BopRN

We have had really good luck with RCCL matching us up with good tablemates....except for 1 time. We were on the Serenade....had a table for 8 right beside the Captain's table under the big chandelier...loved the location. However our tablemates were a bit different for our taste in table guests. One couple was fine, although we really didn't have anything in common with them...but the other 4 people were 2 men who claimed to be father and son (which was a stretch in my imagination)....and 2 women whom, we weren't sure by things they were saying, if they were just friends or were a couple. The 4 of these persons started bantering back and forth with a lot of goofiness and silliness while the other 4 of us looked on. By the end of the first evening's dinner (keep in mind we are front and center on the first floor of the MDR where everybody can see us), the one woman got up from the table and said "When in Rome....." and went over and FRENCH-kissed the one guy!! We were kind of in shock. The 2nd evening, the same thing happened, only with the other guy...and THIS was the behavior we were having to endure. While sitting there totally bored and wondering how we ended up there, I looked up and spotted a former tablemate from another cruise.....so we tracked them down later and they graciously included us at their table for the rest of the week.

So after this experience, we also have anxiety, but at the same time, really enjoy meeting new people. We have been put at a table for 2 and missed the fun and comraderie that the other tables were experiencing. You can only talk to your spouse so much! :-) Plus the photographer never took our picture; the waiters, although attentive, didn't interact much with us.

Thanks for all of the tips and suggestions! They did approve the $50 OBC...so yea! I will keep my eyes open for future price drops that may negate the OBC. Ya gotta be a detective! LOL

We purchased a cruise with Early Saver in March. WE have already had 1 price drop which was credited. Now the special with Early Saver is $50 OBC per stateroom. Is that something I can apply for like we did the price drop? If so, what would I risk losing...cabin assignment, etc?

WE always bring snack bags of trail mix, peanuts, etc from home to get us through port days...then eat a late lunch when we get back on the ship. Our dinner seating is always late, so it works for us.

What is FTTF?

First time booking with Early Saver...our cruise has gone down $10 since we booked last week. Does it matter how may times it drops until sailing? Can you still ask for credit each and every time, even though it is only $10?

Where is the form that we need to fill out?

I just did! We have gotten SO bored with the RCCL Caribbean itineraries..... and just decided we needed a change! Celebrity didn't have ANY sailings we could do..... which would have been our first choice..... so we are now booked on the Carnival Dream in August. :eek:

We ask on every cruise and we just have regular balconies. It all depends on the room steward and we tip them generously just for that service if they will do it. Most times they have. Occasionally we have gotten excuse after excuse...sea days too busy around the pool, supervisor won't let me, etc. I am sure it is a hassle since they have to remove it after the cruise too when time is short...but we SO appreciate having one.

We have reserved "on hold" the exact cruise for May 21st and have to decide tonite if we are going to keep the reservation. Never been to Europe, but have been on the Oasis...so we are very familiar with the class of ship. What works for us are the dates...Thursday to Thursday. We can avoid having to squeeze flights and pre-visit days in on the weekends. Plus my husband starts teaching summer semester which starts the following Monday...so only having 1 day to get over jet lag won't work....We will have 3 full days before going back to work.

I am not so sure we are getting a good deal on the price....with the 50% off sale, I know they jack up the prices anyway. Can't find another cruiseline with the same date and itinerary to compare it to...I am sure it was cheaper before all the cabins started to get booked. So we will make our big decision tonite.

Breakfast on our balcony arrives between 8-8:30. Ready to start our day around 9:30. We are night owls at home, going to bed around 1:30am. We both work in the evening and I don't get home until 12MN. But on our cruise last month, we left the MDR @ 10:30pm and in bed by MN! Something about the sea air, sun and being on vacation makes me more ready for bed earlier.

We are planning a 40th anniversary trip for next May and considering a Mediterranean cruise. We have never been to Europe. Please share what you have enjoyed, what you would do differently, if you did included a landtour, anything that might help us make our decision. We really have no idea where to start.

Thanks.

We were on FOS 2 weeks ago. I was sitting in the overflow area of the pool. 2 little children came into the area intending to jump in the pool. They both had swimmies on. One child was barely 3, if that, and wearing a diaper/swim diaper...the other about 4/5. The parents were behind me on the first row of chairs and encouraging the kids to get in the pool while they SAT back on the chairs. When I saw the diaper, I gently verbally stopped the little one from getting in the pool....he ran back to his mother. I turned around and explained that NO diapers were allowed in the pool and pointed to the sign which was RIGHT in front of her! I am sure she didn't appreciate my interference with her child's swimming. She continued to allow him to play in the overflow area! WHAT is wrong with people. NO pool attendant was anywhere around.

I agree with those who question whether a RCCL Lifeguard would actually enforce anything....as much as I love RCCL, they truly are lacking in that area.

