Just back from the Freedom 8-day Christmas Cruise

[Ruggled]

First time on the Freedom (have been on the Glory so familiar with this class of ship) and still find it difficult to navigate because of the odd layout. I think this ships decor is more "subdued" if that is a word you can use to describe Carnival decor, or perhaps I have become immune. :rolleyes:

 

Stayed at the Springhill Suites at FLL. I would not recommend it. "Courtesy" shuttle took two trips around the airport because it "wasn't full yet" and had I known, I'd just as soon have taken a cab. "Suite" is a misnomer as a partial wall between the bed and the couch in a room not much bigger than my stateroom doesn't make it a "suite"...and the lobby area is simply too small to support the "free breakfast" goers packed into it before they catch their complimentary cruise shuttle to the ship--also chose not to use that because it wasn't going to leave the hotel until 11:45...I'd rather get to the port early. Embarkation itself was a cinch. The cab ride (a van) with tip totaled $20 for the 3 of us and our bags.

 

Carnival had complimentary champagne for the holidays on deck during embarkation which I thought was a great touch. The ship was only a week out of drydock and very clean. Our room was in fine shape and our cabin steward, Carlos, was outstanding with that uncanny ability to know when I have left the cabin to clean, I NEVER came back to the cabin where he had not attended to it timely. Towel animals every night except for the first.

 

Dinner staff was great. It took them two days to catch on to drink orders but Ronaldo and IdaBagus were simply wonderful--Ida knew my teen son loved bread and made sure to set a side some VERY large rolls for him. They were always concerned if I didn't finish my plate--which was usually because I was stuffed from what I thought were some outstanding starters at each meal--they always offering to bring me another entree. I was very pleasantly surprised by food quality. I generally don't sail Carnival for "fine dining" but was quite satisfied with my meals--I would actually give them a 4 out of 5 stars for food this trip. The bar staff was great--learned our names quickly...must say that Phremsingh at the pool and Mark in the casino were just outstanding.

 

Entertainment was a bit lacking--I've seen all the shows but did see the Big Easy this time around and thought it was pretty good...but other entertainment such as the comedians and some of the singers weren't as good...perhaps its harder to book during Christmas week. Wee Jimmy is hilarious and certainly a bit different than other cruise directors. I found him quite enjoyable. I managed to entertain myself in the Babylon Casino quite well, however...great casino staff--not quite on par with the outstanding staff of the Miracle, but certainly enjoyable to lose my money too--special props to Ali, John, and to Phillip who became my "game coach" on a number of occasions. Its probably not a good thing that every dealer knows your name is it?

 

I am not particularly fond of the layout for this ship class...navigating around deck 3 (not being able to walk the entire length) is a pain, the congestion on deck 5, particularly when the photographs are being taken and Club O2 teens are spilling into the seats makes it very tough to get from one side of the Promenade to the other. I also don't care for the main Lido layout and the theater seating style, especially for enjoying entertainment such as the band. I do very much like the Serenity area although camping out the night before for a lounge chair may be necessary.

 

Ports: Cozumel was actually cold because we were on the back end of a cold front that actually forced many people to board in Cozumel because their Saturday flights were cancelled. We dropped back and punted from our planned Mr. Sanchos visit and took a very enjoyable two hour cab ride with a wonderful taxi driver who took us to his favorite beaches, bars, and overlooks.

 

Costa Rica white water rafting was a highlight--a lot of fun, and a VERY active excursion, this is not for the faint of heart--although our boat only lost one rider (twice) other boats lost half their occupants as we hit up to Class IV rapids. Actually had our bus driver stop by a tree full of sloths (3 of them) for pictures on the way back to the ship.

 

Colon Panama was actually very interesting...we chose to kayak on Gatun Lake out of the Gamboa resort. I thought the area was lovely around the lake. Although we could hear the howler monkeys they weren't close enough to see but I must have seen 20 different species of butterflies. The locks were also interesting to see, we did catch a boat going through.

 

Sea days were nice, but chairs were limited...if you weren't on one by noon they were occupied (or "towel saved") and that was all over the ship--not just at the Lido.

 

Overall, a wonderful way to spend Christmas. I enjoyed the Freedom and would sail her again. Now on to the Dream in March! :D

[frazzledrazzle16]

Thanks for the review! Glad you had a good time. I have been waiting for what feels like forever for someone to come back with a post-drydock review for the Freedom!!! We will be sailing on her in February.

