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Freedom of the Seas - July 14-21 - Post Cruise Report

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MA cruisers

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we are doing this same itinerary in October and I am looking forward to hearing about Barbados,Antiqua and St. Lucia - three islands we have never been despite over 25 cruises!! Enjoying your review so far. Thanks for sharing it.

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BillOh Holiday Sharing Rare

BillOh

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The Ship and Day #1 - Embarkation

 

 

 

This being the 4th time we have been on Freedom, we knew what to expect. And, I am happy to say (despite a number of negative reviews on these boards), the ship is in excellent shape.

 

 

Did you use the gangways and board directly onto the Promenade, or did you board on deck 1 or 2 walking directly from the dock level? The gangways have been closed since the 2017 hurricanes. We boarded Jewel on deck 1 last April and the gangways weren't yet operating.

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CubsWin2016!

CubsWin2016!

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We were on the second leg of our B2B for this cruise. So interesting to read about what other people were doing. This was our 3rd and 4th week on Freedom. It was a very busy 2 weeks with 9 ports of call. Look forward to reading about the rest of your adventures.

Barbara

 

A B2B huh? Wow!! We have always wanted to do a B2B but you know...work, dogs, etc. I guess we are just not at that point in our lives. That said, I would LOVE it because I could take one week to totally relax!!!

:cool:

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CubsWin2016!

CubsWin2016!

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Thanks for review. Looking forward to reading more. My husband and I are on Freedom March 3rd. Only staying one night in Condado at the sister hotel, AC.

 

 

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The AC looked very nice...we choose the Stellaris since it looked more suitable for kiddos. I will think of you during the first week in March knowing that we set sail in only a couple more weeks!

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CubsWin2016!

CubsWin2016!

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Day #4 – Antigua

 

We woke on Day #4 knowing a brand-new adventure awaited us. Having been to St. Maarten and St. Kitts before we had familiarity with them but it would be the first time we would be in Antigua.

 

With more beach time and shopping on the agenda, we started our day with a healthy breakfast consisting of a kale shake and tofu pancakes. Uh huh…they just happened to look like waffles covered in strawberry sauce and smoked salmon, cream cheese on bagels (me), bacon (B), real pancakes (K) and donuts ®(to her credit, P actually eats healthy breakfasts – fruit and yogurt!).

 

We then took a taxi to Ft. James Beach. I still cannot decide if our driver was charming or the most annoying man in the history of the world. I do know his laugh was about as grating as possible and the stories he told about his kids and grandkids were a touch hard to believe. I also know the beach was fantastic and we all regretted asking him to come back after only two hours because we were all having such a great time (fortunately, another driver came to pick us up so we were not forced to hear more stories about how his son flew to the moon and discovered the lost tomb of Ramses). One thing I need to say about the beach in Antigua…the sand is the softest I have ever felt. It was incredible.

 

Lunch on the ship was then followed by shopping in the area near the pier. After all, now that his older brother has a watch, guess what B wants? And so before long, both boys had new watches. New watches proudly worn on their wrists, the boys joined their sister on the ship while P and I did a touch more shopping and stopped for strawberry daquiris at “Cheers.” Now there is a famous Simpsons episode where beer becomes illegal in Springfield and Moe charges Barney $45 for a pint. Barney says “$45! This better be the best dang beer in the world!” That is how P and I felt when we saw the cost but I am happy to say that they very well may have been the best daquiris we had ever drank!! Delicious!

 

We closed our trip to Antigua by stumbling into the “other” shopping area (we were docked at Heritage Quay and stumbled upon Redcliffe Quay– no, we were not drunk…perhaps I should have written that we “happened upon the other shopping area”) and were glad we did. We loved Heritage but Redcliffe had more of a charm to it in our opinion. It is worth a walk through if you are in St. John’s.

 

(P will also get angry with me if I do not mention the very nice street dog we met in Antigua. So consider him mentioned. And consider me not in trouble…)

 

Once back on the ship, we got ready for dinner in the MDR. After a nice dinner, we gathered in the Schooner Bar to see how much we knew about Disney music. Alas, we did not know as much as a group who scored a perfect 18/18 but it was still a lot of fun. We then went to the ice show (Freedomice.com) which we had seen before so we knew it was incredible. I think everyone needs to take a minute to really appreciate the talent and skill of the skaters, especially given the size of the rink. Really, really impressive.

 

Before going to bed, we all agreed that Antigue was a real winner and, having never been there either, we hoped St. Lucia would be just as fantastic.

