deck 4); prix fixe: **We were immediately drawn to the vibrant pink, red and orange floral hues of this Latin American-styled restaurant, which serves lunch on select days, and dinner each night. We checked out the tequila tasting and guacamole demonstration, followed by lunch. (The entire experience cost $30.) The guacamole and handcrafted margaritas (made with reposado tequila) are definitely tasty, as was the queso fundido and pollo picante tacos. Sabor on Liberty of the Seas is a good option if you just want a quick, casual bite before the show at the Platinum Theatre.

Giovanni's Table (Deck 11); prix fixe: Tiled walls, Italian countryside murals and gold accents lend an elegance to 

Giovanni's Table

, located near the entrance to the Windjammer. You can choose from appetizers and salads such as antipasti, Caesar salad and focaccia, freshly prepared pastas such as gnocchi and risotto, and entrees including grilled strip loin steak with truffle fries and veal tenderloin. A waiter wheels a cart with dessert selections like cannoli and tiramisu. Open for dinner each night, and for lunch on select days.

Chops Grille (Deck 11); prix fixe: Dark wood-toned walls and golden club chairs add a touch of sophistication to this restaurant, located opposite Giovanni's Table. Start with a salad or forest mushroom soup, select from a seafood appetizer of shrimp cocktail, scallops or Dungeness crab and shrimp cake, and then it's onto the main course: filet mignon, slow-braised short rib, chicken or seafood. Shareable sides include Gruyere croquettes, spinach and garlic mashed potatoes and end your meal at 

Chops Grille

 with a slice of chocolate mud pie or red velvet cake. Open for dinner every night and for lunch on certain days.

Chef's Table (Deck 11); prix fixe: For an exclusive dining experience, make reservations for this multicourse dinner and wine pairing meal hosted by a chef and sommelier, offered on select nights during the cruise and limited to about a dozen people. Passengers who have experienced these meals say they are among the best available on the ship, and advise that people budget three hours for the meal (and a little extra room in the waistline).

Wine Pairing Dinner in Vintages (Deck 5); prix fixe: Offered on select evenings in Vintages on the Promenade, this features dinner selections from the main dining room paired with wines that complement each course.

Cupcake Cupboard (Deck 5); a la carte: Located on the Promenade, the 

Cupcake Cupboard

 is the place to take kids' and adults' cupcake decorating classes (for a fee), or just stop in to treat yourself to a decorated cupcake.

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream (Deck 5); a la carte: Because you need ice cream to go with your cupcake, stop over at Ben & Jerry's for a scoop or two of the flavors you know and love. And here's a Liberty insider secret: If you happen to score cabin 6305, located directly above Ben & Jerry's with a view of two cows' rear ends, your room will be decked out in moo-velous decor, and you'll receive daily coupons for complimentary ice cream, as well.

Room Service: Passengers can order room service 24 hours a day, with a continental or American breakfast served from 6 to 11 a.m., and items such as chicken noodle soup, chicken tenders, salads and Philly cheesesteak served the rest of the day. There is a fixed delivery charge for all room service orders except continental breakfast (which includes coffee, tea, juice, cereals and pastries).