Preview and Semi-live Trip Report Freedom Western Caribbean

Sail in 20 days, vacation starts in 19 days, and I only work 14 more days in 2017!!!!!!!!!!!! ;p

I hope this Monday is starting as it should for all of you. I am not having such a wonderful start, I remembered the coffee :D and forgot my phone :o. The lovely and talented DH is going to see if he can get it to me.

So, since I can't lounge about reading about purses vs waist packs on the Forums app, I suppose I can get some work done today. :confused:

Good morning!

17 days until my vacation begins. 18 days until we sail.

They are passing quickly with my graduate courses wrapping up (one assignment left!!), crunch time at work and preparing for a family Christmas gathering when we return. 🎄

Wine carry ons will be a sparkling and a Riesling. The CVP IS sending a wine gift that will probably be a typical Chardonnay or Cabernet. Not our favorite.

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This is a first cruise on Freedom, our fifth cruise, and all have been with RCI.

Enjoy my favorite ship. I'll look forward to seeing her again. Now to catch up.

Enjoy my favorite ship. I'll look forward to seeing her again. Now to catch up.

Thank you, Bill. Maybe one day we can be on the same cruise! This one, then the 8-night Adventure in January 2019. Not sure if I will get a Majesty squeezed in over 2018.

After today, I only work 10 more days this year! I work two more Fridays. Conveying to all who rely on me at work that they need to get anything special in by next week has been less than successful.

Today, it is officially 15 days until my vacation starts and 16 days until we board the Freedom.

The only port that I'm not 100% sure on what I want to do is Cozumel. I'd like to see the blow hole, the wild side, have lunch and drinks near the water, and see some wildlife, but I would also like to do a little shopping. Someone I work with recommended Sky Reef as a great place to snorkel, but I think this may be the one port we do not snorkel at.

I hope you have a great weekend.

You mentioned in a previous post that you did the galley tour in the past. Do you have to pay for that?

You mentioned in a previous post that you did the galley tour in the past. Do you have to pay for that?

On Majesty, it was in combination with a champagne brunch, and we paid $25 per person.

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Vacation brain takes over at work when you’re excited about a trip, doesn’t it? Hang tight just a little longer....

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It does. My boss has been out some with her family, so that keeps me on my toes.

Looking forward to wrapping up my academic assignments for the semester today.

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Just got off the Freedom today after a wonderful 8 night sailing. Ship is in terriffic shape. I was very anxious to report back to you regarding your Deck 7 cabin location. We were in 7340, Starboard side Center hump. LOVED this cabin. Great size, unobstructed view front and back. Very quiet. Extremely convenient to everything. You made an excellent choice!!!:D:D:D:D:D.

Just got off the Freedom today after a wonderful 8 night sailing. Ship is in terriffic shape. I was very anxious to report back to you regarding your Deck 7 cabin location. We were in 7340, Starboard side Center hump. LOVED this cabin. Great size, unobstructed view front and back. Very quiet. Extremely convenient to everything. You made an excellent choice!!!:D:D:D:D:D.

You made my day! Thanks for the information.

Super moon at my house.

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I am now in the single digits for work days left in 2017. So much left to do, but I'm glad to have the opportunity to travel with my bosses blessing.

I'm now to the point of determining how much cash we need for our two excursions that we could not prepay. I'm not used to carrying much cash at all, so it's a little odd for me.

Our “Stingray, Coral Gardens, & Star Fish Snorkel " excursion is $45pp, paid in cash on the ship. $90 total.

Our driver for the day in Cozumel is $132 for four hours, and we've already prepaid a deposit, so will need to pay in cash at the end of the day, $70.

I know this seems minor or trivial, but I don't want to be the person that doesn't have enough cash on me for these two planned excursions, or to not have enough tip money on me. It's all about the planning, to save me from embarrassment or having to rush last minute.

Because so many posters wonder if the Refreshment package is worth the sale price of $18pp per day, I will have a list and tally on the sea days of how many beverages I get and drink, and how much they would add up to separately from a package.

A typical day:

Specialty coffee

Freshly squeezed orange juice (split with DH, since it's too much for me alone)

Bottle of water back to the room

Soda or sparkling water

Soda at lunch

Coffee for the afternoon

Sparkling water at dinner

Cappuccino with dessert

Soda or water before retiring to the cabin

I just found Google trips, a free app, that helps with trip planning.

Each section opens with a list of options.

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Doing the same cruise January 14th. Is that shore excursion in Costa Maya sponsored by RCCL or did you book directly? Thank you in advance to any info. The upgrade Fairy visited us for this cruise. Going from Promenade to JS.

We also were upgraded (self-requested) from a balcony on deck 7 to a JS hump on 9.

I went independent for all of the excursions. I'm not a big fan of the ship sponsored excursions, but I made sure all of our plans get us back to the port in plenty of time for sail away time.

♪♪♫

On the first day of cruising, my CVP gave to me...

A bottle of wine and some O...B....C...

♪♫

We'll see if I can keep this up.

12 days until we sail! After much consideration, we settled on Catfish Dewey's for dinner the night before the cruise. I love seafood, and am looking forward to trying stone crab. Stone crab claws are harvested from the live crab, who regrows another one.

And last night, I tried on all the clothes I've purchased for this trip. Only one pair of shorts is a bit snug, the others fit. They will be washed and packed this weekend.

Balconies and suites are both showing as sold out for this sailing, with one oceanview on deck 12, and one inside guarantee available.

For true availability, I always use the UK Royal Caribbean site.

Balconies and suites are both showing as sold out for this sailing, with one oceanview on deck 12, and one inside guarantee available.

 

For true availability, I always use the UK Royal Caribbean site.

I saw people talking about the UK site before, but I never checked it out until just now. The differences are interesting. After using the US site for so long it took me a while to navigate this one. I didn't expect there to be quite so many differences in the general layout. It looks nice though and was easy to work with. I wonder if the UK site has as many glitches as the US one seems to get.

I saw people talking about the UK site before, but I never checked it out until just now. The differences are interesting. After using the US site for so long it took me a while to navigate this one. I didn't expect there to be quite so many differences in the general layout. It looks nice though and was easy to work with. I wonder if the UK site has as many glitches as the US one seems to get.

I'm sure it has it's share. But it shows more available staterooms than the US site, so it is what I check when I'm trying to find a specific stateroom for a cruise. It's how I found the JS we're booked in. I like having options. :)

Will be on this same itinerary on the 2/25 sailing, looking forward to your review.

Will be on this same itinerary on the 2/25 sailing, looking forward to your review.

Thank you for following along.

Will be on this same itinerary on the 2/25 sailing, looking forward to your review.

We will be on the 2/25 sailing with you!

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Following. We are on Freedom 8 Night Eastern January 6. It cannot get here fast enough.