Independence of the Seas vs Freedom

The Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas was built in 2008. It was renovated in 2018. It's 1 year newer than the Freedom, which was built in 2007 and renovated in 2023.

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 Independence 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 Carnival Freedom, the Independence of the Seas is 40% larger in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas holds 29% more passengers than the Freedom 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 Independence of the Seas has more space per person compared to the Freedom. 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 Independence of the Seas	Carnival Freedom
Class	Freedom	Conquest
Gross Tonnage	154,407	110,000
Length	1,112	952
Beam/Width	185	116
Passenger Decks	14	13
Passengers (double occupancy)	3,858	2,980
Crew	1,440	1,150
Passenger to Crew Ratio	2.7	2.6
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)	40	37

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 Independence of the Seas has eighteen different dining options like Johnny Rockets, Cafe Promenade, and Playmakers. Of those options, nine are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other nine options have an additional fee.

The Freedom has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Carnival Deli, Blue Iguana Cantina, and Pizza Pirate. thirteen of these restaurants are complementary and the other five have an additional fee.

The Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas has about the same number of dining options as the Carnival Freedom.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Freedom might be a better choice then the Independence of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

	Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas	Carnival Freedom
Total Dining Options	18	18
Complimentary Dining Options:	9	13
Additional Fee Dining Options:	9	5
% of Included Options	50%	72%
	See the options	See the options

Bars and Drinks

The Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas has 1 more bar than the Carnival Freedom. The Independence of the Seas has 14 bars like Casino Bar, Olive or Twist and Pool Bar. On Independence of the Seas, you can grab a drink at 13 different bars such as Habana Bar, International Aft Lounge and Scott's Piano Bar.

Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas	Carnival Freedom
•Boleros • Casino Bar • Champagne Bar • English Pub • Olive or Twist • Playmakers • Pool Bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Lounge • Solarium Bar • Star Lounge • Suite Lounge • The Plaza Bar • Vintages	•70's Night Club • Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Casino Bar • Endless Bar • Habana Bar • Heroes Tribute Bar • International Aft Lounge • Java Blue Cafe • RedFrog Rum Bar • Scott's Piano Bar • Swingtime Bar

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Independence of the Seas serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like 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. The Freedom serves the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Independence of the Seas and the Freedom 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 Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 7 hot tubs.

Carnival Freedom has fewer pools than the Independence of the Seas and fewer hot tubs.

Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Independence of the Seas.

	Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas	Carnival Freedom
Total Pools	3	2
Pools - General Access	2	1
Pools - Adults Only	1	1
Pools - Exclusive	0	0
Total Hot Tubs	7	4
Hot Tubs - General Access	5	2
Hot Tubs - Adults Only	2	2
Hot Tubs - Exclusive	0	0

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 Independence of the Seas. Only 72% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Freedom, 73% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

	Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas	Carnival Freedom
Adult Only Relaxation Area	✓	✓
Arcade	✓	✓
Basketball	✓	✓
Casino	✓	✓
Climbing Wall	✓	✗
Comedy Club	✗	✓
Dr Seuss Breakfast	✗	✓
Escape Room	✓	✗
Fitness Center	✓	✓
FlowRider	✓	✗
Ice Skating	✓	✗
Jogging Track	✗	✓
Laser Tag	✓	✗
Mini golf	✓	✓
Pool-side Movies	✓	✓
Shows - Broadway play	✓	✗
Shows - musical review	✓	✓
Spa	✓	✓
Splash park	✓	✓
Water slides	✓	✓
	Learn more	Learn more

Carnival is also known for its energetic theme parties which vary per ship.

Cruise Costs

Royal Caribbean and Carnival 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.

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 Independence of the Seas	Carnival Freedom
Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day)	$18.50	$16.00
Tip added to drinks & services	18%	18%
Soda Price	$3.50	$3.00
Domestic Beer Price	$8.25 See drink menus	$8.75 See drink menus
Drink Package Price	$77 - $118 Learn more	$83 - $88 Learn more
Internet Plan	$19 to $30 per device per day	$18.70 to $23.80 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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