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Can't wait to read the rest!

I'm really enjoying your review! Although we are doing the Liberty Western this time, we have done the Liberty Eastern in the past, and it's nice to relive it through your pictures.

Nice start, I'm looking forward to reading the rest. :)

Great start, looking forward to more. We will be doing this itinerary in 171 days! But who's counting?! :) LOL

We are on your same cruise. Have you joined our (strangely quiet) roll call?

Your day on HMC looks like a blast! I am loving all your pictures! You look like someone on TV and it is driving me crazy trying to think who it is! I'll let you know if/when I ever remember who! :)

We did this same itinerary on the Liberty a few years ago and loved it! We are trying the western route in March, and I hope it's as good!

I'm really enjoying your review so far. Can't wait to read the rest!

Great start! I've always wanted to try the Victory but haven't gotten around to it yet. I will have to live vicariously through you! :)

Can't wait to read the rest! We are doing this same cruise next March, so until them I will have to live vicariously through you!

What a great rememberance of your trip! I loved it! Thanks for sharing it with all of us. :)

I am really enjoying your review, especially the awesome pictures. Have you ever done anything in Roatan besides snorkel? We can't decide what to do there.

By the way, I loved the picture of the 'Royal' ship. LOL

Not sailing on the Conquest, but I am enjoying your review anyway! You always have the best pictures! Thanks for posting this. :)

Congratulations on your wedding! Can't wait to read the rest of your review. I really enjoyed your last one! I hope your injured thumb didn't ruin your trip, it really looks panful.

I am really enjoying your review and your wonderful pictures! We did that same itinerary a few years ago on the Liberty, and we're doing the Western itinerary next March. Great reviews like yours help make the time go faster. :)

I'm loving your review and your pictures! Can't wait to read the rest!

Excellent review so far, I can't wait to read the rest! We have 54 days to go until we're on the Freedom and it seems like forever...

Although I have read (and LOVED!) this entire thread, this is my first post on it.

Like everyone else, I've truly enjoyed your review and pictures. I am so sorry to hear you have meningitis! My husband came down with meningitis shortly after a cruise as well, and it was very scary. Ironically, it was also after visiting the exact same ports that you visited. It really makes me wonder if there is some connection.

In any case, I hope you are feeling better soon, meningitis is nothing to mess around with.

Thank you for taking the time to type all that out and post all the gorgeous pictures! If possible, I am even more excited about the Freedom now! :)

do you know if fresh fruit was allowed to be added? I am trying to shy away from the reconstituted heavily sugared fruit juices.

 

also when you enter, it was mentioned that you check off the ingredients you're using..but don't you also enter in the recipe itself? surely they don't pick the finalists just from a list of ingredients, do they?

They did not have fresh fruit, other than for the garnish. They would probably charge you a lot extra for the drink if they actually had fresh fruit in them. :)

If you are chosen as a finalist you have to meet the day before the competition and make the drink for the head bartender, who has to approve the recipe.

By the way, you are judged on 4 things: the look of the drink, a creative name, how it tastes and your personality as you are making it for the crowd and judges.

Do they do this on all sailings? Sounds like a blast!!:D

They've done it on all of the sailings I've been on. All of which were the caribbean or Mexican Riviera, so I am not sure about Alaskan cruises.

On the Fascination last month one of the final 4 WAS a bartender. He lost. They said his was horrible so I don't know how he even made the finals. It was a good laugh.

Interestingly, there was a bartender who competed with my daughter. He came in last too.

Are garnishes available? I have an idea for something, but it needs a few maraschino cherries to live up to its (hopefully) clever name. :)

The head bartender is the one who added the garnish to my daughter's creation, but they would probably let you do it if you tell them ahead of time.

do you know can you use just two kinds of alcahol or can you use 4 different ones just 2 shots worth thanks:)

You can use more than two as long as they don't total more than 2 shots. My daughter used rum, blue curacao and melon liqueuer in hers.

Beautiful. Where were these taken? Is the first shot Dickenson Bay, Antigua?

Actually the first picture was taken at Sapphire Beach in St. Thomas.

I liked the way this one showed all the different colors of boats

Looks like a shark in the water near my daughter

Were any of the rum or vodka choices flavored? (coconut, citrus etc...)

I'm not sure about that, I will ask my daughter though and post later.

Each time I've seen it, the contestant isn't the one making the drink, they are instructing a bartender how to make it.

 

Although its not on a PP's list, we once saw someone use beer in their mix as well. I think it was called a Redneck Margarita and won!:p I don't recall what else was in there and never tried it.

 

It looks like a lot of fun to participate!!

I wonder if it varies from ship to ship. My daughter definitely mixed it herself. When she poured the frozen drink into the glass it came out of the blender in one big clump and splashed all over the glass and table. It was caught on video so we could taunt her with it over and over. :)

I am positive that beer wasn't one of the choices on the Liberty though.