 

A few questions... What was the Serenity area like? What kind of room did you have? Did you notice any other additions on the ship from drydock? Did you book your tours through Carnival or an independent operator? Anything else that you particularly liked that we should check out on our cruise??? Thanks again!

[Ruggled]

Serenity was technically "two level"....the top level is behind the entrance to the slide, defined by some wood lattice walls that say "Serenity Area Adults Only" The chaises and chairs are rattan-look at have cushions and there are round tables for your drinks. There are two adults only hottubs on the top level and its partially covered by a pergola on each side. The lower serenity level has a similar setup except it also boasts sectional sofas, chairs, a bar area, and the ever-coveted covered "beds". Now, keep in mind that the Aft section of the Lido also continues to be Adults Only as that is still the only adults only pool--but there, I think there are still kids, they just can't get in the water. The Serenity area is a kid-free zone--but not necessarily policed for kids who can't read and stroll through ;).

 

I believe they put in a new Circle C as well on deck 4 but was not particularly aware of any other enhancements--read on the boards about balcony conversion but no idea if that actually occurred.

 

We had an oceanview stateroom on the Main deck (2394) as this was a short notice cruise and we got a great price. I do miss my balcony but honestly I don't spend a lot of time on them so its not necessary for us.

 

We booked through Carnival for Panama and Costa Rica--I'm not familiar with those ports and wasn't keen on the idea of getting left behind in a worst case scenario. Cozumel was on our own. I've been there before and am comfortable with the transportation system there as well as the locations. I did confirm for sure that I will most certainly go back to Mr Sanchos when the weather is nice. It was a very cool place, just too cold to enjoy that day--also enjoyed a stop at Coconuts for the best view on the island and the highest point in Cozumel.

 

As to hints...one of the things that I did on sea days (especially the last one which seemed hotter and more crowded than others) is to head out to the "secret" overlook on deck 6 and 7 forward...still as empty as always even if we do talk about them on these boards. :D It was a nice place to spend a few quiet moments with DH until we went back to the casino to lose more money.:eek: Also, read your Capers carefully...we missed a Farewell party at 5PM on the last Sea Day, hidden in the Capers, it had the complimentary drinks that were lacking at the Captain's Party ($1 off drinks there). And don't expect chocolate on your pillow except for elegant evenings. I was amazed how upset this made some people...like there isn't enough chocolate already.

 

Anymore questions, let me know and I'll try to answer.

[Alegeeter]

We're booked at Springhill for our upcoming Freedom Cruise... we don't want to get to the port late! Thanks for the warning and your review :)

[frazzledrazzle16]

 

We had an oceanview stateroom on the Main deck (2394) as this was a short notice cruise and we got a great price. I do miss my balcony but honestly I don't spend a lot of time on them so its not necessary for us.

 

 

Haha that's why we chose this cruise as well... we booked at an awesome rate about a month ago. We have two of the rooms all the way forward on deck 7 that are technically considered an interior stateroom but have windows overlooking the "hidden" public deck you were speaking of. We are pretty much balcony snobs but were trying to keep costs at a minimum this time around, and we figured the next best thing was to have the public deck right near our doorway. I am a bit worried about the motion at the front of the ship and I'm sure by the end of the week that long walk aft will seem to take forever, but I have a feeling the rooms will work out just fine for us.

 

The Serenity area sounds amazing... I will be spending much time there and at the adults aft pool. Hopefully the pool security will be in full force like they were on our last cruise on the Miracle! ;)

[tweety33]

Thanks for the review. I love hearing every bit of info. I can get. I'm glad you had a good time. We go in April.

In Cozumel, did you just get a cab at the pier, and what did they charge for 2 hours? I am considering doing that, and was wondering how much time we'd need to see the island, and explore town.

[jayscore]

Thanks for the review!

I'm happy to hear the aft pool is still adult oriented. The lack of chocolates doesn't break my heart either. (Although the "cardboard flavored" squares were a nice little touch!);)

I guess I'll find out first hand this April!:D

[Ruggled]

Thanks for the review. I love hearing every bit of info. I can get. I'm glad you had a good time. We go in April.

In Cozumel, did you just get a cab at the pier, and what did they charge for 2 hours? I am considering doing that, and was wondering how much time we'd need to see the island, and explore town.

