Cheapo dad's trip report on Freedom of the Seas

[harryfat1]

Enjoying your report Harry. Followed your Allure report before our Allure cruise. We're going on the Freedom in March so I'm taking lots of notes. Is there still a Viking Crown Lounge on Freedom? I thought they were all being converted to Diamond Lounges.

 

Liked the detour into South Dakota. Did this trip in my teens with parents driving to California. Recognized a lot of places we did, Rapid City, Mt. Rushmore, Cheyenne, Custer National park (camped there), Wall Drug. Always wanted to do the trip again with my kids but we got into Disney and cruising so land trips were replaced.

 

Tony

 

Hi, Tony,

 

Glad you are enjoying this trip report. As luck has it, it seems you take your cruises shortly after us so hopefully there’s some useful info for you.

 

As for VCL, just scroll up to posts 866 and 869 where James answered where the Diamond Lounge is.

 

Yeah, that whole South Dakota region is very interesting. We used to do Disney nonstop as we had annual passes to Disneyland for 2 straight years. We went there every single vacation you can think of – you know cheapo me would get my money’s worth from an annual pass. Back then I could have probably walked through Disneyland with my eyes closed as we were there constantly for 2 years. Nowadays, it’s typically summer time road trip and winter time cruises for us.

[harryfat1]

Hi Harry. Enjoying the report as we will be on FoS next month. My second time on Freedom. I so wish they kept it as a 7 day Cruise though.

 

Sent from my BlackBerry Dtek50

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for reading along.

 

I guess with the 6 & 8 flip flop, it's good for the 8 day folks as they get an extra day. Have a great cruise.

 

Wow, Blackberry? You must be the super minority to still be using those guys. Must be a super fan from the old days.

[harryfat1]

(OK, continuing on with the 70’s Street Party but somehow I have a nagging feeling that somebody posted something the few days but I forgot to reply. I tried to double back to find it, but don’t remember where I saw it. If so, I’m sorry if you posted and I didn’t acknowledge you. That’s the problem when you only respond once per day and you might not get everyone)

 

They tricked you by having the second set on the OTHER bridge so you have to fight your way back to the other side to be where the CD and the Village People look alike are standing as they kick off the 70’s party. So if you want to scout out a good spot to be, don’t be fool by the 10:30 crowd, be further away from it toward the middle. Be in between where the blue car and the middle bridge is. If you are by the General Store front door entrance, you are good as they toss many freebies down in that area. We were never able to squeeze our way that close as there were lots of people in between.

 

We were faked out by being too close to the first bridge and is now too far from the main bridge.

 

 

 

 

These are the backup dancers now on the bridge from the first act but nobody is looking that way. See all heads are turning the other way where the CD is - behind us

 

 

 

 

Check out what the CD is holding

 

 

 

 

Trying to inch along to the main action but way too many people ahead of us

 

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

 

 

 

 

Trying to inch closer but not easy to do with lots of people standing in front of you. Note the little kid watching from the PR cabin on the right hand side. Best thing for little ones is to watch this from the PR cabins

 

 

 

 

Hmmmm, what is the first letter from the song again? Oh, yeah, I remember it now…

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

 

 

Looks like someone is having fun on their vacation

 

 

 

 

Check out the ring he caught from the CD

 

 

 

 

Confetti time!

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

The zoom of the cameras made it looked like we are close by in reality, we ae still pretty far back

 

 

 

 

 

 

Village people taking a break to walk down to the audience as they do “the Hustle” up on the stage. Yes, I know that song from younger days also…

 

 

 

 

The buffy dude walking down. See the General store sign behind him? Stand around that area to look up at the bridge and you will be very close to the action

 

 

 

 

Compared to the buffy dude, the construction guy seems a little lacking on the muscle front. You sure this guy is a construction dude? Looks more like Finance or Engineering…

 

 

[harryfat1]

With the Village people in the audience, they started the “Love Train” – lingo from the old days. For the younger crowd, it’s the Conga line. Regardless of what you called it, all 4 of us joined in as we rode up and down RP.

