Freedom 1/9/11

[Bakincakes]

PreCruise..Radisson at the Port...wonderful stay..rooms clean and beds very comfortable. Beautiful pool area and the property is well lit and nicely landscaped. They have a restaurant on site and the food there is very good. Prices are reasonable. They do have a seafood buffet on Saturday nights, with a carving station and individually cooked fish. They do provide a shuttle to the port and I believe they have a cruise package that includes parking.

 

Thai Thai...restaurant directly across from the Radisson...if you like Thai food you will love this place. It is small but they have a sushi bar and ample seating area for other diners. The food was excellent and the service was great.

 

Embarkation: We arrived early. I generally like to arrive later and miss the crowds but others in my party were anxious to board so we went early. Not an issue..very efficient. There is a priority seating area...chairs very comfortable. We waited about 15 minutes and then boarded.

 

Windjammer:...went to that dreaded area for lunch..some in my party had never been on RCI and wanted to experience it "all"..they did.:p It was crowded, expected on the first day, and the offerings were the "same old, same old". Nothing exciting..but lunch held us over until dinner. Breakfast..same old...their scrambled eggs in the pans are horrid!! Watery..no flavor. do yourself a favor and get your eggs "custom"done. You may have to wait a bit for them, depending upon what time you are there, but well worth getting "freshly" cooked eggs. You will get a number when you order and someone will deliver them to your table. Hope you like bacon well done.:(

 

Cabins...deck 8. Clean and beds comfy..room Steward Antonio was pleasant and very efficient and kept our ice bucket filled and our cabin clean. We had great neighbors..quiet..they barely used their balconies so ours was great for reading or just relaxing.

 

Muster:..not bad..no lifejackets..took about 15 minutes. As I'm standing there the mother of the teen next to me asked him if he had "thrown up again" that morning.:eek: I'm sure they noted that fact on their health form as they boarded.:rolleyes:

 

Sail away...we enjoyed that on our balcony...some in our party went up on the pool deck and said they had a good time.

 

Dinner:..we had good tablemates and were in Leonardos..our waiter and assistant were ok..we basically were one of the last tables out every night..our waiter had only been onboard for about 4 weeks but he should have been able to be a bit more efficient.

 

Food..MDR..passable at best. Menu still the same...highlights..Vidalia Tart..Lamb Shank..one of our tablemates ordered the Chops steak every evening after his first meal on embark day. We found items to eat..no problem...but the meals were unmemorable. The last night I ordered the Turkey..the dressing was inedible and the "sauce" uninspiring. The fishermans plate..disgusting..the shrimp were congealed in the "butter sauce"....the lobster tail..meh...I did order the prime rib and shared it with one of my tablemates. We both found it salty.

 

Soups..cold soups were basically well done. Escargot and the tourine were good. Salads were nice, greens fresh and crisp. Desserts...ok..lots of gelatin, so that hasn't changed. Nothing amazing...

 

MDR lunch..salad bar was delicious..entrees..meh...

 

Portofino...fabulous!! Filet was of the "melt in your mouth" variety..service was impeccable. Desserts to die for...I had the risotto appetizer..that was delicious. The risotto was creamy and perfectly cooked. Well worth the upcharge.

 

Cafe Promenade..fine for a quick snack. Coffee...ick..but they do offer a variety of teas. Sandwiches...ok..pastries..dry..cookies were good, especially the coconut.

 

Sorrentos...had a small bite of the pizza..was ok..kids seemed to like it..was nice for an afternoon snack for them.

 

Ben and Jerrys...good ice cream..soft serve on the pool deck..nice for an afternoon treat.

 

Johnny Rockets..burgers Ok..a bit greasy but I guess the grease is a part of the experience??

 

Later..ports...

[caribbeanboy]

Looks like you are ready for another cruise line. That's one of the reasons I like to change cruise lines.

[Bakincakes]

Labadee:

 

Beautiful weather...they have done a great job with the renovations here..the "sidewalks" made it easy to walk around and made it much easier for those in wheel charis to get around and enjoy the island.

