Freedom review 9/5/10 - more info than you can stand!

[Tony1865]

Well, hi, all.

Thought I'd share with you some thoughts after a Western Caribbean cruise on the Freedom of the Seas back in September. This was our 30th anniversary, and we'd been wanting to check out RCCL for some time. Our last two cruises as a couple were on Disney, which is a great product, and we're unrepentant Disney fanatics. So going on the Freedom felt a little like cheating on a spouse.

But, know what? We had a great time. So what follows is an obscenely detailed account of our week on the Freedom. And it is a REVIEW, which means it's gonna be really, really subjective.

I'll post in bits and pieces. I'm one of those unfortunate types that has to work for a living, and I'm taking a little time during work hours to patch all this together. Hopefully the Powers That Be at work will cut me a little slack.

I'll throw in a photo or two, also. I'm hoping that this thread will be especially helpful to newbies to cruising and/or RCCL. You veterans will find a lot of this pretty routine.

Off we go!

[Tony1865]

First, here we are ... Tony and Teresa. This photo was on an excursion in Grand Cayman, and we'll get around to that eventually:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0279.jpg

We're in our early fifties. Two kids, both of 'em out of the house and gainfully employed. We were blessed with two great young'uns.

Other details that might help you get where I'm coming from ... I'm the adventurous eater of the pair. I like, well, everything. Teresa, God bless her, is more, um, selective. She doesn't eat seafood, avoids any exotic sauces, and struggles with stuff like mushrooms, olives, some veggies. She will eat very basic ethnic ... Tex-Mex, Italian, etc. Me - well, I'm borderline foodie, and really appreciate good food well prepared. All of it.

We're sort of RCCL's worst nightmare in that we don't avail ourselves of two of their biggest profit centers - we neither gamble nor drink. Sure don't have any "issues" with others that do, but we simply don't. It's not like some big moral thing. Just a choice, that's all.

[Tranquil Waters]

So far so good.:) Now about this working thing interfering with our review...... ;):D

[Tony1865]

I'm the planner, so I'd researched and obsessed and stalked these boards before settling on the Freedom. It seemed a great match for us and what we wanted to experience. We booked in December of '09. Our actual anniversary was in July, but we waited until September to actually cruise. Of course, I knew it was the heart of hurricane season, but dang, it was SO much cheaper ... I am not one of those "money is no object" folks.

DAY ONE - Sept. 4

We drove to Walt Disney World, which is a 12-hour drive for us, and spent the night at the Boardwalk Resort. We're Disney Vacation Club members, Disney's version of a timeshare, and so used our point holdings for that first night. That way, we'd get up midmorning on Sunday, the 5th, and leisurely head over to Port Canaveral. A great plan. So we had a terrific meal Saturday night at the Wilderness Lodge, got up and pulled ourselves together and headed East.

DAY TWO - Sept. 5

OK, gonna state the obvious. That Freedom of the Seas is one big honkin' boat. For you Oasis vets, I know that big has been redefined for y'all, but I'm saying ... when we got close to the port and saw the Freedom berthed there, I thought, Lord have mercy, there's a hotel parked at the dock. Jaw dropping, I tell ya. And the Disney Wonder, right alongside, seemed dwarfed by comparison.

Because the Freedom is so big, it does have sort of a "boxy" appearance ... not really the clean, classical lines of the liners from the glory days of transatlantic sailings. But it was pretty in its own way. I won't post a photo here. You've seen it before.

Embarkation was seamless. We parked at the terminal, sort of cringing at knowing how much it would cost for the week, but, whatever. Porters met us right outside the terminal to claim our luggage, and one guy was quick to point out "we customarily receive tips for our services." OK, sure, not a problem. They have to make a living too.

At the terminal itself, we waited in line perhaps 10 minutes, even though the line stretched out of the building. A harried older gentleman was herding us through. After passing through security - again, no big deal - we were called to the desk to present paperwork. The ladies that checked us in were charming and not at all frazzled, but I'm guessing having all our documentation in order helped.

We were photographed and given our Seapasses. Again, it was all orchestrated and efficient.

The actual ship boarding was really, really understated. Basically, we were directed toward a portal on Deck 4 or 5 - can't remember which - and unceremoniously found ourselves at an elevator. I got the sense we were kinda on our own, but there were some crewmembers scattered about to help us get our bearings.

More later, OK?

[snwbnnyinoz]

Looking forward to more of your review. We sail on her in December and can hardly wait.

[Wildcatfish]

Thanks for the review! We've also done DCL, and are looking forward to Freedom next year. We're curious to hear your thoughts on how Freedom compares to the Magic.

Don't you just hate it when work gets in the way of a good review!

[Iggipolka]

Woo! Great start and looking forward to reading the rest of your review. We are Disney fans and DVC members too! Our first cruise on the Freedom is in March, so I'm eagerly waiting to read about your experience.
;)

[vegasgirl702]

Hello! Planning on using our points to stay at DW too. How did u get to Port C? Please relay cost? We did Disney last yr & forgot how much we were charged. Did u do their shuttle service?

Thanks for answers, we are a family of 3.

[Tony1865]

Vegasgirl, from where we were at Boardwalk, it was a straight shot from there to Port Canaveral. Go east on I-4, exit onto Highway 528, and stay on it. Tolls were perhaps $6. Parking at the terminal was $15/night, I think. If you're lucky, you might score and get some covered parking. We had our own car.

Here are a couple more photos. This is the crowd seen from the ship as we left Port Canaveral:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0051.jpg

The Disney Wonder was "parked" next to us. It's a beautiful ship, but nowhere near as large:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0027.jpg


The Carnival Sensation was also docked next to us. No photographs ... honestly, it looked a little forlorn sitting there.

[Tony1865]

Just to keep things clear, I'm calling this Day 1, so it'll correspond to any Cruise Compasses you might use on your own cruise.

So, we'd boarded the ship. One thing of note to any DCL veterans - know how you are announced by name as you board the ship, and crew members applaud as you enter the atrium? RCCL doesn't do that, so don't expect anyone to fuss over you.

The first thing I wanted to do was to check out the Royal Promenade. I was suitably impressed:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0018-1.jpg

Our stateroom, Deck 7, was just to the right of that "Winged Victory" column. We were right over the lighted bridge, above guest services, and just a few steps away from the elevators and the library. It sure did make getting to meals easy, since we were closer aft than midships.

I know the promenade is pretty, but it was something of a technical marvel, too ... the lighting changed as the day progressed. In the mornings, you had the sense of sunrise, with a mellow white light washing over the whole space, and by evening it was much darker, with purples and blues predominating. During parades and parties there were strobes, mirror balls, fog machines, and other lighting effects. Way cool.

[Tony1865]

Time to eat!

So we visited the Windjammer, which was pretty packed ... it was about 12:30 by this time.

Gonna tell you, the selection was more than ample. Unlike a lot of other buffet venues you've visited, instead on one long line before one or two long counters, the area was divided into "stations", so you might finded carved meats in one spot, veggies and sides in another, desserts in another, and so forth. I never felt like congestion around serving areas was an issue.

We filled our trays (and I, of course, had to get the legendary honey-stung chicken, among other items), and while we stood there surveying the crowd, a couple gestured for us to join them at a 4-top by the window. This sweet couple were veteran RCCL cruisers, lived less than an hour away, and were all too happy to offer some suggestions on managing our week. That's one huge plus for us about cruising - it seems so natural and easy to strike up conversations.

The aforementioned chicken was quite good, but in the end, it was still chicken tenders. The sauce was a sweet-and-sour concoction, not at all heavy or cloying. There were some other goodies I sampled - a baked fish entree was good, too. And I tried some of RCCL's flavored water. I drink a lot of water with just a squeeze of lemon or lime, and the Freedom saved me a step by having the water already flavored. It was just the faintest hint of a flavor, not like drinking a soft drink. Worked for me. And I thought the desserts were pretty good. Disney fans, I'll tell you that buffet cruise dining is where RCCL beats DCL. (Heresy, I know, but just trying to keep it real.)

We strolled around on deck some. I loved the Solarium pool:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0029-1.jpg

The H20 Zone is a kid's splashpark dream:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0061.jpg

And it turns out I had a photo of the Sensation after all. It's just miniscule alongside the Freedom:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0028.jpg

More later. I need to at least pretend like I'm being productive.

[mgm61]

ok sneak em in when you can!;)

[jdbmga]

I am loving your review. I am looking forward to the rest.

[birdylady]

Keep it coming. We're schedule for April and that's a LONG time from now. :mad:

Erika

[tammymacb]

Thanks for the review. We'll be on the same cruise in January. We were originally booked on the Disney Magic for the week but 13 yo DD had other plans. I think we'll have a great time.

We're DVC members too!

Can't wait to read more..

[cruisinmon]

Birdylady,

Do you think his review will go on until April?

[Tony1865]

Birdylady,

Do you think his review will go on until April?

At this rate, probably. :rolleyes:

[Poorplaya]

Great so far, keep the pictures coming.

[MelissaE1]

If you backed things up a couple of years to when your kids were still at home, you could be writing about DH and I. Ours are 12 and 16, so not so long before we are cruising solo (although not to hear them talk, they think they are going with us forever ;)).

We are "cheating" on DCL with Oasis in a few weeks, so really looking forward to your impressions of RCCL.

Thanks for taking the time! :)

[Bajan Keith]

Great review so far. Love the pics and your writing style.....awesome:)

[Tony1865]

Good morning! It's a glorious day in my neck of the woods. Hope y'all are well.

Still our first day. We got in our cabin about 1 p.m. or so. We had a Promenade room. I know a couple of you are DCL people. There are some differences.

- This particular stateroom was quite smaller than even a standard interior on Disney, but not so small as to feel cramped. There was a curved bay window overlooking the Promenade, and that made things feel a lot bigger.

Teresa test driving the window seat:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0017.jpg

That's me, upper center, looking out on the Promenade. Yeah, I know, I can't see me either. But I'm there:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0501.jpg

On the Promenade itself, at Sorrento's pizza. Sorry for the blur - I'm usually better than that:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/STA_0042.jpg

Sorrento's is routinely dissed here on Cruise Critic, I've noted. Well, a dissenting voice ... I thought it was perfectly acceptable, comparable to most any of the national chains. Not as good as your neighborhood Manhattan joint (and I prefer NY style pizza crust to the thick, dough-y Chicago style - fun debate there for another time, perhaps), but it was just fine. They also had paninis, and some afternoons had a nice little antipasto selection. We snacked here a lot. One note: I found crewmembers on the Freedom to be uniformly splendid. But the older gentlemen who "bartended" at Sorrento's was the only person I found to be a little grumpy. He had a world-weariness about him that was kind of endearing, but he still looked like he had been weaned on dill pickles.

More later. We still haven't even left port yet. Being concise is not a gift I have.

ETA: Melissa, where in NW Florida do y'all live? We lived in Panama City and Marianna for years.

[Tony1865]

The muster drill came along at 4. This was absolutely painless, and I sure appreciated not having to deal with life preservers.

The sail away party came next. One of the DJ's from the Scratch DJ Academy provided the music (and if you get a chance, google Scratch DJ Academy. I fount that intriguing). The party itself was pretty much what you'd expect, with folks being invited to join in the electric slide, the macarena, etc. I was slack-jawed when my normally conservative bride hopped up and joined in the dancing ... I thought she'd mutated into that dad on the Carnival commercials. There's a backstory to her dancing, but I'll let it pass. Didn't get a photo of this happening, which is a shame. It'd make for some nice blackmail material one day.

The Disney Wonder followed us, as did the Sensation eventually. We were like the mama duck:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0053.jpg

And we checked out the FlowRider:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0033.jpg

This is something I would have loved to have tried. I'm pretty confident I could have at least wakeboarded (I wouldn't attempt to actually surf.) But for me, it was more an issue of a secure swimsuit than anything else. We saw our share of plumber's cracks during the cruise, and I didn't want to traumatize any spectators. I mean, who wants a bunch of women running around screaming, asking their husbands "why can't you look like that?", etc. Just trying to be considerate, y'know.

[RCFan60]

Tony1865,

Enjoying your review ... thanks for sharing. Looking forward to reading more. As you can see by my countdown clock I sail on her in 93 days!:p

[sunnydaygirl]

I'm planning a 60th birthday party for my best friend and I(3 days apart) we have all age groups going on our cruise with us(no kids) all women. We wanted Oasis from the first, but Sept. 2011 is basically full. So now we look at Freedom. I DO NOT WANT TO DO CARNIVAL!! So hopefully your review and great pictures will convince them this is the ship..I haven't been on RCCL since 2004, but many Carnival(I was forced:D) My memory has me remembering great food, so much better than Carnival. Hope someones agrees with me. Please help me talk my friend out of Carnival Dream. All their ships look the same, no matter how new or big. I saw pictures and knew it was a Carnival ship without checking name.

PS. I didn't get a Crown number so they have no record of me ever cruising before. Can I correct that?

[frommichigan]

Loving the review. You are a hilarious writer, makes reading the review fun.:)

Amanda

[tammymacb]

Still reading here. We've been in a SPH on the Magic and a Cat 5 on the Wonder. AND we've booked a Boardwalk view interior for the FOS. Actually 2- connecting rooms for DH and I and then 2- 14 year olds. I was worried about stateroom size on RCCL as I felt we were cramped as 4 in a Cat 5.

What did you think of your room? Did you enjoy your view? How about noise?

[Tony1865]

Still reading here. We've been in a SPH on the Magic and a Cat 5 on the Wonder. AND we've booked a Boardwalk view interior for the FOS. Actually 2- connecting rooms for DH and I and then 2- 14 year olds. I was worried about stateroom size on RCCL as I felt we were cramped as 4 in a Cat 5.

What did you think of your room? Did you enjoy your view? How about noise?

I think that until you get to a suite level on any line, it's gonna be snug. Our first Disney cruise was in a verandah stateroom, and it spoiled us, for sure.

We have a little travel trailer, and are used to making the best of limited space. On the FOS, we had plenty of room for storage, and used a shoe hanger inside the bathroom door to take care of the stuff that so easily gets scattered about. And I think the bed on the FOS was a little more comfortable than Disney's. But you did have to squeeze around the foot of the bed - Promenade view cabins are configured a little odd. But we were still comfortable, just the two of us.

The view was good - maybe even TOO good. That first afternoon, we'd gone back to the cabin to change for dinner. Directly across the Promenade were other staterooms. Well ... there was a young couple who came in from the pool -their curtains were wide open, as were ours. And while I'd just casually glanced over in their direction, I'll be doggoned if the two of them hadn't hopped up on their bed and swimsuits started flying. Within moments it was like a Cirque de Soleil act. Teresa, aghast, covered my eyes like I was a 5-year-old, and I jumped up and closed our curtains. What folks in Promenade cabins need to understand is that while the angles are such that folks on the Promenade can't easily see into the cabin, it's impossible NOT to see into them if you're directly across from them.

I don't know if it dawned on our neighbors that they were basically putting on a public performance, but their curtains were closed most of the rest of the cruise.

Noise was a non-issue. During the parades and parties, there was a faint bass "thump," but it wasn't annoying. I think if we'd been closer to midship it might've been a little worse. Unless you were a really, really light sleeper, or just like to complain, it wouldn't be a big deal.

I will say this - with the curtains closed, that stateroom was as dark as the Infernal Regions. But again, the lighting on the Promenade was geared to the time of day. We were perfectly content with our cabin.

From this vantage point on the bridge by the guest services desk, we were directly to the left:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0464.jpg

Maybe you can get an idea of how the bed is centered in the stateroom from this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0016.jpg

[Tony1865]

I'm planning a 60th birthday party for my best friend and I(3 days apart) we have all age groups going on our cruise with us(no kids) all women. We wanted Oasis from the first, but Sept. 2011 is basically full. So now we look at Freedom. I DO NOT WANT TO DO CARNIVAL!! So hopefully your review and great pictures will convince them this is the ship..I haven't been on RCCL since 2004, but many Carnival(I was forced:D) My memory has me remembering great food, so much better than Carnival. Hope someones agrees with me. Please help me talk my friend out of Carnival Dream. All their ships look the same, no matter how new or big. I saw pictures and knew it was a Carnival ship without checking name.

PS. I didn't get a Crown number so they have no record of me ever cruising before. Can I correct that?

One fun conversation starter I used when chatting with folks around the ship was "Have you cruised before?" or "What other lines have you cruised?"

This is a totally unscientific sampling, but I didn't tend to hear a lot of favorable comparisons between folks who'd cruised on both Carnival and RCCL. Some of our best friends have cruised Carnival out of New Orleans and loved it. Having never sailed Carnival, I'm not in a position to judge. But one comparison I heard that I loved was that Carnival "was like the frat boy in college who now works in a corporate office and wears pinpoint Oxfords, but can get loose in a hurry to this day." Carnival gets pretty high marks for food. Feelings about RCCL food are all over the map. I think it's consistently pretty good, in a couple of instances close to excellent, and in one case just so-so. But I'll eat anything ... where I work, we're either eating or planning our next lunch.

For folks I talked with who'd cruised both RCCL and Disney, there just wasn't that much of a difference in opinion, other than Disney was just "Disney." Looks like RCCL is taking dead aim at Disney with the addition of Dreamworks characters.

Can't help you with the Crown number, but I bet someone here can.

Oh, yeah ... anyone besides me appreciate the irony in the magazine selection we found in our stateroom?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0199.jpg

[tammymacb]

Thank you so much! Very helpful!

Please keep the review coming. I'm loving it so far. I have to admit I did pout a bit switching off the Magic for DD, but I'm getting more and ore excited. :D

[birdylady]

Birdylady,

Do you think his review will go on until April?
Nah, I know when I came back from my Alaska cruise earlier it took a few days to get around to completing it. And sadly, the real world tries to interfere with cruising. :mad:

Erika

[1dergirl]

I'm totatlly loving your review. Keep it coming.

[birdylady]

PS. I didn't get a Crown number so they have no record of me ever cruising before. Can I correct that?
Yes, just contact C&A to register. Tell them which ship and the sailing date and they should be able to find a record of your sailing. Then you would get your credit for that. IF it was a JS or higher or more than 7 nights (I don't remember the count) you get double credit, so check that too. IF they can't find a record of your sailing, you would have to provide some 'proof' of your sailing. Perhaps pictures or something like that.

Erika

[LBumb]

great review so far. looking forward to your ports of call.

[Mysticks1]

I'm planning a 60th birthday party for my best friend and I(3 days apart) we have all age groups going on our cruise with us(no kids) all women. We wanted Oasis from the first, but Sept. 2011 is basically full. So now we look at Freedom. I DO NOT WANT TO DO CARNIVAL!! So hopefully your review and great pictures will convince them this is the ship..I haven't been on RCCL since 2004, but many Carnival(I was forced:D) My memory has me remembering great food, so much better than Carnival. Hope someones agrees with me. Please help me talk my friend out of Carnival Dream. All their ships look the same, no matter how new or big. I saw pictures and knew it was a Carnival ship without checking name.

PS. I didn't get a Crown number so they have no record of me ever cruising before. Can I correct that?

Since Tony was unable to compare with Carnival I will give you a few of my thoughts. In the last five years we have been on 2 Carnival, 1 RCI and 1 Celebrity with Freedom booked for March 6. We sailed on Mariner in 2008 I enjoyed the MDR food more on Carnival than on RCI but the buffet, especially the traffic flow was better on RCI. Service from stewards, waitstaff, etc was about the same although the customer service desk on RCI is much more efficient, never any long lines. The entertainment was better on RCI to me, especially the ice show. I would think that you would enjoy Freedom over the Dream. I have read reports that the Dream seems really crowded.

If you have your past sailing date and ship Crown and Anchor should be able to look that up for you.

[sunnydaygirl]

Thanks all for the info on Crown number. I'll be sure to ask. I have lots of pictures.:)

[twospoiled]

Great review so far. Keep it coming!
I just booked on this ship for September 2011. Leaving the DH, DD and DS at home and gonna enjoy some me time! Can't wait to read more about your thoughts on the ship!

[Karenhenn]

OMG Had to keep from laughing out loud at my desk. The magazines they laid out....too funny!!!!!1

[MelissaE1]

Melissa, where in NW Florida do y'all live? We lived in Panama City and Marianna for years.

Hi Tony, we are on the western end, between Pensacola and Ft. Walton Beach. I love both Panama City and Marianna. :) What part of the country are you in now?

