My Review of Carnival Freedom 9/19-9/25 with Pics

Just back yesterday from a great 6 day trip on the Freedom. I cannot believe how long we waited and it went by so quick! I sit here with post cruise disorder(that should be a real disorder ya know) and already looking to book the Liberty for next year!! Crusing is so addictive and although the anticipation almost killed me,I am already wanting to be back in the stage of obsessing and anticipating my next cruise. I am gonna try not to be long winded with this review,but I do have alot of pics to add :)

 

Ok,so background info~This sailing was Dh and I for our fifth anniversary. This was my sixth cruise and his third. We originally booked the Destiny last year and ironically if we woulda stayed booked on that cruise,we would have been sailing as I type,but I digress. We switched to the Freedom,because I wanted to go to Key West and Dh wanted to sail on our usual 9/19 schedule.

 

We, no,I decided we would drive cause I do not like to fly. Dh would've rather flew of course ,but a happy wife is a happy life I suppose,so I got my way.:D No,really I am such a chickenbutt when it comes to flying,it's horrible. I promised him we would fly next time and we definitely will. The drive was great and exciting going,but coming back was just long. We drove last year to Jacksonville,but of course this was way longer. So now anything longer then 9 hours,I guess we will fly. Okay I am already being too chatty.

 

We got a late start on the drive because dh was called into work the day before. So alot of the stuff we needed to do that evening had to wait til Friday morning. We ended up not even getting on the road until 12:47pm:eek: Our GPS tells us that our ETA is 2:32am DOUBLE:eek::eek: But we were so excited we didn't care. We had 6 days on the Freedom and one day in Fort Lauderdale to look forward too. Let the fun begin!!!

 

So we drive and drive making great time. Talking about all the things we wanna see and do. We were making great time until Georgia. We were stuck there in stand still traffic for almost two hours. This ended up pushing out ETA to 4:30 am. After the traffic got moving again we were both tired from driving,but we did make it to Florida. We ended up crashing at Days Inn in Cocoa,Florida. It wasn't horrible,but it definitely wasn't great. Me and DH was so tired that it didn't matter. We needed a place to crach. We even sleep in our clothes. Happy Anniversary to us,lol.

 

We jump up around 8am refreshed and got back on the road,we had about two hours to go before finally reaching Fort Lauderdale.

 

After a ton of research, I picked Cambria Suites. We needed a hotel where we could leave the car for the duration of the cruise. We were not disappointed. This place is BEAUTIFUL and the people are so friendly.

 

Our room was 516 and it was lovely. This pic was taken right when you walk in the door. The bathroom is immediately to the left.

 

Walking towards the bedroom area,there is also a sitting area to the left

Of course Dh wasted no time getting comfortable in front of the tv

 

The office area

 

 

The comfortable and HUGE bed

Great review so far! Can't wait to hear more, love the pics!!!:)

There is also another flat screen in the bedroom area. The bathroom was my favorite part.

 

The shower

 

Love,love,loved that sink.

 

A few more pics of the hotel

 

Coffee and fridge area

 

 

Our view which included that roller coaster I posted earlier

 

This hotel is directly behind the best western and would not come up on the GPS. So we mapped in the Best Western address directly in front of it. This would probably not be the hotel for you if you don't have a rental. There is Kmart,Marshall's,Dollar Store and some restaurants (Red Lobster,Outback) but it is a good little walk away.

Great review so far! Can't wait to hear more, love the pics!!!:)

Thanks for following along!!

Looking forward to the rest. Can't wait to see how your six days compared to mine.

So we checked in and decided to see as much as we could. One of the reason we decided to come on Ft lauderdale a day early was sp that I could see the Oasis go out. We went to the Galleria Mall(Dh still needed shirts for elegant night) and then we ended up in the Las Olas area where we took the Riverside cruise. We saw some beautiful houses,yachts and they also took us into port where the Oasis was waiting for a new set of passengers. The cruise was about 2 hours long which meant that we were gonna miss the Oasis leaving out,but I figured at least I would get some pics of her still.

 

Just beautiful

 

I had to get a pic of this for my son

 

She really is huge. Pics don't do her justice. It was at this point that I was sad that I wouldn't see her go out :(

Looking forward to the rest. Can't wait to see how your six days compared to mine.

 

Did you have a good cruise? Are you gonna do a review?

I like your review style. Chatty is good!!!

 

I'll be cruising on her in 4 weeks, so am eager to read the rest of your review. Put in all the details you can think of!

 

Carol

I am enjoying your reivew. I loved that sink also.

The sink is cool!

 

Great review so far!

Had a great cruise! Had an aft wrap on deck 8 starboard side (8455). Will not probably going to get one again. On our deck you could look down from the lido dinning room and see the whole deck except for maybe two feet from the wall. Also, there was a stairway right next to the room where all of the dining staff took breaks. There was some always there.

 

Probably no review this time. Busy week ahead. But i will follow your review. It will be like going on the cruise again! 77 or so more days and I go again!

When the Riverside cruise was over,we decided we would still go to the park and try to catch the Oasis and besides I still wanted to take pics anyway of the beach. So we ride over about 10 mins to John U. Lloyd park. I couldn't see the boat anymore,so I was sure we had missed it. Dh points out that it's only 5:08. We rode the long road until we got almost to the end. We couldn't have missed it right?!? If we missed it go out,wouldn't we still be able to see it as big as it is?!?!

 

We walk up on the beach and turn around and there she is turning to make her way out! We hadn't missed it!

 

Amazing,it really is amazing how these huge ships just glide across the water!