 

For those that aren't excited about "pushy" vendors, you need to know that this is the case. The vendors were the most agressive I've ever seen them. And some of them were actually "begging" pax to bring them food from the bar-b- que. They offered trinkets from their stands in exchange for food.

 

The bar-b-que was the usual fare...hamburgers..hot dogs..chicken..ribs..salads...assorted cookies and brownies and iced tea and punch.

 

Wave runner excursion was great. Those that participated had a good time. You don't just putt along..you go high speed...and they won't tolerate any "hot dogging"..if you get out of line they shut you down and you get taken back to shore.

 

Para sailing..good as well. Be aware that you do have to ride a small boat out to the parasail area..if you get sea sick this may not be for you.

 

Dragons zip line...busy all day and people were having a great time. They said the view was great...short ride and pricey but as I said it was busy all day.

 

No tendering but be aware the pier is a long walk....

 

There was an issue with a group of young guys and gals..evidently they had a few too many and were drunk and loud. Security gathered them up and escorted them back to the ship. They weren't happy about it but went and didn't resist. Good for security!!!

 

Didn't see a bathroom near the excursion area....you do have to walk to get to the restroom..go before your excursion time. When the excursion is ready to leave they don't wait for bathroom goers...be ready to go when they are ready.

 

Labadee was a lovely day..staff were cheerful and ready to help. Seemed as if everyone had a wonderful time on the island.Good weather is always a plus.:)

[ValerieJo]

Thanks for the review so far.

 

How were the crowds on the ship? Did you attend any of the shows or activities?

 

Waiting to hear more. :)

[yj2cute]

Labadee:

 

Beautiful weather...they have done a great job with the renovations here..the "sidewalks" made it easy to walk around and made it much easier for those in wheel charis to get around and enjoy the island.

 

For those that aren't excited about "pushy" vendors, you need to know that this is the case. The vendors were the most agressive I've ever seen them. And some of them were actually "begging" pax to bring them food from the bar-b- que. They offered trinkets from their stands in exchange for food.

 

The bar-b-que was the usual fare...hamburgers..hot dogs..chicken..ribs..salads...assorted cookies and brownies and iced tea and punch.

 

Wave runner excursion was great. Those that participated had a good time. You don't just putt along..you go high speed...and they won't tolerate any "hot dogging"..if you get out of line they shut you down and you get taken back to shore.

 

Para sailing..good as well. Be aware that you do have to ride a small boat out to the parasail area..if you get sea sick this may not be for you.

 

Dragons zip line...busy all day and people were having a great time. They said the view was great...short ride and pricey but as I said it was busy all day.

 

No tendering but be aware the pier is a long walk....

 

There was an issue with a group of young guys and gals..evidently they had a few too many and were drunk and loud. Security gathered them up and escorted them back to the ship. They weren't happy about it but went and didn't resist. Good for security!!!

 

Didn't see a bathroom near the excursion area....you do have to walk to get to the restroom..go before your excursion time. When the excursion is ready to leave they don't wait for bathroom goers...be ready to go when they are ready.

 

Labadee was a lovely day..staff were cheerful and ready to help. Seemed as if everyone had a wonderful time on the island.Good weather is always a plus.:)

 

That is very sad. Sounds as if things are still very desperate in Haiti. Makes one put things in perspective.

[Bakincakes]

Ocho Rios, Jamaica...We were supposed to stop in Falmouth but that was changed because the peir was not completed.

 

Have been to Ocho before...not much difference in the port of excursions..we did the Shaw Park and shopping..Shaw Park very beautiful and nice tour. Lovely grounds..they video your tour and you can purchase a copy. Those that ordered had their DVDs delivered to the ship. The views on the ride to the Park were nice..the park itself had great photo ops. Small waterfall there...bridges..flora and fauna..

 

Shopping..small craft "Village"...vendors were agressive but didn't get overly so..even if told no. On to some of the main shopping areas..about half hour or 45 minutes in each area..bus was comfortable and air conditioned..guides very professional and helpful.

 

They seemed a bit more relaxed at the port/Ocho entrance. We have been there and security wanted everything, including the location of bodily birth marks, before they would let you back into the port area. This time not so...friendly security..we did go through a customs area..bags and belongings were checked..not bad at all.

