Cruisin' on Lady FREEDOM August 18-25, 2013

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Hello everyone!

I have just returned from a 7 day western Caribbean cruise aboard the beautiful Freedom of the Seas.

Basic Information:

Ship: Freedom of the Seas

date: August 18-25,2013

Ports of Call: Labadee Haiti, Falmouth Jamaica, Georgetown Grand Cayman, and Cozumel Mexico

Cruise Director: Mike Hunnerup (This was his last week. Richard Spacey is Cruise Director now)

Captain: Ron Holmes (Another Canadian!)

Cabins: We originally had 2 interiors- an accessible interior on deck 8 and a category K interior on deck 9. However, a little over a month from Sail Date, we upgraded to 4 balcony cabins- 3 on deck 8 and 1 on deck 7.

The numbers were: 8618,8612,8242, and 7562. I only have pictures of 7562 as that was where I was. So far, we have had balconies on all 3 of our cruises.

There were 7 of us - my mom, younger brother, younger sister, Granny, aunt, cousin and myself.

I will continue the adventure tomorrow night. First up, Before the Cruise.

(I will be including pictures, but I have to upload them first)

Night Everyone! Stay tuned! :cool:

[Lionesss]

Well I give you credit, you got my attention.

We have done the western twice on Freedom.

Now looking at booking the Eastern.

Been over 14 months since we last sailed her.

So update us with ship pictures.

Thanks

Sea Ya

[Gon2hwe]

We are on next week so hurry and give us your impressions. We are so excited!

[CruiseLover15]

Looking forward to reading your review, will be on her in 3 weeks. I am so so glad to hear Richard Spacey will be our CD.

[Lakeport2739]

We (8 or maybe 10) of our family will be on the Freedom Jan. 19 and going to the same ports. Can't wait to hear about your experience on ship and in the ports. Do you know if Richard Spacey will still be the cruise director in Jan? I have read about how wonderful and funny he is, so I hope he is on our ship. Thanks for the reviews you will be doing.

[riclop]

Waiting for your review.

[atlgants]

Subbing! :)

[Robinola]

How was the weather, because it rained all week here in Florida! I am booked this time next year....what do you think?!

[Llmtax2000]

I was on this cruise as well. Overall, the weather was mixed, but sunny enough to get two good sunburns:

 

Embarkation day started cloudy, then cleared up.

 

The first day (a sea day) was fairly sunny and pleasant.

 

Labadee was stunning from beginning to end.

 

Jamaica started sunny and beautiful, then turned quite cloudy by 1:00 or so.

 

Grand Cayman was a similar experience -- the day started out quite sunny, but turned to clouds and rain by noon. We were seeing lightening in the distance as we headed back to the ship around 1:30.

 

Cozumel reversed the pattern. The day started sunny, got dark and rainy by late morning, then cleared back up in the afternoon.

 

The final day (the second sea day) was mostly sunny until about noon. After noon, the clouds increased and alternated sun and clouds. We had a good rain for bout 15 minutes, then went back to partly cloudy.

 

We changed course slightly a least once because of weather, but I only knew that from discussion during the bridge tour.

 

All of this is just my recollection, of course!

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Hello everyone!

For this cruise. please note:

1. I didn't make it to the teen areas (Fuel and the Living Room) so I can't comment on that

2. unfortunately, there will be no food porn in the review (hopefully the next one)

3. I wasn't feeling the greatest for the first few days of the trip (Thank You virus), so those days will be short.

4. I don't have pictures of everything, due to number 3.

This will be all for today, as we just got home from driving all day. I will start posting the rest of the review tomorrow afternoon. Please be patient. It will be here.

Good Night, and thanks for tuning in!! :cool:

[Calm Blue Ocean]

How was the weather, because it rained all week here in Florida! I am booked this time next year....what do you think?!

 

The weather was great. A shower here and there, but nothing too serious to put a damper on the vacation. It was amazing weather.

