Freedom review 9/5/10 - more info than you can stand!

[Tony1865]

We took a little time to wander around Cozumel. Since our core temperature was about 150 degrees, it wasn't long before we headed back to the ship.

 

Still, Cozumel wasn't without charm. It reminded me for all the world of New Orleans. We live close to NOLA and visit frequently, so it was a matter of substituting Decatur St. in NOLA for Cozumel's Rafael E. Melgar and the main plaza in Cozumel for Jackson Square.

 

Have mercy, I was hot:

 

 

Central Plaza was quaint and pretty:

 

 

 

That's one big flag:

 

 

We took a taxi from the plaza to the port - it would've been about a mile walk.

 

A shower has seldom felt so good. We had some down time before the 7:15 showtime. But sources tell me that there was a little bit of excitement. I can't verify this, but I heard two different accounts from two unconnected witnesses that three teenaged boys and their parents were put off the ship in Cozumel to fnd their own way back home because these guys had tried to bring drugs on board the ship. Ignorance knows no bounds, I suppose.

 

The show was another one of those variety shows ... the two aerial perfomers, Artur and Leticia, were a lot of fun, AND - thank goodness! - we had a comedian, Steve Smith, who was genuinely funny. Winsome, witty, engaging ... we were due up for him.

 

Tonight was Venetian feast night in the MDR:

 

 

Dinner was interesting - sort of a best of times, worst of times thing. Scallop risotto for me; Lordy, how I love scallops! and a caprese salad, with the tomato and mozzarella thing going all nicely drizzled with olive oil. Yum. And the very best entree of the cruise was the lamb shank. It was cooked to fork-tender perfection, with garlic mashed potatoes and some veggies. Outstanding, although the mint jelly on the side had this radioactive green glow about it. Conversely, Teresa had chicken marsala, which was really the only true disappointment of the entire MDR experience. It was dry and flavorless. Too, too bad. Of course, she made up for it by getting lamb, too.

 

We were "wo slap out," as we say in the South, by the time dinner was over. We didn't make it to the Quest game show. I knew it be hilarious, because Graham S. was that good, but we had to get to bed. You know how we old folks are.

 

Tomorrow is our last full day. Waaaahhh!

 

Any questions out there, I'll see if I can help, or at least make up something that sounds convincing.

 

Someone earlier asked about MDR menus. They're out there, somewhere, but my searches haven't yielded much, even though I have seen 'em. Maybe some of you kind folks can provide an up-to-date link.

[AF-1]

Tony, thank you for sharing your trip; your pictures and your memories of this cruise. I know it took some time to post all the pictures and to write all the nice stuff; but you did a great job. Keep cruisin.

[Tony1865]

Tony,

 

Loved the review of Tulum. We were in a resort on the Mayan Riviera this past March and toured Tulum, and the weather was quite bearable, although we did share some shade under the trees with the iguanas now and then. Concerning a previous post, there are plenty of shops in the mall to buy vanilla. And Coronas. And Pacifico. And Dos Equis. One interesting fact about the original Mayan inhabitants: they deified those born with birth defects. They considered them to be special gifts from God. Sort of like how my wife, who is a special needs teacher, considers them today. I did not see any beach changing facilities but hey: you're in Mexico. People change right on the beach. I noticed the Senor Frogs in Playa in one of your pictures. A word of warning to future visitors: Some on our cruise a few years ago had their drinks spiked with x-tasy. They were totally out of it for about six hours and had to seek medical help on the ship.

 

Love the review.

 

bob123

 

That's good intel there. I know that at the entrance to Tulum there are restrooms, and you could certainly change there. While we were traipsing around Tulum we did run up on a family relaxing in the shade, and the mom was nursing her baby, which is perfectly natural, but rather than being sort of discreet the way ladies tend to be stateside, she was bare from the waist up - she'd shucked her top altogether. It wasn't offensive, of course, but it was not something I'd typically see in my neck of the woods.

 

Interesting, too, about Mayans born with birth defects. Our daughter has had a special affinity for special needs kids all her life - funny, but even in a crowd like at Disney World, it's like those sweet kids can sense she's got a heart for them, and make a beeline for her. She actually started out majoring in elementary special education, but the math component did her in. So she ended up in fashion mechandising and marketing ("one of these things is not like the other ...").

