Cruise Spotlight
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Mariner of the Seas vs Freedom
The Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas was built in 2003. It was renovated in 2018. Mariner of the Seas was Amplified in 2023 which added many new features, restaurants, and attractions to this ship. It's 4 years older 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 Mariner 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 Carnival Freedom, the Mariner of the Seas is 27% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas holds 12% 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 Mariner 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 Mariner of the Seas | Carnival Freedom | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Voyager | Conquest |
| Gross Tonnage | 139,863 | 110,000 |
| Length | 1,020 | 952 |
| Beam/Width | 157 | 116 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,344 | 2,980 |
| Crew | 1,200 | 1,150 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.8 | 2.6 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 42 | 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 Mariner of the Seas has sixteen different dining options like Windjammer, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, and Jamie's Italian. Of those options, nine are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other seven options have an additional fee.
The Freedom has two more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are The Chef's Table, Mongolian Wok, and Blue Iguana Cantina. thirteen of these restaurants are complementary and the other five have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Freedom might be a better choice. It has 13% more dining options than the Mariner of the Seas.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Freedom might be a better choice then the Mariner of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas | Carnival Freedom | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 16 | 18 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 9 | 13 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 7 | 5 |
| % of Included Options | 56% | 72% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas has 2 more bars than the Carnival Freedom. The Mariner of the Seas has 15 bars like Schooner Bar, Suite Lounge and Viking Crown Lounge. On Mariner of the Seas, you can grab a drink at 13 different bars such as BlueIguana Tequila Bar, Casino Bar and Swingtime Bar.
| Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas | Carnival Freedom |
|---|---|
| •Boleros • Casino Bar • English Pub • Jazz Club • Playmakers • Pool Bar • R Bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Lounge • Solarium Bar • Star Lounge • Suite Lounge • The Bamboo Room • The Plaza Bar • Viking Crown Lounge | •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 Mariner 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 Mariner 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 Mariner of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 5 hot tubs.
Carnival Freedom has fewer pools than the Mariner 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 Mariner of the Seas.| Royal Caribbean Mariner 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 | 5 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 3 | 2 |
| 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.
Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean Edition)
Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8
(Carnival Edition) (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. On the Mariner of the Seas, 75% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Freedom, only 73% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Mariner 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 - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
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. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas will likely be cheaper than on Carnival Freedom.
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 Mariner 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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