My review (with pics) of our recent B2B on Carnival Freedom! Long & picture intensive

[dst]

Great review, I found myself sad to see the trip come to an end ;)

 

When you did the Atlantis excursion, what else was included in the price - were you able to walk around Atlantis or enjoy the beach area?

 

Thanks again for a great review

[SMSACE6]

Great review, thanks for posting it. I liked the Freedom so much, ( I did the western route ) that I want to go on her again next year on the eastern route. Tortola looks great!:)

[DowntownGirl]

My D.H. and I were on the same cruise (eastern) with you. It was a fantastic cruise. We also flew back to Canada that day at 2:25 on Westjet.

[DowntownGirl]

This is my first post. Not sure I am doing it right

[MrFunInTheSun]

JUST SOME COMMENTS ON THE CRUISE :

 

- we received a complimentary fruit basket in our cabin the day we sailed on the 2nd of our B2B's.

 

- unlike the first cruise, when Dh and I had chosen "Anytime Dining", this cruise we chose the Early Seating. It had always worked well for the four of us before....although the food was wonderful, we did feel that the waitstaff didn't take the time to get to know your name, etc as we had found on previous cruises. Also, one evening inparticular, we waited forever to get our meals. I don't know why this was, maybe cutbacks? Maybe short on staff that evening? Anyway, it didn't ruin our cruise in any way, just sharing something we noticed.

 

- I didn't receive another "THIS ONE'S ON US" free drink card for the casino on this cruise. But that's ok., I certainly wasn't expecting the first one !

 

- we opted to try the Steakhouse for the first time ever. It was above and beyond what we had expected. Definitely worth the $30 per person.

Amazing food and amazing service.

 

 

You could choose one appetizer, one salad, one main course and one dessert. This was the Lobster Bisque.

 

The warm Spinach Salad.

 

 

The Cheesecake. Omg, I was so full, but I could never say no to Cheesecake, lol. It was large enough for the four of us !

 

 

We were on your 2nd cruise and had the same experience, except we did anytime dining...had the same wait staff and table the entire cruise. We also had the experience of a night it took awhile for food to arrive. Our waiter Dennis, told us on filet night it's always slower. Not sure why that night out of all the others it would be slower, but thats what he told us. This was my first cruise doing anytime dining and was unsure how the experience would be, found it was just as good, with making sure you got the same wait staff the entire cruise, the "three amigo's" did well in getting to know us and entertaining my 17yo nephew each night at the table.

 

Great review and pictures.

[Poorplaya]

Great review, I really enjoyed the pics and it looks like you guys had a great time.

[SMSACE6]

This is my first post. Not sure I am doing it right

 

You are doing it right DowntownGirl! Welcome to Cruise Critic!:)

[DowntownGirl]

Thanks so much for the welcome!

[cruzin4our10th]

Loved you review, thanks so much for the wonderfule pictures. Wondering if you have the Funtimes from your 8 day eastern that you could post or email?

[dst]

Loved you review, thanks so much for the wonderfule pictures. Wondering if you have the Funtimes from your 8 day eastern that you could post or email?

 

 

I see you found the review - I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did ;)

[cruzin4our10th]

I see you found the review - I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did ;)

 

I did thanks . . . I just really wish I could find the Fun Times. I found on our last cruise we were so busy sometimes I just flat out missed things and I thought maybe if I looked at them ahead of time I would have an idea what was going on and know what I didn't want to miss on any given day.

[Ykgorbie]

Great review, I found myself sad to see the trip come to an end ;)

 

When you did the Atlantis excursion, what else was included in the price - were you able to walk around Atlantis or enjoy the beach area?

 

Thanks again for a great review

 

We had to walk past the beach area to continue on to see the shark and stingray exhibits, but our wristbands didn't allow us to actually use the beach area. In all honesty, I found the beach area to look sort of fake....plus, there was a sign up near the water saying "Jellyfish in season, please swim at your own risk". And there weren't many people in the water !

[Ykgorbie]

Loved you review, thanks so much for the wonderfule pictures. Wondering if you have the Funtimes from your 8 day eastern that you could post or email?

 

I DO have the Fun Times (I do scrapbooking, so have scads of paper that I brought home with us). Do you want all 8 of them, or a few of them or what? I don't have a scanner at home, but can get some of them scanned on Saturday for you. Will put them on this thread, so keep an eye out. Let me know though if you need all of them, in which case I would probably e-mail them to you.

