Just off Freedom, Halloween cruise

[rp23g7]

So, here I am sitting at the Orlando Airport, going home, booo.

 

Our first RCI cruise, pretty darn good. So good, we booked again for next year, Oct 19th, Coco Cay, St Thomas, St. Maarten, room 6002, a Ocean view bow room.

 

RCI turned out to be on our Princess standards, great people, great ship, lots to do.

 

One thing I may not do again is book a deck 2 or 3 state room, cant traverse the length of the ship from down there, if you want to go somewhere, oh well, but you are close to your room after getting on after a long day.

 

We did the Rib boat tour in Labadee, the Plantation tour in Falmouth, of course we had to swim with the stingrays in Grand Cayman, and we just went shopping in Cozumel.

 

The shows were great, some were kinda late, but oh well, Food was awesome. The Halloween parade was awesome, how does everyone keep their costume in such good shape though?

 

We went to Kennedy Space Center on Friday, really interesting, I bet it was really a exiting place to live when it was in its heyday.

 

Tom, the Atlantis is displayed pretty nice, great exhibit, sure looks ugly and beat up, up close though.

 

I had 16 laps scheduled at Daytona Speedway on Saturday, UNBELIEVABLE experience, will post pics later

Edited November 3, 2013 by rp23g7

[maureencruiser]

I'm glad you liked it! :)

[charluch]

So, here I am sitting at the Orlando Airport, going home, booo.

 

Our first RCI cruise, pretty darn good. So good, we booked again for next year, Oct 19th, Coco Cay, St Thomas, St. Maarten, room 6002, a Ocean view bow room.

 

RCI turned out to be on our Princess standards, great people, great ship, lots to do.

 

One thing I may not do again is book a deck 2 or 3 state room, cant traverse the length of the ship from down there, if you want to go somewhere, oh well, but you are close to your room after getting on after a long day.

 

We did the Rib boat tour in Labadee, the Plantation tour in Falmouth, of course we had to swim with the stingrays in Grand Cayman, and we just went shopping in Cozumel.

 

The shows were great, some were kinda late, but oh well, Food was awesome. The Halloween parade was awesome, how does everyone keep their costume in such good shape though?

 

We went to Kennedy Space Center on Friday, really interesting, I bet it was really a exiting place to live when it was in its heyday.

 

Tom, the Atlantis is displayed pretty nice, great exhibit, sure looks ugly and beat up, up close though.

 

I had 16 laps scheduled at Daytona Speedway on Saturday, UNBELIEVABLE experience, will post pics later

 

Welcome home !! Happy to hear RCI met your standards.

Can't wait to hear your take on doing 200+ MPH on the super speedway. Did you drive or do the ride along ?

[iuki]

Thanks for sharing. We were supposed to be on that cruise but had to cancel due to health issues. We are now scheduled for the same cruise at the end of April 2014.

Glad you had a great time.

[rp23g7]

Welcome home !! Happy to hear RCI met your standards.

Can't wait to hear your take on doing 200+ MPH on the super speedway. Did you drive or do the ride along ?

 

the cars are only set up to do 165mph, I had done California Speedway a few yrs before, but this was completely different.

 

At California they did a lead/follow set up, stay 3 car lengths behind the instructor, in his line. He wanted you to go right up against the wall coming out of turns, and of course if you didn't your set up for the next turn would be blown.

 

You cant really tell how close you are since your wearing a HANS device and cant really turn your head to look, you don't really want to turn your head anyway. So I really didn't do that well, Average speed was 127, top speed was 139mph.

 

At Daytona your instructor is in the right seat, on a radio with you, giving feedback, Way better.

 

The track rocks, its bigger than I thought, and intimidating, looking down the backstreach and seeing the whole turn. Then coming up to it, it looks like a wall. Having the instructor on a radio giving you feedback rocks, confidence is way higher.