Loving your review, your sense of humor, and the additional "Disney to RCCL" tidbits. Great job, looking forward to the rest of it. (Feel free to stretch it out so we can be entertained for as long as possible! ;))

[Tony1865]

Hi Tony, we are on the western end, between Pensacola and Ft. Walton Beach. I love both Panama City and Marianna. :) What part of the country are you in now?

Loving your review, your sense of humor, and the additional "Disney to RCCL" tidbits. Great job, looking forward to the rest of it. (Feel free to stretch it out so we can be entertained for as long as possible! ;))

We actually live in metro Jackson, Mississippi, these days. I will tell you we never had aspirations to live in Mississippi, but job opportunities have a way of moving folks about sometimes. But we live on a paved road, have all our teeth, wear shoes year round. Truthfully, we live in a great part of town; our county has 4.5% unemployment and one of the best school systems anywhere. We've been here about 12 years, and except for having to deal with Katrina, it's been just fine. Steretypes die hard, I reckon. We had tablemates on a Magic cruise some years back from Illinois, and when they found out we were from MS they seemed almost afraid of us, or pitied us at best. But we became fast friends after they found out we weren't gonna give them hookworms or something.

[lacruiser]

Tony, when you said you were 12 hours away I knew you were probably fairly close by -- we are over in Ruston. Your review is a hoot -- and very welcome, since we'll be sailing FOS in December on that same itinerary. LOVE the tablemate comment!!:D I can relate: people still seem to think we've got alligators and a pirogue in the back yard.:rolleyes:

I'll be interested to hear about the ports of call... We've been to all these ports (except Coco Cay -- missed that one, somehow) but it's been a while. This will be our first trip on a Freedom class -- I'm looking forward to that Diamond Lounge!

[Ariel's Mum]

We're not sailing till end June 2011, but still really excited.

Enjoying your review, love your humour, and love your writing style. Keep the photos coming. The excitement is building. ;)

[raringtogo]

loving your review

we are a group of 16 Australians and we are coming over to USA especially to take back-to-backs e & w on Freedom of the Seas in January 2012-

at the moment, i'm booked in an O/V on deck 9 but, i love the idea of the Promenade and am tempted to change.

thanks again- great read:)

[Tony1865]

I'm jumping out of the chronology for just a minute. We had late seating for dinner, so we saw the welcome aboard show first. But I wanted to introduce you to our tablemates before getting on with the narrative. This was formal night, which is Day 2, but I wanted you to meet these folks first:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/tablemates0001.jpg

In front are Brandy and Alicia and DW Teresa. Brandy and Alica are from central Florida.

Back row are Anita, also from central FL, Traloom from Toronto (but originally from Sri Lanka), Wendy from near London, Patrica from County Cork, Ireland, Tasheem from Toronto, and moi.

I was the only guy at our table. I was swimming in a sea of estrogen. And I think we set some sort of record for family diversity ... in the mix were a mother and daughter, two sisters, a recently divorced single, a lesbian couple, and Teresa and I. We pretty much had all our bases covered. Now, on paper that shouldn't have worked. But we had a blast together. I know tablemates can be luck of the draw, and Anita had moved to our table on the 2nd night because the mix at her previous table just simply didn't work. By about the third day we were all like old pals. And it's always struck me funny as to how you see the same folks all over the ship, out of the thousands on board.

I know that some first-time cruisers are distressed at the prospect of sharing meals with relative strangers. Some folks are naturally shy ... as an INFJ (look it up), sometimes it's a challenge for me to gladhand and hobnob. My work has taught me to be more gregarious than I am by nature. But I genuinely enjoy having tablemates, although I'm sure it's been because we've always had good'uns.

Be back tomorrow.

[Ander026]

Fantastic review of your trip on the Freedom. I am sailing on the Freedom on 10/31/2010 with my dad. This will be my 4th RCCL and my dad's 1st on this cruise line.

The other ship I sailed on RCCL is the Monarch of the Seas


Keep up the good work

[Kimmie36]

Hey Great review I just love your humor! I am a DCL girl but I love me some RCCL. I prefer to stay away from Carnival. I have booked the Disney Dream for September 2011 and I am sailing on the Freedom in 44 days for the first time yahoooooooo:D

[scottishwee35]

Thanks for the review! We've also done DCL, and are looking forward to Freedom next year. We're curious to hear your thoughts on how Freedom compares to the Magic.

Don't you just hate it when work gets in the way of a good review!

Same with us as we are going FS next April 11 to Eastern after been 4th times with Disney Cruise...

I hope that I dont regard it cos I love DCL...

Scottishwee35:p

[phoenix1181]

This is one of the most enjoyable reviews I've ever read! I'll be hard pressed not to try to sneak a peek while at work today..........

[Jax129]

Your pictures are great! I'm loving your review. I really want to do the Freedom and your review is getting me excited!!

[birdylady]

I'm jumping out of the chronology for just a minute. We had late seating for dinner, so we saw the welcome aboard show first. But I wanted to introduce you to our tablemates before getting on with the narrative. This was formal night, which is Day 2, but I wanted you to meet these folks first:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/tablemates0001.jpg
I know that some first-time cruisers are distressed at the prospect of sharing meals with relative strangers. Some folks are naturally shy ... as an INFJ (look it up), sometimes it's a challenge for me to gladhand and hobnob. My work has taught me to be more gregarious than I am by nature. But I genuinely enjoy having tablemates, although I'm sure it's been because we've always had good'uns.
Be back tomorrow.
INFJ - Learned something new everyday.

And I know what you mean about sharing meals with strangers. Personally, i think that's part of the fun. Hubby and I never want to have a 2 top for dinner. We like to get to meet other folks. Some are misses and some are super hits! Heck, a couple years ago we met a SUPER family from Scotland. They were just in town and got together with my parents (who were on the sailing too) the other day. You would think they were life long friends.

Same with us as we are going FS next April 11 to Eastern after been 4th times with Disney Cruise...
Scottishwee35:p
You'll be getting on when I'm getting off (boooo).

Erika

[MelissaE1]

We actually live in metro Jackson, Mississippi, these days. I will tell you we never had aspirations to live in Mississippi, but job opportunities have a way of moving folks about sometimes. But we live on a paved road, have all our teeth, wear shoes year round. Truthfully, we live in a great part of town; our county has 4.5% unemployment and one of the best school systems anywhere. We've been here about 12 years, and except for having to deal with Katrina, it's been just fine. Steretypes die hard, I reckon. We had tablemates on a Magic cruise some years back from Illinois, and when they found out we were from MS they seemed almost afraid of us, or pitied us at best. But we became fast friends after they found out we weren't gonna give them hookworms or something.

LOL, too funny. I'd sit at a table with you, as long as you kept your fleas to yourself. :D You know they affectionately call our part of Florida "lower Alabama." In some of the neighborhoods I'm pretty sure teeth aren't required.

Katrina must have been interesting, I saw some of the footage from MS and it was just flattened. I could never understand why the news media seemed to think it was only N'awlins that got all the fun. We live on the coast and had Ivan before that, it truly gave us an appreciation for the power of nature. Only $30,000 damage and we were lucky. Friends had literally no dwelling left, or 4 ft of sewage water, etc. People's clothing high up in trees! :eek:

Looking forward to the next installment of your cruise adventure!

ETA: ENFP here :)

[Tony1865]

Happy Saturday! Gonna tinker with this report for a while before the ball games start. War Eagle!

We changed for dinner, and strolled around for a while before heading to the Welcome Aboard Show. You run across the most intriguing things on the Promenade:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0465-1.jpg

The Welcome Aboard Show was a nice introduction to the Arcadia Theater (cavernous, good sight lines except for a few pillars, and had a nice Art Deco vibe).

Might as well tell you about our cruise director, Graham Seymour. I don't have a point of reference to compare him to other RCCL CD's, but I'm gonna give you my honest opinion ... this guy was incredible. Sometimes rave reviews smack of hysteria, but he was THAT good. Funny, charming, nimble of wit and tongue, and blessedly "cheese free." I never got the sense that he was forcing humor. And multitalented to boot. More on that later.

There were a couple of ariel acrobats performing, Arthur & Leticia, and they were fine, and a comedian, Dean Austin. Austin was just OK for me. I love good standup (and I like it when a comedian can be bawdy without being vulgar - there is a difference), and since this was a family show, Austin was well within the realm of appropriateness. Again, he was OK - not someone I'd stand in line to see, though.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0069.jpg

Dinner next. You've already met our tablemates. Now, I would have loved to have taken photos of our meals, but Teresa thinks that food porn is the lamest form of photography anywhere, and it embarases the snot out of her. So, no food photos. Sorry.

I opted for prime rib. There is nothing worse than bad prime rib, and I thought, "If the Freedom can pull this off, we'll have a fine week." Well, my Vidalia onion tart was just super (I'm not sure if it was real Vidalia onions or just another variety of sweet onion ... I'm kinda thinking it was an imposter, but it was still good), and the prime rib was nicely cooked, just a little marbled without being fatty, and the baked potato was, well, a baked potato. It was more than acceptable, not the best I've ever had, but satisfying. Oh, yeah - had a spinach salad, too, which was a standard issue spinach salad. Dessert was a chocolate cherry cake - pretty much a black forest cake by my reckoning, with the Kirsch cream and all. I'd been wary of desserts from reading comments here on CC, but I had absolutely no problems with this one.

I can't remember the names of our servers. It's driving me crazy - I thought I'd jotted them down somewhere. Maybe Teresa will remember. But one was from the Philippines, the other from India, and they were absoultely superb. A good server can take an average meal and elevate it to something special. Our guys were great, and it took them no time to learn our names and come to understand our preferences.

Isn't this a pretty dining room?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0449.jpg

... although I kept thinking about "The Phantom of the Opera" every time I looked at the chandelier.

[Poorplaya]

Still lovin this review, and I love the magazines they left in your stateroom, it wasn't planned for the two of them to be on the covers of those magazines right, lol ;)!!!!!!

[Tony1865]

The rest of the evening was pretty quiet - we did take time to prowl around and see some areas of the ship we hadn't checked out yet. I liked Olive or Twist, and Pedro Dela Llana was a gifted guitarist. I caught him several times during the week.

I guess the Party Around the World Parade was the evening's signature event. I'm not sure how much the participants enjoyed it, but I got a kick out of seeing crewmembers from all the different disciplines on the ship strut about:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0084.jpg

Cool, watching this "bridge" descend from the ceiling.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0079-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0083-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0078.jpg

I see lots of questions about noise in Promenade rooms. It was a total non-issue for us. It wasn't dead silence, certainly - ships have subsonic thumps and bumps and hums most of the time anyway. But, as I've stated earlier, the Promenade activities didn't really add to the ambient noises that much - just a little bass thump from time to time. At least, not in our cabin.

Nighty-night. Sea day tomorrow.

[Tony1865]

Just a word to the Disney Cruise Line fans who are following this and want comparisions -

I'll wrap up this review with some more comparisons, but just for the first day, and my initial impressions -some of which I've already shared - I'd say:

- Embarcation was easy on both lines. Disney makes more of a production of you coming on board, with a personal by-name greeting as you enter the atrium. Freedom, you just kind of wandered on board.

- Service in the MDR was pretty much the same, which is a good thing. The food in both is comparable, but as I stated earlier, the Windjammer, in size, traffic flow, and variety, is a clear winner. Food quality for comparable items is very similar. Honestly, we loved the Windjammer, but I never met a buffet I didn't like.

- Freedom is more "adult." While Disney does a superb job of sequestering kids from their elders, kids are still a huge focus. Freedom, not so much, but the kids I saw seemed to be having a blast.

- Purely subjective, here, but the decor on the Disney ships seems a little more refined and classic. Freedom is glitzy without being gaudy. They're both gorgeous products. Just loved all the polished woods, glass, and marble on the Freedom.

I'll compare entertainment offerings at the end of this review, which looks like will be completed in November ... of 2011.

[ChaylaT]

Loving your review! I am a past Carnival cruiser and loved it! I do want to try the FOS SO badly but we have no plans at this point so I lurk and dream. Your pictures are great! Thank you for letting me live through your experience!

[LBumb]

freedom rules

[pharmD1]

Tony -

I am really enjoying your review. We are cruising on FOS in June...first time RCCL cruisers! We also have a promenade cabin on the 7th deck, connecting with our kids promenade cabin. Can you tell me what stateroom you had?

[Ander026]

Toni,

Fantastic review. The next 2 weeks cannot go fast enough when I go on the Freedom on 10/31. I will be bring my Dad (mid 60's) with me and it will be his first on the Freedom and first RCCL. He last sailed on the MS Ryndam of Holland America. Hopefully he will like the Freedom

Looking foreward to the continuing review

The following is a pic of the Freedom from Jetty Park

[jackretired]

the World Parade

What time is the Parade?

chrome://foxsaver/skin/icons/fsHide.png Play by FoxSaver®

[jackretired]

Welcome Aboard Show

What time is the show? Do they do it twice?

chrome://foxsaver/skin/icons/fsHide.png Play by FoxSaver®

[pikester]

Hi Tony,

I love the review. Thanks for the memories. My Husband I went on the FOS last year. We were on deck 2 midship and we had more than enough room. We had such a great time that we are doing it again next year.

We considered other cruise lines and checked out Carnival and NCL and by doing some reserch I found out that they allow smoking in the cabins :eek:.

We will be sailing on Aug. 28th 2011. Any thoughts on the cabin that has been assigned to us on deck 8 and is toward the front of the ship?

2012 will be the first time sailing on DCL. My daughter and myself will be
going on the "DREAM" and all the men folk (both DH's and 2 grandsons) will be staying home :D.

I hope all the rest of you folks that are cruising soon have a great time.

I can't wait to read more of your review. Great pictures. I can actually say that I have been there, done that. :)

Chat soon

[momneedsrest]

Tony-
I am loving this review. I will be sailing On Freedom w/DH(50), DS (age 25) & DD(21) on 7/24/11 and am convinced that I have chosen the best cruise for the family to celebrate their milestone b-days since following your stellar review. I have been a bit worried about the whole MDR table mates thing, but now not so much.:D Thank you for sharing your cruise!

[Tony1865]

We were in 7329. I think it was an adjoining room ... honestly, I don't recall, but you might check some deck plans for details.

The Welcome Aboard Show was at 7:30 p.m., and the parade was at 10:45 p.m. There was only one Welcome Aboard Show, and the theater wasn't anywhere near full. Our second seating dinner was sandwiched between the two, which worked fine. We've always done 2nd seating - my thinking is that I wanted to give myself time to make sure we're back from shore excursions to get ready for dinner. We typically eat much earlier than that on land, but it does give a great excuse for some serious snacking early in the evening.

Tomorrow is an at-sea day, which is wonderfully lazy. And ... formal night ... and I'm gonna give you my opinion on formal, like it or not. ;) Just one guy's opinion, and yours doesn't have to be the same as mine for us to remain friends.

[1dergirl]

Tomorrow is an at-sea day, which is wonderfully lazy. And ... formal night ... and I'm gonna give you my opinion on formal, like it or not. ;) Just one guy's opinion, and yours doesn't have to be the same as mine for us to remain friends.[/quote]
I love it. Wonderful review.

[mplusj]

I was on the same sailing last month. Very nice reading the review, can't believe it's already more than a month since I've been back. It was a great vacation.

[loverofpv]

What a wonderful review!!!! And....the writing is amazing! Can't wait to read more!!!!:)

[jackretired]

More, please more.

P.S.
Thanks for the times. My special dining reservation would have not allowed us to see the show. I have cancelled them so we will see the show.

[lynninsc]

Loving your review...can't wait for more!!

[Tony1865]

DAY 2 - At Sea

I love sea days. They can be textbook examples of idleness. My vacationing style, unfortunately for my wife is "Let's see how much we can see and do in one day." Translated, that means that I want to get out there, as the saying goes. But a sea day sort of forces me to settle in. Granted, I can sit around and vegetate with the best of 'em ... but that's only at work, not on vacation.

First order of business was getting tickets for the ice show, Freedom-ice.com. A table was set up on the Royal Promenade, and I slapped on some clothes and went down to get our tickets. I am one of that breed that must be one of the most despised of all mankind - a morning person. So while Teresa pulled the pillow over her head, I was out and about. The line looked horrific at first glance, but it took no time.

Breakfast at the Windjammer. This is standard breakfast fare, but plenty of it. I appreciated the omelet station, where they'd also prepare fresh eggs for you, and once and a while a fried egg over easy just hits the spot. The scrambled eggs on the line had kind of a yellow, curdled look, and I steered clear.

BUT - I was introduced to black pudding. You Brits are probably already smiling; you know what it is. I had no idea. It looked kind of like a sausage patty. So I got a couple, musing aloud about what this might be, and a helpful Scotsman who heard my mumbling said, "You don't want to know." But I got to the table, took a bite, and it was tasty enough ... had that pork-y, protein-y taste, like any number of other breakfast meats. When I went up to the buffet again, I asked one of the attendants about what I'd just eaten. Oooo-kaaaaayy. It was still pretty good, but some of my enthusiasm had been tempered.

Just for the record - pancakes were dry and leathery unless you managed to snag 'em just as they came out. About a pound of butter and a gallon of syrup helped.

Otherwise, everything else seemed very fresh and yummy. Oddly enough, the busier the Windjammer, the better the food, just because it was replenished more frequently. I love a big breakfast, and was content. Even the grits - of which I fancy myself a conisseur - were good once I worked on 'em with salt, pepper, and butter. Not many folks other than my mama can get grits right rigtht out of the pot.

Up on deck, it was plenty windy:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0059.jpg

And golfing was its own unique challenge, what with the wind catching the ball. Actually, it was a tough little course:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0097.jpg

[bob123]

Glad you liked the blood sausage, er- black pudding. Tasty stuff. Being of German descent, I grew up on the stuff. Maple syrup helps, but then maple syrup helps just about everything except your waistline.

Try a Yellow Bird, Tony. It's a Caribbean drink made with dark and white rum, Galiano, orange juice, and lime juice. The bartenders should be familiar with it. If not, give them this:

1 oz dark rum
1 oz white rum
1/4 oz Galliano
1 1/4 oz orange juice
1/2 oz lime juice


It's one of those umbrella drinks. After drinking one of these, the umbrella usually finds its way into my hair. In your case, maybe behind your ear?:p

bob123

[JD26]

Tony, Thanks for the great review. We are going January 23, 2011. It can not come fast enough for me. One question for you, what time did you go down to the promenade to pick up the tickets for the ice show? I wanted to find out how early I need to get up in the morning. :)

[Tony1865]

Tony, Thanks for the great review. We are going January 23, 2011. It can not come fast enough for me. One question for you, what time did you go down to the promenade to pick up the tickets for the ice show? I wanted to find out how early I need to get up in the morning. :)

I think I got there right at 8. A lot of passengers aren't willing to make that early-rising sacrifice to assure themselves of tickets, but it was easy enough.

We mostly just goofed off this morning. I didn't find out until too late to get in on the progressive trivia game, which I regret. I did play some trivia during the week. See, I'm a veritable fountain of useless knowledge, so trivia is my gig.

For funsies, while Teresa languished by the pool, I did take time out to check out the little demo, "The Love For Cooking," presented by executive Chef Wim Van Der Pas, held in the bar in the Windjammer. He and his folks prepared a couple of entrees from Chops and Portofino. Alas, no samples. I'm such a Food Network geek, this appealed to me greatly:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0087.jpg

That lovely artwork in the foreground is a seafood skewer featured at Portofino (hey, I sneaked in some food porn after all!):


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0089.jpg


And lunch was in the MDR (which magically transforms itself into something called "Brasserie 30 Lunch.") Once I realized that we wouldn't be eating out of a petite woman's undergarment, I was a little more open to the experience.

We sat with three other couples, all very genteel folks, save for one fellow who was pretty much about himself, his Porche, his investments, his plethora of cruising experinces, his vacation home, etc. His wife mostly just glared at him, which I found secretly funny.

Coolest thing about lunch, which has a fixed menu, is the "tutti salad," which has been spoken about in depth on CC. But I found that going through a simple square buffet setup, picking salad greens, proteins (chicken, seafood, beef, etc.) and all sorts of other toppings, then having a chef toss it in your choice of dressings made for a fun experience. I had a soup and some fresh bread along with it, and it was delightful. This was the only time we had lunch in the MDR, not because it was unpleasant, but just because the Windjammer had more variety, and I've already admitted how I feel about buffets.

Had a MAJOR lazy afternoon, spent languishing at poolside in a shady spot. I'd raided the ship's library - what a peaceful little sanctuary! - and picked up a couple of books to peruse. I finally had found my rythm, and was able just to settle in and relax.

We did enjoy the poolside ice carving demo:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0095-1.jpg

And watching rock climbers:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0099.jpg

...and NO, I didn't attempt the Wall. One, I don't do heights very well, and two, as tight as the climbing harness was, I couldn't see myself getting strapped into that thing. I have a fairly competent baritone voice, and I didn't want to have to change over to soprano.

[jewelmick]

Love the review.....keep it up.

Feb will our 1st time on any ship other then DCL Wonder- 4 times.

FOS looks beautiful and much bigger......we just got used to all the "hidden" places on the Wonder.

Looking forward to all the new places to explore.

[Tony1865]

Love the review.....keep it up.

Feb will our 1st time on any ship other then DCL Wonder- 4 times.

FOS looks beautiful and much bigger......we just got used to all the "hidden" places on the Wonder.

Looking forward to all the new places to explore.

I *think* that before the week was out I had at least peeked in most of the public venues on the FOS. But I love the Wonder and Magic, and you're right ... the Freedom dwarfs both of them.

We really, really enjoyed Freedom-ice.com. I guess what impressed me the most (and, granted, growing up in southeast Alabama, there wasn't just a whole lot of ice skating I was exposed to) was how they were able to perform so well on a limited stage. The theme of the show, best I could figure, was "freedom" (duh) and how it was expressed in different cultures and musical styles:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0113.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0114-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0116.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0117.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0119-1.jpg






http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0108-1.jpg

[Tony1865]

So this was formal night. I'll editorialize just a bit before getting on with the chronology.

There has been a lot of bandwidth expended on just exactly what formal nights on RCCL are all about, and I sure don't want to fan any flames. Here's my very personal take, and you're not expected to embrace or reject it.

I feel like being a passenger on a cruise ship is sort of like being a character in a play. For us, it was an opportunity to put aside the trappings of everyday work life and play a role that is nostalgic and exciting at the same time. The Freedom of the Seas is one of the grandest stages ever created, and even now I pause thinking about how fortunate Teresa and I are to have been part of such a glorious event. There was a time when decorum and civility were more universal virtues, especially for passengers during the glory days of transatlantic travel, and to recapture those times is personally very appealing to me.

I know that flies in the face of wanting to be an individual, to do my/our own thing, to not be bound by some externally imposed archaic rules.

But to dress just a little nicer for dinner, for me, shows respect for the occasion and my fellow passengers, to be part of something grander than myself. I remember as a kid pretending to be a cowboy, or policeman, or astronaut, and it was so much fun to wear a costume at Halloween and, in later years, at costume parties. Dressing for formal night just isn't that far removed, for me. At its heart, it's just playing dress-up once more.

So I wore a charcoal gray suit, Teresa wore a spiffy dress, and I felt fine. I sure wasn't trying to impress anyone. And that night, I saw a lot more tuxedos than I would've have thought, plenty of suits, plenty of sports coats with open collared shirts, plenty of nice polos and khakis, and many examples of everything else. Of note was a Marine in his impeccable dress blues, a couple of kilts, and one gentleman who was dressed like Little Lord Fauntleroy. And, of course, lots of much more informal casual wear.

And it was all perfectly acceptable. Ancient script says to "judge not, lest ye be judged," and while I'm pretty sure this wasn't referring to suggested dress, the sentiment still fits.

In the end, it is your vacation, you paid handsomely for it, and I encourage folks to do what their conscience dictates and not stress over their decision. I do think that it is appropriate to follow RCCL's "suggestions" (and whether or not those guidelines are enforced is another discussion for another time), but they are just that - suggestions.

Life is way, way too short to get one's knickers in a wad over something that, in the grand scheme of things, just isn't that big of a deal. It's not like someone is talking about your mama.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programme.:)

[birdylady]

But to dress just a little nicer for dinner, for me, shows respect for the occasion and my fellow passengers, to be part of something grander than myself. I remember as a kid pretending to be a cowboy, or policeman, or astronaut, and it was so much fun to wear a costume at Halloween and, in later years, at costume parties. Dressing for formal night just isn't that far removed, for me. At its heart, it's just playing dress-up once more.
What a great way of thinking about it. :D


In the end, it is your vacation, you paid handsomely for it, and I encourage folks to do what their conscience dictates and not stress over their decision. I do think that it is appropriate to follow RCCL's "suggestions" (and whether or not those guidelines are enforced is another discussion for another time), but they are just that - suggestions.
Again, another great way of thinking about it.

I think you very eloquently describe me and my hubby (in order) of how we feel about formal night. And I give hubby the leeway to dress the way he prefers as it is his vacation. Luckily he always has respect for what is 'appropriate' so he finds a comfortable 'middle'.

Keep the review coming.

Erika

[Tony1865]

More fun stuff - the Captain's Welcome Aboard Reception. The Freedom of the Seas Orchestra were in fine form:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0121-1.jpg

Dancing on the Royal Promenade, and there's a fine lookin' Marine in the center. Our son is a former Marine, serving active duty in Iraq, Liberia, etc., from 2001 - 2005. Semper Fi!:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0122.jpg

And Captain Tor Isak Olsen. Very competent guy, I'm guessing. He was actually pretty folksy, with sort of a "one of the guys" demeanor, at least with passengers. That's a glare off plexiglas on his jacket, not some celestial spirit being:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0126.jpg

I always enjoyed his announcements over the shipwide P.A. They were always the same, though: "Imurfy duh flordy morf an profey do whofa e loofa murdy." I'm glad nothing serious ever happened on board - the P.A. left a lot to be desired.

And some more important folk - executive chef, chief engineer, hotel director, and, third from right, the chief medical officer. Guys, just keeping it real here (and yeah, I can be shallow), she was really, really pretty. I thought I might drop by and get her to check me for a hangnail or something:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0128.jpg

Dinnertime! I don't know who told our servers that it was our anniversary, but we had a little cake delivered with appropriate pomp by our head waiter (again, whose name escapes me). I'd already put a dent in my chocolate souffle, but what harm could two desserts cause?:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0130-1.jpg

I had escargot that night - I always encourage folks to try them if they never have. I think dunking a piece of bread in those wonderful garlicky, buttery juices is as much fun as noshing on the critter itself. I also had a grilled seafood brochette - a skewer of monkfish, scallops, and shrimp, with a potato and cauliflower hash. I was a little wary - scallops, overcooked, can be like little tennis balls - but these were quite good. Oh, and a caesar salad - why have three courses when you can have four? Our servers did a great job of timing everything, too. They were pros.

Any questions? Comments? Snide remarks?

[north29]

Tony you must be a travel writer or a travel show wanna be LOL, I really enjoyed your wit, humor, and perceptions of cruising. I especially like the Formal night "new" insights, or perhaps putting it in better words than I have seen before. All this and you live in Mississippi not UCLA(upper corner of lower Alabama) LOL

Great read,

By the way one of our Friends is a TA and she gets some cruises for free or next to nothing, anyway she received a Disney cruise for Port Canaveral, and she said, that Disney is great for and if you have kids, but for the price difference(?) RC is much better.

PS: Some of the people over on the HAL board should read the Dress Code thoughts for formal night.

[birdylady]

I always enjoyed his announcements over the shipwide P.A. They were always the same, though: "Imurfy duh flordy morf an profey do whofa e loofa murdy." I'm glad nothing serious ever happened on board - the P.A. left a lot to be desired.

OMG! I almost pee'd myself laughing so hard. You have a knack for writing.
Thanx,
Erika

[Tony1865]

Tony you must be a travel writer or a travel show wanna be LOL, I really enjoyed your wit, humor, and perceptions of cruising. I especially like the Formal night "new" insights, or perhaps putting it in better words than I have seen before. All this and you live in Mississippi not UCLA(upper corner of lower Alabama) LOL

Great read,

By the way one of our Friends is a TA and she gets some cruises for free or next to nothing, anyway she received a Disney cruise for Port Canaveral, and she said, that Disney is great for and if you have kids, but for the price difference(?) RC is much better.

PS: Some of the people over on the HAL board should read the Dress Code thoughts for formal night.

Haw! I am originally from Alabama (I guess the LCLA ... the lower corner). There IS a difference between Mississippi and Alabama, although I'm guessing the subtlety of that difference might be vague to folks north of the Mason-Dixon line. I'm American by birth, but Southern by the Grace of God!

Surprisingly, many folks in Mississippi read, and some of us even write: William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, John Grisham, Willie Morris, Tennessee Williams come to mind ... it's pretty fertile ground for scribblers down here. I'm not a travel writer or wannabe host, but I do write some ...

And, yep, there is no question in my mind that Disney comes at a premium price. As I've stated, I'm an unapologetic Disney fanatic, but there are many more similarities between RCCL and DCL than there are differences. They are both excellent products. Biggest difference, of course, is that Disney has no casino, a disappointment to those who like to go down to the sea in chips.

I peeked over on the HAL boards. Oooh, testy, isn't it? :D

[Tony1865]

Gonna wrap this day ... I have some legitimate work to do. Bummer.

The production show was tonight - Once Upon a Time. I loved the big, splashy musical programming that Freedom offered. I learned that this was this particular cast's last week on board the Freedom before their contract ended; a brand new cast took over at the end of the week. So, kudos to the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers - the old group went out with a bang, and the new group, which you'll meet at week's end, came out like they had something to prove.

Cute plot, this one ... classic fairy tales set to contemporary music:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0134.jpg

Thus endeth the sea day. Labadee tomorrow! Land ho!

[lacruiser]

I feel like being a passenger on a cruise ship is sort of like being a character in a play. For us, it was an opportunity to put aside the trappings of everyday work life and play a role that is nostalgic and exciting at the same time. The Freedom of the Seas is one of the grandest stages ever created, and even now I pause thinking about how fortunate Teresa and I are to have been part of such a glorious event. There was a time when decorum and civility were more universal virtues, especially for passengers during the glory days of transatlantic travel, and to recapture those times is personally very appealing to me.

I know that flies in the face of wanting to be an individual, to do my/our own thing, to not be bound by some externally imposed archaic rules.

But to dress just a little nicer for dinner, for me, shows respect for the occasion and my fellow passengers, to be part of something grander than myself. I remember as a kid pretending to be a cowboy, or policeman, or astronaut, and it was so much fun to wear a costume at Halloween and, in later years, at costume parties. Dressing for formal night just isn't that far removed, for me. At its heart, it's just playing dress-up once more.

Yes, yes, YES!! My thoughts exactly -- only yours were so much more clearly articulated! Great post...thanks and keep it coming.

[Tony1865]

I hope you don't mind indulging me for just a moment.

What is it about the seas? From the icy north Atlantic to the vast expanses of the Pacific; to the breadth of the Indian Ocean and the polar Artic; to the warmth of our own Caribbean and Gulf, the seas were a mystery to the ancients. I think the seas hold a mystery to me, even today.

It's hard to find moments of pure solitude while on board a cruise ship. Sometimes, though, you're able to make your own quiet place. One more thought about the preceding sea day, before we dock at Labadee.

I woke up early, quietly dressed, and crept out on deck. There were only a handful of people around, each wrapped in private moments. There was no land in sight. I pulled up a deck chair to the rail and gazed toward the horizon. The wake of our ship churned the water and offered up a muted roar.

Here, I thought, is balm for all the worry and bustle of the world. It may be true for all mariners. Certainly it is true - for me, anyway - on this most perfect of ships, on a perfect morning. Even though the Freedom stretched and throbbed and pressed forward, I was struck by the vastness around me ... no matter how large the vessel, the sea is always larger.

I was reminded of the old French fisherman's prayer ... "Dear God, protect me. The sea is so big and my boat is so small."

The sun had just crested the horizon:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/bd8a70e7.jpg

What a sweet epiphany I experienced. I felt as though this sunrise was just for me.

I caught myself singing under my breath (and being thankful no one else was around). It was an old hymn, which I found especially poignant this early dawn:

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

I went back to the cabin. Teresa was still asleep. A busy day was ahead. But I felt that this moment, this precious time alone (ok, I don't think I was totally alone) was the reason I was fortunate enough to participate in this cruise.

I trust you find your special moment, too, and that it is transcendent as mine.

[cruise orlando]

Amen brother

[jlk82]

It appears that I need to make a decision...FOS or Disney Dream or Fantasy. The Dream only does 4 night itineraries. The Fantasy does 7 night but is $$$. It'll be myself, my DH and my DD who'll be 5. I noticed the FOS has an H20 deck which I know she'd love. Dh is just worried that she won't have nearly as much fun as she would on Disney. This is going to be a tough decision.

Just a word to the Disney Cruise Line fans who are following this and want comparisions -

I'll wrap up this review with some more comparisons, but just for the first day, and my initial impressions -some of which I've already shared - I'd say:

- Embarcation was easy on both lines. Disney makes more of a production of you coming on board, with a personal by-name greeting as you enter the atrium. Freedom, you just kind of wandered on board.

- Service in the MDR was pretty much the same, which is a good thing. The food in both is comparable, but as I stated earlier, the Windjammer, in size, traffic flow, and variety, is a clear winner. Food quality for comparable items is very similar. Honestly, we loved the Windjammer, but I never met a buffet I didn't like.

- Freedom is more "adult." While Disney does a superb job of sequestering kids from their elders, kids are still a huge focus. Freedom, not so much, but the kids I saw seemed to be having a blast.

- Purely subjective, here, but the decor on the Disney ships seems a little more refined and classic. Freedom is glitzy without being gaudy. They're both gorgeous products. Just loved all the polished woods, glass, and marble on the Freedom.

I'll compare entertainment offerings at the end of this review, which looks like will be completed in November ... of 2011.

[charliegirlac]

I hope you don't mind indulging me for just a moment.

What is it about the seas? From the icy north Atlantic to the vast expanses of the Pacific; to the breadth of the Indian Ocean and the polar Artic; to the warmth of our own Caribbean and Gulf, the seas were a mystery to the ancients. I think the seas hold a mystery to me, even today.

It's hard to find moments of pure solitude while on board a cruise ship. Sometimes, though, you're able to make your own quiet place. One more thought about the preceding sea day, before we dock at Labadee.

I woke up early, quietly dressed, and crept out on deck. There were only a handful of people around, each wrapped in private moments. There was no land in sight. I pulled up a deck chair to the rail and gazed toward the horizon. The wake of our ship churned the water and offered up a muted roar.

Here, I thought, is balm for all the worry and bustle of the world. It may be true for all mariners. Certainly it is true - for me, anyway - on this most perfect of ships, on a perfect morning. Even though the Freedom stretched and throbbed and pressed forward, I was struck by the vastness around me ... no matter how large the vessel, the sea is always larger.

I was reminded of the old French fisherman's prayer ... "Dear God, protect me. The sea is so big and my boat is so small."

The sun had just crested the horizon:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/bd8a70e7.jpg

What a sweet epiphany I experienced. I felt as though this sunrise was just for me.

I caught myself singing under my breath (and being thankful no one else was around). It was an old hymn, which I found especially poignant this early dawn:

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

I went back to the cabin. Teresa was still asleep. A busy day was ahead. But I felt that this moment, this precious time alone (ok, I don't think I was totally alone) was the reason I was fortunate enough to participate in this cruise.

I trust you find your special moment, too, and that it is transcendent as mine.

Just beautiful...

[goouchjac]

[quote=Tony1865;26553391]I hope you don't mind indulging me for just a moment.

What is it about the seas? From the icy north Atlantic to the vast expanses of the Pacific; to the breadth of the Indian Ocean and the polar Artic; to the warmth of our own Caribbean and Gulf, the seas were a mystery to the ancients. I think the seas hold a mystery to me, even today.

It's hard to find moments of pure solitude while on board a cruise ship. Sometimes, though, you're able to make your own quiet place. One more thought about the preceding sea day, before we dock at Labadee.

I woke up early, quietly dressed, and crept out on deck. There were only a handful of people around, each wrapped in private moments. There was no land in sight. I pulled up a deck chair to the rail and gazed toward the horizon. The wake of our ship churned the water and offered up a muted roar.

Here, I thought, is balm for all the worry and bustle of the world. It may be true for all mariners. Certainly it is true - for me, anyway - on this most perfect of ships, on a perfect morning. Even though the Freedom stretched and throbbed and pressed forward, I was struck by the vastness around me ... no matter how large the vessel, the sea is always larger.

I was reminded of the old French fisherman's prayer ... "Dear God, protect me. The sea is so big and my boat is so small."

The sun had just crested the horizon:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/bd8a70e7.jpg

What a sweet epiphany I experienced. I felt as though this sunrise was just for me.

I caught myself singing under my breath (and being thankful no one else was around). It was an old hymn, which I found especially poignant this early dawn:

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

I went back to the cabin. Teresa was still asleep. A busy day was ahead. But I felt that this moment, this precious time alone (ok, I don't think I was totally alone) was the reason I was fortunate enough to participate in this cruise.

I trust you find your special moment, too, and that it is transcendent as mine

This is really beautiful,, I often get up early and go up on deck to have some peaceful moments and watch the sun come up,,,nothing better to clear your mind and thank God for all we have...:)

[Tony1865]

It appears that I need to make a decision...FOS or Disney Dream or Fantasy. The Dream only does 4 night itineraries. The Fantasy does 7 night but is $$$. It'll be myself, my DH and my DD who'll be 5. I noticed the FOS has an H20 deck which I know she'd love. Dh is just worried that she won't have nearly as much fun as she would on Disney. This is going to be a tough decision.

I guess the biggest question you'd need to resolve is: "Are we Disney folks?" And with a 5-year-old DD, she'd sure fit right in with that Disney demographic.

We are definitely Disney folks ... we're tentatively planning on doing an Eastern Caribbean on the Magic next fall. And we've done the same 4-night itenerary that the Dream will be doing. Actually, looking toward sailing in the fall, our question was "do we cruise the Dream for the ship or the Magic for the ports?"

And there is the issue of money - which, I can assure you, IS an issue at our house. We're firmly entrenched in the middle class, and keep our bills paid, but we are discretionary with discretionary income. Cruising just gives us a terrific bang for our vacationing buck, but it's more of a treat for us than an annual (or even more frequent) event. However, with RCCL coming to New Orleans - our closest port - some quickie trips might be in the offering, and we might even sample NCL and (gasp!) Carnival at some point, too, since they're close by.

I wish I could give you wiser cousel. I'm about to have a hissy wanting to sail one of Disney's newer ships. But they darn sure charge premium prices, and again, being heretical here, there are some areas where I have to give the nod to RCCL, or Freedom at least.

But there's something about Mickey and Co. that money just can't buy for me... :)

ETA: There are a couple of threads on the Disney boards on CC that make some comparisions, too.

[cruisin' 4 fun]

It appears that I need to make a decision...FOS or Disney Dream or Fantasy. The Dream only does 4 night itineraries. The Fantasy does 7 night but is $$$. It'll be myself, my DH and my DD who'll be 5. I noticed the FOS has an H20 deck which I know she'd love. Dh is just worried that she won't have nearly as much fun as she would on Disney. This is going to be a tough decision.

So I may be in the minority as this is a RCCL thread but if your DD is 5 and you can afford it. I would do the Fantasy in a heartbeat. We did Disney on our honeymoon, no kids, and then when the kids (2 Girls) were 7 and 5. Also have done 4 RCCl cruises with 1 more in Dec. At 5y/o they still believe in the magic and I will never forget that cruise. Disney does such a good job with the kids. And the kids are only into the Disney magic for such a short time. Now I will say I don't know how the kids programs are on RCCL. Hope to find out next year when the kids will be 11 and 9 as they are now done with Disney. Now do we do the Freedom or Oasis/Allure. I'm not sure I really helped in your decision or made it worse, but whatever you chose there will be quality family time and memories you won't ever forget.

[Bug'sMom]

In regards to the Disney / FOS comparison, we sailed Disney with our son when we was 4, 5, and 6 yrs old. (Due to a job layoff, we didn't cruise when he was 7). When we decided that we could cruise again (May of this year), he was now 8 yrs old. We decided to try the Freedom of the Seas since he is more active and a little less inclined to hug the Disney characters. He was not sure that he wanted to try something besides Disney (all he had known up to this point. We had sailed RCCL and Celebrity before he was born). In a nutshell, he LOVED the Freedom of the Seas but he still remembers and loves Disney as well. (We are booked on the Magic for next November and on the FOS for this Nov). I would sail Disney while the "magic" is still amazing to them. Five is a great age to do that. Before you know it, she will be older and not as captivated by the wonder of Disney. At least you know you can't go wrong with either choice!