 

Of course there was a nice assortment of idiots who just couldn't manage to get to the ship on time. So there were "runners" who had to scurry to catch the ship. They were laughing and having a nice time..until they got to the officers who were waiting for them. :p I just don't understand what is so difficult about being on time. Not sure if people are stupid..can't tell time..or just selfish and or ignorant.:( but there is a certain amount of entertainment value in watching them run for the ship.;)

 

They could probably improve on their excursion departures..it was a bit chaotic as all of the tours were waiting to hook up with their guides, in the main building off if the pier. Some of the guides held up the wrong signs and pax followed them and then were asked to go back into the building. I can see that would be annoying to pax who were waiting for their tours and thought they were finally on their way.

 

Table mates did Dunns falls and tubing and enjoyed their days as well.

 

We have always had "friendly" tour guides and have had some surley security people..I found their attitudes much different this time and wondered if it is because of the eventual move to Falmouth by RCI. The guides were very friendly and worked hard to please pax. Security were also friendly and tried very hard to help anyone with questions. SeaPass cards were sufficient ID..in the past we have had to also show photo ID to get back into the port area. Not this time.Maybe it depends upon who is working at the gate but we found a much friendlier atmosphere in Jamaica this go round.:)

[Bakincakes]

Grand Cayman: missed this port. It was closed due to wind and waves.

 

Cozumel:..weather was a bit cool and a few sprinkles fell. The Jungle buggy excursion was great!!

 

The views are fantastic...the ride alot of fun. Lunch was included in this excursion. Lots of time for shopping before and after.

 

We arrived in Mexico early due to the missed Grand Cayman Port..

 

Disembarkation:..we usually disembark early but this go round had a later flight so left later. The process seemed to take forever. Asked a security member why...evidently they made a few arrests after the ship docked. Didn't ask what the issue was..but can guess. So that held things up and made, what is usually a painless procedure, drag out.

 

Thoughts: Despite recent reports of Freedom crew having "attitude" we found them helpful and friendly. No issues with unfriendliness.

 

Food: For the most part..bleck...some high points but mostly lows. I've never heard so many complaints about food on a cruise before.:eek:

 

Promenade:..the floor can be treacherous, especially around the Cafe. I saw three people fall on the Promenade. I fell myself one morning, early. Slipped on some spilled coffee that I didn't see. Sprained my foot and hobbled around the last two days of the cruise. Walk slowly and keep your eyes open for spills on that floor.

 

Pipe burst on this cruise. Water gushing for about 6 decks. Crew worked feverishly to get the leak stopped and clean up afterwards. Cudos to them!!

 

Casino:...very poor bar service. People actually asked others to watch their machines so they could go in search of bar personnel!!:eek: It isn't like the drinks are free...but they didn't seem interested in serving those in the casino. I know people always complain about casino payouts but some of those at our table and tables near us were REALLY complaining about the lack of payouts. I'm not a gambler but it seems if you throw people a bone and let them win a few dollars that will encourage them to gamble more?? They still have slot tournaments and poker tournaments. Have no idea how well attended they were.

 

Pool areas:..didn't spend alot of time at the pools but did alot of walking in the early morning hours. Didn't see alot of towels on lounges. Not sure if the chair hogs slept in or weren't on our sailing.;)

 

Shows: we did see the ice show. It was very good and nice that they changed the show and we saw something different. We didn't attend any other shows this time around.

 

The ship was very clean but will probably benefit from its scheduled dry dock.

 

Most pax followed the dress suggestions, but many did not. Those that didn't really pushed the envelope.:eek:

 

Explorations..when Grand Cayman was cancelled many pax wanted to add excursions for Mexico. The line was longggggggg...didn't make sense that they didn't add additional crew to handle the crush.

 

All in all, a decent cruise because of the ports and excursions. If we were sailing just for the food it would have been a bust.:(

[bhpeters]

We're on this same cruise leaving the 23rd. I'm sad to hear about poor food, we've never sailed on royal but did Princess a few years ago and really loved it. This time we're taking family with us who have never sailed, would be sad if the food sucks.

