Review with photos - Freedom OTS - Eastern Caribbean - 4/19-26/15

Freedom of the Seas – Eastern Caribbean - April 19 -> 26, 2015

Saturday, April 18, 2015 – Travel day

Good morning readers. If you are not reading this, then you are in the wrong place. It is a little before 6:00am here at beautiful downtown LAX. Boarding begins at 7:30am, and since I have nothing better to do, I am starting my review.

First, a little about me. This is my 27th cruise. This will be my 12th cruise on Royal Caribbean and my second on Freedom of the Seas. I was in the Royal Family Suite in June 2007 with my sister, brother-in-law, his sister and my two nephews, plus neighbors of my sister joined us (in other cabins). This time I’m bunking in the opposite end of the ship. I have the forward most port (left) side balcony cabin by choice. This time there are only three of us; me, myself and I. On my last cruise I earned enough points to become Diamond Plus. The main benefit of which is my room key will be purple instead of light blue.

So at any rate, about one week ago two things happened. First I made reservations for a taxi to pick me up this morning. More on that later. Second, I updated my laptop computer which includes a video driver which basically rendered the computer useless. It still works, but will not do what I want it to. So I had two choices, spend the rest of the week restoring the computer, which I really didn’t like that much to begin with, or buy a new one. Given that the old one was more than three years old and a Windows 7 computer (my desktop computer is Windows 8.1 and I have a Mac – Yosemite desktop), I decided to see what was available locally. I found a reasonably priced replacement, and this is the first time I am using it. Which reminds me, I didn’t verify that the card reader works with SD cards. I just tested it, it does read SD cards (whew!).

Of course the first thing that needs to be done with a new computer is to update it. Until this is done, the computer is vulnerable to malware and sure enough, while updating the computer it was infected with a Trojan horse. This prevented one of my favorite programs from working. Fortunately the included security software was able to remove it, and after more than one hundred updates the computer is working fine (and so far I like it better than the old one).

Well, this is not a computer review, so back to this morning. The taxi was supposed to meet me at 4:20am. About that time I receive a call that the taxi was here. Where? I called the taxi service and the dispatcher starts asking me a bunch of questions. I answer them and finally am able to explain the problem. Then I get berated for not telling her the problem first. I explain that she just started asking question and I answered them. She agrees to check and then tells me he is on his way. However, while this is happening apparently the taxi service called me again. I return that call as soon as I can and there is no answer. So I call the dispatcher again. Again the questions, again I am finally able to explain the issue. Again I am berated. Again I explain that I am answering the questions being asked of me. This time I’m told that since the taxi could not make contact with me he left.

Every time I use a taxi there is one problem or another and the dispatchers are rude. This was the last straw. In the future I’ll use a limo service. They are a little bit more expensive (actually with the discount offers I get, only by a few dollars) but they are much more professional. I haven’t had any trouble in the past with the limo service. So for now on I’m going to use the limo service.

At any rate I have a working car and I just drive myself to the bus that will take me to the airport. Actually the cost of driving and parking is about the same as the round trip taxi plus tip. Of course if I use the limo service I take it all the way to the airport (no bus), so it is also more convenient.

At 5:00am there is not much traffic and I am flying first class, so I also get a TSA pre-board. By 5:45am I am through security and waiting for the 7:30am boarding call.

So let’s see, what else can I tell you? Long ago (2005) people wanted more details in the reviews. So I started writing my review on board the ship while events were still fresh in my mind, and the people were happy. Then people wanted photos with the review, so I added photographs to my reviews, and again the people were happy. However, posting all those photos is time consuming and boring. I use a 24 megapixel camera and the size of the photographs needs to be reduced for posting. Then the photographs have to be added to the review one at a time. So I am going to do something new. I’ll still post photographs with my review, just not all of them. Then I’ll add a link to my album which will include many more photographs than I usually post, so hopefully the people will still be happy.

After listening to a lot of loud repetitive announcements, boarding should begin soon. I am looking forward to the peace and quiet of the engine noise (compared to the constant announcements in the passenger boarding area). So it’s time for me to sign off and pack up. I’ll be back to you once I get to Cocoa Beach.

Well, I’m here. Either I’m in Cocoa Beach or I’m in Tampa Bay. The GPS unit Avis gave me did not like me. But more on that in a minute. The airplane ride was unremarkable (which is a good thing) except for some spilled orange juice. We were warned that there would be some bumps along the way. So when the bumps started I went for my glass of orange juice so that it would not spill. Good thought, bad execution. Just as I was going to grab the glass, we hit one of the speed bumps. Instead of grabbing the glass I ended up pushing it. Then I made a grab for it to keep it from falling over and ended up pulling it toward me. Somehow I managed to grab it and only a little spilled. Fortunately on me and not my neighbor.

Okay, so we land and being in first class my luggage gets a priority sticker on it, which basically means that it will be one of the first bags in the fifth group of luggage. After collecting my luggage I head to Avis. I get my rental car and opt for the GPS unit. Once in the car, which has more buttons than my computer’s keyboard, I turn on the GPS and start figuring out how to operate the car. This was a mistake. Figuring out how to operate the car was not a mistake, turning on the GPS while still in the parking garage was. Of course there was no satellite signal reception, so the GPS went into indoor more. It then simulated the drive.

Soon after putting the passenger seat back into the car (the button with the picture of a car seat and a rocket is the passenger seat ejection button, and it works) I’m off. I’m following the directions the GPS is giving me, and off course it looks like the car is moving on the map. When I get to the main road the GPS is moving me all over the place (get in the left lane, get in the right lane, get in the left lane, get in the right lane). I finally figure out something is not right and at the next red light I notice the words, “GPS is off”. Well, if it is off what is going on???

I finally figure it out, it is simulating the drive. I don’t need a simulated drive, I want the real experience. I head to a parking lot and I enter my destination again. Then I’m told to drive to the beginning of the route. Since I’m in a parking lot that is what I typically hear. We are off again, except this time it is obvious that the car and the GPS are not in the same place. The words “GPS off” are still displayed. Once again the GPS is in simulator mode and I want real mode. I find another parking lot. Nothing I do gets me out of simulator mode. So, I unplug the GPS and once off, plug it back in. Finally, we are back to real time mode.

As I am driving down the main road through Cocoa Beach (which got its name from all the chocolate fish in the area) I pass the local Avis rental office. Then I notice a Japanese steak house. I decide that this is where I’ll have dinner. Further down the road I pass the Doubletree Hotel, which is where I stayed the last time I was here (2006). Then finally the Hilton.

I check in, freshen up a bit, walk around a little and use the hotel’s computer to check on the roll call for this cruise. Then I go outside and take a few pictures. The hotel has a pool (of course) and a very small area with water squirting out of the ground that is painted to look like a turtle. This of course if for the non-swimmers. It also has a large area outside with a bar and live music (as opposed to dead music I guess). There is also beach access to a very nice beach. Actually not a bad place to stay.

So, I get ready for dinner and drive back to the Japanese steakhouse. This is one of those restaurants that cooks the food on an oversized hotplate right in front of you. The table can seat ten, but there are only three of us. Very enjoyable dinner.

Back to the hotel and I am dead tired. I can hear lots of people having fun around the bar. However, I went to a Dodger game on Friday night (the Dodgers won) and only got 3 ½ hours of sleep. I just head back to my room and go to sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.

Two people asked me to take their picture, but I forgot what they look like ...

These pictures are small. If you want the full 24 megapixel photo, just email me at ZEFH at MSN dot COM. Include a picture of yourself so I can remember what you look like.

Sunday, April 19, 2015 – Embarkation day

Good morning all. It looks like a typical Florida day. Not a sky in the clouds. Hilton slips the bill under the door just like they do on the cruise ships. Mine is zero as this is a pre-paid room I got on Hotwire. As I said, it is a nice room, king bed, no smoking and soap shaped like a massage shower head (cute).

I’m made a couple of mistakes. First I brought a watch I bought on a cruise about one year ago when the watch I was wearing stopped working. It is an analog watch is that waterproof down to some depth far below what I will ever go to. It works fine, though I need to get a new band for it. But it is analog and I prefer a digital watch while on the cruise (as it is easier to make time changes on a digital watch). The other mistake is that I forgot to pack my luggage tags. Oh well, I can get that at the pier when I check in.

So, after I shower and take a few pictures of the inside of the room, it is time to check out and return the car (the car is too big for the scanners, so I can’t take it on the ship with me). See you later on the ship.

I love it when a plan comes together. The plan was to leave at 9:30am (okay, so I left a few minutes late) and arrive at the Cocoa Beach rental office of Avis at 10am. Across the street from the Avis location is a Seven-Eleven that sells gas. I filled the tank (about 1.5 gallons – I only drove sixty miles) and turned the car in at 10:00am. When I arrived there was a ton of luggage and lots of people waiting for the shuttle bus. At first I couldn’t believe that many people would be this early. Turns out they were leaving the ship and wanted to go to the airport.

Freedom of the Seas docks in a separate area, so we get a separate shuttle. The shuttle bus returned to the rental office with a full load of people and took all of us who were waiting to go to the ship (the shuttle was only half full). The driver put a metal suit case on top of another metal suit case. I was concerned that it would come sliding down, and since there was room for that suitcase on the shelf I was thinking I should move it down. But I didn’t. Nonetheless, I kept an eye on it and just as he made his left into the parking area sure enough down it came. It appeared to survive the fall, and I got my leg away from it in time, so it wasn’t all that bad, but it could have been.

At any rate my plan was to arrive by 11:00am. I was checked in and in the waiting area by 10:40am. Boarding began at 10:45am. Suites and Pinnacle boarded first. I was in the next group with the rest of the Diamond Pluses (my SeaPass is light blue, just like the Diamonds, but Diamond Plus is printed on it). When I was emerald my SeaPass card was green, just like the Captain’s all access card as I discovered.

Much to my surprise the boarding photographs were off to the side. So if you didn’t want one (I have several) just turn left and head toward the ship. I make a beeline to my cabin to drop off my carryon luggage and it took until 11:05 to find my room steward to let me know I dropped off my luggage. The extra time was not wasted however, as I took some pictures of other cabins. Of course I asked the room stewards if it would be okay to do so. I’ve got picture of the forward facing ocean view cabins on deck six and the new cabins with the floor to ceiling windows. I also photographed a family ocean view cabin, an inside with the beds together, and inside with the beds apart and one of the deluxe suites and the Royal Suite.

Then I headed out to photograph the ship. Now there was not a cloud in the sky (and I packed my hat (big mistake I got way too much sun today). At about 1:30pm, after the cabins were open for everyone, I had finished most of my photographing and headed back to my cabin for a different lens (I brought four) and hopefully my luggage (which has not arrived yet).

Then I went to the Windjammer for lunch, took some pictures of the other cruise ships with the longer lens and returned to my cabin at 2:30pm to get my super wide angle lens again (I missed a few spots the first time) and found my luggage in an area waiting for someone to take it to my cabin (I saved that person a trip and did it myself). After a few minutes rest I went back out and finished photographing the ship (for now). Then back to my cabin to check out my balcony (as I said, I took the most forward facing balcony cabin by choice) and found it was better than I expected. My balcony has a bonus room (more on that on Tuesday when I photograph my cabin).

