New- Just Off Freedom (Aug 12th) Review & Thoughts

[jkskrap]

The "hot pockets" jkstrap references are more commonly known as "Jamaican Beef Patties" although they do come in other varieties than beef and in Grand Cayman they do leave out the "Jamaican" part. =)

 

Adam,

 

Right! Thanks! I couldn't remember the name of the darn things. We had veggie and chicken. Both good, but spicy. I guess we had iron guts by that time because it didn't seem to effect us (if ya know what I mean).

 

Funny you mention the looks of Grand Cayman. A friend just told me he never gets off the ship in GC because it looks so ugly - and he hates Tenders. Like I said, it does NOT look too good from the ship, but after driving around we thought it was very nice. In fact, we discussed going back for a week just to hang out.

 

Glad you made it home safely. What did you and the crew think of the cruise? Hope you had fun. I am sure they were VERY jealous of your nifty Royal Caribbean bag you got at the M&M.

[jkskrap]

My youngest daughter's birthday is just a couple of weeks away and she has been hinting for gifts. I kept telling her the cruise was her gift! I thought it would be fun to celebrate her birthday one night (and to kind of needle her :D), so I ordered a birthday cake to have at dinner Monday night. I put her name on the form (Allison) for the cake, etc.

 

These kind of things kind of drive my DW crazy. She doesn't like the singing of "happy birthday" and all the commotion that comes with it. But it was for our daughter, so I figured she wouldn't mind. I didn't even tell her I had ordered the cake. In fact, I had forgotten all about it until . . .

 

After dinner, all of a sudden several waiters appear around our table with a cake that says "Ruby" - my DW's name - and start congratulating her as they burst into song. If looks could kill . . . I would be a dead man! I was stunned. Our kids were laughing their butts off and finally I was, too. Coleen, our waiter, must have seen the look on my face because she came over and asked me if everything was OK. I told her that it had the wrong name and she turned beet red and started apologizing! Too, too funny! I am sure people on our side of the MDR thought we were nuts.

 

A great story for us to remember, though! I have no idea how they messed up the name. Maybe because Allison wasn't on our reservation - so they just put Ruby? Who knows.

 

BTW -- Ruby loved the cake. They boxed it up for us and we ate some in our cabin each day.

 

Proof:

[MORcrzr]

Fun review! Looking forward to more. Still have Cozumel trip, right?

 

Thanks for taking the time.

[jkskrap]

Fun review! Looking forward to more. Still have Cozumel trip, right?

 

Thanks for taking the time.

 

Yeah, I will get to Mexico tonight or tomorrow. Thanks!

[Gordo]

Great review. I have really enjoyed reading about your experience. My Mom's name is Ruby - she got a great kick out of your story, especially since it is not as common of a name.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review.

[jkskrap]

Here are a couple of pics of Hell.

 

 

[gmacruiser418]

thank you again for the great review and pictures! love seeing the cabanas in Labadee and Can't wait till we're there in less than 3 weeks!

[Winegirl58]

 

 

Now to our cabin: We paid an extra $220 (total) and upgraded to a Junior Suite from a balcony D3 and it was awesome. We had 9328. The room was very large, great big closet, big bathroom with a tub and large balcony. It was money well spent.

 

Great review so far, and I love the photos, Keep them coming please!! :) Question regarding the upgrade. Right now, I am trying to upgrade to a JS from our E3 balcony. Our cruise in in October. The price is $1400!! I mean, I would love the extra space, but $1400 is crazy IMHO! You only paid $220 total for your upgrade. How far in advance did you request an upgrade? Was this thru a TA, or RCI direct? Just trying to figure out how you got such a great deal. For $220, I would upgrade in a heartbeat. Heck, for $600 I would upgrade, but $1400 is all my excursions, my drinks, etc etc. Thanks for any help, and I can't wait to read the rest of your review!

[jkskrap]

Great review so far, and I love the photos, Keep them coming please!! :) Question regarding the upgrade. Right now, I am trying to upgrade to a JS from our E3 balcony. Our cruise in in October. The price is $1400!! I mean, I would love the extra space, but $1400 is crazy IMHO! You only paid $220 total for your upgrade. How far in advance did you request an upgrade? Was this thru a TA, or RCI direct? Just trying to figure out how you got such a great deal. For $220, I would upgrade in a heartbeat. Heck, for $600 I would upgrade, but $1400 is all my excursions, my drinks, etc etc. Thanks for any help, and I can't wait to read the rest of your review!

 

Thanks!