 

In Labadee, did you see anyone give food to the Haitians? Or were you prohibited from doing so?

 

You missed Grand Cayman? I'd be devastated, I can't wait to go back and get my favorite rum! :) Also, gotta take the family swimming with the stingrays.

 

We're all going with an adventurous attitude, but your review scares me just a tad that we're paying thousands for a ho-hum vacation. Hopefully we have better luck.... and NO water pipe/leak issues. That sounds dreadful.

[cruisercr]

[Cafe Promenade..fine for a quick snack. Coffee...ick..but they do offer a variety of teas. Sandwiches...ok..pastries..dry..cookies were good, especially the coconut.]

 

What type of coffee do they serve at the Cafe Promenade? I thought it was Seatle's best?:confused:

[goouchjac]

We're on this same cruise leaving the 23rd. I'm sad to hear about poor food, we've never sailed on royal but did Princess a few years ago and really loved it. This time we're taking family with us who have never sailed, would be sad if the food sucks.

 

In Labadee, did you see anyone give food to the Haitians? Or were you prohibited from doing so?

 

You missed Grand Cayman? I'd be devastated, I can't wait to go back and get my favorite rum! :) Also, gotta take the family swimming with the stingrays.

 

We're all going with an adventurous attitude, but your review scares me just a tad that we're paying thousands for a ho-hum vacation. Hopefully we have better luck.... and NO water pipe/leak issues. That sounds dreadful.

 

If you read other reviews you will get a different view point,,,food is always a touchy subject,,there are always pros and cons on that subject..As for Labardee,,westopped there last year right after the earthquake,,and the vendors were very pushy then, they did not ask for food tho, and I have to say I would not want to do that stop again,,we are leaving on the Freedom after you guys come off and are very much looking forward again to a RCC cruise,,we have sailed with them for a few years now and have never been disappointed,,after all it;s a Cruise,,so enjoy:):)

[Bakincakes]

We're on this same cruise leaving the 23rd. I'm sad to hear about poor food, we've never sailed on royal but did Princess a few years ago and really loved it. This time we're taking family with us who have never sailed, would be sad if the food sucks.

 

In Labadee, did you see anyone give food to the Haitians? Or were you prohibited from doing so?

 

You missed Grand Cayman? I'd be devastated, I can't wait to go back and get my favorite rum! :) Also, gotta take the family swimming with the stingrays.

 

We're all going with an adventurous attitude, but your review scares me just a tad that we're paying thousands for a ho-hum vacation. Hopefully we have better luck.... and NO water pipe/leak issues. That sounds dreadful.

 

 

We didn't see anyone bring them food. What we did see were scads of RCI employees with badges in that area. I would have hesitated to bring food in. I have a feeling if someone did they may have been stopped by those badged employees.:(

 

You may be fine with the food..as someone said it is subjective. But some of the offerings were just plain inedible. The alternate steak, not the Chops, was tough and chewy. That entree was ordered twice by the same person. They figured maybe the first go round was a fluke and the second would be better. It was not. The baked potatoes were barely cooked and hard. They usually arrived warm, not hot. The butter had a hard time melting in them.

 

An apple soup was offered..it had the consistency of watered down applesauce...and had virtually no taste to it at all. Someone at our table added a bit of sugar to it..didn't help.:(

 

Lamb chops were offered one evening..they were tough and it wasn't easy to cut them even with a steak knife.

 

I can tell you that a tablemate ordered the Chops steak for the $14.95 upcharge. It was done to perfection and he said it was very tasty. :)

 

Missing Grand Cayman is never fun. But it is a tendered port and poor weather or poor sea conditions will force them to close the port.

[Bakincakes]

[Cafe Promenade..fine for a quick snack. Coffee...ick..but they do offer a variety of teas. Sandwiches...ok..pastries..dry..cookies were good, especially the coconut.]