Kathy

P.S. If you are interested, you can search my past posts and find the review that I did when we got home from the Freedom of the Seas in May. I mostly compared it with our experience with Disney.

[cmoor052]

Tony, thank you for the great insight and amazing play by play. Your sunrise photo and thoughts reminded me of the reflective moments I had shipboard when I was stationed aboard a submarine. There was always something serene about looking out upon the vast ocean and feeling the waves strike the hull. Thanks for the memories. Keep up the commentary, it's excellent.

Also, as a soon to be 1st time cruiser, I was wondering if you could provide comments on how this cruise compared to your first. And finally, would you reccommend freedom to a 1st timer who's wife is slightly nervous about cruising? (sea sickness and whatnot).

[sunnydaygirl]

I've enjoyed reading your review so much, and many of the comments as well. I'm happy to report that as of tonight, my friends and daughters are booked on Freedom for 8/28/11. Celebrating 3 birthdays will be so much fun. And since I'm looking forward to ice show, was glad to learn about the early ticket line. Could you just get two, or could you have picked up enough for a party of 11? Our cabins are on deck 2, I know it's a low deck but figured it would be easy to get off at ports of call? Glad to hear about food(always a interest) and wondered if you checked out the On Air Club? Our TA is taking care of finding out past cruiser #. I wish I was cruising sooner, haven't been on RCCL since 2004 on Grandeur of Seas. Happy to be retuning.

Thanks again for all the time you've taken from your job to post here for all of us wanting info on this cruise ship. This is a great travel journal for your memoirs. I always think I'll do it and then don't.:cool: Happy Cruising.

[Tony1865]

I've enjoyed reading your review so much, and many of the comments as well. I'm happy to report that as of tonight, my friends and daughters are booked on Freedom for 8/28/11. Celebrating 3 birthdays will be so much fun. And since I'm looking forward to ice show, was glad to learn about the early ticket line. Could you just get two, or could you have picked up enough for a party of 11? Our cabins are on deck 2, I know it's a low deck but figured it would be easy to get off at ports of call? Glad to hear about food(always a interest) and wondered if you checked out the On Air Club? Our TA is taking care of finding out past cruiser #. I wish I was cruising sooner, haven't been on RCCL since 2004 on Grandeur of Seas. Happy to be retuning.

Thanks again for all the time you've taken from your job to post here for all of us wanting info on this cruise ship. This is a great travel journal for your memoirs. I always think I'll do it and then don't.:cool: Happy Cruising.

I'm not sure about how many tickets you could pick up, but I did see one guy pick up five. They're free, of course ... I don't see what difference it would make to the folks manning the tables, but you might want to ask at guest services first the day before.

I did peek into the On Air Club a couple of times, but didn't linger. It's really a pleasant, laid-back, quirky little venue. Talent is hit or miss, naturally, but I did hear one guy that was pretty amazing.

[Tony1865]

Tony, thank you for the great insight and amazing play by play. Your sunrise photo and thoughts reminded me of the reflective moments I had shipboard when I was stationed aboard a submarine. There was always something serene about looking out upon the vast ocean and feeling the waves strike the hull. Thanks for the memories. Keep up the commentary, it's excellent.

Also, as a soon to be 1st time cruiser, I was wondering if you could provide comments on how this cruise compared to your first. And finally, would you reccommend freedom to a 1st timer who's wife is slightly nervous about cruising? (sea sickness and whatnot).

My first cruise was when I was 14, back when the earth's crust was still cooling, on board the NCL Starward (which is still in service with a Greek line - can't remember which one). It was amazing.

To get a little more current, my first adult cruise was on the Disney Magic in 2000. I love the Disney ships and the whole Disney vibe, as I've stated, but the Freedom is signifcantly larger than the current Disney ships. Bigger isn't necessarily better - it's just bigger. Honestly, I think the total experience between that cruise and the most recent one were quite comparable. Because of the size, you could make the case that there is more to do on the Freedom, with the rock climbing wall, FlowRider, ice rink, boxing ring, etc. If you compare apples to apples, though, the products are a lot alike.

I love 'em both.

Regarding your wife - we cruised right in the heart of hurricane season, on the week that historically sees more tropical activity than any other week of the year. I kept an eye on the weather obsessively the weeks leading up to our trip. And there was a lot of activity prior to and during our cruise - it just wasn't anywhere near us. So we only felt the slightest of movement one night. There are so many good seasickness remedies available now, I think it'd have to get pretty nasty for anyone to worry. DW is prone to seasickness, but she was comfortable the whole time - and she'd packed a pharmacy's worth of meds.

My boss is the kind of guy who frets over the most random things, like a chunk of ice falling off a plane's wing and hitting him. So he had questions for me about rogue waves, terrorist attacks, etc. He worries because he worries. But for any first-timer, the Freedom would be a great experience.

[sailingawaysoon]

Hi Tony,

Great review. We just love the Freedom. I am hoping that we will get to take another cruise on her next year, but I am thoroughly enjoying your pictures and review and your writing is great also!

[cmoor052]

Tony,

Thanks for the reply, now get back to work and continue with your review. It's like waiting for a sequel to come out. :)

[silkie70]

Tony...
As stated before...THANK YOU for this wonder review!!!

I believe this is the most informative and entertaining one I have read. I have laughed out loud several times!!!

You truly have an awesome, gifted talent!!!

Thanks for sharing!!!

Ellen

The only downfall to reading your review, is that we don't sail on the Freedom until March...reading this has made me even MORE ANXIOUS!!!

[04denali]

Great review

[cmoor052]

Tony, please don't take my snarkyness as being rude. I am truly thankful for your commentary. It is extremely helpful to me in planning and understanding. Keep up the good work.

[Tony1865]

Tony, please don't take my snarkyness as being rude. I am truly thankful for your commentary. It is extremely helpful to me in planning and understanding. Keep up the good work.

:D:D:D

Not at all. I've just had a busy week, and I want to give this epistle the time it deserves. I'm anal like that. I'll chip away at it some today. Y'all are all too, too kind.

[1dergirl]

You review is so wonderful. I find myself checking my emails throguht out the day just a bit more hoping there's your review has reached my inbox.

[Jenjer]

What a wonderful review. Does your boss not understand you have important CC work to do. :)

I too am a morning person along with my DD and one morning on the Disney Magic, Zoe and I had a morning you decribed. I need to make a point to do it again cause one day far to soon, sitting with moms arms wrapped around her watching the sun rise over the ocean will be the last thing she will want to do on vacation.

[Tony1865]

DAY 3 - Labadee

Land Ho! Our first port.

I was up on deck as Freedom docked. Haiti is such a pretty island, but without delving too deep into its challenging history, I will tell you that hers is a heartbreaking story. What could be a true jewel of the Caribbean has suffered, and suffered greatly, for decades because of a series of purely crazy leaders.

In 1970 or so, I visited Haiti as a young teenager on a cruise with my family on NCL's Starward, which I mentioned earlier, and visited Cap-Haitien, Milot, and the absoluely jaw-droppingly amazing Citadelle Laferrière. Oh, and the Sans-Souci Palace. If I live to be 100 I'll never forget riding a donkey up the mountain to the Citadelle. And I saw the most squalid poverty I've ever seen in Cap-Haitien.

The ruins Sans-Souci palace:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/800px-Sans-Souci_Palace_front.jpg

And the Citadelle:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/800px-Citadelle_LaferriC3A8re.jpg

There is talk of possible RCCL visits to the Citadelle coming one day. Well, it's something to see.

Anyway, I digress. I love the combination of mountains, jungle, and sea that Labadee offers:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/STE_0194.jpg

After Teresa and I had breakfast in the Windjammer, we made our way ashore. I'm glad that the Freedom doesn't have to tender anymore, but that's one long dock:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0151-1.jpg

[Tony1865]

Labadee proper is one sprawling complex. Like other private islands, it provideds a built-from-scratch, idealized tropical port. Actually, it's not entirely built from scratch ... other folks had been here first:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0176.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0177-1.jpg

Wonder if this date is authentic?:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0180.jpg

I never could get a straight story on these ruins. I know a walking tour was offered, and perhaps some explanations might've been forthcoming from the guides on the tour. I'd say that the guest service folks on the island weren't too helpful in this area. I'm such a huge history buff ... this kind of thing really appeals to me:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0182.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/STE_0187.jpg

[Tony1865]

Labadee offers a ton of shore activities. The only one we opted for was the Dragon's Tail Coaster, which I think was $15 a pop, or unlimited rides for $40. See, I purely love roller coasters, and I figured most anything else we did we could do on our own.

So, this particular attraction was, indeed, a true roller coaster. Like other coasters, you sit in a little car designed for one or two folks, strap yourself in, and a bicycle chain-type apparatus pulls you to the top of a significant hill. Then, you're released to roll freely. There are a couple of control bars that give you the opportunity to brake yourself ... which is something you're gonna want to do.

So, the initial view from my vantage point:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0163-1.jpg

I'll tell you, this was a thrilling little ride. I wish we'd opted for multiple rides, because on that one ride, I was so obsessed by trying to control my little vehicle I couldn't enjoy the scenery. Because there are some times when the track curves way out beyond the mountainside, you're suspended over nothing but air, you're catching glimpses of the mountains, shore, and ship, but dang it, you're also thinking about not getting yourself killed. I watched caution signs whoosh past, warning of curves and places to brake, and so I was almost too busy staying in control to actually enjoy the trip. But I fininshed up with an immediate desire to do it again.

Here's Teresa, finishing her run:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0164.jpg

One of the ride attendants told me that heavier folks go much faster than the featherweights. Which explains why I came down the mountain like a scalded dog. Fun!!

[sunnydaygirl]

That's sounds like so much fun. It makes me sad we picked the cococay island itinerary. Have you ever been there?

[malackym]

Really enjoying your review. My family and I were on the same cruise.

A few people asked about skating tickets. My wife and I were up early the day the tickets were passed out and got to the line about 7:30. The ticket passout was to start at 8:00, we were third in line. The line started at one end of the promenade and by the time 8:00 rolled around, the line was at the other end.

They set up four table to pass out tickets and the line moved pretty quick. I don't now how long the line lasted because we left after we got ours.

You were able to pick up as many tickets as you needed.

I also noticed there were tickets available on at the Guest services desk later in the day. Not all the days and times were still available, but there were some left after the initial passout.

Mark.

[keggy]

Great review! Thanks for sharing! I am on Freedom in two weeks and can't wait. I have been on her sister ship, Liberty.

For the Disney vs RCCl choice/debate. As you can see from my signature I have been on my share of DCL cruises, was married on the Wonder (well Castaway Cay) and live in Orlando. (Add me to the DVC owner group too)... It is really a tough call. We were originally booked on the Magic for this cruise and we switched over to Freedom, purely due to cost factors. We will be sailing with us (2 adults) and a family of 4 (2 adults, 5yr old and 4yr old). The 6 of us sailed together last year on the Magic.

For $1K less we moved from a Cat 9 on Disney (window room) to large balcony rooms on Freedom.

Yes, Disney is an amazing product - but so is RCCL. I feel that the two are very, very comparable. If I had to choose - I would probably go based on cost. I do want to try the new Disney ships as well, but will wait for the cost to go down!!

[Ander026]

Really enjoying your review. My family and I were on the same cruise.

A few people asked about skating tickets. My wife and I were up early the day the tickets were passed out and got to the line about 7:30. The ticket passout was to start at 8:00, we were third in line. The line started at one end of the promenade and by the time 8:00 rolled around, the line was at the other end.

They set up four table to pass out tickets and the line moved pretty quick. I don't now how long the line lasted because we left after we got ours.

You were able to pick up as many tickets as you needed.

I also noticed there were tickets available on at the Guest services desk later in the day. Not all the days and times were still available, but there were some left after the initial passout.

Mark.

What was the first day the tickets available. Also were they available for any of the Ice shows? I am leaving in 9 days, I have heard so many good things about the Ice show and do not want to miss it

[enidcruiser]

What was the first day the tickets available. Also were they available for any of the Ice shows? I am leaving in 9 days, I have heard so many good things about the Ice show and do not want to miss it
They are really only available that one morning, which is the first or second day out. Check the cruise compass for the day. They are only offered on that one day and they are for all of the shows the rest of the week.

[i_da_bell]

What was the first day the tickets available. Also were they available for any of the Ice shows? I am leaving in 9 days, I have heard so many good things about the Ice show and do not want to miss it

I sailed on Freedom earlier this month. The tickets were available in the Promenade near Sorrento's on Monday morning from 8 to 9. I went down about 8:30. There were only two people in line in front of me and still plenty of tickets available for all the show times. There was no limit on how many tickets you could pick up. The remaining tickets were available at Guest Services later. The shows were Monday at 3:00 and 5:00, and Wednesday at 7:00 and 9:00. People without tickets could still show up at the show and would be allowed in close to showtime if there were seats still available.

I am thoroughly enjoying this well-written, humorous, thoughful review. It's like reliving my cruise. I can't wait for the next installment!!

[daisy-mae]

This may sound like a really silly question, but here goes:

Is it cold/cool in the theatre where the ice shows are performed? I assume that they have to keep the temperature low; just wondering if the audience has to dress warmly (socks, slacks, sweaters).

Thanks.

[i_da_bell]

This may sound like a really silly question, but here goes:

Is it cold/cool in the theatre where the ice shows are performed? I assume that they have to keep the temperature low; just wondering if the audience has to dress warmly (socks, slacks, sweaters).

Thanks.

You will probably want to take a sweater with you.

[Peter Of The Seas]

Great review, the Freedom is a great ship

[Ariel's Mum]

The dragon coaster sounds great fun. May do this ourselves when we sail. Look forward to hearing more....

[pbinn]

Loving your review and pictures..we dont go until May and I am dying to go now !

[sunnydaygirl]

I'm also on the FOS 8/28/11. Will be traveling in group of 11, friends and family. There is a roll call started if you haven't already checked it out. I've been telling all my partners in crime about Tony's review. Thera only one thing that could make it better. Wish he had done the eastern itinerary

Has anyone flown into Melbourne Florida? I'm confused with all the airport choices. Thanks for any replies. Joy Hi Tony,

I love the review. Thanks for the memories. My Husband I went on the FOS last year. We were on deck 2 midship and we had more than enough room. We had such a great time that we are doing it again next year.

We considered other cruise lines and checked out Carnival and NCL and by doing some reserch I found out that they allow smoking in the cabins :eek:.

We will be sailing on Aug. 28th 2011. Any thoughts on the cabin that has been assigned to us on deck 8 and is toward the front of the ship?

2012 will be the first time sailing on DCL. My daughter and myself will be
going on the "DREAM" and all the men folk (both DH's and 2 grandsons) will be staying home :D.

I hope all the rest of you folks that are cruising soon have a great time.

I can't wait to read more of your review. Great pictures. I can actually say that I have been there, done that. :)

Chat soon

[birdylady]

For those that are interested in the Dragon Tail Coaster on Labadee, I found the following on YouTube (thank you mrsbigrayq).

http://www.youtube.com/user/mrsbigrayq

I'm not sure I would do it, but now hubby is definitely interested.

Erika

[seaandsea]

Enjoying your review Tony, Thanks!

[seaandsea]

Thanks for the review!

[Tony1865]

For those that are interested in the Dragon Tail Coaster on Labadee, I found the following on YouTube (thank you mrsbigrayq).

http://www.youtube.com/user/mrsbigrayq

I'm not sure I would do it, but now hubby is definitely interested.

Erika

That's cool! It helps to have two folks in the car if you're gonna video anything.

Got a perfectly awful week at work coming up, so I'll post when I can. Sorry. Day jobs have a way of cutting into more productive activities.

[cmoor052]

Isn't it amazing how the thing that provides you with the means to pleasure always seems to get in the way of sharing that pleasure with others.

I'm sure I speak for everyone on this board when I say, "we totally understand, thanks for sharing your vaction with us, post when you can!"

[joanne59]

Got a perfectly awful week at work coming up, so I'll post when I can. Sorry. Day jobs have a way of cutting into more productive activities.

I just hate when that happens :)

Loving your continuing review, and the pictures are just great. Agree with you 110% about Graham Seymour...the best by far, of any cruise director we have ever had. He was on our first transatlantic on board the Voyager, but sadly have not had the pleasure of enjoying his talents again since then. So sorry about the food porn, I love it and indulge in it often...just finished a live food blog during our last cruise...love peeking back at all the pictures when I'm missing all the wonderful food.

Happy cruising and keep up the good work....Joanne

[proudpatriot07]

I just caught up with your review! I feel you on the day job thing. Last week I had long meetings and other stuff to do. It really interfered with my cruise critic time :(. No fun at all but hey it finances my cruises ;).

I think my fiance and I will want to go to an ice show! We'll have to remember that about the tickets. Maybe just wait until a little later to get them to avoid standing in line a long time. I doubt they'd completely run out anyway. Plus all your info is good, even though we're doing Eastern itenerary, it's nice to read about the ship and these ports in case we visit them next :D.

Can't wait to read the rest!

[jlk82]

I guess the biggest question you'd need to resolve is: "Are we Disney folks?" And with a 5-year-old DD, she'd sure fit right in with that Disney demographic.

We are definitely Disney folks ... we're tentatively planning on doing an Eastern Caribbean on the Magic next fall. And we've done the same 4-night itenerary that the Dream will be doing. Actually, looking toward sailing in the fall, our question was "do we cruise the Dream for the ship or the Magic for the ports?"

And there is the issue of money - which, I can assure you, IS an issue at our house. We're firmly entrenched in the middle class, and keep our bills paid, but we are discretionary with discretionary income. Cruising just gives us a terrific bang for our vacationing buck, but it's more of a treat for us than an annual (or even more frequent) event. However, with RCCL coming to New Orleans - our closest port - some quickie trips might be in the offering, and we might even sample NCL and (gasp!) Carnival at some point, too, since they're close by.

I wish I could give you wiser cousel. I'm about to have a hissy wanting to sail one of Disney's newer ships. But they darn sure charge premium prices, and again, being heretical here, there are some areas where I have to give the nod to RCCL, or Freedom at least.

But there's something about Mickey and Co. that money just can't buy for me... :)

ETA: There are a couple of threads on the Disney boards on CC that make some comparisions, too.

So I may be in the minority as this is a RCCL thread but if your DD is 5 and you can afford it. I would do the Fantasy in a heartbeat. We did Disney on our honeymoon, no kids, and then when the kids (2 Girls) were 7 and 5. Also have done 4 RCCl cruises with 1 more in Dec. At 5y/o they still believe in the magic and I will never forget that cruise. Disney does such a good job with the kids. And the kids are only into the Disney magic for such a short time. Now I will say I don't know how the kids programs are on RCCL. Hope to find out next year when the kids will be 11 and 9 as they are now done with Disney. Now do we do the Freedom or Oasis/Allure. I'm not sure I really helped in your decision or made it worse, but whatever you chose there will be quality family time and memories you won't ever forget.

In regards to the Disney / FOS comparison, we sailed Disney with our son when we was 4, 5, and 6 yrs old. (Due to a job layoff, we didn't cruise when he was 7). When we decided that we could cruise again (May of this year), he was now 8 yrs old. We decided to try the Freedom of the Seas since he is more active and a little less inclined to hug the Disney characters. He was not sure that he wanted to try something besides Disney (all he had known up to this point. We had sailed RCCL and Celebrity before he was born). In a nutshell, he LOVED the Freedom of the Seas but he still remembers and loves Disney as well. (We are booked on the Magic for next November and on the FOS for this Nov). I would sail Disney while the "magic" is still amazing to them. Five is a great age to do that. Before you know it, she will be older and not as captivated by the wonder of Disney. At least you know you can't go wrong with either choice!

Kathy

P.S. If you are interested, you can search my past posts and find the review that I did when we got home from the Freedom of the Seas in May. I mostly compared it with our experience with Disney.


Thank you so much for the replies. I'm still very undecided. I have the Disney Dream booked for April 2012, but have decided that we definitely want to do a 7 night cruise. FOS is significantly less expensive than Disney's Fantasy, but I really want to go to Castaway Cay as it looks awesome! Many of the cool things on FOS seem geared towards older children, but would she have that much more fun on DCL vs RCI...that is the question?

[texnewbie]

I hope you don't mind indulging me for just a moment.

