Supplement to Travel Trade
September 2007

Liberty of the Seas, the second version of the largest cruise ship afloat and Royal Caribbean’s 21st ship, is a testament to the success of its sister, Freedom of the Seas. The company made no essential changes. Apart from the décor, this ship has the same features as the first Freedom-class vessel. Having found the solution they wanted, executives concentrated on innovations to the onboard product.
Liberty of the Seas, inaugurated in May, is the first and only ship in the world fleet with a travel agent godmother: Donnalea Madeley of Ontario-based Marlin Travel. There was a great deal of buzz about this during the inaugural among agents, who seemed to have a special proprietary interest in the ship. Like other passengers, agents were curious about the concept and future of the very large ships.
Chairman and CEO Richard Fain discussed the placement of progressively larger vessels, commenting, “When we ordered Voyager we thought of the Caribbean, that Europe couldn’t handle that size. Now, we’ve seen just how well Voyager and Freedom have been received in both the U.S. and Europe. Since we announced that we would be placing the third Freedom-class ship, Independence of the Seas, in the U.K., we have been receiving more publicity there because they know this is now their class of ship.
“The European market has opened up to us. Such variety appeals to everyone,” Fain said.
He pointed out that, while traditional wisdom says a larger ship doesn’t command a higher price, these ships command a premium. “When we built them larger, we made them better — we didn’t just add staterooms,” he added.
Fain explained that the company builds bigger ships in order to fit the desired experiences on them. “We wouldn’t have taken on Genesis if we didn’t see that there are things we can’t do on a ship of Liberty’s size,” he stated. Asked whether there will be bigger ships after Genesis, he said, “I’m not aware of anything we can’t do on Genesis.”
The Liberty’s captain, Hernan Zini, said the ship is “technically absolutely wonderful” and that the company is working with suppliers to build ever-better systems.
He added that large ships are easier to handle than older ships, even when they are smaller, and that the new technology gives the ship a greater safety margin in high winds. He also noted that the biggest ships are successfully bringing in people new to cruising, with first-timers making up 60% of guests.
Alice Norworthy, senior vice president of marketing, discussed the onboard innovations that will spread from Liberty throughout the fleet: the Vitality Program, Explorer Weddings and enhanced experience for families.
Vitality Program
This is really a serious program, not just window dressing. Stressing fat-free, whole foods, nutrition and weight management offerings include meetings in a private dining area outside the Windjammer Café, discussing healthful choices available at the buffet. Participants in the “Eat More to Weigh Less” program then go and get their food and bring it back to eat together. The program takes an integrated approach to wellness, with new fitness and spa offerings, wholesome culinary options and active onboard and shoreside activities with Vitality rewards.
“This all-encompassing program is designed to encourage and educate our guests to achieve wellness through a balance of lifestyle choices that may even include the occasional dessert or an indulgent morning spent sleeping in,” said Norsworthy.
“Guests will be able to get their feet wet with one or two of the Vitality elements or have a total experience with the onboard spa and fitness classes, shoreside activities and special menus, and then continue that experience with take-home workout plans, virtual personal trainers and healthy cooking recipes.”
The spa, which has a more natural color palate than that of Freedom, has Tai Chi and meditation classes, therapeutic Chinese herbal medicinal offerings and acupuncture at sea, and other treatments and activities that are at the head of a roster of relaxing and healing experiences. Guests are encouraged to participate in the revamped “New Look & New You” program, which offers mini-makeovers.
On the Promenade, A Clean Shave provides a venue where men can get male packaged treatments as well as a haircut and a shave.
A Vitality program lecture series developed by a health and wellness expert provides advice on stress and relaxation, weight management and health and fitness. Brand partner New Balance is installing a virtual personal-trainer kiosk on the line’s Freedom-class ships to assist guests in creating a customized cruise vacation fitness regimen as well as a post-vacation exercise plan. Land-based Vitality fitness offerings will be available in various ports of call, along with New Balance self-guided running maps and an extensive running course on Labadee, Haiti, the cruise line’s private island destination.
Active shore excursions also will reflect the new Vitality program with running, biking and zip-lining. The Vitality excursions are paired with discounted onboard spa treatments after the day’s activities.
In addition to the Vitality choices on the main menus, energy bars, protein and green tea drinks and Tazo teas are available at the “Squeeze” juice bar.
Explorer Weddings
A second onboard enhancement picks up the strong trend toward exotic destination weddings and vow renewals. Explorer Weddings are the extension of the line’s Royal Weddings, but held in a medieval castle, on a rock wall, in a hot air balloon and on a glacier or volcano.
More than 15% of Americans are choosing a destination wedding instead of a traditional land-based ceremony, according to Steve Shaiken, vice president of onboard revenue operations.
“The Explorer Weddings program offers couples the opportunity to combine an unforgettable destination wedding in a very unique setting with a cruise honeymoon,” he added.

