Rock Chalk Jayhawk

We had towels provided in our cabana at HMC. We also brought 1 because we didn't realize they would be there.

Didn't need any of them as it was so hot we dried quickly.

Thank you very much for your response!

Towels are not provided on HMC -- you have to bring them from the ship -- so remember to bring them back with you -- even if they are wet and sandy.

Is this true for the cabanas as well? We have a cabana booked at HMC and I wasn't sure if they were provided or if we should bring our own from the ship.

I guess maybe I should have specified that I will be sailing on Carnival. Does Carnival provide beach towels in the cabana? The website lists the snacks, bottled water, soft drinks, snorkel gear, etc. But no mention of beach towels. We could always bring a few from the ship, but don't want the extra stuff to worry about if it isn't necessary.

Max of 4 blue beach towels will be delivered to the cabana. They will pick them up about 3 pm.

Thanks for the information!

Thanks for the responses! You have been a big help. And, I have no intentions of being a chair hog...just merely stating that I can't believe so many people do it! Thanks again!

We will be going on our first cruise in September! We have a cabana booked at HMC and I am so excited! Will beach towels be included in the cabana or do we bring them ashore from our cabin? The excursion page didn't say anything about towels, so I'm assuming they won't be provided?

I am going on my first cruise in September on the Carnival Freedom! A few questions about towels. I'm sure these will seem like stupid questions to some people...

1. I have read that we take the towels from our cabin on shore with us, and to be sure to bring it back onboard or we will be charged. Is this correct?

2. Will there be towels available at the pools on the ship or do we bring our towels from our cabin? Are the 'chair-hogs' confident that no one is going to take their towel?....I would be too concerned about someone taking it and then me having to pay for it!

3. We have a cabana booked at HMC. Does anyone know if there will be towels in there for us or should we bring them from the ship? (I read the excursion info about our cabana, but it doesn't mention anything about towels).

Would appreciate any info! Thanks!

Great review and excellent pictures! We will be going on her in September on this exact itinerary. I'm very excited as it will be our first cruise :D! I really enjoyed looking at all of the pictures and am even more excited now (if that's even possible). Thanks also for including the Fun Times, it was quite helpful to already glance at them and get an idea of what goes on every day.

The formal night on our sailing was the second night. A bit crowded in the areas they were doing pictures.

Thanks for the info.

I will be doing this same itinerary in September (also our first cruise). I was a little nervous because I had an afternoon flight booked, but the airline bumped it up by 3 hours, so we fly out at 11:50. It's nice to know you were in your car by 7am! We also have FTTF, so hopefully we can get off the ship quickly. Your pictures of HMC are getting me even more excited! Could you tell me which night is the formal night?

I'm enjoying your review. I will be going on my first cruise in September and I'm so excited. If I love it (which I'm sure I will), I think we might book this itinerary for our vacation next year. Can't wait to read more!

Subscribing! I will be going on my first cruise in September and I have found this site to be incredibly helpful! I love reading all of the reviews, especially those with lots of pictures! Just about all of my friends/family (and even people on here) tell me that I will love cruising and be hooked. In fact, I've already started looking at where I want to go next (in case I book my next cruise while onboard my first one). I'm pretty sure next year's cruise will be on the Valor out of San Juan (assuming I like cruising). So I'm really loving your review and am looking forward to the rest of it!

If all goes normally, you will board on deck 3, right at the Millennium Lobby, where the atrium is, between the atrium elevators & the fancy staircases. Right around the atrium elevators is the shore excursion desk. It will be very easy to find, just a few steps away from where you board. Whether or not it is open when you board is another question.

Thank you very much. You have told me exactly what I wanted to know.

Deck 3 has the galley. Cannot walk end to end. Deck 4 has the upper level dining rooms, so depending on the time of day you may or may not be able to walk end to end thought the dining room.

 

Deck 10 has the steakhouse and upper level of the Lido Restraunt that you cannot walk through, but you can walk end to end outdoors.

 

All other enclosed decks can be walked end to end. The very top outdoor decks are either not full end to end decks, or are not connected, but it's not difficult to figure out once your onboard.

Thank you for your response. Specifically, I need to know if I can walk directly to the shore excursion desk from where we board the ship. Looking at deck plans, it appears that there is a long deck on the port side that leads directly to it. Is this correct? I have a cabana booked at HMC, and need to head there to pick the one I want as soon as I board. After that, I am going to love walking around exploring the ship for the rest of the week!