Next I checked out all the paper work that was scattered around the cabin (several on the desk and one the bed). Nothing terribly important except that I get to choose which tour of the ship I want to take and what time the muster drill will take place. My tour choices are, behind the scenes galley tour, behind the scenes theater tour and behind the scenes bridge tour. I have been looking forward to a bridge tour ever since I found out that Diamond Plus passengers are eligible for this tour.

With that out of the way I checked out the Compass to see when the muster drill will be. The muster drill is scheduled for 4:00pm and it is 3:30pm. So I figured I would get a little rest. I did get a little rest, a little less than I expected. At 3:45pm people came to the cabin and told me it was time to evacuate the cabin. The last thing I wanted to do was stand out in that heat for 15 minutes longer. Fortunately it turns out my muster station was inside the Star Lounge (forward on deck five). Inside with a seat – great! Well, it was inside, but all the seats were taken. Still, it was better than standing outside.

After the muster drill I headed to the helipad for sail-away (that is where our roll call decided to meet. It was a small roll call (though we have enough to qualify for the Meet & Mingle on Tuesday at 10am. There were three ships in port today, the Carnival Sensation went first, we were second and Disney brought up the rear.

By now I was dead tired, so I headed back to the cabin, unpacked, showered and rested. I almost rested through dinner. I woke up at 8:00pm which is my dinner time. I quickly got dressed and headed off to dinner. My cabin is all the way forward and dinner is all the way aft.

I am at a table for six. A couple from Toronto, Canada, a couple from Denmark, a gentleman from somewhere in the US (he said it was a hillbilly, but I did catch what state he was from, thought it might have been New York based on a couple of comments that were made) and finally yours truly from California.

I actually was not that hungry and kept thinking how tired I was. I just had a shrimp cocktail and a steak. Much to my chagrin one of the ship’s photographers was taking pictures. They are annoying enough when they show up twice per week. Now it seems they are going to show up six times per week.

Then it was back to the cabin to update this and upload my photographs (I have taken over 500 so far). Then I back everything up to a flash drive and get some much needed sleep.

My cabin is down there somewhere ...

Cabin sweet cabin ...

Looking forward ...

Looking straight down through the bottom window in my bonus room ...

My balcony from the bow ...

Note all the corrections on my on board account because the computer wasn't voluntarily giving me my discounts ...

Port Canaveral ...

Cocoa Beach ...

Monday, April 19, 2015 – Coco Cay

Well we are here is beautiful downtown Coco Cay, which is a stone’s throw from Princess Cay. Maybe I’ll swim over and see how they are doing. Do you think there are any sharks? This is my first time to Coco Cay, and for all I know my only time (I actually choose this cruise because it stops at Coco Cay). My next cruise is in the Western Caribbean and the one after that is with a different line. I’m not real thrilled with some of the changes Royal Caribbean is making and I want to get some more experience on other lines (I have two cruises each on Princess and NCL and ten on Carnival).

So the plan is to take lots of pictures. I’ve brought three cameras with me. A DSLR for ship board photographs and the butterfly tour on St. Maarten. An underwater camera for, wait for it … underwater photographs (bet you didn’t see that coming). And a point & shoot (P&S) for walking around on land. The main feature of the P&S camera is that it fits in my pocket.

Last night I keep hearing something banging and figured it was a closet door or drawer that was not fully closed. I checked (including the bathroom door) and could not find the source of the noise. So I just ignored it. I found the source of noise just as soon as I opened my balcony door this morning. The instant hurricane that was created told me all I needed to know. I knew from experience (I’ve been in a cabin with a forward facing balcony) that there is only one way this could happen. My front door was open. I guess I was more tired last night than I realized. Quickly shut the balcony door. Close the entry door, reopen the balcony door. Put the camera out to warm up, close the balcony door and pick up all the papers that flew off the desk.

I keep the room as cold as possible. Because it is humid, the water condenses on the camera lens. So if I don’t want the pictures to look like they were taken in a fog, I have to let the camera and lens warm up. After I got dressed I went to the helipad to take some pictures. Then back to the cabin to update this. I’ve been pushing myself for the last three days (I had to arrive at work early on Friday so I could leave early so that I could join my friend at the Dodger game). Then I had to get up early to make my flight on Saturday, then I ran around the ship on Sunday taking pictures, so today is a day of rest.

So let’s see what is interesting in all the paper work that I was given yesterday and picked up off the floor this morning. Both Compasses have the following note (parents – take note):

“Please be advised that Children’s SeaPass cards can be activated directly at the arcade even if those accounts have been deactivated by Guess Services Staff for charging privileges. Please see the Guess Services Desk, Deck 5 for further information.”

There is a welcome to the Diamond Concierge Club from the Diamond Concierge, Bertand (Berty) Almeida. His hours in the Diamond Lounge (Deck 14 where the old Sports Bar used to be) are 8:00am to 11:30am and 4:30pm to 8:00pm.

Diamond Members have access to the Diamond Lounge. Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members have access to the Diamond Lounge and the Concierge Lounge on Deck 10 (in the same place it was in 2007). Suite passengers have access to the Concierge Lounge and if Diamond or higher the Diamond Lounge. The perks are:

Continental breakfast served in the Diamond Lounge daily from 8:00am to 10:00am.

Reserved seats for breakfast and lunch at Giovanni’s Table (Deck 11 – starboard side near the front of the Windjammer).

Daily menu displayed and pre-ordering for your dinner wine (as long as you don’t whine).

Reservations for our specialty restaurants and spa appointment.

Assistance with booking short excursions.

Arrangement for private parties.

Personalized Port and Shopping Guide advise (starboard shopping guide advice available at extra cost).

Assistance with SeaPass account queries, information and discrepancies.

