luv2cruise0618 Posted August 25, 2018 #1 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Hello Cruisecritic friends, My name is Melissa and my family and I are just off the Freedom of the Seas. I’d like to share our adventure with you. So come along on our fun journey! Here’s a little background on our family : Myself, DH Will, Jordan10 years old, Grace 7 yrs old and Gabrielle 4 years old. We are from Connecticut. We are avid cruisers! DH and I started cruising back in 2001, where he proposed on our 1st cruise ship. Since then, we have been hooked! Prior to starting our family, we were taking approximately two cruises per year. We have now cruised approximately 15 times, all on Royal Caribbean. Since the children have come along, we have done five cruises. Jordan has Cruised five times, Grace has cruised four times and Gabrielle has now Cruised three times. We are diamond members on Royal Caribbean. After many months of planning, we began our adventure on August 15th with pedicures, banking, last minute shopping and packing. We started very early on August 16 with an early a.m. flight leaving out of Bradley at 6am. DH and I pulled and all nighter packing, loading the car, cleaning and closing up the house. The children were put to bed with backpacks packed and in their clothes. We woke the children up at 3:15am and loaded them in the car. We pulled out at 3:40am and arrived at our valet parking at approximately 4:20am. The shuttle ride placed us at the terminal at 4:30pm. The lines were crazy long and we made thru baggage check and security by 5:30am at which point t Kaesong had just begun. We flew from BDL to LaGuardia from 6am-7:10am. Everyone slept on the first flight, thank God. At LaGuardia our next flight departed at 7:55am. We ran thru the terminals as the gates were far apart and arrived spot on time for boarding. This flight was from 7:50-11:30am. Kids flew well, sleeping and then enjoying some tv and iPads and games. More to come shortly.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2cruise0618 Posted August 25, 2018 Author #2 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Upon arrival at SJU, we got our luggage and headed to the taco stand. I must say that the taxi process is very organized. Staff are on hand to assist you with the fixed pricing from the airport with our approximate 6 bags not including carryons and backpacks. The taxi price was $26 - $20 flat fee plus $6 for 6 bags I guess. Our pre-cruise stay was at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Casino and Convention Hotel. The selection of the hotel was a painstaking process as I was torn between the courtyard Isla Verde and the Sheraton. The kids opted for Sheraton because it has a direct view of the cruise pier with freedom of seas. Pro and Cons of the Sheraton: Pros: Proximity to Cruise terminal Customer service was strong Club room for basic snacks Outstanding breakfast buffet but pricey ($20 per adult and $10 per child) Uber is alive and well Infinity pool Staff go above and beyond to meet needs Casino Great music in evenings Good gym with frozen towels Cons: Pool is small Meals are pricey Not much in walking distance Slightly dated Limited breakfast in club room (best to go to main buffet) If I were to do it again, I’d go with the Courtyard. We spent our two days (Thursday and Friday) resting and relaxing at the pool. Dinner ore-cruise was at Longhorn steakhouse which was outstanding! More to come... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2cruise0618 Posted August 25, 2018 Author #3 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Saturday, Aug 18th - embarkation day The family got a good night’s rest and was up at 8:30. We had a another delightful breakfast with 🥓 bacon, Sausage, made to order eggs, French toast, pancakes, toast, fruit, a delicious oatmeal porridge, grilled vegetables, smorgasbord of cheeses and meats, yogurt, Cereals, Coffees, teas, Juices, l milk, Hot chocolate. You name it. It was there. After another lovely breakfast, we dressed and were heading to the pier at around 10:45am. We scheduled an Uber and the ride was approximately $5. Note: if you hail a regular taxi they charge $10 plus $1 per bag. Note there is traffic to the pier. We arrived at approx 11:45am and there were no long lines (used diamond line inside terminal but lines were still short for others). We were in the terminal by 12 noon. We went thru security, check in, pictures, etc and were on board by 12:10pm. Not bad!!! The kids were super excited! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Cruizers Posted August 25, 2018 #4 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Thank you for your review, daughter & I will be on the Freedom but not before March of 2020. Why would you recommend the Courtyard over the Sheratan. This will be our first time to SJ for a cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2cruise0618 Posted August 25, 2018 Author #5 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Thank you for your review, daughter & I will be on the Freedom but not before March of 2020. Why would you recommend the Courtyard over the Sheratan. This will be our first time to SJ for a cruise. Great question. The Courtyard Pools by pictures are spectacular with swim up bar and this hotel is right on the beach. The sitting areas were also high quality. Take a look at their website online for a visual. They are also on Isla Verde with a lot more restaurant options in surrounding area, walking distance. This courtyard is not your traditional one. It is actually considered a resort. Very posh from the pics! Prices were comparable - $200 plus per night. Book early and rates may be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpdog42 Posted August 25, 2018 #6 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Looking forward to the rest of your review!!:D Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliciam Posted August 25, 2018 #7 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Can't wait for the rest! Thanks for sharing your experiences! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Cruizers Posted August 25, 2018 #8 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Thank you, I will take a look at it. coming from So Calif & Colorado for the daughter we will probably come in 2 days pre cruise.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis#1 Posted August 25, 2018 #9 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Thank you for your review, daughter & I will be on the Freedom but not before March of 2020. Why would you recommend the Courtyard over the Sheratan. This will be our first time to SJ for a cruise. Check out the Intercontinental Resort. It is close to the airport. Been to San Juan several times, and the Intercontinental remains our favorite. It has a large pool and great beach. Short taxi ride to old SJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2cruise0618 Posted August 25, 2018 Author #10 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Day 2 - St. Thomas We enjoyed a great breakfast in the Windjammer with all the fixings - bacon, sausage, omelets made to order, cereals, grits, oatmeal, assorted breads, baked beans, ham, cereals, fruits etc. it was a struggle to find a table even on a port day. Windjammer can be very hectic and guest etiquette was lacking at times on this cruise - cutting lines, pushy, etc. It is best to time breakfast a bit earlier. We opted for a beach day. Upon leaving ship there are a number of tour operators. We have been to St. Thomas many times and have usually gone to Magens bay, which is one of the top 10. However we opted for Coki Beach this time around. Coki was breath taking, however it is definitely very rocky and water shoes would be best. Taxi to Coki Beach round trip was approx $80 plus the cost of beach chairs and umbrella. Family enjoyed our day there. Magen’s Bay is our favorite and we will visit next time. We returned to the ship around 4pm for a 6pm dinner seating for formal night. Dinner was lovely...photos forthcoming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EeyoreRN Posted August 26, 2018 #11 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Following along as I will be sailing on Freedom in May with DD 24 and DS 22. Can't wait!! I'm glad to hear your embarkation was painless. Can you please elaborate a little more on what you did that day after boarding? Lunch? Dinner? Shows? Was pool crowded? Thanks!! Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodyndavid2004 Posted August 26, 2018 #12 Share Posted August 26, 2018 I’ll be on board in two weeks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2cruise0618 Posted August 26, 2018 Author #13 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Following along as I will be sailing on Freedom in May with DD 24 and DS 22. Can't wait!! I'm glad to hear your embarkation was painless. Can you please elaborate a little more on what you did that day after boarding? Lunch? Dinner? Shows? Was pool crowded? Thanks!! Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk Hi Eeyore - on embarkation day we enjoyed the lunch in the Windjammer. Then we registered the kids for Adventure Ocean. We explored the ship. We had pizza at Sorrentos and just chilled for a bit, enjoying the promenade. The pool got very crowded by 3pm-ish. But the music was going and vacation vibe was fully on. We used the time before dinner to do some unpacking and then after dinner as well. One of our suitcases did not arrive so we were focused on resolving. Found suitcase at guest relations. The show that night was a comedian. Unfortunately he was not very good and many folks walked out. I will be uploading compasses at the end of review. We also went to the Diamond Lounge and had a few glasses of wine overlooking the ocean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollevonc Posted August 26, 2018 #14 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Was on this sailing also!!! Was an amazing week!!! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EeyoreRN Posted August 26, 2018 #15 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Was on this sailing also!!! Was an amazing week!!! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Please also provide a review and pics! Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grace0803 Posted August 29, 2018 #16 Share Posted August 29, 2018 I was on the same sailing with 44 of my friends and family. I loved every single stop but the ship's food, evening/night entertainment, and guest services staff were a disappointment. This was my second RC cruise. My first one was on Enchantment of the Seas in 2011 and the food was so good. The food this time around fell flat. I only savory and delicious item was the rack of lamb. There was food outside on the pool deck. You had to go inside to the Windjammer cafe... it was very annoying set up. But again, the island stops made up for everything. We did excursions at every island. Entertainment The club was very small and the music played was 70's and 80's music (and it was not 70's & 80's night). We did our own party at the solarium one nights. Guest Services The line was always near the elevator.... that was a flag. My husband had to leave mid trip because of work. We ask several guest service staff members if he was go to go to the airport. They all said he was set. He got to the airport and was stopped by immigration. Guest services never said he had to go to the immigration office across from the ship. $110 in taxi $$... he got the stamp. I went to guest services to let them