roundrockhorn

44 minutes ago, philv said:

Very cool roundrockhorn! Thank you so much. I posted link on our roll call for April 6 cruise. Can't wait to see what they have done. 

You're quite welcome! I just did a google search for #carnivalfreedom & #drydock. Found others on instagram doing a #carnivalfreedom search as well. Didn't realize her bull nose looked so bad.

 I'm 60 days out, and already getting restless. My wife and I SO need a real vacation. Can't wait!! We're doing a sunrise event on Easter Sunday, and our FB group asked me to do a reading. I'm honored and a bit nervous at the same time. 

found some pictures of the grand lady in dry dock. 

35 minutes ago, Butterbean1000 said:

 

Keep checking.  They usually reopen it a few weeks before the sailing.  They wait to see how many Plats and Dias are sailing before they reopen it.   A good time to start stalking it is right after the deadline for final payment at 3 months.  We would check several times a day.  We were always able to snag one.  This time, we booked so far in advance that we were able to get one as soon as they opened.

April 20th out of Galveston, on the Freedom. Paid it off on Feb. 1st and have been checking at random times every day. I wonder if that's why I'm suddenly waking up in the middle of the night? My spidey-sense is trying to tell me to go get online in the middle of the night, to check for FTTF availability?? LOL!!

Congrats!! My wife and I are taking our first cruise in 4 years, and second ever cruise, in April. We have not taken our kids on one yet, but maybe on a future one. Anyway, glad for you and yours! As a former Sailor, I have an affinity for the ocean. It never truly leaves you. 

I've never seen it. I have been looking for one to open up for my cruise in April, but still have had zero luck. 

Freedom is back in Galveston and prepping for her trip to Freeport and Dry Dock. You can watch her from Galveston today:

https://www.galveston.com/cruisecam/

Only been on one cruise, back in 2015. That being said, I wore a pair of jeans and a collard shirt. Shoes were a black pair of Reebok's. On Formal night, I wore a coat and tie with slacks and dress shoes. I think your husband would be fine in a pair of nice jeans. Don't think shorts are allowed, but others have said that some ships don't really enforce that. 

This is just my experience. Others may have more\different info than I do. Hope it helps. 

On 2/2/2019 at 8:44 PM, Lottacruises said:

 

Emma is coming back in late April, you will not miss malcom....

 

Also they are going to turn the upper portion of the midship dining room to the ytd. This will make it exclusively ytd.

I thought Emma was headed to the Panorama? 

2 hours ago, TigerLily61 said:

Yes, we enjoyed Malcolm WOOHOO Burn as well!! We will be sailing on the Freedom 5/4/19 and I wonder when they will have the updated ED/CD schedule out?? If anyone finds out, report back please!

 

 

https://airtable.com/shrowheYeozlqz6jF/tblYvmZ0AEX9AiCK8

According to what Heald has on his blog, Larry Roman will be the Entertainment Director but no info on Cruise Director. 

1 minute ago, lancerTXST said:

 

That is exciting! Do you feel confident your PVP is certain this was part of the upgrade, or they perhaps are just assuming it is since its not currently a part of Freedom?  Sorry, not doubting them, just amped about what may be there come March!

I'd like to think she is pretty accurate. I asked her through her facebook page. She answered me a few hours later. Hopefully, that means she asked around, or talked to John Heald or someone else that would know. 

Now, figuring out who the cruise director is going to be for my late April cruise, is going to be interesting. We had such a blast when Malcolm Burns was our CD. Whomever we get, will have big shoes to fill IMO. 

AWESOME!! Thanks! Which is better? Early check in time, or late? Last cruise I went on, was in 2015 and I think it was different back then. Of course, we had FTTF for that one. No such luck for the April Cruise. 😞

I still have a tiny bit left to pay on my cruise (incoming travel checks will take care of it next week), but my online check in opens tomorrow. If I haven't paid in full, will I be able to do the check in? I wouldn't think so, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Whether or not you make reservations, you should try to eat at Sun King (Freedom's Steakhouse) at least once. My wife and I ate there the last time we were on Freedom, and the food is amazing! Agree with others that it's hardly ever more than 1/2 full. It's also well worth the price. 

