jewelinthesand

looking to see if anyone has stayed in cabin 11231 on harmony of the seas. i've tried to find pics online but nothing is specific to this cabin.

thanks!

At long last the scanned Cruise Compasses. Sorry for the extreme delay, but tax season has been rough.

 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3koZ0lBCqpWcnpEakw0bHBJejQ

i don't have google drive so can't open the link. is there another way you can add them? thanks so much!

yippee! i finally get to meet you and sail with everyone on this great ship! woo hoo! is it sunday yet?

all subscribed too. it will help once we return to relive everything with you!

thanks so much everyone for your answers. i know we can't control the waters i was assuming that leaving out of florida, the waters would be pretty calm in the caribbean. we've only gone out of new jersey and those waters can be rough on the way down.

i just wanted to make sure there weren't any bad surprises that come with being in that cabin. like the aft, my husband couldn't sleep because the motor kept making noise and there were bursts of vibration that kept waking him up. just wanted to make sure there weren't any obvious situations with being in the very front. i think it will be a cool view.

there was nothing else as the ship is just about sold out. otherwise mid ship is my preference.

thanks for the responses and keep em coming if anything has any other info to add.

Hi , just wondering how being in the very very front of the ship is if you leave out of ft. lauderdale for the caribbean. i know if it was leaving out of new jersey it could be rough and unpleasant.

this cruise is going to grand caymen, panama, cartegena, belize, etc.

anyone have an idea how these waters are?

thanks so much!

HI,

i might be booking this cabin but wanted to hear a little about it first.

is the windjammer really loud above it?

is it rocky?

and anything else you can tell me would be greatly appreciated.

thanks.

i'm not sure if you will be back on here but just in case you pop in...... do you happen to remember if there was a Quest? i've looked at the compasses and i might have missed it but i didn't seem to see it listed anywhere.

thanks!

thanks so much for the review! great reading! we will be in your shoes in 5 weeks! can't wait. i have a "notes" sheet for each port with your suggestion and tips. thanks again!

Hi Sherri,

I found your review only a week ago & have found it one of the most enjoyable & amusing reviews ever ! Thank you so much for sharing it & also the work that has gone into producing it.

I am on Serenade on the 8th Nov 2012 on a similar itinerary sailing from Barcelona & I am planning a pre cruise dinner on the 7th, I have contacted Taller de Tapas but their prices seem to have increased since your trip, the cheapest menu being 31 euros - just under $40. Also they state "Once you have chosen the menu to confirm your reservation we ask for a deposit of 50% of the total invoice. This can be paid for directly in the restaurant or by bank transfer."

Did you have to pay the 50% up front ?

Many thanks

Donna

i don't think i remember sherri saying she had to pay anything up front. i myself, would not do that due to people changing their minds, getting lost and not making the dinner, etc., etc. that's a shame it's already so different from when Sherri booked. this sure was a great review, right? i soooooo enjoyed reading it!

Thank you so much the great, informative review! Hubby and I will be sailing Freedom in December. I have just a few questions about your day in St. Thomas....

 

What time did Sonny Liston Tours get you back to the boat? I know we are supposed to be in port until 7:00 (all aboard I'm assuming is 6:30), but we have 7pm reservations for the Now You See It show that night, so I'm thinking we will need to be back onboard by 5:30 in order to get ready for the show and dinner later that night. Can you request to be back at the ship by a certain time or are the tour times pre-determined?

 

I had originally planned to just do St Thomas on our own, sky ride to the top of mountain (did you see the sky ride? Is this the same Mountain Top where the Banana Daiquiris are?) and then taxi to Sapphire Beach. However, after seeing your pictures and tour description, I am now thinking about Sonny Liston.

 

We have already decided on Bernard's for St. Martin.

 

Thanks for your help!!! Glad you got to enjoy a trip with your daughter. I would love to do something similar in a few years with my (almost) 7 year old DD.

that's a different skyride. the one in st. thomas has the famous bushwacker drink. it's like a frozen mudslide but has baileys, ameretto and several other liquors in it. yikes! but understand that the "free" drink you get on top with the price of the skyride, is the size of a jello shot cup, if you are familiar with that size cup. suffice it to say, it's very very small. :eek:

Conclusion: REVIEW OF SHIP

 

Here, I want to focus specifically on the Freedom of the Seas, and our thoughts and impressions. For a brief background, I have ONLY sailed on RCI ships…here is my sailing history:

 

Serenade of the Seas (2004, 2012)

Radiance of the Seas (2005, 2007)

Brilliance of the Seas (2009)

Vision of the Seas (2006)

Freedom of the Seas (2012)

 

As you can see, I predominantly sail on the Radiance-class ships, as I like the mid-ship “feel”….and I like the beauty of the Radiance ships.

 

ROOM

We booked #9202, located on Deck 9 in the VERY front of the ship.