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jerijkstr

jerijkstr

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We leave Friday and reading your review is getting even more excited! I’ve been reading the reviews to my 11 (12 on the ship) ur old daughter. Although, I’m a little nervous about the “not perfect “ part - hope your family was ok!!

 

 

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CubsWin2016!

CubsWin2016!

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We leave Friday and reading your review is getting even more excited! I’ve been reading the reviews to my 11 (12 on the ship) ur old daughter. Although, I’m a little nervous about the “not perfect “ part - hope your family was ok!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Absolutely no reason to be nervous and everyone is awesome! Now that I have piqued your interest, you will soon learn that five ports in five days simply had us wishing we had a sea day in the middle to break things up!!

 

Glad you are enjoying the review and getting more excited. I am excited for you. In fact, B and I have been putting on sunscreen even when we are not outside because it "smells like vacation!" (Yes, I am a touch weird!)

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joromay

joromay

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Thanks for the review; it's been great! We're leaving on FOS in 11 days and I can't wait! It's interesting that our itinerary is slightly different (St. Thomas, Aruba, Curacao and St. Kitts). Did I read correctly that you were on board at 10:15 am? We are Platinum members and want to go on board early, but didn't know how early we could actually board. When we did the Anthem two years ago, we were given a "window" for when to board, but I'm not seeing that this time, so I'm just not sure what time to arrive. We're coming into San Juan the day before as well and going to OSJ in the afternoon so we figured we would board as early as possible to enjoy the ship before it gets crowded. Thanks!

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CruisingMacs

CruisingMacs

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Day #4 – Antigua

 

We woke on Day #4 knowing a brand-new adventure awaited us. Having been to St. Maarten and St. Kitts before we had familiarity with them but it would be the first time we would be in Antigua.

 

With more beach time and shopping on the agenda, we started our day with a healthy breakfast consisting of a kale shake and tofu pancakes. Uh huh…they just happened to look like waffles covered in strawberry sauce and smoked salmon, cream cheese on bagels (me), bacon (B), real pancakes (K) and donuts ®(to her credit, P actually eats healthy breakfasts – fruit and yogurt!).

 

We then took a taxi to Ft. James Beach. I still cannot decide if our driver was charming or the most annoying man in the history of the world. I do know his laugh was about as grating as possible and the stories he told about his kids and grandkids were a touch hard to believe. I also know the beach was fantastic and we all regretted asking him to come back after only two hours because we were all having such a great time (fortunately, another driver came to pick us up so we were not forced to hear more stories about how his son flew to the moon and discovered the lost tomb of Ramses). One thing I need to say about the beach in Antigua…the sand is the softest I have ever felt. It was incredible.

 

Lunch on the ship was then followed by shopping in the area near the pier. After all, now that his older brother has a watch, guess what B wants? And so before long, both boys had new watches. New watches proudly worn on their wrists, the boys joined their sister on the ship while P and I did a touch more shopping and stopped for strawberry daquiris at “Cheers.” Now there is a famous Simpsons episode where beer becomes illegal in Springfield and Moe charges Barney $45 for a pint. Barney says “$45! This better be the best dang beer in the world!” That is how P and I felt when we saw the cost but I am happy to say that they very well may have been the best daquiris we had ever drank!! Delicious!

 

We closed our trip to Antigua by stumbling into the “other” shopping area (we were docked at Heritage Quay and stumbled upon Redcliffe Quay– no, we were not drunk…perhaps I should have written that we “happened upon the other shopping area”) and were glad we did. We loved Heritage but Redcliffe had more of a charm to it in our opinion. It is worth a walk through if you are in St. John’s.

 

(P will also get angry with me if I do not mention the very nice street dog we met in Antigua. So consider him mentioned. And consider me not in trouble…)

 

Once back on the ship, we got ready for dinner in the MDR. After a nice dinner, we gathered in the Schooner Bar to see how much we knew about Disney music. Alas, we did not know as much as a group who scored a perfect 18/18 but it was still a lot of fun. We then went to the ice show (Freedomice.com) which we had seen before so we knew it was incredible. I think everyone needs to take a minute to really appreciate the talent and skill of the skaters, especially given the size of the rink. Really, really impressive.

 

Before going to bed, we all agreed that Antigue was a real winner and, having never been there either, we hoped St. Lucia would be just as fantastic.

 

Enjoy your posts! Thanks for posting the on-board time! We thought it was 30 minutes before but you never know when they change things. Looking forward to St. Lucia and Barbados!

