Sarah@Sea

I'd prefer a booth for one? Anyone know if single booths are available on Freedom?

I just did my first solo in March, and I did late seating as I would do when sailing with my boyfriend. I did not enjoy it, so next month solo cruise I'm doing YTD.

On the March cruise I was seated with other solo cruisers, an it was a very diverse group which I enjoyed several of the people...2 other Americans, 1 Frenchman, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, and 1 Russian, the Frenchman and one of the American men playfully argued with the young woman from Russia every night, which annoyed her, and on the last night she stormed out of the dining room. They would tease about her English (which was fine)...the French guy and she wanted me to be the judge of who was pronouncing words correctly, asking me why one word spelled this way is pronounced one way yet another word with same letters at the beginning is pronounced another? What? What broke the straw that night is they took her picture and she had said many times to not take her picture and she tried to block her face, etc. Am I the only one that knows some people have cultural concerns about having their picture taken? Or perhaps just the fact she didn't want stranger having her picture to share???

The one American reminded me of my old boss who I did not like, trying to be all social host, buying shots for the table then assuming we should all go to the club afterwards and when someone declined we were boring, etc.

Everyone showed up at different times, and kudos to the waitstaff for managing that, there was not one night that everyone had app, entree, dessert at same time, because they arrived at various times...the final night one of the American men arrived while we all were having or already finished dessert and the waitstaff served him. It was almost as if our table had YTD timing.

So yeah...I have no qualms about dining alone, if I'm ok traveling alone surely I'm ok dining alone! I also didn't like waiting until 8:15 there were nights I definitely wanted to eat sooner, but I didn't want to just go to the buffet because I knew there were dishes in the MDR I really liked.

Thanks!! This is great! I dod not know that there was an page just for that! :D

***WARNING***

*Danger*

:D

Find a new $ source for your cruising budget, because you're going to find AWESOME deals you can't pass up! I just booked 6-days Freedom, balcony (guarantee, did not get to select cabin) for $439!

I have to fly to S. FL but my BF is still down there, I lived there for 8 years, moved back to Ohio in 2012 ...so I go down often to visit and to see some doctors who know me best.

I got an awesome deal for Freedom in May during the Balcony sale, they also had zero single supplement so I scored a guaranteed balcony for $439 plus tax and fees. I couldn't pass that up! The last night will be my 25th on Carnival so I'll have Gold status for the cruise, which is a nice accomplishment even if it doesn't come with many more perks. Just as I was updating my signature I saw that this will be my 10th cruise overall since I took my first in 2008. Woohoo!

I am very excited about sailing on a newer, bigger, Carnival ship and just fresh out of the 2.0 Upgrades!

I have to admit I booked the cruise the day it SNOWED in April...ugh...I enjoyed my March cruise, but the water was still a bit cool so I didn't spend as much time in the water/sun as I would have liked. May should be really really nice. Already booked a Stingray City excursion for Grand Cayman.

Sounds great!

Next month will be my first cruise on a ship with Mongolian Wok, I'm really looking forward to trying it. Tell me what you're favorite dish is?

Tonight was Cruise Elegant night, so after spending some time by the aft bar on the ship with the great people I met at the meet and greet and some more casino time it was time for dinner. I like that Carnival still serves lobster on the short cruises.

 

One nice thing I realized about the early, short Key West port call is that this day is like a port day and fun day at sea all wrapped up into one, which is pretty cool.

 

After dinner the ship’s venues were much more full than the previous night. I spent time in the piano bar which was a mix of fun, but the piano player was a bit formal and abrasive to the point of running people out. She was friendly enough, but way too much like a teacher. The night club was fun as well.

 

Usually as a solo, I end up just relaxing and hanging out on the ship, but this time I spent a lot of time with the great people I met aboard – be it from the dinner table, the meet and greet, and a great new friend met in the piano bar. It really made this trip.