 

 

 

 

We latched on at the end of this part

 

 

 

 

By doing the line, it got us closer to the action and hence better pictures without the crappy digital zoom of the cell phone

 

 

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

Conclusion of the party

 

 

 

 

Is it just me or the Indian dude looks as bored as I am at work? Oh, wait, he is at work, never mind…

 

 

 

 

 

 

My son caught one of the freebie ring thrown out by the CD. Second cruise in a row we got a freebie ring. On the Allure, my older son caught one. How lucky is that?

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

That last picture was taken at 11:22 as the party just ended so for those that have the RP cabins and worry about the noise keeping you up late at night; note that by 11:30, everything is quiet on RP. Unless you insist on sleeping by 10:30 then you will hear some rumbling bass thumping noises through the windows. There’s another party going on after that elsewhere but we’re ready to call it a day after walking around the ruins all afternoon and we have another early tour planned the next morning.

 

Back when my kids were younger, I booked the RP cabins with the thinking they would be too young for the disco crowd and would be trampled form all the adults down at the RP. But they could still watch the show in their PJs from the cabin window looking down. I saw few families doing that with little kids on this cruise as well. So keep this in mind if you have little cruisers in your party.

 

I have read reviews from various cruisers that didn’t like RP view cabins. That’s fine. Personal preference. These cabins work for us and for the Adventure of the Seas, I booked another 3 RP cabins. Good value and for people watching folks like us, it’s better than ocean view cabins. Besides, no need to convince everyone to like what you like. Basic law of supply and demand – if everyone hates the RP cabins, RCI would need to drop their prices rock bottom to fill them. That’s better than if everyone loves the RP cabins and fills them quickly, then the prices will skyrocket.

 

So it’s better if fewer people like what you like. Thus, ignore what I just said about RP cabins. They suck so don’t book any RP cabins on my cruise as cheapo dad wants the RP cabins to be $25/pp day as everyone hates RP cabins. Never going to happen but if fewer people book these, the more RCI has to discount them and I’m better off for it.

[harryfat1]

Saw another red light flashing on the phone with a VM message waiting for me. Ehh? First cruise ever I have received 2 VM on back to back nights. Guess who called? Yeap, it was my buddy the port shopping guy from RCI. He said he is leaving VM for all the people that went to his tour talk the other day. Since the Freedom will be docked at the International Pier, anyone that wants to go downtown with him to shop, he is letting people know that Diamonds International will be paying for the free taxi cab to take people shopping in the downtown area. Keep that in mind for the big shopping crowd.

 

 

More towel animals back at the cabins as we try go back and just unwind after all the dance party excitement. Took a little time to settle down before going to sleep.

 

 

 

 

Side view

 

 

 

 

Second one with front view as the front view doesn't show how long it is

 

 

 

 

Second one with side view

 

 

[harryfat1]

Day 5 - Cozumel

 

Here’s the daily compass

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rcarper4001]

Hello Harry,

 

Thank you for posting your review. Like you my wife and I are both accountants. So as you are telling us about your dinner conversation I laugh because that is like my wife and I. Like you I am a proud cheapo dad. I am also a proud Gold member. On are last cruise we went to the welcome back party (for the free drinks) and a couple was being recognized for reaching pinnacle level. All I could think about was how much it cost them to become a pinnacle member.

 

We are considering a Freedom cruise. Have been on Oasis in 2013 and 2015. We only eat in the MDR (like you to cheap to pay for Chops) I noticed a decline in the MDR in food quality from my two cruise. But was still happy for the MDR on both cruises. I realize food is subjective. How would you compare the MDR food with you Allure cruise to your Freedom cruise? Thank you again and keep the money saving tips coming.:p

[CruisinCrow]

 

Side view

 

 

 

 

 

What IS this?? :)

Edited January 20, 2017 by CruisinCrow

[AmyJA]

What IS this?? :)

 

Fantastical beast?

[fletch1027]

 

Thanks for the offer to join your cruise but we only cruise the Caribbean in December. The summer vacation is the road trip type where we drive for couple thousands of miles around the western states taking pictures of rocks and misc. items.

 

 

 

Harry, reading this made me think of something I read a couple of months ago. Since you guys like driving around out west looking at rocks - if your family is also fans of Star Wars, then you should click on this link and read about this adventure:

 

Star Wars in Death Valley

 

It's a route to follow in a section of Death Valley where you can visit a lot of scenes from the original Star Wars movies. Of course you guys are spoiled living in the Bay Area with being around a lot of other Star Wars stuff! :)

[fletch1027]

Hi,

 

Thanks for reading along.