 

I guess it all depends on what you paid originally and what discounts you are eligible for. I booked our cruise on the phone through an RCI vacation planner in February 2012. It went up a bit after that and never went down until after final payment. I had booked a D3 balcony originally. I would check prices every couple of days and at some point the D1 went down below what we paid, but I didn't see the real difference to upgrade. One day I went through the usual booking process and the Jr Suite came up at only $110 more than we had paid! I debated about an hour (even asked some CC folks) and called RCI. It took a few minutes for the agent to find the rate I had seen. It turned out to be a Florida resident discounted rate. Anyway, the total we paid for the upgrade was $220.

 

As much as we loved our room, I am not sure I would upgrade for $500+. That's a lot of "OBC" - if ya know what I mean!

[Winegirl58]

Thanks!

 

I guess it all depends on what you paid originally and what discounts you are eligible for. I booked our cruise on the phone through an RCI vacation planner in February 2012. It went up a bit after that and never went down until after final payment. I had booked a D3 balcony originally. I would check prices every couple of days and at some point the D1 went down below what we paid, but I didn't see the real difference to upgrade. One day I went through the usual booking process and the Jr Suite came up at only $110 more than we had paid! I debated about an hour (even asked some CC folks) and called RCI. It took a few minutes for the agent to find the rate I had seen. It turned out to be a Florida resident discounted rate. Anyway, the total we paid for the upgrade was $220.

 

As much as we loved our room, I am not sure I would upgrade for $500+. That's a lot of "OBC" - if ya know what I mean!

Thank you so much, I will just keep checking every day. Last week it was $1200, today it is $1400, so it has gone up. Ugh... But, I have 2 months for it to drop, so I will keep positive. No "Bickerson" here!!! LOL... love that reference, I am going to use it on our cruise, with your permission of course... :p:p

[DrD]

Thanks for the great review!!

 

How far in advance did you book the cabana?

 

I well remember meat patties, I actually lived in Falmouth for 2 months in 1993. I was on quite a budget and could get 3 meat pies for about a dollar. I'm sure they charge the tourists more!

[jkskrap]

Thanks for the great review!!

 

How far in advance did you book the cabana?

 

I well remember meat patties, I actually lived in Falmouth for 2 months in 1993. I was on quite a budget and could get 3 meat pies for about a dollar. I'm sure they charge the tourists more!

 

The excursions were available very early for our cruise. At least it seems that way based on what I have read here on CC. I booked the cruise on 2/10/12 and the cabana on 2/21/12.

 

The meat patties were $3 each. The lemonade stand I hit at the pier was making a TON of money that day.

[jkskrap]

Thanks for the comments about the pictures. I have ALMOST bought a new digital camera several times in the past couple of years, but my beat-up old Canon Elph SD400 5 MP camera is still going strong! This little guy has been through a ton. So tiny yet so durable!

 

Next up is Cozumel. The Tulum Express tour. Starring "Godfather" Bickerson.

[jkskrap]

Cozumel, Mexico

 

Friday was the last excursion day. We had been looking forward to this for awhile. My DW and kids wanted to see Mayan ruins and were very interested in learning more about the Mayans and their culture. I debated over going to COBA or Tulum, but finally decided on the Tulum Express trip because it brought you back earlier and I thought we might want to do some shopping in Cozumel after the tour.

 

I had tried to read as much as I could about the tours on CC. The ferry ride over to the mainland was described as the “vomit comet” and that was a bit scary! My DW takes Bonine during the cruise and is fine, but the ships don’t have the movement of the smaller ferries. We all decided to “go for it.”

 

I was at Tulum in 1987 or so (geez I am old). A friend and I were in Cancun for a week and rented a jeep and headed south. Back then it was a 2 lane road and you just pulled over near the ruins and started climbing. A lot has changed! Most probably for the good – to preserve the ruins. There is now a big highway that leads to Tulum. Playa del Carmen is now a growing CITY! They have built a nice parking area at Tulum with lots of shops (and a Dairy Queen!). There are stairs down to the beautiful beach. It is a big tourist attraction for sure.

[jkskrap]

TULUM EXPRESS – Through RCI

 

We met in the Arcadia Theater at 9:15 am. There were a lot of us. Any person that booked a mainland excursion was here. The idea is to get us off the ship first and walk us directly to the waiting ferry. It pretty much worked well.

 

When the time came, we all got up and headed to the gangplank. It was a bottle neck near the elevators and people not on these excursions were coming down and probably freaking out when they saw all of us. One lady (Ms. (female dog)ison) came out of the elevator with a stroller, almost knocked a few people down to get over to the guy handing out shopping guides, pushed her way back over, and then it was ALMOST a Jerry Springer moment. We were just standing there and I guess she thought my youngest pushed her, so she screamed at her and called her a dumb ***** (female dog). Now, my baby is the most mellow girl on the planet 99.99999% of the time, but if something hits her at the wrong moment, she explodes. As she turned and tried to launch herself at Ms. B, I caught her and got us out of there. Poor Mr. B – he was just standing there looking like a condemned man. We were laughing about it by the time we hit the ferry.

