Post dry dock Freedom Review: Better late than never

[cra-z-2cruise]

When we booked the cruise I actually had no idea of the scheduled dry dock. There was only one week we could possibly cruise this spring/summer do to a busy school/work schedule. I was looking to book a cruise as an incentive to get me through a tough eight weeks I had set myself up for. We have sailed Carnival many times and had become somewhat tired of the "same ole' thing." We live about 1.5 hours from Galveston and was shopping Royal Caribbean's offerings when I was lucky enough to receive one of the free cabin offers from Carnival. Like many others, I thought it was too good to be true, but after investigation, I found out it was legit!

Well played, Carnival, well played!

 

As I stated previously, my dates were not flexible and the May 10 sailing fit our needs perfectly. We had enough reward points on a credit card to cover the cost of the flight. Only after booking the cruise did I find out that she was scheduled for dry dock. That only added to the excitement as we had not sailed on any of the ships with 2.0 upgrades and was eager to try them out.

 

We flew in to FLL on Saturday morning. I never fly same day and was a nervous wreck from the moment I booked. However, everything went smoothly and we were at the terminal checking in by 12:00. There was a short line, but check in was simple. After check in there was about a 20 min wait to board. Ran by cabin just to see if it was ready and it was. Awesome :)

 

 

 

 

DH has a bit of a sweet tooth and enjoys an evening treat. I had an assortment of candy and jar of mini chocolate chip cookies delivered to the room as a surprise. The surprise was how great the cookies were!

 

 

They were not offering balcony upgrades for this particular sailing, so I choose an inside cabin on the upper deck in the center of the ship. We had stayed in a similar cabin on the Conquest and liked the more square shape of the room. It was in a great location! Until 11:00 pm each night when the live music in the casino played until 1:00 am.

 

We headed up on deck to have lunch and explore. We ended up in the Red Frog Pub for some shuffleboard and a drink. This is where we met Melonie. She is soooo sweet and fun!

 

 

 

Can't remember what exactly is in these "drinks of the day," but you will only need one!

[cra-z-2cruise]

The Red Frog Pub became one of our favorite places. Several times they had live music from David and James in the evenings. Melanie was always there and was always such fun! They serve fried plantains and fried peas, but sadly this pub does not have the bar food as is found on some of the other ships.

 

They didn't have the darts yet, but had many other fun games.

 

 

 

 

[cjknox]

Wonderful review so far can't wait for the rest!

[Scotch Mist]

Yeah! Pictures at last and a fab review! Keep it coming!

 

Freedom b2b Sept 2014

Splendor Jan 2014

Breeze Sept 2013

Imagination Sept 2013

Triumph Sept 2008

Pride Sept 2007

Miracle Sept 2006

[cra-z-2cruise]

As the week before us and the week after, we were late sailing away. I'm assuming it was to allow for additional supplies to be loaded to finish up work around the ship.

 

We hung out on deck and watched Oasis sail away before us.

 

 

Finally, we were off...

 

 

 

 

We went back to the room to finish unpacking. My bag had arrived early, but DHs had not. Well, the bag was there, but it had a note in it stating they had removed his brand new fan and extension cord. Oh No :eek::eek:

 

We are aware of Carnival's policy that they can confiscate items they feel are unsafe so we took it in stride. DH really needs the fan to sleep and takes one with him everywhere. Never before have we had a problem.

 

After exploring a little more and grabbing something to eat, we decided to crash. (We had been up since 4 am)

 

All was fine, even without the fan, until the very loud music started around 11 in the casino. We stuck it out for quiet a while, but it really was loud. DH went to guest services and very nicely explained the problem. Surprisingly, they said if we needed the fan to sleep they would return it the next day.

Sure enough, the next morning they delivered the fan. :D

 

It was still rough with the noise every night, but was way more manageable with the noise of the fan to drown it out somewhat.

[cra-z-2cruise]

We slept in a little, then headed off for brunch...

One of my sea day favorites!

 

 

Sorry, but this is the only brunch photo I took!

I took care of the banana nut bread, as usual, and DH took care of the croissants. Our sever let us take the rest back to the room, which we ate later in the day.

I had Huevos Rancheros and DH had pork chop and eggs. Our waitstaff was super friendly and great.

 

We headed up on deck to explore some more and get some sun. It was really windy. We tried to play mini golf, but the wind blew the balls before we could even stand up. May just lounge in the sun with a drink for a bit...

 

 

 

They were still doing lots of work on parts of the ship. Looked like they were putting a generator in behind the whale tail. Also, they had one whole side of the 10th deck closed throughout the cruise. We did see them assembling new bed frames, so hopefully the bedding will be replaced for those of you sailing soon.

This seemed to contribute to not enough lounge chairs. We found one on a side deck without a problem, but about 30 min after we arrived people were saying they couldn't find one anywhere. Also, they would close one side or the other of various decks intermittently for work. Other than making it more challenging to reach our destination at times, it was not a problem for us.

 

They continued work on the kids pool area and the kids club areas, so of course, they were not accessible. They even closed the water slide for work the last half of the trip.

 

 

 

 

Best purchase of the week was for this Tervis glass from the Blue Iguana Bar. It kept all beverages nice and cold for the rest of the week, especially frozen drinks. The bartenders would gladly refill it for me. I would have also purchased one from the Red Frog Bar as well, but they did not have any lids.

 

[Bobkat26]

Love it so excited to see a review!

 

Thanks!

 

Kathy

[cra-z-2cruise]

I am so glad that we ended up sailing post dry dock. Loved most of the upgrades. As we already stated, we really like the Red Frog Pub.

 

I am not a big fan of buffets, so the added new food choices were great for us. I usually don't eat a lot of burgers, and didn't like the old grill at all (except for the fries). Guys burgers were the bomb! There are several "base burgers" then you can spruce them up at the topping bar.

 

We ate there at least three times during the trip. The fries are awesome as well.

 

 

Shown here with Blue's Patron Margarita

 

 

I believe the addition of the Blue Iguana Cantina is also great. I love, love, love Mexican food.

Unfortunately, it closes everyday at 2:30.

It does open for breakfast at 7:00, so that helps.

 

I made it for breakfast twice. Once had a breakfast burrito, the next time they made me a custom Huevos Rancheos, without the chicken that normally comes on it. They too have a topping bar with dozens of different toppings and types of bottled sauces to try. I like the sweet habanero sauce.

 

The addition of these two food options definitely scored some Carnival points. The new themed eating areas were fun.

 

 

 

 

 

[cra-z-2cruise]

I also like the set up of the new bars on the deck. As you may have guessed, I was a fan of the Blue Iguana, but the Red Frog was nice too. I actually think the bartenders were a little more friendly at the Red Frog. We only had a couple of drinks each every day and we always went to the bar and got our own. We actually prefer it that way, but it also seemed that there were not nearly as many servers out on deck and the ones that were there seemed to wait for someone to flag them down instead of constantly offering drinks. I prefer this approach.

 

They have small stages built into the winding staircases on lido deck. In the afternoons, they would have live sets with David or James. They also have the more upbeat DJ. Something for everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretty much every evening we would head up to the Serenity area. Almost everyone else has headed off to dinner by this time of day so it was not at all crowded. Many times we had it all to ourselves. They only have one hammock, so I took advantage of this one when I got the chance.

We caught this sunset all alone in the hot tub. Very peaceful.

 

[cruizinisthebest]

Great review. Subscribed!

[cra-z-2cruise]

They have improvements inside too!

In the taste bar they would offer appetizers or samples from the steak house. The ones we had were really great and something we probably would not have tried otherwise.

 

The Alchemy bar was a popular place. They specialize in making special concoctions, all with fresh ingredients. The show is half the fun. DH had the forty is the new twenty and I had something with chipotle in it.

 

 

 

 

There were a few rough spots however.

For example, one night all but one stall of the casino bathroom stalls were out of order. Created a bit of a line at times. Our room was literally just up a flight of stairs, so not a problem for us.

 

 

 

We didn't make it to the piano bar when it was open, but went in to have a look around. It was bright!

 

 

We also did not go to any production shows. Sorry. This trip was all about relaxation. We did make one comedy show and it was okay. Nothing spectacular.

 

I love watching movies out on deck and DH usually indulges me. We attempted to watch three different movies, but it rained midway through each one. Oh well...

 

We had Anytime dining, but only ended up in the dining room twice. Our waitstaff were really friendly, but again appeared overworked. We had noticed that on previous trips as well. The food was pretty good each night. The other nights we either had pizza, a burger, or deli sandwich. Of course, we found an opportunity for a few room service BLTs. We love them! Just offer them in the deli already!

[StMabe]

Thanks for the reviews!

[cra-z-2cruise]

Random photos from around the ship...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cra-z-2cruise]

 

This is our 4th visit to St Maarten. We had done the America's Cup Regatta twice and last year we visited Maho Beach. Unfortunately, my memory card from my camera was erased for the whole day...

so we just had to go back and get more!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We walked to town from the port area and to Back street to catch the bus. It's $2 per person, much cheaper than a taxi and a little adventurous. It was a pleasant ride and we only had one other passenger with us.

 

While on the beach we had something to eat and a few "drink of the day's" at the sunset bar. We also rented two chairs and an umbrella on the beach for $20.

It was more crowded this time than it was last time, but was still a lot of fun!

We took a cab back to town around 2:30. We had the cab drop us at the far end of the boardwalk and we walked back to the port area. We stopped at the information booth an bought some wifi minutes so I could update fb. (I know, it's an addiction) I believe the price was $5 for 15 minutes.

It was a good day, but we were really tired by the time we got back on board. We opted for a shower, BLTs, and bed.

[cra-z-2cruise]

St Thomas had a bit of a rocky start, in more ways than one.

We grabbed a bite to eat and were off the ship early, hoping to catch the 9:00 ferry to St John.

We were met as we exited the gate just outside the ship by a woman and asked if we needed a taxi. We explained our plans and were directed to a minivan where another couple was already waiting. We got in and someone shut the door behind us. Not long after, another man was put in the front passenger seat. We sat for a while and began to chat. The couple told us that they had been sitting in the cab for at least 20 minutes before we arrived. The man explained that they were waiting or at least two more. I understand this, but we needed to catch the ferry and did not want to wait any longer. We tried to get out of the cab, but could not open the door from the inside. By this time, everyone wanted out. Soon the driver came, yelling that "her boss" would be angry at her if she left without a full cab. However, she agreed to leave now if we would stay. About that time it started to rain...

 

 

 

 

Fortunately, we arrived in time for the 9:00 ferry.

... and it stopped raining!

 

Last year we went to Truck Bay, so this time we thought we would try Cinnamon Bay.

 

 

 

 

Played in the sand a little while, then decided it was time to give snorkeling a try. The water was a little murky, but probably due to the intermittent rain. I would have to say that I prefer Trunk, especially for the snorkeling.

 

It started raining again and the wind actually made it cold on the beach so we decided to head back to St John. By the time we showered and changed, it had stopped raining. We wondered across the street to an old sugar mill and explored for a while. We even saw a deer in the woods.

 

[Nachosupreme]

Finally a post dry dock review with photos!! Thank you so much for posting, been dying to take a look as we will be sailing in September.

 

Do you recall how much the Tervis was? We love using them at home and the one you posted is pretty cute.

[cra-z-2cruise]

We just missed the 1:00 ferry, so we had an hour to wander around town. We decided to get something to eat. We followed an awesome smell to this place.

 

 

It was a small outdoor eatery, complete with chicken roaming around. I can't say much for the service, as the only woman there was on here cell phone and motioned to the menus lying on the counter. We decided to split an order of chicken and ribs. It was a huge portion of each and came with beans and rice and slaw. It was really great food. I believe it was a little less than $20 for the food and 2 cans of coke.

 

 

Back in port, I was on the hunt for wifi. Asking around, the answer seemed to be Senior Frogs.

Well, if we have too...

 

 

Back on board, showered and up on deck for sail away.

Honestly, it was the most beautiful part of the day...

 

 

 

[picomullet]

Great review so far!! Really enjoying..

 

Can you believe in a little over 8 months the Freedom will be in Galveston? My 2 favorite ships Magic and Freedom!! Can't wait!!

 

What cabin were you in? Want to make sure I don't pick that one.

 

How were the hot tubs in the Aft? Are they adult only still?

 

Thanks!!

[cra-z-2cruise]

 

Do you recall how much the Tervis was? We love using them at home and the one you posted is pretty cute.

 

I believe the glass was $9.95 and it's a great souvenir!

Wish they would have had the Red Frog on too!

[cra-z-2cruise]

Great review so far!! Really enjoying..

 

Can you believe in a little over 8 months the Freedom will be in Galveston? My 2 favorite ships Magic and Freedom!! Can't wait!!

 

What cabin were you in? Want to make sure I don't pick that one.

 

How were the hot tubs in the Aft? Are they adult only still?

 

Thanks!!

 

 

Thanks :)

Sorry it has taken me so long, but life gets in the way.

 

I also did not know that Freedom was coming to Galveston prior to booking either. Would definitely sail on her again. Still have not been on Magic yet...

 

I only was in the aft hot tub once for a short time on the last night. They had closed the roof and it was too hot and humid. Not sure about the adult only issue. We did spend a fair amount of time in the Serenity Hot tubs on front and really prefer those.

[cra-z-2cruise]

What cabin were you in? Want to make sure I don't pick that one.

 

 

 

Sorry, forgot to answer the cabin question.

We were in 6203. It was a nice roomy cabin, more square than rectangle. It was really a great location for everything. If not for the noise issue it would be perfect. Ours was only a couple doors down from the stairs, so that may have been a factor. Probably halfway down that hallway would have been much better. Live and learn, right?

[picomullet]

Thanks!!

 

We will check out the serenity hot tubs next time. I am sure we will probably sail Freedom next year, maybe when Magic is in dry dock.

[picomullet]

Live and learn, right?

 

So true. The 1st time we did an inside I was quite nervous about it and then when it was all the way forward. It was such a great experience, I actually prefer that cabin and location now.

[lvetocruise2012]

Enjoying your review. Thank you for posting.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Ms. Fun Bunch]

I am hanging on your every word, enjoying your review! I will be on the Freedom in September and October!!!!