sj25

Unless they have changed the policy VERY recently, then Concierge lounge access IS included. We disembarked on 5th December and we know the person that had the Ben & Jerry "sweet" on the cruise following ours...they got the same perks as we did. We are not Diamond Plus and therefore would not have had lounge access but for the Ben and Jerry "sweet". As I have said before is it noisy... there is a service corridor with a heavy door at either end right next to the room, which leads out onto the bridge spanning the royal promenade. The crew use it at night to get from one side of the ship to the other we did not get one unbroken nights sleep, but there was a letter in the room on specially headed Ben and Jerry paper saying if the disturbance was too much they would move us to another room. Although how this would work if the ship was full I do not know. Hope this helps.

I take this noise is on all ships of the Ben and Jerry Room. They did try to fix it for us..but never offered us another room. The last time they did work on it...did last our last 2 nights so was happy. So to anyone that is a light sleeper be prepared that it is noisy due to the door.

It looks as though I booked mine about 6½ months ahead. I was quite surprised to see the cabin available, so I immediately put a hold on it while we decided whether to take this cruise and then switched it to my NextCruise booking the next day.

 

 

I called in about a week later asking them to put "No upgrades" into the booking's notes just to be safe. :)

I would agree I was afraid after the fact if I was to get an upgrade would be when I wanted a certain room....but don't think I am ever gonna have to worry about an upgrade just never comes my way!

We had this cabin last May on Liberty, loved the perks but it was noisy with the door banging when crew used the bridge at night. I had to wear earplugs even with them it woke me up sometimes.

So we are not the only one and just not the Freedom being the problem with the door being very noisy! So would you do the room over again if you had the chance?

I think the extra perks are supposed to offset the "bad" points of this room - enjoy

Your paying for a Promenade rooma and getting suite perks

Yep and that is what makes nice about this room ...the suite perks!:D

I'm looking forward to being in this cabin in March. It seems like it should be a lot of fun.

 

I do wonder, though, whether people innocently book this expecting a regular Promenade cabin and instead find themselves with a cabin filled with cow-themed kitsch and an obstructed view of the Royal Promenade, and then are surprised with the free ice cream and Concierge Lounge access.

 

Although many of us here at Cruise Critic are "in the know" about this special cabin, it's not advertised on the Royal Caribbean web site and I could imagine that people might book this cabin unaware of its special nature.

I imagine there could of been people that booked it and not know it...but I had to book this 14mths ahead of time to get it...how about you?

I think the extra perks are supposed to offset the "bad" points of this room - enjoy

Your paying for a Promenade rooma and getting suite perks

It is and the extra perks are worth the it....because the price is at promenade rate and perks of a suite! :D

I really thought it was a really cute room and the looking at the cows butt didn't bother me at all....you can still see the parade. I have come to the conclusion....you don't see many have their curtains open anyway!

We did open them but you just don't see many open.

We have this room booked in January (along with the connecting room) and trust me, I will be COMATOSE every night and won't care about the noise. If I can sleep through DH snoring, I can sleep through anything!

I wish you the best ...I even had ear plugs in cause my DH also snores big time and the reason for the ear plugs. I could still hear it over that.

I still loved the room and I am glad I had the room. I just wanted to let people be aware of it since when we did the cabin crawl and people asked about the noise. I had said no I didn't hear any noise at that time.

It is a promenade room but looks over the Ben and Jerry Ice Cream and you have the view of the cows butts...

so they give you alot of different perks to get people to book it and you get free ice cream every day.

The room is decorated up in cow things.

 

this is the view from my promenade room...

but over look the moose sitting on the couch...it was our traveling moose Marty that I had to take a picture on there...didn't notice that is the one I posted.

The Ben & Jerry's sweet is only on the 3 Freedom class ships, stateroom number 6305. It is located right over the Ben & Jerry's venue, and the view is partially obstructed by the Ben & Jerry's cow mounted right outside the window. Because of the obstruction, Royal gives the occupants 2 coupons per day for free ice cream. The stateroom also gets concierge lounge access, though I'm not 100% sure this is true on all 3 ships.

Yes, it did get you concierge lounge access and benefits of the gold card.

Special seating at shows and at the pool also.

They actually give you coupon that you have marked off for 7 times for up to a med bowl of ice cream.

It is a promenade room but looks over the Ben and Jerry Ice Cream and you have the view of the cows butts...

so they give you alot of different perks to get people to book it and you get free ice cream every day.

The room is decorated up in cow things.

this is the view from my promenade room...

I just wanted to update everyone about the Ben and Jerrys Suite. We soon to find out that the room was very noisy...but was not the parade or music it was from the Ben and Jerrys ice cream...has a door that all crew use alot and the bang when it would close would actually vibrate the floor. Well we did some calling and it would get fixed and it would last for one night and next night right back to it. I think the last time complain and my husband was not happy by this time. Cause they would wait about 2 hrs after they fixed it to call our room and tell us they fixed it. So would be like 1 am and wake us up to tell us. Like REALLY!!!

But the last night was a peaceful night sleep. So I sure hope they have it fixed to anyone that have it in the future!

I don't if anyone else ever had this problem ....that it was something new happen.

