Just back from re-routed Freedom! Highs and Lows

[CORKY_Q]

Thanks for taking the time to write your review. We'll be back on Lady Liberty in another two weeks.:)

[Trainman-2]

Great comments!

 

Thanks,

 

The Freedom is a great ship!

[Colorado Babe]

The closest thing Freedom has would be the production show called Marquee. Not a Broadway musical.

 

Bummer. Thanks Bob!

[papaflamingo]

I happened to turn to an officer next to me (Rodrigo) who was senior in the MDR and casually remarked 'everything has run out, what a shame!' and he personally collected me a breakfast and then came to the table to apologise and ask that we try the MDR again the next day and not let it put us off. We said we would be back the next day at 8am and we got the red carpet treatment! He greeted our party of 8 at the door and escorted us to a table he had set aside, we then received the most amazing service ever!! So although this started as a low, Rodrigo made it a high.

 

We were on Legend a Feb. 2014. On boarding day I went to find our table in the MDR. It was next to a waiter station and right outside the main door to the kitchen. Totally unacceptable. I went to the Maitre d' station and was told nothing could be done until 8 pm. I told my wife to check it out and if she agreed we'd try to switch to My Time Dining. She went and found the table and totally agreed. As she was walking out of the Dining Room, she passed two Officers talking. One turned to her and said "I know you! You were on one of my cruises." So he asked what she was doing and she told him the table problem. He said "Oh no..no.. that will never work. Follow me." She said that I had already gone to the main desk and he just shook his head and said "follow me." He took her to a wonderful table and asked "will this do?" She, of course said "absolutely." So he took her to the Maitre d' station and told them to switch the table. The Officer was Rodrigo! He was in charge of the entire Dining Room. He visited our table every night. In fact I think he visited every table every night. But he made sure to come to our table and make sure every thing was going well. He always had entertaining and funny things to say. Then a few nights before the final Formal Night, he pulled me aside and told me he arranged for us to have dinner with the Captain on the final Formal Night. It was wonderful.

Toward the end of the cruise we told him that we had a group of 10 on Rhapsody in May 2014. We had My Time Dining and were wondering if he knew any way to get Traditional Dining. He emailed the Maitre d' on Rhapsody on his laptop as we stood there. He gave him our name and requested a table for 10 near a window at 8:00. In May when we showed up on Rhapsody, we had a table for 10 near a window, at 8:00! And 2 of the best waiters ever!

Rodrigo is, without a doubt, one of the best Royal Caribbean employees ever. He is cheerful and helpful. Always visible and does all he can for everyone. I wholeheartedly agree with the comments by Peardrop as to what a great representative Rodrigo is for Royal Caribbean.

[Harley-Davidson_Family]

:eek:Funny, I saw your kids posing for this picture.. We were sitting in Boleros and I remember thinking how well dressed they were. Great picture.

[casinostreer]

We were on Legend a Feb. 2014. On boarding day I went to find our table in the MDR. It was next to a waiter station and right outside the main door to the kitchen. Totally unacceptable. I went to the Maitre d' station and was told nothing could be done until 8 pm. I told my wife to check it out and if she agreed we'd try to switch to My Time Dining. She went and found the table and totally agreed. As she was walking out of the Dining Room, she passed two Officers talking. One turned to her and said "I know you! You were on one of my cruises." So he asked what she was doing and she told him the table problem. He said "Oh no..no.. that will never work. Follow me." She said that I had already gone to the main desk and he just shook his head and said "follow me." He took her to a wonderful table and asked "will this do?" She, of course said "absolutely." So he took her to the Maitre d' station and told them to switch the table. The Officer was Rodrigo! He was in charge of the entire Dining Room. He visited our table every night. In fact I think he visited every table every night. But he made sure to come to our table and make sure every thing was going well. He always had entertaining and funny things to say. Then a few nights before the final Formal Night, he pulled me aside and told me he arranged for us to have dinner with the Captain on the final Formal Night. It was wonderful.

