Cruise Spotlight
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Freedom of the Seas vs Seascape
The Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas was built in 2006. It was renovated in 2020. It's 16 years older than the Seascape, which was built in 2022. The MSC Seascape has a New York City-inspired theme complete with a 10-foot-fall replica of the Statue of Liberty at the heart of the casino and shopping area called Times Square.
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 Freedom of the Seas is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,112 feet long and 185 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 3.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the MSC Seascape, the Freedom of the Seas is 8% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas holds 33% fewer passengers than the Seascape 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 Freedom of the Seas has more space per person compared to the Seascape. 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 Freedom of the Seas | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Freedom | Seaside EVO |
| Gross Tonnage | 156,271 | 169,400 |
| Length | 1,112 | 1,060 |
| Beam/Width | 185 | 135 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,934 | 5,877 |
| Crew | 1,447 | 1,648 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.7 | 3.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 40 | 28 |
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 Freedom of the Seas has 19 different dining options like El Loco Fresh, Chef's Table, and Cafe Promenade. Of those options, 10 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 9 options have an additional fee.
The Seascape has 3 fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are HOLA! Tacos & Cantina, Kaito Sushi Bar, and Ocean Cay Restaurant. 7 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 19% more dining options than the Seascape.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Freedom of the Seas might be a better choice then the Seascape. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 19 | 16 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 10 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 9 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 53% | 44% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas has 6 fewer bars than the MSC Seascape. The Freedom of the Seas has 13 bars like Boleros, Casino Bar and Schooner Bar. On Freedom of the Seas, you can grab a drink at 19 different bars such as Chef's Court Cocktail Bar, Horizon Bar and Infinity Bar.
| Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas | MSC Seascape |
|---|---|
| •Boleros • Casino Bar • English Pub • Playmakers • R Bar • Schooner Bar • Solarium Bar • Star Lounge • Suite Lounge • The Lime & Coconut • The Plaza Bar • Viking Crown Lounge • Vintages | •Casino Bar • Champagne Bar • Chef's Court Cocktail Bar • Horizon Bar • Infinity Bar • Jungle Pool Beach Bar • Le Cabaret Rouge • Loft Cafe • Marina Bar • MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar • Seascape Bar • Shine Bar • Sky Bar • Sports Bar • The Uptown Lounge • The Wine Cellar • Top 19 Bar • Top Sail Lounge • Venchi 1878 Chocolate Bar |
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 Freedom of the Seas and the Seascape 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 Freedom of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 5 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.
MSC Seascape has more pools than the Freedom of the Seas and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Seascape. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
| Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 2 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 5 | 15 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 3 | 12 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 3 |
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. On the Freedom of the Seas, 80% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Seascape, only 54% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adventure Trail | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| F1 Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✗ |
| Glass Bridge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ice Skating | ✓ | ✗ |
| Interactive XD Cinema | ✗ | ✓ |
| Laser Tag | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Robotron | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zip Line | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean and MSC are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. 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 Freedom of the Seas will likely be cheaper than on MSC Seascape.
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 compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas | MSC Seascape | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $70 - $125 Learn more | $46 - $85 |
| Internet Plan | $17 to $30 per device per day | $17 - $27 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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