The World's Longest Carnival Freedom Pictorial Review! Feb. 13-21

[Nicole721]

Thanks Nicole for the latest installment. I was getting worried about you because I hadn't seen anything in awhile. I love your reviews and whenever you have a new one, I look forward to it each day. Can't wait to read more! The Thai salad looks really good. I'm going to have to try that. Is it only offered one time, or each night? Thanks again.

 

Awww I'm sorry! I've just been SO swamped. Hopefully, I'll have another part up tomorrow :)

 

Butttttt...we're currently on the phone with the PVP now so I can unveil my new sig ;) Stephanie tells me that people are probably sick of my Miracle reviews, but I can't pass up another cruise on my favorite ship :p

 

Oh, and the Thai Beef Salad is offered one night in the MDR.

[brnsnbrws]

I never get tired of your cruise reviews. Glad you will have another cruise to post about. I have tried commenting on your blog but it never works. Really enjoying your Freedom reviews.

Diane

[sailingawaysoon]

Awww I'm sorry! I've just been SO swamped. Hopefully, I'll have another part up tomorrow :)

 

Butttttt...we're currently on the phone with the PVP now so I can unveil my new sig ;) Stephanie tells me that people are probably sick of my Miracle reviews, but I can't pass up another cruise on my favorite ship :p

 

Oh, and the Thai Beef Salad is offered one night in the MDR.

Wow, you are heading out in no time. I love all of your reviews, regardless if it's a ship you've been on before. I'm so jealous you are going again so soon....good for you guys! What kind of deal did you find? We are leaving April 30th for a cruise on the Dream...we can't wait. You better hurry up and get this review finished because pretty soon you'll be turning around and writing us one w/your experiences on the Miracle.

[Chrisp414]

Hi Nicole!

 

I just finished reading your latest installment on your blog. I wish I knew how to post there but.......when I try to post it makes me choose what I want to check in as? I don't know but whatever. Anyway, as always, great reviewing. I know what you should be!!!! You could write those travelogs (is that what they call them?) or maybe you could be the next Sarah Brown! I can really see you doing her job!!! I always thought she had the best job! By the way, you mention NYC for your next trip, will you be cruising out of there? You didn't say. I haven't been to NYC in years but I often mention that we need to go there again soon. Fun place! Sorry I don't have any suggestions for you there. Although, I know you like to have tea, so perhaps tea at the ritz or the Russian Tea Room? Keep up the fantastic work! Looking forward to hearing more.

[Nicole721]

Part 8 is up (the entire thing!) http://sunglassesandumbrelladrinks.blogspot.com/2010/03/worlds-longest-freedom-review-part-8.html

 

Enjoy! :)

 

I never get tired of your cruise reviews. Glad you will have another cruise to post about. I have tried commenting on your blog but it never works. Really enjoying your Freedom reviews.

Diane

 

Thanks SO much, Diane :) I'll look into the comments thing and see if it's something I can fix. Blogger can be wonky sometimes.

 

Wow, you are heading out in no time. I love all of your reviews, regardless if it's a ship you've been on before. I'm so jealous you are going again so soon....good for you guys! What kind of deal did you find? We are leaving April 30th for a cruise on the Dream...we can't wait. You better hurry up and get this review finished because pretty soon you'll be turning around and writing us one w/your experiences on the Miracle.

 

We found an INSANE deal! It was actually around $500 less than the price we were quoted last weekend. It's a senior rate, I believe. Ended up being (before taxes and fees) around $75/pp/per day. Not bad, eh? ;)

 

Hi Nicole!

 

I just finished reading your latest installment on your blog. I wish I knew how to post there but.......when I try to post it makes me choose what I want to check in as? I don't know but whatever. Anyway, as always, great reviewing. I know what you should be!!!! You could write those travelogs (is that what they call them?) or maybe you could be the next Sarah Brown! I can really see you doing her job!!! I always thought she had the best job! By the way, you mention NYC for your next trip, will you be cruising out of there? You didn't say. I haven't been to NYC in years but I often mention that we need to go there again soon. Fun place! Sorry I don't have any suggestions for you there. Although, I know you like to have tea, so perhaps tea at the ritz or the Russian Tea Room? Keep up the fantastic work! Looking forward to hearing more.

 

Thank you so much for those kind words!

