jcorgidog

The first ship we sailed on; still my favorite!

Anyone recently off the Freedom...couple of questions...1. Is the ship doing the comfort cards where you pick morning or evening service from steward.

2. Are there still robes in your room .. or do you now have to ask for them.

3. Are the iceboxes empty now and unlocked whren you board.

4. Are there still holes punched for you in your sail and sign card when you get them.

5. Cruising to Key West / Bahamas.... will the ship change time?? Read it depends on ship and captain.

Thanks

Answers:

1) yes

2) no

3) yes

4) yes

5) essay response: The ship typically stays on its own time.

We were on Freedom a few weeks ago. Although we took all of our dinners in the Posh dining room, I did take a stroll through the Chic dining room and saw the same sort of seats you are asking about. Not sure if you can guarantee the same seating for YTD but perhaps a call to CCL customer service could answer that for you. The Freedom staff is very friendly and I am confident they will do what they can to accommodate you.

Happy cruisin'!

We just sailed on Freedom last week. The ship was kept warmer than what I recall on other ships but was still comfortable in the common areas. Our cabin (8th floor interior) seemed to be warmer too. There were a few nights that we kicked off the cover and just used the sheet. I wouldn't mind if they turned down the temp a few degrees at night. Highly recommend you bring a little fan for your cabin.

These are all very good questions. Will be sailing THIS Saturday (7/15) and will be happy to keep your questions in mind. Unless of course, you are sailing then too. Then we all find out together!

Thank you, all, for your replies. Will sipping tea and enjoying treats next weekend!!!

Does CCL still have tea time? WIll be sailing on 7/15 on Freedom and looking forward to this nicety if it's still available.

Congrats and best wishes on your Freedom gig!

We did a 5 day cruise ( on Ecstacy) the first time because we had no idea what to expect or if we would like it. We LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it and have been hooked ever since! Go with your gut.

Best wishes!🛳

I don't think it is open for brunch on port days.

We like to go with the early seating. My mother in law is going with us but was booked separately. We called CCL and spoke with a human to request seating at the same table. You will need everyone's passenger ID# when you do this. We sail in July but made the seating arrangement last month since we had no idea how far in advance they work on this. Hope this is helpful.

not worth the time, it a gimmick to get people to attend bingo for the clues

Good to know; thanx for the input!

I see Clue listed as an activity offered on some CCL ships. Anyone played it? Is it worth the time?

Overpacking is still a challenge for me.

There are always things you want to bring but tend to forget to pack.

I tried something new and it worked out great. About 2 weeks prior I set out a laundry basket and called it the "forget me not basket". If some item randomly came to mind like camera, beach shoes, sun hat and such the family could put it in the basket as they thought of it. This worked great and added to the fun as anticipation for the our cruise grew.

So sorry that you had that problem with your cabin. What we do when selecting our cabin location is to also take a look at the deck plans above and below the cabin we are considering. A cabin that has open deck area above it may seem like a good idea at first until you realize that open space is a public area. There may be thumping from baskets balls or scraping from chairs being dragged across the deck. Above or below kitchen or dining areas may be noisy. Being close to the stairs or elevator sounds convenient but then you have a lot of foot traffic going past your door. Nearby the engines and well, you get the point.

Please don't let your first experience keep you from ever cruising again. Like most travel it's a live and learn process. Study the deck plans and decide what you are willing to tolerate and what is non negotiable. And of course, feel free to ask others in the cruise community.

Best wishes

Ecstasy was the first ship we cruised on and still my favorite. Not too big and easy to get around on. However, I am fascinated by pictures of CCL Empress class ships. I wish they had kept one of the old girls. Maybe it could have been used to pick up passengers at one port and take them to another so they could embark on a larger ship for a regular cruise. Sad to think Carnival Mardi Gras and her sisters, Carnivale and Festivale, are no more.

Like any other port, the ship will be full of people who have worked hard and deserve a great vacation. The great thing about CCL is there is something for everyone. If you like happening scenes with music and lots of others who are having fun there are places for that. If you prefer quite and a good book there are spaces for that too.

In the 6 cruises we have taken out of Galvaston there have never been a problem (well, chair hogs maybe but I understand that's universal) with unruliness. No one pressures you to participate and I have never seen anything unseemly which required covering my teen's eyes.

Yes, the majority of passengers will most likely be Texans but that just means they were raised proper and know how to have a good time!

Liberty does look like a very pretty ship. Ecstasy was the first ship we sailed on in '07. We are doing a 5 day cruise. Cozemel and Progresso. We are are already plotting to do a 7 day cruise for next year.

Your itinerary sounds very exciting. Best wishes for a great cruise!

The anticipation is part of the fun! This will be our 7th cruise but it never gets old. January will be here before you know it and you will be on your way!

Be this time next week, we will be heading to dinner in the dining room on Carnival Liberty. Soooo excited!!

Ecstasy was the first cruise ship we had ever been on ( August '07) and she is still my favorite. So happy you had a great time and look forward to your review!