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Report just off Freedom

RetiredRich

By RetiredRich,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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RetiredRich

RetiredRich

Posted
Posted

We were on the Freedom 16th to 24th for 2nd time on Freedom. First off Carnival sent us e mails saying they will not start loading until 1 pm....they lied. I like to allow for extra time as I'm known to make a few wrong turns. So I planned to arrive around noon. My wife was convinced we would be sitting on our luggage in front of a locked terminal in the rain. We arrived just after noon and loading was in full progress and were about 5 wraps of that folding line waiting to check in. But boarding went fine and pretty fast. It's going to sound like I'm not a happy cruiser but I just wanted to mention a few things. I think all cruises are good just some people think they and not good. The Carnival Triumph dead in the water was a bad cruise.

You can tell the Freedom has been around a while. Lots of rusty places painted over and in need of repair. Our 2nd day at sea there was a loud thumping sound in our ceiling about like a bowling ball being dropped. Very annoying and hard to sleep. Complained to guest services and turns out our room 8292 had a storage room above it and the maintenance person said he found a ladder hung on the wall was flopping and hitting the wall....wrong!!! After more thumping and complaining another person said an air conditioner compressor had broken its mounting and was flopping when it turned on. Well that fixed it for 2 days then the whole cycle started over. Last 2 days went with no thumping.

On all 9 other cruises we have had ice in a small can supplied in the room. My wife always brings a 12 pack of cokes and we never use any of the stuff they put in the little fridge. Well no ice was supplied this time so she kept her cokes cool in the fridge. About the third day she noticed several of the cans that were supplied were gone. Seems I remember some posts about people being wrongly charged for stuff in that little fridge. She mentioned that to the ones that clean the room and didn't want to be wrongly charged. Well next day it was back full as before. Makes one wonder.

I did want to mention the behind the fun tour they have was great. If you are a how do they do that person you will love that tour. You go everywhere the passengers don't get to go as the bridge, galley and all thru the crew member places.

Thay had a different system for debarking and it worked very nice. There was 10 different zones where the luggage was off loaded to and you just went to your zone, got your luggage and checked out at customs. We were in the car headed back to Kentucky by 9:10 and just barely beat a winter storm. Now to plan the next cruise.

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RetiredRich

RetiredRich

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I enjoy all cruises. The food was fine in the buffet where we always ate. They had nice steak 2 times. Leg of lamb, mai mai, virginia ham plenty of good food. My problem was I got a case of the back door trots and was real weak when we ported. Didn't really feel like eating much. Actually didn't even gain a pound on the trip.

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rockbock

rockbock

Posted
Posted

I was on the Freedom last month. I'm not hard to please, so I had a great time. However, the ship desperately needs this dry dock. I didn't notice it being dirty or run down, but it's just plan drab and ugly compared to the other Carnival ships I've been on. The service was also the worst I've experienced. Throughout the ship, the service ranged from good to poor. Nobody stood out to me as providing exceptional service.

 

 

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caribsun

caribsun

Posted
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I was also on this sailing and the service was very good, the 3 person team in the MDR, the 2 person team taking care of the cabin and all the waiters on the Lido Deck and the lounges.

I sailed with 3 others and we all thought the decor was typical Carnival and not unpleasant to the eye.

The exterior of the ship was clean and white the areas that need updating is the Lido Deck pool and bar area but this area takes the most abuse.

 

The bad - pizza and the poolside DJ's.

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tkabrk

tkabrk

Posted
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I was also on this sailing with my DH and another couple. We had faster to the fun (FTTF) so we embarked/debarked early - love this new option. Service was good all over but especially good with our room stewardess and the MDR staff. We mentioned the ice bucket on the first day and always had ice after that. Meals were good and really enjoyed the Steakhouse and Chef's table.

 

Not very many kids on this ship - older crowd. It seemed like alot of people really dressed up for the 2 formal nights on this cruise -- fun to see this again.

 

We have sailed many times with Carnival and always have fun. The ship is older but all areas are clean. Only complaint was that our room was a little warm.

 

 

 

I was also on this sailing and the service was very good, the 3 person team in the MDR, the 2 person team taking care of the cabin and all the waiters on the Lido Deck and the lounges.

I sailed with 3 others and we all thought the decor was typical Carnival and not unpleasant to the eye.

The exterior of the ship was clean and white the areas that need updating is the Lido Deck pool and bar area but this area takes the most abuse.

 

The bad - pizza and the poolside DJ's.

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TVMet

TVMet

Posted
Posted (edited)
I was on the Freedom last month. I'm not hard to please, so I had a great time. However, the ship desperately needs this dry dock. I didn't notice it being dirty or run down, but it's just plan drab and ugly compared to the other Carnival ships I've been on. The service was also the worst I've experienced. Throughout the ship, the service ranged from good to poor. Nobody stood out to me as providing exceptional service.

 

 

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Was on the Freedom in June (12th Carnival cruise) and I would agree with this post 100%, with the exception of outstanding service in the Steakhouse. Captain did say on the Behind the Scenes tour of the bridge that the dry dock had been postponed due to the new safety equipment (extra generator) that will be added. Freedom certainly needs a dry dock.

Edited by TVMet
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Joie

Joie

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Posted
Was on the Freedom in June (12th Carnival cruise) and I would agree with this post 100%, with the exception of outstanding service in the Steakhouse. Captain did say on the Behind the Scenes tour of the bridge that the dry dock had been postponed due to the new safety equipment (extra generator) that will be added. Freedom certainly needs a dry dock.

 

do you mean the Drydock that is scheduled in April? or earlier one? Do they have the new extra generators? I thought all ships had already received those this year.

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DebJ14

DebJ14

Posted
Posted

For some time now if you want ice you have to let the room steward know and he/she will get you an ice bucket and keep it filled. We were on the Freedom in May and the first meeting with the cabin steward on the first day I told him we wanted fresh ice twice daily. He immediately went and got the ice bucket for us and gave us ice every morning and evening when he did the room.

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Muumuu

Muumuu

Posted
Posted

Was also on this sailing for R&R. And we got it.

My major complaint was boarding. We have sailed out of FL many times but this was horrible.

We are plaitnum so in VIP area. There were so many pushy people, rude people. It was like being hearded in a stockyard. Had my 18 month grand child with us and had to take her out of the stroller due to pushing and carry on luggage of others hitting her. Never have seen such blatant rudeness. There was even pushing of the handicapped in wheelchairs seen.

Sad state of how some are today.

did enjoyed the cruise

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riclop

riclop

Posted
Posted
We were on the Freedom 16th to 24th for 2nd time on Freedom. First off Carnival sent us e mails saying they will not start loading until 1 pm....they lied. I like to allow for extra time as I'm known to make a few wrong turns. So I planned to arrive around noon. My wife was convinced we would be sitting on our luggage in front of a locked terminal in the rain. We arrived just after noon and loading was in full progress and were about 5 wraps of that folding line waiting to check in. But boarding went fine and pretty fast. It's going to sound like I'm not a happy cruiser but I just wanted to mention a few things. I think all cruises are good just some people think they and not good. The Carnival Triumph dead in the water was a bad cruise.

You can tell the Freedom has been around a while. Lots of rusty places painted over and in need of repair. Our 2nd day at sea there was a loud thumping sound in our ceiling about like a bowling ball being dropped. Very annoying and hard to sleep. Complained to guest services and turns out our room 8292 had a storage room above it and the maintenance person said he found a ladder hung on the wall was flopping and hitting the wall....wrong!!! After more thumping and complaining another person said an air conditioner compressor had broken its mounting and was flopping when it turned on. Well that fixed it for 2 days then the whole cycle started over. Last 2 days went with no thumping.

On all 9 other cruises we have had ice in a small can supplied in the room. My wife always brings a 12 pack of cokes and we never use any of the stuff they put in the little fridge. Well no ice was supplied this time so she kept her cokes cool in the fridge. About the third day she noticed several of the cans that were supplied were gone. Seems I remember some posts about people being wrongly charged for stuff in that little fridge. She mentioned that to the ones that clean the room and didn't want to be wrongly charged. Well next day it was back full as before. Makes one wonder.

I did want to mention the behind the fun tour they have was great. If you are a how do they do that person you will love that tour. You go everywhere the passengers don't get to go as the bridge, galley and all thru the crew member places.

Thay had a different system for debarking and it worked very nice. There was 10 different zones where the luggage was off loaded to and you just went to your zone, got your luggage and checked out at customs. We were in the car headed back to Kentucky by 9:10 and just barely beat a winter storm. Now to plan the next cruise.

If you read CC than you would of know to ignore the e-mail and as far as ice goes did you ask your steward to leave you ice twice a day?

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runner15km

runner15km

Posted
Posted (edited)
Was also on this sailing for R&R. And we got it.

My major complaint was boarding. We have sailed out of FL many times but this was horrible.

We are plaitnum so in VIP area. There were so many pushy people, rude people. It was like being hearded in a stockyard. Had my 18 month grand child with us and had to take her out of the stroller due to pushing and carry on luggage of others hitting her. Never have seen such blatant rudeness. There was even pushing of the handicapped in wheelchairs seen.

Sad state of how some are today.

did enjoyed the cruise

 

I agree there were some rude pushy passengers. We don't even sit in the VIP area, we wait with other passengers in the more open waiting area. We let a CCL rep know that we are Platinum and please notify us when boarding begins.

 

As soon as we were told that we can board we just waited for the Platinum mob to get on first. There are now so many Diamond and Platinum passengers the VIP lounges are too small.

Edited by runner15km
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  • 3 weeks later...
bigdog3361

bigdog3361

Posted
Posted

I know there are things that happen on a cruise some good some bad if you focus on the bad or the small things your trip is not going to be what you spent all that money for. I take in everything people write on these forums and wont let that mess up my cruise. Going on Feb 8 14. Plan on relaxing on beaches and enjoying good food and fun.

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Joie

Joie

Posted
Posted

Question.....dO they have trays in the buffet area......

Have seen people mention that they do NOT and then saw a couple say yes....

traveling in March with 2 children and would be great if they do!!! So much easier with kids.

thank you

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