 

The ferry is run by Mexico Waterjets and is very nice. You are inside in the a/c. TIP: sit on the left side or middle (as you face the front) both ways to stay out of the hot sun. The ferry ride is only 30 minutes once you get going. We were blessed with very calm seas our whole trip, and the ride was great. You still feel the motion, though, so make sure you take your pills if you get seasick. There are good bathrooms in the back of the boat for a quick stop before you get ashore.

 

At the port in Playa del Carmen we got out and noticed Mexican Marines standing around with machine guns. We have seen this before but our kids hadn’t and it was a bit unsettling for them at first. You follow the group into town and look for someone with the “Tulum Express” sign. We didn’t get any instructions before we left, but I figured it out when I saw the first sign.

 

A guy came up to us with a lion cub in his hands – YES, a real, live lion cub – and wanted us to take a picture with it. He was obnoxious but finally went away. We felt terrible for that poor cub. He looked drugged and sad.

 

We all got into a line and then each family posed for the obligatory “pre-excursion photo.” The photographer was nice and she was very efficient, so it only took a second. You walk a bit more and then get on the bus. Right before you get on the bus there are young guys selling water and cokes for $1.00 each. I don’t know WHY I did it, but all of a sudden a cold Coke sounded good (I am a diet pepsi man), so I gave the kid a buck and boarded the bus. As soon as I sat down I opened the bottle and it exploded all over me! Literally 1/3 of the coke gushed out. Sticky Coke all over me. This was the only time this trip my girls said, “Dad looked really mad!” I got over it.

 

We also now met “Godfather” Bickerson, one of our fellow excursionists. He said the most awful things to his wife the entire trip. We tried to tune him out, somewhat successfully. I just don’t understand why . . .

 

The bus was comfortable but the a/c was not the greatest. Don’t sit below the TV’s because you will only have one air vent instead of two. They will ask you to use these same seats on the way back.

 

We had 2 guides and a bus driver. Tamo was the guide who spoke to us on the bus and Philipe was the guide at Tulum. Both were very nice and seemed to be very interested in Tulum and the Mayans (especially Philipe). The problem was they really didn’t tell us much. A little history, but it could have been so much better. At the ruins themselves Philipe seemed to focus on the minutia and wasn’t too good at telling “the story.” It was very disappointing. I wonder if the other guides were any better?

 

It is a quick 45 minute drive to Tulum from the port, but they stop for a “restroom break” on the way. What a crock! They pulled the bus into the parking lot of this big gift shop and Tamo spends 5 or 10 minutes telling us how good all the merchandise is and how it is made by real Mayans. So much better than the stuff we will see at Tulum. On and on. He says we are only going to stay 15 minutes but I bet it was 40 minutes. It’s a nice shop, but we have so little time at the ruins that it is a complete waste IMHO. I did write this on my comment card. There are nice restrooms 15 minutes away in Tulum. My girls looked at the blankets and were quoted (by different people) $50, then $60 and finally $85. If you find something you really want, have the guide negotiate the price for you. I am sure they are all in cahoots, but they do try to get you the best deal. We spent much of the time feeding the skinny doggies Ritz crackers. I also tried the free tequila – the almond flavored one was great. Kind of scary though because they were pouring it from old soda bottles. I didn’t see it for sale.

 

Finally to Tulum . . .

[jkskrap]

After parking the bus, we grouped together and were told that our meeting spot was the Dairy Queen by the parking lot at 3:05 pm. You walk through a series of shops to a road that leads to the ruins. The vendors are fairly pushy, but a firm “no thank you” works. It is a pretty good walk to the ruins. Probably 10 or 15 minutes. There is a tram available, but our guides told us not to use it because you may wait 20 minutes for the tram to leave. When you get to the gate they give you tickets to have punched and then collect them again. The girls later said they wish they had been able to keep the tickets, but I didn’t think to ask for them when the tour ended. Philipe showed us a few spots at the ruins and told us a little about each. Like I said, it wasn’t the best info – but he is VERY motivated and probably has a vast amount of knowledge. He then sets us free to explore on our own.

 

TIP: Buy a map of the ruins and/or a guide before you go. Why didn’t I do that? There aren’t any signs, so you have no idea what you are looking at. The ruins are amazing. They are built on a cliff overlooking the water. Just imagining what it was like hundreds of years ago is so fascinating. Make sure and walk to the highest point to see the beautiful beach. I will post a few pictures next.