I will be going on my first cruise in September, sailing on the Freedom. I have read on these boards how some people thought it could be confusing because not all decks are straight through from aft to forward. Could anyone please tell me which decks are like this? I would like to have a basic idea of the layout of the ship before I board. I've looked at the deck plans on their website, but I can't really tell for sure.

Also, will be embark on Deck 3? Looking at the plans, that's what it looks like to me, but again, I just want to be sure. Specifically, I need to know exactly how to get to the shore excursion desk as soon as I board the ship!

Any help would be appreciated!

Most of my cruises have been warm weather cruises, but last summer, we sailed to what is, without a doubt, one of the most amazing destinations that we've visited on a cruise ship. That place is ALASKA. We were in a state of amazement the entire time, and surprisingly, it didn't cost much more than Caribbean cruises we've taken.

 

Feel free to click on my photo review (link in my signature). Enjoy!

A cruise to Alaska is on the top of my mom's bucket list, so I will be headed there with her (although probably won't happen for a few more years).

Wow! So many people love cruising from San Juan! I have a friend who did that itinerary last June and loved it as well. Thank you for all of the responses!

We will be taking our first cruise in September on the Freedom. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think I'm going to LOVE it and will be hooked. Already considering where I would like to cruise to next. I would like to have an idea of where I want to go next in case we book a cruise while onboard. Is there a benefit to booking onboard?

Anyhow...what is your favorite itinerary and why? Is it because of a specific port or a specific ship or some other reason? There are so many places that I want to go to! We are located smack dab in the middle of the US, so we aren't close to any departure ports. I'm somewhat new to this site and I love reading what people have to say. Thanks!

Thank you everyone for all of the replies! I'm feeling better about the situation. So excited for our FIRST cruise!!!

We had a flight at 10:15 last year and arrived at the airport at 8:45. We did the walk off debarkation. You should have plenty of time. Have fun on your first cruise!

Thanks! I think I'm getting more comfortable with the time of this flight. Now just hope we don't miss the connecting flight at DFW.

Port Everglades and FLL are so close that the ships are visible from the airport and vice versa.

 

There will be plenty of taxis at the port. The taxi ride is all of ten minutes.

Thanks for confirming that I won't have a problem finding a taxi!

You should be fine. But I think you've got some wiggle room. I believe there's an airline regulation where, if the airline changes your flight time by more than 2 hours, you can call them and have the WHOLE THING changed. It opens an opportunity for you, if you want it.

 

Some relatives took advantage of this 2 years ago, when their cruise-bound flight was changed. They were able to re-book at more convenient times. I'm not sure if it applied to both their in-bound & out-bound flight.

 

Bottom line, you don't necessarily have to accept this. Call your airline today.

 

If I find more info on it I will post it.

Thank you for the information! I will check other flights and then decide if we will call the airline or not. Most people think we can make the 11:50am flight. I like the idea of getting back to KC earlier than we had originally planned (because then we still have about a 4 hour drive home).

Thanks for all of the quick replies. You all have put my mind a little more at ease now!

We are first time cruisers and will return from our cruise on Saturday, September 6. The Freedom is scheduled to arrive at Port Everglades at 8am. I had our return flights to KC booked for 3:05pm, but we just got an email stating the flights have been moved up to 11:50am. Will this allow us enough time to get to the airport to catch our flight? Will the taxis be plentiful at the port? We do have FTTF so I'm hoping that will help us to get off the ship in a timely fashion. I know we have to clear customs, but since I've never cruised before, I'm not really sure what this entails. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

I just wanted to say thank you Mikey for your great reviews. We are going on our first cruise in September. :D I've been trying to get my boyfriend to go on a cruise for more than ten years, and he is simply not interested. Last year, I went to the Boundary Waters with him and didn't shower and drank lake water for 6 days :eek: (and I reminded him of this when again I mentioned going on a cruise). Guess it's a good thing I went on that canoe trip, because he finally agreed! I am beyond excited!!

Anyhow, I've been searching this site for any and all information since I don't know what to expect. Yesterday, I ran across your B2B2B2B review because I was searching for Freedom reviews with pictures. Loved your story! Then saw that you took this cruise to Grand Turk, HMC, and Nassau, and that's where we will be sailing on the Freedom. So I have spent my evening reading this review and loving your pictures.

Thank you again for all of the precise details. I know lots of people love your reviews, but they are especially helpful for newbies like me! :)