SAILED: Freedom of the Seas 4/10-4/17: Review and PICS :)

[Vandecars4311]

Okay, so this was one of the most amazing vacations I have ever been on and I thought it would be nice to share with all of you :)

 

It was our honeymoon, and I wish we were still on that awesome boat. My husband is a past cruiser, and I was a first timer: so this was all a new experience:) I only have a couple negative things to say, other than that, its all positive things to say!

 

I'll start with the cons, since there are few:

 

1)My question to all that have cruised: Is it normal for more than half the guests to look like they are MISERABLE on their vacation? I mean really! You're on a boat, in the middle of the Caribbean *in our case*, with all the entertainment one could ask for?? What is there to be so pissed off about?!?!?! Seriously, don't understand. My husband and I are very social people and when were in the elevator with 15 other random people, we commented about...well whatever. Let me tell you, I couldn't count on my two hands how many ESD (for those that don't know its an acronym that means: EAT, Sh*t, and Die) looks we received. I'm sorry but shouldn't one be happy: FOR THE LOVE OF MAN, YOU'RE ON VACATION AREN'T YOU??? SMILE JUST ONCE! Its not like we said anything offensive...just comments like "who wants some ice cream:D~!!!??"...you could have heard the birds chirping on the island a 100 miles away it was so quiet. All I have to say to this is : LIGHTEN UP PEOPLE, seriously. (this happened on numerous occasions, the elevator was just a prime example)

 

2)My next complaint is also about the guests: HAVE SOME FUN. Once again, you're on a cruise, what else can you do but have fun! It was awesome because we made some great friends, but that was it...it was just us by midnight every night....a handful of us. A 1/3 of the ship was in the CASINO, looking like DRONES, and the other 2/3 of the ship must have been ASLEEP because we sure didn't see them anywhere on the entire ship!!! So our new friends and us, we were the lively bunch on the ship: NO JOKE. We even went through the casino at midnight and yelled "BIG MONEY BIG MONEY, NO WHAMMIES" to try and get a laugh out of the drones, NOTHING. Seriously, get off your arse and SMILE. We got a few laughs, but it was a very small percentage. I guess we were just too lively for them; I'm sorry if you were one of those drones giving us ESD looks, but we're not about to drone it up after paying thousands of dollars. Why would one want to sit in front of machine their entire vacation: sounds like a blast.......

 

3)My last complaint is on one staff member, yes one out of the 100s of staff members. Let me give you a little background to help you understand: I am 25 yrs old, clearly old enough to drink; unfortunate for me I look 18 apparently. And it was formal night, so we were decked out suit and dress and all! And according to particular bartender at the "Crypt" (the one and only place to go after midnight besides the casino) I, not my husband, did not look old enough to drink. Well my husband and I were carded every single night to get into this *18 and up* "club", not once did they remember our faces, but they sure didn't care about our 6 friends walking in with us *guess they looked over 40......NOT*; whatever past that; So I proceed to the bar to get my first drink and the bartender asks if I'm 21, I said actually I'm 25, but thanks. Told him I wanted a captain and ginger ail. I get my drink, finally, after waiting 10 minutes after he pours all of my friends liquor drinks and I notice mine tastes like straight up ginger ail. I have drank enough captain and ginger's to know what it taste's like, and there was absolutely not one drop of liquor. So I taste my friends drinks to see if it was just the bartender, nope ALL of their drinks were so strong, they could have been doubles. And then I notice, I have a tall glass, instead of short glass: which is what everyone else had and liquor is always served in short glasses unless its a specialty drink. So I went up to the bartender and asked him if I could have some actual liquor in my drink because I just paid 8 bucks for ginger ail : NAHUH, NOT HAPPENING. The bartender tells me there's no way I'm 21...my immediate response is: "You already ran my husbands card and we tipped you and you're telling me I got charged for liquor?????" ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Not only am I old enough, but smart enough to figure this out: but he was obviously too lazy or just mean to slide my RC card and find out my age!!!!! BS, and he would not do it because we already paid. So I went to the downstairs bartender, told her my story, and what did she do without any complaints: she filled up a *new* captain and ginger and made it extra strong. So I went through all that, for nothing. **Note to people who look young for their age, go to the downstairs bartender if you go into the "Crypt". Yes, this may offend those that don't look young, and I may appreciate it later, but not when money is involved....its the principle of the matter in this case.