[jkskrap]

 

 

 

[jkskrap]

 

[jkskrap]

THE FERRY TO THE MAINLAND

 

THE MARINES AT PLAYA DEL CARMEN

 

A DOG THAT LIKES RITZ CRACKERS

[jkskrap]

They give you small radios with ear phones to listen to the guide at Tulum. They work very well. The ruins are roped off, so no more climbing around.

 

All in all we had fun and the kids were glad to see the ruins. I can’t really recommend the tour, though. If they get rid of the “restroom stop” and if the guides were more informative, then YES – it would be worth every penny.

 

I blame myself for some of our disappointment. I should have ordered a book, map and/or guide about the ruins before the trip. If I had been prepared I could have made it much better for all of us.

 

We walked back to the Dairy Queen and didn’t see anyone yet so . . . we got ice cream! They give you change in Pesos, so don’t use too large of a bill. The girls working were very nice and very quick.

 

I saw a little store right next door and we decided to grab a few snacks. I asked how much the Corona’s were and was told $3. Not bad. I put my Corona, 2 cans of soda, 2 small bags of chips, bag of combos and a little package of cookies on the counter and was told it was $36 US. Not sure how that happened. I put the combos and bag of chips back but still ended up paying $22. Oh well!

 

When we got back to the bus they gave us a little snack that included a starkist tuna salad “kit,” nuts, a muffin and a Capri sun. I thought it was very nice actually. In the description of the tour it says a snack will be provided but not lunch. Can’t complain about that!

 

On the way back to Playa del Carmen our bus pulled over on the side of the road across the highway from or “restroom break” gift shop. We all wondered what was going on. Philipe got out with a big hammock under his arm and ran through 4 lanes of crazy traffic to the shop. He came back with a smaller hammock. We later found out someone bought a hammock that was too large and wanted to exchange it! Holy Cow!

 

Unfortunately Tamo didn’t speak to us on the bus on the way back. Not one word from either guide. That seemed strange. I expected him to ask us about what we saw and to answer any questions.

 

We got out of the bus, walked by an even more tired lion cub and got back on the ferry. It was great to not have to worry about a specific time to catch the ferry! We were pretty tired when we got back to Cozumel so we just caught a cab ($7) and went back to the ship.

[jkskrap]

We had a relaxing day on Saturday and spent time outside, at the casino, on our balcony, etc. We slept in a bit, hit the t-shirt sale at 9:30-ish and did the Arcadia Theatre tour at 11:00 am. Lunch was in the MDR. It was an enjoyable day!

 

We had decided to leave at 9:00 am on Sunday. On Tuesday they give you a form to fill out and you pick the time you will be leaving the ship. You put the luggage outside your stateroom before 11:00 pm Saturday with the new luggage tags they give you. We were in group #17. You can go “express” and leave before 7:00 am with all of your luggage if you don’t want to mess with the baggage carousel outside. You can also choose to have your bags transferred automatically to the airport and on the plane if you wish.

 

We ate breakfast in the MDR on Sunday morning and then went back to the cabin for a bit. By 8:30 am they are politely kicking you out! We went to the Gold C&A member’s area and waited for our number to be called. They called it right after we sat down. After they scan your seapass card one more time, you make your way to the luggage. We grabbed ours and headed out to the curb to meet a Park N Cruise shuttle.

 

It was just a couple of minutes and the shuttle showed up and took us back to the parking area. There are tons of people milling about outside of the terminal, but if you are patient it isn’t too bad.

 

When we got to our car we were approached by a young lady who told us that if we signed up to see a time share our parking would be free. Are you kidding me? She has to have the WORST job on the planet! Tired, no-doubt grumpy cruisers just trying to get home and they get hit one more time by a very pushy salesperson? I was nice, but it took several “no’s” to get her to leave us alone.

 

I did not run her over.

 

Park N Cruise was great, but get rid of the time share gals, please!!

[MORcrzr]

You should fiqure out a way to post some of this on the excursion & port pages, too. It would help someone looking for information. It seems there are always people talking about those cabanas.

 

PS- that is one happy looking ritz cracker dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jkskrap]

You should fiqure out a way to post some of this on the excursion & port pages, too. It would help someone looking for information. It seems there are always people talking about those cabanas.

 

PS- that is one happy looking ritz cracker dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I will try to put some info out there. Hopefully if they search it will come up also.

 

The dogs were VERY happy!

[dachshunddoglover]

I love, love, love the smile on the ritz eating dogs face!!! I think I'll make that my screen saver for a couple days. It made me smile to see it. Loved the review.

E-Beth

[Ren1216]

Really enjoyed your review, I appreciate all the TIPS and other honest bits of info. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with us.... what a great pic of the Ritz dog! The rest of your pictures were great too :)