My PVP just confirmed that Waterworks will be added during Dry Dock. No mention of anything else, other than a refresh, maintenance, and maybe a fresh coat of paint. 

Sorry to tag on to the OP's question, but what about redeeming the points period? I am booked for an April 2019 cruise and want to use my points to pay for my Gratuities. I am not sure I understand how this works. Do I wait until shortly before my departure date (15 days prior), to make the selection on the card website or can I do it this far out with no issues? Also, my wife and I want to split our points where she uses points to pay her half of the gratuities and I use my points to pay for my half. Can this be done? I have not received helpful feed back from the Barclay Card people. Any helpful tips, would be great!!

Got an email yesterday for my 4/20 cruise on the Freedom. Offer to move from a Port side balcony on deck 8, to a Starboard balcony on Deck 10. Cost = $24. I was tempted, but then I looked up where the cabin on Deck 10 is. It appears to be right across the hallway from an Elevator. Also, the Sun King Steak House is on Deck 10 as well. Lots of traffic. I am sticking with the port side on Deck 8. I prefer the Port side anyway.

Sailings from many ports released spring, 2019, FTTF slots on May 1.

 

For those not released then, I imagine many folks have been checking daily. It's quite possible they sold out quickly when they were finally released.

 

You are getting to sail on the beautiful Breeze. With or without FTTF you are booked on a wonderful ship. I am still miffed at Carnival for taking her away from Galveston.

 

It won't hurt to check early mornings from time to time, and to check diligently around final payment date. People do cancel, and sometimes at final payment date Carnival opens more slots.

 

Happy sailing.

This gives me hope. We are sailing on the Freedom on Apr. 20th and it has not been available since we booked. Wasn't sure we were going to be able to book, and were eventually able to on Sept. 1st. I checked immediately, and it was already listed as sold out. Hopefully, as you say, some more will open up soon. I've been checking multiple times a day since we booked, to see if any would come available.

Pier 21 is right next door to the terminal. If you want to see her sail in as she is coming into the channel, your best bet would be to go down by the Ferry landing on Ferry Rd, or go over to Pelican Island and see if you can get a good view from right outside Seawolf park (don't remember what the view of the channel is like from outside the park). You might be able to get a good view (at a bit of a distance), simply by driving down to the tip of the island at Fort Jacinto, but with the ship coming in so early, it will be dark and you may not be able to see much. Sunrise is forecast for 7:08am.

Be advised that there is a 60% chance of thunderstorms for Sunday as well. I'm not a local, but I love going to Galveston and have a pretty good feel for the island.

Congrats!! I'm sailing on the Freedom in late April and FTTF shows sold out. I know that it may never be available, but checking every day, when would it be logical to say that it just won't be available for my cruise? TIA.

Nothing for the Freedom beyond Jan. 2019 when Emma leaves for the Panorama. How often does Heald update that list?

just booked on the 4/20 - 4/27 cruise. Does anyone know how strictly they stick to the dry dock schedule? Once they set the dates, I'm assuming thy try to stick to it as closely as possible. Shouldn't be any problems that would affect my sailing right?

As for add on's, I'm hoping for Water Works and Pig & Anchor. This will be our 2nd cruise eve, and second on the Freedom. We had wanted the Vista, but the timing just didn't work out for us and our friends traveling with us. Excited to go. Impatient for the next 229 days to pass quickly.

To answer one question from above, if the sailing is cancelled through no fault of your own, Carnival usually offers another booking at a later time of your choosing. Happened to us with the Triumph (twice) back in 2014 and is how we ended up on the Freedom in 2015.