[TB08]

Absolutely loved your review!! ;) It brought back memories of our first cruise on the Freedom when it was a year old. We had the same problem in Grand Cayman, had to go to the other side of the island and couldn't do the stingray excursion either but we had a great time walking around and shopping. Ocho Rios was also a disappointment because the storm we followed caused the mountain to wash down into the town. Mud and rocks everywhere. Quite a mess.

 

It was sure fun seeing your pictures! Our next cruise is September 2011 in Alaska, but I really want to do the tropical one again, hopefully in a time that the weather is nice most of the time. April was not a good choice.

[dst]

We had to walk past the beach area to continue on to see the shark and stingray exhibits, but our wristbands didn't allow us to actually use the beach area. In all honesty, I found the beach area to look sort of fake....plus, there was a sign up near the water saying "Jellyfish in season, please swim at your own risk". And there weren't many people in the water !

 

 

Thanks - I am not a huge fan of Nassau so I think our plan is to walk around the Marina and shops down by Atlantis and grab some lunch/beverages.....

 

Thanks so much for your review, I enjoyed it!

[maabell4]

Thank you so much for your review. I will be on freedom in less than 3 weeks!! I have read nothing but great things. So excited.

[cruzin4our10th]

I DO have the Fun Times (I do scrapbooking, so have scads of paper that I brought home with us). Do you want all 8 of them, or a few of them or what? I don't have a scanner at home, but can get some of them scanned on Saturday for you. Will put them on this thread, so keep an eye out. Let me know though if you need all of them, in which case I would probably e-mail them to you.

 

I would love them all, however I don't want you to have to go to a ton of work, so really the two sea days and San Juan day since we're at sea a lot that day as well.

 

I'm a scrapper too and hoard everything . . . or did until I started digital scrapping and now I just take pictures of everything!

[Ykgorbie]

I would love them all, however I don't want you to have to go to a ton of work, so really the two sea days and San Juan day since we're at sea a lot that day as well.

 

I'm a scrapper too and hoard everything . . . or did until I started digital scrapping and now I just take pictures of everything!

 

Not a problem - expect to see them on here tomorrow !

[Crusin Karen]

One more question about Nassau/Atlantis if that's okay...we have been there a ton of times, but last May was the lst time we actually went over to Atlantis. We just took the water taxi over and "toured" the "free" areas. There is part of the aquarium in the lobby (I think!) and lost $20 in about 15 seconds in the casino! :( Walked some of the grounds and took some pictures. I think I read that since then there is NOTHING free there. :mad: Do you know if this is true? No big deal, just figured since you were on the subject....;) TIA

[dst]

One more question about Nassau/Atlantis if that's okay...we have been there a ton of times, but last May was the lst time we actually went over to Atlantis. We just took the water taxi over and "toured" the "free" areas. There is part of the aquarium in the lobby (I think!) and lost $20 in about 15 seconds in the casino! :( Walked some of the grounds and took some pictures. I think I read that since then there is NOTHING free there. :mad: Do you know if this is true? No big deal, just figured since you were on the subject....;) TIA

 

 

Interesting, I would also like to know if this is true - we were there in May on the Sensation however we did a day pass at the Sheraton. If this is the case at Atlantis, we will do the Sheraton day pass again......

[Ykgorbie]

One more question about Nassau/Atlantis if that's okay...we have been there a ton of times, but last May was the lst time we actually went over to Atlantis. We just took the water taxi over and "toured" the "free" areas. There is part of the aquarium in the lobby (I think!) and lost $20 in about 15 seconds in the casino! :( Walked some of the grounds and took some pictures. I think I read that since then there is NOTHING free there. :mad: Do you know if this is true? No big deal, just figured since you were on the subject....;) TIA

 

Here's what I found (June '10 Prices)

 

 

Dolphin Cay at Atlantis: Day visitor can swim and play with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins at this state-of-the-art, 14-acre habitat. Prices vary by season and can be purchased at Dolphin Cay/Atlantis Adventures Sales Counters.

Discover Atlantis Tour: This tour is the best-known to day-trippers, in part because it is sold as an excursion on cruise ships. Expert "Navigators" guide visitors through the ancient city streets of Atlantis during a visit to "The Dig," a faux-but-believable archaeological exploration of an 11,000-year-old lost continent. The attraction is full of interesting artifacts and hieroglyphics, along with great water effects and glimpses of exotic sea life, including piranha, moon jellyfish, venomous lionfish, and a resident manta ray.

A Discover Atlantis Tour wristband allows visitors to explore The Dig and its exhibits as well as the Ruins, Predator and Water’s Edge Lagoons -- but not the waterpark. Wristbands can be purchased at the Temple of the Moon in the Atlantis casino or at any Discover Atlantis Sales Centers located throughout the property. Cost is $35 for adults, $25 for children ages 4-12.

