Liberty and Freedom are both newer. They carry more passengers than the Explorer, a couple hundred more. They each have a Flow-rider surf simulator and an H2O zone (an aquatic play area for children--which we really love. We are too old for the H2O zone but LOVE that so many younger children hang there leaving more of the deck and pool area by the main swimming pools less congested with little kids). The Promenade area will be slightly longer and in addition to cafe prominade there is a Sorrento's Pizza on the Promenade. Everything is similar to the Voyager class ships, of which Explorer is one, but stretched a bit larger including the theater, dining rooms and windjammer, fitness center, and pool area. And being on a newer ship is just so much fun! We were on the Liberty two springs ago and loved it. The staff (at least at the time) was fantastic. Probably the best we had experienced in all our cruises. Hope this helps!
__________________
Laurie
RCCL Nordic Empress 1993
RCCL Nordic Prince 1994
RCCL Explorer 2003, 2005
RCCL Navigator, 2004, 2007
RCCL Mariner 2006
RCCL Liberty 2008
RCCL Adventure 2009 Read and post cruise reviews
Oh, sorry, I thought your question was to compare to what you had in the past. Dave's right they are pretty much identical. I would love to be going on either one.
__________________
Laurie
RCCL Nordic Empress 1993
RCCL Nordic Prince 1994
RCCL Explorer 2003, 2005
RCCL Navigator, 2004, 2007
RCCL Mariner 2006
RCCL Liberty 2008
RCCL Adventure 2009 Read and post cruise reviews
I see that the Liberty has some better deals. The Freedom sails out of Cape Canaveral and the Liberty sails out of Miami if that makes any difference. I've been on both ships and loved them. The cantilevered jacuzzi's are really cool.
The only really low prices are in the month of October on the Liberty. As low as $629 for a balcony. The way the economy is going, I believe the there will be other cruise discounts popping up. The air fare is the big spoiler for me.
Have been on both, and am getting ready to book Independence...
As everyone has said, just minor decor differences between the two...
Just comes down to if you want to leave from Central or South Florida....
__________________
2010--RCCL Independence of the Seas
2010--Celebrity Century
2009--NCL Pearl
2009--NCL Sky
2009--Carnival Destiny
2009--RCCL Freedom of the Seas
2008--Celebrity Constellation
2007--HAL Westerdam
2007--RCCL Liberty of the Seas
2006--Caribbean Princess
2005--RCCL Brilliance of the Seas
2003--Carnival Imagination
2002--RCCL Monarch of the Seas
2001--RCCL Majesty of the Seas
2000--Carnival Imagination
1999--Carnival Fascination
1998--RCCL Majesty of the Seas
1996--RCCL Majesty of the Seas
1994--NCL Windward
1993--NCL Westward
The air fare is a bummer to all of us that live in the NE as well...Last springs price for air fare for the two of us was really eye popping to us, but we have no alternative as the wife can only go in Feb or Apr and those are costly times as schools out at that time.
Sonny V, we live fairly close to each other, just across the state line-as much as I HATE O'Hare, it MAY be worth trying to fly out of there-on our upcoming cruise in Sept, 2010, I got airfare of $252.20 round trip out of O'Hare, and almost twice that much out of Milwaukee-may be worth the Van Galder bus ride down to the flatland state-air fare is a problem for many of us, but by planning WAY ahead, sometimes you can find some deals-
and Liberty has reduced our total fare by over $3090 since I started booking and paying back in September
Linear Mode