Youth Programs
In a significant move to court younger cruisers, Royal Caribbean has launched the first youth loyalty program. Teens and children automatically attain their parents’ level and a Value Booklet is given to each at the beginning of a cruise with activities and special offers for arcade games, airbrush tattoos, Ben & Jerry’s and Y-spa, the ship’s teen spa treatments.
The company also set up a teen advisory board, with 10%-30% of passengers sailing with the line under 18. Enhancements to the Adventure Ocean program include Adventure Theater by Camp Broadway, New York City’s well-known children’s theater group. Children and teens are introduced to theater arts through folktales, music, dance and cultural elements. Teens can also hone their turntable skills in Scratch DJ classes hosted by the Scratch DJ Academy.
Meanwhile, young cruisers can sign up for Fisher-Price’s Chefs on Deck, or families can construct their own ships in Build & Grow with Lowe’s.

New and Different Feeling
Although the innovations onboard lie in the programs and the layout is the same as Freedom of the Seas, the Liberty still feels new and different. The artwork on board evolves around the concept of illusion vs. reality, and there are wonderful fool-the-eye and interactive pieces.
The Centrum and Royal Promenade feature dramatic artwork by the French artist Miguel Chevalier, whose interactive digital art is dynamic, constantly changing and transforming itself.
The art deco-style Grand Promenade is fresh and exciting and the exuberant parade there is so well attended that passengers would be well advised to cultivate friendships with others who had booked the Promenade-view staterooms. The view of the spectacle from there is excellent as the three dimensional exotic birds and gorgeously costumed women accompanied by steel bands frolic past the shops and eating and drinking places.
Like Freedom, Liberty of the Seas has a colorful children’s interactive water park, the FlowRider onboard surfer, rock climbing wall, skating rink, boxing ring, coffee shop and bookstore and Sorrento’s Pizzeria. In terms of technology, there is Wi-Fi capability throughout the ship, full cell phone connectivity and flat screen televisions in the staterooms.
On our cruise, guests gathered in the Viking Crown Lounge for the views by day and entertainment by night at Olive or Twist, Cloud Nine, the Diamond Club and Seven Hearts. The Champagne bar and Vintages drew wine aficionados, while beer-lovers hit the very authentic Hoof and Claw Pub.
While dancing and sunning filled the main pool area, there is also a serene adults-only Solarium with its hammocks, lounging furniture and whirlpools, which extend out 110 feet above the sea.
The main pool is beautiful and saw plenty of action on our cruise, from the early morning lap swimmers to the lazy splashing families later in the day. The pools are not covered, so presumably are not intended for use outside warm climates.
Besides the FlowRider onboard surfer, there is a nine-hole miniature golf course and golf simulator golf clubs and basketballs, volleyballs, etc. in the Sports Court. The Sports Shop sells souvenirs, T-shirts and badges and offers training for those who want to look good on the FlowRider.
The astonishing ice show inspired dozens of people to try the open ice skating sessions and Casino Royale’s world of the classic Hollywood film drew crowds night and day to try out games of chance.
The ship’s 1,320-seat Platinum Theatre hosts the second section of the company’s “Fractured Fairy Tales Trilogy,” as well as “Somewhere in Time,” in which a young couple pursues love through a Morocco Café in the 1940s, Mozart’s Austria, the Wild West and former communist Russia.
The dining rooms, with each level separately named, are rich and beautiful with gorgeous wood inlay and luxurious carpeting. The Botticelli level is particularly impressive, styled in rich blues and golds. Designers did a very good job of creating an intimate and relaxed ambience and the huge crystal chandelier drew “ahs” from the diners.
Returning to their staterooms, the guests found well-conceived layouts with elegant colors and comfortable bathrooms. Suites have baths in addition to the showers. The new bedding is exceptionally seductive and beyond comfortable.
Liberty of the Seas sails alternating 7-night Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries from Miami. Both itineraries call on Royal Caribbean’s private destination, Labadee, Haiti.
The Western Caribbean itinerary also includes the ports of Montego Bay, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Cozumel, Mexico, while the Eastern Caribbean itinerary calls on San Juan, Puerto Rico and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.

VITAL STATISTICS
Launched May 2007
154,417 tons
1,112’ long
184’ wide
Cruising speed: 21.6 knots
Passenger decks: 15
Elevators: 15
Staterooms: 1,817
Oceanview staterooms: 1,084 (842 with balconies)
Interior staterooms: 733 (172 promenade view)
Wheelchair accessible staterooms: 32
84 Junior Suites with balcony
22 Grand Suites with balcony
4 Royal Family Suites with balcony
8 Owner’s Suites with balcony
1 Royal Suite with balcony
1 Presidential Family Suite with balcony
Family Interior Stateroom 323 square foot
Inside stateroom 152 square foot
Standard Promenade Stateroom 167 square foot
Promenade Family Stateroom 300 square foot