 

The Pros: Adequate space (and storage space) for two people. Loved the "space capsule" shower with it's adjustable height and water pressure; we always had hot water. Loved looking out our port hole and seeing where the ship was going. We also loved the fact that our little tiny hallway was quiet and remote. We didn't have groups going by, runners running by, etc. It was very peaceful. The beds were extremely comfortable and we were always comfortable with the room temperature in the cabin.

 

Cons: It's a heck of a walk to get there! Also...you can't have your curtains open in the evening, as the light from your cabin will interfere with the officers on the Bridge. The ship's motion is felt more up front.

 

Conclusion: The motion of the ship would prevent me from booking this cabin again...I guess I'm more sensitive to motion than I thought, so it will be back to the "hump" for me.

 

SHIP

The Freedom of the Seas is a beautiful ship - it blew me away from the minute I stepped onboard. It IS large, however...which initially threw me for a loop. However, by the end of the first day, I was quite comfortable with the size and navigation. The LCD touch-screen maps were an awesome feature, and helped tremendously.

 

 

Pool: We found the pool adequate for our needs, although the chairs fill up pretty quickly. I hated the towel policy, but I know RCI has been forced to do this. I enjoyed the big screen video, but I didn't always like the choices of movies they showed.

 

Gym: No complaints with the gym; plenty of equipment, although we didn't use it.

 

Spa: Services were good; we DID feel a bit more pressure to purchase the spa products onboard.

 

 

DINING

I will divide this into several sections, to make it easier:

1. Windjammer

2. Main Dining Room

3. My Time Dining

4. Specialty Restaurants (Chops; Portofino; Sorrento's; Cafe Promenade)

5. Room Service

 

Windjammer

Sigh. It's a buffet. I hate the chaos and the crowds, but it is what it is...and the food is hit or miss on quality, depending on what you choose. I did miss the outdoor seating that the Radiance-class ships offer.

 

 

Main Dining Room

Loved it. The service was fantastic; the food was much better than the SAME food I'd had on the Serenade. The Head Waiter, Edwin, was pro-active; not just with us, but with other diners, as well. He chatted with most of the guests every night; wouldn't be too snooty to serve a salad if needed; and took care of his stations. Loved him. Loved Sunil and Vincent, as well. Class acts all the way.

 

 

My Time Dining

Once again, this worked perfectly for us. We had made reservations ahead of time, and was always seated immediately...even if we showed up 45 minutes before our reservation.

 

 

Specialty Restaurants

A Mother/Daughter trip - so I didn't eat at Portofino or Chops. Drat. However, we did eat at Sorrento's Pizza quite a bit. Pizza was always hot; usually pretty tasty. Not the best pizza, but not the worst - and a good change from the usual Windjammer buffet for lunch. We also enjoyed the offerings at Cafe Promenade, especially the (free!) cookies.

 

Room Service

I forgot about it and never used it! Another drat!

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES

Graham Seymour was our CD, and he was the best CD we've ever had. Loved him. Loved his sense of humor. Loved the myriad of activities offered onboard; there was never a dull moment nor a "blank space" in the Compass.

 

The Rock Britannia and 70's Party are "do-not-miss" events onboard; we also enjoyed the Freedom Fest street fair.

 

The entertainment (shows, headliners, etc) were top-notch in quality. There was never a show that bored us or had us walking out early.

 

 

CROWN & ANCHOR PERKS

We began (and ended) this cruise as Diamond members. We didn’t use the Diamond lounge in the evenings, as children were not allowed and I was traveling with a (almost!) 13-year old. We did use a couple of coupons from our Diamond book, and we used the Priority check-in line at Embarkation.

 

 

SERVICE

Outstanding.

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

If I had ANY negatives about the Freedom, they were minor:

 

1. I missed the glass that is on the Radiance ships, so I sometimes "forgot" I was on a cruise...especially while traversing the Promenade, which felt like my neighborhood shopping mall. A minor negative....

 

2. It was crowded. Sometimes. The Promenade could get crowded in the evenings, and the Jammer was always crowded. I don't like crowds - never have - so it was a bit disconcerting. BUT - there's always a place to escape to, to avoid the crowds.

 

Those would be my only two negatives...which aren't much.

 

Would I sail on the Freedom again?

 

YOU BETCHA'!!!!

 

I just have to convince Hubby Mike to go with me. ;)

 

sherri, what's the towel policy you are saying you didn't like?

wait, what???? NO complaints with the gym?????!!!!! are you kidding?????!!!!! :eek::eek::D:D

Oh Sherri (I can't believe I just typed that - all Steve Perry style...)! You're very busy today with the updates! I had to catch up.

 

Thanks for the info on the Flowrider. Nope, I wouldn't be spinning and twirling anyway, so I'm all good for our cruise.

 

I love that you had Elvis. Brought back some great memories. Did he have you singing "On a Sunday (woo-oooh woo-oooh!), Monday (woo-oooh woo-ooh!), ...every day of the week!"? My daughter and her best friend (now 20 and 19) still sing that song when we talk about our 2010 cruise (when they were 18 and 17). Loads of fun. We also did Sapphire Beach and loved it.

