Oakman

I know where you are coming from, as like you, I prefer to park directly at the pier for convenience regardless of cost. That said, we recently cruised Nov. 25-Dec 3rd on the Freedom and used Pier 29 for the first time. Due to location and lack of parking, I chose to use Park N' Go for the first time and could not have been happier with my choice. Shuttles for individual ships were used, so no extra stops were involved. The luggage was taken immediately from our car and put on the appropriate bus. Traffic at the Port was terrible that weekend, and the shuttle skipped that headache by using back roads. From car drop off to pier check in was less than 15 minutes.

Did self walk off at 635AM and we were picked up ate the pier, dropped off with our luggage and on the road by 7AM. Home in Sarasota by 945Am.

The Midport Garage was filled by Noon that day, and they were redirecting cars to other parking. Saw the sign while passing in the shuttle at 1215PM. Not sure where those people parked.

As much as I hate to admit it, this die hard "pier parker" is now a Park n Go convert. Not only for the cost savings, but the convenience is well worth it.

Hope this helps.

We were on the November 25-Dec 3 sailing also, and found some of the same problems in terms of service issues. Our room steward, while very friendly, was constantly forgetting something whether it be replacement towels, toilet paper or Cruise Compass. In fact, one day, our "Please Clean Room" sign was inserted in our door all day. He forgot to clean our room. No big deal, as we keep our room very neat and clean all the time. We did receive a call from Housekeeping and Guest Services, and we told them not to worry, we were fine. We went down to report the missed cleaning to make sure nothing had happened to our Room Steward.

With the exception of one person, a majority of the staff at Guest Services were efficient, but not overly friendly. I didin't mind, because the line moved quickly, and my questions answered.

There just seemed to be a vibe that the ship staff was a little off. Loved Jennie in the Diamond Lounge barristas at the Cafe Promenade, and the servers in the Windjammer in the evening. First time with Abe Hughes and really enjoyed him. First time on a cruise wher the Cruise Director made it a point to stop and chat with us. We were having coffee on the Promenade and he made a point to stop and talk.

Overall, a good cruise (Loved our cabin location, entertainment, Embarkation and Disembarkation and Windjammer dinners) VOOM is another story. The staff just seemed a little distant on this trip.

Just got off the Freedom today after a wonderful 8 night sailing. Ship is in terriffic shape. I was very anxious to report back to you regarding your Deck 7 cabin location. We were in 7340, Starboard side Center hump. LOVED this cabin. Great size, unobstructed view front and back. Very quiet. Extremely convenient to everything. You made an excellent choice!!!:D:D:D:D:D.

Just off the Freedom in Ft. Lauderdale this morning. Self Disembarkation was from 6:30-8:00 AM. Got in line at 6:20. Many in front of us. Line moved fast (even with a broken elevator in the terminal). Caught the first Park n' Fly Shuttle, in our car and on the road at 6:50 AM. We also used the Global Entry line at the terminal. Very efficient process. Back in Sarasota and doing laundry at 10AM.

Matt-Thanks for the cabin info. Staying in 7340 Saturday on the Freedom. Glad you liked the location. Can't wait to try "the hump"!!

Matt-What cabin on Deck 7 are you in?

On Freedom now. We have Fox News channel in stateroom.

 

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What are the other channels available? Boarding Freedom Saturday.

I did not realize the Majesty could fit under the Skyway Bridge. Great news having the Majesty in Tampa!!

We like Hyatt Place on 17th st too- book it thru Valutrips.com for much cheaper rates.

Agree!! We always stay here if we drive over from Sarasota the night before. Great rooms, location, and rate thru Valutrips.com.

Alamo has pick up and drop off at the pier. Use "Port Everglades" as the location rather than Ft. Lauderdale. Here is the information we received for our Alamo reservation:

Follow these steps when you arrive at Port Everglades (FLLP71)

After exiting the cruise ship, please proceed to the shuttle bus/ bus pick up area.

An Alamo branded shuttle bus will be available to take you to our rental location that is 1 mile from the port of call. Shuttles are running continuously during all cruise departures/ arrivals and all business hours of operation.

If you have any questions or concerns during our normal business hours please call 1-954-524-8201 or after hours at 1-888-826-6893.

Thanks so much Bob. Appreciate the help.

Travelling on Freedom 11/25 also, and was wondering if they still offer a package for just internet without the streaming for a lower daily fee? We are both Diamond and always take advantage of our discounts, but wondered if the pre-purchase was a better option. Thanks in advance for any tips.

Just checked the rates for the new dates for the Paradise to Cuba from Tampa. Noticed that they now have a price for a Balcony cabin. In the past, this has always appeared as N/A, since the Paradise has no balconies other than in the Suite categories. Are they adding balconies during a dry dock like several other Fantasy class vessels?

Holland America does a R/T Ft. Lauderdale cruise to Europe, tours the Mediterranean and Africa, and then returns to Florida. Great way to see the Med without flying. However, it is 54 days. The departure date is Mar. 2018

Currently standing on 9646 balcony (starboard) Lifeboats hang in front of deck 8.

 

 

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Do they obstruct the view or just hang below the windows?

For anyone who has been in a Deck 8 mid-ship cabin: How obstructed is the cabin view? Would it be a better view to choose an aft or forward cabin on the portion of the ship that juts outward? Usually try to book midship, but concerned about the obstruction. Any information or photos from a mid-ship Deck 8 cabin would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much!! I appreciate the pictures. Looks great!!!

Great review so far. Can you please post the exact address on Facebook for the pictures? I cannot find them and want to see if you have cabin photos. I just booked the same cabin for our cruise.

Tried the new method and HATED IT!!! Difficult and irritating to read. Glad I was able to change back!

Congrats on the move and the new job!! Hopefully it is with Carnival, since you are such a great ambassador for their brand. Best wishes and much success!!!

Just a quick question: Are there rowing machines in the gym on the Oasis? Have started using this machine several months ago, and the results are the best I have received from any cardio machine I have used. Just want to try to continue on my cruise next week. Always go to the gym on the ships, but have never paid too much attention to the availability of rowers. Thanks.

Thank you so much for the excellent review and photos. I really enjoy your commentary and writing style. I have a "big" birthday coming up next year (60) and have been trying to decide what to do. We have cruised Europe many times on smaller ships (Celebrity Century was my favorite) and were debating on sailing the Harmony during the inaugural European season. We have sailed the Allure and the Oasis in the Caribbean where the ship is the destination, so we are familiar with the size. Did you feel the size and passengers overwhelmed the ports? Were the excursions handled efficiently? Did you feel too tired to enjoy the ship after a day of touring? Looking into this cruise from Barcelona or the 12 night Briliiance. Any input would be appreciated.

Once again, thanks for the GREAT review!!!!

This solarium has got to be the ugliest thing I've ever seen. It needs a gut renovation! It looks so dated and tacky.

Definately MSC. Cleanest ship I have ever been on. Excellent entertainment and wide variety of good food. Beautiful public spaces and cabins. Cruised the Poesia from Ft. Lauderdale and am planning the Divina for next year. Actually, the Poesia was one of my all time favorite ships. Just remember, every announcement is in several languages, so sometimes it takes a while. Part of the ambiance.

:DOur longest cruise was 17 nights on Regal Princess from Singapore to Beijing. Amazing once in a lifetime cruise!!!