Freedom of the Seas was wonderful

[murraync]

Just back from sailing last week-Eastern Caribe- what a great time!

 

I got such helpful info from Cruise Critic before we went, so let me know if you have any questions- murrayfamnc@aol.com.

 

We stayed the night before at the Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach- nice beach hotel- left car there for the week using their stay and cruise package- no problems and the shuttle service was very prompt and easy- will use this again to save a weeks long port parking charge.

 

Embarkation started at Port Canaveral- no problems with the porters- everyone was very nice and helpful- didn't feel pressured to tip any of them at all- I did give one that handled all our bags $5- they worked hard!

 

It was one line after another in the terminal to get through security, then check in and get sea pass cards, then another line to get photo before boarding ship. From the curb to the ship took 45 minutes- not bad at all!

 

Windjammer is crowded at this first lunch- nothing horrible -we had a bite and went exploring.

 

Our cabin was ready at 1pm- bags showed up one by one and had them all by about 5pm.

 

Safety drill is without life vests and was very easy.

 

I think there were 4600 people on the ship- never horrible lines any time during the cruise, but there were times when you realize lots of people are on board.

 

Here is a rundown of what we thought- just our opinions:)

 

Pools:

 

Bar service was fine- we used daily without problems- very nice and happy people- we tipped them with cash for all their great service.

 

Loved the H20 zone- my 11 yr old son had a blast- we always found chairs around the pool any time of the day- people do save chairs- always seemed to be someone leaving or empty so never an issue for us.

 

If you are taking a toddler be warned- they may only use the baby pool if they are in diapers. We saw several families that had babies or toddlers that wanted to get in the splash zone or pools, and were upset when told no kids with diapers in those areas.

 

Can't wait till we can take advantage of the adults only solarium area- nice loungers and nice and peaceful! Didn't get in the hot tubs here - but they sure look nice!

 

The main pool was a blast- lots of great music and fun events- a bit crowded- however I always saw chairs to be had on deck.

 

Sports deck: Loved the Flow Rider- all three of us did the boogie boarding- what fun!!! Get signed up early on Sunday starting at 2:30pm- and go as much as you can- lines can be long- we would wait sometimes 30+ minutes for our turn- I would suggest private lessons of some sort to really take advantage of the Flow Rider. There are height requirements, so our 11 yr old was a hair too short to stand up surf, so that really limited our time use. Ladies, wear a shirt over your suit, can't tell you how many tops were "rearranged "- and that water can even pull off your bottoms, so were something that fits tighter or has a string:eek: Only saw one person with injuries from the Flow Rider- looked to be a 18yr boy- stand up surfing and wiped out- something to his arm/shoulder area- he was in fine spirits telling his story to everyone- hope it wasn't anything too serious.

 

The rock wall is fun to climb, and there were always soccer and basketball games of some sort on the court.

 

Other activities: we loved the ice rink- was great to have something to do besides roast in the sun all day- we loved all the Royal Promenade had to offer- feels like a mall ! We window shopped, and usually had drinks and people watched. Loved all the different parades and events they have.

 

Entertainment: The shows were fine- comparable to Carnival ones we saw last year. We saw them all- Comedians, illusionists, the Drifters, RC stage productions . We enjoyed them all. Seats start going by 8:15pm for the 9pm show, and people do save seats (which they shouldn't) - so be prepared to go early and enjoy a drink in your seat while you wait- The Ice Show was also great- we got tickets on Tuesday am in the Royal Promenade- they will announce where and when to be getting these ice show tickets. We enjoyed the parades and it seemed there was always several other late night parties or events going on that were always fun.

 

Food:- Let's just say that we love to eat- however we are not expecting gourmet meals from this type of cruise. We have no complaints.

 

Windjammer- buffet style- always busy- short lines- decent food- no complaints. Ate breakfasts and lunches here- one dinner. Staff works hard to keep tables cleared, bring you drinks, keep food replenished. No complaints.

 

Main Dining Room- Very nice- again- staff works hard- we did 6pm seating- menu was fine- not as many choices as other lines, but something for everyone. Very willing to accommodate special requests or extra portions. No complaints. Ate two breakfasts here- nothing spectacular- although it was fun to meet people at the tables.

 

Cafe- great sandwiches and desserts- visited mid day for a snack or late night for something sweet. Water and coffee always available.

 

Sorrentos Pizza- pizza and other yummy things- always yummy.

 

Room Service- used for coffee in the mornings- filled out the form to hang on your door the night before- always called before they came- no complaints.

 

Johnny Rockets- fun- hotdogs and burgers- fries and rings- ate here twice- no complaints.

 

Ben and Jerrys- had a few cones or cups- reasonable prices

 

Chops Grill- ate here once- it was great- all had filet mignon- delicious- great service- amazing desserts- much better than the MDR- you should try to eat here at least once! GREAT!

 

I will say that we all agreed that the food was comparable to food we had last year on Carnival- however, Carnival does a much better job with their desserts.