 

Yes, right at the end of the pier is a guy scheduling taxi rides/tours/etc. There is a list of prices (in US$) at the taxi stand for every location/tour you can imagine. It was $60 for a two hour ride. My Spanish is a little rusty, but I thought I heard the guy who set up the cab ride tell the cab driver $55 so I'm assuming the extra $5 was to pay for his help in "organizing". We paid afterward. Our cab driver took us to see several beaches (Paradise, Mr. Sanchos, and offered to drive us into Chankanaab) as well as Coconuts bar which I thought was really cool. He was full of information too--everything from animals on the island to the price of homes. We had planned to have him drop us off downtown rather than going back to the port, but the weather was so bad, we just did the round trip.

 

The Serenity area sounds amazing... I will be spending much time there and at the adults aft pool. Hopefully the pool security will be in full force like they were on our last cruise on the Miracle! ;)

 

Yes, security did a good job of pulling kids out of the adults only pool as well as the Serenity hot tub..on a ship with 1200 kids (one of my own) I was very happy for that.

 

We're booked at Springhill for our upcoming Freedom Cruise... we don't want to get to the port late! Thanks for the warning and your review :)

 

Glad to help--it was a "free" room on points, but I would rather stay closer to the water next time. I stayed at the Embassy Suites last time and was very pleased. The shuttle had one run for each ship...10:45 for the Princess, 11:45 for the Freedom, and something like 12:45 for one of the HAL ships. Needless to say, well worth it for them to call me my own private taxi. Same goes for the "free" shuttle from the airport...just not worth the aggravation for the $15 or so I would have spent on my own.

 

You all will have a GREAT time! Enjoy!!

[sheila1970]

Thanks for the info...if you have any pics would love to see them. Will be cruising on her in Feb for 6 days.

[jimbo5544]

First time on the Freedom (have been on the Glory so familiar with this class of ship) and still find it difficult to navigate because of the odd layout. I think this ships decor is more "subdued" if that is a word you can use to describe Carnival decor, or perhaps I have become immune. :rolleyes:

 

Stayed at the Springhill Suites at FLL. I would not recommend it. "Courtesy" shuttle took two trips around the airport because it "wasn't full yet" and had I known, I'd just as soon have taken a cab. "Suite" is a misnomer as a partial wall between the bed and the couch in a room not much bigger than my stateroom doesn't make it a "suite"...and the lobby area is simply too small to support the "free breakfast" goers packed into it before they catch their complimentary cruise shuttle to the ship--also chose not to use that because it wasn't going to leave the hotel until 11:45...I'd rather get to the port early. Embarkation itself was a cinch. The cab ride (a van) with tip totaled $20 for the 3 of us and our bags.

 

Carnival had complimentary champagne for the holidays on deck during embarkation which I thought was a great touch. The ship was only a week out of drydock and very clean. Our room was in fine shape and our cabin steward, Carlos, was outstanding with that uncanny ability to know when I have left the cabin to clean, I NEVER came back to the cabin where he had not attended to it timely. Towel animals every night except for the first.

 

Dinner staff was great. It took them two days to catch on to drink orders but Ronaldo and IdaBagus were simply wonderful--Ida knew my teen son loved bread and made sure to set a side some VERY large rolls for him. They were always concerned if I didn't finish my plate--which was usually because I was stuffed from what I thought were some outstanding starters at each meal--they always offering to bring me another entree. I was very pleasantly surprised by food quality. I generally don't sail Carnival for "fine dining" but was quite satisfied with my meals--I would actually give them a 4 out of 5 stars for food this trip. The bar staff was great--learned our names quickly...must say that Phremsingh at the pool and Mark in the casino were just outstanding.

 

Entertainment was a bit lacking--I've seen all the shows but did see the Big Easy this time around and thought it was pretty good...but other entertainment such as the comedians and some of the singers weren't as good...perhaps its harder to book during Christmas week. Wee Jimmy is hilarious and certainly a bit different than other cruise directors. I found him quite enjoyable. I managed to entertain myself in the Babylon Casino quite well, however...great casino staff--not quite on par with the outstanding staff of the Miracle, but certainly enjoyable to lose my money too--special props to Ali, John, and to Phillip who became my "game coach" on a number of occasions. Its probably not a good thing that every dealer knows your name is it?