Question...now is... have my car rental and want to go to a beach and do family pictures. I have a tripod and wireless remote to do them. So didn't know what beach is best and how far I will have to go? thanks going out of FLL thanks.

waterbugohio thanks for the code and information for the budget car rental....I did get one...we ended up with a mini van for the 5 of us! Thanks:D

Yes, that's absolutely right and it's a great way to go. We have actually done a post-cruise everglades excursion and it was very enjoyable. The way it happens is this: after you've disembarked and collected your luggage you'll be pointed to the excursion bus. Your luggage will go in the boot (trunk) of the bus and will stay with you the whole time until you are dropped at Miami airport so you do not have to worry about it at all.

 

Other posters have suggested that another option for those with late flights is to hire a car for the day. I believe there are several companies that will let you collect a car at Port Everglades and return it at Miami airport.

Anyone can tell me what car rental companies are at the port that you can rent for the day and leave from ft. lauderdale airport. We don't leave until 4:30pm...so looking to see if we do the airboat excursion afterwards or do a car tour the area...don't know which would be more fun for 3 adult children with us. thanks

oops I am sorry I looked at that wrong I thought you said that the taxi was $15pp...that is how I was doing my math...that I would save $25 cause it is $10pp...so yes it would be cheaper to take the taxi...even if I had to take 2 of them...thanks for making sure I got it don't know what I was doing when I read that. LOL A Big Thanks everyone!:)

If you are going from the Fort Laud port to the Fort Laud airport is only costs about $15 per taxi and there will be a line of taxis waiting to get you so you don't need any reservations for shuttles.

Thanks haven't decided yet...but there is 5 of us...so most likely I will do the shuttle from the motel cause they only charge $10 and that would be saved $25....I have to save any way I can on things that don't matter since I am mom paying for all this it is a christmas present to all my grown children to take a vacation together again. It was hard to pull together this when I was dealing with 3 different states coming in.

The way it looks on mapquest don't see many restaurants around there?

We will be staying there for 2 nights pre-cruise at the end of November. We got a good deal on Hotwire.

The $10 pp for the shuttle to port is only if you are having a return shuttle (for example if you park cars there and need to get back again at the end of your cruise). If you are having one-way only, the port shuttle is free.

ok another question for you...if you don't mind how much did you have to pay on Hotwire? which one was it when you picked it from Hotwire?

Something when I called their toll free number they are the one that told me the fee was $10 and when I called the hotel itself and asked they said it is free to the cruise port and then they offer even if you want to have the shuttle to the airport from the cruise port they then will do it for $10 pp for you. So I think that is what I will be doing. Thanks...sure hope you enjoy the place!

Thank you again...was so happy to know I don't have to pay from hotel to port! :)

We will be staying there for 2 nights pre-cruise at the end of November. We got a good deal on Hotwire.

The $10 pp for the shuttle to port is only if you are having a return shuttle (for example if you park cars there and need to get back again at the end of your cruise). If you are having one-way only, the port shuttle is free.

Thanks for letting me know. Oh I took that it was $10 pp to the port for shuttle. That is great cause I don't need to come back. Now are you taking a shuttle from cruise port to airport. Don't know what is the best way to do that. Please come back and let me know what you think of the place?

ok question if anyone has has stayed at the

SpringHill Suites By Marriott

151 Southwest 18th Court,

Dania Beach, Florida 33004

We are looking in to stay there and have 2 different times family coming in and they have airport shuttle free and will allow all 5 stay in one suite. $10 pp for shuttle to port didn't know anyone know anything better. I am able to get federal gov. rate $164

thanks for any help.

SpringHill Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port

151 Southwest 18th Court · Dania Beach, FL 33004 USA

Anyone have any experience of staying here and what it is like and all?

Thanks

37 days :D Voyager...sure hope they get the port to run smoother by then!

My wife is a big fan of their Reuben and Cuban sandwiches and some of their desserts are very good. Many guests do not find the Seaview Cafe until midway through the cruise, so if you want to avoid the crowds try going there early on.:)

I LOVED the Seaview Cafe and such a great crew when I was on the Jewel a few years back. I ate there everyday!:D

Please come back and let me know how you like it. There is no way that I can even think about booking a cruise on Freedom in this room before 2013....:(

I will cause I think it good to hear everyones views of what theier view and experience is...

Booked this for my siblings on their upcoming Liberty cruise. They are super excited!

Let us know what you think!

Thank you very much for the info. I will be adding this to my cruise wishlist!:p

I know it got on my wish list...just had to sell dh on the ideal...lol

well booked and will see how I like but not until Dec 9th 2012...oh no I have that long to wait until my next cruise!

I highlighted 1700, it's both side & that's a support bar in the middle that looks like a partition, but it's not. it's probably a little shady in there during the day, but you'll get sun as the sun goes down assuming the aft faces the sunset.

 

Thanks this photo was just perfect I was looking for one of 9704 we've done the one on the 8th floor on the Mariner that said obstructed view so was wondering what it was like thanks.

WE go out on the 9th of Oct and can't wait!:)

Can't get the picture to show up them parasailing...can't get the file down size so it will work....