 

We will be cruising out of NYC. We had such a fantastic experience cruising out of Manhattan last year that we couldn't pass up the chance to do it again :)

 

I'll look into the Russian Tea Room! I bet my sister would love to go there since it was on SATC. I think we're going to have to hit up Alice's Tea Cup again, too, because it was so good last year! :)

[falkcor]

hey nicole - i just saw that you're around, and while i admittedly have not read through the entire most recent cruise yet, i just wanted to say thanks for your very detailed review...

 

i understand how much work it is, and laud your effort :D

 

i've read one or two (:rolleyes: hehe) of the miracle ones and they're great. i'll catch up with this one when i have some time - but, kudos... :cool:

[Chrisp414]

Hi Nicole (again). A few more suggestions as to what to do in NYC. If you haven't been to Ellis Island before - I highly suggest it - especially if your ancestors came by way of NYC to America. (Mine did - from Italy). Anyway, when we went there it gave me such pride in my ancestry - and what a great country we live in. They sacrificed so much to get here. Also, I said tea at the Ritz but I meant the Plaza (I think). Also, you can always try to catch a few plays (can get l/2 price tickets right there in Times Square) we did. We also went to the Museum of Natural History (I think that's the name - right near Central Park - they filmed NIght at the Museum there - it's pretty neat. Taking a horse and buggy ride is always fun too. Well, that's all I can think of right now - I know you will have a great time - you all seem to do that quite nicely. What a fun group you are! Enjoy life - it really is too short!

 

Chris

[pcrum]

Hi Nicole (again). A few more suggestions as to what to do in NYC. If you haven't been to Ellis Island before - I highly suggest it - especially if your ancestors came by way of NYC to America. (Mine did - from Italy). Anyway, when we went there it gave me such pride in my ancestry - and what a great country we live in. They sacrificed so much to get here. Also, I said tea at the Ritz but I meant the Plaza (I think). Also, you can always try to catch a few plays (can get l/2 price tickets right there in Times Square) we did. We also went to the Museum of Natural History (I think that's the name - right near Central Park - they filmed NIght at the Museum there - it's pretty neat. Taking a horse and buggy ride is always fun too. Well, that's all I can think of right now - I know you will have a great time - you all seem to do that quite nicely. What a fun group you are! Enjoy life - it really is too short!

 

Chris

 

I just had to second that tea at the Palm Court at the Plaza is wonderful. You might want to make a reservation, but it is truly an wonderful experience. Ellis Island is also very educational and entertaining and it's fun to walk around the Statue of Liberty. We also like walking around the Wall Street area...lots of history there. You can download walking tours and go on your own. The 9/11 Memorial is there too, which is interesting to walk through. If you like rock music, the play, Rock of Ages, is absolutely fantastic!! We got tix last year at TKS the day of the show. Mary Poppins is also wonderful! There is so much to do and see in NYC, you will have a wonderful time.

 

I enjoy reading all your reviews. We live in in Orlando, so it's nice to get a tourist's view of Disney! We just got off of the Emerald Princess on Sunday. I had read that your family also did a Princess cruise and we got such a good deal on our last minute spring break cruise that we could not pass it up. After trying Princess, NCL, HAL and Disney, I think we are partial to Carnival though. The food in the MDR cannot be beat by other lines!

 

Enjoy your Miracle cruise (we saw her docked last week in St. Martin and she looked beautiful). That is my all time favorite ship, although we are booked on the Freedom in June.

[sailingawaysoon]

Thanks for the latest installment Nicole. I just love all the food pics. I need to quit looking at these while at work before lunch!

 

Sounds like you got a crazy good deal for your next cruise. I'm very excited for you. Of course, we all know on here that once you return we will get another awesome review and more pics! Counting down our days until the Dream...May 1st can't come soon enough!

[mlzangel78]

i am in love with your blog!!!! :) keep up the good work!

[brnsnbrws]

Waiting for part 9 of the review. Hurry back Nicole!

Diane

[jsd4224]

Waiting for part 9 of the review. Hurry back Nicole!

Diane

 

Me too!

[crewsweeper]

Nicole...Just catching back up on yuour blog. Nice review of the steakhouse and the wine tasting. It's intersting how flavors come together (don't finish your cabernet with your dessert:eek:). I had Stephanie's dinner at the Great Art Steakhouse on the Dream in early January..Loved the garlic and the cut...way too much food, but the cream spinach was over the top and I love the gorgonzola cheese with the beefsteak tomatoes.

 

For food in NYC, don't forget to visit Economy Candy over on Rivington Street...they have any kind of candy you want. Also the Peanut Butter Company on Sullivan for their PB cookies. For breakfast you should try to get over to the 300 block of Grand and hit Kosar's bialys and the Doughnut Planet next door. To bring back the cruise MDR dancing feeling, Puglia's on Hester does the napkin dancing nightly...it's a hoot! Food's okay too, typical Italian for the NY tourist type of place.

 

But a burger hunt is also needed. Obviously Shake Shack has good standard burgers, but if you're in the mood, venture over to Brooklyn and go to Peter Lugar's for lunch (cheaper than dinner) and have their burger. Absolutely fabulous! Or go down to the West village to the Little Owl Cafe, where the burgers are very good and ther's a selection of other food too.

 

HAIR with Ace sounds like a good choice. DW loved watching him on Idol.

[Nicole721]

Okay...so I tend to write in parts and the part I spent hours writing last night? Didn't autosave like it said it did.

 

So instead of making you guys wait LONGER, I just posted what I had saved and I'll get rewriting that other part this afternoon :)

 

http://sunglassesandumbrelladrinks.blogspot.com/2010/04/worlds-longest-freedom-review-part-91.html

[mambo110]

love youre blog

[crewsweeper]

Wow! Puerto Limon looks worse than Belize's port. But then it is primarily a working port not a crusiing port. The "prettier" side of Costa Rica is the Pacific side though. And your pictures are getting my monitor all rainy wet :D:D:eek:

[beach410]

looking forward to some more...Thanks for sharing!

[brnsnbrws]

Okay...so I tend to write in parts and the part I spent hours writing last night? Didn't autosave like it said it did.

 

So instead of making you guys wait LONGER, I just posted what I had saved and I'll get rewriting that other part this afternoon :)

 

http://sunglassesandumbrelladrinks.blogspot.com/2010/04/worlds-longest-freedom-review-part-91.html

Sorry the review wasn't saved! Looking so forward to reading more.

Diane

[MrsBlair]

Nicole! I miss your review! Haha...

 

I keep checking every morning to see if you've posted again! :p

[amcjeep4life]

Hey Nicole! Too bad you booked for the wrong week on the Miracle.:D I'll be there the week before you, so I'll try to have our roll call keep the ship clean for you! I love your reviews, and have sent my sister the link to your Miracle reviews. We'll be sailing the new Aruba itinerary in October and it will be her first cruise. Interestingly enough, I did the same Freedom itinerary in October, so it's neat to see someone else's view of the cruise. Can't wait til you post some more!

[Nicole721]

New part up! :)

 

http://sunglassesandumbrelladrinks.blogspot.com/2010/04/worlds-longest-freedom-review-part-92.html

 

Things are finally settling down a little (between the planning for the next trip, some projects I'm working on and the three friends who decided to come in to town to visit me so we can go see a concert together the day we get back from our upcoming trip and planning for that, I've been swapped) so hopefully, I'll have more time to devote to blogging and getting back to all your replies! :)

[brnsnbrws]

Just read your latest installment. I am not a person who likes to climb steps. I have to agree that the waterfall was not worth the climb for me!

Please tell me the mother with the milk had it in an insulated bag! Yuck, milk that has been out in 90 degree heat for 3 hrs! What was she thinking? Looking forward to your next installment!

Diane

[AndyP7]

New part up! :)

 

http://sunglassesandumbrelladrinks.blogspot.com/2010/04/worlds-longest-freedom-review-part-92.html

 

Things are finally settling down a little (between the planning for the next trip, some projects I'm working on and the three friends who decided to come in to town to visit me so we can go see a concert together the day we get back from our upcoming trip and planning for that, I've been swapped) so hopefully, I'll have more time to devote to blogging and getting back to all your replies! :)

 

Yay! I've been checking back regularly and am glad to see another installment. Love your reviews!

 

Andrea

[brnsnbrws]

Latest installment is up! I just discovered it, don't have time to read right now, will read when I return from church. Thanks Nicole!

Diane

[jpg1747]

If you're still looking for restaurant recommendations in New York, one of my favorite places is Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. I had the absolutely best hamburger there. And the fries are to die for. Unfortunately, I didn't have room for dessert.

 

Living in Silver Spring, MD, we often take the Vamoose bus up to NYC for the day to see a Broadway show. Love the bargains at the Half Price Ticket Booth (TKTS) in Times Square. One of my little guilty pleasures is to buy a bag or two of roasted nuts from one of the street vendors.