Liberty “Funship-Two-Point-'WHOA'!” Review; Eastern Caribbean; 31 March 2012; Pics

[baylovesduke]

I'm loving this review!!! I cruised on the Liberty back on New Years of 2006, so it's awesome to see how much the boat has changed. I love all of the fabulous pictures!

[Cruzin 1025]

We went to Honeymoon Beach (?) and it appeared to be a "bring your own towel/everything!" I didn't see any amenities or facilities.

 

 

 

 

 

I LOVE your Allure review! Sailed on the Oasis last year and I'm dying to do the Allure.

 

 

 

Get the Cabana!!!

Thanks Dan! The Honeymoon Beach info is a great help.

 

Quick cabana question...as posted above we figured out friends will be in GT same day as us but on different ship. Can you give us any info on how the key pickup/return went? We're wondering if the folks on the first ship in books the cabana if the folks on the second ship can keep the key til their ship leaves or if we'll lose access to the cabana when the first group leaves.

 

Thanks again for this review! Really helping us get ready for this cruise.

[pbmsmile]

We rented a golfcart for GT...now I am wondering if I should get a cabana?? Will there be time for both? We are only there from 11-5:30. :confused:

[BballinQT24]

Thanks so much for taking the time to post. The review and pictures are great!

[MisterMom]

Thanks Dan! The Honeymoon Beach info is a great help.

 

Quick cabana question...as posted above we figured out friends will be in GT same day as us but on different ship. Can you give us any info on how the key pickup/return went? We're wondering if the folks on the first ship in books the cabana if the folks on the second ship can keep the key til their ship leaves or if we'll lose access to the cabana when the first group leaves.

 

Thanks again for this review! Really helping us get ready for this cruise.

 

We had to give the Margaritaville server one of our Sail and Sign cards in exchange for the key to the cabana. Not sure if he'd be willing to trade the "early crew" S&S card out with one of the "late crew" but may be worth a try. Extra tips probably wouldn't hurt.

[Cruzin 1025]

We had to give the Margaritaville server one of our Sail and Sign cards in exchange for the key to the cabana. Not sure if he'd be willing to trade the "early crew" S&S card out with one of the "late crew" but may be worth a try. Extra tips probably wouldn't hurt.

 

I was kinda afraid of that. Guess we've got some more scheming to do....

[MisterMom]

Begin Rant: My apologies, in advance, of this lengthy rant. This was about the worst retail experience I ever had. Remember the “watch event” and that really important watch Cameron bought on board? Well, there wasn’t a way to take out the links in the watch band so he could wear it properly sized. He went back to have it sized and they sent him away stating, “Just take it to any jeweler on land and they’ll fix it in 10 seconds.” Well, I would have none of that. This is my son you’re letting down so Poppa Bear’s claws are about to come out. This watch was important to him and making him wait until we got back home to wear his watch is comparable to a kid opening Christmas presents and the grandparents’ house and telling him he can’t play with it until he gets home days later. So, after the Martini Class, I had enough “liquid courage” to ask the “jewelry specialists” to adjust his watch. The lady behind the counter (short, blond hair from a former Russian country) gave me the same spiel about going to a jeweler. My response, “Ma’am, I live in Atlanta. With traffic it takes at minimum 15 minutes to get anywhere. Take the 10 seconds here and fix my son’s watch.”

Her: “We don’t have the tool to adjust the watch band.”

Me: “You sell $1000 watches in this store and you don’t have the tool?”

Her: “The tool is broken.”

Me: “How long ago did it break and how long does it take to get a replacement?”

Her: “2 weeks.”

Me: “Again, you sell $1000 watches and you haven’t replaced the tool in two weeks?”

Her (perplexed and ticked off): “I can’t help you.”

Me: “You can’t help me because I didn’t buy a $1000 watch?”

Her: “It’s not about the price of the watch. I can’t help you.”

Me: “I need to talk to a manager.”

She walks away, returns and tells me to leave the watch with her and come back at 10:00pm. I’m not leaving my son’s watch with her so I leave letting her know I’m coming back.

 

At 9:30pm I show back up and speak to one of the gentleman with the same request. He gives me the same spiel about going to a jeweler. I’m not going to have it. Well, he finally acquiesces and, magically, the “broken” tool appears and he sizes Cam’s watch. As he’s sizing it, when he pulls the pins holding the links together out, they bend becoming unusable. There’s the rub – the watches are so cheap, it takes 15 minutes to size each one because of poor-quality pins and the store on board doesn’t want to deal with adjusting 100’s of cheap watches at 15 minutes each. Wow.

