cra-z-2cruise

We will be in cabin 6207 on the Jan 25 sailing our 1st balcony. Anyone know if that will be good location. Sounds like we may need to worry about noise.

You may be just fine since you will be on the outer hallway and not straight up the casino stairs. Have a great cruise!

 

Op, thanks for the great pics and review. Excellent job!

Thanks tbbtravels :)

Glad you enjoyed it!

great review...so which bar did you like better??

 

will be on there in 2 months ..can't wait..

Variety is the spice of life, right?

We enjoyed spending time in the Red Frog Pub, so overall I guess I would say it wins out.

Alchemy was nice for a drink in the evening.

Up on deck I spent more time at the Blue Iguana!

The Serenity was a nice option when we were there.

Have a great time on your cruise! :):):)

Thank yu for your review! Your pictures are just beautiful with great composition!

Thanks for the report!

You are both very welcome!

I get so much valuable information from other reviews and information here on CC.

Just trying to pay it forward. :)

Thank you so much! You've saved us an extra night in a hotel and DH a vacation day by not having to rebook to the next day to get decent connections! I can't thank you enough for your prompt, experienced answer!

No problem! Glad I could help :)

However, there are worse things than an extra 24 hours on the beach in FLL.

If I had to be stuck somewhere waiting on a flight, that would be a great choice! LOL :)

I'm not positive of what time we actually walked off the ship, but it was around 7:30. If the ship arrives back as scheduled and you do either self assist or FTTF you should not have any problem making your flight! :)

Hope you have a fantastic trip!

I really enjoyed your review and the pictures you take are beautiful! I remember your Valor review from last year and really enjoyed that one as well. :)

Thanks pghsteelerfan, glad you enjoyed both reviews! :)

Thanks for the great review and pics!

 

Is the Red Frog Pub EVER going to get bar-food service, or is it just a delayed roll-out?

Pellaz,

I'm not sure about the food in the pub. I had read on another thread that some ships do not have food in the Red Frog because they do not have kitchen facilities nearby. I also hope it is just a delay because I really like the type of food they serve in there.

Thank you for the review. I was hoping that someone would do a post drydock review. Your photos of the sunrise and sunset were beautiful

Thanks wrigley80. I usually use a different camera, but just used my phone this time and was very pleased with the results.

Planning to purchase a waterproof case for peace of mind for next trip though...

Great review and even better pictures!!!!! I will be on the Freedom in September! Can't wait.

Thanks for the review and pics! I still have a long way before I sail her but I'm excited even more now!

Thanks guys, and also everyone else who commented and followed along.

That evening we took a ride on the river boat up through the intercoastal waterway. It was interesting to see all of the pricey houses and yachts.

The next morning I couldn't pass on the chance to sit on the beach and watch the sun rise.

We walked along the beach for a couple hours, then it was time to admit that vacation was really over.

Around 11:00 we checked out and took the hotel shuttle to the airport, which was $23.

All in all it was a great trip, despite the few little bumps in the road.

Very happy with the 2.0 upgrades and am happy that Freedom will be sailing out of our home port next year.

Hope all of you who will be sailing on her soon have an awesome trip! :)

I'm lovin' your review and photos!!!

 

One question...where is the Red Frog Pub located?

 

Thanks, glad you are enjoying the review.

The Red Frog Pub is between the casino and the dance club, almost in the center of the ship on deck five. Be sure to say Hi to Melonie for us! :)

Are you sure you were in 6203?

 

So sorry, you are correct.

We were in 6305. :)

We were up early the next day for self assist disembarkation.

I have to say this was the absolute easiest disembark we have ever had.

Essentially no line at all to get off the ship and only a small one for customs.

We stayed on extra day in Fort Lauderdale and were at our hotel before 8:00.

I had reserved our room on priceline for $80+tax, with my only criteria being on the beach. We got the Bahia Mar hotel. I was nervous after reading some of the reviews and fully expected to have to wait until after 3 for check in.

However, much to my surprise, the offered us an upgrade to a marina view balcony for $20 and the room was ready now! Of course we took it!

The room and furnishings were a little dated, but it met all my needs...

location, clean, comfortable!

Wish we had a few more days we could spend here!

After we settled in a bit, we hit the beach again.

In the morning we had it all to ourselves, but it quickly filled up!

The beach is beautiful!

Of course we had to go up in the pirate ship for the photo op!

We walked the entire length of the beautiful beach. We had decided against bringing our snorkel gear, but kinda wish we had once we were there.

After a while, black clouds began rolling in and we decided it was a good time for lunch.

We just sat down with our food when it started to pour!

Although it had slowed considerably by the time we finished eating, the sky still looked rough, so we decided to head back.

After a shower, we decided it was a good opportunity to pack.

Despite the still sprinkling rain, we stood out on deck for our last sail away.

Slept in a little the next day (sea day), but made it up just in time for breakfast at the Blue Iguana Cantina.

Spent some more time playing shuffleboard and wandering around a bit. Later in the afternoon we headed up to one of the shaded areas in Serenity and had a drink. We could here David's set from the pool area and just chilled and enjoyed the view of the ocean.

