Freedom of Seas, stay on whole time??

[codyboy]

Hello We will be going on Freedom of the Seas Oct 28, I am wondering has anyone out there never got off the ship too busy having a good time on ship with tons of things to do? Please do advise if you need to say something, this will be our first trip on cruise.

[php]:) :D

[MikeNJ1109]

Hello We will be going on Freedom of the Seas Oct 28, I am wondering has anyone out there never got off the ship too busy having a good time on ship with tons of things to do? Please do advise if you need to say something, this will be our first trip on cruise.

[php]:) :D

 

Haven't been on the Freedom yet, but we've done that on the Voyager...it was a Repositioning Cruise a few years ago, from Miami to Bayonne with stops only in Aruba and Haiti...there's nothing like the peace and quiet of the ship whilst in port, and the beauty of the sea passing by you whilst in transit. We've been to most of the ports, and while we enjoy our favourite beaches in each port, there's nothing wrong with staying on board and being a lazy so-and-so enjoying the quiet time.

 

Michael & Silke

[superjerryw]

There's a lot to do on the ship, but you need to remember that on days that the ship is in a port, the onboard activities will be curtailed. If there are certain things that you thought you would do on the ship on a port day, make sure that those activities will in fact be available. If it was me, as long as the ship is stopping in a nice port I would rather go ashore than just stay on the ship. Some people on the other hand love to stay on board when almost everyone else has gone ashore since it seems like you have the ship to yourself.

[cb at sea]

Certainly, you can stay aboard if you want to--at ports that we've been to before, of ports we don't care for, we do just that! But, if you've never seen any of the islands, you should at least get off and walk about for awhile. Perhaps a day at the beach--which can be done without purchasing an excursion. Shopping is on your own, as well.

Maybe you should get a good guidebook about the islands you will be visiting so you'll know if there's anything you would like to see.

But, staying on the ship is fine--after all--that's what you paid for!!!!

[TRadle]

We love to stay on the ship in the morning. We take afternoon excursions and as we are leaving the ship there is usually a line coming back on for lunch.

But don’t let the secret out! :D

[crusinmama06]

We were on Freedom in May and chose to stay on the ship in Mo Bay Jamaica. And we had our pick of chairs at the solarium. It was heaven!

 

That's the only time we've ever stayed onboard. Usually I would recomend getting off the ship and seeing what each port has to offer.

[Apoggi]

There is nothing wrong with staying on board if you want. We have done it many times when we go to a port that we don't really care for or have been to before. We enjoy the pool and it wonderfully quiet when everyone has gone ashore.

 

Ann

[cruisinmom1]

Save money and enjoy the quiet ship! The dining room sometimes closes in port, but the windjammer or cafe is a second best.

[crusinmama06]

I HAVE to say though, if this is your first cruise then get off the ship. :)

 

You just gotta get out there (to steal a popular slogan ;) ). I stayed on in Mo Bay because this was my sixth cruise and I had the "been there done that" attitude and had no desire to pay to go to a beach resort (like Sunset Beach) when we had the best resort (Freedom) right there.

 

What ports are you going to? You didn't say if this was Eastern or Western? There are just some places that you HAVE to see. :D

[FitzLA]

I have to say that on our Freedom trip I wished I had stayed on the ship more. The ship is so huge with so much to do, that after 7 days there was so much of the ship I did not experience. Next time I would stay on the ship in Jamaica. Maybe even Cozumel.

[Murphy]

We were on the Freedom last October. I never got off the ship... well not until they tossed us off the last day! DH got off in MoBay to buy some liquor and I think in Cozumel just to walk around. I will say that we had been to ALL the ports before and now find we enjoy staying on the ship. For our first cruise, though we had excursions booked at all ports and it was all about the ports for us.;)

[codyboy]

The questions where we are going? Here are the list of IslandLabade, Haiti, Ocho Rios, Jamaica George Town, Grand Cayman Conzumel Mexico. Western.

 

I am debating doing the Port And that be Jamaica and Conzumel. But however thanks for all the adivse. WHo knows my husband I will do different things. Never know til ltime comes. We will going with other people from Wisconsin. 120 days left to go. Time is getting there.:cool:

[sgttami]

On my first cruise in '92, the first port was Martinique. Well I had been there a few months before and wasn't getting off the ship. (UGH!) Maybe that's why I loved that first cruise so much..I got to see from the beginning how nice it was when everyone went ashore!!

 

We vary..if we've been to ports that we're not crazy about, we don't get off but if it's a port I've never been to, I have to be nosy!! Even if it's for a little while and I stay close to the ship.

 

You can certainly stay on for the duration of your cruise but a walk on land is nice too..three or four days of "sea legs" is enough for me!!

 

Enjoy...

[Sue L]

The questions where we are going? Here are the list of IslandLabade, Haiti, Ocho Rios, Jamaica George Town, Grand Cayman Conzumel Mexico. Western.

 

I am debating doing the Port And that be Jamaica and Conzumel. But however thanks for all the adivse. WHo knows my husband I will do different things. Never know til ltime comes. We will going with other people from Wisconsin. 120 days left to go. Time is getting there.:cool:

 

 

Labadee is RCCL's private island, beautiful beach, free bbq lunch, wonderful day. The area that RCCL uses is a peninsula of Haiti and it is not the least bit dangerous.

 

I am in the minority here as I think you would be doing yourself a huge disservice if you didn't get off the ship and see some of the ports. Most of the replies on here of those who stay on the ships, most of the time it is because they have been there done that and have experienced the particular port.

 

Cozumel is a wonderful port with great shopping, beautiful beaches, historic ruins, etc

 

Grand Cayman is another beautiful island with a great reef with stingrays that you can pet.

 

If you plan to stay on the ship at any of the ports my vote would be for Jamaica. Beautiful island but unfortunately the residents are giving it a bad name.

 

Whatever you decide to do have a wonderful time.

[emdia43]

The day on the private island (Labadee) is the best day of the cruise to my mind- beautiful beaches,turquoise water,hammocks under the palm trees, all the water toys to play with,BBQ cooking,waiters bringing you cold drinks,great lunch.... you'd be missing a lot if you didn't see this island. If you are doing the Western Itinerary I'd stay onboard at Jamaica,but the other ports in the Caribbean are at least worth a stroll around to see where you are.

[nanfromatlanta]

The questions where we are going? Here are the list of IslandLabade, Haiti, Ocho Rios, Jamaica George Town, Grand Cayman Conzumel Mexico. Western.

 

I am debating doing the Port And that be Jamaica and Conzumel. But however thanks for all the adivse. WHo knows my husband I will do different things. Never know til ltime comes. We will going with other people from Wisconsin. 120 days left to go. Time is getting there.:cool:

 

If this is your very first cruise, I can't imagine NOT getting off the ship, especially in Labadee, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

 

Labadee is the cruise line's private island which is absolutely beautiful. They bring a barbecue lunch out to the island for you.

 

In Grand cayman, one of the favorite excursions is the Stingray Swim & Snorkel. Or you can just walk around the town, which is very small and easy to get around in.

 

In Cozumel, there is great shopping and good beaches. If you don't go to a beach, at least walk up and down the main thoroughfare.

 

All three of the above are very safe and clean.

 

Get out there and have fun.

 

Nan

[volleyballmom87]

If you plan to stay on the ship at any of the ports my vote would be for Jamaica. Beautiful island but unfortunately the residents are giving it a bad name. .

 

I would agree with this if they were docking in Mo Bay, but if you have never been to Ocho Rios climbing Dunn's River Falls is something to experience.

 

My vote would be skipping Haiti as you are only going to see a secluded beach with only other cruise passengers.