Ice Show reservations are not required (please be there thirty minutes prior to show time).

And what perks do Diamond Plus members get you ask …

Purchase one cover charge in a Specialty Restaurant on the first night of your cruise and the second cover charge is free.

Buy any wine, beer or soda and receive a 25% discount.

Buy one, get one free Johnny Rockets milkshake.

One complimentary non-alcoholic specialty coffee drink with the purchase of dinner in any specialty restaurant.

25% off the purchase of select Royal Caribbean international cookbooks (in case you ever wanted to know how to cook a ship).

Three spin to win at the casino.

30% off casino tournament entrance fee, excluding poker tournaments.

Buy a Bingo package and get six free jackpot cards (not available on win a suite/final Bingo sessions).

Two free days of Internet usage or $59.90 off any Internet purchase (valid for one devise and two individual 24 consecutive hour sessions). Very useful if you ever wanted to spend 48 consecutive hours surfing the Internet.

Receive $10 off a $30 bag of wash and Fold Laundry on eight or more nights.

$5 off any dry cleaning or pressing services of $25 or more.

One free $30 wash and fold bag on five or more nights.

20% off one tuxedo rental package.

Spend $25 USD or more on Royal Caribbean logo products and receive 15% off.

Free any size photo of your choice from your existing printed photograph selection.

Get 10% off a digital photo package or photobook (I’m not sure if this means you pay for ten and get only nine, or if you pay for nine and get ten).

Get 20% off of a selected spa or salon service.

Book a signature spa service while in port and receive a complimentary add on treatment (how do you buy a spa service while you are in the port, or do they mean while the ship is in the port?).

Stateroom phone discount of $2 per minute (which gives you an idea of how expensive this must really be if $2/minute is just a discount).

And of course the big one. All Diamond and above members receive three free drinks between 4:30pm and 8:00pm to be enjoyed at “almost every venue throughout the ship” (meaning every venue except the one you are at). Drinks cannot be redeemed in the dining room, specialty restaurants, Windjammer Café or Room Service.

So with the paper work out of the way, I grab a quick breakfast (a banana and four slices of meat) and then head to the island. It is bigger than Labadee and I started at go and keep walking and taking pictures. When I got to the end, it was a long hot walk back to the tender dock. Then back to the ship to drop off my land camera and grab my underwater camera.

Back on the island I had lunch (a plain hot dog and two drumsticks). Then I grabbed a hamburger bun and headed to the rocks in the water. The fish don’t show up just because a camera appears in the water. You have to bribe them. So there I am standing on one side of the rocks feeding the fish and on the other side of the rocks is a bunch of kids wondering where all the fish went. I tried to get the parents attention, but I don’t think they heard me. So, I walked around the rocks to where the kids were and proceeded to make the fish appear – in very large numbers.

The kids were thrilled and the parents thanked me. The obvious idea didn’t dawn on them, so I went back to the lunch area and grabbed some more hamburger buns (hotdog bun work just as well, but for some reason there was never a line at the hamburger bun station). When I returned I gave some of the buns to the parents and I kept one for myself (well actually not for me, for the fish). The kids were a little scared of the fish, so I showed then that you could hand feed the fish and explained that they don’t have teeth (or so I thought - they are calling me nine figure Louie on the ship now).

The parents thanked me and said I made the kids day. Meanwhile, with the kids feeding the fish, I was free to take a few pictures. The water was great as far as I am concerned, which means it was a little cool (not cold) for most people (remember I am from California where we get our sea water fresh frozen from Alaska). Unfortunately the water was not perfectly clear, so unless the fish were close to the camera the photo ended up being just cloudy water).

In order to beat the crowds (last tender was at 2:15pm) I decided to head back to the ship at 1:00pm and take a fresh water shower. All that walking around has me a little tired anyway.

Much to my surprise, I was soon rewarded with my favorite cruise treat – chocolate covered strawberries (one of the items Diamond Plus members can request for free). Yum!

Well, its 6:15pm. Tonight is formal night. I’m already showered and dressed, so I’m going to relax for a while before dinner.

Only three people at the dinner table tonight. The two people from Denmark and myself. I had the pasta as an appetizer and the alternate steak as the main course. Once dinner was over it was offer to bed. However, I did pose for three formal pictures before I returned to the cabin. Then it was off to sleep for some much needed sleep.

The Freedom OTS was in dry dock recently and Royal Caribbean spruced up the deluxe balcony cabins a bit ...

Tuesday, April 21, 2015 – Day at Sea

I wake up in time for sunrise. So I put my camera outside to warm up. Later I look outside and I can tell it is not going to be a good sunrise. There are clouds on the horizon, which means the sun has to come up higher before the light hits the clouds overhead. However that also means there is more light and the colors get washed out. So I take a few pictures and then go back to sleep.

The Meet & Mingle has been moved up from 10:30am to 10:00am. The Captain’s Corner is today at 10:30am in the Royal Promenade. I really look forward to the Captains’ Corner but I’ll likely miss it because of the Meet & Mingle (M&M). On top of that, all my previous cruises the Captain’s Corner has been on the last sea day, not the first. I need a little time to come up with some good questions and as far as I am concerned, the Royal Promenade is the worst place to have any sort of a meeting.

Once again I didn’t win any of the door prizes (thought what I would do with a door I have no idea). At the end of the M&M someone from the roll call decides everyone should have a chance to get to know everyone else. And the first person that she wants to know is the person from Los Angeles (that’s what I get for telling a few jokes on the roll call thread).

Outside it is hot and humid and I am taking pictures with my good camera. Later I’ll take my water proof camera and head to the pool. Someone approaches me asks if I am on the cruise forums. Apparently he has read my reviews and was looking for someone taking pictures with a good camera. We talk awhile about a couple of different cruise forums.