Ship - Freedom of the Seas

Deck - 8

Stateroom # -8246

Stateroom Category – D2

Starboard or Port Side - Starboard

Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) –yes, even though near the elevators

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? -NO

Balcony View - Unobstructed view

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? - Normal

Was wind a problem? -Not on the balcony

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? -N/A

Any specific problems with this cabin? -We loved being near the elevator, however I didn't like having a cabin near the front of the ship. It seems we always had to hike the ship to get to the MDR, Pool, Guest Services, etc. The only thing convenient for us was the theatre...but then after every show, we had to go to dinner on the opposite end. That required us to go up to Deck 5...walk thru all people hitting the promenade sales....then go back down to Deck 3.

Any other comments? - The bed was near the balcony on the left. The cabin had a full-sized couch, not a loveseat and it seemed as the BR was a tiny bit bigger than a standard balcony cabin.

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So what do I need to know. We want to take a land tour before the cruise....there are SO many itineries/choices that I am not sure what to book.:confused:

Our Dining Room service has remained excellent, but since they have done the auto-tipping, we have noticed our room stewards don't seem to go above and beyond as they used to. For some reason, it seems the MDR is a better run section.

We just got off the FOS yesterday and chose to participate in the Luggage Valet program. We were flying Southwest and had a 9 pm flight. We were told twice by 2 different people at Guest Relations that we would receive our info & luggage tags by 10pm the evening before. Well, at 7 Pm, our Room Steward shows up with a letter stating on very RARE occasions, for different reasons, someone can't participate....and that would be US! Well, I was furious to receive such a late notice. No one in Guest Relations could answer my question...all I wanted was to know WHY? I am a reasonable person and if you give me a good reason, I will accept it and go on. But it was VERY frustrating that no one claimed to know anything! SOMEBODY had to have made that decision! The late cancellation was upsetting because we were renting a car and spending the day visiting relatives in the area...so had to drag 2 50# suitcases through immigration, then to the Car Rental shuttle, then had to upgrade to a car with a bigger trunk since we didn't want them in view....it was a total hassle. Plus we are in our 60's and one of us had shoulder surgery recently, so this was not an easy task for us!

So just wanted to let you know that it is not a given even if you sign up for it. One of our tablemate couples were also turned down at the last minute. They had a 1pm flight on Southwest.

I was able to speak with a Southwest Customer Service Rep. at the airport...she told us that bags can't be checked in longer then 4 hrs, before your flight, so she guessed that was the issue in our case. She said they can't "secure" them for longer...that makes sense...so WHY can't the RCCL people just tell us that? I never would have signed up knowing what I know now.

Thanks for sharing! We were on that sailing...awesome picture!

We just got off the Freedom yesterday....2nd time on it. Have also been on the Explorer and other Voyager Class, Serenade and on Oasis a year ago. Out of the 4 classes, Freedom would be my favorite. Oasis was good, but overwhelming at times and I feel it lacks some of the personal touches such as the Welcome Show and Farewell Shows in the theatre, Crown & Anchor events, etc. They just can't do some of that the same way with 6000 guests.

We felt the service was MUCH better on the Freedom this past week than Oasis last year...and we only were greeted with friendliness and kindness the whole week. That was not the case on Oasis last year. I felt like I was "back home" on the Freedom.

We are on Freedom now... they make it quite clear in the literature about the non-smoking on balconies and only designated areas. So I was sitting on my balcony on Day 2...and guess what? Someone is smoking close by. I looked around and sure enough, a guy and girl underneath and angled from us, were not only smoking, but standing by the rail where anyone could see them. This same couple fooled around during the Muster Drill making jokes of everything with loud behavior and not paying attention. So my gut feeling was that they were the type that didn't think the rules applied to them.

So....don't flame me... but I called Guest Services and explained what I observed. Within 5 minutes, security came to my room and asked me to point out the balcony... then they went down and talked to them. Haven't smelled anything since.

We had Clo 10 yrs ago on the Explorer and loved her. She was funny and made everything so much fun. Our young adult kids loved her as well and STILL talk about her.

oops...duplicate post.

Thanks for the review. We leave this Sunday on the FOS...REALLY need to use Luggage Valet, so hope it is available!

That is a shame you lost your cell phone...one time I left my camera at the pool...the attendant scrolled through my pictures to see if I had one of the room #...I did and he returned it to me! So now, I take a pic of our room # as soon as we get there so the pic is the first thing. I will have to do that with our phones as well.

Are there chairs to rent? Cost?

We have been vacationing in the Playa del Carmen area for 7 years. We just returned from a 9 days stay in a resort condo. We only use the bottled jug water in the condos for all drinking and teeth-brushing. However when we go to the restaurants every evening, one is eating vegetables, fruit, etc that is obviously washed in local water as well as food prepared with local water.

Twice in 7 years, I have developed Montezuma's Revenge, one of which was this trip. I develop a low grade fever along with it, but it certainly didn't stop me from doing anything. I bring Immodium, use it immediately as necessary and go on with my vacation.

I certainly will be bringing it on my cruise as well. You just never know....