Was it Angela? Amanda? Something starting with an A? I was on Victory in March and the piano bar player kept asking the bartenders "where is everyone? have the shows let out? can you down and check by the casino and see if there are people there?" Sorta more focused on people not there than those of us who were there, even to the point she decided she was going to end at 1:30 instead of 2 AM, well a couple came in and were really enjoying things...lol...they were requesting a lot of the popular sing a long songs which she had already played once...but they wanted her to stay until 2...and I mean the rest of us would have stuck around and she was like I already sent my bar staff off, sorry. Just really kind of a let down that staying for 30 min as scheduled wasn't going to happen.

Carnival has no ship that are registered in the USA. Disability accommodations are a US law, and that is why there is much more accommodations here. Most of their ships follow Panama or Bahamas laws (which is why when something happens that breaks a law, it is under the laws of Panama, not the USA)

 

It is not right, but Carnival registers their ships outside of the USA so they do not have to comply with the same things they have to comply with in the USA.

All the lines do that...

And yes I got the biggest this ain't USA ADA wake up call when I went to Guatemala, took a boat trip on a lake...whoa the wooden docks were in such disrepair and one stop we had to step out of the little fiber glass boat and cross over another one before stepping onto the dock. I am up for adventure, again just slower, get more tired...kind of thing. Very pleased to see one of the Grand Cayman Sting Ray excursions has boat with very nice steps down into the water, etc.

Actually, there is an elevator, but not a main one.

 

Get off at Deck 11. Serenity is on 12. Walk towards the spa. On your left, there is a small elevator that is open to everyone but the crew usually uses it to transport towels from serenity to the main elevators. It take about a good 40-70 seconds to go up one floor, but it does drop off at Serenity, but its only the lower level.

 

Think off it as switching planes at the airport, even if the last flight is extremely short (:

 

Enjoy your cruise. Freedom is my favoirte.

Thanks, I'll look for it when I sail next month.

I've never really considered an elevator to the deck an "accessible" accommodation. Guess not until I find there isn't one? Same for steps into a pool vs just a ladder...that's not an uncommon thing. Most hotels have steps as an entry point, ladder in deep end. Actually, I've noticed many hotels now have the chair lift for their pools, even more economy hotels such as La Quinta.

I'm already booked on the Freedom for next month. It's not a deal breaker, esp for May might be too warm to want whirlpool anyway, just seeing that a second and newer ship has the same "issue" as the Victory makes me scratch my head a bit? Glad to know that the newer, newer ships have addressed this.

:( I was hoping it was just the Victory that didn't have elevator to the Serenity Deck. I mean I can manage a flight of steps, but it's not easy for me, and it's the easier whirlpool to get in and out of given my limitations. So then I just checked Freedom deck plans and see that their Serenity whirlpools are on the 2nd level of Serenity so two flights of steps. Pretty much means anyone with more serious mobility issues that use a scooter or wheelchair can't enjoy these areas at all? Not to mention the pools only have ladders, correct? I can pull myself up and out via the ladder, but thinking I wouldn't bring my mom on Carnival because she would not be able to do so and she loves the water as much as I do.

Just planning on using it for soda...on other Carnival cruises I've either taken a cooler or cooler bag and the steward has been great with keeping it full of ice...but the cooler bag leaked a bit. Chiller will be nice enough...thanks.

I see the CC cabin overview of the Freedom cabins state each has a mini-fridge stocked with items (mini-bar), but from what I've read on other post most cruise ship cabins the fridge is not a fridge per se but just a chiller/cooler.

Did trivia for the first time last cruise, it was just me and a woman and her son, she was just helping him. It was the mind teaser one, some I had heard before just in general, but it was obvious the mother had played on Carnival before as during the answer portion she often said oh that's right I forgot that one, etc. No big deal it was all for fun, and kudos to her memory...lol...fyi I have a good memory too so just fingers crossed I get same questions on a future cruise. :D

May I ask why you avoid Miami?

 

Having driven in Miami traffic on I-95, is that the reason?