 

What type of coffee do they serve at the Cafe Promenade? I thought it was Seatle's best?:confused:

 

 

Yes Seattles Best..very strong..if you take a bit of coffee and then some hot water it makes it a bit better but it still isn't what I consider a "good" cup of coffee.:(

[Carpe Diem Gal]

Went there for 2nd time in November on the Oasis. I did not see any begging or pushy vendors, however, I stayed clear of the straw market due to experiencing that a few years back. RCI staff told us they make more food than needed for the lunch buffet so that the staff can eat and take back to their families. I noticed many pallets of food, water and such outside the ship ready for the Haitian families. I think RCI does a good job providing jobs, food, and the like for this country. I am going back to Labadee in March. I will stay away from the Straw Market again. It is a beautiful place and well worth the visti.:)

[Espn]

My family was on Freedom the week before you and i totally agree on the food and coffee. We had a great time anyway though.

[musik07]

We were on the Freedom the week before and we found the food in the MDR and WJ pretty good. My parents actually commented that this was the best food they have had recently on a cruise (they cruise 1-2 times a year). Was the pipe that burst in the aft stairwells. The week before we noticed a sewage type smell in those areas!

[Bakincakes]

We were on the Freedom the week before and we found the food in the MDR and WJ pretty good. My parents actually commented that this was the best food they have had recently on a cruise (they cruise 1-2 times a year). Was the pipe that burst in the aft stairwells. The week before we noticed a sewage type smell in those areas!

 

 

We were midship and that is where the break was. I left my cabin and heard rushing water. It was pouring down near the stairwell by the midhsip elevators. I ran back and called maintainence and they said a pipe burst on one of the upper decks.

 

The crew worked like beavers to get the water stopped and then the clean up started. They closed down the starboard side of the elevators and entrance to the WJ....if you exited those elevators you walked through the revolving doors and then reentered those doors on the port side to get to the WJammer.

 

The day before the break there was a slight sewage odor there...didn't smell it again the entire cruise.

[Bakincakes]

My family was on Freedom the week before you and i totally agree on the food and coffee. We had a great time anyway though.

 

 

We enjoyed the cruise...the food was unfortunate but we expected it to be disappointing.

 

Portofino saved the day..the meal was fabulous and the service was top notch.:)

[musik07]

That is the stairwell that we smelled the sewage smell in.

[Bakincakes]

That is the stairwell that we smelled the sewage smell in.

 

 

It was there...but only smelled it once. The next day the pipe burst...not sure if that had anything to do with the odor. The water was gushing down but there was no sewage smell from that water.

 

Never smelled that odor again throughout the cruise.

[JD26]

We are also going to be sailing on the Freedom of the Seas on January 23rd. I am soooo excited. As for the food, I have always enjoyed the food on the ship. But I appreciate the idea of somebody else cooking. Ha. Anytime somebody else cooks and cleans for me, I am excited. :):) As with any vacation if you go into it with a great attitude and just enjoy life, you will have an amazing time. We are all very fortunate to be able to go on these vacations with our friends and families. Everybody enjoy. :):):)

[jaxcruiser23]

Grand Cayman: missed this port. It was closed due to wind and waves.

 

Cozumel:..weather was a bit cool and a few sprinkles fell. The Jungle buggy excursion was great!!

 

The views are fantastic...the ride alot of fun. Lunch was included in this excursion. Lots of time for shopping before and after.

 

We arrived in Mexico early due to the missed Grand Cayman Port..

 

Disembarkation:..we usually disembark early but this go round had a later flight so left later. The process seemed to take forever. Asked a security member why...evidently they made a few arrests after the ship docked. Didn't ask what the issue was..but can guess. So that held things up and made, what is usually a painless procedure, drag out.

 

Thoughts: Despite recent reports of Freedom crew having "attitude" we found them helpful and friendly. No issues with unfriendliness.

 

Food: For the most part..bleck...some high points but mostly lows. I've never heard so many complaints about food on a cruise before.:eek:

 

Promenade:..the floor can be treacherous, especially around the Cafe. I saw three people fall on the Promenade. I fell myself one morning, early. Slipped on some spilled coffee that I didn't see. Sprained my foot and hobbled around the last two days of the cruise. Walk slowly and keep your eyes open for spills on that floor.

 

Pipe burst on this cruise. Water gushing for about 6 decks. Crew worked feverishly to get the leak stopped and clean up afterwards. Cudos to them!!