 

I am not particularly fond of the layout for this ship class...navigating around deck 3 (not being able to walk the entire length) is a pain, the congestion on deck 5, particularly when the photographs are being taken and Club O2 teens are spilling into the seats makes it very tough to get from one side of the Promenade to the other. I also don't care for the main Lido layout and the theater seating style, especially for enjoying entertainment such as the band. I do very much like the Serenity area although camping out the night before for a lounge chair may be necessary.

 

Ports: Cozumel was actually cold because we were on the back end of a cold front that actually forced many people to board in Cozumel because their Saturday flights were cancelled. We dropped back and punted from our planned Mr. Sanchos visit and took a very enjoyable two hour cab ride with a wonderful taxi driver who took us to his favorite beaches, bars, and overlooks.

 

Costa Rica white water rafting was a highlight--a lot of fun, and a VERY active excursion, this is not for the faint of heart--although our boat only lost one rider (twice) other boats lost half their occupants as we hit up to Class IV rapids. Actually had our bus driver stop by a tree full of sloths (3 of them) for pictures on the way back to the ship.

 

Colon Panama was actually very interesting...we chose to kayak on Gatun Lake out of the Gamboa resort. I thought the area was lovely around the lake. Although we could hear the howler monkeys they weren't close enough to see but I must have seen 20 different species of butterflies. The locks were also interesting to see, we did catch a boat going through.

 

Sea days were nice, but chairs were limited...if you weren't on one by noon they were occupied (or "towel saved") and that was all over the ship--not just at the Lido.

 

Overall, a wonderful way to spend Christmas. I enjoyed the Freedom and would sail her again. Now on to the Dream in March! :D

 

Nice review. I think you may be the first to post one of the Freedom since dry dock. Did you notice any changes (new) to the ship?

[mandas08]

Frazzled- I'm in a forward room next week, I will be sure the take lots of pics for you! I know how had they are to find...

[serene56]

Is chair saving happening at Serenity area?

[mississauga]

Haha that's why we chose this cruise as well... we booked at an awesome rate about a month ago. We have two of the rooms all the way forward on deck 7 that are technically considered an interior stateroom but have windows overlooking the "hidden" public deck you were speaking of. We are pretty much balcony snobs but were trying to keep costs at a minimum this time around, and we figured the next best thing was to have the public deck right near our doorway. I am a bit worried about the motion at the front of the ship and I'm sure by the end of the week that long walk aft will seem to take forever, but I have a feeling the rooms will work out just fine for us.

 

The Serenity area sounds amazing... I will be spending much time there and at the adults aft pool. Hopefully the pool security will be in full force like they were on our last cruise on the Miracle! ;)

 

You will love these rooms! We have had one of these on our last 2 cruises ....on the Liberty ( sister to Freedom ) and on the Dream. Most times you can have the deck all to yourselves. The view from these front decks are amazing, especially when coming in or leaving port. Even people with balconies came to the front to get a better view as on the balconies, you only get to see one side.

 

You do feel the motion more but it doesn't bother us and it's good exercise to have to walk all the way down the hall...LOL

 

Enjoy your cabins and your cruise!

 

BTW: Thank Nicole for all her reviews and blogs

[Ruggled]

Oooops...Serenity Chair Saving....

 

I didn't really see that much of it...most people that were out there were on their chairs or were in the hot tubs. I'm sure it happens. I'm also sure you'd best throw yourself or your significant other over one of those covered beds if you want those. :eek:

 

jimbo5544: Other than what I've posted earlier regarding the Serenity and Circle C, nothing new that I noticed post drydock.

[frazzledrazzle16]

Frazzled- I'm in a forward room next week, I will be sure the take lots of pics for you! I know how had they are to find...

 

Yay! Thank you! Yes, they are pretty much impossible to find. LOL

 

You do feel the motion more but it doesn't bother us and it's good exercise to have to walk all the way down the hall...LOL

 

Enjoy your cabins and your cruise!

 

BTW: Thank Nicole for all her reviews and blogs

 

I'm not the one who is worried as much as my mom and grandma are. My mom doesn't like the idea of more motion, but I honestly don't think she will notice. We've had an aft wraparound on our Princess cruise during some major storms where I'm sure I would have fallen out of bed if I didn't have a death grip on the sides of it and all the doors & cabinets were slamming open & shut... I'm fairly certain that it can't get worse than that!

