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Whether you’re looking for an intimate, romantic dining experience for two or a grab-and-go buffet-style dinner, Royal Caribbean has you covered during your cruise on the Freedom of the Seas. With 10 different restaurant and 16 bars/lounges on board, there’s no shortage of food or options to meet all different types of palates.
3 tiers of seating make up the main dining room on board the Freedom of the Seas: Leonardo on deck 3, Isaac on deck 4, & Galileo on deck 5. Multi-course meals are served in the main dining room for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
When you check in for your cruise, you’ll receive your assigned dining time and table number. Numbers may be swapped the first night on board to accommodate passenger preference. Each night on board, you have the option to dine in the main dining room at your specified time & table, or opt to explore one of the other restaurants on board. It’s basically like having a permanent dinner reservation throughout your trip.
My Time dining allows you to enjoy the fabulous multiple-course meal experience of the main dining room without any time constraints. My Time dining allows you to choose a different (or the same) reservation time each day of your trip between 6-9pm. You can make reservations in advance or just show up at the main dining room and wait to be seated.
I have to say, my favorite staff on the ship are the main dining room waiters and assistant waiters. Since Levi and I went with the standard pre-assigned time & table option, we had the same waiter, which definitely had benefits for us. For the nights we chose to eat in the main dining room, there was already a booster seat, glass of chocolate milk, and veggies set out for Levi so that I could get him settled without any delay. Traveling with a 3 year old by yourself can be a little challenging, so having a waiter that did little things to make our experience better was something I really appreciated.
Heaping platefuls of delicious goodies can be found nearly all day long at the two buffet-style restaurants on board the Freedom Of The Seas. Fresh fruit, salads, sandwiches, pasta, hand-carved meats, desserts, and more can be found in the Windjammer Café. Jade is nestled within the Windjammer Café and offers a selection of Asian-inspired dishes ranging from hand-rolled sushi to fresh fish preparations.
Although the service is buffet-style, the quality of the food is much better than your typical buffet back home. Levi and I enjoyed the food in the Windjammer and Jade just as much as the food served in the main dining room.
ADDITIONAL DINING OPTIONS
In addition to the main dining room service and buffet options, there are several other complimentary restaurants on board to offer additional culinary variety. Located on the Royal Promenade, Sorrento’s offers pizza, sandwiches, and quick Italian bites. Café Promenade is a great place to grab a sandwich or a snack, and Sprinkles ice cream cart lets you build your own soft-serve cones to satisfy sweet tooth cravings.
For additional fees, Royal Caribbean guests can dine at two multi-course specialty restaurants. Portofino is an upscale Italian restaurant with amazing desserts. Chops Grille is a steakhouse with big portions and even bigger flavor. Both are great if you’re looking to add a little extra indulgence to your trip.
Johnny Rockets is a family-favorite specialty restaurant. This classic malt shop boasts hand-spun shakes and classic American diner fare for a nominal fee. It’s located near the Adventure Ocean youth facility on Deck 12 and is a fun stop after a hard day of play.
BEVERAGES & MORE
Juice, coffee, milk, and tea are all included during your cruise. Soda, alcoholic beverages, and specialty drinks are available for additional fees at all of the restaurants listed above, as well as at the 16 bars and lounges located throughout the ship. Beer flights are available daily at the Bull and Bear Pub, and self-guided wine tastings are available at Vintages on the Royal Promenade.
Specialty coffee drinks and desserts are available on the Freedom of the Seas, too. I started being REALLY thankful for Starbucks around Day 2 of chasing Levi around the ship. There’s nothing quite like a venti mocha to make me smile in the morning. There’s also a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop on the ship, as well as the Cupcake Cupboard where you can shop for sweet treats.
Also make certain to check out the cruise ship art auction to find the perfect piece to commemorate your trip. Check out our next where will share on saving on cruise excursions.
Jen is the Minneapolis writer & professional loudmouth behind Life With Levi, a site with a humorous take on balancing life as a working mom. She is a natural community builder and uses social media to create powerful engagement between her readers and brands that can help make their lives easier. At least, that’s how she prefers to explain her Facebook and Twitter addiction.
When she’s not at the office, you can usually find her building forts with the kids, starting pillow fights, or planning her next family adventure.
Thanks for the info! We love that they have so many options to choose from!
I definitely need to take a cruise with Royal Caribbean. It sounds like they offer great service to their guests. And there are so many options for dinner.
I have always wanted to take a cruise. The Royal Caribbean line looks like the best of the cruise lines. The dining options look scrumptious!
That looks like a lot of fun. I’ve never been on a cruise before. I hope that I can go at sometime! I know it would be a blast.
I would love to go on a Royal Caribbean cruise. I’ve always heard how great Cruise food is. I’m hoping to get to go on cruise next winter.
I love that Royal Caribbean offers so many dinner choices. Seems like they make it no-hassle, too, which is perfect for our family.
Looks amazing. I love cruising
I love that there are so many options to choose from. It seems like there is something for everyone and they really accommodate all of your needs.