First time on Carnival Freedom - celebrating our 20th anniversary

[wintercolor]

We are sailing in December with boys 10 and 16.

We are celebrating our 20th anniversary and also this is our first cruise on Freedom. We have not cruised much but looking forward to this break eagerly.

I had a couple of questions for all you seasoned, well traveled cruisers out there :)

We have booked a room with a balcony (first time!) - any tips? Dos and don'ts?

Should we inform them that we are celebrating a major milestone on the ship? If any of you have done so, please share what did you do? Call them or write to them? Do they do anything special for you?

What has been your main source to read up on Carnival Freedom? Is it Cruise Critic? Or is there another source? Does the ship have a brochure that I am missing?

Do we need to select time for dinner and lunch for every day? How do you do that?

 

Anything else that you wanted to share will be much appreciated. There is so much information that I am somewhat overwhelmed and looking for information without knowing what I am looking for - Do I make sense?!!!

[ABQrobin]

Freedom is a wonderful ship. Loved the staff, crew, entertainment, waiters, etc. Hated the gaudy decor...looks like a 60s acid trip, all paisleys everywhere. Just isn't my thing. Other than that, we loved the ship.

 

If you have YourTimeDining.... go anytime between the posted hours. I recomend you go early, like right at the opening time, to avoid any lines. We were always seated within 10 minutes of getting in line, usually less. The only night we had to wait was Formal night as it seemed the entire ship was there to get photos taken in lobby. Long lines!

 

If you want to get a Family Portrait, do it. Bring clothing for it, then decide what background, they have dozens stationed all over the ship. It costs nothing to do it, unless you buy any photos. They are sold separately. If I had small kids, I would SO do this. Our son is 28 and would rather die that do a family photo with mom and dad. LOL

[originalgeek]

remember on the balcony if you can hear neighbors, they can hear you. Please keep your porch light off because a) it's annoying and b) if it's on at night your neighbors can see your reflection in their glass.

With 2 kids that may not be an issue. ;) Balconies are great though! I spent hours relaxing on ours at night and some during the day.

 

Definitely let Carnival know about your celebration. In July we told them it was our 30th anniversary and got coupons for 50$ spa credit, 25$ bottle of wine credit, a free small picture from the Pixels gallery and various extra cake and dessert in both MDR and Steakhouse.

 

Last week we didn't even tell them that we were cruising for my birthday but the Steward knew anyway and gave me 50 dollar spa gift card. My birthday isn't until Friday.

 

There's a place in your cruise manager to note that you are celebrating a special occasion BUT you can also call them and let them know. They'll make a note of it.

 

I read CC about ships and also youtube your ship - they'll have tons of reviews and pictures.

 

When you book your cruise you are asked preferred dining time - early or late - 6:00pm or 8:30 (i think - we always do early). That locks you into a spot for the entire cruise. You get to know your waitstaff and your dining companions if you are seated with other cruisers. IF you don't care they will most likely sit you with other people BUT if you go to the Main Dining Room on the first day you can see where you are assigned and tell them if you'd prefer something else.

 

We've always been sat at a table for 4 so me and wife and another couple - first cruise we loved meeting and talking to them every night. Second cruise the other couple never showed so we had the booth to ourselves.

 

You can also try to get Anytime Dining which means you show up between the assigned anytime hours (I think they are like 5:30 to 9ish?) and they sit you where they have a spot for you as soon as they can. Sometimes you get right in and sometimes yo have to wait for a while depening on volume in there that night. Like going to any land based restaurant without reservations. First come, first served.

 

YOU DO NOT HAVE to eat in MDR every night - there are specialty restaurants and there's always the Lido buffet and other options both free and fee. It is polite to let your waitstaff and dining partners know if you know you aren't going to be in the MDR the next night but they won;t kick you off the boat for not doing it. Just so they don't wait around for you to get started. On our anniversary cruise we ate in MDR every night except our actual anniversary date which we spent in the Steakhouse to make it a more special occasion.

 

Happy anniversary and have a great cruise!

[doneinne]

Definitely let them know it's your anniversary. You can do it under your cruise manager. I did it for my birthday and received a spa gift card. I also got free dessert in the steakhouse and MDR.

 

 

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[coevan]

I would not miss the Steakhouse, with or without kids. It's a 2 hour dinner. The food and service are fabulous. Desserts are free in the Steakhouse

[Kevin308]

We had our 20th anniversary on that very ship this summer. Love that ship. Yes tell them it is your 20th anniversary. You can do it on your cruise manager. You can also call and tell them.

 

You have to pick a dinner time they have three options Anytime which means you eat when you want. Then they have an early and late dinning. We picked anytime dinning. We usually ate early and we loved our server the night in the main dinning roomand requested them for the rest the cruise. You can do that on anytime dinning.

 

We did the Steak House the first night food is good. For most the dinner we had the whole Steak House to ourself. Advice if you do go the first night get the bottle of wine at half off. The free wine isn't very good.

 

The carnival web site has a deck by deck break down on the ship.

 

 

If you go to the Carnival Web site you can pay and get your room decorated to surprise your significant other. It is a nice touch.

 

Have fun remember if something isn't perfect just roll with it and have a good time.

[rxtimbo]

Does Carnival do anything on board on Mardi Gras day? Any extra parties or anything?

[rangerdog]

Definitely let them know it's your anniversary. You can do it under your cruise manager. I did it for my birthday and received a spa gift card. I also got free dessert in the steakhouse and MDR.

 

 

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Under "cruise manager", where do I let them know it's our anniversary?