 

I am (also) a Disney fan and I thought the Striped Crew Guy seemed like a Disney Cast Member, walking by, pausing and joining in the toothpick puzzle situation. I love when people go that extra mile.

 

I can't imagine being all sore like that while on vacation. I hope to hear the hot tub did wonders for you.

 

Interested in your take on Bernards Tours. We had booked them in 2010 but were too tired to tour that day and backed out. I thought about them for our upcoming cruise, but right now we're committed to a simple Maho Beach caravan. I'm interested to hear how Orient and Marigot are. You may change my mind!

we had Sonny's wife, Gina as our driver and she had us singing the sunday, monday, etc. song. i LOVED it. and she was awesome. our safari bus stuck with sonny's all day so everywhere we stopped, both buses were together so we had wife and hubby. lots and lots of fun!

Yes, I do!

 

Because...I turn it on...and it takes pictures! :) (I'm easy like that.)

 

And it's easy to upload my photos to my laptop, which is even better! :)

i NEED an easy camera. DH always gets frustrated with me cause i don't know how to work my equipment. :) i would like one that takes quick pictures so i can take a couple in a row if i want. does yours do that? that's really my main concern is not having to wait forever till it's ready to take a picture and by the time it is, i've miss the photo op. grrr. :eek: thanks!

hi Sherri, i was wondering if you could post in one place here, all the movies you and the family watched prior to your trip to familiarize yourself with the ports. i know i could go back and read through your review again to find this info but if you know it off the top of your head, would really appreciate a list here.

thanks so much again for everything!

Hello Polly, how are you and Ken doing.

 

Doug

great doug! how's michelle and Lisa? wasn't this review fantastic!!! ken and I are doing this same itin next sept so this has provided a wealth of info, not to mention tons of laughs!!!!

Hee hee...love it. :D

obviously micky doesn't read your reviews or she would have seen all the times you mention the freedom cruise during your serenade review. :D

I purchased a Mobal phone...it was pretty reasonable. Someone upthread asked about adding international to my iPhone - which, yes, I could have done...but I didn't want to carry my more-expensive iPhone in the ports and have it be stolen or lost or dropped. And I was so worried about accidentally turning on roaming charges and being charged a fortune!

 

My Mobal phone worked great, and it's now mine to keep for any future international traveling we do. I paid for the phone...and now I only pay every time I use it. If I don't use it - I don't pay. :)

thanks so much! i will check it out. i love the idea of not having the more expensive phone in ports with us. but didn't you use your iphone for the steve guides?

hi sherri,

what international phone did you buy? was there a website you used or did you just go to your current carrier? i like the idea of just getting a separate phone with prepaid minutes for this trip rather than using my current phone. thanks!

wow, sherri, what can i say, you had me at Barcelona! What an amazing review and what amazing writing! i literally have a tear in my eye now that it's over. ok, truthfully, a few tears. i'm going through my typical vacation/cruise withdrawal and wasn't even on this trip!!!:eek:

we are going on the same ship/same itin next sept. 2013 and can only hope we have as much fun as you all did.

thanks again so much but more than that, thank you for being a red cross volunteer! we are public adjusters and have seen so much devastation in the wake of such hurricanes as Charlie in Florida, Katrina in New Orleans, Ike in Texas and a host of other storms and know how important our service is to getting the homeowner back in their home the way it was before but what you do is the heart and soul of what is needed during disastors like this. so for that, our hats are off.

Regarding price drops. Check often. They can change from day to day. When I booked last year for my upcoming med. cruise I booked the cheapest inside at $1,999 per person. This past spring there were two price drops within one week. I am now in a balcony for $1,049 per person. A big change from my original booking.

that's what i'm hoping. i have an E1 balcony for around 2199 ++ a person so definitely hoping for some price drops!

I hear ya! Booked a 12 night for Sept 2013, E1 category, $2250 each with $450 on board credit. Hoping for a price drop. Currently selling for $2650 so we'll have to wait and see if there are price drops. Regardless, we are going.

what sale date? we are sept. 16th, 2013

We initially paid what you did. When we got the price drop we got $1600 back. Which we are using to pay for our next cruise. :D

 

For anyone I may have confused our price was $3000 TOTAL for two people. We paid $1399 pp plus taxes etc.

the only thing is i really like my location of our cabin and don't really want to do a balcony guarantee and end up in the back or very front of the ship. hmmmm, maybe there will be some other price drops without going guarantee. it just went up about 200 a person. wrong way royal, wrong way. :D

I'm also going with Clark's - great shoes for our cruise in Sept., also found on zappos.com

yours are cute. i think i might go with the ones sherri had though because they strap all the way around. with all the walking on the rocks, etc. i don't want open backed shoes.

I think she's referring to the famous New Jersey "Jug Handles" unknown in other parts of the country.

i know. i was joking around.