Freedom of the Seas With Family of 12

[smilesep]

This is my first post here and I hope you'll be able to help me. We are thinking of cruising Aug 2010 on Freedom of the Seas. Ages range from 9 months to 75 yrs old including 2 preteens and 2- 19 yr olds. Because of budget constraints we are thinking interior staterooms. Any deck better then others? Best location on those decks? Are the 20 yr olds allowed to drink alcohol? Are soda cards worth it if a person drinks about 6 sodas a day? We will be arriving the night before. Any suggestions on Port Canaveral lodging? What dinner sitting do you suggest as well as what excursions in St. Martean and St. Thomas? My husband really wants to dive. Any suggestions? Any help and suggestions are appreciated! We can't wait. This will be all of ours first cruise experience. Thanks!

[OttoCal]

Wow! lots of fun questions!

My suggestions on a few of them-

 

no, 20 year olds will not be allowed to drink.

 

I suggest the main seating, since you will have at least 3 younger kids/infants. That later seating can be brutal on them, the rest of the family, and surrounding tables ;). Dinner is LONG when you are used to a quick meal at home.

 

Check the Florida Homeports board for a great thread called 'I work in Port Canaveral' which has really fabulous info about Cocoa Beach lodging. Pay attention to the descriptions of how close you are to the beach, they have ways to be sneaky about saying they are not as close as you might think.

 

For Diving- if your hubby is not yet certified for Scuba, you should investigate having him do his course work at home and possibly even his certification/check out dives at home. It is a lot of time and book work to get the certification and you will be plenty busy on the cruise without adding that in to his day! I think if he is a novice diver, stick with the Royal Caribbean dive excursions. There is even a dive shop on board. Experienced divers typcially prefer to book on their own through outside vendors.

 

August *is* hurricane season, so please consider trip insurance for your group. It is a big added expense for your group, but something you should at least consider.

 

If you have a car rented from Orlando to Cocoa Beach- you can drive to the Publix grocery store or Walmart and buy yourselves some cases of soda to bring on to the ship as checked luggage. Also bottled water. Also, if you have a vehicle, drive your luggage to the pier first, then drop off the rental car. No need to haul your baggage along in the rental car shuttle van when you are so close to the pier to just do a quick drop.

 

I am sure some others will have some useful info about cabin selections and port ideas.

[lahoban]

I have been on the Freedom and the Liberty I'll try and help. We love insides, they are dark and you sleep like a baby! We have also had the Promenade rooms love those also. If you stay with deck 7 or 8 you have staterooms above you and beneath you, less noise. I always try and stay in the middle or towards the back. Middle has less motion. 20 year old's cannot drink alcohol. We usually have early seating but last time we had late and we liked it also. With young kids I would suggest early. In St. Thomas we used Underwater Safari and they were excellent! Very Helpful and professional. I snorkeled and the others went diving. St Maartin we just got off the ship took the water taxi over and went right to the beach right there. We got 2 chairs and a umbrella for 10.00. The shopping is right there if anyone would like to do that. Great day. You will have a blast! Cruising is great for families everyone can do their own thing or be together.

[lahoban]

Oh my DH was not certified and the other two were. He did a discover scuba dive and had the time of his life! And I was the only snorkeler in the group and they never took their eyes off me. They also had a guy that was great with children.

[blessedx3]

We take a small cooler and put the pop in it and check it in with our lugage and it shows up at our cabin just like our lugage does. We then ask the cabin steward if they would fill it with ice each day, and they are so nice to do that for us.

[blessedx3]

We also love to stay at the Radisson Resort at the Port. They are just 1/2 mile from the port. They have a park and cruise package also. This time we are staying at the Residence Inn and they also will park your car while you cruise. We take a private taxi to the port. I like my own time schedule rather than the shuttles they provide.

You all are going to have the time of your life!!!!!!!! This is a wonderful ship and there is so much to do. We like inside cabins mid ship to aft. Enjoy your cruise!!!!!!!!!

[cb at sea]

If you don't bring your own sodas (and 6 a day would mean ALOT!!!), the soda card is worth it....for kid's it's about $4 pp pd, for adults, it's in the $6-7 range pp pd....not everyone in the party has to buy--only the ones who will be drinking the soda! You can buy soda by the can, too, at $2.24 per.

 

since you have to be back on the ship 1/2 hr prior to the ship leaving each port, main (early) seating is best for families with kids....you won't have to rush.

[Ashland]

My son got his scuba certification onboard INDY in Jan 2009. The instruction and testing process and dive was worthwhile..Had a great time with the Instructor and their dive in St Maarten...it was awesome...Your husband should look into and signup when you get on ship as they will only take a certain amount of people...Enjoy...

[gvi]

We did a family cruise for 12 on Freedom in July of 2008. We were ages 4 and up, including 2 10 year olds, a 16 year old and parents and grandparents. It was my husband's parent's 50th wedding anniversary.

 

We had balcony cabins, but that was a choice.

