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Explorer of the Seas vs Freedom of the Seas
The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas was built in 2000. It was renovated in 2023. It's 6 years older than the Freedom of the Seas, which was built in 2006 and renovated in 2020.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Explorer of the Seas is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,020 feet long and 157 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.8 football fields, as wide as 3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas, the Explorer of the Seas is 12% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas holds 16% fewer passengers than the Freedom of the Seas based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Explorer of the Seas has more space per person compared to the Freedom of the Seas. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Voyager | Freedom |
| Gross Tonnage | 137,308 | 156,271 |
| Length | 1,020 | 1,112 |
| Beam/Width | 157 | 185 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 14 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,286 | 3,934 |
| Crew | 1,185 | 1,447 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.8 | 2.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 40 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Explorer of the Seas has 14 different dining options like Izumi Sushi & Hot Rocks, Chops Grille, and Windjammer. Of those options, 8 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 6 options have an additional fee.
The Freedom of the Seas has 5 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Chef's Table, Windjammer, and Vintages Wine Bar. 10 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 9 have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Freedom of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 36% more dining options than the Explorer of the Seas.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
Restaurants on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas & Freedom of the Seas
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe Promenade | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Chef's Table | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Chops Grille | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Cupcake Cupboard | ✗ | ✓ | |
| El Loco Fresh | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Giovanni's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Giovanni's Table | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Ice Cream Parlor | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Izumi Hibachi & Sushi | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Izumi Sushi & Hot Rocks | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Johnny Rockets | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Main Dining Room | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Playmakers | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Sorrento's Pizza | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Vintages Wine Bar | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Windjammer | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
Bars and Drinks
The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas has 3 fewer bars than the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Boleros | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dizzy's | ✓ | ✗ |
| English Pub | ✓ | ✓ |
| Playmakers | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| R Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Schooner Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sky Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Solarium Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
| Star Lounge | ✓ | ✓ |
| Suite Lounge* | ✗ | ✓ |
| The Lime & Coconut | ✗ | ✓ |
| The Plaza Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| The Tavern | ✓ | ✗ |
| Viking Crown Lounge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Vintages | ✗ | ✓ |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Explorer of the Seas and the Freedom of the Seas below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.
The Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas has the same number of pools as the Explorer of the Seas and fewer hot tubs.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
Cruise Coloring and Activity Books for Kids
Get your kids ready for their cruise or keep them entertained while on board with our custom made coloring and activity books. These are the Royal Caribbean editions with places like Studio B and Sorrento's featured.
Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5 - Royal Caribbean Edition
Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8 - Royal Caribbean Edition
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Explorer of the Seas. Only 71% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Freedom of the Seas, 80% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✗ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ice Skating | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Laser Tag | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean is a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas will likely be cheaper than on Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Royal Caribbean ship.
| Royal Caribbean | |
|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $70 - $125 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $17 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | |
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
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