 

Casino:...very poor bar service. People actually asked others to watch their machines so they could go in search of bar personnel!!:eek: It isn't like the drinks are free...but they didn't seem interested in serving those in the casino. I know people always complain about casino payouts but some of those at our table and tables near us were REALLY complaining about the lack of payouts. I'm not a gambler but it seems if you throw people a bone and let them win a few dollars that will encourage them to gamble more?? They still have slot tournaments and poker tournaments. Have no idea how well attended they were.

 

Pool areas:..didn't spend alot of time at the pools but did alot of walking in the early morning hours. Didn't see alot of towels on lounges. Not sure if the chair hogs slept in or weren't on our sailing.;)

 

Shows: we did see the ice show. It was very good and nice that they changed the show and we saw something different. We didn't attend any other shows this time around.

 

The ship was very clean but will probably benefit from its scheduled dry dock.

 

Most pax followed the dress suggestions, but many did not. Those that didn't really pushed the envelope.:eek:

 

Explorations..when Grand Cayman was cancelled many pax wanted to add excursions for Mexico. The line was longggggggg...didn't make sense that they didn't add additional crew to handle the crush.

 

All in all, a decent cruise because of the ports and excursions. If we were sailing just for the food it would have been a bust.:(

 

Wow complain much? :rolleyes:

[Puffinater]

Thanks for the detailed review. Good info.

[Bakincakes]

Thanks Puff..I did think it was a fair review.

 

Guess JAX doesn't agree.:p

[Dett]

I was on this sailing. I didn't see any of the vendors on Labadee begging for food. Maybe I was in the wrong place.

 

Food on the ship was OK for us. We like very plain food so maybe that is why we didn't think it was bad. Chops did have a much better steak than I got in the dining room.

 

Staff on Freedom all seemed very happy and nice to us. We really liked the cruise director. He was a different one from our 2 previous sailings on the Freedom.

 

I agree about the port staff in Ocho Rios, very surly.

 

We didn't even know that a pipe leaked so it must have not been in our area. We were on deck 8 mid hump and went to all the public venues and didn't see any problem with water.

 

We too were disappointed that we didn't stop in Grand Cayman as it is one of our favorite places.

 

I have seen discussion about the bag of beer that was offered and then not offered. Some said that it wasn't being offered anymore. Well, I got one on this cruise so they must be offering them again.

 

We enjoyed the cruise very much but wished that the weather had been better.

[Bakincakes]

I was on this sailing. I didn't see any of the vendors on Labadee begging for food. Maybe I was in the wrong place.

 

Food on the ship was OK for us. We like very plain food so maybe that is why we didn't think it was bad. Chops did have a much better steak than I got in the dining room.

 

Staff on Freedom all seemed very happy and nice to us. We really liked the cruise director. He was a different one from our 2 previous sailings on the Freedom.

 

I agree about the port staff in Ocho Rios, very surly.

 

We didn't even know that a pipe leaked so it must have not been in our area. We were on deck 8 mid hump and went to all the public venues and didn't see any problem with water.

 

We too were disappointed that we didn't stop in Grand Cayman as it is one of our favorite places.

 

I have seen discussion about the bag of beer that was offered and then not offered. Some said that it wasn't being offered anymore. Well, I got one on this cruise so they must be offering them again.

 

We enjoyed the cruise very much but wished that the weather had been better.

 

 

When we went into the stalls the vendors were offering trinkets if we went to get them food. They weren't standing in the street begging but would ask once you entered their stall area.

 

The water was pouring down, midship, deck 8...it went down other decks as well. not sure how you missed it but guess you got lucky. they cleaned it up fairly quickly but left those yellow caution signs out for a couple of days as the carpet was still damp after they vaccumed the water up.

 

I found the weather decent. I don't like it too hot so was glad it didn't get too hot and muggy.

 

I heard a "rumor" that a Carnival ship docked that day in Cayman. Tablemates met folks from a Carnival ship who claim they docked the same day we were turned away. Not sure if they were telling the truth or just messing with our tablemates..would not be happy if that were true.:(