[Calm Blue Ocean]

We (8 or maybe 10) of our family will be on the Freedom Jan. 19 and going to the same ports. Can't wait to hear about your experience on ship and in the ports. Do you know if Richard Spacey will still be the cruise director in Jan? I have read about how wonderful and funny he is, so I hope he is on our ship. Thanks for the reviews you will be doing.

 

I don't know if Richard will be the cruise director then or not. There is a thread about that somewhere (Royal Caribbean maybe?). I will try to find the link and post it later on.

Your very welcome. I hope it turns out good. (I have never done one before- except for a mini review of the Disney Dream from 2 years ago, but its not very good.)

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I was on this cruise as well. Overall, the weather was mixed, but sunny enough to get two good sunburns:

 

Embarkation day started cloudy, then cleared up.

 

The first day (a sea day) was fairly sunny and pleasant.

 

Labadee was stunning from beginning to end.

 

Jamaica started sunny and beautiful, then turned quite cloudy by 1:00 or so.

 

Grand Cayman was a similar experience -- the day started out quite sunny, but turned to clouds and rain by noon. We were seeing lightening in the distance as we headed back to the ship around 1:30.

 

Cozumel reversed the pattern. The day started sunny, got dark and rainy by late morning, then cleared back up in the afternoon.

 

The final day (the second sea day) was mostly sunny until about noon. After noon, the clouds increased and alternated sun and clouds. We had a good rain for bout 15 minutes, then went back to partly cloudy.

 

We changed course slightly a least once because of weather, but I only knew that from discussion during the bridge tour.

 

All of this is just my recollection, of course!

 

This pretty much sums it up. I agree with it.

[Merion_Mom]

Cruise Director: Mike Hunnerup (This was his last week. Richard Spacey is Cruise Director now)

 

Hurray!

[G85 SS]

Was last on this itinerary and ship in December 2011.

 

Interested to see how Falmouth, Jamaica has changed since then.

 

Will be back on board Freedom in June of 2014 for this same itinerary again.

[Mass2Cruise]

I was on this cruise as well. Overall, the weather was mixed, but sunny enough to get two good sunburns:

 

Embarkation day started cloudy, then cleared up.

 

The first day (a sea day) was fairly sunny and pleasant.

 

Labadee was stunning from beginning to end.

 

Jamaica started sunny and beautiful, then turned quite cloudy by 1:00 or so.

 

Grand Cayman was a similar experience -- the day started out quite sunny, but turned to clouds and rain by noon. We were seeing lightening in the distance as we headed back to the ship around 1:30.

 

Cozumel reversed the pattern. The day started sunny, got dark and rainy by late morning, then cleared back up in the afternoon.

 

The final day (the second sea day) was mostly sunny until about noon. After noon, the clouds increased and alternated sun and clouds. We had a good rain for bout 15 minutes, then went back to partly cloudy.

 

We changed course slightly a least once because of weather, but I only knew that from discussion during the bridge tour.

 

All of this is just my recollection, of course!

 

 

Agree with the weather here as my family and I were there as well. Staying in an aft JS, I could see we were staying Northbound from Cozumel with the Carnival Magic trailing us instead of going Eastbound to get back to PC. Suspected there was weather to the east of Cozumel given the track and rain we got that day. Guess your bridge tour confirms this.

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Before I get started, I'm going to say a bit about who I am.

I am 16 and this was my 3rd cruise- first time aboard a Royal Caribbean ship. I have been on the Disney Dream and Carnival Dream.

in 2011, a 4 Day Disney Dream Bahamas cruise from Port Canaveral. (Ship was only 8 months old at the time)

Last year, same dates was the Carnival Dream Western Caribbean, August 18-25, 2012.

This year was Freedom of the Seas Western Caribbean, August 18-25,2013.

I have one more cruise to look forward to at this time, but I hope there is more to follow.

Feel free to ask any questions. I will answer as best as I can.

Next up: Chapter 1: Pre-Cruise

[Calm Blue Ocean]

We are a group of 7 from Ontario Canada. 5 of us drove down in a red Chevy express (nicknamed 'Big Red Rocket', pictured below) and the other 2 flew to Orlando the day before embarkation.