After taking the pictures I wanted to get, I head back to the cabin to rest and change lenses. I have a super wide lens and the wide lens I am using is not wide enough for some of the pictures. Once in the cabin I decided to rest for a while (did I mention it is hot and humid).

Then I head to photo gallery (sans camera) to find my pictures (which would be a lot easier if they would put them in alphabetical order). Studio B has been replaced by On Air and the art gallery has been moved down to Deck 3 (personally I think they should have moved the art gallery down a few more decks, preferably to one of the decks below the keel). The extra room has been given to the photo gallery.

I get one photo free and I find an 8x10 that I like (normally $23) and a 6x8 that I like (normally $17). Now here is the thing, the 8x10 is 80 square inches. The 6x8 is only 48 square inches or 60% the size of an 8x10, yet it cost 74% of the 8x10. That does not seem fair. I also bought a picture of the ship.

The computer didn’t credit me with a free photo, so the cashier had to refund the entire purchase and ring up two receipts for me. One with the free photograph and one with the other two photographs.

Back at the cabin I rest a little more, then grab my camera to get the wide shots that my other lens could not handle. For those that are wondering, it is still hot and humid.

Next I head to Johnny Rockets for lunch. There is a cover charge, for the food (all the food you can eat for one cover charge). This is because the teen club is next door and the teenagers used to hang out in the restaurant and nobody else could get in. Then there is also a charge for the milk shakes. I get one free if I buy one. It has never worked out that I would get one free if I came back another day, so I order two, one now and one to go. And once again they have to give me two receipts because the computer is not giving me the free milkshake (stealth discounts).

Back at the cabin I stick the milkshake in the mini fridge (which actually does keep things cold) and put on my bathing suit, then grab my underwater camera for some close up H2O Zone photographs. This ship was just in dry dock for some major redesign, upgrades and additional cabins. It would have been nice if they had serviced the H2O Zone while they were at it. About half the spray features, including both water guns, don’t work.

Back to the cabin for some rest (apparently I’m not as young as I used to be – and did I mention it is hot and humid). There is another goodie gift. However, one bite and I decide this gift is a little too sweet for my tastes (I should have grab some kid off the street and brought him/her with me – I’m already paying for two and (s)he would love today’s snack). Then I realize I have not taken pictures of my cabin yet. And once I finish that I can now say that I have pictures of inside cabins, ocean view cabins, suites and my balcony cabin. I don’t have any promenade view cabins pictures from this ship (I do from the Voyager of the Seas).

Let’s see, I said I would describe the cabin today. I noticed that the first balcony on each row seemed to have a clear windscreen, which meant that it could provide a forward view. This is why I chose it. It is a standard balcony cabin right under the bridge wing. It is well laid out, though I think it is a little short of shelf space.

The balcony is a normal size with a bonus room. It actually has half again as wide as a normal balcony. The clear section is curved, so there is a view forward and straight down. You can stand in the bonus room (I weigh well over 200 pounds) but I would not try standing on the clear acrylic. This would be a great cabin for kids (I don’t know if it can sleep three or four, you’ll have to check the deck plans). The kids can be in the bonus room while the parents are on the normal part of the balcony (I wouldn’t leave the kids out there alone). The bonus room adds extra room to stretch out. Instead of two chairs and small table, this balcony could easily handle a chair and a lounge chair.

I up upload the pictures and update this. Sunset is in about 20 minutes, so I’ll relax for a bit and then go up on deck for a possible sunset picture (southbound the sunrises are visible from my balcony and north bound the sunsets are visible from my balcony). Then of course I’ll back everything up, then I’ll likely catch up with you after dinner.

Just the same three of us at dinner again tonight. The table next to us seats twelve. The last two evenings there has been only one person there. Tonight the table is full. For my appetizer I had chips & dip. The only problem is that there are only four chips. I went with the optional extra cost Chops’ steak. It is a better cut of meat (the table does not shake when I cut it) but the optional free steak tastes better (the same thing I noticed on my last cruise – go figure). Tonight, instead of ice cream (anything cold in this weather) I went with the warm chocolate cake (which includes ice cream). Then after dinner it was straight back to the cabin and sleep.

Bridge tour ...

The view ...

Pictures of the ship ...

Side view (my cabin is under the bridge) ...

The jogging track has been shortened ...

Wednesday, April 22, 2015 – St. Thomas

Once again I wake up in time for sunrise. I put my camera out to warm up, and once again clouds on the horizon ruined the sunrise (not to mention the lack of clouds overhead, which are needed for the color). I took a few photographs just to prove I was there.

We left Coco Cay around 2:30pm on Monday, we have been traveling about 21 knots the entire time and are due to arrive in St. Thomas around noon today. I did this route on the Allure and we arrived in St. Thomas around 10:00am. I guess Nassau is closer to St. Thomas than Coco Cay is.

I’ll eat breakfast around 9:00am and give the cabin steward a chance to do his job, then get ready for my shore excursion which is at 12:15pm. We are supposed to arrive around noon, but we are early, I guess we were quicker than expected because we were going downhill (check our course out on a globe).

There are two other ships here today. The Carnival Glory was the first to arrive and the NCL Getaway was the second to arrive. As it turned out, it was also the first to getaway at about 4:00pm.

Today’s tour is a BOSS underwater adventure. It is basically an underwater scooter that you sit on and there is a helmet so you can stay underwater. I did a helmet dive and I was glad I did it, but I’m not planning to do another one (which is also true of my one and only parasail adventure in 1993). We will see how this one goes.

The BOSS excursion was great. I’m glad I did it and I would do it many more times if it was in the $50 to $70 range per person. But it is $120 per person, so if I do it again it will be in a different location, just for variety. This location was great however.

