~~~Freedom VS. Mariner???~~~

[spam-la]

I want to go next August, and book now for Eastern C. I have done the Mariner Western and it was the best---I will be traveling with my teen son, who had the best time ever on the MOS

 

Pros/Cons of Freedom vs Mariner --info please...

 

thanks for your help, Pam:)

[Borat]

I want to go next August, and book now for Eastern C. I have done the Mariner Western and it was the best---I will be traveling with my teen son, who had the best time ever on the MOS

 

Pros/Cons of Freedom vs Mariner --info please...

 

thanks for your help, Pam:)

 

Ive been on both in the last 7 months. I think they are very comparable and you will have a blast on either..however the freedom is everything the mariner is and more. I dont believe the mariner is better in any way than the freedom, but in certain ways the freedom is better than the mariner. Thats the best way i can put it. There are a handfull of things the freedom has to offer that may help make your decision...either way - great trip...but id go with freedom.

[spam-la]

Sounds like I can't go wrong with either ship--You are one lucky cruiser...

twice within a year is awesome....

Looks like I will just have to price it out because since I posted, I found out my son cannot go during the last week in August (my favorite week because prices drop!) due to conflicts with sports....I checked the rest of the summer and it is MUCH more expensive....I have never had an inside cabin before, but that may be a way to make it work....will I get claustrophobia??!!:eek:

[GMoney]

Freedom is a lot of hype. I would not pay a premium to sail her for what boils down to 2 new features - Flowrider and H2OZone. You will have a great time on Mariner and save a few dollars!

[true salt]

Stick with the mariner. same ship just 100ft shorter, plus a lot cheaper!!!

 

save the $$$$ to go ashore with!!

[dfgf]

Sounds like I can't go wrong with either ship--You are one lucky cruiser...

twice within a year is awesome....

Looks like I will just have to price it out because since I posted, I found out my son cannot go during the last week in August (my favorite week because prices drop!) due to conflicts with sports....I checked the rest of the summer and it is MUCH more expensive....I have never had an inside cabin before, but that may be a way to make it work....will I get claustrophobia??!!:eek:

 

I, personally, like the inside rooms. It's so nice and dark. It's a wonderful feeling to wake-up in complete darkness feeling completely refreshed and wonder what time it is!

[Borat]

I want to go next August, and book now for Eastern C. I have done the Mariner Western and it was the best---I will be traveling with my teen son, who had the best time ever on the MOS

 

Pros/Cons of Freedom vs Mariner --info please...

 

thanks for your help, Pam:)

 

just wanted to add that the inside cabins are just fine...nothing wrong with them at all. Now in terms of price, if there is a large price difference between mariner and freedom, go with mariner, unless price isnt a factor. BUT if they are close in price, definitely go with the Freedom. Especially for your son, the flowrider will be well worth it. I had no expectation at all concerning the flowrider in June..but after i tried it i couldnt stop riding it...and i know its just one thing, but it was a ton of fun. I also took a boxing lesson..my friend and i did it together..just the two of us..it was $45 pp for the hour, but so worth it. It was definitely one of the highlights..very cool to learn. I found the food to be night and day better than the mariner, it was really good. The shows were better as well. I feel like they really put a lot more into the Freedom, even if the blueprints are almost the same. So like i said, either ship is amazing, considering youve been on Mariner, go with Freedom..your son will thank you.

-Jordan

[LDinCT]

I was on the Freedom for 2 nights when it first sailed, I absolutely loved it. I really wanted to take the family on it this August, but the cost was 2.5 what the Mariner was. They offered the great $99 3/4 discount, plus $849 for balcony, you can't beat that. I couldn't justify almost three times the cost for Freedom, although we all really would have preferred it. I think there are other more subtle differences to the Voyager class ships. I haven't sailed the Mariner yet, just the Voyager and Explorer twice. So, if the price isn't too far off, I would sail the Freedom, major difference the Mariner.

[spam-la]

I appreciate all the opinions; I do feel encouraged to maybe try an inside cabin; that will help with the price alot. I am used to paying for a balcony, and have enjoyed it so much....

 

I agree with most posters that if there is a big difference in price, I would go the Mariner. Flowrider sounds awesome; my boy does surf as we are 20 min from the beach here in the OC

 

lots to think about!

 

will most likely go in Feb. now; school gives a break the third week.

[Peggy13]

We also wanted to book Freedom for next summer and called the first day reservations were open for that - the price was at least $400-500 more pp - than going on the Mariner (and since there are 6 of us - the price was a big factor) so we choose to do Mariner again with different itinerary. Those two extras - flowrider and the H20 zone aren't worth that extra price to us. We were on Mariner last summer and loved it.