 

There are two freaking building behind this thing!

 

We watched for awhile and I took a ton of pics. We decided to ride down to South Beach for awhile and sightsee. Then we went back to the hotel and got dressed and went out to eat to celebrate our anniversary.

 

The Oasis was docked next to us in Nassau last February and I got some pretty good pictures as we were leaving port. Beautiful ship, trying to convince the hubby to give the Oasis a try!! :)

When when arrived at Cambria,they asked what shuttle time we wanted. I originally choose 10am,but the previous night at dinner,a little voice was telling me that I should change it to 9am and good thing I did. The front desk was busy with arrival calls and the shuttle wasn't able to pick us up til 9:33am. It took about 15 minutes to get to the port. There were three other couples on the shuttle with us. They were all going on the Emerald Princess I believe. The driver dropped them off first and then he took us over to the Freedom :)

I was so happy that this day had finally come! We turned our baggage over to the porter,tipped him and in we went. We were still kinda early so most of the people there were getting off the ship. We put our stuff through the X-ray and dh had a bottle of Margaritaville margarita mix in his bookbag (we ordered tequila through Bon Voyage) Anyway,the security lady stands up and says really loud and nasty how everyone wants to try to bring whiskey on. I turn around and say huh?!? Dh is looking like WTH?! She then says open your bag sir as if we had just ruined her morning.

Dh tells her that it's a mixer and how we had ordered from Bon Voyage. Stupidly she sits down and says OH. I was on fire,but I let it slide. There was no need for her to be rude. There was a huge ship waiting and I was not gonna let anyone or anything take me out of my vacation mode. Anyway,we fill out our health questionaire and then we check in. We get Zone 1. Wow! I don't ever even remember getting zone cards and if I have it's never been number 1,lol. The terminal filled up quickly and by the time they were handing out zone 7 cards,we were called to board. I would say we waited about an hour in the terminal

 

I know,I know, no picture taking in the terminal,but I had too. Hey it coulda been worse. I could have a whiskey bottle in my bag or something:rolleyes:

　

How exciting! I could already taste the Funship Special. We walk and take out S&S photo and then our embarkation photo and with then onto the ship. Finally!!! I feel like I am home again! I notice that the atrium is colorful and kinda closed in. We walk over and put money on our Sail and Sign and then to take pics. Usually we go straight for the food,but the ship was filling up quick and I wanted to get pics while the rooms were still sorta empty!

 

Pics of the ship coming up soon. I must go and cook dinner.

The sink is cool!

 

Great review so far!

Thanks! I loved the decor of the hotel! Everytime I washed my hands in it,I would literally say out loud how cute the sink was. LOL

 

Had a great cruise! Had an aft wrap on deck 8 starboard side (8455). Will not probably going to get one again. On our deck you could look down from the lido dinning room and see the whole deck except for maybe two feet from the wall. Also, there was a stairway right next to the room where all of the dining staff took breaks. There was some always there.

 

Probably no review this time. Busy week ahead. But i will follow your review. It will be like going on the cruise again! 77 or so more days and I go again!

Glad you had a good cruise and I am so jealous you are going again soon!! Did you hear the staff constantly on their breaks? I believe we were right under the posh dining room,it was really quiet though.

 

The Oasis was docked next to us in Nassau last February and I got some pretty good pictures as we were leaving port. Beautiful ship, trying to convince the hubby to give the Oasis a try!! :)

It is beautiful and HUGE! There is just no other way to describe it!

I like your review style. Chatty is good!!!

 

I'll be cruising on her in 4 weeks, so am eager to read the rest of your review. Put in all the details you can think of!

 

Carol

Ok good,I didn't wanna bore anyone,but I love detailed reviews myself and I am chatty too :) I will make sure I put all the little details just for you!

 

I am enjoying your reivew. I loved that sink also.

Thanks! That sink was so cute. I would love one at my house!

Can't wait to read more! Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Have never been on the Freedom. Geesh, the O of the S looks HUMONGOUS! Looks like it's going to flatten that hotel in the 2nd picture! :eek:

Loving your review! :)

Ok good,I didn't wanna bore anyone,but I love detailed reviews myself and I am chatty too :) I will make sure I put all the little details just for you!

 

Thanks! That sink was so cute. I would love one at my house!

could you tell me if the had a latin band onboard

Can't wait to read more! Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Have never been on the Freedom. Geesh, the O of the S looks HUMONGOUS! Looks like it's going to flatten that hotel in the 2nd picture! :eek:

It is my pleasure! The Freedom is a great ship! The Oasis is Ginormous!! I took a pic of it beside a small sailboat and WOW! The sailboat looked like an ant.

 

Loving your review! :)

Thanks! Thank so much for reading it!

 

could you tell me if the had a latin band onboard

Yes,they were called Latin Beat and the singer was really good!

We were on the ship with you. We alson got ZONE 1 for boarding!! It was out first cruise and we had a great time. Looking forward to reading your review!!!

Enjoying your review...Keep it coming!

I just went back and read your review of the Fascination. We went to Half Moon Cay for the lst time this past May on the Miracle. LOVED it so much that we booked the same cruise for NEXT May! We were in Nassau also, and did the same as you; took the water taxi over and just toured the "free areas." I have since learned that NOTHING there is free anymore! :mad: Have you ever thought of sailing out of Manhattan? We are about 20 minutes from the cruise terminal, so this is where we cruise out of. HOPE you have another one planned! ;)

Loving your review!! We're sailing on the Freedom in 12 days :p and this certainly helps with the excitement factor!