Freedom Review 3/16 (Anytime dining, boxing rings and Men in Speedos)

[skipop]

How much of Deck 5 was used for MyTime -- all of it or half. You are only about the 3rd person to post who used MyTime so the feedback is helpful.

 

We were on the Feb. 24 FOS sailing and I know they used Deck 5 for MyTime but as we did traditional, we did not know if they used all or 1/2 of deck 5 for it.

 

Thanks!!

 

Based on the way I saw them seating people, it was the top left 1/3-1/2 of the dining room on Deck 5.

[SherriZ366]

Based on the way I saw them seating people, it was the top left 1/3-1/2 of the dining room on Deck 5.

Do you mean the left side of deck 5? thanks.

[LWcalif]

At 5:00, it was off to my first personal training session. We began the workout on some kind of medieval torture device called the “PowerBlock” (or something like that). Basically, it’s a machine with a 2 foot diameter, round platform. You climb on the platform and do various exercises (squats, push ups, etc.) while the platform shakes like Charo after 30 Espressos and standing out in sub-zero temperatures. In 30 seconds, I was sweating, crying, panting and was looking for the priest for last rights. It was awesome. After 16 minutes of wonderful torture, we moved on to other exercises to finish the session. I cannot speak highly enough of my personal trainer and our sessions. The trainer was knowledgeable, encouraging, personable and able to read me like a book when it comes to how much effort you have to give. While it will sound odd, the sessions were one of the highlights of the cruise for me.

 

What is the cost of the personal training sessions? How long did they last?

[skipop]

Random Thoughts and Musings

The total count for Speedo sightings for the week was five, which was way below expectations. Now, I take no issue against kids wearing Speedos. However, anyone taking Propecia or Enzyte or has no business packing himself into a Speedo and parading around in a closet, let alone on a cruise ship. And while we’re on the subject of fashion dos and don’ts, please, dear Lord, don’t let your male relatives were sandals/flip flops with socks – especially black socks. It’s not a good look. I’ve already given my wife permission to shoot me if I’m ever caught “socked and sandaled” in my old age. Lastly, anyone who was on our cruise must have noticed the person who was simply referred to as “The Butt Crack Kid.” For some reason, one kid on the ship had a bathing suit that was constantly sitting three inches too low. In fact, he’s lucky some drunk didn't mistake it for an ATM machine. Please, parents, you’re paying how many thousands of dollars for a cruise. Buy a drawstring, buy suspenders, staple the suit at naval level, but don’t let your kids do crack.

Another pet peeve of mine…It really shouldn't be as hard as it is to get a soda on the ship. At dinner, it would take 10 minutes for the waiter to retrieve a soda. It was as if they had to run back to shore to get it. If you were in your room, it was at least a 10 minute hike to get a soda. And, god forbid, once you finally made it to the distant bar to get the soda, you were handed your soda in a shot glass. It took so long to track down the elusive soda that, at one point during the cruise, I wanted to have a contest where I sent one kid out to get drugs and one kid out to get a soda at the same time just to see which kid returned first. My bet is that the kid with crack would get back before the kid with coke.

Why is there a “champagne bar” right across the promenade from the “wine bar”? Should bars really be that specialized? My wife drinks champagne and I drink wine. We didn't see each other all week as a result.

Are Central Europeans hard of hearing? We had several waiters from this area of the world who were the nicest people in the world, but would scare the heck out of you with their volume. You’ll be sitting there eating a croissant and all of a sudden from behind you;

"ARE CHEW ENCHOYING YUR FUD?"

I started wearing Depends to dinner at night to avoid ruining another pair of underwear (my newly-dyed blue underwear that is).

Have you ever passed gas in a crowded hot tub just because you could?

In sum, I absolutely loved my first cruise. What was interesting to me, though, is that on the third day of the cruise, I wasn't in love with it yet. Instead, I was sitting around trying to figure out if the cruise was worth it. I liked the cruise but, at that point, I was certain if it was worth the money. By the end of the week, however, I became an avid fan. I think it just took time for me to figure it all out and to learn how to enjoy it. When I stopped trying to have so much fun, I wound up having a better time. By the end of the week, my favorite thing to do was to sit on the balcony and just watch the ocean go by. Sometimes the simple things are the best.

[skipop]

SherrieZ. Yes, I meant left side (as you enter the room).

