My Freedom Review - Kinda "Live" but not really with lots of pics

[sayvan]

Hi there..Love the review..and seen some pictures of our group..:) Iam the wooohooo girl..im sure u remember me..LOL!! Looking forward to the rest of the review..Iam not sure if iam doing this commenting rite..very first time..trying to figure it out..

 

 

Hey how are ya? I do remember you and your troops. You guys were having a great time and yes I loved your "wooohooo's! In fact, I think you asked my wife and I to take a picture of you and your hubby the first day on the ship as we were walking by.

 

Looks like you figured out the messaging just fine. I am wishing we were still on that cruise this cold seems never ending!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited February 24, 2014 by sayvan

[l2f]

Not sure when you were last there but my guess is the Reno must be on "island time".

 

It was November 2012. It was closed and under renovation then as well.

[sayvan]

Our second port of call on this 8 day adventure was a stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This would be our third time in San Juan and we had planned a nice leisurely day by simply walking around, visiting the forts and just enjoying the day.

 

We would be in port from 11am until 7pm.

 

After our very full day in Grand Turk, a late morning arrival was splendid and just what the doctor ordered. We could have a bit of a sleep in, enjoying non rushed breakfast and then enjoy the sail into San Juan which in my opinion is one of the nicest floats into any port.

 

So after some Breakfast we decided to sit out on deck, enjoy a couple of Bloody Mary's and then when the time came watch the sail into port. Before we knew it that time had come...

 

 

 

 

The Westerdam was following us on this cruise...

 

 

 

[sayvan]

 

 

 

 

almost in port...

 

 

[sayvan]

Fellow passengers enjoying the sail into port.

 

 

Once we were in port and the ship was cleared we headed down to the dock to meet up with Mike and Jerilyn to explore the city...

 

Our first stop would be the huge stone fortress, built between 1634 and 1785, which guarded the city from land attacks from the east. Even larger than El Morro, San Cristóbal was known in the 17th and 18th centuries as the Gibraltar of the West Indies. So off to San Cristobel we went. This was about a 15 minute walk (give or take) from the ship.

 

 

 

 

Old meets new....

 

 

The entrance fee into the castle was $5 and this would also allow for entrance into El Morro as well. Once inside we headed through the tunnels..

 

[sayvan]

I am always amazed by historical items, locations and the like. We made our way through the tunnels and went into one of the dungeons. Inside this particular dungeon we found some drawings (enclosed by protective glass) from some of the prisoners that had been held here in the 17th and 18th century.

 

 

 

The dungeon entrance...

 

 

Just a couple of entry's for you tonight... I will continue this tomorrow as my night is coming to a close now... see you tomorrow for more of the tour around the Fortress.

[klaner64]

Great Pictures. We are looking into a cruise that includes Grand Turk and San Juan. Do you know if there were long lines for the Flow rider? My son would love to do that.

[jimbri]

Wonderful review. We are taking a cruise in May and going to San Juan, St Thomas and Grand Turk. I am so happy you posted such beautiful photos. We don't arrive in San Juan until 3PM. Do you know what time the fort is open until? Thanks for your review.

[ibcnusoon]

Great review, we will be in Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay in June! Thanks for the review!

[elou]

Great. Would you have the daily funtimes? Thanks.

[sayvan]

Great Pictures. We are looking into a cruise that includes Grand Turk and San Juan. Do you know if there were long lines for the Flow rider? My son would love to do that.

 

Hi Klaner64, while we were at the flow rider and we did not see any long lines for the flow rider. The flow rider was not open the entire time but it was available and one of the people we met said they usually need at least 4 people before they would fire it up. I think the ship also offered an excursion to use it as well. So in short, we didn't see any line ups and folks seemed to have more than enough time to use this.

[sayvan]

Wonderful review. We are taking a cruise in May and going to San Juan, St Thomas and Grand Turk. I am so happy you posted such beautiful photos. We don't arrive in San Juan until 3PM. Do you know what time the fort is open until? Thanks for your review.

 

I believe the forts are open from 9am - 6pm. so you should have plenty of time with a 3 pm arrival.

[sayvan]

Great review, we will be in Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay in June! Thanks for the review!

 

Thanks and very glad you are enjoying it.

[sayvan]

Great. Would you have the daily funtimes? Thanks.

 

Sorry... I didn't keep them.

[sayvan]

I will continue our tour around the Fort in Old San Juan

 

 

 

 

A view through one of the windows in the Fort

 

 

 

[sayvan]

Not sure my eyes were open on this one.

 

 

Plaza area of the Fort

 

 

 

 

another view from inside the fort looking down on the streets of Old San Juan

 

 

a side entrance to the fort (or rather an exit I think) gives you this view..

 

[sayvan]

After walking through the tunnels and the main plaza of the fort I then made my way up to the roof...

 

 

for some great views...

 

 

 

 

once the place of a cannon.... now just my camera

 

 

[sayvan]

 

 

During the Second World War the US built some lookouts in the Fort.

 

 

 

 

[pbxtech]

Great Review. We really like your pictures

[sayvan]

 

After walking around a bit I realized that I lost Vanda, Jerilyn and MIke... so off I went to hunt for them.

 

 

along the way I snapped a few more shots...

 

 

 

 

With that I met up with the other three and we were off to make our way along outer wall toward our next stop.... El Morro

 

[sayvan]

Great Review. We really like your pictures

 

Thanks...

[sayvan]

Along the way to El Morro we stopped at a few of the old guard stations to snap a few pictures.

 

 

 

 

Approaching El Morro...

 

 

[sayvan]

 

 

 

 

[sayvan]

As I mentioned before for only $5 you can get admission into both Forts. We didn't stay all that long in El Morro because after the walk from Cristobel to El Morro we were very hot... one thing about San Juan..it is very very warm... now I am not complaining about that but make sure you take water with you if your walking around, another reason we didn't spend a lot of time there was well because we were all 'forted' out! Here are some shots from El Morro

 

 

more stunning views...

 

 

 

Vanda atop the Fort

 

 

 

[sayvan]

 

A side view from inside the Fort..

 

 

 

Vanda snapped this one of me snapping some others...

 

 

After El Morro we then left the Forts and started to explore the streets of Old San Juan...