Freedom in a few weeks

[5521544]

My Husband and I will be sailing on RCCL -FOS in a few weeks for our wedding anniversary. This will be my Husband's first cruise and my second cruise (First with DCL 2003) but this will be my first cruise with RCCL. I was wondering if you guys have any advice. Any must sees or don't miss it's? First things to do onboard or advice about the ship? Any tips or reviews from recent FOS sailors? Any advice or tips would be great. I want it to be an Anniversary trip to remember!! :)

 

Thanks!

[TexCruise371]

When are you going?

[piemom9397]

• Eat in the main dining room for dinner as much as possible--take in the service and the quality of the food. Try eating in the MDR for lunch or even breakfast--I had never eaten there except for dinner, and we tried it for lunch on the last day of our cruise, and I regret not having eaten there earlier in the cruise. It was quite a treat.
  
• While I never thought I would say this, try getting a massage or facial on the ship. I had always heard horror stories about pushy workers and so stayed away (that and the prices can be prohibitive), but my DH surprised me with a combo facial & massage--let me tell you, it was the best massage I have had in ages. Wait until later in the week when they offer good specials/reduced prices on their services.
  
  
• Most of the jewelry & clothing you'll see in the shops on the Royal Promenade will go on sale at the end of your cruise--if you can wait until then, you'll get good prices.
  
  
• My in-laws and I really enjoyed the shows. I was a little disappointed with the ice show, because I'd heard really good things about it, but it's still worth seeing. The show we went to was the first one, and there was some number of falls, but it was a cool concept to see them use the ice rink of that size (small).
  
  
• Know that you can take food out of the buffet into your stateroom--we grabbed extra cereals, pastries, etc to take to the kids who were sleeping in while we were eating breakfast.
  
  
• When you go into the Windjammer, go to the back. Most people stop at the first set of lines for the food; the same selections are served throughout and you'll experience less crowding/smaller lines back in the back.
  
  
• Go to the library and look out--people watch. It's a nice break from everything and a treat to watch everyone and everything.
  
• There are 2 places on the Royal Promenade that have ice water that you can use to refill water bottles to take with you on excursions or just to have. I believe they are Serrano's (where they have the pizza) and inside the Seattle's Best coffee shop (go past the folks standing in line & go to the back).
  
  

I'll try to think of more, but it's a start for now. Enjoy your anniversary and your cruise!!! :)

[5521544]

• Eat in the main dining room for dinner as much as possible--take in the service and the quality of the food. Try eating in the MDR for lunch or even breakfast--I had never eaten there except for dinner, and we tried it for lunch on the last day of our cruise, and I regret not having eaten there earlier in the cruise. It was quite a treat.
  
• While I never thought I would say this, try getting a massage or facial on the ship. I had always heard horror stories about pushy workers and so stayed away (that and the prices can be prohibitive), but my DH surprised me with a combo facial & massage--let me tell you, it was the best massage I have had in ages. Wait until later in the week when they offer good specials/reduced prices on their services.
   
  
• Most of the jewelry & clothing you'll see in the shops on the Royal Promenade will go on sale at the end of your cruise--if you can wait until then, you'll get good prices.
   
  
• My in-laws and I really enjoyed the shows. I was a little disappointed with the ice show, because I'd heard really good things about it, but it's still worth seeing. The show we went to was the first one, and there was some number of falls, but it was a cool concept to see them use the ice rink of that size (small).
   
  
• Know that you can take food out of the buffet into your stateroom--we grabbed extra cereals, pastries, etc to take to the kids who were sleeping in while we were eating breakfast.
   
  
• When you go into the Windjammer, go to the back. Most people stop at the first set of lines for the food; the same selections are served throughout and you'll experience less crowding/smaller lines back in the back.
   
  
• Go to the library and look out--people watch. It's a nice break from everything and a treat to watch everyone and everything.
  
• There are 2 places on the Royal Promenade that have ice water that you can use to refill water bottles to take with you on excursions or just to have. I believe they are Serrano's (where they have the pizza) and inside the Seattle's Best coffee shop (go past the folks standing in line & go to the back).
   
  

I'll try to think of more, but it's a start for now. Enjoy your anniversary and your cruise!!! :)

 

Thank you so much for all the info. It is wonderful and greatly appreciated!!

We leave in 13 Days!!

[cb at sea]

Also, try the dining room for breakfast---it's much nicer than dealing with the buffet!

They serve lunch on sea days, too....again...much more civilized than the buffet!

[RayJacki]

My Husband and I will be sailing on RCCL -FOS in a few weeks for our wedding anniversary. This will be my Husband's first cruise and my second cruise (First with DCL 2003) but this will be my first cruise with RCCL. I was wondering if you guys have any advice. Any must sees or don't miss it's? First things to do onboard or advice about the ship? Any tips or reviews from recent FOS sailors? Any advice or tips would be great. I want it to be an Anniversary trip to remember!! :)

 

Thanks!

 

Try to get to the dining room early on the afternoon of boarding to check out the location of your assigned table (Dining Time and Table number will be on your Set Sail card). If you'd like to change seating or table, try to be early to check with the Maitre'd to discuss change requests Check the Cruise Compass for the time & place when he is available on the first afternoon. (It's usually around 1:00pm near one of the doors to the Main Dining Room). If you wait too long, you may miss out on your request being granted.;)

[MJN]

Make reservations for your anniverasary night or at least one other night if your anniversary doesn't actually fall during the cruise to go to one of the specialty restaurants during the cruise. We went to Portofinos, which is the Italian restaurant but you can view their menus as soon as you board the ship (just inside the windjammer to the left and right) and decided which menu you prefer. They really make your dinner special and it is a step or two above what is offered in the dining room. You can order a bottle of champagne or wine with your dinner in either the specialty restaurant or the main dining room any night and they even save what you didn't drink that night for the next night.

