Freedom Of The Seas Eastern Review July 3-10

[AggieCard]

I am not going to right a review like most people are hoping for, but all I will say is that the trip was amazing. I just wanted to post this thread so that anyone traveling on the Freedom in the future can feel free to ask questions. I know that leading up to my cruise I had a ton of questions and could never get them answered, so if you have questions please ask away.

 

I honestly don't have one negative thing to say about the entire trip, other than the weather at St. Maarten, which Royal doesn't control.

 

I do have all of the cruise compasses and pretty much everything else you ask for, so for anyone that has questions please ask away!

[Smokey Mountain Tim]

I do have all of the cruise compasses and pretty much everything else you ask for, so for anyone that has questions please ask away!

 

Will you be scanning the compasses and posting them? If not would you be so kind as to email timmorey at bellsouth dot net

[ownedbypets]

We were on this sailing too and it was amazing! We thought everything was just perfect from the crew to the food to the entertainment. When I asked the kids what their favorite thing was they couldn't pick just one but they did say that St. Martin was the best day. Even with all the rain they loved Maho beach.

[Cruisegirl6]

Do you recall the day and time that we have to get the ice skating show tickets?

 

Do you recall seeing kayaks in coco cay?

 

What time is breakfast served until in the MDR and in buffet?

 

What was there to eat after 10pm besides pizza, hot dogs, burgers and fries?

 

Do they still send around those o'dervs in the casino late at night

 

Do you recall how much a long island iced tea is and a miller light?

 

Did you find a slot machine that was hott?

 

So glad you had a great time, this is one reason why we also chose the FOS from experience and also we love RC!

[BillOh]

I was on Freedom when she sailed out of Miami and loved it. I am a few months away from planning my next cruise. Did you fly in? (didn't check your profile to see where you lived.) I did Royal's transfers on my first cruise, but haven't done that since. I may consider doing it for my first trip to Port Canaveral, but that is way in the future. If you flew into Orlando, how did you get to the ship? (Its been a year since I considered doing so and am looking for recent experiences)

[BillOh]

We were on this sailing too and it was amazing! We thought everything was just perfect from the crew to the food to the entertainment. When I asked the kids what their favorite thing was they couldn't pick just one but they did say that St. Martin was the best day. Even with all the rain they loved Maho beach.

 

I suppose it can vary, but I did love the crew of Freedom, it was one of the newest ships at the time (Liberty had just come online) Maho beach was also great, I may consider this cruise for 2012.

[Cruisegirl6]

I live in Florida northern Florida so when I take cruises out of Fll/Mia yes I do fly the day before and spend a night in the JW Marriott on Key Biscayne...I usually fly into FLL (just a 50 minute flight on the good priced southwest airlines) if the ship is out of Mia I will hire a long limo lol its so worth it, for the price of 4 people in a cab we get a limo lol

 

When I go out of Pt. Canaveral such as next month we drive the same day only a bit less than 2 1/2 hour drive time for us.

 

If you fly into Orlando its a bit of a distance to the port...best to just to rent a car and drop off at the pier or drop off at the hotel (find one that has a car drop off in the hotel) and take a cab the next day to the ship (you not want to deal with returning a car that same morning). Some hotels give you complimentary shuttle to the port..I rather not wait for others to get onto the shuttle and just take my own cab not cost much at all and can go when I want to leave.

 

Anybody been or seen Mr.Busby's in Maho Beach suppose to be a beach bar that I can get drinks and rent chairs/umbrella's.

[BelAirMom]

Just got home yesterday and, like the other posters, we had a wonderful time. We flew into Orlando on Saturday, stayed at the Caribe Royal (10 minutes from Downtown Disney) and used Ace Luxury Limo to get to the port on Sunday a.m. We were picked up at our hotel around 11, got to Pt Canaveral around noon, and were on the ship in about 40 minutes...not bad! I cannot stress enough how nice all the boarding personnel and ship's personnel were at every point during the week.

 

I will say that we enjoyed the Windjammer more than the MDR - we are not terribly formal and enjoyed staying in shorts, etc. to eat dinner. I did have the Tutti salad bar on sea days in the dining room and it was fabulous - very fresh toppings, made to order. Managed to hit the right lunch and got chocolate creme brulee for dessert - best dessert of the cruise.