Edited by CruisingMacs
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CubsWin2016!

CubsWin2016!

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Thanks for posting this review, I am thoroughly enjoying it and looking forward to much more! I was the one asking about the condition of the Freedom and you very kindly responded. I am sure I will have lots of questions.

 

Did you rent a car in San Juan? It seems like you got around quite a bit in your few days, so I'm wondering if you had a car or used taxis or excursions? We are probably going to fly down on a Friday morning for a Sunday cruise and I was thinking of renting a car at the airport and dropping it off 2 days later in Condado. I thought we could walk to OSJ on Friday afternoon/evening, drive to ElYunque on Saturday morning and do a Bio Bay Saturday night. Then Sunday we could always return to OSJ before or after boarding if there was anything we missed or wanted to revisit...like Pina Coladas.

 

Sorry your Bio Bay didn't work out. Is there one that is doing well and allowing visitors at this time. I read something about the one on the southwest side of the island allowing swimming, but other stuff I read says this one is not the brightest. I'd appreciate any wisdom you can share!

 

Thanks again!

 

Eeyore

 

Hi Eeyore! Glad you are enjoying the review! Thanks for reading.

 

We did rent a car but it probably did not end up being worth it since the Bio Bay excursion got cancelled (prior to booking the car, I did a full financial analysis since I am admittedly frugal). We ended up just taking it to El Yunque and to OSJ. The big question for you really should be whether you can book at tour to El Yunque for a decent price. Getting to OSJ is easy via taxi/Uber (although if you are staying in Condado, it is too far to walk). Ultimately, it depends on the rental cost - it was fairly high the days we were there hence my comment that it did not end up being worth it. Gotta do some research, right?!?

 

As for the BioBay, I believe it is fairly well known that Fajardo is generally not as bright at Vieques. The problem with the latter is the logistics can be a challenge - you have to get to the island of Vieques on your own. In our case, it was impossible and I fear you will find it is the same for you. The key is to go as close to the new moon as possible so it dark. I just hope the seagrass subsides soon and you can make a trip since it was not possible when we were there. Oh well!

 

Can't wait to hear how it goes for you!

 

(And please feel free to ask as many questions as you like!)

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watts.jm

watts.jm

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My wife and I leave on Aug 11th. Essentially first cruise for us. I have a couple of questions that I would love to get your opinion.

 

We get to PR a day before we set sail and stay a few days after we return. On our departure day, we are debating seeing PR (possibly El Yunque) and boarding later or trying to get on the ship ASAP. Thoughts?

 

Thoughts on the specialty restaurants?

 

Thoughts on Mystery Theater dining event?

 

Thank you in advance

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Denise5374

Denise5374

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Thanks Denise5374! You are going to have an amazing time and I look forward to your review as well!!! Hope you keep reading this one. I am not done yet!

 

Really looking forward to being back in Freedom. She was our first RCCL ship way back in 2008.

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CubsWin2016!

CubsWin2016!

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Day #5 – St. Lucia (This one may be a little long…)

 

I had seen many, many pictures of St. Lucia and for a long time it was the #1 island I wanted to visit. So much that while we are used to spending our port days at beaches and in the shopping areas, we booked a full day tour so we could see the entire island. Research led me to Spencer Ambrose Tours (once again, my apologies to RCCL but we prefer to do things on our own) and after much consideration, decided on the “West Coast Island Delight.” We chose that specific tour because it included (1) a long drive through the countryside and mountains; (2) a visit to Castries; (3) a visit to the “walk-in volcano”; (4) a visit to a banana plantation; and (5) minimal time at the beach. Yes, all these details are important. There may be a quiz so pay attention!!!

 

After getting off the ship (do I really have to tell you what we did for breakfast and what I ate or have you figured it out by now?), we were greeted by Spencer and his guides and he told us he had amazing news for us. He told us that we were receiving an upgrade and, while we would still visit all the sites, we would have more time to see them because we would be taking a speedboat rather than a van. Hmmmm…okay. Well, I actually prefer the van but as long as we still get to see all the amazing sites…

 

So we hop in the speedboat with a number of others and head up the west coast. Now might be a good time to mention want to mention that I am not a good swimmer. And when I say I am not a good swimmer, I mean that I CANNOT SWIM AT ALL and the open ocean scares the heck out of me. But who am I to be a wet blanket and complain when I can be a soaking wet human when the boat starts hitting waves? Especially when I can be so wet from the waves that I really would not even mind the pouring rain but for the fact that it is coming at us sideways and smacking us directly in the face?!?