 

LW. $85 per session or three sessions for $209. The sessions last one hour.

[Donna_In_India]

Hi - enjoyed your review. Glad you had good time! I didn't realize that you could book Chops before the cruise. Please let me know how to do that. Thanks!

[Tikibird]

Nice to hear the Anytime Dining went well. Our online TA emailed us asking if we want to do it and I just replied that we do. We have prepaid gratuities as part of our booking. I like that we won't be locked into a particular table/time and can choose our companions.

[skipop]

Hi - enjoyed your review. Glad you had good time! I didn't realize that you could book Chops before the cruise. Please let me know how to do that. Thanks!

 

Hi Donna. You can only prebook if you are staying in a stateroom that has concierge service (generally Grand Suite or above) and the concierge sends you an e-mail before the cruise (usually the week just prior to your cruise). In our case, if we had not prebooked, there was plenty of time to book the reservation on Embarkation Day. So, while it was nice to be able to check one thing off the list of things to do on day one before the cruise, it wasn't necessary at all. We could have easily booked on our way to have lunch in Windjammer.

[disneyfreak]

Random Thoughts and Musings

 

The total count for Speedo sightings for the week was five, which was way below expectations. Now, I take no issue against kids wearing Speedos. However, anyone taking Propecia or Enzyte or has no business packing himself into a Speedo and parading around in a closet, let alone on a cruise ship. And while we’re on the subject of fashion dos and don’ts, please, dear Lord, don’t let your male relatives were sandals/flip flops with socks – especially black socks. It’s not a good look. I’ve already given my wife permission to shoot me if I’m ever caught “socked and sandaled” in my old age. Lastly, anyone who was on our cruise must have noticed the person who was simply referred to as “The Butt Crack Kid.” For some reason, one kid on the ship had a bathing suit that was constantly sitting three inches too low. In fact, he’s lucky some drunk didn't mistake it for an ATM machine. Please, parents, you’re paying how many thousands of dollars for a cruise. Buy a drawstring, buy suspenders, staple the suit at naval level, but don’t let your kids do crack.

 

Another pet peeve of mine…It really shouldn't be as hard as it is to get a soda on the ship. At dinner, it would take 10 minutes for the waiter to retrieve a soda. It was as if they had to run back to shore to get it. If you were in your room, it was at least a 10 minute hike to get a soda. And, god forbid, once you finally made it to the distant bar to get the soda, you were handed your soda in a shot glass. It took so long to track down the elusive soda that, at one point during the cruise, I wanted to have a contest where I sent one kid out to get drugs and one kid out to get a soda at the same time just to see which kid returned first. My bet is that the kid with crack would get back before the kid with coke.

 

Why is there a “champagne bar” right across the promenade from the “wine bar”? Should bars really be that specialized? My wife drinks champagne and I drink wine. We didn't see each other all week as a result.

 

Are Central Europeans hard of hearing? We had several waiters from this area of the world who were the nicest people in the world, but would scare the heck out of you with their volume. You’ll be sitting there eating a croissant and all of a sudden from behind you;

 

"ARE CHEW ENCHOYING YUR FUD?"

 

I started wearing Depends to dinner at night to avoid ruining another pair of underwear (my newly-dyed blue underwear that is).

 

Have you ever passed gas in a crowded hot tub just because you could?

 

In sum, I absolutely loved my first cruise. What was interesting to me, though, is that on the third day of the cruise, I wasn't in love with it yet. Instead, I was sitting around trying to figure out if the cruise was worth it. I liked the cruise but, at that point, I was certain if it was worth the money. By the end of the week, however, I became an avid fan. I think it just took time for me to figure it all out and to learn how to enjoy it. When I stopped trying to have so much fun, I wound up having a better time. By the end of the week, my favorite thing to do was to sit on the balcony and just watch the ocean go by. Sometimes the simple things are the best.

 

ROFL!!! Oh my gosh! You have made my morning and my day. I am sailing Sunday on FOS and I will make sure my kid doesn't have his butt crack showing!

[mojitodiva]

Random Thoughts and Musings

 

The total count for Speedo sightings for the week was five, which was way below expectations

 

Wow only 5 Speedos???? Any of them "quality"??? :eek: ;)

[pinkrosesdeb]

I can understand the problem with the no diet coke in the morning. The cokes are only available during the evening just like the alcohol. You have to buy a soda card to get them any other time. I think it was very nice of him to get you one anyway. Some concierges do a MUCH better job than others.