Half Moon Cay was the only port we had not been to and we were not sure what to expect.

We were only planning a beach day, so no rush to get off the ship.

We were up an moving around on deck by 9:00 and got our tender ticket, #16.

This was also my first time to see all the towel animals out on deck. I was so excited!

Loved the baby elephants.

I was still taking pics when they called for our tender. I had expected a longer wait. :)

We have cruised out of Puerto Rico a few times, so we sort of knew the lay of the land. We also knew it was HOT and we didn't want to walk a lot!

We a booked a 10:00 segway tour with Segway Tours of Puerto Rico

http://www.segwaytourspr.com/

The cost is $85 for a two hour tour and includes admission to the fort.

I had taken my kids on this tour before, so wanted to go with DH this time round. Jose was our guide and did a great job.

After the tour we asked Jose for a suggestion for lunch, somewhere he would go.

He gave us directions and we were off.

This is diner type place with a line out the door for seating. We only waited about 15 minutes for a seat. The food was awesome and in the $8-$15 range for lunch. DH had something that resembled chicken parmesan with beans and rice. I had breaded shrimp with rice and beans. I live on the Gulf Coast and have had my share of shrimp. I have to say that these were some of the best I had ever had. We were both stuffed!

Wondered around the dock area for a bit, then back on the ship for a shower before sail away.

Beautiful pictures!

What camera were you using?

Glad you are enjoying the review.

All of the pics were taken with my iphone 5. :)

What cabin were you in? Want to make sure I don't pick that one.

 

Sorry, forgot to answer the cabin question.

We were in 6203. It was a nice roomy cabin, more square than rectangle. It was really a great location for everything. If not for the noise issue it would be perfect. Ours was only a couple doors down from the stairs, so that may have been a factor. Probably halfway down that hallway would have been much better. Live and learn, right?

Great review so far!! Really enjoying..

 

Can you believe in a little over 8 months the Freedom will be in Galveston? My 2 favorite ships Magic and Freedom!! Can't wait!!

 

What cabin were you in? Want to make sure I don't pick that one.

 

How were the hot tubs in the Aft? Are they adult only still?

 

Thanks!!

Thanks :)

Sorry it has taken me so long, but life gets in the way.

I also did not know that Freedom was coming to Galveston prior to booking either. Would definitely sail on her again. Still have not been on Magic yet...

I only was in the aft hot tub once for a short time on the last night. They had closed the roof and it was too hot and humid. Not sure about the adult only issue. We did spend a fair amount of time in the Serenity Hot tubs on front and really prefer those.

 

Do you recall how much the Tervis was? We love using them at home and the one you posted is pretty cute.

I believe the glass was $9.95 and it's a great souvenir!

Wish they would have had the Red Frog on too!

We just missed the 1:00 ferry, so we had an hour to wander around town. We decided to get something to eat. We followed an awesome smell to this place.

It was a small outdoor eatery, complete with chicken roaming around. I can't say much for the service, as the only woman there was on here cell phone and motioned to the menus lying on the counter. We decided to split an order of chicken and ribs. It was a huge portion of each and came with beans and rice and slaw. It was really great food. I believe it was a little less than $20 for the food and 2 cans of coke.

Back in port, I was on the hunt for wifi. Asking around, the answer seemed to be Senior Frogs.

Well, if we have too...

Back on board, showered and up on deck for sail away.

Honestly, it was the most beautiful part of the day...

St Thomas had a bit of a rocky start, in more ways than one.

We grabbed a bite to eat and were off the ship early, hoping to catch the 9:00 ferry to St John.

We were met as we exited the gate just outside the ship by a woman and asked if we needed a taxi. We explained our plans and were directed to a minivan where another couple was already waiting. We got in and someone shut the door behind us. Not long after, another man was put in the front passenger seat. We sat for a while and began to chat. The couple told us that they had been sitting in the cab for at least 20 minutes before we arrived. The man explained that they were waiting or at least two more. I understand this, but we needed to catch the ferry and did not want to wait any longer. We tried to get out of the cab, but could not open the door from the inside. By this time, everyone wanted out. Soon the driver came, yelling that "her boss" would be angry at her if she left without a full cab. However, she agreed to leave now if we would stay. About that time it started to rain...

Fortunately, we arrived in time for the 9:00 ferry.

... and it stopped raining!

Last year we went to Truck Bay, so this time we thought we would try Cinnamon Bay.

Played in the sand a little while, then decided it was time to give snorkeling a try. The water was a little murky, but probably due to the intermittent rain. I would have to say that I prefer Trunk, especially for the snorkeling.

It started raining again and the wind actually made it cold on the beach so we decided to head back to St John. By the time we showered and changed, it had stopped raining. We wondered across the street to an old sugar mill and explored for a while. We even saw a deer in the woods.

This is our 4th visit to St Maarten. We had done the America's Cup Regatta twice and last year we visited Maho Beach. Unfortunately, my memory card from my camera was erased for the whole day...

so we just had to go back and get more!

We walked to town from the port area and to Back street to catch the bus. It's $2 per person, much cheaper than a taxi and a little adventurous. It was a pleasant ride and we only had one other passenger with us.