 

Finally we arrive in Anse Chastanet which very well may be the most beautiful place I have ever seen. (We only stopped in Anse Chastanet because we had to drop off two people who picked the snorkeling adventure and also received an “upgrade”). The sun came out and we then headed to Soufriere where we boarded a van to take us to some of the land sites. Great we think…we are going to the banana plantation and to the volcano and to Castries!!!

 

70’s singer Meatloaf once famously sand “two out of three ain’t bad.” Well, I wonder what he would say about one out of three because we never came anywhere close to Castries and while we did drive past a plantation, we certainly did not make a visit. Now, we did visit the volcano (having selected the volcano tour over the mud bath) and it was really, really cool. The Sulphur smell certainly is not pleasant but it was fascinating to see the bubbling pools of muddy water and the rising steam. We even got to climb down to a brook to dip our hands in the water and it was hot! I just pray that the volcano never blows again as it would be an indescribable disaster.

 

Now remember when I said Spencer promised us we would spend more time at the sites? It turns out he was specifically referring to the beach. Ok...quiz time. Who remembers the reasons why we chose the specific tour? That is right! Because we intentionally wanted less time at the beach. And as much as I hate to say it, we were right to feel that way. First the positive…the setting was incredible. I have not yet mentioned the Pitons but they were everything I hoped – amazingly beautiful. And to be on a beach located between them…wow. Further, the creole lunch we were served was fantastic! However…

 

…the beach is divided into two sections. 90% of it belongs to a resort that is happy to rent you a beach chair…for $50. The other 10% is the public area that is overcrowded, rocky, and a bit dirty. After waiting about 20 minutes for chairs to open, we tried to make the best of the situation, even trying to ignore the rain. Things looked up…until it rained again. Sense a pattern here? At least K and B were smart as they spentt heir time playing in the water on the resort side.

 

We (finally) left the beach at 3:15. At this point, we realized that a trip on our own to Castries was out but if the boat hurried we might just have a little time for some shopping near the pier. Now I am not going to say the boat did not hurry because it did. But as we approached Marigot Bay (which is also extremely beautiful), the guide announced that we had to stop because “someone has to go to the bathroom.” Now I understand there are times when nature calls and you have to answer. I especially understand the need to take care of things when one will not otherwise have the opportunity to do so for a considerable period of time. But here is the catch – we were only 5 or 10 minutes away from the pier!!! The bottom line is twenty minutes later, we were back on our way and all hopes we had of shopping were gone.

 

Exhausted from the day, we decided the MDR was not a good option and headed to Johnny Rockets for dinner. Spending an extra $10 per person is not my idea of economic efficiency (yes, they have raised the prices to $10 pp!) but I do like their chili, burgers and hot fudge sundaes so what the heck. And we were even entertained by our server who sang for everyone and had an excellent voice.

 

K, B and I finished the day by going to the theatre where there was a three-woman singing group performing (Unique 3). They were very good singers and we enjoyed them. A quick stop for pizza at Sorrento’s and it was off to bed!

 

(Note – After rereading this post, I realize I probably comes across as though we had a miserable day which is not quite true. St. Lucia is truly a BEAUTIFUL island and we did some amazing things. Further, while I mentioned the rain a couple of times and it was unfortunate when the weather did not cooperate, we had plenty of sunshine as well! We were simply disappointed that we were not taken on the tour we paid for. I was especially frustrated with the fact that I asked the guides if we were going to the banana plantation and they told us we were, only to later backtrack and say that it we would not actually visit one because it is “not allowed” (a falsehood). As a postscript, I have exchanged emails with Spencer who sincerely apologized, took responsibility, and offered us what would be called “future considerations” in the sports world. And should we ever get back to St. Lucia – and I hope we do - you can bet that I am going to cash in on those considerations!).

 

Our final port Barbados is next!

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CubsWin2016!

CubsWin2016!

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we are doing this same itinerary in October and I am looking forward to hearing about Barbados,Antiqua and St. Lucia - three islands we have never been despite over 25 cruises!! Enjoying your review so far. Thanks for sharing it.

 

Hi Chris! I am sure you are excited for your trip in October. As I mentioned, we had never been to those three islands either and that is one of the reasons we chose the itinerary. Thanks for the kind words regarding the review. I hope you continue to read and enjoy!

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