Freedom of the Seas 3/18/17 LIVE

[prmetime]

Unfortunately not. There are only 2 standard 120 volt outlets. I have an Anker USB charging station that allows me to plug in 10 USB cords that works out great for charging 3 iPhones, 3 Apple watch chargers, 3 portable backup batteries for the iPhones, and my digital camera.

 

Thank you for your response. I do have a 4 USB charging port that I will likely bring with us which is good in either 120 volt or 220 volts. I hesitate because I have heard that these type of units may be confiscated. It sounds like these type of units are permitted.

[skohrs]

Good morning Labadee!!! It was raining this morning, but the Captain said it is done for the day and should be nice for the remainder.

 

 

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[Pia1913]

I find it quite interesting that the regular price at Chops is only $30. We were on the Oasis end of 2016 and the Allure Feb. '17 and both are charging $42 at Chops. We did got to Chops the first nite on Oasis (had a lot of OBC) for $21; wouldn't do it again. I agree with your "meh."

[JIVE TURKEY 58]

We are on FOS 4/15. Can't wait. Thanks so much for the pics and info.

 

 

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[rodenboy]

I'm doing this 8 night itinerary (although it's backwards) next March! I'm really excited. It will be my first time on a Freedom class ship, I hope it doesn't seem old in comparison to her Oasis class sisters [emoji85]

 

Also, mother has asked whether you can take a photo of the ice cream choices in B&J's! Don't worry if you don't go back there! Thanks in advance :)

 

 

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[skohrs]

I find it quite interesting that the regular price at Chops is only $30. We were on the Oasis end of 2016 and the Allure Feb. '17 and both are charging $42 at Chops. We did got to Chops the first nite on Oasis (had a lot of OBC) for $21; wouldn't do it again. I agree with your "meh."

 

 

 

I think the price onboard for Chops is $35. The Bogo us get two nights in specialty dining for $30 total. Giovannis is$30 and Savor is $29.

 

 

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[sea shepherd]

Anybody notice on this cruise the island oasis blenders are gone. And there is a new frozen drink mix to go along with the new cheep blenders?

 

 

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[skohrs]

Anybody notice on this cruise the island oasis blenders are gone. And there is a new frozen drink mix to go along with the new cheep blenders?

 

 

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I didn't notice, but I don't drink frozen drinks.

 

 

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[skohrs]

I'm doing this 8 night itinerary (although it's backwards) next March! I'm really excited. It will be my first time on a Freedom class ship, I hope it doesn't seem old in comparison to her Oasis class sisters [emoji85]

 

Also, mother has asked whether you can take a photo of the ice cream choices in B&J's! Don't worry if you don't go back there! Thanks in advance :)

 

 

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No problem.

 

 

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[riclop]

Thanks for sharing.

[rodenboy]

No problem.

 

 

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You're a star!!

 

Thanks for sharing your experience onboard, your pictures look amazing :)

 

 

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[ncornelius307@gmail.com]

Following... I leave Sunday on FOS

 

 

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[skohrs]

These photos are for Cheapo Dad if he is following this.

 

 

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[skohrs]

Day 2 - Sea Day

 

We started out the morning with our first breakfast at Windjammer. We always get breakfast there. We have done the dining room on past cruises hoping we would find something amazing that is not available at Windjammer, but we are always disappointed that we didn't go to Windjammer, so we stopped trying to fix what isn't broken. We started out with the essentials for a good breakfast: Coffee and Tabasco (not together of course). If I have those two things, everything else will be great.

 

 

We went down to breakfast at about 9am since it was a sea day, and we had no problem getting a table by the window (even on this sold out spring break cruise). It was just me and the wife this time. The 14-year-old girls wanted to sleep in after a late night hanging out with other teens on the ship. Since we live in Orlando, there are a lot of other kids on this cruise that they already know from school.

 

Once again, the servers were all great. I don't remember getting this level of service from the buffet servers on any other cruise. We never had to get up coffee, juice, or pastries. Also, nobody tried to sell us any specialty dining during breakfast. What a beautiful view we had from our table.

 

 

 

After breakfast we went up to Olive or Twist for the Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle. There were supposed to be 83 people there, but I think about 40 showed up. That significantly increased our odds of winning a raffle prize. There was only one prize that they were giving away that we were hoping to get. It was a color changing beach bag from Del Sol with a color changing shirt, some color changing hair clips, and color changing nail polish that goes on clear, but turns red in the sun. We never win anything, but low and behold, when they got to the Del Sol bag they called out my wife's number. Yippee!!!!!!! Now, I need to closely check my nails when I wake up each day to make sure my wife did not paint them with the clear polish so they will turn red when I go outside. :eek: There was a beautiful view from Olive or Twist. We could see another ship not far away, but I couldn't make out what ship it was.

