Heidi BucoloFood is a big part of cruising, and we know our fellow cruisers are always eager to see what is available at the different restaurants onboard. So, we are back from the first (and only) 7-day Southern Caribbean cruise on the newly amplified Freedom of the Seas and have put together this Amplified Freedom of the Seas Restaurant Guide. We have pictures, menus, and all the details for each venue.
Amplified Freedom of the Seas Restaurant Guide
Complimentary Restaurants
El Loco Fresh – Deck 11
Located on the pool deck, this Mexican-inspired venue offers tacos, burritos, and quesadillas with a custom salsa bar. El Loco Fresh is open midday for lunch starting between 11 am to 1 pm and remaining open until 6 pm. This quick-service station is the perfect spot to grab some snacks while lounging near the pool and is a great alternative to the Windjammer buffet. Even better, there is now a full-service bar with tequila to complete your fiesta!
Windjammer Cafe – Deck 11
If you have cruised on Royal Caribbean before, then you are very familiar with the Windjammer. This casual, complimentary buffet is open most of the day. On both sea and port days, the Windjammer serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
For breakfast (approximately 6:30 am-11 am), you can find your typical selections including fruits, breakfast pastries, cereals, hot menu items such as scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage, as well as a custom omelet station.
For lunch (approximately 11:30 am-3:30 pm), you will find a selection of salads, cold cuts and sandwiches, a grill with hamburgers and hot dogs, and other hot dishes which vary slightly each day of the cruise.
From 6-9 pm, dinner is offered in the Windjammer with different themes. Of course, you will also find your standard buffet selections in addition to the themed offerings.
Related Post: Newly Amplified Freedom of the Seas Southern Caribbean Cruise Review
Sorrento’s Pizza – Deck 5
Sorrento’s is your onboard pizza parlor. Located on the Promenade, Sorrento’s is open most days from 11:30 am to 3 am. This venue serves up pre-made slices of classic favorites like pepperoni and cheese in addition to daily specials. The lines here do get long, especially around all aboard times during port days.
Cafe Promenade – Deck 5
Open 24 hours a day, the Cafe Promenade is your go-to spot for snacks any time of day. Serving up coffee, breakfast pastries, sandwiches, and small desserts, you will never go hungry on Freedom of the Seas. Cafe Promenade is a great place to grab a table and people watch as there is always something happening in the Royal Promenade. While all of the food items are complimentary, specialty coffee is an up-charge.
Main Dining Room – Decks 3, 4, & 5
If you are looking for a complete dining experience, then you will want to visit the main dining room.
The MDR serves breakfast every morning of your cruise on deck 3 from 8:00 am to 9:30 am. Here, you can have a made to order breakfast. Options are very similar to a breakfast menu on land. Main dining room breakfast can be crowded at times, so don’t be surprised if there is a line of guests waiting to be seated. If you are in a hurry, there is also the express option which is a buffet of select hot and cold items.
The main dining room is open for lunch on the amplified Freedom of the Seas only on sea days. Cruisers can enjoy a selection of freshly prepared menu items including the popular tutti salad, pasta specials, sandwiches, and more.
For dinner, the main dining rooms offer a different menu each night. Cruisers with traditional dining (decks 4 and 5) can choose either a 6:00 pm or 8:30 pm seating. Oddly, My Time Dining on this ship did not start until 7:30 pm. The Cruise Compass also indicated that cruisers needed to make reservations for My Time Dining, but there was also a walk-up line taking standby guests.
Either way, the menu options are the same as the traditional dining. These options do rotate each evening, with a set list of Classics dishes available every night.
Menus: Breakfast | Lunch 1 | Lunch 2 | Dinner 1 | Dinner 2 | Dinner 3 | Dinner 4 | Dinner 5 | Dinner 6 | Dinner 7
Related Post: 9 Things We Loved About the Amplified Freedom of the Seas (and One We Didn’t)
Specialty Restaurants
Johnny Rockets – Deck 12
Another staple found on many Royal Caribbean ships is Johnny Rockets. Those back on land will recognize this 1950’s inspired hamburger shop. This restaurant on Freedom of the Seas is exactly the same, complete with singing and dancing. This venue is an up-charge. The venue is open most days from about 2 pm to Midnight.