 

 

Other than that, the trip was amazing, the staff *except for lazy bartender* were amazing, our waiters/stewards/...everyone: amazing. Also the food was pretty good, some of it tasted bad, but we didn't care since we had so much to choose from~ I have some pictures from our trip, and I hope yall enjoy them :)

 

I posted one, because well, it won't let me post any more for some reason. So here is the direct link to the rest of the photos:

 

http://photobucket.com/vandecars4311

 

[Esmerelda]

I'm so glad you enjoyed your cruise. I have to agree with you. We were on the Oasis in December. I would have to say that 60-70% of the couples we saw looked like they were ready to choke one another? I've never seen so many unhappy looking people in my life. My hubby is from Texas so he never sees a stranger and he's a big dude. Anymore to us, it's almost sad how unhappy people can look on a cruise?? really...? Any day that I'm not pushing daisies is a good day for me.:o As well, we get strange looks because of simply saying 'hello'.

 

On another note: wait until you begin to look "older". You will miss those days of being asked for an ID. They are gone before you know it.

 

Great photo of the two of you!:D

[Vandecars4311]

I'm so glad you enjoyed your cruise. I have to agree with you. We were on the Oasis in December. I would have to say that 60-70% of the couples we saw looked like they were ready to choke one another? I've never seen so many unhappy looking people in my life. My hubby is from Texas so he never sees a stranger and he's a big dude. Anymore to us, it's almost sad how unhappy people can look on a cruise?? really...? Any day that I'm not pushing daisies is a good day for me.:o As well, we get strange looks because of simply saying 'hello'.

 

On another note: wait until you begin to look "older". You will miss those days of being asked for an ID. They are gone before you know it.

 

Great photo of the two of you!:D

Thanks love!!! :) Good to know we aren't the only people out there who thought this??? LOL

 

And yah, I know I will appreciate it later, guess I just couldnt appreciate it after paying thousands...:/ BUT it still was a blast-minus the lazy bartender!:)

 

Thanks for commenting! :)

[Verfai]

Funniest review I red till now :D :D :D

And don’t worry your two are not the only ones fearing your three complaints, it could happen to us to…misses is 29 and small hight , 1m58cm, so automatically looks younger, she will probably take it as a compliment, and then go into a kill mode if she doesn’t get her drink soon ;)

 

Did you do the honeymoon package? Any complaints there? Was is worth the extra dime?

 

Greets

[EydieG]

Just have to add our story. This was on the Mariner about 6 years ago. Our daughter was offered champagne (several times) and when I told them she was only 12 they just kind of shrugged and moved on. BTW, she certainly didn't look 21 at age 12.

[birdylady]

Congratulations on your marriage. And congratulations on your first cruise (I'm sure of many to come). We were on Freedom on April 3-10 and for the most part folks seemed to be having a good time. BUT I know what you mean. There's always people that aren't 'happy' unless they're miserable.

 

Erika

[Goes Cruising]

You two look fabulous together. Congratulations on the marriage!

 

There is always an up and a down side to every vacation, and it sounds like you had a good time in spite of the few negatives.

 

I can't even say it's an age thing, because I could be your mama, but I have the same observations not only on cruising, but any vacation. Some people live to be miserable. I've met some of the most memorable characters, both good and bad, at sea. I have heard people ramble from one complaint to the next, like they're been tortured by spending a week on the darn ship. On the much more delightful end of the spectrum, I have met lasting friends on cruises, and look forward to meeting more in the future.

 

I will say, I'm usually one of the happily in bed by midnight. Vacation or not, my very well seasoned body clock thinks sleeping in is 6 am. There is an upside to that. You'd be amazed how easy it is to get a prime pool chair when you're down there by 8 am :D.

[will773]

Your story from the Crypt was hilarious! Great pictures too!