know what happened and they were cold and dismissive Sorry for sounding super negative. :-/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chayshannon Posted August 29, 2018 #17 Share Posted August 29, 2018 Hi guys This was my first time on RC and unfortunatly it was not as good as I was hoping. We have cruised before and I guess I was always going to compare. I did attend the cruise critic meet and mingle and did highlight the few issues I expereinced. Please dont think this was a bad holiday it was far from it just felt that there were areas that fell short. Overall I loved the cruise just dont think I will be returning to RC anytime soon. My main gripe was the wait times for the main restaurant. I opted for my time dining as I never know what time I want to eat. We had to wait 5 of the 7 nights and one of these was after making a reservation. I dont expect to wait if I have reserved dining so this was frustrating waiting in a line for up to 30 mins. The standard of waiter service varied from each part of the restaurant as did the food quality. I enquired and was told the lead waiter oversees the food but I definately got better service on the starboard side of deck 5. Meal came with more sauce, more on plate etc. Entertainment was disappointing. Anything I wanted to do music trivia etc seemed to clash and not as good as previous ships been on. Guest Services queue was always long and when you have to go because they decline your credit card for no reason its pretty annoying. Please dont let me put people off it was a lovely holiday and most of the staff are terrific just felt it did not have the sparkle of my previous cruise and hope RC will see this and put in some changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobNoxious Posted August 29, 2018 #18 Share Posted August 29, 2018 Pl;ease add pics and more details! #subscribed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grace0803 Posted August 29, 2018 #19 Share Posted August 29, 2018 Hi guysThis was my first time on RC and unfortunatly it was not as good as I was hoping. We have cruised before and I guess I was always going to compare. I did attend the cruise critic meet and mingle and did highlight the few issues I expereinced. Please dont think this was a bad holiday it was far from it just felt that there were areas that fell short. Overall I loved the cruise just dont think I will be returning to RC anytime soon. My main gripe was the wait times for the main restaurant. I opted for my time dining as I never know what time I want to eat. We had to wait 5 of the 7 nights and one of these was after making a reservation. I dont expect to wait if I have reserved dining so this was frustrating waiting in a line for up to 30 mins. The standard of waiter service varied from each part of the restaurant as did the food quality. I enquired and was told the lead waiter oversees the food but I definately got better service on the starboard side of deck 5. Meal came with more sauce, more on plate etc. Entertainment was disappointing. Anything I wanted to do music trivia etc seemed to clash and not as good as previous ships been on. Guest Services queue was always long and when you have to go because they decline your credit card for no reason its pretty annoying. Please dont let me put people off it was a lovely holiday and most of the staff are terrific just felt it did not have the sparkle of my previous cruise and hope RC will see this and put in some changes. Thank you, I was hoping I was not the only person feeling this way. I always look for the positive... before the negative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GalwayGirl03 Posted August 29, 2018 #20 Share Posted August 29, 2018 Can't wait to read more we are on Freedom in Dec with our three kiddos, 9,6 and 2! What type of stateroom did you stay in? How was Adventure Ocean...this will be kids third Royal cruise too..we are pretty addicted too!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoobydobe7 Posted August 29, 2018 #21 Share Posted August 29, 2018 Hi guysThis was my first time on RC and unfortunatly it was not as good as I was hoping. We have cruised before and I guess I was always going to compare. I did attend the cruise critic meet and mingle and did highlight the few issues I expereinced. Please dont think this was a bad holiday it was far from it just felt that there were areas that fell short. Overall I loved the cruise just dont think I will be returning to RC anytime soon. My main gripe was the wait times for the main restaurant. I opted for my time dining as I never know what time I want to eat. We had to wait 5 of the 7 nights and one of these was after making a reservation. I dont expect to wait if I have reserved dining so this was frustrating waiting in a line for up to 30 mins. The standard of waiter service varied from each part of the restaurant as did the food quality. I enquired and was told the lead waiter oversees the food but I definately got better service on the starboard side of deck 5. Meal came with more sauce, more on plate etc. Entertainment was disappointing. Anything I wanted to do music trivia etc seemed to clash and not as good as previous ships been on. Guest Services queue was always long and when you have to go because they decline your credit card for no reason its pretty annoying. Please dont let me put people off it was a lovely holiday and most of the staff are terrific just felt it did not have the sparkle of my previous cruise and hope RC will see this and put in some changes. Did not know that "guest services" declined credit cards...I have always been under the impression it was the credit card company that declined the card??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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