Middle Aged Drama Queen's Eastern Carib Review: Fun on the FREEDOM!!!

[janeyzee]

Deck 14 has only a few public venues…the Viking Crown Lounge, the Cloud Nine Lounge, the Seven of Hearts card room, the Diamond Lounge, and the Olive or Twist nightclub. So...we pretty much named it the Adult Drinking Deck.

 

I just like saying the name of this place...what a clever play on words....

 

The whole reason hubby agreed to try cruising was a wedding we attended on the Freedom in the Olive or Twist bar. We didn't get very long to enjoy the ship, had to leave after the wedding cuz we weren't sailing, but he liked the ship so much he agreed to try the Allure the next year. (Just catching up on this review, have read your Allure review but never noticed this one. I love reading your reviews)

[notsodesperatehousewife]

Hi Sherri, I just read your Serenade Mediterranean review and continued on to this one. What fun! You have a lovely family and you look fabulous at 50ish (I am very close to you in age so I know!) Whoever said you needed to lose 6 lbs and had too much body fat was clearly insane.

 

You, DH, and the Klingons also deserve praise as the best dressed cruising family in Europe. Very nicely turned out, all of you! Your boys looked especially handsome in their suits and Mickey is darling in her dresses.

 

Where did Brad end up going to grad school?

 

I thought your "surprise" story was charming. I tried to surprise my kids with a Disney trip over Spring Break several years ago. It failed because I made the mistake of discussing it with other adults. They would forget it was a surprise and say to the kids, "so, are you excited about Disney?" They are smart girls, they figured it out.

 

A couple of years later, we tried again, and didn't discuss our plans with anyone in advance. This was a surprise Spring Break road trip from NM to the Bay Area where my older daughter has a close friend. We didn't tell the friend either so we planned to just show up on the door step and ring the bell (her parents were in on it, of course). So we get the kids up and tell them to get dressed and that we're going hiking. The bags were packed secretly and were already in the trunk. They grumble a bit, we pop an audiobook in the car, and they ask "where?" "It's a surprise, you'll like it." So we drive a ways and the ask again. "It'll be awhile." They guess and hit upon the Grand Canyon. We say "yes," (Grand Canyon was on our itinerary on the way back). And we drive some more. They're zoning in the car and don't notice when we pass the Grand Canyon. Mind you, they were then 7 and 11. And we keep driving and marveling, almost giggling, at their patience. FINALLY, after several hours, at Kingman, AZ (on the border with CA), the little one says, "WHEN are we getting there?" At that point we spilled the beans. It was pretty darn funny. But your "gotta find a bathroom on the ship" story is even better - priceless!

 

Happy Cruising!

Edited July 28, 2014 by notsodesperatehousewife

[KansCocoa]

Hi Sherri, I just read your Serenade Mediterranean review and continued on to this one. What fun! You have a lovely family and you look fabulous at 50ish (I am very close to you in age so I know!) Whoever said you needed to lose 6 lbs and had too much body fat was clearly insane.

 

You, DH, and the Klingons also deserve praise as the best dressed cruising family in Europe. Very nicely turned out, all of you! Your boys looked especially handsome in their suits and Mickey is darling in her dresses.

 

Where did Brad end up going to grad school?

 

I thought your "surprise" story was charming. I tried to surprise my kids with a Disney trip over Spring Break several years ago. It failed because I made the mistake of discussing it with other adults. They would forget it was a surprise and say to the kids, "so, are you excited about Disney?" They are smart girls, they figured it out.

 

A couple of years later, we tried again, and didn't discuss our plans with anyone in advance. This was a surprise Spring Break road trip from NM to the Bay Area where my older daughter has a close friend. We didn't tell the friend either so we planned to just show up on the door step and ring the bell (her parents were in on it, of course). So we get the kids up and tell them to get dressed and that we're going hiking. The bags were packed secretly and were already in the trunk. They grumble a bit, we pop an audiobook in the car, and they ask "where?" "It's a surprise, you'll like it." So we drive a ways and the ask again. "It'll be awhile." They guess and hit upon the Grand Canyon. We say "yes," (Grand Canyon was on our itinerary on the way back). And we drive some more. They're zoning in the car and don't notice when we pass the Grand Canyon. Mind you, they were then 7 and 11. And we keep driving and marveling, almost giggling, at their patience. FINALLY, after several hours, at Kingman, AZ (on the border with CA), the little one says, "WHEN are we getting there?" At that point we spilled the beans. It was pretty darn funny. But your "gotta find a bathroom on the ship" story is even better - priceless!

 

Happy Cruising!

 

Awwww, thank you! You are too kind! Really! You should stop…but do go on, please!