What is it about the seas? From the icy north Atlantic to the vast expanses of the Pacific; to the breadth of the Indian Ocean and the polar Artic; to the warmth of our own Caribbean and Gulf, the seas were a mystery to the ancients. I think the seas hold a mystery to me, even today.

It's hard to find moments of pure solitude while on board a cruise ship. Sometimes, though, you're able to make your own quiet place. One more thought about the preceding sea day, before we dock at Labadee.

I woke up early, quietly dressed, and crept out on deck. There were only a handful of people around, each wrapped in private moments. There was no land in sight. I pulled up a deck chair to the rail and gazed toward the horizon. The wake of our ship churned the water and offered up a muted roar.

Here, I thought, is balm for all the worry and bustle of the world. It may be true for all mariners. Certainly it is true - for me, anyway - on this most perfect of ships, on a perfect morning. Even though the Freedom stretched and throbbed and pressed forward, I was struck by the vastness around me ... no matter how large the vessel, the sea is always larger.

I was reminded of the old French fisherman's prayer ... "Dear God, protect me. The sea is so big and my boat is so small."

The sun had just crested the horizon:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/bd8a70e7.jpg

What a sweet epiphany I experienced. I felt as though this sunrise was just for me.

I caught myself singing under my breath (and being thankful no one else was around). It was an old hymn, which I found especially poignant this early dawn:

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

I went back to the cabin. Teresa was still asleep. A busy day was ahead. But I felt that this moment, this precious time alone (ok, I don't think I was totally alone) was the reason I was fortunate enough to participate in this cruise.

I trust you find your special moment, too, and that it is transcendent as mine.


Thank you!!!!!
I have fabulous tears in my eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy... Thank you for your words...
That morning was made just for you!!!
That's awesome...

Texnewbie
Carolyn

[Bug'sMom]

Thank you so much for the replies. I'm still very undecided. I have the Disney Dream booked for April 2012, but have decided that we definitely want to do a 7 night cruise. FOS is significantly less expensive than Disney's Fantasy, but I really want to go to Castaway Cay as it looks awesome! Many of the cool things on FOS seem geared towards older children, but would she have that much more fun on DCL vs RCI...that is the question?

I think she'd have fun no matter which ship she was on. The water park area on FOS is amazing compared to Disney's tiny little area but then again, my son didn't know any better and he LIVED in the Mickey Pool. He was either there or in the kids club. My opinion is that she would get more from the Disney magic than FOS given her age. If she is into the characters at all, they are so much more available on the ship than at the parks. Have you considered taking the Nov 2011 DCL cruise where you get to go to Castaway Cay TWICE? :D:D We are booked on that one! They hardly ever offer that itinerary but it is amazing. We have done it twice and re-booked two years ago when we were last on Disney so that we could do it again. The other thing about Disney (at least in the past when they only had 2 ships) is that if you book way in advance, their prices are comparable to other cruise lines. Good luck deciding!

Kathy

[Tony1865]

Let me see if I can toss some more good stuff your way.

As I said earlier, the only shore activity we did was the coaster. But there was plenty else to do - I especially got a kick out of watching folks on the zipline. You can see how the lines zoom over the beach, with the iconic "dragon" in the background:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0169-1.jpg

That geological oddity of the dragon itself was worth a stroll. The way the waves caused the "breathing" was eerie.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0170.jpg

Peek-a-boo, Freedom!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0171.jpg

Our little beach spot. I managed to find some shade in the treeline:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0174-1.jpg

And if you partake of Labadee beaches, you'll be MUCH happier with water shoes. We bought some cheapo ones at Walmart and found them perfectly acceptable, but hardly stylish. I mean, after all, how often would you hear "those water shoes are just adorable."

Just strolling along the "mall", if you're in the mood for Haitian arts and crafts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0167.jpg

And our lunch spot. Covered seating and a buffet line:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0161.jpg

Lunch was, honestly, just OK. Not bad, but not knock-you-nekkid yummy, either. Burgers, hot dogs, some salads, corn on the cob. The jerk chicken was moist and tender, but very tenatively spiced. I know they had to make it palatable to the masses, but I sure would've appreciated some more heat.

The rest of the afternoon we just lazed around, which seemed appropriate for a beach setting.

For those of you wanting more Disney comparisons ... I have to give the nod to Castaway Cay as opposed to Labadee. While both islands are impeccably themed, Labadee was more "unfinished" feeling - not that it was under construction, but there is simply more polish on CC. I mean, Lordy, if Disney can't follow through on a theme, no one can. Food offerings and quality were much better on CC. The entertainment/activity offerings on both islands were similar, but Labadee had more "thrill" rides - coaster and zipline, specifically. Beaches on CC are much prettier and sandier. And on CC, employees seemed to have just a bit more on the ball. Labadee has sort of a "native marketplace," with Haitian artesians hawking their wares. I didn't find them overly pushy - Lord knows they need to sell product more than anyone else in the Western Hemisphere. Bottom line is that CC is more "Disneyfied," and that can be a good thing or bad thing, depending on your perspective. Castaway Cay is a stop I relish returning to. Labadee ... I could take it or leave it.

Back to the salt mines. Work is a-callin' me.

[Tony1865]

Gonna see if I can wrap Day 3 up.

After boarding about 4 p.m., we got ready for the headliner show. Tonight was Drew Thomas. I remembered seeing Drew on "America's Got Talent" and being VERY impressed. File this under "So What?", but I tinker with magic some ... I'm what is known in the trade as a "part-time professional," which simply means that I do some magic from time to time and do get paid, but it's not my vocation. Mostly church events, birthday parties, office parties, some school stuff. Not more than a couple or three times a month.

So I was delighted to see Drew in action. I was gonna be careful not to nitpick, because I know a little magic and didn't want to be hypercritical, as something of an insider. His was a production show, in that he was supported by the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers. A lot of what he did were standard "big box" effects, but he did them with such panache and style that I was enthralled.

Nice levitation here:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0205-1.jpg

He's got a great gig going - one night a week on the Freedom, able to bring his family with him. Sweet.

I was able to hop into a trivia game in the Schooner Bar - a group of four or five invited me to join them, and we just rocked.

Dinner at 8:30. I had rack of lamb, which was just full of garlic, and I'm one of those folks who thinks there's no such thing as too much garlic. Our server even cut it up for me, bless him. Made me feel like I was four years old, and that was kinda fun. I also had a crab cake, which, thank goodness, had as much crab as breading, and a focaccia and tomato salad, nuthin' special. And the closing dulce de leche cheesecake was nice and firm. Again, I'm giving high marks to the MDR food on the Freedom. Only once was I a wee bit disappointed, and I'll tell you about that in due time.

I will say this about beverages. Teresa is a Diet Cokeaholic, and only in the MDR did she find the Diet Coke unacceptable. It did have something of a funky, "off" taste, and she ended up converting to lemonade. I usually had just water - their iced tea was made from that nasty concentrate and wasn't freshly brewed, so I steered clear. I usually had hot tea with my dessert. They had a wide range of Lipton products, and while I really like Twinings, I don't always find it. I managed just fine. Within a couple of days, our servers knew just exactly what to bring, bless 'em. I guess that's why we still prefer not to go the my time dining route.

The last event of the evening was the "I Can Do That" game show, hosted by Graham. Simple plot: a couple of crew members demostrated part of their jobs - in this case, the head chef decorated a cake and a gentleman in housekeeping made towel animals. Then, folks from the audience were to duplicate their efforts in the same time or less. Graham Seymore took what was a pretty basic game and elevated it into something flat-out hilarious. Dang, he's good.

Nighty-night. Here's what greeted us in our stateroom:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0209.jpg

Couldn't decide if this varmit was an elephant, or an anteater, or what. But our stateroom attendant, Jack, was top-notch all week long. Very personable and eager to please.

Tomorrow is Ocho Rios. Boy, do I have a tale to tell. Sit tight!

[retiredgram]

Can't wait to hear about Ocho Rios:eek:

[Hackpba]

Is this guy good or what! You have me on the edge of my seat waiting for your next post. Great pictures and excellent commentary. My wife and I went on the Liberty of the Seas last April and won a free cruise which we are taking on the Freedom of the Seas this coming April. Looks like Labadee will be fun.

[KYGal112]

Congrats on the FREE Cruise.....Oh share with all of us, how that happened. Of course we all believe we can be LUCKY too.

[seaandsea]

Looking forward to the next report. Its like I am cruising right along with you:)

[cruisingram1]

I'm not sure about how many tickets you could pick up, but I did see one guy pick up five. They're free, of course ... I don't see what difference it would make to the folks manning the tables, but you might want to ask at guest services first the day before.

I did peek into the On Air Club a couple of times, but didn't linger. It's really a pleasant, laid-back, quirky little venue. Talent is hit or miss, naturally, but I did hear one guy that was pretty amazing.

My husband picked up ten tickets for our party. It was ENCOURAGED that one member of a group pick up tickets for their group. I suspect it makes the line move faster than having everyone line up.

[Hackpba]

Congrats on the FREE Cruise.....Oh share with all of us, how that happened. Of course we all believe we can be LUCKY too.

Yes Lucky! My DW and I were with her sister and her husband. We played one of those new fancy blue machines that plays 30 games at once! The machine actually tells you when you are getting close to winning (takes all the guessing out of it). They have you stand up when you have one number left, when I stood up I got the "boo's" from all in the crowd, I was one of 3 standing up. The very next number was our number and I have not been that excited in a long time. We are in our 40's so we don't play Bingo that often just wanted a chance to win and we did. Had to use the coupon within a year and it had to be another 7 day cruise to the Caribbean. No problem there as we are traveling with DW brother and his wife this April!

Nipping at the bud for the next posting, come on Paul!!

[Wildcatfish]

In the above photo... which beach had the kayaks? DD & I would love to go kayaking! Any info would be appreciated.

Love the review!

[Tony1865]

In the above photo... which beach had the kayaks? DD & I would love to go kayaking! Any info would be appreciated.

Love the review!

I *think* that particular beach was called Nellie's Beach. When you're planning any shore activities, I'm sure the guest services folks can help you. The Royal Caribbean website has tons of info on what's available to do in Labadee.

That particular part of Haiti which is now Labadee was called The Devil's Ravine by early French settlers. There's an abandoned copper mine nearby, as well as the site of a slave rebellion. Haiti has had a troubled history.

[Tony1865]

DAY 4 - OCHO RIOS

A fun day, with one sorta scary curve ball thrown our way. Yikes!

We opted for room service this morning. We had scheduled a shore excursion with a gentleman named Peat Taylor. Peat came highly recommended both here on Cruise Critic and on TripAdvisor, and after my usual multiweek ordeal of anal research, I decided that Peat and his family-run business was our choice for excursions. We'd decided on a trip up the iconic Dunn's River Falls and a tube float down the White River.

I simply cannot say enough good about Peat and his family - for once, the reviews about these folks not only met my expectations, but exceeded them.

When we came off the ship, Peat had two or three shuttles ready for those of us who'd booked through him:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0212-1.jpg

I'd say there were about 30 of us who were using his services. His son, Peat Jr. (aka PJ), was our driver.

First stop was Dunn's River Falls. Once there, PJ hooked us up with a couple of guides. We paid for the entrance to the government owned park, and set aside a little cash to tip our guides.

This was quite the experience. Our guide, Oscar, took our cameras and said he'd take photos along the way. The falls themselves are 600 feet high or so, in sort of a stairstep configuration, terminating at a pretty little beach.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0214.jpg

Gonna tell ya - the water was cold. Teresa and I got in the water, and it took my breath away. Physiological changes were immediate ... I'll just let it go at that:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0216-1.jpg

You've seen plenty of photos and videos showing how the guides ask their patrons to hold hands, boy/girl/boy/girl, as they climb the falls. I guess the theory is that if someone falls - and the rocks can be as slick as boogers on a doorknob - then the folks on either side can help them keep their balance. My theory was that if one person fell, you'd have a domino effect and everyone would bust their buns. But, I suppose the guides knew what they were doing:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0217-1.jpg

Teresa was in the very front of the line, I was next, and I held the hand of a woman who spoke absolutely no English. She was pretty mortified the whole time - not sure if she trusted me - but by the end of the trip up she'd calmed down a bit.

Look at the chubby middle-aged couple on their 30th anniversary. All together now: "Awwwww...."



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0220.jpg

So it was all a matter of following Oscar, stepping where he stepped, ducking under a low bridge at one point ... and it was a real treat the whole way. Superb experience and well worth it.

A welcome sign at the top:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0223.jpg


Next - a trip up and around the mountain and the White River tubing experience, which was just a wee bit scary.

[mpalmer]

Awww, don't leave us hanging!!! It's not like you have anything better to do than keep us entertained...;) We did Dunn's River Falls last year at about this time actually. We're both 50ish, overweight, and out of shape... Our guides literally drug us up the falls... Wasn't a pretty sight. But we were so proud that we did it... We did Mystic Mountain after the falls. Can't wait to hear about the White River tubing :). Thank you so much for all the work you've put into this review!!
Mona

[Daycare Provider]

:DWe are booked on the FOS for May 1,2011 I can't wait...reading your review is an awesome bed time story...we have been to Jamaica 5 times and love it.....I am looking forward to you review of the water tubing....

[Dopey's Girl]

Am LOVING your review! I've done this route/ship before and am doing it again this June, but I STILL am coming back to the boards just to see if you've posted some more. GREAT review! :D

[mpalmer]

OH NO; LOOKS LIKE WE'RE STUCK IN JAMAICA :eek:... Not really; I just wanted to give us a bump. We dropped to page 4 and it was getting too hard to find... How am I gonna get to sleep without my bedtime story...:(

[texnewbie]

I just love reviews like yours...

It sort of reminds me of DisBoards, which is a great board for Disney fanitics like me. I read it all day long.

They have threads that are for PreTrip Reports and Trip Reports and Past Trip Reports and everyone post lots, Lots, LOTS of fabulous pictures of Disney, their families and how they plan on getting there to how the booked it to there days in Disney and heading home in tears... They even have on for Disney Cruises.
I just love to read stories like that.

That's what your trip report reminds me of.

I think Cruise Critic need to make something like that.

Thank you for sharing your trip report with us, it's fabulous. Y'all are such a cute couple you really love each other and that's awesome.

Texnewbie
Carolyn

[Dopey's Girl]

OH NO; LOOKS LIKE WE'RE STUCK IN JAMAICA :eek:... Not really; I just wanted to give us a bump. We dropped to page 4 and it was getting too hard to find... How am I gonna get to sleep without my bedtime story...:(

I was thinking the same thing!!! I need my bedtime story!
Tony, come back! I know it's a busy week for you at work...guess we'll have to be patient...:rolleyes:...are you back yet?!? :D

[raringtogo]

hi there
can you tell me if Pete and PJ only do tours which include the falls and the river with the tube or do they do other stuff too, and, can you please post their website or email details

thanks
marilyn

[Loralie]

I just love reviews like yours...

It sort of reminds me of DisBoards, which is a great board for Disney fanitics like me. I read it all day long.

They have threads that are for PreTrip Reports and Trip Reports and Past Trip Reports and everyone post lots, Lots, LOTS of fabulous pictures of Disney, their families and how they plan on getting there to how the booked it to there days in Disney and heading home in tears... They even have on for Disney Cruises.
I just love to read stories like that.

That's what your trip report reminds me of.

I think Cruise Critic need to make something like that.

Thank you for sharing your trip report with us, it's fabulous. Y'all are such a cute couple you really love each other and that's awesome.

Texnewbie
Carolyn


I LOVE the Disboards and I love this trip report. I totally agree that this is the type of trip report you would find on the disboards. When I have a Disney trip planned, I live on the Disboards. Since I have a cruise booked, I am living on CC. Can't wait to read the rest of this trip report! :-)

Loralie

[texnewbie]

I LOVE the Disboards and I love this trip report. I totally agree that this is the type of trip report you would find on the disboards. When I have a Disney trip planned, I live on the Disboards. Since I have a cruise booked, I am living on CC. Can't wait to read the rest of this trip report! :-)

Loralie

I just love trip reports like this one tooo, and like you, I love reading all the trip reports on disboards, expecially when we have a trip to Disney planned. We just had to cancel our trip to Disney that was planned for Nov. 9th - 20th... :( But like you I love reading the pretrip reports and the Trip Reports... We are planning on taking our kids in June 2012, as college and high school graduation trips, and how much fun it would be to start a pretrip report on it....

I sure wish Cruise Critic would come up the a TAB for "TRIP REPORT" with tabs on pre, just got back and finished... That would be so much fun to read... Oh how we would learn so much about travels to different cruise lines, to island or countries that we might want to travel to and what we might want to do...

Tony, your trip report is so much fun to read, I had my husband read it last night and he loved it to. We decided that we would really love to travel to Labadee and ride the roller coaster and zipline. We thought our kids would love that. Thanks so far for your fabulous trip report. Keep it coming.... I do know that I have no desire to head to Dunn's River Falls. I don't like Cold water at alllll.

Keep the trip report coming...
Tell work you have something more important to do then work... :D:D:D
No, not really.
Can't wait to read more..
Have a weekend.

Go Rangers!!!!!

Texnewbie
Carolyn

[matthewthamm]

I have a big problem with this review. :eek:
That is it will not be complete before I leave in a few hours. :D

Nice job, I will read after I get back from my FOS adventure.

[QTMichele]

Just found your review today - I was in Disney last week. :) Yes, another Disneyholic!!! My uncle is a DVC member, so we were able to give Old Key West a try - wonderful time!!! My favorite is the Beach Club (hotel, never stayed in a DVC there), but I'll take almost anything Disney and be quite happy. :) Anyhoo... back to your review... it's wonderful! I love your good spirits and wit, the pictures are wonderful too. Oh, and before I forget, those Wal Mart Water Shoes are just tooooo cute! ;) :D

[Seas the moment]

Love, love, love your review. You have an impressive outlook on life and just the right amount of humor to make any situation tolerable. I've LOL'ed, read with intrigue and pondered the blessings in life. You've captured them all. Thanks for the review. You truly have a gift for expressing yourself! :D

[seaandsea]

OK, Not to be pushy, but its the week-end. Hope we here from you soon. Really enjoying your review.

[jewelmick]

A TOTALLY agree CC should have a pretrip and trip report tab!

Let's start a petition!

I guess they want u to go the main site an read the reviews....but, I think those reviews are WAY too short and incomplete.

[Maybaybie10]

Bumping this so it's easy for Tony to find on Saturday morning! :p

[onyourtoes]

I'm jumping out of the chronology for just a minute. We had late seating for dinner, so we saw the welcome aboard show first. But I wanted to introduce you to our tablemates before getting on with the narrative. This was formal night, which is Day 2, but I wanted you to meet these folks first:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/tablemates0001.jpg

In front are Brandy and Alicia and DW Teresa. Brandy and Alica are from central Florida.

Back row are Anita, also from central FL, Traloom from Toronto (but originally from Sri Lanka), Wendy from near London, Patrica from County Cork, Ireland, Tasheem from Toronto, and moi.

I was the only guy at our table. I was swimming in a sea of estrogen. And I think we set some sort of record for family diversity ... in the mix were a mother and daughter, two sisters, a recently divorced single, a lesbian couple, and Teresa and I. We pretty much had all our bases covered. Now, on paper that shouldn't have worked. But we had a blast together. I know tablemates can be luck of the draw, and Anita had moved to our table on the 2nd night because the mix at her previous table just simply didn't work. By about the third day we were all like old pals. And it's always struck me funny as to how you see the same folks all over the ship, out of the thousands on board.

I know that some first-time cruisers are distressed at the prospect of sharing meals with relative strangers. Some folks are naturally shy ... as an INFJ (look it up), sometimes it's a challenge for me to gladhand and hobnob. My work has taught me to be more gregarious than I am by nature. But I genuinely enjoy having tablemates, although I'm sure it's been because we've always had good'uns.

Be back tomorrow.

You're surrounded by all of those pretty ladies. I hope they were "gentle" with you. I will be on Freedom next September (9/11/11). I am so looking forward to it. I just came off Serenade on 10/3/10 and it was not my favorite cruise or ship. I don't think the Southern Caribbean is for me. I'll stick to Eastern/Western Caribbean islands and try a couple of other venues.

[texnewbie]

A TOTALLY agree CC should have a pretrip and trip report tab!

Let's start a petition!

I guess they want u to go the main site an read the reviews....but, I think those reviews are WAY too short and incomplete.

