Come Cruise with Me-Freedom Review-9/16/12-Tons of Pics-First "Family" Cruise-(Long)

Hello everyone! We got back a week ago today from 7 days on the Freedom of the Seas, Western Caribbean. I worked every night over the course of the last week prepping the photos and going through all my notes. I think I am ready to go.

I call what I do a review, but it's really much more than that. What I am about to share with you is a week of my life. It will be long and detailed, with tons of photo and some video. I will lead you through the cruise, step by step, day by day.

This review definitely isn't for everyone, especially the weak of "patience". If you like quick, to the point, one post reviews, go ahead and hit the back button on your browser.

If you like tons of what I would generally consider quality pictures, with descriptions of what we did throughout the cruise, with all the details good and bad, follow along. I definitely gear towards the photos (you won't get tons of long paragraphs from me) for the review. Also, I don't hold back. If something was great, I tell you about it. If it wasn't, I'll tell you that too.

I've struggled with what perspective to use for this review. Obviously, this isn't my our cruise. But it has been a year and a half since we went on one. And of course, this is the first cruise for Keith, our 11 month old. So, do I give the perspective of the seasoned cruiser who has seen most of what RCCI has to offer? Do I give the view of the first time cruiser (because I felt like that at times)? Do I give the view of the family cruiser? What I decided on was to just blend it all, and we'll see how it goes.

Everything that I will write was written the day it occurred, except for the occasional thought I throw in from time to time.

This and the next post will probably be the longest I have for words (especially without pictures). If you made it this far, this is the most you will have to read without pic's ;)

If you are kind enough to make a comment or question, I will always do my best to reply. :)

Can't wait to read.... I go on Freedom next Sunday! :D

I'm definitely going to be reading along. Go on the Freedom in March.

Looking forward to reading!!!

I thought it would be useful to give a little background info on me and my family, so you know what has led us to this cruise and where we go from here. When I last left you on the jewel (review in signature ~ April 2011), Heather was pregnant with a due date of October 20th.

(Panama City in Background - April 2011)

Fast forward to July 2011. Heather's grandfather, who we were both very close to, is moved to a hospice house. He had a stroke in 2008 that left him paralyzed on one side with no real speech ability. He struggled through it for several years. We had high hopes he would make it to met Keith (Keith is named after both Heather's grandfathers and my grandfathers middle name). But it was not to be. He passed away on August 2nd.

(Grandpa and Me at ACLF)

Fast forward again to October 22nd 2011. At 11:45pm, Heather says its time to go, so we head to the hospital.

Keith is born shortly after 11am on October 23rd 2011. He is 8 pounds.

Fast forward to December 2011. Heather's dad makes the surprise announcement that he is retiring (he is in his early 50's).

Fast forward to March 2012. Heather's mom decides to retire too.

Fast forward to April 2012. Heather receives a phone call from her parents on vacation that they are moving to West Virginia and they will come back in a few weeks to get their stuff.

Fast forward to Memorial Day weekend 2012. Heather and are at our farmhouse in West Virginia riding four wheelers on the property. I am going up about a 20 degree incline and my front left wheel gets in a rut. I let off the gas and pop the wheel out and start to roll backwards. Instead of hitting the gas, I hit the brake. Instead of stopping, the front tires lift off the ground and I start to flip. I do my best to ditch left and luckily the four wheeler lands right. I land on my back on a rock. I ended up breaking my back with a 30% compression fracture on the back side, a bone chip floating around, and a burst fracture against the spinal cord. This would be on a Sunday. After visiting the hospital and getting clearance, we head home on Tuesday. On Friday, I have surgery and walk out of the hospital.

(Waiting for surgery)

(After surgery)

After about 2 months, I consider myself fully recovered.

Quite a bit of drama to over the past year? It doesn't end there. Just wait, we'll have more during the cruise.

Up next - meet the family. . .

Can't wait to read.... I go on Freedom next Sunday! :D

Not long to go for you! :)

I'm definitely going to be reading along. Go on the Freedom in March.

Spring break? :D

Looking forward to reading!!!

Thanks :)

Been waiting for this one. We're along for the ride, Curtis. Thanks for sharing!!

First things first, it's time to meet the family. They are near and dear to my heart.

I'm never far from them.

I think about them even when we are separated.

I would protect them from anything.

I'm always looking for new places to take them.

And here they are:

From left side:

Small Case (for the Sony)

white balance cards (Because I always struggle with white balance in the MDR)

Go Pro Hero and Mounts (Attached to Keith's stroller to get his view of things)

Chargers

Memory Cards

Tripod (Actually never used)

Strap

Panasonic HDC-TM90 Camcorder

Canon D10 Underwater camera

Nikon SB900 Flash

Kindle

Sony Nex 5n

iPad 3

Nikon D7000

Sigma 70-200 F2.8 with OS (Absolutely great lens, but won't bring it again because it was just too big to carry around)

Nikon 18-200 VR

Tamron 17-50 F2.8

Nikon 35mm F1.8

Backpack (for the rest of the stuff)

Not pictured (and didn't make the trip):

Canon G11 (Sold it yesterday) - Replaced with Sony Nex 5n

Canon SD980is

Nikon D5100 (Didn't want the added weight)

17" Mac book pro (really wanted to bring to process photos on the trip, but just didn't want the added weight)

Coming Soon - The Other Family . . .

