We were very worried about this cruise after seeing negative comments here as well as on YouTube - especially concerning food quality and the nasty smell on the ship. First, we very rarely encountered "the smell" and it was no more than on other cruises. Our cabin was on the 8th floor. The service - room steward, bar and lido staff, wait staff etc... was excellent! It felt like there was a renewed and genuine effort from ALL the service staff to be very friendly and to remember our names and preferences. AND they were constantly cleaning! MDR food was very good - much better than on the last 2 cruises we've been on. No, it's not like it was 15 years ago but we always left full and satisfied. Everyone has a different idea of what constitutes a great cruise. For us, service, cleanliness and quality/variety of food are our priorities and Carnival Freedom definitely exceeded our expectations. Would be happy to answer any questions....
