teej813

Yes, you can bring the bottles of wine onboard. They will hold them for you until the end of the cruise.

Thanks, Bob. Disappointing that they won't let us enjoy them during the cruise. We fly back the morning we disembark.

Helpful info. Thanks!

Another question... we will be taking a winery tour when we stop in Malaga. Will we be allowed to bring bottles purchased on the tour aboard ship?

Cinnamon,

Thank you so much for documenting your cruise. We'll be on Brilliance for the TA in early November, and you're providing us a great introduction to the ship and its crew. You look and sound like you're having fun. Good! Enjoy.

I was on Freedom in early November. Our waiter in the main dining room went out of his way to accommodate me. I was also able to get meals specially prepared in the Windjammer by getting the attention of any waitstaff. The tradeoff, of course, was the delay involved. There were a few gluten free options on the buffet, but after observing several passengers cross contaminate it with non GF utensils, i stayed away.

I suggest you contact special needs well in advance of your cruise. They'll most likely tell you to speak with your head waiter on the first night to make arrangements. Waiter should show you the next night's menu so you can choose your next meal. That way, the kitchen has time to prepare. I found that worked well for dinners, but couldn't get the same service for lunch or breakfast.

Bottom line, RCI will do whatever it takes to accommodate you, but they've yet to make self service a viable option. So expect delays in getting your food.

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I personally never saw smoked salmon on the buffet, so I'm pretty sure Robyn asked for it. Now that I know it's available, I will!

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Hi, Melissa.

Have you checked the Roll Call for your cruise? You'll be able to meet others that will be on FOS with you, many of whom have lots of experience with RCI. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2209433

I'm enjoying following along, Mom. Wifey and I were on the 11/12 FOS sailing. A crew member told us that the members of the ice show had been training their replacements and that our cruise was the last for the current troop. It seems you'll be seeing all new skaters. Enjoy! The show was really good.

My thoughts exactly, Deb. I'm glad we chose that route. Just know that the first night isn't the only night you can get discounts. Representatives of all the restaurants walk around offering specials and taking reservations.

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Good stuff, Robyn. Thanks for taking time to share your experience. It was great reliving the cruise through your posts.

For those interested, I thought the coffee in Windjammer was a bit weak. MDR coffee wasn't too bad, but Cafe Promenade had the best coffee on board.. and that includes Starbucks, IMHO.

For those of us with food allergies, crew in both the Windjammer and the MDR went above and beyond to meet our needs. Three separate nights, when the MDR menu offered nothing I was interested in (or could eat), my waiter arranged for the chef to prepare something special for me. One night, it was salmon even though salmon wasn't on the menu that night. He also arranged a couple souffle deserts that were downright yummy. And a simple request to any Windjammer chef netted me gluten-free pancakes or french toast every breakfast. So while it seems the quality may have slipped recently, it isn't all bad news. This first-time cruiser found plenty to eat.

Now the research starts to identify our next cruise. I'm anxious to see how many sleeps it'll end up being.

Freedom did get all new deck chairs. Loading them took hours and may have been part of the delay in debarkation. Crew were still unpacking the new chairs several days into the cruise in some areas. They did seem nicer than the older chairs, but a crew member mentioned he was concerned that they might not last as long because the fabric didn't appear to be replaceable.

I can't remember if someone answered this already and I cannot find anything when I do the search. Is Sabor open on Freedom at embarkation? I had seen a post about someone saying the had lunch in Sabor on embarkation day but my old brain can't remember which ship!

Yes, Sabor was open on embarkation day. They were offering 2 free drinks along with a 20% discount. The meal was excellent. Highly recommended.

Chris,

Thank you for this. I really enjoyed reading about your trip, and as a first-time cruiser found it very helpful as well.

Roll Call for this trip here... http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2190888

Goodtime,

Thanks, mate! I've heard lots of good things about St. Maarten, but apparently there will be TEN cruise ships in St. Maarten that day. That's a lot of people packed into a small space. We're considering just staying onboard that day.. or at least staying close to the ship.

Website: http://joyceprince.com/tours.html

San Juan may be a better opportunity for us to tour and sample local foods. So thanks for the recommendation. Will definitely check it out.

Website: http://www.sanjuanfoodtours.com/

smoot,

The silent disco sounds like it would be hilarious. Thanks for that. I'm not much of a dancer, but I'd def enjoy watching.

thewebbys & Wolfhunt,

I believe Nov 12 will be the first 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise for Freedom out of Fort Lauderdale. So I doubt a Compass exists for this particular cruise. I'll try to remember to scan/post one after we return.

pgold,

We're flying in, but thanks for the park/fly info. We too would like to know when the formal nights are. I haven't found that info posted anywhere.

Hi, Cathy.

See this thread... http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2190888

Great thread. Thanks!

Will be very interested in your comments regarding the condition of Labadee and other ports post-Matthew.

Very excited to be taking our first cruise in a few weeks. Great thread. Thanks for all the advice, all.

Thanks, all, for the info on on-ship communications. It seems it won't be possible on Freedom.

Philob,

Thanks! We'll be on RC in a month. I'll check to see if they have an app. Would be handy to keep in touch with her.

What about on-ship texting? My wife and I use text to find each other in stores. Would be handy to have something similar on the ship. We're not worried about keeping in contact with the rest of the world, just the two of us while on the ship. Does that sort of service exist?

Molson,

Cool to know we can skate. I grew up in Michigan so skates LOTS when i was a kid. But haven't skated in decades. Will def have to try this! Thanks.

Joyful,

Thanks for the advise. We really don't know what to expect. But the fact that so many people here have cruised dozens of times tells me it can be an excellent experience. Really getting excited.

Solarium. As a Firefly fan, I prefer the name Serenity. :)

CB,

2 bottles would probably get the wife and I through the entire cruise. Thanks!

Our ports are Labadee, San Juan, St. Maarten, and St. Kitts. From what I'm reading, there are dozens of great things to see and do. Since this is our first, I'm thinking sight seeing over activities.

Mema,

Royal Promenade. I've made a note. Thanks! And funny you mention gluten-free... I am. I've heard nothing but good things about food on RC and their gluten-free options. Pizza sounds great.

Robyn,

I have! Looking forward to meeting you at the MM.

Good stuff, Matt. Thank you!

You're the second to mention the ice show. We'll make sure to make time for that. We're not smokers and only moderate drinkers... wine with dinner is more our speed. We are very much looking forward to meeting everyone, seeing some amazing sights, and relaxing on deck.

Ice skating. Thanks, Bob. I appreciate it. :)

Oops! Yup, it's the 12th. We fly out of Indianapolis on the 11th. Thanks! I've corrected the OP.

Roll Call... gotcha. Will check it out.

Greetings! First time cruiser and new poster.

My wife and I will be boarding Freedom in about 5 weeks for our first cruise. I've spent time browsing this forum and reading your cruise/cruise line reviews for tips and tricks to get us ready. Thanks for the guidance and thanks to Cruise Critics for providing us a space to share and learn from each other.

Suggestions for first timers? Anyone else boarding Freedom on Nov 12?

TJ