Toward the end of the cruise we told him that we had a group of 10 on Rhapsody in May 2014. We had My Time Dining and were wondering if he knew any way to get Traditional Dining. He emailed the Maitre d' on Rhapsody on his laptop as we stood there. He gave him our name and requested a table for 10 near a window at 8:00. In May when we showed up on Rhapsody, we had a table for 10 near a window, at 8:00! And 2 of the best waiters ever!

Rodrigo is, without a doubt, one of the best Royal Caribbean employees ever. He is cheerful and helpful. Always visible and does all he can for everyone. I wholeheartedly agree with the comments by Peardrop as to what a great representative Rodrigo is for Royal Caribbean.

 

It's so great to hear GOOD feedback from cruises. :-) Glad you had a great MDR experience!

[legaljen1969]

Mpoole why would there be an obc? The ship has the right and WILL change an itinerary for weather. Clearly stated and I am sure most are thankful to sail in sunny weather rather than 15 foot waves and storms. If there is a mechanical problem, ie fault of the ship, it may be a different story. One of my most discouraging things about rccl are the passengers who have made every hiccup about getting obc or refunds. The cruiseline owes you a safe trip.....that is what we pay for. Changing an itinerary to avoid potentially bad weather does that. Everything else we experience is icing on the cake, not an entitlement. Thank you original poster for showing how to handle change and being able to enjoy your trip.

 

Sent from my SCH-I915 using Forums mobile app

 

A bad day cruising is usually still better than a good day at work. I would rather the line change my itinerary and still have "a" cruise than have my cruise cancelled. The safety of all is paramount. The ports are great on either itinerary. At least it was an option to vary the itinerary. I don't think OBC is necessary either. I don't know why some folks feel that the ship (or line) owes OBC for every little thing that doesn't go their way.

 

Glad the OP was able to enjoy the cruise.

[njmomof2]

We also were on this cruise and I have to say I was relieved when they notified us of the rerouting to the West.

 

I was sailing with my mom and 2 sons, as well as three teenage friends of my son (all of them almost 18). I was concerned that I wouldn't find anything interesting for them to do in the Eastern ports, so when we ended up in the West, I was thrilled. Got them swimming with the stingrays in Grand Cayman and went to Paradise Beach in Cozumel. Everyone had a wonderful time.

 

As for the MDR, we had MTD and had reservations for 7:30 each night. A little late for me, but it was the only way to be sure we'd all get a table together, and they block out times that I would have wanted (around 6:30). We had the same table (a 6 top that they added a seat) on deck 5, left rear. We had Iwayan for our server (I hope I'm not mutilating his name). But the highlight for us was that our section manager was Chris. We've sailed with both Chris and Dennis (another section head) before and they both know how much I love Indian food. Each night (including the first) Chris had three plates of Indian food on our table for all of us to enjoy. The kids were so impressed and just loved the entire experience.

 

Our cabin steward, Hector, did a great job keeping our 3 cabins in tiptop shape (especially after I went into the cabin with the three teens and found it looked like a bomb went off in it). He was always delightful and never let it phase him.

 

It was definitely a different cruise for us (given the additional 3 people) but we had a great time. And the weather was so great the entire time.

 

Now we just have to get ready for our Christmas cruise on Anthem!

Edited September 1, 2015 by njmomof2

[loeytalldog]

Thanks for taking the time to do a review! FOS is my favorite ship!

[ryano]

Mpoole why would there be an obc? The ship has the right and WILL change an itinerary for weather. Clearly stated and I am sure most are thankful to sail in sunny weather rather than 15 foot waves and storms. If there is a mechanical problem, ie fault of the ship, it may be a different story. One of my most discouraging things about rccl are the passengers who have made every hiccup about getting obc or refunds. The cruiseline owes you a safe trip.....that is what we pay for. Changing an itinerary to avoid potentially bad weather does that. Everything else we experience is icing on the cake, not an entitlement. Thank you original poster for showing how to handle change and being able to enjoy your trip.

 

Sent from my SCH-I915 using Forums mobile app

 

Gosh, a man asks a simple question and gets a sermon from the pulpit :o

 

Good ol Cruise Critic. :rolleyes::eek:

[davenew]

We did Freedom in the Caribbean and loved it. Great staff all round.

I have never seen the legs in the toilet towels - brilliant!!