 

Its deffinatly a speed track, my early laps were slow, 100-120, the car wandered around on the track, especially on the turns after 8 or so, with the guy on the radio I got better, after 140 mph the car gets more solid feeling, the steering gets heavier with the downforce and the car stays where you put it.

 

My top speed was 162mph. And going through a turn is a blast, the force pushes you down in the seat, and it feels like a rocket coming out of the turn. I cant imagine 200mph and 40 other cars on the track, I will post videos and pics later.

 

OH and the cruise director, Richard Spacey was great, hilarious guy

[Hotel CA]

Thank you for the review-- we are on the FOS Nov 17 and like you were mostly Princess cruise people but wife had great experience 20 years ago on RC so giving it a try. Encouraged by your post as a comparison to P&O

[charluch]

the cars are only set up to do 165mph, I had done California Speedway a few yrs before, but this was completely different.

 

At California they did a lead/follow set up, stay 3 car lengths behind the instructor, in his line. He wanted you to go right up against the wall coming out of turns, and of course if you didn't your set up for the next turn would be blown.

 

You cant really tell how close you are since your wearing a HANS device and cant really turn your head to look, you don't really want to turn your head anyway. So I really didn't do that well, Average speed was 127, top speed was 139mph.

 

At Daytona your instructor is in the right seat, on a radio with you, giving feedback, Way better.

 

The track rocks, its bigger than I thought, and intimidating, looking down the backstreach and seeing the whole turn. Then coming up to it, it looks like a wall. Having the instructor on a radio giving you feedback rocks, confidence is way higher.

 

Its deffinatly a speed track, my early laps were slow, 100-120, the car wandered around on the track, especially on the turns after 8 or so, with the guy on the radio I got better, after 140 mph the car gets more solid feeling, the steering gets heavier with the downforce and the car stays where you put it.

 

My top speed was 162mph. And going through a turn is a blast, the force pushes you down in the seat, and it feels like a rocket coming out of the turn. I cant imagine 200mph and 40 other cars on the track, I will post videos and pics later.

 

OH and the cruise director, Richard Spacey was great, hilarious guy

 

TY and agreed about 200 MPH and 40 others I would be changing my shorts probably :eek: I have only experienced it from the grandstands and it was a blur as they go by. Sorry to derail the thread from being about the ship !! ( but anxiously waiting for pics & videos :D )

[rp23g7]

Here is a link to the picture album on photobucket, and the Richard Petty video links on my facebook account, and Kennedy Space Canter, not sure where those pictures went.

 

We stayed at the Wyndam Ocean Walk, great place by the way, right on the beach, right down the way from the pier.

 

My Daytona video is my second set of laps, Carly, my wife, did a ride a long, its funny, she has already had a 9 lap experience at California Speedway, but she hadn't seen Daytona yet.

 

My laps

 

 

Carlys laps

 

 

Album

 

http://s572.photobucket.com/user/rp23g7/library/Freedom%20cruise

[LBumb]

great job

[ryano]

Here is a link to the picture album on photobucket, and the Richard Petty video links on my facebook account, and Kennedy Space Canter, not sure where those pictures went.

 

We stayed at the Wyndam Ocean Walk, great place by the way, right on the beach, right down the way from the pier.

 

My Daytona video is my second set of laps, Carly, my wife, did a ride a long, its funny, she has already had a 9 lap experience at California Speedway, but she hadn't seen Daytona yet.

 

My laps

 

 

Carlys laps

 

 

Album

 

http://s572.photobucket.com/user/rp23g7/library/Freedom%20cruise

 

Awesome! Thanks for sharing! :)

[charluch]

The videos were great TY for sharing !!! It's on my bucket list of things to do ! I will be in Port Canaveral FL on my sailing but it will also be NYE that day so may not be open due to holiday but going to research :D

[Lionesss]

We loved the Freedom, as well as the western route.

Glad you had a nice vacation.

Thanks for your post.

Sea Ya