 

Room and Service Our room was a balcony - mid ship - loved our steward- great job- funny towel animals- no complaints. The room was the two beds pushed together- very comfortable- and a sofa couch that could sleep two kids- also surprisingly comfortable. The bathroom is small and tight- bit of a pain- but I guess they are smaller than others to make room for all the fun stuff...

 

Miscellaneous:

 

My son loved the soft serve ice cream up by the pools- 11am-8pm-

 

All the different pubs/bars areas were really neat and had their own "feel" to them- always had great service.

 

There can be waits for the elevators- we were happy to be on deck 7 so up or down was easy for us- keep that in mind when booking rooms;)

 

Allan Brooks was very funny- I liked that there weren't constant announcments- you read the compass or watch the daily show on TV for all your info-

 

We saw the Captain everywhere- not used to seeing the Captain out and about as much as we did- we found that to be a nice touch.

 

We didn't get to see or do everything on the ship- you need two weeks to fit it all in!

 

 

Ports: - Coco Cay- we didn't get off the ship- the tenders looked packed - and it was HOT! We chose to spend the day by the pool, and shared it with a very small crowd! Those that did go, say it was nice, but most were hot, tired and crabby when they returned.

 

St Thomas- beautiful port- we chose to take a taxi to Secret Harbor Beach and had a great few hours. Taxis area is bit confusing, open air taxis are fun- kind of like a mini rollercoaster on some roads! The taxi to Secret Harbor was $10 per person each way. Secret Harbor was nice little beach resort- quiet and out of the way- rented chairs and umbrella for $20 - beach side bar and clean bathrooms. The front desk called us a taxi when we were ready to go. Recommend for families looking for quiet beach.

 

St. Martin- beautiful port- we took the water taxi over to town for $6 roundtrip- shopped and then took a taxi to Maho Beach where the airplanes fly right over. Taxi was a van and $8 per person each way. We spent the day at Sunset Bar and Grill - rent your chairs and umbrella from them- had a bucket of beer and sodas- great burgers and Mahi sandwiches for lunch. It's fun to see the planes come in and the water is very clear!

 

Disembarking We chose to take our own luggage off- so we were expected to be off by 7am- we packed, showered, hit the Windjammer one last time, and were off the ship by 7am- breeze getting through customs - our shuttle was waiting and we were in our car and on the road by 8am- it was sad to see the Freedom in port as we drove away:(

 

We had a wonderful time- everyone on this ship works very hard and was always very nice.

 

We will recommend the Freedom to all our friends and family, and are already talking about trying her out on a Western Caribe route.

 

Have fun when it's your cruise!!!!

[Maybaybie10]

Thank you so much for the review. We will be sailing on her next May and it cannot come soon enough! What room were you in? I have my parents booked in 7338- it will be their first cruise. It's always nice to read about others who have just returned, especially when they had such a nice time! We can't wait!:D

[luv2cruise11]

Do you happen to remember the captains name?

 

We're going on Freedom in 3 weeks and I was just curious

[murraync]

we were in room 7630- very central to the stairs and elevator which was very nice- we spent most of our time on the ship towards the back - so it worked well for us.

 

You will have a blast-

 

Your parents may enjoy deck 4 which is covered and goes all the way around the ship- lots of older people liked the shade and quiet down there:)

 

Have fun- we sure did

[murraync]

Do you happen to remember the captains name?

 

We're going on Freedom in 3 weeks and I was just curious

 

 

Captain Olsen- but I think they said he was going on vacation- so not sure if he got off when we did or not-

 

he was very nice- and like I mentioned- everywhere- we saw him 6-7 times just walking around the ship- not sure if it was just his way of doing things, or if Royal C wants the captains to wander the ship and greet guests-

 

we thought it was nice and he was always willing to talk and take photos-

[harlowinct]

Thanx for the info! We leave on FOS 6/27 for our 1st ever cruise. You post helps us a lot! TFS

[luv2cruise11]

Thanks for the info! :)

[harlowinct]

Forgot to ask: do you still have your cruise compasses? If so, can you scan them? That would be great if you can! We leave on the 27th on FOS.

[wdl0518]

We are staying at the Cocoa Beach Hampton Inn as well before our 8/15 departure - how is their shuttle service? Cost?

 

I'd also love to see your cruise Compass as well if not too much trouble!

[murraync]

We are staying at the Cocoa Beach Hampton Inn as well before our 8/15 departure - how is their shuttle service? Cost?

 

I'd also love to see your cruise Compass as well if not too much trouble!

