PHOTO: The Carnival Freedom entered the fleet in 2007.

It's amazing what can be accomplished in two weeks of drydock.

That’s the biggest take-away looking at the Carnival Freedom before and after its multimillion dollar renovation, which took place April 19 to May 3 in Freeport, Bahamas.

The Freedom is one of the first of the Carnival fleet to get a complete overhaul of the kids’ program, as the cruise line has switched from its popular Camp Carnival format to a nautical-themed Camp Ocean program, including a full renovation of the kids’ space to incorporate “Dr. Seuss at Sea,” an exclusive partnership with the iconic children’s author.

One look at the kids’ playing in the new Seussville family reading space with its vibrant colors, cushy chairs and whimsical décor — and it was clear the program was going to be a hit.

But there’s something for everyone in this overhaul. And, from the new restaurants and lounges to the video-game themed sports bar to the sweet-tooth haven, the attention to detail is what strikes you most.

The 2007 vessel — weighing in at 110,000 gross tons, and with a 2,980 passenger capacity and 1,150 onboard crew — is by no means the largest in the fleet. But you feel the value, especially since you get to enjoy all the features of the Fun Ship 2.0 initiative without the extra hordes of passengers you experience on the bigger ships.

ACCOMODATIONS

There are four different classes ranging from 185- to 410-square-foot floor plans. The ship features 570 inside cabins and 361 oceanview staterooms without balconies. These staterooms feature 24-hour room service, two twin beds that can be made into a queen, and a Pullman or sofa bed. The 225-square-foot balcony staterooms (504 total) include outside sitting areas, while the premium Vista Balcony rooms wrap around the aft portion of the ship for maximum sea views. The ships’ 52 suites range from 360 to 415 square feet, including 10 penthouse suites that feature walk-in closets and vanities. All suites come with extra features such as the spa’s Elemis brand of bath products, VIP check-in (a blessing to bypass the long terminal lines), walk-in closets and balcony views. The junior suite features a basic balcony and a whirlpool tub, the Grand Suite includes a dressing vanity and the largest ocean suites include a large balcony and picture windows.

The cabin service is top-notch, with attentive staff taking care of every need. As far as room flow, the staterooms are outdated in comparison to the Carnival Breeze — which we sailed on last year — in terms of, décor and technology (with limited plugs and an older, tube-style television) and generic-feeling bathroom space. But the rooms were clean and comfortable and large enough to comfortably fit two adults and two kids.

PUBLIC SPACES

This is where the “wow” factor kicks up a notch for the Freedom, as the renovation focused heavily on the lounge and bar areas. Additions include the Red Frog Rum Bar, where guests can drink Caribbean rums and beers, including Carnival’s signature brew, the Thirsty Frog Red. Play darts, foosball or — my personal favorite — table shuffleboard, surrounded in a British West Indies-meets-Key West vibe and décor. The renovation also added Alchemy Bar, a vintage-themed pharmacy where guests can order custom-created cocktails from mixologists dressed in white doctor jackets. The ship also includes Scott’s Piano bar on the Atlantic deck and the International Lounge (where the karaoke contests are held).

PHOTO: The Carnival Freedom underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation.

The Victoriana theater is where most of the larger events take place and is a two-level venue with both individual and group bench seating. The ship also features an open-air Seaside Theater playing popular TV shows during the day and hit movies at night on an upgraded drive-in-theater-size screen (a big improvement, according to several veteran Freedom cruisers). The Fun Shops shopping area offers a variety of clothes, liquors and accessories, including the new Cherry on Top candy shop.

The new EA Sports Bar, an upgrade from the ships’ former sports bar, integrates the popular video game brand into a family-friendly bar setting just off the casino. We saw kids of all ages utilizing the impressive technology in the well-laid-out space — a unanimous big hit judging from everyone we talked to.