You can also order room service to have coffee brought to your room every morning, or a complete breakfast if you prefer. We had them bring at least coffee every morning and some mornings a bit more, such as pastries, yogurt, fruit etc. That way you can at least start your day with coffee without having to trek to the windjammer/dining room/or promenade until you are ready to go. Room service doesn't charge for this but a tip is expected. We enjoyed having our coffee on our balcony every morning.

Hope you have a wonderful cruise and a special anniversary. We LOVED our cruise on Freedom, it's an awesome ship! MJN

[peteukmcr]

Hi I notice you're on the same sailing as us. Have you registered for the Meet & Mingle?

 

There's a roll call for this sailing that you may want to join in. Plenty of great people who can provide loads of info.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=762570&page=446

[5521544]

Thanks to everyone for the great information so far. It is greatly appreciated.

[podemos]

• There are 2 places on the Royal Promenade that have ice water that you can use to refill water bottles to take with you on excursions or just to have. I believe they are Serrano's (where they have the pizza) and inside the Seattle's Best coffee shop (go past the folks standing in line & go to the back).
  
  

 

I got off the ship yesterday, and there's a sign by the ice water machines that says that refilling water bottles is now prohibited by US law. I guess you could bring cups of water to your own stateroom and refill your water bottles there (which is what I did :p...) The bottled Evian water that they sell on the ship is really expensive.

 

Make sure you visit the very front of the ship (get out on deck 4, go all the way forward until you reach the stairs) for breathtaking views! You can wave hello to the people up in the Bridge there.

 

The internet place (deck 8) is good for sitting down and for watching people on the Promenade.

 

Of all things, the 70's Dancing in the Streets party is not to be missed.

 

If you want to buy your photos, do so on the 2nd last or last day, as they will be discounted.

[MJN]

Hi, Yes, it is true that by the end of the week they are more anxious to sell things. I was looking at a piece of Jewelry on sale in one of the shops. My DH asked it it would be on sale later in the week and was told no. Sure enough by the end of the week it was discounted substantially. Unless it was a one of a kind item, I would wait.....Have fun and RELAX! MJN

[tmann4]

Try to get to the dining room early on the afternoon of boarding to check out the location of your assigned table (Dining Time and Table number will be on your Set Sail card). If you'd like to change seating or table, try to be early to check with the Maitre'd to discuss change requests Check the Cruise Compass for the time & place when he is available on the first afternoon. (It's usually around 1:00pm near one of the doors to the Main Dining Room). If you wait too long, you may miss out on your request being granted.;)

 

RayJacki, you may or may not know, but we are want to see where our table is because we have another group traveling with us. We linked our reservations together but want to make sure we are at the same table. Does RCCL do this automatically if your reservations are linked or will we have to do this when we get on board?

[piemom9397]

I got off the ship yesterday, and there's a sign by the ice water machines that says that refilling water bottles is now prohibited by US law. I guess you could bring cups of water to your own stateroom and refill your water bottles there (which is what I did :p...) The bottled Evian water that they sell on the ship is really expensive.

 

 

Thanks, I'd forgotten. We refilled our insulated water mugs--I'm hopeful I wasn't breaking the law! ;)

[jennbngl]

Hi I notice you're on the same sailing as us. Have you registered for the Meet & Mingle?

 

There's a roll call for this sailing that you may want to join in. Plenty of great people who can provide loads of info.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=762570&page=446

 

 

I was going to tell them the same thing! Come over and meet all of us before we sail!

 

And join the Meet and Mingle!

[danajjj]

This has been said, but I think it is worth repeating. Have lunch in the MDR. We plan to do this every day it is open for lunch on our cruise in a few weeks.

 

Your cruise docs probably say boarding begins at 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. You can usually board the ship early and then have lunch in the Windjammer. I would suggest arriving around 11:00.

 

Definitely see the ice show. I've never seen a fall. I wonder if they are breaking in some new skaters?

[OV8]

My observations from my recent 8/23 FOS trip:

 

 

1. Breakfast & lunch are the best meals of the day in the free dining areas
   
2. The $99 happy hour spa sampler is a great deal that includes a facial & an upper back massage amongst other items.
   
3. Bow of the ship for Titanic pics are accessible via deck 4 side doors & then up a flight a stairs in front of ship by helideck.
   
4. Wait till the last performance of the ice show - usually a matinee - to get in easily - usually it's 1/2 full & no wait or any seating limitations.
   
5. Get to the Arcadia main theater early esp. for the 2nd shows each night as seats go fast.
   
6. Climb the rock wall - it's easy challenge to really boost your confidence. The spotters are uber friendly & helpful.
   
7. Sorrento's serve the best panini's on the seas - but only midday.
   

[medfordgirl]

I got off the ship yesterday did you have a good time?

 

Of all things, the 70's Dancing in the Streets party is not to be missed.

I second that.

 

If you want to buy your photos, do so on the 2nd last or last day, as they will be discounted. is that something new, I never noticed it before. How much are they discounted? that is great since they are pretty pricey.

 

5521544 do try to go to Portofinos. We love it. Also, making a music video in the sound proof rooms is a hoot.

[5521544]

Loving all of this Great info! Thanks a bunch. All of you cruise critic members are always great at giving advice and tips.

 

Thanks!

[podemos]

5521544 do try to go to Portofinos. We love it. Also, making a music video in the sound proof rooms is a hoot.

 

Had a blast of course. Who wouldn't on the biggest ship in the world? =P

 

LOL, I agree...the karaoke rooms or "capsules" as I like to call them are right outside the skating rink. And making a music video is just the funniest thing ever!