 

 

[skohrs]

After we left Olive orTwist, we headed down to the Royal Promenade and came upon a question andanswer session with the ship's officers. Captain Toni Calne from Finland wasvery informative and seems like a really nice guy. He is so young too (I thinkthey said he was the youngest Captain in the fleet). He said he is from a longline of Captains and Chief Engineers on ships. His father was a Captain, andhis father was a Captain, and his father was a Captain. He said if he ever hasa son, he will be a Captain too. No pressure there....

 

 

I didn't know that Robin Leach now worked as an officer on a Royal Caribbean ship (2nd from the left next to the Captain). No more Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous for him... Actually, that is Hotel Director Gary Davies from Liverpool, England. So I guess this is the person to contact about the extremely hard beds. ;p

 

The most interesting thing about this question and answer session was the ridiculous questions people were asking. There were people asking about pounds of thrust and all kinds of other questions that were clearly being asked just to show everyone else how smart they are.

 

 

When we left there, we went to our appointment at the Next Cruise office to book our "Next Cruise". We have never booked onboard before. We usually book our cruises within a few months of sailing. This time, we actually booked a Mediterranean Cruise for next June in a balcony room on the new Symphony of the Seas!!!!! We are so excited. A brand new ship and our first trip to Europe.

 

 

 

After booking our Symphony of the Seas cruise, we got on the elevator. I guess some kids saw the movie Elf recently and decided to make the buttons light up like a Christmas tree.

 

 

 

 

We went to relax by the pool after that at the Solarium. We waited about 10 minutes to get a couple loungers in the sun (there are not too many chairs in the sun in the Solarium). After a couple hours, a band started playing Caribbean style music by the main pool, so we moved to there to listen to the music. Unfortunately, about 10 minutes later it started raining a little, so the band had to stop playing (the whole electricity + water = unsafe thing). Soon after, it started raining harder, so we headed down last minute to go see the ice show. It was pretty good. Hard to believe they can do that in such a small area on a moving ship. Here are some photos from the show.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 21, 2017 by skohrs

[skohrs]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's late (2:30am), so I'll post more tomorrow.

[kdoc98]

Loving your review and living vicariously through your adventures!! Thank you!!

 

 

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[tahqa]

We could see another ship not far away, but I couldn't make out what ship it was.

 

 

That's the Coral Princess. She's probably on her way to Aruba and then on to the Panama Canal. :)

[luv2cruiserccl]

Any new compass at all those first ones great and adventure ocean!

 

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[skohrs]

Any new compass at all those first ones great and adventure ocean!

 

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Day 3

 

 

 

 

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Edited March 22, 2017 by skohrs

[skohrs]

Any new compass at all those first ones great and adventure ocean!

 

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Day 4

 

 

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[skohrs]

Any new compass at all those first ones great and adventure ocean!

 

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Day 5

 

 

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[luv2cruiserccl]

Thank you!!!!

 

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[linwood77]

Thanks so much for the Cruise Compass! We will be on the next Eastern Caribbean cruise leaving April 1st. They have really helped with our planning. Have you had any problems with the mosquitos yet?

[skohrs]

Day 2 (cont.)

 

We went to the early showing of the production show "Marquee: A Tribute to the Shows that Light Up Broadway" because we had 8PM reservations at Giovanni's. The show was pretty good. Not the same as seeing a full broadway show like on the Oasis class ships, but not necessarily worse. Here is why. This show covered many different Broadway shows, and just a few minutes of each. If you don't like a particular show, you only have to wait a few minutes for a different show. If you see a production show, and it is one you don't like, it can be a long 90 minutes. For example, I would rather have my teeth pulled without any painkillers than sit through a performance of Cats. I know some people like Cats (or it wouldn't have run for so long), but I find it to be one of the worst shows ever with no discernible plot. I am kind of a musical theater geek (I was a music major in college), but I cannot for the life of me figure out why this show was ever popular. Sorry for the rant, but just thinking about having to sit through that play one more time gets my blood boiling. At any rate, this performance of Marquee had songs from 42nd Street, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Phanton of the Opera, La Cage a Folles, Cabaret, Hair, and some others I cannot remember. Here are a few photos.