Been waiting for this one. We're along for the ride, Curtis. Thanks for sharing!!

Thanks and glad to share :)

First things first, it's time to meet the family. They are near and dear to my heart.

 

I'm never far from them.

 

I think about them even when we are separated.

 

I would protect them from anything.

 

I'm always looking for new places to take them.

 

And here they are:

 

 

From left side:

 

Small Case (for the Sony)

white balance cards (Because I always struggle with white balance in the MDR)

Go Pro Hero and Mounts (Attached to Keith's stroller to get his view of things)

Chargers

Memory Cards

Tripod (Actually never used)

Strap

Panasonic HDC-TM90 Camcorder

Canon D10 Underwater camera

Nikon SB900 Flash

Kindle

Sony Nex 5n

iPad 3

Nikon D7000

Sigma 70-200 F2.8 with OS (Absolutely great lens, but won't bring it again because it was just too big to carry around)

Nikon 18-200 VR

Tamron 17-50 F2.8

Nikon 35mm F1.8

Backpack (for the rest of the stuff)

 

Not pictured (and didn't make the trip):

 

Canon G11 (Sold it yesterday) - Replaced with Sony Nex 5n

Canon SD980is

Nikon D5100 (Didn't want the added weight)

17" Mac book pro (really wanted to bring to process photos on the trip, but just didn't want the added weight)

 

Coming Soon - The Other Family . . .

Haha....I'm cracking up! Nice to meet your fam!

Also, I brought along these people:

Myself, Heather and Keith

We actually have 12 of us on this cruise. My family, my parents, 4 aunts and 3 uncles! (unfortunately, we didn't get a group shot on the cruise)

This is our 14th cruise, all with Royal Caribbean. As before, we have sailed on every class except the Oasis Class. We enjoy the food, entertainment, visiting new places, etc.

We live in Florida, so we mainly look to cruise in the off season for the great prices.

I thought it best (it being best because I love showing off pictures of him) if I gave you a quick pictorial progression of Keith from birth to the cruise.

Birth

Thanksgiving

Christmas

January

Up next - Keith up to the cruise. . .

Haha....I'm cracking up! Nice to meet your fam!

Everything I said was true, just ask my wife ;):D

Loving your review! Thanks for sharing!:)

Keith from February on. . .

February

Five Months Old (March)

Easter (April)

May

Father's Day (June)

Coming next - Did we even go on a cruise, or is this just a mean trick? (No really, we are getting there)

Loving your review! Thanks for sharing!:)

Thanks :)

July

August

And just before the cruise and ready to party

Coming up next - a little packing. . .

Glad your back and doing better after your accident and other events. Thank you for taking us along with you on your cruise adventure.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Please excuse typographical errors.

If there is one thing I find unpleasant in traveling, it has to be packing. Always trying to fit so much into so little. We did our best and ended up with the following:

1 - Backpack (Electronics) - Carry on

1 - Backpack (Food for Keith, Pump, Bath Stuff) - Carry on

1 - Diaper Bag - Carry on with stroller)

2 - Garmet Bags (1 Each for me and Heather) - Checked

1 - Big Suitcase (Diapers, Keith's clothes, shoes, misc) - Checked

1 - Duffel Bag (Crib mattress for play yard for Keith, life jacket for Keith (paranoid parent, of course) and one of those things you wear on you to carry the kid in ~ name of it slipped my mind at the minute)

Here we go:

#1 - Dory must always protest us traveling without her

Here is my stuff

Stuff for Heather and Keith

Recommendation #1

Heather read about this online somewhere and it worked out great. For Keith, we would take a complete outfit for a day and put it in a 1 gallon baggie. Made it very easy to grab his outfit each day, then when done, back in the baggie and mark it dirty. The not so bright part - apparently Keith didn't need us to bring 14 outfits. . .

Big Suitcase

Coming up tomorrow (throughout the day on my breaks) - Road Trip! and we (finally) go on a cruise. . .

I'm in for the ride too! Loving your review! FOS is our FAVORITE ship!

Lois

P.S. Keith is adorable!

Glad your back and doing better after your accident and other events. Thank you for taking us along with you on your cruise adventure.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Please excuse typographical errors.

Thanks :)

Happy to do it ;)

I'm in for the ride too! Loving your review! FOS is our FAVORITE ship!

 

Lois

 

P.S. Keith is adorable!

Thanks so much. He's also a charmer, we are in for trouble down the road I think ;)

Great start. Looking foreward for the cruise. Also great looking Families

Great photos. Your baby is soooo cute!

You have a beautiful family!! I am looking forward to all the great details. :)