WAY TO COMPLICATED... I HAVE TRIED TO READ SOME BUT NOTHING MADE ANY SENSE. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: COME ON CC, HELP US OUT!!!!!!!:D:D:D

Where should we talk to CC and give them our fabulous advice....

Tony,
It's the weekend.... I've got my coke (I don't drink coffee) and patiently waiting... We're your biggest fans...

Texnewbie
Carolyn

[Tony1865]

Ah, the White River.

When we finished up our time on the falls, we loaded PJ's bus with about a dozen other folks. Everyone else had signed up for a tour up into the mountainside, and PJ asked if we'd like to tag along before going to our tube float. Well, sure, we said.

Glad we did. We wound way up into the mountains, and were treated to some great views of Freedom in port:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0225-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0224-1.jpg

We ran across a fire eater:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0232.jpg

... and also saw sights like Ian Fleming's house, an elementary school (got to stop and visit with some way-cute kids), Fern Gully, and some other spots. All the time, PJ - who is fiercely proud of his country - kept us entertained with lots of factoids about Jamacia, his family, Ocho Rios, etc. Gosh, Peat Taylor and his crew are the best.

We were the only two who had planned to tube. When we got to the vendor's dock area, we were also the only two on the river at that time. PJ made sure we got a good guide - George - and within minutes we were off. Teresa was a bit nervous at first, with us being the ONLY folks on the river at the time, but George was great. He sang to us the whole way.

George, pulling a dead weight:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0248.jpg

A view from the pilot house:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0239.jpg


Looking down river. The water clipped right along at a brisk pace, even going through a couple of little rapids:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0236.jpg

[Tony1865]

And then ... The Incident.

The only other folks we'd seen on the river were a couple of those bamboo rafts - you've seen 'em. They have what looks like a park bench about a third of the way from the back in the middle of parallel bamboo poles, and the raft guide uses another pole to guide 'em along. Sort of like a Jamacian gondolier.

We'd rounded a bend in the river when we heard an awful verbal racket right ahead. If you've ever heard that Jamacian patois, you know there are occasional English words you can pick up. Well, there were a couple of really loud voices ringing out, and I only caught a couple of words, and they weren't words you'd use in polite company.

"Is someone partying or are they mad?" I asked George.

"They mad," he said. He quickly swung his tube to the side of ours, positioning himself between us and the lefthand bank.

Presently we saw a couple of guys on the riverbank. Right below them, in the water, was a couple on one of those bamboo rafts, and they were obviously terrified. Their guide was standing stock-still, watching what was happening on the bank.

There was a lot of hand waiving, hollering, face off stuff going on. "We'll be OK," said George calmly, but he kept between us and the guys on the banks. We heard more hollering from further in the jungle.

As we passed, the guy on the other raft s-l-o-w-l-y began pulling his folks in line with us, and soon we left the guys on the bank behind, until we saw one of them tearing along the riverside with the other right behind him. Soon they were out of sight.

I asked George what that was all about. Turns out that one of the two on the bank had stolen a T-shirt that identified him as part of the rafting company we were using, and was stealing business in the name of the company. He'd been confronted the day before, apparently, by someone who legitimately worked for the company, and had clocked the guy upside the head with a pole when questioned. So he was still mad, and out for revenge, and there you are.

When we got to the pull-out point, there were a bunch of employees from the rafting company waiting for us to make sure we were OK. One supervisor-type went overboard apologizing, telling us that they were one of the best respected rafting companies around, and they had to protect their integrity by making sure that no imposters gave guests a hard time or bad experience.

In retrospect, it wasn't that big of a deal. But being sort of unprotected on the water, with no real idea of what was happening, was disconcerting at the time. And it was still a fun trip.

Would we do it again? Honestly, we would. Like I said, I can't praise Peat Taylor enough, and this was one of those things that was out of everyone's hands. Still, it did cause a little cardiac rush at the time.

[Tony1865]

hi there
can you tell me if Pete and PJ only do tours which include the falls and the river with the tube or do they do other stuff too, and, can you please post their website or email details

thanks
marilyn

Here ya go:
http://www.ochoriosjamaicatours.com/

And PLEASE, don't let our tubing adventure be off-putting. Peat offers plenty of other excursions, and really gives you an amazing value. Personal touches abound. Besides the tours he offers, they'll customize tours for you, too. I especially liked not having to put a deposit down beforehand. Check out his reviews on www.tripadvisor.com (http://www.tripadvisor.com), too.

[Tony1865]

Let's see if we can get out of port.

We finished up our excursion, and PJ got us back to the docks. We boarded Freedom, got cleaned up, and headed for the Windjammer. The Windjammer offers what they call "tea," but it's more of a full meal, if you're so inclined. It was a late lunch for us. Loved having a taco bar (with nice fresh quacamole), some other light entrees, and sandwich fixin's. And wonderful, wonderful bread pudding. Highly recommended.

We pulled out of Ocho Rios soon enough. From the Windjammer:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0252.jpg

I like Jamaica. It gets what I consider undue bad press. True, you probably wouldn't want to spend much time in Kingston without being hyper-careful, like plenty of other large cities. But the country itself is beautiful, poverty is apparent, but the people are wonderful. "No problem, mon," is the mantra, and as Peat says, "Worry is like sitting in a rocking chair. It passes the time, but you don't get anywhere." I think Americans, perhaps other Westerners, expect every port to be scrubbed and pristine and like a theme park. Well, pilgrim, most places in the Caribbean aren't necessarily like that.

In the Arcadia Theater that night, just aboutall the musicians of the Freedom were featured. The Zig Zag band, who usually held court in Pharoah's Palace, were especially fun ... they were grizzled old rockers that still had game. A treat, for sure. But the ringer was CD Graham. When he started singing, I thought that he was lip synching and was gonna make a joke out of his performance. But danged if it wasn't him, live, and it is a CRIME that one guy should be that talented.

Got in a little round of trivia, then had dinner in the MDR. Had cream of mushroom soup, which had been nowhere near a can of Campbells, a nice salad, and a surf and turf ... a little filet and some garlic shrimp, kinda scampi-ish. The filet was cooked to the proper temperature and was tasty enough (think Outback), and the shrimp were NOT overcooked, which can easily happen. Still no complaints. The banana cream pie was nothing extraordinary but certainly not bad.

The evening's capper was the love and marriage show. As always, the cruise director makes or breaks this event, and my jaws ached from laughing. Salty without being obscene. Worked for me.

And bed.

Tomorrow - Georgetown, our favorite port.

[skipper3]

yeaaaaa! you're back!!! i had just found you , and then i thought "oh no,i lost you"! your report is addicting! we are taking this cruise on march 6th. i want to pass you along to my fellow cruisers, but want to wait 'til you finish your report. it would be cruel and unusual punishment to put them on to you before then!i especially want my sister to read your promenade cabin experience!!! thanks,tony. you are delightful!
skipper3[mother of 3 grown kids!]

[sgregel]

Tony,
I am so enjoying this review! We leave in 2 weeks and have a tour booked with Peat Taylor. We took a tour with him several years ago and he is the best! This time we are going to Dunns River Falls & the Cool Blue Hole. We had considered the rafting, but my sister backed out. The Cool Blue Hole looks very scenic and is a new destination on his website.

[Tony1865]

This was the best single day of our cruise.

This morning, because we needed to get off the ship early, we had room service deliver breakfast. It came about 7:30, and while Teresa pulled the covers up to her nose, I gratefully accepted the genteel service. Breakfast was just fine, thank you ... just standard fare.

Grand Cayman itself is sort of a featurless island - low and flat and sort of "scrubby." But the beauty of this place is found off shore, in some pristine waters.

And Georgetown itself is a quiet, subdued community. Loved it, loved the people we chatted with ... it has that veneer of British civility.

The port area itself was well-organized and easy enough to manage:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0270.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0268-1.jpg

We'd booked an excursion with Stingray Sailing. OK, time for total disclosure: this was the best experience of the entire cruise. Perhaps it's not your cup of tea, but for us, it was the whole pot.

Stingray Sailing is a little charter company run by a gentleman named Chip, assisted by his dad, Buster, and a mate, Mark (who looked for all the world like the dude in the Old Spice commercials). Unlike the big charter operations, Chip runs one catamaran, which would hold maybe 30 or so folks, but on our day there were about a dozen of us.

These guys get the ultimate high marks for customer service. After Chip bussed us to the boat slip, we boarded the catamaran and pulled out.

Here we go:


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0272-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0276-1.jpg

One thing I learned: you'll find lots of trips to Stingray City. Well, the sandbar Chip took us to is NOT Stingray City. Tides can affect Stingray City and make it almost too deep to manage; this sandbar was waist deep.

And here's Mark, introducing us to the odd creatures we'd spend the next several minutes with ...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0290.jpg

I'll tell you, I've never had encounters like this.

[Cruisinbeaner]

Loving this review. We sail on the Freedom 1/9/10 (3 newbies) and your pictures and stories are great.

One quick question about dinner. We are currently down for My Time dining mostly because I don't want to be rushed back from port for the early meal and I heard that taking the late seating means you can miss some of the evening shows. What is your take on this. I am tempted to change our dining option to the early seating so we have consident tablemates and can still make shows.

thanks,
Jill

[Cruisinbeaner]

Awesome info on Labadee. We're trying to decide which excursion (if any) to do here. The coaster looks way too scary for me, but my DH and DD (16) may do that and the zip line. So cool to see the perspective of someone who just experienced it.:)

Labadee offers a ton of shore activities. The only one we opted for was the Dragon's Tail Coaster, which I think was $15 a pop, or unlimited rides for $40. See, I purely love roller coasters, and I figured most anything else we did we could do on our own.

So, this particular attraction was, indeed, a true roller coaster. Like other coasters, you sit in a little car designed for one or two folks, strap yourself in, and a bicycle chain-type apparatus pulls you to the top of a significant hill. Then, you're released to roll freely. There are a couple of control bars that give you the opportunity to brake yourself ... which is something you're gonna want to do.

So, the initial view from my vantage point:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0163-1.jpg

I'll tell you, this was a thrilling little ride. I wish we'd opted for multiple rides, because on that one ride, I was so obsessed by trying to control my little vehicle I couldn't enjoy the scenery. Because there are some times when the track curves way out beyond the mountainside, you're suspended over nothing but air, you're catching glimpses of the mountains, shore, and ship, but dang it, you're also thinking about not getting yourself killed. I watched caution signs whoosh past, warning of curves and places to brake, and so I was almost too busy staying in control to actually enjoy the trip. But I fininshed up with an immediate desire to do it again.

Here's Teresa, finishing her run:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0164.jpg

One of the ride attendants told me that heavier folks go much faster than the featherweights. Which explains why I came down the mountain like a scalded dog. Fun!!

[Tazsamp]

Hi Tony,

Just wanted to pipe in and concur with everyone else, I'm just loving this review. It brings back great memories of being on FOS with the kids last year. They still talk about "the big ship" and can't wait to go another cruise!

Anastazia

[Tony1865]

Loving this review. We sail on the Freedom 1/9/10 (3 newbies) and your pictures and stories are great.

One quick question about dinner. We are currently down for My Time dining mostly because I don't want to be rushed back from port for the early meal and I heard that taking the late seating means you can miss some of the evening shows. What is your take on this. I am tempted to change our dining option to the early seating so we have consident tablemates and can still make shows.

thanks,
Jill

Jill, there was absooutely no conflict between the 2nd seating and missing any shows. We didn't miss a single show, nor were we rushed to make either dinner or a show. Second seating worked perfectly for us - and it gave a good excuse for some serious snacking late afternoon. ;) If I had my way, I'd eat like a hobbit, with second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, supper, etc.

I'm not saying that we'd never consider My Time Dining, but as I've stated elsewhere, we enjoy building relationships with our tablemates (granted, we've always had good ones), and, equally as important, I love having our servers call us by name, learn our likes and dislikes, etc. Some folks don't like that level of familiarity with the "help," but I sure enjoy it.

[Cruisinbeaner]

Jill, there was absooutely no conflict between the 2nd seating and missing any shows. We didn't miss a single show, nor were we rushed to make either dinner or a show. Second seating worked perfectly for us - and it gave a good excuse for some serious snacking late afternoon. ;) If I had my way, I'd eat like a hobbit, with second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, supper, etc.

I'm not saying that we'd never consider My Time Dining, but as I've stated elsewhere, we enjoy building relationships with our tablemates (granted, we've always had good ones), and, equally as important, I love having our servers call us by name, learn our likes and dislikes, etc. Some folks don't like that level of familiarity with the "help," but I sure enjoy it.

That's exactly the kind of input I needed. It was our TA that said we would probably miss shows with the later dinner -- I am thinking he was assuming based maybe on some other ships??? Anyway, your perspective on it is great to hear, and will really help me make my decision (which I think I've already made).:)

[letscruiseasap]

Love this review. We are almost booked on FOS for 7 day western Carribean July 10, 2011. This would be our 1st cruise and we are leaving our 7yr old DD at home for once. It will be the honeymoon we never had...

Keep your review coming, I can't wait for more info!

Cheers!

[Daycare Provider]

:DThank you for leaving me hanging in Jamaica....Loved it...we are doing the falls and float next May.....your pictures were perfect.

Angela

[malackym]

That's exactly the kind of input I needed. It was our TA that said we would probably miss shows with the later dinner -- I am thinking he was assuming based maybe on some other ships??? Anyway, your perspective on it is great to hear, and will really help me make my decision (which I think I've already made).:)

I totally concur with Tony, we had 2nd seating on the same cruise and never missed a show because of a dinner time conflict.

The thing I want to mention is about our kids. You didn’t say if you were traveling with any. Our youngest is 10 and after an “active day” he was too tired to make it anywhere after dinner, just plum exhausted and ready for bed – about 9:30 – 10:00 pm, and I had to stay in the room with him one night and missed a show that he would have enjoyed too if he wasn’t so tired.

So if you do have kids and they’re not night owls, this is something to consider about 2nd seatings.

Mark.

[JD26]

We choose the first seating for the simple reason that my husband has trouble with his stomach if he eats to late in the evening. The early seating works well for our family. I have lots of friends who love the second seating. The time for dinner just seems to be a very personal decision and I don't think that one time is that much better than another. You will have a great time no matter what time you eat dinner. :):):):)

[annecolorgreen]

Loving your review! Dh and I are contemplating FOS next 9/4/11 and this really helps.

We have cruised to Jamaica before and had a very scary experience in Ocho Rios. I hear they are going to Falmouth now? Part of our experience would be running a race in the blue mountains and I really want to feel safe there!

The stingrays are a blast! I'm so glad I had that experience with a guide because, while snorkeling in Hawaii, a stingray came right up to me like they do in Grand Caymans! I was able to enjoy it without being afraid...well, maybe I was a "little" nervous ;).

Can't wait to hear the rest! We've also been to Cozumel but with Carnival each time (will NOT sail Carnival again).

Did you make it out to the turtle farm? Is it still there? I know they have issues with hurricane damage.

THANKS!

[Buckeyebrd]

We have been on the Freedom of the Seas twice and love the boat. We are die hard RCCL cruisers. Just got off the Oasis of the Seas for our 25th 3 weeks ago. Love the review! Freedom is special to us. We have 3 boys and this boat appeals to our whole family. Anxious to hear the rest of the review. Brings back some great memories!

[sunnydaygirl]

Right now I'm vactioning/working in Hi.for 3 wks and it took me away from my cruise buddies. Each time I read your review I think of something else to tell them. We've signed up for my dining since we have a large group and wouldn't be sitting with and meeting new friends. I've read other people comment that they try to sit you in the same area with same servers. That'll be nice. Still waiting to hear if any one can give me a review on RCCL's private island in the Bahamas. Not sure of name. We're cruising 8/28/11. Can't wait. We have a roll call started if you're on that cruise!

[duncanmaria]

Great and unique review! Keep it coming, Tony!!

[Calgarian747]

An absolutely amazing review, I have been a member for quite a while now, but never thought of posting a reply, but your review forced me to. Thanks for entertaining me for over a week! :)

[twospoiled]

Right now I'm vactioning/working in Hi.for 3 wks and it took me away from my cruise buddies. Each time I read your review I think of something else to tell them. We've signed up for my dining since we have a large group and wouldn't be sitting with and meeting new friends. I've read other people comment that they try to sit you in the same area with same servers. That'll be nice. Still waiting to hear if any one can give me a review on RCCL's private island in the Bahamas. Not sure of name. We're cruising 8/28/11. Can't wait. We have a roll call started if you're on that cruise!

The island is called Coco Cay. I was there on my very first cruise two years ago. It was nice but can be a little rocky. We just lounged on the beach with some drinks and didn't wander so I can't give you much of a review.

[vegasgirl702]

Thank you for your witty/entertaining/sometimes hilarious commentary. :D

I couldn't find you for a while, glad someone bumped it up.:p

Questions::confused:

For your Falls excursion what kind of shoes did people wear? Keen/Tevas/Sneakers? Did any preteens do the excursion? Was it real slippery? Scary? Are you walking on rocks in the Falls? Do u mind giving an approx price of your excursion? Time?

Thanks again!

[dwdwnurse]

I also want to add how much I have enjoyed reading your cruise review! When I saw this on the first page again I was so excited - I thought Tony was telling us more! I don't want it to end :)

[pbinn]

Right now I'm vactioning/working in Hi.for 3 wks and it took me away from my cruise buddies. Each time I read your review I think of something else to tell them. We've signed up for my dining since we have a large group and wouldn't be sitting with and meeting new friends. I've read other people comment that they try to sit you in the same area with same servers. That'll be nice. Still waiting to hear if any one can give me a review on RCCL's private island in the Bahamas. Not sure of name. We're cruising 8/28/11. Can't wait. We have a roll call started if you're on that cruise!
Been to coco cay twice and it is an awesome beach day. If you want privacy, continue to the right around the island and it is beautiful down there. There are posts on it on here.

[Tony1865]

Whew. Back again. Honestly, I envy folks who can spend big ol' chunks of time on CC and other boards and post to their heart's content. One day, perhaps.

Anyway, back to stingrays. These are amazing creatures. They are sort of intimidating at first - they are big!

I'm looking a little distressed here. I grew up going to Panama City Beach, and was always wary of stingrays. We were taught to shuffle along in the sand, because they prefer to avoid humans. I was never stung, but I had a friend tell me it was unspeakably painful.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0300-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0299-1.jpg

They felt like a portobello mushroom. Their tails were very rough and sandpapery. But they reminded me for all the world of puppies wanting a treat.

Teresa, on the other hand, was a natural stingray wrangler:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0298.jpg

Look at the size of that thing:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0317.jpg

The stingrays loved the little sardine-sized fish we fed them. I did have one clomp down on my thumb, and it felt like a vacuum cleaner with gums. Absolutely mesmerizing.

[Tony1865]

After feeding the stingrays for a while, we went to deeper water to snorkel. Grand Cayman has absolutely pristine water for snorkling and scuba.

Check out the coral and fish:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0357-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0354-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0334-1.jpg

The elusive duo-finned homo sapiens:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0339.jpg

After this superb excursion - ranked by the two of us as the best of the trip - we headed back to Georgetown. Once on shore, we poked around in some of the shops. I was enthralled by one little store that sold salvaged doubloons and other items from wrecks. Wish I'd remembered the name.

Guy Harvey, the well-known artist, scientist, diver, angler, conservationist and explorer, fiercely devoted to his family and his love of the sea, has a great shop in Georgetown. Teresa was able to score a University of Alabama Crimson Tide national championship t-shirt. She went into holy raptures - Alabama, Guy Harvey, Grand Cayman all rolled into one. You go, girl:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0368-1-1.jpg

After strolling around a bit longer, we headed back to the ship. We got cleaned up and hit the Windjammer hard. Yummy ... got my bread pudding fix in.

Bobby Collins, comedian, was the entertainment at the headliner show in the Arcadia theater. With all due respect to Mr. Collins, his family, friends, and fans ... uh, no. He had his moments, but his timing seemed off, and some of the jokes were forced. Maybe he had an off-night. We all have them.

[Tony1865]

Let's see if we can wrap this day up.

Tonight was date night at Chops. We had an 8:30 seating.

If you've read reviews, seen photos, or experienced Chops yourself, you'll find that opinions vary greatly. It is a cooly elegant, clubbish dining room, far removed from the bustle and din of other parts of the ship. Service was unobtrusive and refined. It was kinda nice, sitting there among acres of white linen and being pampered just a bit. Dinner took a little over two hours, so it's not the place for a quick bite.