Atlantis Beach Day The Atlantis Beach Day program that provides all-day access to the exclusive white sandy beaches of the Atlantis resort, with lounge chairs and towels provided. Also includes access to the marine habitats and lunch at an outside venue. Price is $60 for adults, $35 children 4-12. Beach Day tickets may be purchased at any Discover Atlantis Sales Centers located throughout the property. Atlantis Aquaventure Package: For $110 adults or $80 for children, day-trippers can purchase an Atlantis Aqaventure package that provides all day access to pools, beaches and Aquaventure, a 141-acre waterscape containing over 20 million gallons of water with water slides, a mile-long river ride with high intensity rapids and wave surges, and more. Aquaventure wristbands can be purchased at any Discover Atlantis Sales Centers located throughout the property. Children under age 3 are free.

[cruzin4our10th]

Not a problem - expect to see them on here tomorrow !

 

Great thanks~ also did you notice what time the excursion deck opened on the first day. I know you were catching up with friends so might not have even gone there . . . My husband and his friend would like to do the behind the scene tour and I have read you have to get there right way. Funny thing on our last cruise it had a sign saying desk opened at 4 and we we went back at 3:30 it had already opened and been open for awhile. That time we were trying for the cabana at HMC. I don't really want to spend my first afternoon checking the tour desk but I want them to be able to do this tour.

[Crusin Karen]

Here's what I found (June '10 Prices)

 

 

Dolphin Cay at Atlantis: Day visitor can swim and play with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins at this state-of-the-art, 14-acre habitat. Prices vary by season and can be purchased at Dolphin Cay/Atlantis Adventures Sales Counters.

Discover Atlantis Tour: This tour is the best-known to day-trippers, in part because it is sold as an excursion on cruise ships. Expert "Navigators" guide visitors through the ancient city streets of Atlantis during a visit to "The Dig," a faux-but-believable archaeological exploration of an 11,000-year-old lost continent. The attraction is full of interesting artifacts and hieroglyphics, along with great water effects and glimpses of exotic sea life, including piranha, moon jellyfish, venomous lionfish, and a resident manta ray.

A Discover Atlantis Tour wristband allows visitors to explore The Dig and its exhibits as well as the Ruins, Predator and Water’s Edge Lagoons -- but not the waterpark. Wristbands can be purchased at the Temple of the Moon in the Atlantis casino or at any Discover Atlantis Sales Centers located throughout the property. Cost is $35 for adults, $25 for children ages 4-12.

Atlantis Beach Day The Atlantis Beach Day program that provides all-day access to the exclusive white sandy beaches of the Atlantis resort, with lounge chairs and towels provided. Also includes access to the marine habitats and lunch at an outside venue. Price is $60 for adults, $35 children 4-12. Beach Day tickets may be purchased at any Discover Atlantis Sales Centers located throughout the property. Atlantis Aquaventure Package: For $110 adults or $80 for children, day-trippers can purchase an Atlantis Aqaventure package that provides all day access to pools, beaches and Aquaventure, a 141-acre waterscape containing over 20 million gallons of water with water slides, a mile-long river ride with high intensity rapids and wave surges, and more. Aquaventure wristbands can be purchased at any Discover Atlantis Sales Centers located throughout the property. Children under age 3 are free.

Oh, goodness, you didn't have to go to all that trouble! :p I'm not planning any "excursions" but as I said, you used to just be able to walk thru parts of the hotel and land area for "free" but I read SOMEWHERE that now they are charging just to walk into the hotel. NOTHING is free for just a look/see! :mad: Just wondered if you knew anything about it. :confused:

[Ykgorbie]

Oh, goodness, you didn't have to go to all that trouble! :p I'm not planning any "excursions" but as I said, you used to just be able to walk thru parts of the hotel and land area for "free" but I read SOMEWHERE that now they are charging just to walk into the hotel. NOTHING is free for just a look/see! :mad: Just wondered if you knew anything about it. :confused:

No trouble. "Copy and paste" are a wonderful thing....We entered the hotel through the side where there are shops and then you get to the casino. Didn't seem to be anybody there looking to see if we'd paid or had wristbands on. Not sure about entering from anywhere else. The part off of the lobby where the aquarium starts did have someone looking at wristbands though.

[Crusin Karen]

That's exactly what I was wondering. Thank you. In May we could walk thru part of the aquarium, then outside to the grounds. So I guess that's off limits to the non paying public now. :mad: Naturally they are not going to charge admission to the casino! :eek::rolleyes::p