[lyndamarie6]

We just got off the Enchantment three weeks ago and just booked our next ship on the Mariner, got a group going on July 1, 2007.....but we really wanted the Liberty of the Seas brand new ship coming out in May or the Freedom that just came out, found the price to be 300-500 more a person so we chose the Mariner figuring in another year after this the newer ship prices will drop and then we go on them. So the price spoke to me and I heard and read so much about the Mariner that I feel its the best choice. Its a RC ship and a newer ship so can't go wrong right?

 

I don't know how old your teen is my kids are 17 and 14 and just got off their 10th cruise. I have to say the rock climbing, trampoline and such are only open about two hours a day and thats all. To me a huge waste of money, space and effort. But its there.....RC gamerooms are smaller but overall trying RC for both my kids and myself we don't ever want to go back to Carnival, NCL or perhaps even Princess. We love RC so your making a great choice there. Any of RC ships will be great for your teen, they have things going on for teens a teen disco and such. The Mariner has in line skating yes you can rent skates and an ice skating rink (again only open a couple of hours a day). As an adult I definately choose a RC ship and then price is a factor. There is always next year to try the others. :)

[morgan1312]

I, personally, like the inside rooms. It's so nice and dark. It's a wonderful feeling to wake-up in complete darkness feeling completely refreshed and wonder what time it is!

 

 

I agree with this, we had an outside cabin once and I hated being woke up at the crack of dawn by the light coming through the cracks in the curtains. I'm on vacation I want to sleep till I wake up naturally...

[lyndamarie6]

Me too! Although on the Mariner we chose an inside PR I hope its still dark with the curtain drawn

[dodygirl]

just wanted to add that the inside cabins are just fine...nothing wrong with them at all. Now in terms of price, if there is a large price difference between mariner and freedom, go with mariner, unless price isnt a factor. BUT if they are close in price, definitely go with the Freedom. Especially for your son, the flowrider will be well worth it. I had no expectation at all concerning the flowrider in June..but after i tried it i couldnt stop riding it...and i know its just one thing, but it was a ton of fun. I also took a boxing lesson..my friend and i did it together..just the two of us..it was $45 pp for the hour, but so worth it. It was definitely one of the highlights..very cool to learn. I found the food to be night and day better than the mariner, it was really good. The shows were better as well. I feel like they really put a lot more into the Freedom, even if the blueprints are almost the same. So like i said, either ship is amazing, considering youve been on Mariner, go with Freedom..your son will thank you.

-Jordan

 

 

My mom booked our whole family when the booking opened for the FOS so we are venturing this November. We have inside cabins on deck 7 and I wondered about the claustrophobia thing too...I think it is okay as far as being woken up without the sun in the eyes but I think interior looking over the prom. would have been better. Now about that flow rider... did you find that it is busy or less busy when in port ? My husband wants to stay back when we are in port to do the rider while I go off to do the canopy tour.. would you recommend that or going into port ?

 

thanks in advance :o)

[mtebor]

I am booked on freedom 8/19/07 and looked at mariner as well. but with my 10 year daughter decided to stay with freedom.

 

Yes it was a little bit more but we only go every few years and next time she would be too old for h2o zone. so I splurged. I might save money by driving to fl instead of driving but with gas so high I will have to play out the numbers

 

good luck

[Borat]

My mom booked our whole family when the booking opened for the FOS so we are venturing this November. We have inside cabins on deck 7 and I wondered about the claustrophobia thing too...I think it is okay as far as being woken up without the sun in the eyes but I think interior looking over the prom. would have been better. Now about that flow rider... did you find that it is busy or less busy when in port ? My husband wants to stay back when we are in port to do the rider while I go off to do the canopy tour.. would you recommend that or going into port ?

 

thanks in advance :o)

 

good decision with the Freedom..inside cabins are fine, like i said. Yes, promenade cabins are better, but its no big deal. In terms of the flowrider, im not sure about the lines while in port because im always off the ship. But..when the ship is at sea, the flowrider is open for different styles of surfing all throughout the day and the lines move real fast, so there are no worries there. I would definitely recommend going into port if you can..there are fun things to do. However, you CAN stay onboard and find enough to do on the Freedom...the activities are endless.

[Tatka]

We love inside cabins , because of the price and posibility to sleep late...

 

But if you want to feel like you have a window just turn on TV and use channel that shows ship's camera, that will be your window.. you will approximately know if it's still a night or morning. :)