[skipop]

Wow only 5 Speedos???? Any of them "quality"??? :eek: ;)

 

Other than mine, no.

[Donna_In_India]

Thanks skipop, I'll wait for my email. :)

[welove2cruisedou]

Good review. Just wondering if you have a copies of the cruise compass? Just wondering what time the parade starts and other things throughout the cruise. Want to make the most outta my cruise with my husband. We will be celebrating our 1st Anniversary on FOS in May. :cool:

[RichardE954]

Hey Skipop - Were you on Southwest Airlines by any chance? I live in Hollywood Florida and was driving by the airport when I saw an aborted landing.

[skipop]

Good review. Just wondering if you have a copies of the cruise compass? Just wondering what time the parade starts and other things throughout the cruise. Want to make the most outta my cruise with my husband. We will be celebrating our 1st Anniversary on FOS in May. :cool:

 

I think I have most of them, but I don't have them in pdf form yet. If you get me an e-mail address, I will send you what I have as soon as I have a chance.

[njmomof2]

We did Liberty in November and Mariner last week. My mom is Diamond so we used the Concierge Lounge. The Concierge, Allan, was pleasant and when we needed it, helpful (ice tickets). We really didn't need him for much else, as I booked Chops/Portofino when we got on board and headed to Windjammer. But I had heard about the previous concierge and was glad she was gone.

 

As for the soda card, we only buy it for my husband. The kids and I don't drink soda so there was no need. But he certainly got his money's worth. He drinks 1-2 sodas at lunch/dinner and got some during the day occasionally. So he broke even by mid week on it.

 

Sounds like you eventually got the rhythm of the ship and enjoyed it. We also did the Royal Swim in Cozumel and it was the highlight of my older son's trip (other than the flowrider and H2O zone). Our trip on Mariner last week unfortunately paled in comparison for the kids. We didn't have an anytime dining option, but I think that I might have selected it, since getting to dinner right at 6 can be a challenge.

 

Glad to hear that you enjoyed the workouts. I got to the gym on Friday (had a back injury the previous week) and did a light workout up there. Very busy with lots of cruisers.

[skipop]

Hey Skipop - Were you on Southwest Airlines by any chance? I live in Hollywood Florida and was driving by the airport when I saw an aborted landing.

 

Yikes. No. We were on Uni"Ted". Kind of scary knowing that there were (at least) two aborted landings in a short time frame at one airport. I know it's Spring Break down there but I didn't think the air traffic controllers would be partaking.

[hipster1]

sKIPOP!

you are killing me dude!!:D Great commentary..forget the speedos..how the the "young" ladies not quite fitting into that "teeny weeny" bikini!!!

 

Allie

[skipop]

I have no problem with teeny weeny bikinis ("TWB") on any women. In fact, I think we should encourage greater use of such items. God invented tequila for a reason. Tequila provides no help on the speedo problem, but great help on the TWB problem.

 

(All kidding aside, I actually admire people that are that comfortable with themselves that they can bare almost all. The more I can hide of myself, the better I am (and the community as well).

[hipster1]

I'm sorry..but I think Tequilla cant quite do the job..when Paula Deen like gramma is sitting next to me in the TWB!

[dcappa]

What a great (and hilarious) review!

 

I'm in the process of planning our very first cruise. I came to this thread as it referenced the FOS trip I think we may decide on. Sounds you did have a great trip afterall. :)

[hipster1]

What a great (and hilarious) review!

 

I'm in the process of planning our very first cruise. I came to this thread as it referenced the FOS trip I think we may decide on. Sounds you did have a great trip afterall. :)

 

Decappa!

Book the Freedom!! its a great ship..You will be spoiled tho:rolleyes:

[hoop4321]

a great review, very funny. :D

[pinkrosesdeb]

Too funny! I am always amazed at the confidence some women have in wearing TWBs. I am not a little person but I have lost quite a bit of wt. BUT I always wear a 1 pc. because I am too self concious. God love the ones who just don't give a c***! I say go for it. I have many scars from breast cancer and a lot of them show even in a 1 pc but they are my battle scars and it doesn't bother me to show them...just the excess fluff around the middle!