 

Well, dangit, with enough persistence, I got my son’s watch sized on the ship. As Cam and I were departing the store with his watch proudly displayed on his wrist, my 17-year-old son gave the firmest, unsolicited hug he’s ever given me. Poppa Bear was glad his persistence paid off.

 

 

End rant.

[MisterMom]

Back in the stateroom, there’s a bright flash outside and a very loud thunderclap. It’s a storm at sea!

 

Here’s the bridge cam….

 

 

Balcony shot….

 

 

The storm was very short lived and, besides the storm during embarkation, was the only significant rain we had all week.

[RenoNanaOz]

The appetizers? OMG! “I could make a meal out of them.” - Will’s dad from Will and Grace

 

Loved your review and I love your above comment:) I love that show and I just saw that episode a few days ago!!

[MisterMom]

Earlier in the day, we attended the future cruise presentation and fell prey to purchase a couple future cruise certificates for $100 AND apply for the Carnival credit card. I hope this works out for us!

 

Well, it’s that time we dread. Packing. Freddy gets depressed when the luggage mat reappears from under the bed and the luggage tags come out.

 

 

We do most of our packing now do we don’t have to do it late tonight. We like putting our bags out and picking them up on the carousels the following morning.

[MisterMom]

Well, with that chore complete, it’s time to head out for our last Alchemy beverage and dinner. I love these guys….

 

 

Imagine this, Alchemy!

 

 

At Alchemy, we ran into our friends who were coming up with medical-type names for new drinks! These are quite clever.

 

 

Here are the creative folks, Darren and Shana….

 

[MisterMom]

Dinner….

 

 

A running joke we had throughout the cruise was that Cameron, somehow, always ended up with the pink plate while D and I had black….

 

 

Crab cake….

 

 

Cameron tried frog legs!

 

 

Bacon Mac and Cheese…. I had such high hopes but, alas, it was a let down.

 

 

Our assistant waiters dancing….

 

[MisterMom]

Alas, our last dinner is over. But, can you believe it? Derrell and I are still awake enough to go to the comedy show! We manage to get a good seat for the adult-only Jason Blanchard show. He was good. He was so good that a passenger who had seen him earlier in the week gave him a “request” to call out the passenger’s mother-in-law during the show. When Jason called dear ol’ mom out, she turned to dear ol’ son-in-law and called him an a-hole! We felt the love.

 

I guess it’s time to get one last good night’s sleep on the waves.

[mara93]

Loving your review! :)

[slk09]

Also loving your review! :)

[Pellaz]

Wow, great review, and I gather there's yet more to come! I've been reading and following along for over an hour now...and don't regret a single moment.

 

I'm sailing on this same itinerary on Liberty on 9/29 and this has really been helpful AND entertaining! Thanks from a fellow 'open-minded' Atlantan!

[ardnassac79]

So honored you've posted! Speaking of Hunger Games, did you see my pic of the tile in the bathroom??? Also, the plug was above my head.

 

 

Cassandra may take issue with your comment.... LOL

 

 

Wow I've been so busy, just now getting here to catch up! Yeah loved that tile :) thanks for the plug, I will definitely investigate next time I'm on a ship!

 

We would put the old gift card (often a card snagged from wherever we shopped last before embarkation because we seem to inevitably forget the dumb thing before hand!) in one of our closets with some clothes. A place the steward hopefuly isn't poking at, but one that either person can find. I had locked my MP3 in there once, and spent 2 hours searching the ship for my BFF, who had the damn card. That's when the closet became our hiding spot!

 

I too am stealing this idea - I know I have a movie theater gift card with like 50 cents left on it... this will work well and I can leave it hidden in the room for both of us to use!

[ardnassac79]

Which reminds me, it's time to get off the "Carnvial diet" and get back to "normal" caloric (and beverage) intake.... :o

 

Chris and I both have a hard time doing this too! (Especially the adult beverage part) :o

 

As we’re packing up the cabana, oh crud, I can’t find my Sail and Sign card! Freddy, in his stupor, had done something with my card. We opened every pocket in the backpack and the camera case. We overturned furniture. We emptied every pocket in the backpack and the camera case. No success. We still had passports so I wasn’t too concerned. Derrell, however….