 

I, too, will be happy to answer questions if needed.

[AggieCard]

Will you be scanning the compasses and posting them? If not would you be so kind as to email timmorey at bellsouth dot net

 

SmokeyMountain:

I will be scanning them in sometime this week. Give me a few days as I try to get caught up at work, but I promose I will get them to you.

[AggieCard]

Do you recall the day and time that we have to get the ice skating show tickets?

 

Do you recall seeing kayaks in coco cay?

 

What time is breakfast served until in the MDR and in buffet?

 

What was there to eat after 10pm besides pizza, hot dogs, burgers and fries?

 

Do they still send around those o'dervs in the casino late at night

 

Do you recall how much a long island iced tea is and a miller light?

 

Did you find a slot machine that was hott?

 

So glad you had a great time, this is one reason why we also chose the FOS from experience and also we love RC!

 

 

Lyndamr

 

I am 99.9% sure they gave the tickets to the ice show on Tuesday (at sea) between 8am-9am.

 

They do have kayaks at Cococay because I actually won a free kayak for the day while doing the snorkle treasure hunt. (Treasure hunt is free, you just have to have on a life jacket which is $6.)

 

Breakfast in MDR is until 10am and I believe that is the case in the Windjammer as well.

 

After 10 pm, you can order room service and get sandwichs, Ben Jerrys and as you stated above the usual pizza and burgers. Although the Promenade Cafe has the little sandwichs.

 

I didnt see the Hor d'oevers in the casino and I spent a lot of time there, so I am guessing they no longer do that.

 

Long Island ice tea was 7.50 with gratuity and Miller Lite was 4.25

 

I didn't play slots at all, but my mother and grandmother both played the penny slots and each won about $60. I played blackjack all week and didnt fare as well.

 

If you have any other questions please ask.

[AggieCard]

I was on Freedom when she sailed out of Miami and loved it. I am a few months away from planning my next cruise. Did you fly in? (didn't check your profile to see where you lived.) I did Royal's transfers on my first cruise, but haven't done that since. I may consider doing it for my first trip to Port Canaveral, but that is way in the future. If you flew into Orlando, how did you get to the ship? (Its been a year since I considered doing so and am looking for recent experiences)

 

 

BillOh

 

Yes we flew in and stayed at a hotel near the airport. Sunday morning we took a car service down to the port and it cost $41 round trip and the driver was great. Very prompt and got us there and back in great time. I would recoomend staying in orlando because I found the hotels where cheaper and better quality. Also the drive from Orlando is only about an hour.

[Rlwadsworth]

SmokeyMountain:

I will be scanning them in sometime this week. Give me a few days as I try to get caught up at work, but I promose I will get them to you.

 

Would love to see them also. Did you do any excursions? We are sailing 9/11 and I'm still trying to see what my girls want to do (ages 6 & 8). Are there any good excursions that can be done not through RCCL?

 

Thanks

Robert

[Cruisegirl6]

Aggicard thank you for answering my questions. I can't get up that early for ice show tickets I wonder if they have alternative day and time lol Were you on eastern or western caribbean...perhaps the day to get the ice show tickets vary to which itinerary, they most likely give them out at cruise days I gather.

 

Too bad breakfast is only until 10am (we stay up till around 2am and get up around 9:30 about time we both shower and dress we miss breakfast)...I guess I just eat more for lunch lol I will try that salad in the MDR.

 

RC cheaper for Long Island Iced Tea than Carnival sweet :)

 

I also would love to see the compasses I am pretty sure the shows be the same for eastern/western cruises.

 

Thank you so very much!!

[AggieCard]

Would love to see them also. Did you do any excursions? We are sailing 9/11 and I'm still trying to see what my girls want to do (ages 6 & 8). Are there any good excursions that can be done not through RCCL?

 

Thanks

Robert

 

 

Robert

 

We didnt do any excursions through Royal, we did everything on our own and had an awesome time. I actually think that it is cheaper to go on your oww. I would recommend you visit Maho Beach at St. Maarten, because seeing the huge airplanes land is certainly a sight and I guarantee that your girls will love it. Magens Bay in St. Thomas is amazing. The water is sooooo calm and warm and you can see straight to the bottom.