 

Also, I don't think that this ship is as easy to get around with my grandma's wheelchair as the Spirit class ships we are used to. The last time we were on this class of ship she wasn't using one. BUT we are going into this cruise with an open mind knowing that we will have a great time like always... besides, anything is better than the cold and snow we have been dealing with here!

[mississauga]

I'm not the one who is worried as much as my mom and grandma are. My mom doesn't like the idea of more motion, but I honestly don't think she will notice. We've had an aft wraparound on our Princess cruise during some major storms where I'm sure I would have fallen out of bed if I didn't have a death grip on the sides of it and all the doors & cabinets were slamming open & shut... I'm fairly certain that it can't get worse than that!

 

No, not as bad as that.....just a little bit more than in the middle or aft. So having experienced something that rough, your mom and grandma wll be ok.

 

Also, I don't think that this ship is as easy to get around with my grandma's wheelchair as the Spirit class ships we are used to. The last time we were on this class of ship she wasn't using one. BUT we are going into this cruise with an open mind knowing that we will have a great time like always... besides, anything is better than the cold and snow we have been dealing with here!

 

Except for getting to the aft dining room, there should be no problems for any other areas of the ship. If you ask for seating in the dining room in the mid ship area, it should eliminate any possible problems for your grandma. It's been 5 years since we have been on the Spirit so can't remember enough to compare but know that the Liberty ( sister to Freedom ) was pretty easy to navigate with that one exception I mentioned.

[rednose83]

We're booked at Springhill for our upcoming Freedom Cruise... we don't want to get to the port late! Thanks for the warning and your review :)

 

We stayed at the same hotel in August.

 

The shuttle starts leaving at 9:30 am. You sign up for a departure time when you arrive. If you arrive late and the early times are full, you will end up with a later time.

 

Also, my shuttle took us directly to the port. We did not even go to the airport.

 

The breakfast area was a little too small though for the number of people.

[CanWeGoYet?]

And don't expect chocolate on your pillow except for elegant evenings. I was amazed how upset this made some people...like there isn't enough chocolate already.

 

 

Is this just on the Freedom? On my cruise on the Imagination a few weeks ago our cabin steward left us chocolate every night.

[Nunu]

Serenity was technically "two level"....the top level is behind the entrance to the slide, defined by some wood lattice walls that say "Serenity Area Adults Only" The chaises and chairs are rattan-look at have cushions and there are round tables for your drinks. There are two adults only hottubs on the top level and its partially covered by a pergola on each side.

 

Is this on Deck 10? If so, that would make that very attractive to have a cabin up there. Thanks!

[CaFireCaptain]

We are sailing on her next Christmas, How were the decorations during the Holidays?

[Ruggled]

Springhill Suites--can't speak for August, only this trip and can confirm that there were only 3 shuttles schedule to the port, one for each ship at a specific time. (I think it is a different shuttle service than the one they use for the airport which, incidentally was not well-marked and hard to identify as Springhill's Shuttle).

 

Serenity is actually on Deck 12 and 14...so deck 12 wraps around Camp Carnival and the irony is that there is actually a kiddie pool on one side and the Serenity on the other, and then the top of the pool slide is at the front of Deck 14 forward and the Serenity wraps around the sides.

 

Chocolates--I think I read on another board that they are testing out the chocolates only on formal nights on some cruises...so it might be different depending on the ship...my bet is you'll see it on all of them eventually.

 

Holiday decorations--there were some (gingerbread house display, various Christmas trees, and a special 4PM Christmas Show on Christmas day featuring some of the kids). It wasn't over the top in any way...I've been on a Disney ship during the holidays and like the parks, they are pretty much dripping with it. A lot of people decorated their doors. Two cute young gals went to the pool in their red and green bikinis with their Santa hats on Christmas Day--they ended up on Wee Jimmy's morning show.

[sewut]

We'll be on the Freedom in 16 days. I'm trying to plan our Steak house night. Do you have the menues?

 

Sewut

[Ruggled]

Sorry, we didn't go this time. We've been before, but opted not to. Those that went raved about it, however.

 

Have fun! :)

[LHP]

Anyone remember the name of the piano bar entertainer....

 

if you only have the first name...that is fine....

 

thanks!!!

[michelle1836]

Ruggled- thanks for the review. we are so looking forward to the serenity area!

do you have a website for Mr. Sanchos?

Have you posted pictures yet? would love to see them. we are sailing on the Freedom in July. any capers to post?