We traveled about twenty minutes to an island with a very nice cove. There are plenty of rocks and a sunken ship, purposely done to help reef growth. And of course there are plenty of fish. We were a small group that was divided into two. I was in the second group, so I went snorkeling first. First I snorkeled over the sunken ship. Plenty of fish, but not much of a variety. So I swam over to the rocks. Lots of different fish and one turtle. The rocks are definitely the way to go during the snorkeling time.

The ride on the BOSS unit lasts about 45 minutes at depth of about ten feet (three meters). It is like riding a very slow moving motorcycle (it only moves at about two miles per hour) with the helmet at a fixed height. It drives like a car (you turn a wheel) not like a motorcycle (where you push the right handle bar away from you to make a left turn). You have to keep your right thumb on the power button to move and to turn. It has two speeds, slow and stop. It is powered by a battery in the lower housing and of course there is air coming into the helmet so you don’t have to hold your breath the entire 45 minutes. The unit is designed to sink. However, there is a button (which we are not supposed to touch) which adds air to a swim bladder and the unit rises (just like a submarine). You have to hold your breath a few seconds to get into the unit, then they let it sink. It can’t sink more than ten feet because it is attached by a rope to a flotation buoy. Once it reaches the end of its rope that is it. There are about two BOSS units per safety diver. The safety diver will take your underwater camera and take pictures of you. They also sell under water cameras on the ship. However, they are limited to 27 photographs. I took over 150 pictures underwater, so you’ll have to decide if it is worth getting your own underwater camera or purchasing a single use underwater camera.

The tour pick-up and drop off were right there at the pier. I mean walk across the width of the pier and step on the boat. It doesn’t get any more convenient than that. When we returned I wanted to get a fresh water shower aboard the ship. In one hand is the shirt I bought from the tour operator. In the other hand is my SeaPass that I have to show to get on the ship, and there is some crew member insisting that he has to squirt sanitizer on my hand. I don’t have an empty hand. How am I supposed to spread it on the other hand? I end up letting the sanitizer drip off my hand.

Because we arrive late, and because the next port is really close, we are staying late. But it is hot and humid and being outside is not something I am looking forward to. Still, I want to do a little shopping. However, since we were the last ship to arrive, we are at the end of the pier. On top of that, the captain backs in, and I’m all the way forward. It has to be at least a ½ mile walk to the nearest store. Before I get halfway there I decide that this is going to be a short shopping trip. Round trip was 45 minutes. All I bought was a souvenir shot glass for $5.99 (for my friend’s collection). That works out to more than seven minutes per dollar. I would like to see that closer to about three minutes per dollar (which would have reduced the shopping trip to twenty minutes).

By the time I get back to the cabin all I want to do is cool down and sleep. I do remember the ship pulling away from the pier around 6:45pm. I fell asleep. The next time I look at my watch it is 8:00pm. I’m going to be a little late again for dinner.

It is just the three of us at dinner again tonight. The large table next to us is full again. And as I slowly rub the sleep out of my eyes, I notice the husband has turned red. I order the sliders as an appetizer (so I only get two – not the full dinner serving of three). I can’t decide between the tiger prawns and the pasta, so I order both. The wife also ordered the tiger prawns and the waiter thinks we got small ones, so he goes and gets more. The wife only wants one, so I get a whole bunch more. Yum!

Still, I am dead tired and I have an early morning shore excursion tomorrow, so I head to the cabin and go to sleep. So I’ll have to catch up with you in the morning. Good night!

Even the regular balcony cabins got upgraded (except mine) ...

This submarine captain surfaced in the wrong place ...

The flower garden ...

Thursday, April 23, 2015 – St. Maarten

I’m up in time for sunrise. At first I think there are clouds on the horizon again. But then I realize, those aren’t clouds, they are mountains. This morning’s sunrise is going to be ruined by the island we have come to visit.

We have been traveling at less than ten knots the entire night. The crew could have rowed and made it here on time. We are the first ship to dock today. The captain backs in again, so my cabin is facing away from the bay. I notice the pilot boat take off, so I go up on deck to see who else is joining us. It is the Celebrity Summit. She ties up at the same pier we tied up at. The person next to me says, “There goes a nice view of the bay.” We are the only two ships here today.

My tour is at 8:15 today. On the pier I check station one, no butterflies. Station two, no butterflies. Station three, no butterflies. I ask one of the shore excursion people where the butterfly tour meets. He says station one. Back to station one. Still no butterflies. So I ask another shore excursion person where the butterfly tour is. He says I’m too early. I show him my watch, it is only 8:09am, and we are supposed to leave at 8:15am. No, we are supposed to meet at 8:15am, we don’t depart until 8:30am. I should look for woman wearing a red shirt and white pants.

Okay, for now on I’m not going to try to arrive prior to the posted time, instead I’ll try to leave the ship at the posted time since there is already a built in fifteen minute window. Sure enough, at 8:15 a lady wearing a red shirt and black pants shows up with a butterfly card. Now where did the shore excursion person go? When he shows up again I tell him, “She is wearing black pants.” He says I noticed that also. He then goes to the tour guide and asks why she changed her uniform, then pointing at me he says, “This guy is giving me a hard time about the change in colors.” She explains the reason for the change. He knew I was kidding, so we both got a little chuckle out it.

This is my sixth time at St. Maarten. I’ve been to Maho Beach to watch the planes land twice. I’ve been to Orient Beach twice. I is time to do something different. So I decide to mix it up and take a tour to the butterfly farm. I take over 200 photographs of the butterflies. The ones not moving are easy. I tried taking photos of the butterflies in flight. Unfortunately the camera cannot focus that quickly, so that didn’t work out too well. But I did take a few short videos that turned out nicely.

