Sharon Sails

Another Freedom lover here. Cruised Indy last fall, and it seemed more dated to me. Also, I always enjoy the "non-smoking" area of the casino on the Freedom and it has much newer nickel slots and is actually not bad at keeping the smoke from becoming an issue in the non-smoking area. Didn't find that on the Indy - very nasty smoke smell everywhere and old machines. Also the passengers were mostly French-speaking when I cruised, so I didn't get to meet many new people (don't speak French!). So, overall, not as much fun FOR ME on the Indy...

Dang. Wish Casey could have waited one more week to return to the Freedom. Had Jamie on Indy last year and just loved him. I've been on the Freedom so many times - I could recite Casey's jokes for him. Sigh.

I have an inside cabin on the Freedom in two weeks. It cost me $1300 when I paid for it a month ago. Yesterday that same cabin came up for $900 for Sept. 20, so my husband and I are going again in Sept., booking a cabin for each of us (he snores!). I'm going alone this month. I couldn't pass up that price - under $2,000 for a seven day cruise for two - and two cabins! The prices DO drop.

I was pretty shocked to see the price drop this close to the cruise date! It def. pays to look every day. Being an hour from Port Canaveral helps too. Keep your eyes open, everyone - you never know what prices you'll find.

I've been checking the RCI site daily. Hubby and I want to go on a cruise in Sept., but we each want our own room (he snores too loud!). Today I found prices for inside rooms that I haven't seen in awhile, so we purchased two rooms for much less than the price of one balcony room. Sept. 20 on Freedom Eastern Caribbean. Check it out! (we are seniors, so we get a bigger break).:cool:

Call Crown and Anchor. I did and got my preferences. On-line hasn't been working for months is what she told me.

I'm in Central Fl, and it's too hot for me to even venture outside. Isn't the Southern Caribbean REALLY HOT this time of year? Just curious what you folks with experience have to say...

If you're a Floridian, and you're lucky, you CAN get a decent deal on Disney - but it seems a rare occurrence to me. Last year I took my two daughters and their boys on a three day cruise for $1800 per cabin with balcony. That was cheap - this year in July it would be more like $3,000. We loved Disney, but it is definitely a lot more expensive than RCI.

When I decide pretty close to "last-minute," it's always a toss up whether the price will be decent or pretty high. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just went for it and paid the price. When it's time to get away for a bit, it is just TIME to go! I rarely book in advance because I like to go when I am feeling the need for a time away by myself. Sometimes I get lucky - sometimes I have to pay the price.

At least I'm going! :cool:

The thing about looking at other cruise lines is I'm going on my own, and I'm a Diamond Plus, which makes things easier (boarding, etc.) I've been on the Freedom about ten times, so it's a matter of comfort and feeling more at home. I've gotten to know a few of the workers on the Freedom and it's always nice to see a familiar face. I cruised the Freedom back to back in March after my best friend died - I'll have to look back and see what I paid for those weeks. It's a lot to consider. Airfares are so high that going somewhere else for a long weekend with hubby would probably cost MORE than a one week cruise on my own. We do have two trips planned already for Oct. weekends, but I'm just getting bored right now. I normally get out for a change of scenery every few months - now it's been since March, so I'm getting kinda anxious to get away again. ;)

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. I have some thinking to do!:cool:

So what I'm hearing from CC members is that the $500 increase from last year ($850-$1350 today) for one person is correct and I should be happy with this new price? Don't know whether to book or find something else to do that is a bit cheaper - or go on a cruise when I find a better price?

I just looked at the same cruise (I went last year on Aug. 24) on Freedom of the Seas. This year same cruise costs $500 more than last year. I go alone. Is this how the prices are now? Have they increased that much since last year? I really want to get back out at sea, but is $1300+ too much for a single?

None of your business......

It's like asking somebody how often do you have sex? Where do you do it on the ship...

You mean like at the Love and Marriage game show on board?

whole lotta kids on board this week. Yep, still spring break somewhere-- I'll never do this again! I think I've had enough for awhile. I have one more week on the Freedom - on a back-to-back. I sure hope spring break is over now.

I like the tiny tots, not so much the teens.

Flame me! Woot!

I wouldn't drive 13 hours...the drive TO the vacation is ok, because you're excited...but the drive home.....no way!

AGREE! Been on both ships and have passes to Disney. I vote "no." Not worth the drive.

Not every cruise is what we hope it will be - just like not every vacation is perfect. However, I agree that when things don't go well, and you've paid a good chunk of money for your vacation, it's better when you enjoy yourself to the max. I've been on some cruises that I hated and wished I was home instead of on the ship-- Couldn't wait to get off...but here I am, on the Freedom back-to-back. I think this may be the last cruise for me for awhile though. I'm tiring of the "same old, same old" things. I need some land trips! You'll get flamed, no doubt, as it seems a lot of folks on CC are here just to be snarky and cause problems. But I think venting is GOOD. Better to vent and get it out. Hope your next vacation is better.

How much is one expected to tip when traveling solo? Should I be tipping as if there were two in the room? I'm very neat and don't ask for anything extra. But I want to be fair. What do most solo travelers do?

Thanks, folks, for letting me know. Maybe next week will be better here on the Freedom. This week it has been noisy, messy - you get the idea. Hoping for a better 2nd half of my back-to-back.

FYI: Anyone who reads this - don't know if everyone is aware or not - we got fliers saying Freedom is moving to Ft. Lauderdale in late 2016 and Oasis is moving to Port Canaveral.

Just wondering when Spring Break weeks will be over with. On the Freedom now and there are still a lot of kids. I thought that after Easter was past there would be fewer kids, but that doesn't seem to be the case. When is YOUR home area's school spring break over?

Apparently a case of domestic violence - had to separate the couple and put security at the doors. I'm sure they will be handed over to local authorities in St. Thomas tomorrow - or just put off the ship if the authorities don't feel that either of them will be in harms way. Crazy, go on a cruise to do that?:confused:

The gentleman taken off the ship to the ambulance is in his 60's - had a sudden heart attack and I heard he is doing better today. Glad to hear that!

I'm on the Freedom too, and I was on the fourth floor as they took an elderly gentleman off the ship on a stretcher. He had an oxygen mask on and he looked like he was in pretty bad shape. He had two younger people who left with him. He was not awake when he was put into the ambulance. They did not get him off in a big hurry and the ambulance did not speed away...not sure what all that means, but he looked very old and frail. That's what I saw in Nassau - heard nothing about any young girl...

Yep. Guard is still sitting there. I heard a LOT of loud banging overhead yesterday. I thought it was just kids jumping off the bed or something. Could still have been that, I guess--but the noise is gone, so I'm guessing it must be someone violating policy" - whatever that means. It's extremely quiet up there now! And all this happening after the night we had to turn around and rush back to Nassau from Coco Cay with an older gentleman who needed to be taken to hospital.

Thanks for your responses. I thought perhaps that was the case, but don't see or hear anything but that security guard hanging outside the stateroom. I heard that Jamie Farr, from MASH, was on board, but I can't imagine him being in a cabin down here - I would think he's in something fancy...or at least a balcony.

:D