 

This is just me, and it's kind of a philosophical thing, but if I'm in a part of the world or country I've never visited before, I'm going to seek out local stuff. I'm not knocking Senor Frogs or Carlos 'n Charlie's or Hard Rock or anywhere like that, but those are chains found all over the Caribbean. But, if you're comfortable with going with something familar, that'd be the route for you to go.

 

I was chatting with one gentleman on the ferry coming back from Playa and he said that on a Carnival cruise he'd been on, they had to send crewpersons to Cozumel because there were about thirty folks unaccounted for when it came time for departure. Apparently there was a fraternity conclave on the ship, and most of the guys had drank themselves senseless while on shore. Bless their hearts.

[strawberryblondeagain]

Thanks for the quick reply! Not what I was hoping to hear, but it is a good thing to be prepared for reality. Helps me to avoid disappointment when I know what to expect.

 

Loving the report!

[navybaby1113]

Love the pictures! Thank you!

[bob123]

Interesting, too, about Mayans born with birth defects. Our daughter has had a special affinity for special needs kids all her life - funny, but even in a crowd like at Disney World, it's like those sweet kids can sense she's got a heart for them, and make a beeline for her. She actually started out majoring in elementary special education, but the math component did her in.

 

I was chatting with one gentleman on the ferry coming back from Playa and he said that on a Carnival cruise he'd been on, they had to send crewpersons to Cozumel because there were about thirty folks unaccounted for when it came time for departure. Apparently there was a fraternity conclave on the ship, and most of the guys had drank themselves senseless while on shore. Bless their hearts.

 

Not only does my wife teach elementary students with special needs, but they are also deaf. Now there's a challenge. But she knew from very early in her life that that was exactly what she wanted to do. Tell your daughter it's never too late.

 

"Bless their hearts". That's gotta be a southern thing. You can attach that phrase to just about anything and it makes it alright. As in..."That guy's a real jerk! Bless his heart."

 

bob123

[seaandsea]

As for the soft serve ice cream on FOS, is it ice cream or soft serve yogurt???

[Candleonwater]

For the person who asked about Margaritaville... it's a short taxi ride to get there. If I recall correctly, it's just before you hit the center of the town, on the left side. We love the western itinerary because we call it our Margaritaville cruise... 3 islands, 3 Margaritavilles! Although we were kind of disappointed with the one in Cozumel.

 

As for kids/preteens climbing the falls... DD has been climbing it since she was 6 or 7. She LOVES it and the guides have always been really good with her.

[Tony1865]

Not only does my wife teach elementary students with special needs, but they are also deaf. Now there's a challenge. But she knew from very early in her life that that was exactly what she wanted to do. Tell your daughter it's never too late.

 

"Bless their hearts". That's gotta be a southern thing. You can attach that phrase to just about anything and it makes it alright. As in..."That guy's a real jerk! Bless his heart."

 

bob123

 

"Bless his/her heart" is indeed a Southern thing, as in, "I know she can't help being ugly but, bless her heart, she could at least stay home."

[Tony1865]

As for the soft serve ice cream on FOS, is it ice cream or soft serve yogurt???

 

It's ice cream, the stuff that comes in big cartons and is dumped into the freezer compartment. Gourmet, it's not, but the fact that it's free seems to make it all that tastier.

[Tony1865]

Well, I suppose this is our last full day.

 

This was one forevermore lazy day. At this point in the cruiise, I'd succumbed to the natural ebb and flow of things, and was totally willing to just chill out.

 

So, after breakfast at the Windjammer - delish, as usual - I ducked into the library (what a quiet little haven!) and got a couple of books. Teresa and I found a spot poolside, spoke to the neighbors, and spent basically all morning in a stupor, reading, dozing, all that. Bliss.

 

There was one very poignant moment, though. Today was September 11. Captain Tor came over the shipwide public address system, and for once, his words were crystal clear. Very tastefully, he called to our collective attentions what had happened on this dark, dark day in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in that Pennsylvania field, and asked for a moment of silence. And the passengers we saw, with one sort of obnoxious exception, stood reverently, some with bowed heads.