The stop in Marigot (the French capital) was a shopping stop. Spending more time in the heat and humidity was not something I was looking forward to. I just went to flea market. No, I was not in the market for a flea. I bought a couple of Caribbean shirts for $20 and a bottle of water for $1.50 and headed for the air conditioned bus. The rest did me some good, as I felt good when I got out of the bus at the last stop for a photo opt. Nothing really interesting, but the view is great if you want to build a house there (prices start at $200,000).

Then on the way back to the ship the driver slows down so that we can get a good photograph of the ship. I’m on the port side of the bus and the Freedom of the Seas is on the starboard side of the bus. It was a great view, of the Celebrity Summit.

When we were dropped off at the ship I stopped at the general store for a shot glass for my friend and then boarded the ship. After lunch I went back to cabin to just relax, upload the photographs and back everything up. So I’ll be back at you after a shower and dinner.

Well, it was just the three of us at dinner again tonight. This time the waiter decides to have a little fun with us. He lays down six toothpicks. Four of the toothpicks form the letter “M” and two toothpicks go at the bottom of the “M” to form two triangles pointed up. He says to move one toothpick to form four triangle. I knew there was a trick to it. And after moving only one toothpick I confirmed my suspicion. After several minutes and one appetizer (shrimp cocktail) I was about ready to give up. I knew I had to think out of the box, but nothing was working. Still, I had one idea that kind of worked. I actually didn’t believe it was the answer, but the waiter confirmed that it was.

For the main course I had the Chicken Cordon Blue. As far as I am concerned, Chicken Cordon Blue is a sandwich. What I received resembled a very small loaf of bread. The chicken was there, but the Condon Blue was in short supply.

Even though the next two days are days of rest, aka days at sea, I decide to just go back to the cabin and go to sleep. Not very exciting, but I have decided that it is time to admit I’m getting older. At home I’m a night owl, but my days are not spent chasing butterflies under a hot sun in humid conditions. So, until tomorrow morning, good night.

Meet the fish of Coco Cay ...

Friday, April 24, 2015 – Day at Sea

I wake up in time for sunrise. However, sunrise is on the other side of the ship now and I just do not feel like getting out of the cabin to discover that there are clouds on the horizon and none overhead. So I read the Compass and check out what is on TV.

Last night I received my invitation to the bridge tour, 3:00pm tomorrow. I’m going to sort through pictures in the morning and do a little swimming in the afternoon. It may not be exciting, but one of the things I like about cruising is the chance to just relax. My cell phone has been off all week and I have not been connected to the Internet. I can sit on my balcony and watch the world go by, and since I am now facing west, I can also watch the sunset. The only thing I have to do is get out of the cabin for a while so that the cabin steward can do his thing. I’ll got to breakfast at 9:30, then check out the stores, and hopefully when I return, the cabin will be mine until dinner.

Sabor is offering a lunch for $15. If I can get a reservation, I’ll give it a try. So, I’ll be back at you after something exciting happens, like a whale breaching and landing in my balcony – that would be exciting.

I did get a reservation at Sabor for 1:00pm. Then I went to breakfast and after breakfast I checked out the shops. Lots of sales on things I don’t want or need. There is a big sale on t-shirts up on the pool deck. $17 dollar shirts are two for $20. Not bad if you don’t mind waiting in a line twenty deep to pay for it. Then, as I am walking back to my cabin I see a light at the end of the hallway. I figure it is my door that is open and as I get closer I confirm that it is. So the cabin steward is still cleaning my cabin. Oh well, plans don’t always work out.

I was going to make this a picture free day. But rather than stand in the hallway twitting my thumbs, I decided to go back outside with my travel camera and take more pictures. When I return from that, the cabin is clean. I could tell from the lack of officers around my cabin that no whale had landed on my balcony, so I decided to update this, upload my 33 new photographs (bringing me to a total of 1650 so far) and back everything up. Then I’ll play my favorite game for a while (Civilization 5), sort some photographs for posting, and then it should be time for lunch.

Oh wait, my message light is blinking. There are no PA announcements, so the Concierge, realizing that I might miss being annoyed by the PA announcements has taken it upon himself to leave a message every night while I’m at dinner to let me know of all the different ways I can increase my on board account balance the following day. But this time it a morning message, so I check it out and it is about the Top Tier event today at 4:45pm in the Star Lounge. Now, the last “Top Tier” event I went to include everything except the lowest C&A level. We will see what top tier means on this ship.

Well I didn’t get as much done as far as picture sorting goes. But I did play my favorite game for a while. At 1:00pm I went to Sabor for lunch. It is more or less a Mexican restaurant. Several officers where there also having lunch.

I had tacos as an appetizer and shrimp for the main course. Of course there are chips and the dip is made fresh at the table. I also ordered a drink. The drink cost $12!!! The entire lunch, including dessert is only $15. Speaking of dessert – WOW! They bring half a dozen different desserts. You don’t have to choose one because they give you the entire platter with all six desserts and a couple of dipping sauces. I ate most of the desserts. Very filling. Good thing I have late dinner.

Back to the cabin to change into my swim suit and do a little swimming. After a nice swim I return to the cabin with the goal of sorting through some of my pictures. Unfortunately I fell asleep and by the time I woke up it was after 5:00pm. I missed the top tier event. I got ready for dinner (this is the second formal night) and sorted some of my photographs.

It was just the three of us at dinner again tonight. I had the wild mushrooms (they seemed pretty tame to me) and the prime rib. The waiter played another trick on us tonight. He tore a small hole in a piece of paper and then said he could push the glass through the hole in the paper. I knew there was a trick, but I couldn’t figure it out. The waiter set the glass on the paper. When he left the table I put the paper on top of the glass. He didn’t fall for it. Finally, just before dessert, he showed us that he could indeed push the glass through the whole in the paper.