 

I guess with the 6 & 8 flip flop, it's good for the 8 day folks as they get an extra day. Have a great cruise.

 

Wow, Blackberry? You must be the super minority to still be using those guys. Must be a super fan from the old days.

 

 

Yep, we're excited about the 8 day that we're doing next month! An 8th night, plus a couple of ports that used to only be available on "southern" caribbean cruises (San Juan & St. Kitts)...

[harryfat1]

Hello Harry,

 

Thank you for posting your review. Like you my wife and I are both accountants. So as you are telling us about your dinner conversation I laugh because that is like my wife and I. Like you I am a proud cheapo dad. I am also a proud Gold member. On are last cruise we went to the welcome back party (for the free drinks) and a couple was being recognized for reaching pinnacle level. All I could think about was how much it cost them to become a pinnacle member.

 

We are considering a Freedom cruise. Have been on Oasis in 2013 and 2015. We only eat in the MDR (like you to cheap to pay for Chops) I noticed a decline in the MDR in food quality from my two cruise. But was still happy for the MDR on both cruises. I realize food is subjective. How would you compare the MDR food with you Allure cruise to your Freedom cruise? Thank you again and keep the money saving tips coming.:p

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for following the trip report. Yes, we finance people are trained to see the world in a different shade of gray.

 

It’s a big time and financial commitment to get to the 700 points for Pinnacle level.

 

I could be wrong but I don’t think they have welcome back party for the gold level folks like you & I. It’s now for the higher level folks. So hoped you enjoyed your free drink.

 

As for the food, I believe read that the menu is pretty much the same fleet wide, with exception of some tweaks like no lobster on some regions. They have cut back on some favorites dishes such as duck or prime ribs. We have noticed that this is the most empty we have seen of MDR on any cruise for any cruise line. Think people have gone for either end – packing in the WJ or do the specialty dining instead.

 

If you have 8 PM set dining, one option is to look at the menu from the electronic sign to have a general idea on what’s being served at MDR and then swing by WJ at 7 something to see what they are serving that night and make a game time decision on where to eat.

[harryfat1]

What IS this?? :)

 

Fantastical beast?

 

Yeah, I don’t know what it is either. My best guess is seal but don’t know.

 

I originally took a direct frontal picture of it as I walked in but realized the frontal view doesn’t show how long it is so I took a second picture on the side.

 

My kids bought a Carnival towel animal book awhile back that teaches you how to fold all these animals. Maybe I need to find that book and see if this guy shows up somewhere.

[harryfat1]

 

 

Harry, reading this made me think of something I read a couple of months ago. Since you guys like driving around out west looking at rocks - if your family is also fans of Star Wars, then you should click on this link and read about this adventure:

 

Star Wars in Death Valley

 

It's a route to follow in a section of Death Valley where you can visit a lot of scenes from the original Star Wars movies. Of course you guys are spoiled living in the Bay Area with being around a lot of other Star Wars stuff! :)

 

Yep, we're excited about the 8 day that we're doing next month! An 8th night, plus a couple of ports that used to only be available on "southern" caribbean cruises (San Juan & St. Kitts)...

 

 

Thanks for the cool site. I will definitely save this for later in life reference.

 

But I’m not crazy enough to want to go to Death Valley in the summer months as part of the driving trip. The “average” high for July there is 117 degrees Fahrenheit or 47 degrees Celsius for the overseas folks. That is crazy hot. When they say average, it also means it will go above 117 on any given day.

 

No thank you. There's a reason why it's called DEATH valley and not Club Med...

 

This would need to be a winter visit on one of those years where we go to Disneyland during Christmas week instead of a cruise and then make a detour there.

 

Yeah, looks like RCI is making a bigger commitment to the other Caribbean islands. Oasis now visits San Juan as part of her Eastern route and Allure now goes to St. Kitts. So for people that are repeaters for the mega ships, having a new itinerary will be less of the same old, same old.

