Freedom B2B Trip Review 4/28/13 - 5/12/13 (picture heavy)!!!

[luvmy3girls]

I will add my voice to the plethora of others that this is the best review I've read. It is very detailed, makes logical sense, and is filled with humor. The nerd in me also loves the math and statistics thrown in. I have seen things on your review that I haven't seen on others.

We are sailing on FOS (Eastern itinerary) in less than 2 weeks. It is my first cruise with RCI, so your review has been very helpful. I started reading it yesterday and enjoyed it so much I was reading bits aloud to the whole family and had my 3 daughters looking through the pictures with me. I finished today, while I'm supposed to be packing ;) and will have to use all my willpower to not read your Allure review right now. I will save it for this evening.

I had thought a little about doing a review of my own, but once I started reading yours, I decided not to because you had covered it all better than I could ever hope to. But, I have 3 daughters (2 will be in the children's age and one in the teenagers age). So, I would have a different perspective than you. So, by the time I had finished your wonderful review, I had decided that I would like to try to do a review if I could help people even a 1/4 as much as you have. I know I can't do it nearly as well as you, but I thank you for inspiring me to try!

Thanks again for the wonderful review (even though I'm over a year late) and enjoy your Panama Canal cruise.

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

I love being one step (or one cruise) behind you and you lead the way. We sailed on the Freedom of the Seas to the Eastern Caribbean in May 2014. Your review helped so much with your tips on the ports and beaches.

 

We're going on the Panama Canal cruise, too! We booked it while onboard the Caribbean cruise but we will be on Jewel of the Seas (before it gets dry docked) in October 2015. The itinerary is sort of the same as yours, just a few ports different. I look forward to reading your review on that cruise so we can be familiarized with the ports. The ships will be different but would love to read about Legend of the Seas.

[AZAficionado]

I will add my voice to the plethora of others that this is the best review I've read. It is very detailed, makes logical sense, and is filled with humor. The nerd in me also loves the math and statistics thrown in. I have seen things on your review that I haven't seen on others.

Thanks for the very kind words.

We are sailing on FOS (Eastern itinerary) in less than 2 weeks. It is my first cruise with RCI, so your review has been very helpful. I started reading it yesterday and enjoyed it so much I was reading bits aloud to the whole family and had my 3 daughters looking through the pictures with me. I finished today, while I'm supposed to be packing ;) and will have to use all my willpower to not read your Allure review right now. I will save it for this evening.

Beware, the Allure review is quite large (just like the ship).

I had thought a little about doing a review of my own, but once I started reading yours, I decided not to because you had covered it all better than I could ever hope to. But, I have 3 daughters (2 will be in the children's age and one in the teenagers age). So, I would have a different perspective than you. So, by the time I had finished your wonderful review, I had decided that I would like to try to do a review if I could help people even a 1/4 as much as you have. I know I can't do it nearly as well as you, but I thank you for inspiring me to try!

You should certainly do a review. You are taking your kids with you (Why? Why would you do that? - just kidding) and will be able to give an entirely different perspective. If there is one aspect to my reviews that I don't like, it's that I really can't help out all the cruisers with kids.

Thanks again for the wonderful review (even though I'm over a year late) and enjoy your Panama Canal cruise.

You are most welcome. And by posting a response, you just bumped it back to the front page! Yay!!

I love being one step (or one cruise) behind you and you lead the way. We sailed on the Freedom of the Seas to the Eastern Caribbean in May 2014. Your review helped so much with your tips on the ports and beaches.

I'm glad it helped you out. Being able to read a review first is a big plus.

We're going on the Panama Canal cruise, too! We booked it while onboard the Caribbean cruise but we will be on Jewel of the Seas (before it gets dry docked) in October 2015. The itinerary is sort of the same as yours, just a few ports different. I look forward to reading your review on that cruise so we can be familiarized with the ports. The ships will be different but would love to read about Legend of the Seas.

I'm really looking forward to that cruise. I've been trying to make it happen for a few years now. It should be awesome and fun to review. Although after Allure, it might be a shock going back down to Vision class (where's the rest of the ship? what do you mean there are only 3 specialty restaurants?) :eek:

[luvmy3girls]

Thanks for the very kind words.

Beware, the Allure review is quite large (just like the ship).

You should certainly do a review. You are taking your kids with you (Why? Why would you do that? - just kidding) and will be able to give an entirely different perspective. If there is one aspect to my reviews that I don't like, it's that I really can't help out all the cruisers with kids.

You are most welcome. And by posting a response, you just bumped it back to the front page! Yay!!

 

Haha! That's actually why I love cruising with the kids. On most vacations you either take the kids, then wish you had time alone or don't take the kids then think how much they would enjoy this or that (and you might even miss them :D). But with a cruise, you can spend some time with them and some time without them. So you get the best of both worlds. Although I will add that my husband and I took a 12 day Mediterranean cruise for our 15 year anniversary and it was very nice without the kids. :p

 

I also recommended this review to everyone on my roll call.

(And I might've already broken down and started reading your Allure review <your wife is as funny as you are> ;))

[beerman2]

Great review! We are on the same sailing as luvmy3girls. Not really a beach person but CoCoCay now intrigues me.

[love2cruise56]

[quote name='AZAficionado'][B][SIZE=3]Food and Ice Sculptures[/SIZE][/B]
[IMG]http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m184/mjezairian/Freddom%20B2B%204-28-13/WelcomeAboardSculptures_zps4fc7fcd1.png[/IMG]
This one was in the Windjammer on day 1. All of them are absolutely amazing!

[B][SIZE=5]Getting Around[/SIZE][/B]

After seeing and doing all that, it should be 1 pm which is when cabins are ready. Did you get lost? Don't feel bad. Freedom is a huge ship. Luckily, RCCL has included some maps to help out.

[B][SIZE=3]Ship Diagram[/SIZE][/B]
[IMG]http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m184/mjezairian/Freddom%20B2B%204-28-13/ShipMap_zps88902bd6.png[/IMG]
You'll find one of these on every deck in the forward and aft elevator/staircase area. Very helpful, but not very detailed.

[B][SIZE=3]Interactive Touch Screen[/SIZE][/B]
[IMG]http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m184/mjezairian/Freddom%20B2B%204-28-13/StateroomFinder2_zps29f8398d.png[/IMG]
These are scattered throughout the ship. They are a wealth of information which can be displayed in many different languages. Whatever it is you need to know, including all the activities that are happening or are going to happen, these things can tell you.

[IMG]http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m184/mjezairian/Freddom%20B2B%204-28-13/StateroomFinder_zps7ec30b2b.png[/IMG]
They can even tell you exactly how to get to your cabin and draw you a map. I'm guessing the next version of these things will just teleport you there or something.

[B][SIZE=5]Cabin 9338[/SIZE][/B]

[IMG]http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m184/mjezairian/Freddom%20B2B%204-28-13/Cabin9338_zps65c0b069.png[/IMG]
Home sweet home. We'll start Part II and take a look inside tomorrow...[/QUOTE]


Great review and pictures.