pearose

The only other cruise line I have sailed on is NCL. My first two cruises were on NCL. They were fine, absolutely nothing wrong with them, but I did notice they were more "sedate" and seemed to be more for an older crowd. Carnival definitely lives up to it's name the "fun ships" in my opinion and they seem to be less expensive than other lines, which is why I have stuck with them. I think there are good and bad in all the different lines, but for the 5 out of 7 cruises I have taken so far, on 2 different lines, I'll stick with Carnival for the value. Maybe the people who look down on Carnival, do so because they are less expensive and they feel like the more you pay, the better. Or like others have pointed out, they are looking at Carnival as a 'party ship' and have never sailed on one and given it a chance. Either way, they can think/say what they want. I'll stick with Carnival for the value as my preference and they can go where it makes them happy and think whatever they want of me. It won't ruin my cruising! :D

Thanks!

I was just wondering, for anyone who has been on the Freedom. I was looking at the deck plans and it looks like the serenity deck covers 2 decks, the Sun and Sky decks. But are either or both accessible by elevator, or do you have to walk up a flight of stairs to get to either or both? One of our group is a little mobility challenged and needs to avoid stairs as much as possible. Thanks!

It is $5 per person and worth every penny and more. I took my teenagers last cruise and had a fantastic time. This time I am going on an adults only cruise and we are still planning on going.

 

 

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Absolutely! My "kids" were 26 and 30 and we went! lol

DoD first day is always Funship Special. Love it!!

I knew about the green eggs and ham breakfast from reading about it on Carnival's website but never could find anything in the FunTimes about when it was. When we finally learned it was on the last sea day we just showed up and had no problems getting in. But I did not know you could or should sign up before hand, so this time we will definitely be doing that! Thanks for that tip.

I always have a tote bag for things I want to carry on and don't want to check, so having that to throw in last minute items that dont make it in the luggage if we put it out the night before is handy. But like others have said, I will probably check my luggage at the terminal on embarkation and this time try self assist on disembarking. It's not that I find it stressful trying to get things organized to put the bag out, as much as I hate searching for my suitcase in the terminal when we get off. So we may try that this time. Thanks everyone!

Thank you all for your help! I am now leaning towards letting Carnival bring it on. I definitely don't want to carry it on, but leaning now towards self assist getting off. Sounds much quicker. And not that we're in that much of a hurry, but shortening the time getting off and going through customs sure sounds good.

We have never done the self assist before. I am just not into lugging my suitcase on board with me, even with FTTF when I can immediately drop it off in my cabin. But this time out of the 6 of us going, 2 of us so far have stated they would like to do the self assist debarkation at least. One because she does not want to have to think about what she needs the next day and making sure all that is still with her when she puts her suitcase out the night before, and the other because she hates the confusion and hassle of trying to find your luggage in a sea of luggage at the terminal. It frustrates her. Sooo.....my question is, 1) if you choose not to do self assist at embarkation, can you do it at debarking. and 2) if some of you choose to do self assist at debarkation, will you be assigned to different waiting areas to debark? Will we be separated? We all have FTTF, if that makes a difference. None of us in a big hurry to be first off the ship because we are driving home to Dallas from Galveston so we have no plane to catch and we want to have a nice breakfast before debarking.

Also, if we did self assist, and have to be out of the cabin at a specific time, I guess we'd have to take our luggage with us to breakfast?

Thanks for your help!

It should be there. Look on the left hand side.

 

Nope, mine just shows stateroom preferences, onboard expense account and cruise ticket contract. No check in time selection tab yet. I keep checking, but so far nothing.

You only need to have a deposit down to select the check in time. The rest of the online check in doesn't need to be done even. Does your port do staggered check in?

Yes, Galveston is one of the ports it says has staggered check in time, but it still has not showed up.

We are on The Breeze in Dec 2017 and all ready picked our boarding time

I just don't understand that then. Why can't we for October? Have you completed your online check in process? We still have one person who I just can't seem to get on there to complete the check in. Would that be holding it up do you think?

We are booked on the Freedom for October 2017. Still cannot pick our check in time. So frustrating. I know, and have been told it's too early yet, and I keep checking. But I do have FTTF so why am I so anxious to get our check in time chosen! lol. I just want to GO!! :D

I'm currently booked in a 2 person 4J (super happy we scored this room!), but recently found out that there is a possibility that a 3rd friend could join us. If this happens (and we are feeling generous) we could add her, move to a regular inside room, and save about $150pp on a 7 day cruise. BUT this would mean that one of us would have to sleep on either a pull down or sofa bed... What are your thoughts on this?

 

 

 

I'm just thinking ahead, haven't even brought up the idea to the other two (one currently booked with me and the other thinking about joining in on the fun). The new 3rd guest could not sleep on a pull down (mobility issues). I really like the carnival beds, but have never tired a pull down or sofa bed and it's pretty likely that I would be the one to get the 3rd "bed" as I'm the most healthy/flexible/mobile of the three. Are they just as comfortable?

 

 

 

Thanks for your help :)

We have had both. I have been told by the people sleeping on the sofa converted to bed and the pull down. They both have said they are very comfy and just as good as a regular bed.

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Are black jeans acceptable in the main dining room on formal night? How about sneakers...it's a man thing.....

Yes my daughter and her boyfriend wore jeans. He wore black jeans and a nice shirt, she wore jeans and a dressy top, with converse tennis shoes. No one questioned them at all.

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We are booked on the Freedom out of Galveston in October of this year, and we are not able to choose ours either yet.

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Myself, my son, his fiance, daughter, cousin and a BFF are all cruising and we have named ourselves the Motley Cruisers

Well my response is warm chocolate melting cake and BLT sandwiches from room service. But now after seeing everyone elses's posts, next cruise I will definitely try caesar salad and chilled soups and cream of mushroom soup!

Also something I have never tried, yet have promised myself this time I will is their bitter n blanc.

I have searched but have not found a current thread on this. Does anyone have a current schedule? I am wanting to find out who the CD will be on the Freedom in October of this year. Thanks!

Well phooey. Looks like they charge extra for the Seafood Shack, so probably won't try it. It doesn't look like anything I would like going by the menu. Where was the BBQ? Was it every day or just sea days, and is it extra too?

Does anyone know if the Freedom still has the Fish and Chips? I was looking forward to that come October.

2 points-

 

Check in does not equal boarding... if you check in early you'll get a lower zone card, which means you'll board when they call that zone, but only once VIPs, weddings & FTTF have boarded.

 

FTTF supercedes any check-in time... if you buy it you can show up any time and check in, regardless of what your boarding docs may say for check in time.

Yes I knew it was only referring to check in and not actual boarding time. I just wasn't sure about how it worked with FTTF.

Thanks!

I checked today for Feb 2 2017 cruise and got 12-12:30 . So we cant show up before that time but anytime after is ok?

What if you have faster to the fun, can you get there before your assigned or chosen check in time? We do have FTTF.

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We are booked for October 2017 and we booked over a year out. We bought ours as soon as they started posting shore excursions. So just keep checking every day. They could post them at any time.

Yes I have looked all over the online check in and it's not there. I guess maybe it's too early for October 2017 cruises yet. I will keep checking. But it's getting crunch time, we only have 273 days, 18 hours and 11 minutes left! :eek: