Freedom of the Seas - "top" points you liked

[Nickymjw1]

Thanks for all the great info.

 

Question about anytime dining. Can you just show up and get seated or is there a very long wait. The reservation for specific time confused me. Is there a specific dining room for anytime dining?

We are late eaters as we like to let out granddaughter take an early evening nap before dinner & night entertainment.

 

2nd question abou beaches in Labadee. We will go to the furthest beach that was mentioned earlier. Are there shaded areas or umbrellas?

 

Thanks

[SilverDollarDoll]

What was TheQuest and Love&Marraige ?

 

Hi Kim....I think someone just answered what Quest and Love and Marriage is all about. I copied this note from some poster...not sure...but these are the days and time she got to see them last September. Maybe current cruises don't offer them anymore. L&M is usually hilarious. Don't know about Quest.

Love and Marriage-Day 4 (Falmouth) 10:30 PM

The Quest- Day 5 10:30 PM doors open at 10

 

[Kimnjimnkids]

Thanks for all the great info.

 

 

 

Question about anytime dining. Can you just show up and get seated or is there a very long wait. The reservation for specific time confused me. Is there a specific dining room for anytime dining?

 

We are late eaters as we like to let out granddaughter take an early evening nap before dinner & night entertainment.

 

 

 

2nd question abou beaches in Labadee. We will go to the furthest beach that was mentioned earlier. Are there shaded areas or umbrellas?

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

My Time dining is in one dining Room. Deck 5 aft. You are allowed to show up anytime but risk not getting seated if all tables are occupied. Daily reservations are easiest but it's whatever works got y'all.

Yes there is PLENTY if shade at Columbus Beach. That's the furthest beach from ship. It's so beautiful there! The water is crystal clear and so shallow!! There's a buffet right there at Columbus served under a huge covered picnic pole barn. Tons and tons of tables and chairs. !!!!! There's Palm canopies all over the beach to sit underneath. The lifeguards greet you straight away and ask 'how many lawn chairs do you need and where can I put them?' Pick your spot, sun or shade, and enjoy!! That's the best public area at the whole port!!! The tram/shuttle will take you right to Columbus if you don't want to walk it. But it's not far at all if you don't mind doing the semi-easy trek. I can give you pointers on how to get there quick (a short-cut) if you want!

Uhh I am SO JEALOUS of everyone who has their cruise coming up!!! Y'all are going to absolutely LOVE IT!!!!!!!

Edited March 17, 2014 by Kimnjimnkids

[Cruising Bonnie]

Oh yes please, a short-cut to Columbus beach?

[Kimnjimnkids]

Ok so when you get across the 'bridge' to the entrance of Labadee, to your left is Oceanside..lots of chairs, umbrellas, facilities, buffet area etc...BUT..that is where the surf is rough and it's not exactly easy swimming...not impossible, just rough. Somewhere right in front of you, in the center of the street/cul-de-sac, you will see the shuttle/tram station. There's benches you can wait on...we noticed that the tram was out dropping ppl off or something and it was then that my husband suggested we could just walk it and get there quicker. I wasn't so sure bc I had no way of knowing how far exactly Columbus Beach was and we had two lazy kids to drag along too but I'm glad we did bc it was not far and not a problem. What you will see to your right is woods and small hills...start by following the road but keep right. Once you start to see paths that head toward the other side of the ocean (the calmer, shallow cove side) begin to walk the paths. There's some rocky inclines, but it's very safe and the steps are man-made so don't worry, keep walking. You will begin to see the water slide, the water inflatables, etc....you're headed in the correct place...keep right the whole time...don't head toward the road bc you will end up in the marketplace and be completely harassed ( and its bad...real bad).....stay on the paths near the water and pass up the slide and the inflatables and immediately past that you will see the final beach and there's where you want to be! Get there early (within the first hour of docking) and you will get the exact spot you want guarantee! After we got settled, the trams showed up PACKED with people and others came from the path we walked and eventually the spots ran out. I was thankful we walked on our own bc that was the prettiest beach ever and I would've been to bummed to have not got a spot!

 

 

Royal~FreedomOfTheSeas 2014

Carnival Glory 2012

Disney Magic 2011

Carnival Triumph 2010

Carnival Victory 2009

Disney Magic 2008

Carnival Inspiration 2008

Carnival Victory 2007

Carnival Triumph 2002

[DrD]

I just got off the FOS last Sunday and the 2nd and 3rd shows you mentioned were not offered. Once Upon A Time was shown like you said (same night and at 7 & 9). What was TheQuest and Love&Marraige ? They sound interesting. We had an illusionist (magician) named Drew Thomas. He was really cool! He was on AmericasGotTalent. I think his show was on night 3 or 4.

 

 

Royal~FreedomOfTheSeas 2014

Carnival Glory 2012

Disney Magic 2011

Carnival Triumph 2010

Carnival Victory 2009

Disney Magic 2008

Carnival Inspiration 2008

Carnival Victory 2007

Carnival Triumph 2002

 

You missed Quest???!!!!

 

You need to book another RCCL cruise right now.

[DrD]

Favorite quiet place to relax is deck 14 outside Queen of hearts . The patio deck is never used by anyone. You can relax, play cards or watch the sports courts. Usually nice rain or shine. Great place to gather (if you have someone go for beverages when you run dry).

 

My favorite is deck 12 aft, there are loungers that are rarely occupied and one has a great view of the wake. Wipe out bar is very close for drinks.

 

PS check out my countdown!!

Edited March 17, 2014 by DrD

[DrD]

Ok so when you get across the 'bridge' to the entrance of Labadee, to your left is Oceanside..lots of chairs, umbrellas, facilities, buffet area etc...BUT..that is where the surf is rough and it's not exactly easy swimming...not impossible, just rough. Somewhere right in front of you, in the center of the street/cul-de-sac, you will see the shuttle/tram station. There's benches you can wait on...we noticed that the tram was out dropping ppl off or something and it was then that my husband suggested we could just walk it and get there quicker. I wasn't so sure bc I had no way of knowing how far exactly Columbus Beach was and we had two lazy kids to drag along too but I'm glad we did bc it was not far and not a problem. What you will see to your right is woods and small hills...start by following the road but keep right. Once you start to see paths that head toward the other side of the ocean (the calmer, shallow cove side) begin to walk the paths. There's some rocky inclines, but it's very safe and the steps are man-made so don't worry, keep walking. You will begin to see the water slide, the water inflatables, etc....you're headed in the correct place...keep right the whole time...don't head toward the road bc you will end up in the marketplace and be completely harassed ( and its bad...real bad).....stay on the paths near the water and pass up the slide and the inflatables and immediately past that you will see the final beach and there's where you want to be! Get there early (within the first hour of docking) and you will get the exact spot you want guarantee! After we got settled, the trams showed up PACKED with people and others came from the path we walked and eventually the spots ran out. I was thankful we walked on our own bc that was the prettiest beach ever and I would've been to bummed to have not got a spot!

 

 

Royal~FreedomOfTheSeas 2014

Carnival Glory 2012

Disney Magic 2011

Carnival Triumph 2010

Carnival Victory 2009

Disney Magic 2008

Carnival Inspiration 2008

Carnival Victory 2007

Carnival Triumph 2002

 

So I made a little "beach guide" from google maps satellite view. Google maps is a great way to really check out the area, just search it and go north a bit. Turn on satellite view. Then you can zoom in and really look around. This may help plan your routes etc.

 

Anyway here's what you'll see with the beaches labeled:

 

Edited March 17, 2014 by DrD

[negc]

Thanks for all the great info.

 

Question about anytime dining. Can you just show up and get seated or is there a very long wait. The reservation for specific time confused me. Is there a specific dining room for anytime dining?

We are late eaters as we like to let out granddaughter take an early evening nap before dinner & night entertainment.

 

2nd question abou beaches in Labadee. We will go to the furthest beach that was mentioned earlier. Are there shaded areas or umbrellas?

 

Thanks

 

On Freedom MTD was in the Galileo Dining Room on Deck 5. I believe that Deck 5 on all their ships is the dining room designated for MTD. Seating for MTD was handled quite efficiently so I don't think you should experience a lengthy wait if you arrive without reservations. That has always been our experience in such situations, although on our most recent cruise on Freedom we had standing reservations for the same time and same serving staff, who were absolutely first rate.

[BillOh]

How crowded or uncrowded will Johnny Rockets be, when the Freedom is in CocoCay? We're scheduled into Coco along with the Grandeur. It seems to me that eating at Johnny Rockets would be less frantic than trying to eat at the buffet on shore with several thousand other cruisers.

 

 

Freedom and Granduer there the same day? I hope they have added tenders since 2007. I've been to CocCay 3 times, all on Majesty. On my first trip Sovereign and Majesty were both there and it took us till noon to get off the ship waiting for a tender.

[Cruising Bonnie]

So I made a little "beach guide" from google maps satellite view. Google maps is a great way to really check out the area, just search it and go north a bit. Turn on satellite view. Then you can zoom in and really look around. This may help plan your routes etc.

 

Anyway here's what you'll see with the beaches labeled:

 

 

 

Thank you so very much. I copied all of your information to my phone for easy reference. So excited about visiting Labadee, I was there maybe 10 years ago and it looks so different...in a good way.

[jules815]

From our two weeks on Independence, I like the outside promenade deck as well. There is one particular place that is unique to the Freedom class. The promenade deck bows out around the windows of the MR creating an area that is out in the wind and occasionally the spray. If you want to "connect with the sea" this is the place. It is a great place for seagazing any time and on a clear night, the stars and moon should be magnificent.

 

Here is a picture of the area I am talking about [taken from the covered area]:

 

 

When we sailed on Mariner of the Seas, deck 4 was always a favorite place for us to walk around the ship. Surprised there was hardly ever anyone out there with us. So happy we'll be able to do the same when we sail on FOS.

[Kimnjimnkids]

Is the map old bc I'm looking where it says 'cruise ship dock' between NelliesBeach and Columbus and that's not at all where the ship docks. But I think years go it may have. The long white bridge in the far left of the pic is where the ship pulls up and docks next to.

 

 

Royal~FreedomOfTheSeas 2014

Carnival Glory 2012

Disney Magic 2011

Carnival Triumph 2010

Carnival Victory 2009

Disney Magic 2008

Carnival Inspiration 2008

Carnival Victory 2007

Carnival Triumph 2002

[DrD]

Is the map old bc I'm looking where it says 'cruise ship dock' between NelliesBeach and Columbus and that's not at all where the ship docks. But I think years go it may have. The long white bridge in the far left of the pic is where the ship pulls up and docks next to.

 

 

Royal~FreedomOfTheSeas 2014

Carnival Glory 2012

Disney Magic 2011

Carnival Triumph 2010

Carnival Victory 2009

Disney Magic 2008

Carnival Inspiration 2008

Carnival Victory 2007

Carnival Triumph 2002

 

The map is the current google satellite view which is updated about every 6 months or so.

 

It's simply mislabeled. The dock in question is actually the walkway out to the aquapark. The main dock is that big one to the left.

 

Note that label came from google not me!

 

Anyway I encourage everyone to check out the google satellite view, you can see a lot of detail. You can zoom in way more than the picture I posted. If you're interested also look at the village just to the south, it may make you feel a bit guilty though. Talk about poor!

 

Also I didn't label it but that rocky outcrop at the top slightly to the left is Dragon's Breath point and is very neat for kids. Basically there are these natural holes in the rocks, and as the waves go in and out it pushes air through them and it sounds just like a very large animal breathing!! That's where it gets its name of course. We thought it was neat enough that we're going back.

Edited March 18, 2014 by DrD

[beshears]

Very good information, thank you.

[Kimnjimnkids]

Ohhh ok. Yes that makes sense. I thought maybe it was the previous dock before the new one was put in??

I've got to take time and view it on google maps. I've taken an interest in Haiti since visiting two weeks ago. Firstly I had NO idea that there was this type of paradise along the coast of Haiti! I feel blessed to have had the chance to visit and enjoy that beauty!! The second thing that stunned us was as our ship cruised away and 'hugged' the coast of Haiti for an hour or two...the sun had already set...there was absolute darkness everywhere! No lights on land AT ALL!! You could see that we were quite close to the coast bc the silhouette of the mountains and hills were very visible but no sign of electricity or anything!! The next day we were in Jamaica and when we left Jamaica we cruised along the coastline just like we did at Haiti and it was 'glittered' with lots and lots of lights....I just felt sadness. These villages and towns near Labadee...I can't even find a word to use to describe what I'm trying to say. When all of you take your cruise and make your Labadee stop...try and get a few looks toward the land as you leave and report back on here and tell me if you notice what I'm trying to describe. I hope that maybe I am just more 'emotional' about silly stuff than most people. But possibly some of you may also see what I mean?? In any case, I think RoyalCaribbean chose a BRILLIANT piece of paradise (that would otherwise not be visited or enjoyed) and I'm confident the country has benefitted financially in more ways than one...and for that, I feel happy :)

 

So when I go to my maps on an apple device, do I use the word 'labadee'? Or is there a nearby town I search for?

 

 

 

Royal~FreedomOfTheSeas 2014

Carnival Glory 2012

Disney Magic 2011

Carnival Triumph 2010

Carnival Victory 2009

Disney Magic 2008

Carnival Inspiration 2008

Carnival Victory 2007

Carnival Triumph 2002

[DrD]

So when I go to my maps on an apple device, do I use the word 'labadee'? Or is there a nearby town I search for?

 

Personally I much prefer google, they have a free app for ios and android.

 

You can just search Labadee and it puts you on the small village just south of the resort. If you want to see poverty you'll get your wish. I actually felt a bit guilty, it's so close to the dock, and I can't imagine what it must be like for those people to see those ships coming in every day. Talk about rubbing it in your face.

 

The resort is just a bit north (scroll up.)

[TheBrowns]

The people. We sailed the explorer last December and have to say people who sail out of fl are a lot happier than people who sail out of NY

 

 

TheBrowns

[Clarea]

The people. We sailed the explorer last December and have to say people who sail out of fl are a lot happier than people who sail out of NY

 

 

TheBrowns

Funny.:)