 

I had been aware of the date all along for two reasons. One, our son Jeremy was at the United States Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego at boot camp, and we knew that day that his life - and ours -would be changed. And in the weeks after 9/11, I participated in disaster relief work with our denomination in NYC, feeding first responders, cleaning apartments, offering counseling and chaplaincy services. It changed me forever. Everyone we met had a story ... of how they'd missed the subway that morning, about how they'd called in sick, about how they had a meeting at their child's school. Those were the good stories. But to hear of the losses - I'm reminded this afternoon of one Japanese family from Hiroshima who lost their son, and his body wasn't recovered, but they just wanted to collect some dust from Ground Zero. I just cried right along with them.

 

While some might be offended by this intrusion of reality during their cruise experience, it made me just that more grateful for life, for blessings, for the ability to smile. If I had my way, I'd banish hopelessness from humanity for all eternity.

 

We ate lunch at Johnny Rockets. I've been to several JR's around the country - their burgers, while not the best I've ever had, are part of a total package that includes the sides, the atmosphere, the wait staff.

 

 

It was plenty good, and we sprang for shakes, too.

 

We checked out the afternoon FreedomFEST, which reminded me for all the world of a small town fair. There were towel folding and culinary demos, sales from the Promenade stores, all kinds of lively activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a delightful way to spend the time after lunch.

[astracat]

Anyone taking the December 26 - January 2 cruise on Freedom? Please come over to the roll Call. We are also looking for people to join the Meet and Mingle.

 

PS: Lovin' this thread, gettin' all excited.

[luv2zdworld]

Tony:

I finally sat to read your review. Spent part of yesterday and today reading. Have loved it. Your pictures are beautiful. Thanks for all the wonderful information. We will be sailing Freedom for the 1st time May 2011.

[Maybaybie10]

Tony, my husband and I were on our first (and only so far) cruise for our honeymoon on 9/11/01.

 

(cut and pasted from our roll call board)

My husband and I went on the Enchantment of the Seas for our honeymon which sailed September 9, 2001. Two days later as we were about to pull into port in Cozumel, September 11th happened. To be on a ship essentially in the middle of nowhere while this was going on was a bit nervewracking to say the least. We got off the ship in Cozumel and by the time we got back on they had put metal detectors at the gangplank and we were required to show ID everytime we entered the ship after that. The ships mood was somber and they had several church services during our cruise. RCI let everyone use the internet at no charge to make contact with their families and those that had family in the affected areas were allowed to make ship to shore phone calls at no charge as well. A lot of people (ourselves included) had to make alternate travel arrangements as planes weren't flying. We ended up getting a rental car in Florida and we had to drive home to Maine, which took us right through NY. It was almost a week later by the time we got there, but the smog was so thick we couldn't even see the city. It was a very sobering experience. While 9/11 didn't ruin our honeymoon per se, I think we all felt a little guilty trying to have fun while all this was happening.

 

When we got back home and finally had our pictures developed (no digital back then) it was weeks later. We had taken our Tulum excursion that day and it was very surreal to see 9/11/01 stamped on the front of all the pictures. We had left fairly early in the day to get to the ruins and not a lot was known about what had happened in NYC at that time, so we didn't understand the full scope of everything until we returned hours later. It still gives me goosebumps thinking about it.

[1dergirl]

Tony I have loved your review. I often find myself eagerly awaiting to see if you've posted only to be :( if you hadn't. When reading your review, I felt as if I cruised with you. Your humor is one that should be shared by all. Thank you for the journey.

[Nan1052]

Outstanding review, Tony. A joy to read. I'll be on the Freedom in 10 days, doing a 4-night sailing that will only go to Labadee. Looking forward to the few days of relaxation.

[Daycare Provider]

Thank you Tony for the best mental Vacation I have had in a long time....keep posting all the great photo's...

Angela

[Tony1865]

I can't remember anything of any real consequence we did this last afternoon. Seems like I took a nap. I know we hit up the Windjammer for a late afternoon snack. We did get in one last trivia game, and came one question shy of winning the whole shebang (I think it was a cap.)