Teresa had the cheese 'n onion soup, which I would've called French onion soup. A rose by any other name, right? I sampled it - it had a rich broth redolent with onion and gruyere cheese, no complaints. I had a dungeness crab and shrimp cake, which was blessedly free of too much breading. Honestly, it was one of the best crab cakes I'd ever had. We both also had a Caesar salad, touted as a "not so traditional Caesar salad." Well, I did think it was pretty traditional, except the romaine was in stalks, but our server cut it up for us. Still no substitute for a fresh salad made tableside, but more than passable.

I struggled with a steak selection. We both ended up with the filet mignon - Teresa with the petite, and I with the 10 oz. I really wanted to try the bone-in ribeye, but I let our little server talk me out of it. She was high on the filet. Medium rare for me, of course; Teresa prefers her to have passed through a crematorium.

Even though hers was WAY too done for me, she said it was yummy and not dried out at all. Mine was cooked to just the right temperature, so I couldn't complain there. My gripe is not with the preparation, but gotta tell you - as elegant as a filet might be, it just doesn't have enough marbling to give it the flavor of other cuts. That's just me. It was absolutely good, but I still wonder about the ribeye. Bernaise sauce on the side did liven things up a bit. And the sides were scrumptuous ... we had sauteed mushrooms and leeks, something a bit like lyonnaise potatoes (can't remember the RCCL term for them) and succotash, with corn, lima beans, and some peppers. All three were spectacular.

Oh, and the Mississippi mud cake? It absolutely lived up to its hype. Glory and trumpets!

After this insane amount of food, we were done for. Graham Seymore had a late night adult comedy show at midnight, but we passed. One of our tablemates was disappointed in the show, so perhaps its just as well we crashed.

Tomorrow is Cozumel. Stay tuned!

ETA: Any questions so far? I'll give it a shot, or some other helpful folks around here can weigh in, too.

ETA Part 2: Anyone besides me wondering what it'd be like to be stuck on the Freedom floating around off the coast of, say, Jamaica? Maybe with a hurricane bearing down on ya? You couldn't pay for excitement like that.

[Ariel's Mum]

Nice to see you back Tony. Those underwater photos are AMAZING.

Looking forward to your Cozumel review :)

[atmchic]

im curious that little shop that sold shipwreck souvieneers were they like coins with ocean sediment still on them thanks enjoying your review

[dwdwnurse]

Joy! Rapture!! Tony is back :D.

Thanks for the great reviews and photos - RCI should pay you to cruise and write reviews!

[Tony1865]

im curious that little shop that sold shipwreck souvieneers were they like coins with ocean sediment still on them thanks enjoying your review

They were indeed coins. They'd been cleaned up, preserving the natural patina in most cases. I'm not one of those who cruises to shop, but if I were so inclined I would've had a ball.

[Tony1865]

Nice to see you back Tony. Those underwater photos are AMAZING.

Looking forward to your Cozumel review :)

I was kinda pleased with those photos, too. We have an old Canon A570IS point and shoot that we use all the time. (My "work camera" is a Nikon D40X, but I don't carry it with me most places.) That particular Canon has a setting specifically for underwater photography, and it gave the most amazing blues. And a company called DicaPac makes a waterproof case for less than $30. Canon makes a specific waterproof case for the camera I have, but danged if it wasn't more expensive than the camera itself.

Anyway, the DicaPac worked just fine. It was hard to see the LCD screen, but otherwise, it performed just like it should've. The instructions translated from Korean that came with it were an absolute hoot.

[Tony1865]

Thank you for your witty/entertaining/sometimes hilarious commentary. :D

I couldn't find you for a while, glad someone bumped it up.:p

Questions::confused:

For your Falls excursion what kind of shoes did people wear? Keen/Tevas/Sneakers? Did any preteens do the excursion? Was it real slippery? Scary? Are you walking on rocks in the Falls? Do u mind giving an approx price of your excursion? Time?

Thanks again!

Vegasgirl, I didn't mean to overlook your question. On the falls, we wore some water shoes from Wal-Mart. We weren't trying to make a fashion statement (well, maybe we were - we're CHEAP), but for less than $10 we found them comfortable, with a secure grip, and they were also handy in Labadee over rocky seabottoms.

We did see some younger kids on the falls; the youngest was about seven or so, I'd guess.

Parts of the falls were really slippery, but our guide didn't take us in those areas. I saw some freelancers who weren't members of a tour take a couple of spills. It was simply a matter of putting your feet where the guide put his, and on down the line, copying what the person in front of you did. It wasn't in the least bit scary. Just pure fun. You are walking on rocks a lot, but you're also walking in sand/gravel in some places. There was one spot in particular where our guide encouraged us to stand on a ledge and fall backwards into a deep pool. Not everyone did that, but both of us did and it was just that much more fun. Highly recommended. Peat does want you off the ship and ready to roll out as soon as you're given the all clear to go ashore. In so doing, you beat the crowd and have a much better experience touring. You reserve online, and the email he sends you gives you all the details. And, again, he doesn't ask for a deposit.

Peat charged $55 for both of our tours, but as I stated, we got to do a lot of extra things, too. I did tip the guides at the falls and on the river, and I also tipped PJ, who seemed genuinely surprised and grateful.

I am a Peat Taylor fan, big time.

Oh, yeah ... this little guy was an appropriate end to the day:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0375.jpg

[cruisin' 4 fun]

im curious that little shop that sold shipwreck souvieneers were they like coins with ocean sediment still on them thanks enjoying your review

Great review and I too (OK not so much me but my DH) is also very interested in this little shop. We are going in a couple of weeks so hopefully someone will speak up. Otherwise can you tell me where abouts it's located?

[Tony1865]

I do remember that the shop is on South Church Street. Just bear right as you leave the docks and it's two or three blocks down on the left.

[tammymacb]

Still loving your review. DH and I are divers and have had several on island trips to Grand Cayman. So far it's still on of my all time favorite places to go..He has a pendant from the "ship wreck" shop. I can't remember the actual name of it, but you can't miss it. It's pretty much across the road from the pier.

How many people were on your stingray charter? I booked Native Way as they only take about 15 people max at a time. Wish we were diving, but alas, the family trip and the teen who won't finish her certification...:rolleyes:

[Tony1865]

Still loving your review. DH and I are divers and have had several on island trips to Grand Cayman. So far it's still on of my all time favorite places to go..He has a pendant from the "ship wreck" shop. I can't remember the actual name of it, but you can't miss it. It's pretty much across the road from the pier.

How many people were on your stingray charter? I booked Native Way as they only take about 15 people max at a time. Wish we were diving, but alas, the family trip and the teen who won't finish her certification...:rolleyes:

There were probably a dozen or so. His cat will hold about thirty, but that would be on the high side. I highly recommend these folks.

[texnewbie]

Hey Tony!!!
Loving your report... It's so much fun to read..
Question:
Who did you book your stingray excursion with?
Thanks for the underwater pictures they were fabulous..
Looking forward to reading more.
Texnewbie
Carolyn

[Cruisinbeaner]

Hey Tony!!!
Loving your report... It's so much fun to read..
Question:
Who did you book your stingray excursion with?
Thanks for the underwater pictures they were fabulous..
Looking forward to reading more.
Texnewbie
Carolyn

Hey,

Tony mentioned earlier it was with Stingray Sailing (www.stingraysailing.com (http://www.stingraysailing.com)). I only know this so off-the-top-of-my-head because after reading about it in Tony's review, I did a little more searching on TripAdvisor and read multiple positive reviews. I ended up booking with them for our January stop in Grand Cayman.

[hucifer]

I just love reviews like yours...

It sort of reminds me of DisBoards, which is a great board for Disney fanitics like me. I read it all day long.

They have threads that are for PreTrip Reports and Trip Reports and Past Trip Reports and everyone post lots, Lots, LOTS of fabulous pictures of Disney, their families and how they plan on getting there to how the booked it to there days in Disney and heading home in tears... They even have on for Disney Cruises.
I just love to read stories like that.

That's what your trip report reminds me of.

I think Cruise Critic need to make something like that.

Thank you for sharing your trip report with us, it's fabulous. Y'all are such a cute couple you really love each other and that's awesome.

Texnewbie
Carolyn
What she said. The Disboards has a devoted board for trip reports. Some are written poorly, some are written well, and some are simply awesome. Like this one.

Honestly Tony, this is the best cruise trip report that I've read. It reminds me of the better-written Disboard reports. Your report has what the most cruise critic reports lack: personality and humor. Instead of just saying what you guys did and where you went, we get a glimpse of who you two are. I love that about your report.

I just found this report today and I was disappointed to get to the end and find out you're not finished yet. I'm here now, so you can finish it now. :p

[hucifer]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0239.jpg


Those watershoes are ADORABLE. Where did you get them?

;)

[texnewbie]

Hey,

Tony mentioned earlier it was with Stingray Sailing (www.stingraysailing.com (http://www.stingraysailing.com)). I only know this so off-the-top-of-my-head because after reading about it in Tony's review, I did a little more searching on TripAdvisor and read multiple positive reviews. I ended up booking with them for our January stop in Grand Cayman.


Thanks for the information. We are planning on cruising in June 2012, and We plan on taking our old children (22, 19, 16) to this. I think they will love it.

[Tony1865]

Those watershoes are ADORABLE. Where did you get them?

;)

Aw, shucks. I'm so honored to be cited for my extraordinary fashion sense. Maybe it's genetic - our daughter graduated last December with a degree in fashion merchandising and marketing, and in her first job after graduation is making doggone good money for a freshly-minted college grad.

But, in answer to your question - Wal-Mart. Nothing but the best will do for us. :D

Gonna work some more on the report proper later today, Lord willing.

[Tony1865]

Hey, for all y'all who were asking about the shop with coins, etc. - found it! It's Artifacts Ltd., and their (sorta sparse) website is www.artifacts.com.ky/ (http://www.artifacts.com.ky/) .

Fun place for browsing, and it's the kind of place where you can spend a lot or a little. I had my street name wrong - it's on Harbor Dr. You can't miss it.

We loved Georgetown. I'd love to spend a week on Grand Cayman.

[Tony1865]

I'm guessing for the partying crowd, getting some time in Cozumel is pure bliss. Sure, why not?

But, unapologetic geek that I am, I was pumped about Cozumel because it would be the portal for me to check out the Tulum ruins. I'm a big history buff, remember? So if you aren't one of those, then our shore excursion probably wouldn't thrill you like it did me. But even DW Teresa, who tolerates my obsessions, was impressed.

After breakfast in the Windjammer, we went ashore as soon as we could. We booked the Tulum tour through RCCL, just because the logistics - from the ship to the ferry to the mainland to a bus to Tulum and back again - were potentially kinda dicey. If we had a problem getting back to the Freedom, I wanted to make sure they'd wait for us. As it was, we didn't have a whole lot of time.

It's about a 45 minute ferry ride from Cozumel to the mainland. This was no leisurely float - that ferry MOVED. It wasn't too choppy, but you definintely felt movement.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0382-1.jpg

We disembarked at Playa del Carmen. A street scene:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0384-1.jpg

The bus ride from Playa del Carmen to Tulum was about 45 minutes. It was terrific to have some air conditioning. It was so hot I thought we'd all spontaneously combust, like the snakes in the Subway commercial.

[Maybaybie10]

Tony- we did the Tulum excursion back in 2001 and I swear it was the hottest I have ever been in my life! There is no shade while they are explaining everything and you can see the water, but can't get in it. I thought I was going to melt!

[Cruisinini]

Wow! What an awesome review, I love your sense of humor!! It's always fun to hear how other naturally shy people (INTP here) really enjoy cruising, doesn't seem like we should but we do!

You have me so excited to sail on the Freedom that I'm glad our turn is coming very soon.

Thanks for sharing "too many" details about your cruise experience, those are my favorite kind to read.

[Cruisinini]

Sorry... deleted my double post.

Apparently I wanted you to know how awesome your review was I needed to post twice!

[Tony1865]

So. Tulum. Like I said, it was a 45 minute or so trip. Got to see some of the Mexican countryside, which looked fairly barren along the "interstate".

We had a guide and a bus driver. I loved our guide ... don't remember his name. He was full of trivia and kept up a lively banter the whole way.

At Tulum proper, our first stop was at a quasi-shopping center. Some folks might've found this off-putting. There were free drinks (lemonade and a fruit punch) at one large store, but they really, REALLY wanted us to shop. Granted, there was a lot of silver and pewter and semiprecious stone jewelry, and some kinda neat ceramic work. It was borderline "pressure," but not awful. Actually, it must've worked, because we did buy a ceramic bowl. And negotiations were welcome, sort of.

We saw these folks:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0389-1.jpg

We took an open air tram the mile or so to the ruins themselves. HOT. Dusty.

At the park proper, we were introduced to our next guide, a Mayan chap named Andy, which I'm sure is a common Mayan name. What was so, so cool about this was that he was sharing with us about his ancestors. He called attention to his features - short, almond-shaped eyes, dark complexion, which he believed gave credence to the theory that the Maya came across the land bridge from Asia to North America. He could have passed for an Eskimo.

He also passed out umbrellas so that we might have our own shade. We didn't get one - not a good call. O my stars, I thought we were in the infernal regions before the day was over. And the humidity. Whew.

Anyway. I'd never visited Mayan ruins before, and while I know there are larger and more elaborate ruins out there (think Chichen Itza, which I'm now dying to see), this was a great introduction to this culture. Tulum means "walled city," and its location right on the water made it something special.

Andy at the entrance gate:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0390-1.jpg

My feeble memory informs me that this is the Temple of the Frescoes. If I'm wrong, someone correct me:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0421-1.jpg

Handprints. Eerie!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0423-1.jpg

The centerpiece of the city, the main temple. A couple of photos:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0409-1.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0432-1.jpg

[Tony1865]

Iguanas were EVERYWHERE. I took some photos of them, but when they started asking for tips, I put my camera away:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0441.jpg

Looking down at the Caribbean from the temple. Can't beat that view:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0437.jpg

This is the iconic "descending" or "diving" god, the main deity of Tulum:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0426-1.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0433-1.jpg

I genuinely loved this excursion, but would have loved it much more if it hadn't been so stinking hot. Teresa and I were both soaked. Now, I live in central Mississippi, and know all about heat and humidity, but this was nuts. We started out as lively tourists ... by the time we got back to the bus, we were plodding zombies. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat, though.

We were fed, uh, lunch on the bus trip back to Playa del Carmen. Our guide went to great lengths to explain that RCCL had provided the lunch. It was a Caprisun juice drink, some peanuts, a little fruit cup, some candy, and one of those Chicken of the Sea tuna lunch kits, consisting of a packet of tuna, some Ritz crackers, some mayo, pickle relish, and a little spoon to spread it all with. You know, the ususal gourmet fare. Kind of like what they served on the Carnival Splendor.

[kembo]

I loved the quality of your underwater photos. I ordered the Dicapic today for my camera. I used a disposable underwater camera on my last cruise and it was OK at best. Very excited that I found this option!

[jldev]

Tony, like so many others, I am loving reading your review! We are booked on the same Western Caribbean Freedom of the Seas cruise next October 16 and the Tulum tour is top of our list of things to do! Reading about the extreme heat, I will feel a bit guilty about taking our children (aged 13, 10 and 6 by then) but we are coming all the way from Wellington, New Zealand and neither DH or I want to miss seeing the Tulum ruins. Looking at that beautiful beach below the ruins, were you given the chance to have a swim? I'm just wondering that, if the ruins touring gets too much for our girls, perhaps I would be able to take them for a swim at the beach while DH sees more of the ruins.

[Tony1865]

Tony, like so many others, I am loving reading your review! We are booked on the same Western Caribbean Freedom of the Seas cruise next October 16 and the Tulum tour is top of our list of things to do! Reading about the extreme heat, I will feel a bit guilty about taking our children (aged 13, 10 and 6 by then) but we are coming all the way from Wellington, New Zealand and neither DH or I want to miss seeing the Tulum ruins. Looking at that beautiful beach below the ruins, were you given the chance to have a swim? I'm just wondering that, if the ruins touring gets too much for our girls, perhaps I would be able to take them for a swim at the beach while DH sees more of the ruins.

You sure can swim. You'll just need to carry a change of clothes with you. I *think* there are some changing facilities available.

Maybe the weather will be a bit cooler for y'all. If you're the least bit interested, I'd rate Tulum as a must-do.

[Fuffty]

Tony, do you have the menu for the MDR ?

[BballinQT24]

I just read through your entire review thus far and am really enjoying it and looking forward to the next installment!

[bhpeters]

Tony,
We are taking this cruise in Jan, hopefully it won't be quite so hot as we also want to do the Tulum ruins. Question: we want to do some shopping to get mexican vanilla and cinnamon, will we have any time for shopping at all before getting back on the ship?

also, what time did you have to get up for this tour? Since it's the last excursion day I'm afraid I'll be too tired and miss it. :eek:

Thanks for your wonderful review!

[proudpatriot07]

Guy Harvey, the well-known artist, scientist, diver, angler, conservationist and explorer, fiercely devoted to his family and his love of the sea, has a great shop in Georgetown. Teresa was able to score a University of Alabama Crimson Tide national championship t-shirt. She went into holy raptures - Alabama, Guy Harvey, Grand Cayman all rolled into one. You go, girl:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0368-1-1.jpg



Guy Harvey has started designing collegiate shirts for a lot of teams. I know a store in our mall now has Clemson & South Carolina Guy Harvey shirts with pictures of tigers and gamecocks that he's drawn. They're *really* cool. But that's really interesting that you found an Alabama shirt in Grand Cayman :).

Still kinda surprised the SEC championship this year isn't a rematch tho ;).

[proudpatriot07]

I'm finally getting a chance to catch up with my cruise critic reading list :). I really love the fish pics, the stingray pics, and the Mayan ruin pics- even though I'm doing the other Freedom itinerary and won't get to see any of this!

I do want to go to Cozumel one day though as I've heard good things about it- plus it must have been pretty cool to ride for 45 minutes through Mexico and just see things (can't you tell I just like to drive around aimlessly?)

[Tony1865]

Tony,
We are taking this cruise in Jan, hopefully it won't be quite so hot as we also want to do the Tulum ruins. Question: we want to do some shopping to get mexican vanilla and cinnamon, will we have any time for shopping at all before getting back on the ship?

also, what time did you have to get up for this tour? Since it's the last excursion day I'm afraid I'll be too tired and miss it. :eek:

Thanks for your wonderful review!

This was almost a "sleep in" day, since the ship didn't dock until 10 a.m. We didn't have a whole lot of time after returning to Cozumel, maybe an hour or so. There were a handful of shops right at the port, as well as in Cozumel's central plaza. I think you'd probably have time to pick up some goodies if you knew specifically what you were looking for.

[Tony1865]

Guy Harvey has started designing collegiate shirts for a lot of teams. I know a store in our mall now has Clemson & South Carolina Guy Harvey shirts with pictures of tigers and gamecocks that he's drawn. They're *really* cool. But that's really interesting that you found an Alabama shirt in Grand Cayman :).

Still kinda surprised the SEC championship this year isn't a rematch tho ;).

Amy, we live in a "house divided" - I can't remember if I mentioned this, but DW is the Bama fan, and I'm a hardcore Auburn guy. So. It does indeed make the SEC championship interesting. I don't know where I'm gonna watch the Iron Bowl this year. Auburn vs. Alabama is always hard to watch with DW, and this year, even more so. If we can just get through all this awful drama with Cam Newton ...

Sorry, folks. Back to the topic at hand! I'll get us out of Cozumel later today.

[Daycare Provider]

Tony-where is Margarittaville in relation to the port?????:D

by the way I love your review

Angela

[filamino]

Tony, This is one of the best, if not the best review of a cruise I have ever read. Thanks for all the hard work in getting this completed!

[strawberryblondeagain]

Thank-you so much for your report!! This is exactly what I was looking for :D!!

We have sailed DCL Magic 3 times now and we love the Magic. I'm looking at Freedom of the Seas for next year. Kids will be 11 and 14 and I think this ship will be a great fit for us.

I love the movie theater on the Magic...did you watch any movies on FOS? I don't care for the softserve icecream on the Magic, it seems like icemilk and a bit runny, not creamy. Does FOS have free softserve and if so, what was it like?