I prefer to fly into Fort Lauderdale airport, but as for ports my experience at POM have been way better than at FLL. Customs at POM always quick, took an hour to get through at Port Everglades.

My two recent cruises I look online, begin my reservation then do the 24hr hold, call PVP and finalize things, she'll check to make sure I'm getting best rate and offer better location etc. Works well for me!

Sorry your first solo dining experience didn't go well.

 

Carnival's My Time Dining isn't true open seating. You will be assigned a dining room and you can't choose any of the others. You can, however, dine outside the MDRs instead (steakhouse, buffet, etc.).

 

You should be able to get a table to yourself when you want, with two provisos:

 

1) You might have to tell them that you don't want to sit with others and you don't want others to joint you, and

2) I found the seating to be pretty tight, so even though you have a table by yourself, it's probably going to be close enough so that you can hear other peoples' conversations. And they can hear yours. Your mileage may vary.

 

I hope things go better this time around.

:D I'll to talk to myself very quietly. =D Well Freedom only has the 1 two level dining room so not an issue, just also by myself I found I didn't like waiting for 8:15 to eat and early would be too early. I figure just overall despite how much I like some of the meals, I will probably dine at buffet, try steakhouse once...and just do more of my own thing.

I just booked a balcony deal for Freedom in May, also got zero single supplement...I just could not pass that deal up, and it is right after Freedom get the 2.0 upgrades.

I sailed my first solo cruise in March and I did the late seating dining. I was seated with other solo cruisers and it was a diverse group, 3 Americans, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Russian, 1 French. I really loved the diversity, what I did not like was one of my fellow Americans who was a jerk, he reminded me of a former boss, and he acted like he was the tables social host as if he had the say of what we as a group would do after dinner, of course that did not fly with many of us and he'd make rude comments when we'd decline the invite as if we were losers for not wanting to go to the dance club. Anyway he and the French guy would also pick fights with the Russian woman. Seriously one night the French guy and Russian woman were asking me to referee their "who's English pronunciation is correct". Also every arrived for dinner at different times, and the waitstaff accommodated them but it just wasn't a overall enjoyable time. Since it was the Carnival Victory there were no specialty dining for me to try.

Well just booked and awesome deal on Carnival Freedom and I selected Open Seating dinner, and I hope I can get a table by myself. When I cruise with my boyfriend we like the set seating time, but going solo it just wasn't that great so I figure let's try the other option. Freedom has other dining options too so I might find that I do not even dine in the MDR each night.

No clue, but I can let you know after my cruise in May, just booked her!

Is the wifi on Victory throughout the ship or only in certain areas? I am supposed to be on Spring Break, 3 week break from online courses, was taking online final Saturday and had some technical issues, still awaiting word back from professor if I get to complete the exam...I leave on Victory tomorrow. :( I hate having this hanging over my head...I want to enjoy vacation!

We are the type of cruiser that pre-pays as much as possible, buys a magnetic fridge clip with the ship's name as our only souvenir, brings our own soda,and buys maybe 2-3 drinks during the entire cruise. Typical S&S bill is less than $50.

I often wonder if customs thinks I'm lying when I say I bought nothing or just $20 in trinkets. I will buy bottles of Bailey's Coffee Flavored because I use it in a cake I bake and it's the bigger bottle and better price than on land, but I had pretty good stock so haven't bought any recently.

Getting ready to set sail on Monday, printing docs and packing...also making sure I have cash on hand, and $ in my bank account. Figuring up what excursions I want to take, and budgeting what I'll allow myself to gamble.

Last cruise we had $250 OBC from FCC and ES price drop...two of us, we had pre-paid tips so they didn't come out of OBC...we came home with $30 back. We took an excursion, had some soda with dinner, coffee/cake from cafe, and a few mixed drinks.

So just wondering...how much "damage" did you do with your S&S card on your last cruise? Or did you come home with some $ in your pocket like we did?