While on the beach we had something to eat and a few "drink of the day's" at the sunset bar. We also rented two chairs and an umbrella on the beach for $20.

It was more crowded this time than it was last time, but was still a lot of fun!

We took a cab back to town around 2:30. We had the cab drop us at the far end of the boardwalk and we walked back to the port area. We stopped at the information booth an bought some wifi minutes so I could update fb. (I know, it's an addiction) I believe the price was $5 for 15 minutes.

It was a good day, but we were really tired by the time we got back on board. We opted for a shower, BLTs, and bed.

Random photos from around the ship...

They have improvements inside too!

In the taste bar they would offer appetizers or samples from the steak house. The ones we had were really great and something we probably would not have tried otherwise.

The Alchemy bar was a popular place. They specialize in making special concoctions, all with fresh ingredients. The show is half the fun. DH had the forty is the new twenty and I had something with chipotle in it.

There were a few rough spots however.

For example, one night all but one stall of the casino bathroom stalls were out of order. Created a bit of a line at times. Our room was literally just up a flight of stairs, so not a problem for us.

We didn't make it to the piano bar when it was open, but went in to have a look around. It was bright!

We also did not go to any production shows. Sorry. This trip was all about relaxation. We did make one comedy show and it was okay. Nothing spectacular.

I love watching movies out on deck and DH usually indulges me. We attempted to watch three different movies, but it rained midway through each one. Oh well...

We had Anytime dining, but only ended up in the dining room twice. Our waitstaff were really friendly, but again appeared overworked. We had noticed that on previous trips as well. The food was pretty good each night. The other nights we either had pizza, a burger, or deli sandwich. Of course, we found an opportunity for a few room service BLTs. We love them! Just offer them in the deli already!

I also like the set up of the new bars on the deck. As you may have guessed, I was a fan of the Blue Iguana, but the Red Frog was nice too. I actually think the bartenders were a little more friendly at the Red Frog. We only had a couple of drinks each every day and we always went to the bar and got our own. We actually prefer it that way, but it also seemed that there were not nearly as many servers out on deck and the ones that were there seemed to wait for someone to flag them down instead of constantly offering drinks. I prefer this approach.

They have small stages built into the winding staircases on lido deck. In the afternoons, they would have live sets with David or James. They also have the more upbeat DJ. Something for everyone.

Pretty much every evening we would head up to the Serenity area. Almost everyone else has headed off to dinner by this time of day so it was not at all crowded. Many times we had it all to ourselves. They only have one hammock, so I took advantage of this one when I got the chance.

We caught this sunset all alone in the hot tub. Very peaceful.

I am so glad that we ended up sailing post dry dock. Loved most of the upgrades. As we already stated, we really like the Red Frog Pub.

I am not a big fan of buffets, so the added new food choices were great for us. I usually don't eat a lot of burgers, and didn't like the old grill at all (except for the fries). Guys burgers were the bomb! There are several "base burgers" then you can spruce them up at the topping bar.

We ate there at least three times during the trip. The fries are awesome as well.

Shown here with Blue's Patron Margarita

I believe the addition of the Blue Iguana Cantina is also great. I love, love, love Mexican food.

Unfortunately, it closes everyday at 2:30.

It does open for breakfast at 7:00, so that helps.

I made it for breakfast twice. Once had a breakfast burrito, the next time they made me a custom Huevos Rancheos, without the chicken that normally comes on it. They too have a topping bar with dozens of different toppings and types of bottled sauces to try. I like the sweet habanero sauce.

The addition of these two food options definitely scored some Carnival points. The new themed eating areas were fun.

We slept in a little, then headed off for brunch...

One of my sea day favorites!

Sorry, but this is the only brunch photo I took!

I took care of the banana nut bread, as usual, and DH took care of the croissants. Our sever let us take the rest back to the room, which we ate later in the day.

I had Huevos Rancheros and DH had pork chop and eggs. Our waitstaff was super friendly and great.

We headed up on deck to explore some more and get some sun. It was really windy. We tried to play mini golf, but the wind blew the balls before we could even stand up. May just lounge in the sun with a drink for a bit...

They were still doing lots of work on parts of the ship. Looked like they were putting a generator in behind the whale tail. Also, they had one whole side of the 10th deck closed throughout the cruise. We did see them assembling new bed frames, so hopefully the bedding will be replaced for those of you sailing soon.

This seemed to contribute to not enough lounge chairs. We found one on a side deck without a problem, but about 30 min after we arrived people were saying they couldn't find one anywhere. Also, they would close one side or the other of various decks intermittently for work. Other than making it more challenging to reach our destination at times, it was not a problem for us.

They continued work on the kids pool area and the kids club areas, so of course, they were not accessible. They even closed the water slide for work the last half of the trip.

Best purchase of the week was for this Tervis glass from the Blue Iguana Bar. It kept all beverages nice and cold for the rest of the week, especially frozen drinks. The bartenders would gladly refill it for me. I would have also purchased one from the Red Frog Bar as well, but they did not have any lids.