 

We were able to get a table to all sit together at dinner each night in the dining room. You can link all your reservations and request a table together as soon as you are all booked. We had an issue with being split apart due to different last names. A quick chat with the head waiter and we got things rearranged for the second night.

 

We got the soda package for my husband and myself, because we do drink soda quite often. We fly in so taking it with us was not an option on that trip. We also love the insulated containers that come with the package.

 

Can't help on the scuba - none of our 12 did this.

 

Our 10 year olds are boys, cousins and best friends. They spent the whole cruise together - and didn't spend much time in Adventure Ocean, but my son does love it there when his cousin isn't along. Our 4 year old (now 6) also loves the program.

 

One suggestion - take something to decorate your cabin doors - a simple printed sheet of cardstock put up with magnets works great or you can be more creative. The hallways are long and there are LOTS of doors - it makes the rooms really easy to find!

 

Have a great time!

[FlyTexas]

Regarding the 19-20 year olds and alcohol...

 

I have no experience with this, but from reading my cruise documents this week, it says that 18-20 year olds may drink alcohol with signed permission from their parents when not in port, or something to that effect.

 

Did I miss read it?

[PhoenixCruiser]

Regarding the 19-20 year olds and alcohol...

 

I have no experience with this, but from reading my cruise documents this week, it says that 18-20 year olds may drink alcohol with signed permission from their parents when not in port, or something to that effect.

 

Did I miss read it?

 

Their policy has changed :D

 

Q: Why do I need a beverage waiver?

 

A: Effective as of all sailings commencing on or after July 28, 2006, the minimum drinking age for all alcoholic beverages on all Royal Caribbean International ships is 21.

 

On cruises departing from European and South American countries, where the legal drinking age is typically lower than 21, a parent who is sailing with his or her son(s) and/or daughter(s) who is between the ages of 18 to 20, may sign a waiver allowing the 18 to 20 year old to consume alcoholic beverages. Please note: Waivers will be provided to parents upon check-in.

 

The 18- to 20 year-old must agree to comply with Royal Caribbean's policies, including among other things, agreeing to not provide alcoholic beverages to any other person, regardless of age. Restrictions apply, and this policy is subject to change without notice.

 

###

[smilesep]

Thanks so much for all of your advice! There is alot to think about and plan and because I love to travel, I'm in charge. Has anyone used the pack and plays for babies. We'll have a 9 month old with us. Is there room in the staterooms? Also, is there realistically room for 4 in an interior state room? How do the beds get set up? Do men need a jacket and tie for formal nights or can they just wear a tie? Thanks again for your advice!

[CBeachMom]

Thanks so much for all of your advice! There is alot to think about and plan and because I love to travel, I'm in charge. Has anyone used the pack and plays for babies. We'll have a 9 month old with us. Is there room in the staterooms? Also, is there realistically room for 4 in an interior state room? How do the beds get set up? Do men need a jacket and tie for formal nights or can they just wear a tie? Thanks again for your advice!

 

My first thought was "no you better leave the 9 mo. in the hall" :D

 

Seriously though, the inside cabins are pretty tiny, but you are usually only in them to sleep and change clothes. We had four teens ranging from 13 - 19 in one and they survived. In this case it was like two sets of bunk beds.

 

There isn't much floor space. If you are trying to get a small crib in one you probably would have to have the two bottom bunks pushed together to make a queen size bed. Then there might be enough room for a crib.

 

On formal night the guys should wear a coat and tie. Some people choose to skip the formal night and eat at one of the other restaurants on board.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Ashland]

Oh my DH was not certified and the other two were. He did a discover scuba dive and had the time of his life! And I was the only snorkeler in the group and they never took their eyes off me. They also had a guy that was great with children.

Our adult son took the scuba certification course on the INDY in the Eastern Caribbean last Jan '09..it was a very good course very thorough and he passed all the physical and written tests... sorry to say the majority of his class did not...RCCL takes this class and activity very seriously as all who take it should also...Your DH sounds like someone who would enjoy this and get a lot out of it....

[CBeachMom]

This is my first post here and I hope you'll be able to help me. We are thinking of cruising Aug 2010 on Freedom of the Seas. Ages range from 9 months to 75 yrs old including 2 preteens and 2- 19 yr olds. Because of budget constraints we are thinking interior staterooms. Any deck better then others? Best location on those decks? Are the 20 yr olds allowed to drink alcohol? Are soda cards worth it if a person drinks about 6 sodas a day? We will be arriving the night before. Any suggestions on Port Canaveral lodging? What dinner sitting do you suggest as well as what excursions in St. Martean and St. Thomas? My husband really wants to dive. Any suggestions? Any help and suggestions are appreciated! We can't wait. This will be all of ours first cruise experience. Thanks!

 

There is a motel in Cocoa Beach called the Wakulla. It might be a good match for you because the rooms are 2 bedroom suites, but the price is very reasonable. This is where we put up our family members when they come to CB to visit.