 

Brad is finishing up his last year of graduate school at Truman State University, a small private college up in northeast Missouri. He started attending there when he was 12 (for summer programs for gifted students), so to say he's a perpetual student is an understatement. ;) During his senior year of college, he changed his major to wanting to become a history professor, so his graduate degree journey has necessitated him picking up some hours in education, so he can teach. We think he'll be a fabulous teacher; I know he certainly taught all of us a few things on our European adventure! :)

 

I am actually usually pretty awful about keeping a surprise; I can't even keep a surprise about how movies or books end, which drives my friends and family CRAZY. I was shocked at myself that I could keep the surprise from Daughter. Kudos to you for managing to pull it off - and as you discovered, the key is to not let ANYONE else in on the surprise!!!

 

Speaking of Daughter - she FINALLY had her nose surgery two weeks ago, and is recovering fabulously. Her new nose looks divine, and her self confidence is blooming. So, we've spent this summer recuperating - no fabulous trips for us this year. NEXT year, though, we will be doing a 'land' tour of Europe - 7 countries in 16 days…won't THAT be an adventure??!! London, Paris, Venice, Austria, Germany, Lichtenstein, and Switzerland…we can't wait. :)

[Canadian Tyler]

Hope you do a trip report somewhere for your European adventure!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[notsodesperatehousewife]

We just spent three weeks in Germany, Austria and Prague. Message me if you want any recommendations, especially for food! I am an OCD travel planner - always happy to help a kindred spirit! I'm also a history professor, if Brad wants any career advice. :). He sounds more like a Vulcan than a Klingon!

 

Did you ever do a review on the top chef cruise?

Edited July 31, 2014 by notsodesperatehousewife

[KansCocoa]

We just spent three weeks in Germany, Austria and Prague. Message me if you want any recommendations, especially for food! I am an OCD travel planner - always happy to help a kindred spirit! I'm also a history professor, if Brad wants any career advice. :). He sounds more like a Vulcan than a Klingon!

 

Did you ever do a review on the top chef cruise?

 

Okay, first - I LOVE your name! That is awesome!

 

I'm always happy to meet a fellow OCD planner - there can never be too many of us! I haven't even begun planning for this trip - I KNOW, right??!! - which is so atypical of me. We're going to be traveling with my daughter's orchestra, who will be doing most of the planning. Hubby and I are just going to tag along for the food. I mean, for the parental support and all that. Ahem.

 

It's funny you would call him a Vulcan - that's EXACTLY how I describe him to people! He's sooooooooo logical…and doesn't let emotion enter into the equation.

 

As far as the Top Chef cruise - as I just told someone else…I need to be thrown overboard, or into the brig - I never did write it. I had that darned sinus surgery four days or so after the cruise, and it walloped me. Although I think it was one of the best things I ever did, the surgery has definitely left some permanent side effects. One of the temporary ones was some memory loss - and so I don't really remember much around that time period. I DID write about my Fabio encounter on my blog - the night that he "checked me out". Which was awesome, by the way. :)

[notsodesperatehousewife]

I will have to track down that Fabio post! :)

 

I had fairly invasive jaw surgery a few years back. Couldn't blow my nose for weeks. Couldn't eat solid food for 6 weeks. So I get it! My mind was a fuzzy mess. But worth it, in the end.

[Pacificlander]

Again I'm a late bloomer but you are getting me through this time until our cruise in October so, thank you! I will also now stop looking for the Top Chef review but I do have to mention I saw that there are some Top Chef cruises coming up so maybe you and Hubby Mike need to do a do-over so you can review it just for us!

[Altongirl72]

Amazing review! We're on Freedom this Sunday and am loving the read before we board!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited August 6, 2014 by Altongirl72

[BillOh]

Amazing review! We're on Freedom this Sunday and am loving the read before we board!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Welcome to cruise critic. I'll probably watch your sailaway on the webcam this week. I probably won't miss too many of them between now and when I go back on Freedom next year. I hope you will report back your opinion or experiences. All are welcome and its always nice to hear a fresh perspective. Good First choice!

[BreadsButter]

My family (husband, almost-2-year-old daughter, and I) were on FOS earlier this month doing the Western itinerary. We loved every moment of the sailing!!! It was perfect - so much so that we have already booked the Eastern itinerary for next summer!!! WOOHOO!!! :D

 

Thank you so much for this review. I definitely plan to look into the Sunny Liston Tours.

[jules815]

Welcome to cruise critic. I'll probably watch your sailaway on the webcam this week. I probably won't miss too many of them between now and when I go back on Freedom next year. I hope you will report back your opinion or experiences. All are welcome and its always nice to hear a fresh perspective. Good First choice!

 

Can you please post the link for the webcam for FOS? I'll be sailing on FOS in 3 weeks, and I have only watched the webcam out of Ft. Lauderdale!

 

I love reading how much people love FOS!

[lyban]

Sherri,

 

I loved loved this review, you defineately have talent.

If you are still around can you answer this question for me, at orient bay is the water nice to walk into or is it sea weedy or rocky at all.

[ommax2]

Thanks from this displaced Jayhawk! I really enjoyed this! We sail 12/20...escaping Omaha, and even good ole KC for a crazy Christmas cruise! (I grew up in Olathe and my mom is still in OP....so we are picking her and my sis up and running away!)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk