Just back from Freedom, ask away.

[BoozeCruise2]

:D Well just came back from the FOS and although I wish I had time to write a full review, I will answer as many questions as I can. Few Random thoughts.

 

Overall the ship is gorgeous and now running at full capacity. I was surprised and relieved at the overall amount of young people (40 and younger).

 

Getting on the ship was fast. arrived at 1:00PM.

 

If you have been on the other RCL large ships you will have ZERO problems getting around.

 

The beds were even more comfortable then reported. Very impressed. The room has Samsung flat screens and the larger balconies were a nice plus.

 

If I could do it again, I would spend half the time or more eating in Chops and Portfinos. They blew away the dining room. Service was great and food was better. It is imperative you book these reservations on the first day. The sell out quickly.

 

If you box, bring your own gloves and wraps. The one's provided were crap. However the gym itself was stunning and equipment excellent.

 

If you have Cingular your cell phone will work. Verizon will not. I brought both.

 

The internet connection is dinosaur like. Sorrentos is solid. Don't expect Chicago or Brooklyn like pizza but good overall. Usually always busy.

 

The Flowrider is kick ass. If you have young kids they will love the new pool area for kids.

 

On a minor note, the revolving doors by the pool are quite a pain in the rear.

 

More later. Ask away.

[CruisinDavid]

I'll be on FOS in two weeks. Looking forward to Chops and, based on your comments, maybe even Portofinos. Which night(s) would you recommend skipping the regular dining room if we're only going to do specialty dining for one or two nights?

 

Sorry to hear the revolving doors are still a pain...

 

Thanks!

[mamax4]

Did u have to do something special with Cingular to get service?

 

How was the shows, as good as the voyager-class ships?

 

Did you do any excursions, and did you have kids with you (Ocean Adventure thoughts) ?

 

Thanks

[CruiseAwayWithMe]

 

Sorry to hear the revolving doors are still a pain...

 

Thanks!

 

The revolving doors by the H20 Zone? Is that what everyone is talking about? They would always stop then go again, no big deal. I didn't go through that area too much. I ate Portofino's two nights ago.

[BoozeCruise2]

Regarding the two restaurants, I would definitely avoid surf night based on the conversations I have had. But honestly any night in Chops and Portfinos is better than any mass produced meal in the dining room. Just my two cents. And remember to book early. That goes for all spa appointments too.

 

Regarding Cingular. You don't need to anything to use the phone but you do have to call and have them set up the World Traveler which is $1.69 a minute vs the standard $2.50 a minute if you don't do a thing.

 

The Shows are very very good. Esp. the one Saturday night. The comedian has a general show, and a adult show. I suggest the adult show if you don't mind offensive material. Pretty solid overall.

 

I have two kids, but they weren't with me. Plenty to do for them for sure. And as a parent I was paying attention to that.

 

The tours I went that were well worth it was the Royal Dolphin Swim in Cozamel, The Original Canopy Tour in Jamaica.

 

They also did a poll on the ship and 92 % of all staff stated that the late seating was a far better experience than the early seating. Private joke hee-hee.

[caviargal]

Did u have to do something special with Cingular to get service?

 

How was the shows, as good as the voyager-class ships?

 

Did you do any excursions, and did you have kids with you (Ocean Adventure thoughts) ?

 

Thanks

 

I used my Cingular phone with no special set up to make three calls while on FOS.

 

Just got my bill for $123 for three calls, about ten minutes each:eek:. One was made while in port.

 

Be warned as we not informed that the charges were so excessive.

[obladi1]

What ports did you tender in and how was the experience??

[BoozeCruise2]

Tendering in general is a small pain but nothing terrible. You can walk off the ship in jamaica and everyone else requires a tender. Only thing you need to get off and on is your Sea Pass card. The process takes an average of fifteen to twenty minutes by the time you get on the boat and on to the island, and same coming back.

[suzy671]

Glad you had a good time, how were the lines for the buffet? How long did it take to get off the ship during debarkation (end of cruise)?

[zotzer]

Be warned as we not informed that the charges were so excessive.

 

I did nothing either, and was charged $2.49 per minute for any calls I made from the ship. At port, they turned off the ship's tower, so had varying rates from Coz (I think .89), and in GC my phone didn't work even though I had a signal (although the same phone, same service had worked there in Dec 2005).

 

So BoozeCruise....you are now one of the indoctrinated FREEdomites!!! As awesome as it is...withdrawal is the really cruddy part! Sounds like you had a great time.

T

[BoozeCruise2]

Unless you get off the ship at 6:30 A.M. I think its a slight hassle regardless of the ship. I got off at nine, and I would say all said and done it was about 45 minutes. Nursing a hang over did not help:rolleyes:

[CruiseAwayWithMe]

Tendering in general is a small pain but nothing terrible. You can walk off the ship in jamaica and everyone else requires a tender. Only thing you need to get off and on is your Sea Pass card. The process takes an average of fifteen to twenty minutes by the time you get on the boat and on to the island, and same coming back.

On Cozumel, it took us 45 minutes to tender back. They are supposed to be docked at Cozumel in 4 weeks they said. Every other island had a good tendering process. Cozumel was the worst.

I got off the ship at 6:30 AM.

[suzy671]

did you notice a lot of lines at lunch time for the buffet with the number of passengers on the Freedom? They started debarkation at 6:30 what time did it end?

[awilliams03]

I was thinking of using my Cingular phone to communicate with my teen son while on the ship (he is going with us on the Freedom) Is this charged differently than calling someone back in the States?

 

Thanks

[flagger]

Can C&A members pre-book Chops/Portofino at a certain date out like Captain's Club members can pre-book the specialty restaurants on Celebrity's M-class ships or do you have to wait until boarding?

[MszKitty]

Can C&A members pre-book Chops/Portofino at a certain date out like Captain's Club members can pre-book the specialty restaurants on Celebrity's M-class ships or do you have to wait until boarding?

 

You have to wait until you board.

[MszKitty]

Sorry to hear the revolving doors are still a pain...

 

 

All people need to understand about the revolving doors are a couple of things:

1. Don't push them. They move on their own. Granted..they move slow but if you push on it, it will not go any faster and it will cause it to stop. Don't be in a hurry going thru those doors. They will not move any faster if you push on them.

2. When you are entering the door area, if you get too close between the door and the stationary part, it will stop. That is a safety feature so no one gets trapped between the door and the stationary part. Kind of like a automatic garage door....if the garage doors senses something (a child perhaps) is under the door, it will automatically stop going down. Same thing with the revolving doors on the FOS. If it senses someone too close it will stop until that person moves out of the way.

 

Once people realize and remember these tips, they won't have a problem with those doors.

[caviargal]

Can C&A members pre-book Chops/Portofino at a certain date out like Captain's Club members can pre-book the specialty restaurants on Celebrity's M-class ships or do you have to wait until boarding?

 

Unfortunately we have to wait until boarding, no matter what C&A level.

[zotzer]

All people need to understand about the revolving doors are a couple of things:

 

MszKitty,

All very good points. One problem is that there will be more passengers onboard who *don't* know this than do. We are definitely at the mercy of others.

T

[mcgovc]

Hey BoozeCruise2....I see you did the Royal Dolphin swim in Cozumel. How was it? I'm assuming you took at taxi there on your own since that site is not part of the tours you can book through RCC. I am going to be in Cozumel on August 22 and wanted to do the Royal Dolhin swim with my daughter. Can you comment on your experience?

 

Thanks!

[MszKitty]

MszKitty,

All very good points. One problem is that there will be more passengers onboard who *don't* know this than do. We are definitely at the mercy of others.

T

 

True true. I don't understand why they don't put signs up warning people not to push and letting them know its on a safety sensor.

 

But then again...people probably wouldn't read it anyway! :rolleyes:

[bug18]

After reading so much here about the revolving doors, I was pleasantly surprised at how they worked. They were no problem at all to me. The only time my door stopped was when a child ran into it and must have triggered it to stop. Other than that they were fine with me.

[TACMS]

Did you book the Royal Dophin Swim with RCCL? If not, where and how did you book it? We are on the FOS on 10/8 and would like to do this tour. I'm hesitant about booking on my own (in case ship doesn't go to port for some reason; or transportation doesn't work out and I don't get back to ship). Any information would be greatly apprcieated.

 

Deb