dhawthorne15

Here's a video of the Carnival Freedom's arcade. Check it out and see where your kids might like hanging out!!!

 

How do they pay for using the machines? Is it linked to a sign and sail card?

Never heard of such a thing. Are they saying to go to the meeting place for the carnival excursion you want and they would do that? If so, they are feeding you a line. The shore excursion companies are contracted to carnival and must follow all rules of their contract. That includes price and number in group.

 

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It's my first cruise and I was thinking the same thing. I figured it would be next to impossible to just "hitch a ride" with a group that you aren't booked with.

I was having a conversation with someone who just came from a cruise and they gave me info on booking excursions that I wanted to second and third opinion on :). Instead of booking excursions through Carnival, you can just go with the group to whatever excursion you want to go on and pay half the price. Does this sound right? I just hate to try this and get there and they say I can't pay on the spot or they are full. Anyone else tried this?

We are first time cruisers and I hope the boys(16 & 52) enjoy it. We live on a farm and there is always so much to do. I have convinced them to go on this trip. They are fretting it greatly due to the amount of people and lack of quietness. We don't drink or gamble ; I just want them to have a good time. Food is very important to them. :) Unlike me, they don't read so they don't know how to relax. I did book the excursion in Cozumel for the Speed boat for them. We don't go until December but, just trying to get familiar with the Freedom.

 

1) Does the Fish & Chip cost extra? If so what is the cost?

2) Where is the main dining room located(which level/floor)?

3) When you do have the Steward clean out the mini fridge so I can make room for our water/pop?

4) Is the Steakhouse worth it?

You are going right before us!! We sail on the 8th.

Me and my wife did not get the drink package. They have juices and lemonade. We took a 12 pack of cokes for us to drink in the stateroom fridge. We didn't drink them all in 7 days. Did not miss cokes. We did buy it for our son and he tore it up. He would get drinks all the time. If the kids like pizza they will never run out of food. There is plenty of food for the kids. Room service is free also. They do have a pay part but a lot is free just remember that if they have the drink package the drinks are not free with room service. I don't know how old your are but I felt like me and my wife cruised alone he was out with friend he made so much. He didn't know anyone when we got on the ship and he is shy sometimes. By the end of the cruise he was the social director. He had a great time. The food was very good on the ship. There was plenty even if you are a picky eater

Great, my wife and I will both be 44 on cruise day and the kids are 7 and 11. We are expecting them to do the same :).

If anyone has any questions about the freedom please ask. I just got back today. I will try to answer any thing y'all ask about.

One question my kids keep asking me is how is the food and how often can they eat :). Is it worth it to get whatever drink packages for the kids as well as the adults? We travel in December.

I'm not a past cruiser and don't know the likelihood of a summer cruise dropping, but I did want to add that when I booked my cruise I really thought the price would not drop further. That was only 2 months ago and it's already dropped $280. I am really glad now that I booked with the Early Saver rate so that I could get credited! What is the price difference for you to book Early Saver instead?

Can you only take advantage of the price drops by going directly through Carnival?

The best way to avoid sea sickness is a cabin as low as you can get in the middle of the ship. Think of a metronome. the top flies back and forth while the bottom hardly moves. Do you know you'll get seasick?

 

Also Carnival does not allow TAs to charge less than their fee. So, your TA had to give up part of their commission for a lower fee.

I don't know for sure. The only time I ever did was on a very rough deep sea fishing trip on a much smaller boat years ago.

What you say about the TA does sound about right. I have a quote from a TA currently for $200 less than what that Carnival rep is telling me. Without admitting to him that I truly have a deal going with a TA he told me that the main thing I will lose out on if I go with a TA is the price protection....if the price drops and getting the lower price over the next few months.

Getting your own insurance through a third party is almost always a better deal than using the ship insurance.

 

The common wisdom is that a lower floor, middle of the ship cabin is going to have the least motion. I always take over the counter meds for motion sickness just in case. Some ships will have ginger and/or tablets available.

It might not even be an issue for me. The only issue I've ever had for motion sickness was a deep sea fishing trip in Japan on a small boat right after a typhoon.

Stay with TA. You're not missing anything. The TA is just charging less by giving up some of their commission.

Warning though,,,, Once you sign with the TA, you are the TA's customer, not Carnivals,,, UNTIL you step on the ship. So any communications regarding your reservation must be conducted with the TA.

You can still go to Carnivals site and book drink packages, excursions, etc. but otherwise communicate via TA.

 

Once you make your deposit start searching for travel insurance.

There are many comparison sites. Or, you can go with TA's recommendation or with Carnivals.

BUT COMPARE,,, they are all slightly different as to what they cover.

Thank you.

Any thoughts on upper floor middle possibly causing motion sickness?

My family and I are looking to do our very first cruise on the Carnival Freedom in December of this year. The travel agent has quoted me a price thats about $200 less than what Carnival quoted me yesterday and before I gave a deposit, just wanted to make sure I wont be missing out on any perks by going this route. I also had a concern on the travel insurance since we had to do that independently of making the reservation through a 3rd party.

Any feedback would be appreciated.