 

Speaking of clothing ... one thing that I didn't mention was that this morning, some very brave crewmembers set up a table right by the H20 zone to sell T-shirts. Teresa and I were knocking around up there when the merch was set out. There were some good twofer deals on shirts, and we bought a couple. But before we left, madness - I say madness - erupted. It was like a blue light special on steroids. The selection was picked over before lunch. But, I will say, we scored on some decent quality shirts. Just a head's up, if you're sailing and so inclined.

 

There was one fun afternoon feature - the Greatest Show at Sea Circus parade:

 

 

 

 

 

The last of the production shows was tonight - Marquee, which was a compilation of songs and production numbers from several Broadway shows. I loved it. The cool thing about this particular performance was that this was the FIRST performance of a new set of Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers. I'm guessing they'd been onboard for some time and had been rehearsing. So this particular show was attended by the old cast. Well, the newbies came out like they had something to prove and left every bit of it on stage. I'm a sucker for this kind of thing ... I had a double major in college, one of them being theater, so I have kind of an insiders' love for productions like this.

 

The all-company opening:

 

 

From Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat:

 

 

Phantom of the Opera - and I'm telling ya, the young lady playing Christine just OWNED it (kinda thinking about Jennifer Hudson and her Disney cruise days ...)

 

 

Dinner that night was pretty special - we'd gotten to be such good pals with our tablemates, it was a little bittersweet. I went a fairly traditional route, with a shrimp cocktail (decent sized shrimp, but I would've liked more of a kick to the cocktail sauce) and onion soup - not as good as what we'd had in Chops, but hearty enough. I also liked my entree, shrimp and mahi-mahi tempura. The batter was light, not at all greasy, and the chili-lime plum sauce was nicely sweet and sour. Oh, and key lime pie, a favorite, and they got it right.

 

After dinner, we bought way more photos than we should've, but the package we got was fairly reasonable. There were a couple of formal poses that we thought were actually exceptional. Who'da thought.

 

If you like this sort of thing, the Olive or Twist lounge was uniformly wonderful - we ducked in there a couple of times in between strolling on deck and getting one last evening in. Pedro Dela Llana is an amazing guitarist, and the jazz cabaret performance with the Royal Caribbean Singers was mellow and warm.

 

But we had to get to bed, 'cause we're old. We'd done a commendable job of packing and getting our stuff out in the hall earlier.

 

This cruise was just about over. The grieving process had begun.

[Realtor at Sea]

Tony,

 

Your writing is so light-hearted and humorous. Would love to share a cruise with you and your wife someday. I can tell you would be terrific dinner companions!

 

Thanks again!

[tampabrat22]

Thanks so much for such a great detailed review! We are still quite a ways from our Freedom cruise but I am ready to start planning! I think my kids will love the zip line & coaster in Labadee, thanks for your thoughts on those!!

[cookie225]

Tony,

Great review...better yet, great composition & humor. I read all the pages just now :p Looking forward to sailing on this great ship soon!

[dwdwnurse]

Tony - I join many others to also say thank you for the great cruise review! I have laughed and cried right along with your posts - what a gift you have for writing!!

 

I can't wait to read your next cruise review - as I said, Royal Caribbean should just give you some free cruises just so you can share them with the rest of us :)!

[Tony1865]

And it was, indeed, the last day.

 

We'd creatively packed the night before, so we only had the lightest of carryons to deal with this particular morning. Honestly, debarkation was seamless. After breakfast, we hunkered down in Pharoah's Palace, waiting for our number to be called. When it was, we made our way off the ship and to the baggage claim area, which was for all the world just like you'd see at an airport. There is always that time of apprehension - "Is my luggage going to find me?" - as it seems everyone but you are getting their bags. But it did show up in due time, and we collected our things, walked across the parking lot to our car, paid our fees to the hostage negotiators, and headed west, arriving home late that evening.

 

This seems like an inconsequential way to end a report ... I'll give you some final impressions a bit later, OK? I do have a few thoughts I'd like to share.

[EmpressofPurple]

What a delightful review! I love the details and the photos. I find that when people describe their personal experience and share their individual views about everything from formal night to enjoying history to having a background in the theatre, it really adds to the enjoyment of reading the cruise review. Thank you for taking the time to post your experience.:D

[seaandsea]

Thanks Tony, I really enjoyed it!