After dinner I returned to the cabin, sorted the photographs from embarkation day (which represents about 25% of all the photographs I have taken), uploaded my photographs and brought this up-to-date. After I back everything up I’m going to go to sleep (it is after 11:00pm). See you tomorrow morning.

Meet the BOSS ...

Saturday, April 25, 2015 – Day at Sea

I’m up early, but too lazy to go outside. I watch the debarkation video because they say the process had changed in the last few weeks. If it has, I don’t see any difference. So I play Civilization until breakfast time, about 10:00am. Then I find a few things to take pictures of until a little after 11:00am, then head back to the cabin. Just my luck, the cabin steward is still working in my cabin. So back outside I find a few more things to take pictures of. The cabin steward is still working in my cabin. Back down to deck five to do some people watching. Finally at 11:30am the cabin steward is done and I can get back in the cabin.

I sort more photos. After two more days’ of photos sorted, I head for lunch. When I’m done it is a little before 2:00pm. All I want to do is rest a little before the bridge tour.

I am wearing my favorite cruise shirt again today. It has a picture of a deer in the forest. Arrows in most of the trees (none in the deer). The caption reads, vegetarian, Indian word for lousy hunter. Nobody noticed my shirt the first day I wore it (I took advantage of the free wash & fold). Suddenly today many people notice my shirt.

Visiting the bridge is like visiting the president. First you have to be Diamond Plus or better, which means it will take several cruises before you will ever be invited. Next there were almost as many security guards as guests. Then we had to sign two attendance sheets, one for the bridge and one for security. Finally we get wanded, just like what happens at the airport if you set off the metal detector. Then we were restricted to one side of the bridge. We could take pictures, but no video.

We got to ask lots of questions. It would have been nice if the person giving the tour was a little more fluent in English. Nonetheless, the questions were answered and more informative than the Captain’s Corner because we can ask follow up questions. As far as I am concerned, this is the best perk offered to Diamond Plus members with less than 350 points (like me). I asked lots of questions, but one that many might be interested in is the one I asked about the status of the engines. Prior to the recent dry dock the Freedom of the Seas had a propulsion issue. That was fixed during dry dock. However, after dry dock the Freedom of the Seas developed another propulsion issue. That has been fixed.

Prior passengers claim that they can feel a vibration and thus claim the engine has not been fixed. I felt that vibration as soon as I boarded the ship, and the ship was not moving (relative to the rest of the earth that is, I realize we are turning at about 1000 MPH and moving around the sun at about 70,000 MPH and the entire solar system is moving through space at about 43,000 MPH and well, you get the idea). Thus the vibration is unrelated to the ship’s movement through the water. In short, the propulsion issues have been fixed, so quit worrying about it.

I didn’t do any swimming today because I didn’t want to pack a wet bathing suit. It is 5:00pm and I’m going to finish this up, back everything up, and then start packing. Packing when the cruise is over takes a lot less time than packing before the cruise. I’m almost done in a few minutes. It takes me an hour to two hours to pack before the cruise. I say I’m almost done packing because I’ll finish when I get back from dinner. I’m usually done with dinner around 9:00pm and we have to have our bags out before 11:00pm.

Sunset tonight was okay. Not great, but there was some color in the sky. And with all of that out of the way, I was ready for dinner a little early tonight. So I decided to take advantage of the free drinks I can have before 8:00pm. Just the three of us at dinner tonight. I had the pasta as an appetizer and the alternative free steak as the main course. Whoever prepared the steak forgot the garlic butter, so the steak did not taste as good as the one I had earlier in the week.

The waiter had another puzzle for us tonight, but it wasn’t as good as the other two. So I offered one of my own. How many birthdays does the average person have?

Well, we will be picking up the pilot in about seven hours, and soon after that the cruise will be over. I have to be ready to go at 7:00am as I am taking a shore excursion to Kennedy Space Center again (this will be my third time). This time I’m going to check with the tour guide about a meeting place and time and then head off on my own. So most likely, the next time I’ll have a chance to chat with you is when I’m on the plane back to the land devoid of room stewards. So until then, good night.

Why did the boy throw the butter out the window? He wanted to see butterfly ...

Here are links to more photographs of the ship and the ports (and a few starboards) ...

More cabins, including the new cabins on deck twelve forward with the floor to ceiling windows (including the family ocean view cabin) ...

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/ZefH/slideshow/RC%20Freedom%202015/Cabins

Here is a link to more photos of Coco Cay (the island mostly) ...

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/ZefH/slideshow/RC%20Freedom%202015/Coco%20Cay

Here is a link to photographs of sunrises and sun falls ...

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/ZefH/slideshow/RC%20Freedom%202015/Del%20Sol

Here is a link to photographs of KFC (no, not the chicken - the rockets) ...

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/ZefH/slideshow/RC%20Freedom%202015/KFC

Here is a link to more photographs of the outside of the ship (mostly pools and sports area) ...

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/ZefH/slideshow/RC%20Freedom%202015/Ship%20Outside

Here is a link to more photographs of St. Maarten (mostly butterflies) ...

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/ZefH/slideshow/RC%20Freedom%202015/St%20Maarten

Here is a link to more photographs of St. Thomas (mostly the BOSS tour) ...

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/ZefH/slideshow/RC%20Freedom%202015/St%20Thomas

Here is a link to more photographs of the inside of the ship ...

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/ZefH/slideshow/RC%20Freedom%202015/Ship%20Inside

Even more photos of Coco Cay ...

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/ZefH/slideshow/RC%20Freedom%202015/Coco%20Cay%20II