 

We make it through port security with the passport and head back to the Liberty with Derrell highly frustrated at Freddy’s little trick and current state of inebriation.

 

Before approaching the gangway, we make one last survey of the backpack and camera bag pockets. Lo and behold, Freddy pulled himself together and my S&S card was found in the front pocket of the camera bag, where it didn’t belong. We made it successfully back on board in time for sail away. That Freddy….

 

L.O.L Oh this post made me laugh - because it sounds like **Exactly** the kind of thing I would do (and have done on occasion!! - Like on the Pride when I kept losing my wrist purse, once with about $200 in casino chips in it... luckily some kind soul turned it into guest services, all $$ present!)

[ardnassac79]

 

I enjoyed “flaming” my orange. Can’t wait to try it at home.

 

Adri told us about the fruit-infused vodkas they had at Alchemy. On the bar was the pineapple- and strawberry-infused vodkas. In the pantry was a raspberry-infused vodka. We got to sample the two latter ones. One would think that raspberry-infused vodka would be good but it was bitter. The strawberry-infused though was heavenly! It was quite smooth.

 

Well, all that alcohol-soaked fresh fruit can’t stay around forever. So, when appropriate, Adri and team pull out the fruit and replace with fresh. Or, sometimes, they have drunk Martini Class students who are willing to sample the spirit-infused fruit. I had read about this activity so chose to decline sampling.

 

So glad you enjoyed the class! Aww, didn't try the nasty-berry, huh? Can't say I blame you! Never again for me!!

 

Earlier in the day, we attended the future cruise presentation and fell prey to purchase a couple future cruise certificates for $100 AND apply for the Carnival credit card. I hope this works out for us!

 

We got one on our last Pride vacation and applied it to our upcoming Breeze, and got another on this last Liberty and will apply it to our sailing in April 2013 - great deal, the $100 you shelled out for it goes towards your cruse cost, and then you get another $100 S&S Credit! We'll always be getting one from here on out as long as we continue to cruise with Carnival (which I don't see ending for a loooong time)

 

All caught up - thank you so much for the review - it was great!

[ideasamy]

Thanks again for a great review. I am so sorry we did not meet your family on the ship. I hope you, Freddy and family have many more fun cruises in your future.

[Amadawn1]

Thanks so much for your great review! You have a great family (sorry your other son wasn't able to enjoy the cruise with you!) and I love your outstanding pictures! After reading Chris and Cassandra's and now your review, I am sooo ready to book the Liberty! As of right now, though we are booked on the Magic in November and the Conquest next March.

 

It looks like the Conquest will be getting the Alchemy this November. I know my DH and I will be regulars! Would you be able to tell me when and where you were able to sign up for the Mixology and/or Martini classes? Is this on sail away day?

 

Thanks so much again! Loved the biggest peanut picture! If you ever find yourself driving through New Mexico on US HWY 54 in Alamogordo be sure to stop for a picture at this little pistachio farm gift shop. They proclaim to have the world's biggest pistachio. Don't want to hijack, but hope you can see the picture!

[2 cruzen]

Hey Papa Bear. Cam's smile and hug seemed well worth the hassle. Good job Dad.

[jkudzu]

Loved reading your review and "getting to know" your family! Can't wait to get on the Liberty!

And anyone who can get a hug out of a teenager is alright in my book!:D Good job Dad!!!

[gabby71]

ahhh...hope your review is not over! I just don't want it to end.:(

[DarthGrady]

Just when Derrell and Cameron thought they’d be spared another roadside attraction this year, I surprised them with a stop at an innocent-enough looking rest area on I-75S just north of Gainesville.

 

There’s a wall/viewing platform shaped like a giant snake!

 

 

 

Great review, awesome pics, thanks for bringing back some great memories! My wife and I cruised on Liberty a couple of years ago and it was one of the best we have done. She looks great after the refurb, I need to cruise on her again to see it all!

 

I also thought it was funny that you posted about that wall at Paynes Prairie. I live in Ocala, about twenty five minutes from that very wall. I have driven by it on I-75 more times than I can count, and I NEVER realized it was supposed to be a snake! I always just thought it was a regular masonry wall with an observation deck on top. I never gave it more than a passing glance. It's weird how you can live right by something like that and never notice it. Well, I will from now on! :o:D