Edited January 21, 2017 by harryfat1

[harryfat1]

Before we get on with the detailed activities of the day, just want to point out that sometime today, they started to assign the departure luggage tags so you know your cruise is coming to an end soon. As you recall, our original plan for us was to take the HoHo Miami bus but since it was too early in the morning for us, we decided to skip it this time.

 

As part of the cruise registration before we left home, we informed RCI that we have a flight in the evening so they assign us a later luggage tag #22. Looking at the list, the last one is #39. Since we are in no hurry to get off the ship, that’s the one we want. Typically you read stories of people trying to run off the ship ASAP on the last day. We are the opposite. We don’t mind being the last couple hundred to depart the ship on the last day. Later on that night I would go to guest services and switched out to tag #38. Just want to point that out now as I remember it. Old man memory being what it is, I will likely forget to mention this important aspect later on. So it’s best to talk about now as I still remember it.

 

Here’s the “As you depart” info (aka let’s kick out the cheapo riff raffs off the ship ASAP and welcome the REAL passengers that are willing to pay the premium for the Christmas cruise…)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 2

 

[harryfat1]

OK, enough digression. Time to discuss our last port of call – Cozumel.

 

We were up a little after 7 AM – not a fan of these early morning wake ups while on vacation. Went to WJ as the Freedom has already docked by time we made it upstairs. Then as we went over to my favorite section of WJ, guess what greeted us?

 

What a glorious sight to see such big and round behind backing up straight at us at 7:30! I really think every time Captain Johnny from the Harmony backs up the ship at the pier, they should play the “Baby Got Back” rap song from Sir Mix A lot over their PA. All the passengers on Harmony should shout out: 2-4-6-8, Who’s got the biggest aft in the whole port? We do, we do. I like them big and round…

 

 

The Harmony attracts a lot of attention both from the workers and guests on the Freedom as you hear everyone say “there’s the Harmony” as everyone wants to see the newest & largest ship in the fleet and leans out against the window. Only had my cell phone with me so couldn’t zoom in closer to see the Harmony but from this picture, you see some people looking out from their balconies. It would be funny if someone there is from CC.

 

Everyone else is mesmerized by the ship

 

 

 

 

OK, back to work and time to eat

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

Oh, if you look at this picture long enough, you will notice that most of the people have the similar pose in leaning against the railing at the balcony. This must be the standard stance when you have the balcony cabin – arms folded and lean forward. Similar to the hand wave gesture by the Queen of England. It’s what you do.

 

I also did NOT see one single camera or cell phone from the Harmony trying to take a picture of us as they were docking. Either nobody at the starboard balcony section is into photography or we are not worthy of them taking a snap shot of us…

 

 

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

Looking further out, we also saw another old friend from our past - Carnival Glory. We were on her back in 2013 in the New England cruise. It is always good to see old friends at a different port. I’m just sentimental that way.

 

 

 

 

Back to the Harmony now right next to us

 

 

 

 

I just realized I didn’t take any pictures of my breakfast food. Think I was too busy staring at Harmony’s big aft to take a picture of the food. Oh, well, not as if you folks don’t know what I ate daily for breakfast.

 

So after breakfast, we made our way back to the cabin and met up with the in-laws to go down to RP to the pre-set gathering place by the Christmas tree to meet up with my wife’s friend’s family as we have a private island tour planned for the day. Yes, all 16 of us.

 

Took this picture by plopping the cell phone directly on top of the ship plaque to help center the picture. Pretty empty RP at 8:20 per the clock on the upper right-hand.

 

 

[harryfat1]

 

 

RP with the morning color

 

 

 

 

[harryfat1]

Unlike the GC fiasco where we had no beach towels, this time everyone in the group went upstairs and got them the previous day so we are all set.

 

After gathering all the troops, we made it out. This is by far the easiest ship exit of the 3 ports. No tender and no big group excursion lining up to get off or maybe they got off already by 8:30.

 

I have always liked the canyon feel of being blocked off by 2 mammoth cruise ships.

 

 

 

 

Of course, now they have tons of towels outside but I think the crew is from the Harmony and not from the Freedom

 

 

 

 

Hey, what we have here. Mooring ropes. Bet you folks never seen these before in my trip report. How about that? Take a picture…

 

 

And another one

 

 

 

 

Wow, guess what…