Chops Grille – Deck 11
Chops Grille is the Royal Caribbean signature steakhouse and is located on Deck 11 outside of the Windjammer on the Amplified Freedom of the Seas. This specialty restaurant currently has an up-charge of $42.99 per person. You can make reservations at this restaurant prior to your cruise using the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean’s website or immediately upon boarding the ship. Chops Grille is open every night of the cruise from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
Chops Grille also offers lunch on embarkation day and the two sea day for $21.99. There is also a new Chops +1 option for $65. This option entitles you to dinner at Chops plus one other specialty restaurant of your choice. (Prices quoted were for our sailing if booked pre-cruise. Pricing on the ship was more expensive.)
Menus: Cocktail & Wine Menu | Dinner | Dessert
Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen – Deck 11
Freedom of the Seas is the first amplified ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet to debut the completely re-imagined Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen. This restaurant is a new take on a guest favorite. This rustic venue serves up all the Italian classics. The menu features made-to-order pizzas prepared in an open kitchen concept and baked in the new pizza oven.
Cruisers can also enjoy classic pasta dishes, delicious entrees, and complimentary limoncello. Giovanni’s is also located on Deck 11 outside the Windjammer and is open nightly for dinner from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. This specialty restaurant up-charge for dinner is $34.99 per person. On Sea Days, there is a lunch option for 24.99. The menu is almost identical to dinner, minus the Osso Bucco entree.
Chef’s Table
If you are celebrating a special occasion, you might want to consider a Chef’s Table experience. For $84.99, you can indulge in a five-course pairing menu and wine tasting. Each course is carefully chosen and presented by the chef and sommelier. The set dinner time on Freedom of the Seas is 6:30 pm. Below is the five course options available during our sailing.
Chefs Table Menu: Page 1 | Page 2
Taste of Royal
The Taste of Royal is a new experience that offers a menu with select favorite dishes from restaurants across the fleet. This four course meal was available to book pre-cruise for $34.99. This lunch experience was offered only on Day 6 (sea day) of our cruise from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm in Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen.
Ben & Jerry’s – Deck 5
Serving up your favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavors at sea, Freedom of the Seas has an ice cream shop located on the Royal Promenade across the way from Cafe Promenade. Ben & Jerry’s is open daily so you can score a frosty treat day or night. Purchases made at Ben & Jerry’s are a la carte. Complimentary soft serve ice cream is available on the pool deck if you’d prefer not to spend the extra money.
Izumi Hibachi and Sushi – Deck 4
Izumi is another Royal Caribbean fan favorite offering an authentic Asian meal. The Izumi Hibachi is $45 per person and is open nightly from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Izumi is also open for lunch on the two sea days 12 pm to 1:30 pm. This dinner and a show teppanyaki experience features made to order dishes prepared tableside by your personal chef. The fee includes a salad, an entree, and a dessert. Additional starters, signature rolls, and sushi pieces can be purchased at a la carte pricing.
Cocktails and Drinks | Teppanyaki Menu | Sushi 1 | Sushi 2
Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade – Deck 4
This new sports bar on Freedom of the Seas is the perfect place to grab a handcrafted brew and watch a game on the big screens. Lucky for you, there is also pub food available at a la carte prices if you get hungry. Playmakers offers pub favorites like chicken wings, nachos, and the signature Playmakers burger at costs ranging from starters for $3 to sandwiches for $9. This version of the Playmakers menu has some new items not previously offered at other versions of this restaurant. Playmakers Sports Bar on Freedom of the Seas is listed as being open 11 am to late.
Comments
Do you have plans to cruise on Freedom of the Seas? What is your favorite Freedom of the Seas restaurant? Drop us an anchor below to share your dining preferences on Royal Caribbean’s latest amplified ships.
1 comment
Rodney Draper
I will be on you freedom of the seas cruise line December the 10th through the 15th 2023