Freedom’s kids program is a stand-out feature, as Camp Ocean features over 200 new ocean-themed activities for Penguins (ages 2-5), Stingrays (ages 6-8) and Sharks (ages 9-11). The space includes miniature play igloos for the Penguins to interactive gaming stations for the Sharks; the Party Reef, a common area that brings each of the groups together; and a breakout room for arts and crafts activities called Creative Cove.

DINING

The drydock renovation added the popular Guy’s Burger Joint to the Freedom, celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s unique take on an American classic. Also added was the Blue Iguana Cantina, a poolside Mexican eatery featuring fresh-made tacos and burritos.

The Posh and Chic dining rooms are designed with casual elegance in mind, with red and gold metalwork. There’s always one rotating vegetarian entree, along with the set of everyday menu items that include fish, steak and chicken options as well as a “didja” selection (as in “did you ever try”), which includes unique fare such as frog legs and escargot. The service in the main dining room is what truly stood out for us, as the staff went above and beyond for every need, danced with the kids and created a festive atmosphere nightly.

The buffets are solid, but we often gravitated toward the specialty stations, such as the Pizza Pirate (offering custom-made personal pizzas), the Comfort Kitchen (offering American comfort food options), the Mongolian Grill (Asian takes on beef, chicken and seafood) and the Carnival Deli (open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. with hot and cold sandwiches, including a delectable Reuben). Our favorite was the Fish and Chips, another lesser-attended lunch area on deck 10, offering everything from cider-battered fish fillets to ahi tuna to octopus salad.

The Sun King Steakhouse is a $35-per-person, reservations-only restaurant that presents a two-hour, multicourse experience and a luxurious and truly satisfying night out, well worth the upgrade. The Viennese Café offers à la carte specialty treats like fruit tortes and carrot cake and drinks such as coconut cappuccino and alcoholic coffees. The ship also offers a once-per-cruise Chef’s Table experience, open to 12 passengers, which includes a private ship tour by the executive chef, a cocktail reception and a multi-course dinner in a nontraditional setting like the library for $75 per person.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

The ship features two smaller open-to-all pools and whirlpools, and two adults-only pools and whirlpools, as well as a whirlpool in the adults-only Serenity Retreat area on Deck 14. There’s a twister waterslide for the kids. The Elemis-run Spa Carnival has an impressive area for massages, scrubs and facials, and acupuncture in a muted, backlit setting. The area also has a salon offering haircuts, manicures and pedicures. The fitness center features elliptical and treadmill equipment and a variety of classes and the sports deck features a basketball court and walking track.

ITINERARIES

The Freedom features five-day and eight-day Eastern Caribbean itineraries (with stops such as Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, St. Maarten and St. Thomas) and six- and eight-day Western Caribbean itineraries (with stops such as Cozumel, Belize and Ocho Rios, Jamaica). Our cruise featured seven-hour daytime adventures in Grand Turk and La Romana, the Dominican Republic; a 10-hour day-into-night window in Curaçao; and an eight-hour daytime stop in Aruba.

ENTERTAINMENT

PHOTO: The ship features the new “Seuss at Sea” program.

The “Hasbro the Game Show” addition is a twice-per-cruise family fun show where audience members have a chance to win prizes by competing in on-stage Hasbro-inspired games such as Connect Four. The Freedom was the first to get all four of the new Playlist Production shows — 80s to the Max, Island Getaway, the romantic Heart of Soul and the piano-heavy 88 Keys. The mix of singing, dancing and interactive LED-screen backdrops — all done in a 30-minute show — make this a standout addition. We were very impressed by the variety of the shows and the high-quality talent. The ship also includes the George Lopez-inspired Punchliner Comedy Club, which brings in headline talent throughout the cruise for family- and adult-themed shows.

CRUISING STYLE

This is definitely a mass-market ship that will appeal to families, singles, Gen-X, Millennials and seniors. It’s a bang-for-the-buck type cruise — you’ll get a lot of higher-end features here that fit in a mid-level budget. Prices start at $189 per person for interior staterooms during the five-day cruises.