 

The Big Red Rocket at Wildwood Inn in Florence Kentucky.

The 2 nights before the cruise, we stayed at Holiday Shores in Daytona Beach. This place is more like a small condominium rather than a hotel. We previously stayed here 2 years ago before we boarded the Disney Dream and loved it. We went back this year and loved it again. Everyone is friendly, the place is lean and well kept. We will be staying here again in the future.

 

NEXT UP: Chapter 2: Day 1: Embarkation Day

[Calm Blue Ocean]

In case anyone was wondering where we stayed before the cruise, this is the place.

 

Holiday Shores, Daytona Beach

The Pool

 

The look of the place

 

another look of the place

 

from the beach

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Today was the day I finally seen the countdown clock say "SAILING TODAY" I had been waiting a long 8 months for this cruise.

We left Daytona Beach at 9:30 and arrived at the pier at about 11. We were able to go through Priority boarding because my Granny has bead knees and was using a cane and couldn't stand in a line for a long period of time. We were through in about 10 minutes. Within and hour of arriving at the pier, we were on the ship.

What a WOW factor. We were all Wowed by the ship- the décor, the Royal Promenade and the size!

We were going to eat at Café Promenade, but decided to eat up in the Windjammer instead. The Windjammer wasn't extremely crowded, but there were announcements asking people to leave when they were finished. After a quick lunch, we went and waited outside for a bit to wait for our rooms to be ready at 1. It poured while we were waiting for our rooms to be ready, but it cleared up in plenty of time for Sail Away.

At 1, we first went to deck 7 to see if my Granny would prefer that room, but she didn't like all the walking. She ended up in 8618, my mom and brother had 8612, my cousin had his own room- 8242. My aunt and I had 7562.

The muster drill was quick and painless. You didn't have to wear a lifejacket, but it was outside(on this sailing it was anyway). For Sail Away, my mom, sister and I went to the bow where we met Norbert's Niece(Hello if you are reading this!). We stood there and waited and waited and watched Carnival Sensation leave, then Disney Dream leave. It was almost dinner time by the time we left. I stayed out until we had passed the Grandeur, then I went inside and headed to dinner. (For those who watched Sail Away, I was the one with the Canadian Flag on the bow!)

I will continue and post pictures later on. I have to upload them yet.

Stay tuned!

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Todays pictures:

Driving to Port Canaveral

Lady Freedom, first full view

Disney Dream- the one that started it all

 

Carnival Sensation

Port Area

 

Disney Dream bow

More to come

[Calm Blue Ocean]

More photos:

Disney Dream ship view 1

 

Disney Dream ship view 2

 

Painting touch-up of the Disney Dream

 

Disney Dream Bow view 2

 

Disney Dream ship view 3

 

Port Canaveral Disney Terminal

[Calm Blue Ocean]

More pictures from this day:

Port Area

Originally to capture the Fire truck making its way towards what we thought would be the Carnival Sensation, but ended up being the Freedom.

Looking towards the mouth of Port Canaveral. Who's that I see? Why it's Lady Grandeur!

More of the Port area

NEXT UP: Pictures of Lady Freedom and Sail Away!

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Pictures of Lady Freedom(including my cabin) on Embarkation Day

Freedom of the Seas sign on pool deck by H2O zone

My cabin (7562) view from in front of the balcony door.

My cabin (7562) view from door. (Notice the reflective glass on the balcony. We had one of those rooms. It was nice, except for not being able to sit out there and see the ocean)

Our dinner table, number 495 (perfect location. Loved it)

Front view from the Heli-pad on the bow

More to come!

Edited August 29, 2013 by Calm Blue Ocean

[Calm Blue Ocean]

More Lady Freedom pics(There will be more when I get farther in the review, don't you worry.)

View from my mom's cabin (8612) facing forward

Same cabin, but facing aft

Same cabin again, but facing down

NEXT UP: Sail Away!