 

I will try to scan the compasses and post them tomorrow- still trying to figure out how to post photos:D

 

the Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach charged us $154 or around there for the cruise and snooze room- that included two free passes on the shuttle- extra people- like our son- were $6 ea- the shuttle comes to the hotel at 10:40am ish- and departs at 11am- they load up all your luggage and it isn't even a 15 minute ride to the port- they were very nice, well organized and easy -

 

the shuttle is waiting for you when you get off the Freedom, and takes you right back to your car- no issues- very easy-

[Dolphin-dan]

I'll be on her this sunday!!!!! was there a lot of kids? was there a lot of 25-35 single woman on board lol

[murraync]

I'll be on her this sunday!!!!! was there a lot of kids? was there a lot of 25-35 single woman on board lol

 

yes to both-

 

small kids seemed to hang out by the H2o zone and the kids club-

 

lots of teens- they seemed to hang out by the teen club and ride the elevators:D

 

seemed like there was a fair amount of 25-35 yr olds-

 

lots of families on board

 

I'm sure you'll have fun ;)

[Dolphin-dan]

yes to both-

 

small kids seemed to hang out by the H2o zone and the kids club-

 

lots of teens- they seemed to hang out by the teen club and ride the elevators:D

 

seemed like there was a fair amount of 25-35 yr olds-

 

lots of families on board

 

I'm sure you'll have fun ;)

 

Nice! I can't wait.

[EVALUATOR]

Forgot to ask: do you still have your cruise compasses? If so, can you scan them? That would be great if you can! We leave on the 27th on FOS.

 

The 27th cruise is a western itinerary. The one from the 6th is eastern.

 

The compasses will be different.

[Puffinater]

Thanks for taking the time to post about your trip. Good info.

[EVALUATOR]

I didn't want to be the one peeing into the wind with everyone standing on the bow, but here goes.

 

We thought this cruise was very good.

 

However, we thought the food absolutely sucked.

 

There were a few good meals, but on a few occasions, they competed for the worst meals ever, not just cruising.

 

But we did see a lot of people just about licking the plates clean.:D

[huenix]

My kids are driving me nuts with this question. Any recollection of what movies were shown on board? If I understand it right, the movies on Freedom are the same as Liberty...

[EVALUATOR]

My kids are driving me nuts with this question. Any recollection of what movies were shown on board? If I understand it right, the movies on Freedom are the same as Liberty...

 

The Proposal

The Informant

Up

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Julie and Julia

This is It

Love Happens

Invention of Lying

[esther e]

Upon embarkation is the Windjammer the only place you can have lunch? Or might there be somewhere else, less crowded?

[Travel1989]

Loved your comments. We're booked in Cabin 7630 as well. Do you have any photos of the cabin? I was also curious about the balcony size as the cabin is located beside the hump. I'm doing the eastern and would love a copy of the compasses if you were able to scan them. triplesevensontario@yahoo.ca Thanks :)

[cr3boys]

Great review! My 14 year old son even enjoyed reading it! We will be on Freedom the last week of July - Western Itinerary.

 

How did your kids like the food?? We will have our three sons cruising with us, 19yo, 14yo, 12yo, they aren't too picky about what they eat, but I'm hoping they can find something in the MDR.

[EVALUATOR]

Upon embarkation is the Windjammer the only place you can have lunch? Or might there be somewhere else, less crowded?

 

I seem to recall there were some snacks at Cafe Promenade, and pizza at Sorrentos, both on deck 5.

[huenix]

The Proposal

The Informant

Up

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Julie and Julia

This is It

Love Happens

Invention of Lying

 

Sweet! Thank you, sir! Do they have popcorn at the theater? Can you bring drinks and such in? I know, it seems silly to go to a movie on a cruise, but its one of the nice wind-down things my family likes to do.

[murraync]

Loved your comments. We're booked in Cabin 7630 as well. Do you have any photos of the cabin? I was also curious about the balcony size as the cabin is located beside the hump. I'm doing the eastern and would love a copy of the compasses if you were able to scan them. triplesevensontario@yahoo.ca Thanks :)

 

I don't have any photos of the entire cabin or even the balcony- the beds are pushed together to make one big king size bed- very comfortable- the sofa bed is huge- folds out and is big enough for 2 people to sleep - it was also very comfy- big desk area- lots of small space storage- not a bunch of drawer space - but we made it work-

 

the closet space is okay- they provide plenty of hangars and I brought some from home- the closet has wire racks off to one side that we used for extra storage-

 

we had 5 suitcases that all fit easily under the bed-

 

the bathroom is small- really small- there was storage behind a mirror which was plenty for us- some shelf under the sink storage, and several racks in the shower for shampoo etc-

 

our room steward "Asa" was great- very friendly and kept the room nice and clean-

 

the balcony has two chairs and a small round table on it- seems about the same size as others on either side- we enjoyed mornings on it and the view at St Thomas port was great-

 

you'll like being so close to the elevators and stairs- gets you places quicker

[murraync]

Upon embarkation is the Windjammer the only place you can have lunch? Or might there be somewhere else, less crowded?

 

The Windjammer wasn't horrible- so I wouldn't rule it out- find a table with a view and enjoy-

 

I do think that the Cafe and Sorrentos may be open - not positive