[bob123]

Tony,

Loved the review of Tulum. We were in a resort on the Mayan Riviera this past March and toured Tulum, and the weather was quite bearable, although we did share some shade under the trees with the iguanas now and then. Concerning a previous post, there are plenty of shops in the mall to buy vanilla. And Coronas. And Pacifico. And Dos Equis. One interesting fact about the original Mayan inhabitants: they deified those born with birth defects. They considered them to be special gifts from God. Sort of like how my wife, who is a special needs teacher, considers them today. I did not see any beach changing facilities but hey: you're in Mexico. People change right on the beach. I noticed the Senor Frogs in Playa in one of your pictures. A word of warning to future visitors: Some on our cruise a few years ago had their drinks spiked with x-tasy. They were totally out of it for about six hours and had to seek medical help on the ship.

Love the review.

bob123

[Tony1865]

Tony-where is Margarittaville in relation to the port?????:D

by the way I love your review

Angela

I remember seeing it ... it's on that main drag that runs right along the waterfront. If I recall (and maybe someone else can help us out here), you'd bear right on that waterfront street, heading roughly south/southwest.

We didn't visit there, so like I said, I'm kinda vague. Wish I could be more helpful.

[Tony1865]

Thank-you so much for your report!! This is exactly what I was looking for :D!!

We have sailed DCL Magic 3 times now and we love the Magic. I'm looking at Freedom of the Seas for next year. Kids will be 11 and 14 and I think this ship will be a great fit for us.

I love the movie theater on the Magic...did you watch any movies on FOS? I don't care for the softserve icecream on the Magic, it seems like icemilk and a bit runny, not creamy. Does FOS have free softserve and if so, what was it like?

The Magic's movie theater is downright palatial compared to the Screening Room on the FOS. We didn't see a movie there, although I did peek in it at one point. It's so small that it seems like an afterthought, and I've seen home video theater setups that were far nicer. I guess if you were trapped on board during a rainy day it might be an option.

There is indeed soft serve available. It's not too bad, but you do get what you pay for (it's free). It had sort of a chalky texture. Folks were lining up to get it, though.

Ben and Jerry's is a good option if you want the real thing, but it'll cost ya. It seemed eerily deserted most of the time, despite its prime location on the Promenade.

[Tony1865]

We took a little time to wander around Cozumel. Since our core temperature was about 150 degrees, it wasn't long before we headed back to the ship.

Still, Cozumel wasn't without charm. It reminded me for all the world of New Orleans. We live close to NOLA and visit frequently, so it was a matter of substituting Decatur St. in NOLA for Cozumel's Rafael E. Melgar and the main plaza in Cozumel for Jackson Square.

Have mercy, I was hot:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0446-1.jpg

Central Plaza was quaint and pretty:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0443.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0447-1.jpg

That's one big flag:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0442-1.jpg

We took a taxi from the plaza to the port - it would've been about a mile walk.

A shower has seldom felt so good. We had some down time before the 7:15 showtime. But sources tell me that there was a little bit of excitement. I can't verify this, but I heard two different accounts from two unconnected witnesses that three teenaged boys and their parents were put off the ship in Cozumel to fnd their own way back home because these guys had tried to bring drugs on board the ship. Ignorance knows no bounds, I suppose.

The show was another one of those variety shows ... the two aerial perfomers, Artur and Leticia, were a lot of fun, AND - thank goodness! - we had a comedian, Steve Smith, who was genuinely funny. Winsome, witty, engaging ... we were due up for him.

Tonight was Venetian feast night in the MDR:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0520.jpg

Dinner was interesting - sort of a best of times, worst of times thing. Scallop risotto for me; Lordy, how I love scallops! and a caprese salad, with the tomato and mozzarella thing going all nicely drizzled with olive oil. Yum. And the very best entree of the cruise was the lamb shank. It was cooked to fork-tender perfection, with garlic mashed potatoes and some veggies. Outstanding, although the mint jelly on the side had this radioactive green glow about it. Conversely, Teresa had chicken marsala, which was really the only true disappointment of the entire MDR experience. It was dry and flavorless. Too, too bad. Of course, she made up for it by getting lamb, too.

We were "wo slap out," as we say in the South, by the time dinner was over. We didn't make it to the Quest game show. I knew it be hilarious, because Graham S. was that good, but we had to get to bed. You know how we old folks are.

Tomorrow is our last full day. Waaaahhh!

Any questions out there, I'll see if I can help, or at least make up something that sounds convincing.

Someone earlier asked about MDR menus. They're out there, somewhere, but my searches haven't yielded much, even though I have seen 'em. Maybe some of you kind folks can provide an up-to-date link.

[AF-1]

Tony, thank you for sharing your trip; your pictures and your memories of this cruise. I know it took some time to post all the pictures and to write all the nice stuff; but you did a great job. Keep cruisin.

[Tony1865]

Tony,

Loved the review of Tulum. We were in a resort on the Mayan Riviera this past March and toured Tulum, and the weather was quite bearable, although we did share some shade under the trees with the iguanas now and then. Concerning a previous post, there are plenty of shops in the mall to buy vanilla. And Coronas. And Pacifico. And Dos Equis. One interesting fact about the original Mayan inhabitants: they deified those born with birth defects. They considered them to be special gifts from God. Sort of like how my wife, who is a special needs teacher, considers them today. I did not see any beach changing facilities but hey: you're in Mexico. People change right on the beach. I noticed the Senor Frogs in Playa in one of your pictures. A word of warning to future visitors: Some on our cruise a few years ago had their drinks spiked with x-tasy. They were totally out of it for about six hours and had to seek medical help on the ship.

Love the review.

bob123

That's good intel there. I know that at the entrance to Tulum there are restrooms, and you could certainly change there. While we were traipsing around Tulum we did run up on a family relaxing in the shade, and the mom was nursing her baby, which is perfectly natural, but rather than being sort of discreet the way ladies tend to be stateside, she was bare from the waist up - she'd shucked her top altogether. It wasn't offensive, of course, but it was not something I'd typically see in my neck of the woods.

Interesting, too, about Mayans born with birth defects. Our daughter has had a special affinity for special needs kids all her life - funny, but even in a crowd like at Disney World, it's like those sweet kids can sense she's got a heart for them, and make a beeline for her. She actually started out majoring in elementary special education, but the math component did her in. So she ended up in fashion mechandising and marketing ("one of these things is not like the other ...").

This is just me, and it's kind of a philosophical thing, but if I'm in a part of the world or country I've never visited before, I'm going to seek out local stuff. I'm not knocking Senor Frogs or Carlos 'n Charlie's or Hard Rock or anywhere like that, but those are chains found all over the Caribbean. But, if you're comfortable with going with something familar, that'd be the route for you to go.

I was chatting with one gentleman on the ferry coming back from Playa and he said that on a Carnival cruise he'd been on, they had to send crewpersons to Cozumel because there were about thirty folks unaccounted for when it came time for departure. Apparently there was a fraternity conclave on the ship, and most of the guys had drank themselves senseless while on shore. Bless their hearts.

[strawberryblondeagain]

Thanks for the quick reply! Not what I was hoping to hear, but it is a good thing to be prepared for reality. Helps me to avoid disappointment when I know what to expect.

Loving the report!

[navybaby1113]

Love the pictures! Thank you!

[bob123]

Interesting, too, about Mayans born with birth defects. Our daughter has had a special affinity for special needs kids all her life - funny, but even in a crowd like at Disney World, it's like those sweet kids can sense she's got a heart for them, and make a beeline for her. She actually started out majoring in elementary special education, but the math component did her in.

I was chatting with one gentleman on the ferry coming back from Playa and he said that on a Carnival cruise he'd been on, they had to send crewpersons to Cozumel because there were about thirty folks unaccounted for when it came time for departure. Apparently there was a fraternity conclave on the ship, and most of the guys had drank themselves senseless while on shore. Bless their hearts.

Not only does my wife teach elementary students with special needs, but they are also deaf. Now there's a challenge. But she knew from very early in her life that that was exactly what she wanted to do. Tell your daughter it's never too late.

"Bless their hearts". That's gotta be a southern thing. You can attach that phrase to just about anything and it makes it alright. As in..."That guy's a real jerk! Bless his heart."

bob123

[seaandsea]

As for the soft serve ice cream on FOS, is it ice cream or soft serve yogurt???

[Candleonwater]

For the person who asked about Margaritaville... it's a short taxi ride to get there. If I recall correctly, it's just before you hit the center of the town, on the left side. We love the western itinerary because we call it our Margaritaville cruise... 3 islands, 3 Margaritavilles! Although we were kind of disappointed with the one in Cozumel.

As for kids/preteens climbing the falls... DD has been climbing it since she was 6 or 7. She LOVES it and the guides have always been really good with her.

[Tony1865]

Not only does my wife teach elementary students with special needs, but they are also deaf. Now there's a challenge. But she knew from very early in her life that that was exactly what she wanted to do. Tell your daughter it's never too late.

"Bless their hearts". That's gotta be a southern thing. You can attach that phrase to just about anything and it makes it alright. As in..."That guy's a real jerk! Bless his heart."

bob123

"Bless his/her heart" is indeed a Southern thing, as in, "I know she can't help being ugly but, bless her heart, she could at least stay home."

[Tony1865]

As for the soft serve ice cream on FOS, is it ice cream or soft serve yogurt???

It's ice cream, the stuff that comes in big cartons and is dumped into the freezer compartment. Gourmet, it's not, but the fact that it's free seems to make it all that tastier.

[Tony1865]

Well, I suppose this is our last full day.

This was one forevermore lazy day. At this point in the cruiise, I'd succumbed to the natural ebb and flow of things, and was totally willing to just chill out.

So, after breakfast at the Windjammer - delish, as usual - I ducked into the library (what a quiet little haven!) and got a couple of books. Teresa and I found a spot poolside, spoke to the neighbors, and spent basically all morning in a stupor, reading, dozing, all that. Bliss.

There was one very poignant moment, though. Today was September 11. Captain Tor came over the shipwide public address system, and for once, his words were crystal clear. Very tastefully, he called to our collective attentions what had happened on this dark, dark day in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in that Pennsylvania field, and asked for a moment of silence. And the passengers we saw, with one sort of obnoxious exception, stood reverently, some with bowed heads.

I had been aware of the date all along for two reasons. One, our son Jeremy was at the United States Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego at boot camp, and we knew that day that his life - and ours -would be changed. And in the weeks after 9/11, I participated in disaster relief work with our denomination in NYC, feeding first responders, cleaning apartments, offering counseling and chaplaincy services. It changed me forever. Everyone we met had a story ... of how they'd missed the subway that morning, about how they'd called in sick, about how they had a meeting at their child's school. Those were the good stories. But to hear of the losses - I'm reminded this afternoon of one Japanese family from Hiroshima who lost their son, and his body wasn't recovered, but they just wanted to collect some dust from Ground Zero. I just cried right along with them.

While some might be offended by this intrusion of reality during their cruise experience, it made me just that more grateful for life, for blessings, for the ability to smile. If I had my way, I'd banish hopelessness from humanity for all eternity.

We ate lunch at Johnny Rockets. I've been to several JR's around the country - their burgers, while not the best I've ever had, are part of a total package that includes the sides, the atmosphere, the wait staff.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0471.jpg

It was plenty good, and we sprang for shakes, too.

We checked out the afternoon FreedomFEST, which reminded me for all the world of a small town fair. There were towel folding and culinary demos, sales from the Promenade stores, all kinds of lively activities:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0468.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0470.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0462.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0461-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0467.jpg

It was a delightful way to spend the time after lunch.

[astracat]

Anyone taking the December 26 - January 2 cruise on Freedom? Please come over to the roll Call. We are also looking for people to join the Meet and Mingle.

PS: Lovin' this thread, gettin' all excited.

[luv2zdworld]

Tony:
I finally sat to read your review. Spent part of yesterday and today reading. Have loved it. Your pictures are beautiful. Thanks for all the wonderful information. We will be sailing Freedom for the 1st time May 2011.

[Maybaybie10]

Tony, my husband and I were on our first (and only so far) cruise for our honeymoon on 9/11/01.

(cut and pasted from our roll call board)
My husband and I went on the Enchantment of the Seas for our honeymon which sailed September 9, 2001. Two days later as we were about to pull into port in Cozumel, September 11th happened. To be on a ship essentially in the middle of nowhere while this was going on was a bit nervewracking to say the least. We got off the ship in Cozumel and by the time we got back on they had put metal detectors at the gangplank and we were required to show ID everytime we entered the ship after that. The ships mood was somber and they had several church services during our cruise. RCI let everyone use the internet at no charge to make contact with their families and those that had family in the affected areas were allowed to make ship to shore phone calls at no charge as well. A lot of people (ourselves included) had to make alternate travel arrangements as planes weren't flying. We ended up getting a rental car in Florida and we had to drive home to Maine, which took us right through NY. It was almost a week later by the time we got there, but the smog was so thick we couldn't even see the city. It was a very sobering experience. While 9/11 didn't ruin our honeymoon per se, I think we all felt a little guilty trying to have fun while all this was happening.

When we got back home and finally had our pictures developed (no digital back then) it was weeks later. We had taken our Tulum excursion that day and it was very surreal to see 9/11/01 stamped on the front of all the pictures. We had left fairly early in the day to get to the ruins and not a lot was known about what had happened in NYC at that time, so we didn't understand the full scope of everything until we returned hours later. It still gives me goosebumps thinking about it.

[1dergirl]

Tony I have loved your review. I often find myself eagerly awaiting to see if you've posted only to be :( if you hadn't. When reading your review, I felt as if I cruised with you. Your humor is one that should be shared by all. Thank you for the journey.

[Nan1052]

Outstanding review, Tony. A joy to read. I'll be on the Freedom in 10 days, doing a 4-night sailing that will only go to Labadee. Looking forward to the few days of relaxation.

[Daycare Provider]

Thank you Tony for the best mental Vacation I have had in a long time....keep posting all the great photo's...

Angela

[Tony1865]

I can't remember anything of any real consequence we did this last afternoon. Seems like I took a nap. I know we hit up the Windjammer for a late afternoon snack. We did get in one last trivia game, and came one question shy of winning the whole shebang (I think it was a cap.)

Speaking of clothing ... one thing that I didn't mention was that this morning, some very brave crewmembers set up a table right by the H20 zone to sell T-shirts. Teresa and I were knocking around up there when the merch was set out. There were some good twofer deals on shirts, and we bought a couple. But before we left, madness - I say madness - erupted. It was like a blue light special on steroids. The selection was picked over before lunch. But, I will say, we scored on some decent quality shirts. Just a head's up, if you're sailing and so inclined.

There was one fun afternoon feature - the Greatest Show at Sea Circus parade:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0479-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0481-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0488-1.jpg


The last of the production shows was tonight - Marquee, which was a compilation of songs and production numbers from several Broadway shows. I loved it. The cool thing about this particular performance was that this was the FIRST performance of a new set of Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers. I'm guessing they'd been onboard for some time and had been rehearsing. So this particular show was attended by the old cast. Well, the newbies came out like they had something to prove and left every bit of it on stage. I'm a sucker for this kind of thing ... I had a double major in college, one of them being theater, so I have kind of an insiders' love for productions like this.

The all-company opening:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0504.jpg

From Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0507-1.jpg

Phantom of the Opera - and I'm telling ya, the young lady playing Christine just OWNED it (kinda thinking about Jennifer Hudson and her Disney cruise days ...)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/tony1865/Cruise%202010/IMG_0509-1.jpg

Dinner that night was pretty special - we'd gotten to be such good pals with our tablemates, it was a little bittersweet. I went a fairly traditional route, with a shrimp cocktail (decent sized shrimp, but I would've liked more of a kick to the cocktail sauce) and onion soup - not as good as what we'd had in Chops, but hearty enough. I also liked my entree, shrimp and mahi-mahi tempura. The batter was light, not at all greasy, and the chili-lime plum sauce was nicely sweet and sour. Oh, and key lime pie, a favorite, and they got it right.

After dinner, we bought way more photos than we should've, but the package we got was fairly reasonable. There were a couple of formal poses that we thought were actually exceptional. Who'da thought.

If you like this sort of thing, the Olive or Twist lounge was uniformly wonderful - we ducked in there a couple of times in between strolling on deck and getting one last evening in. Pedro Dela Llana is an amazing guitarist, and the jazz cabaret performance with the Royal Caribbean Singers was mellow and warm.

But we had to get to bed, 'cause we're old. We'd done a commendable job of packing and getting our stuff out in the hall earlier.

This cruise was just about over. The grieving process had begun.

[Realtor at Sea]

Tony,

Your writing is so light-hearted and humorous. Would love to share a cruise with you and your wife someday. I can tell you would be terrific dinner companions!

Thanks again!

[tampabrat22]

Thanks so much for such a great detailed review! We are still quite a ways from our Freedom cruise but I am ready to start planning! I think my kids will love the zip line & coaster in Labadee, thanks for your thoughts on those!!

[cookie225]

Tony,
Great review...better yet, great composition & humor. I read all the pages just now :p Looking forward to sailing on this great ship soon!

[dwdwnurse]

Tony - I join many others to also say thank you for the great cruise review! I have laughed and cried right along with your posts - what a gift you have for writing!!

I can't wait to read your next cruise review - as I said, Royal Caribbean should just give you some free cruises just so you can share them with the rest of us :)!

[Tony1865]

And it was, indeed, the last day.

We'd creatively packed the night before, so we only had the lightest of carryons to deal with this particular morning. Honestly, debarkation was seamless. After breakfast, we hunkered down in Pharoah's Palace, waiting for our number to be called. When it was, we made our way off the ship and to the baggage claim area, which was for all the world just like you'd see at an airport. There is always that time of apprehension - "Is my luggage going to find me?" - as it seems everyone but you are getting their bags. But it did show up in due time, and we collected our things, walked across the parking lot to our car, paid our fees to the hostage negotiators, and headed west, arriving home late that evening.

This seems like an inconsequential way to end a report ... I'll give you some final impressions a bit later, OK? I do have a few thoughts I'd like to share.

[EmpressofPurple]

What a delightful review! I love the details and the photos. I find that when people describe their personal experience and share their individual views about everything from formal night to enjoying history to having a background in the theatre, it really adds to the enjoyment of reading the cruise review. Thank you for taking the time to post your experience.:D

[seaandsea]

Thanks Tony, I really enjoyed it!

[Tony1865]

If you've made it this far, this may have been quite the slog for you. Congratulations!

In closing, here are some random thoughts.


You've seen plenty of Disney vs. RCCL comparisons. I wish I could come down definitively on one side or the other. But, if price is the primary consideration, then RCCL is the route to go. If you're a dyed-in-the-wool Disney fan, especially if you're sailing with little kiddos, then Disney is worth the premium.
We are a family of modest means, thoroughly middle class. A cruise for us is not a thrice-yearly event, or even an annual event. We both work, we both ration vacation time, and are reasonably frugal. We drive older cars, have a 32-year-old 2700 square foot house in an established neighborhood, and have little debt, and want to keep it that way. So, for those of you who are able to cruise frequently in premium staterooms, don't EVER take for granted your blessings.
I made it a point to be kind to everyone I met on board. Know what? That kindness was returned in like measure. I always figure that everyone I come in contact with is dealing with some internal struggle. If there is anything I can do to brighten their day, I am honor bound to do just that.
The FOS is a wonder. The only place I saw any true wear and tear was on the interior doors of one of the elevators. Looked like someone had pounded on the stainless steel with a mallet - there were dents all in it. Otherwise, everything was impeccably clean and well-kept.
I know there are plenty of complaints about the food. But, respectfully, dude. You won't starve. It was uniformly very good, one or two minor missteps perhaps, and once or twice close to excellent.
I'd do it all again.

[Tony1865]

We are fortunate folks, we who have the opportunity to cruise. For just a few days, we are able to leave behind the worry and bustle of the world, to turn our faces into the wind, smell the salt air, and see the endless watery horizon beckon.

We stroll at leisure. We can be as inactive or as sedentary as we please. We are doted upon and spoiled. And in the midst of activity - or the lack of it - it doesn't hurt to pause once and again and count our blessings.

Thank you for joining me on our journey. I trust that in some small way you've been enlightened, entertained, and encouraged. We are all voyagers in life. Our paths diverge from time to time, but we are all part of one epic universal journey. I'm glad we could be together, if only for a little while.

God bless you all.

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.

[noel386]

:)Thank you so much for your amazing review!!!! You are an awesome person with a beautiful heart and HILARIOUS! You and your wife have a great relationship as it shows in your writing and pictures! Ready for you to go on another so we can read another great review!!! Take Care! :D

Debi