Liberty review - Western, Feb. 7 - with photos

[Badlands99]

Awesome review and pictures :). Thanks for taking the time to post so much valuable and very funny info.

 

Hey thanks Magellan321!

 

We are going on the Liberty this Sunday... wondering if the ship ever changed "ship time" or stayed on Miami time the whole time????

 

Dude. I hate you.

I want to be going on the Liberty this Sunday!

I will refrain from hating you long enough to answer your question...

The ship stays on Miami time for the entire trip. At least it did during my cruise.

Ok, now I hate you again.

Not really. I was just saying that.

I'm just jealous.

I didn't mean anything by it.

It's not you. It's me.

:)

[jlovely]

Dude. I hate you.

I want to be going on the Liberty this Sunday!

I will refrain from hating you long enough to answer your question...

The ship stays on Miami time for the entire trip. At least it did during my cruise.

Ok, now I hate you again.

Not really. I was just saying that.

I'm just jealous.

I didn't mean anything by it.

It's not you. It's me.

:)

 

Guess I shouldn't mention that I'll be on Liberty at the same time? :)

[sunshine022]

HA! Thanks for the info.

 

And its OK if you hate me this week as we're getting ready to head south into the beautiful, warm, serene Caribbean!!! :p

[Badlands99]

Guess I shouldn't mention that I'll be on Liberty at the same time? :)

 

Even if I tried, I could never hate you ;)

Guess I just get a little jealous sometimes.

Think of me as you're sitting in Johnny Rockets eating onion rings and sipping on a shake while you scan the Caribbean horizon. I'll be sitting here in the dark, weeping softly.

 

PS: I expect to see some photos when you get back!

[sunshine022]

With MTD, if you don't mind sharing a large table with others, there's nothing to worry about. It's only when you want a table for two that it get's a little tricky.

 

As far as the chicken tender at GC, we were supposed to be at a pick-up point at 10:30, and even taking the first tender, we were there around 10:45. Not bad, and it was my fault for booking it so tight like that. The scheduled arrival time was 10am, the first tender launched about 10:20 or so. There were other tenders just for RCCL excursions, which we couldn't take. Maybe those were a little faster, but I'm not sure. They were on the other side of the ship I think.

 

Nochi Cocum was great. I'm sure you'll love it. I'm jealous that your trip is ahead of you and mine is behind :-(

 

Glad to hear you made it to your excursion in GC on time! We are doing that same excursion and I contacted them today worried we wouldn't make it on time. They assured me we would be fine. :D

[jlovely]

Even if I tried, I could never hate you ;)

Guess I just get a little jealous sometimes.

Think of me as you're sitting in Johnny Rockets eating onion rings and sipping on a shake while you scan the Caribbean horizon. I'll be sitting here in the dark, weeping softly.

 

PS: I expect to see some photos when you get back!

 

There will be a million photos, promise! I'll try to write a trip report but it definitely won't be as entertaining as yours. :)

[CruiserMickey]

I don't know how I missed the original posting, but this has to be the best review ever! Thanks so much for sharing your photos, your review and especially your humour!!

[Buffett fan]

Hey thanks Magellan321!

 

 

 

Dude. I hate you.

I want to be going on the Liberty this Sunday!

I will refrain from hating you long enough to answer your question...

The ship stays on Miami time for the entire trip. At least it did during my cruise.

Ok, now I hate you again.

Not really. I was just saying that.

I'm just jealous.

I didn't mean anything by it.

It's not you. It's me.

:)

 

I just returned from my sailing on the Liberty...did the exact same route...and am now suffering from withdrawals :( Already planning another cruise for next year!

[sunshine022]

I just returned from my sailing on the Liberty...did the exact same route...and am now suffering from withdrawals :( Already planning another cruise for next year!

 

More questions on the "what time is it" situation for our upcoming cruise...

 

I understand that we will probably stay on Miami time onboard the whole trip. When our itinerary says we dock in Cozumel at 7am... is that 7am Cozumel time or ship time? Becasue if it is 7am ship time, that will be REALLY early in Cozumel!!!!!!

[Badlands99]

More questions on the "what time is it" situation for our upcoming cruise...

 

I understand that we will probably stay on Miami time onboard the whole trip. When our itinerary says we dock in Cozumel at 7am... is that 7am Cozumel time or ship time? Becasue if it is 7am ship time, that will be REALLY early in Cozumel!!!!!!

 

The way I understand it, Cozumel is in the CST time zone, AND they don't "spring forward" until April 4, so right now there is a 2 hour difference. It's 3:15 pm in Miami right now, so in Cozumel it's 1:15 pm.

 

So YES, it will be ridiculously early when you arrive in Cozumel, assuming the times you're reading are from RCCL. They refer to Miami/ship time. If you read an outside web site that offers excursions from independent guides, they might be referring to local time.

 

Didn't you say you're going to Nochi Cocum? I would just go whenever it's convenient for you, even if it's early. They cater to cruisers and I'm sure they're well aware of what time your ship arrives.

 

PS: I still hate you for going on my ship when I'll be here working :D

[neptune18]

Hey Badlands, How did you pack the box of wine?

[Badlands99]

Hey Badlands, How did you pack the box of wine?

 

I just threw it in the suitcase. I might have put it inside a plastic bag, in case of a leak or rupture. No other strategy was involved. I'm not that smart.

 

No, wait. I DID apply a little bit of strategy. I made sure to put my wife's little travel iron in a separate suitcase. I figured if they spotted the iron, we might also lose the wine, even if they didn't see it in an x-ray. Digging around for the iron in the naughty room could have caused me to rat out the wine to the gestapo. So they went into different suitcases. Maybe I'm craftier than I thought :)

[ummgood]

Badlands99 you are a wealth of knowledge.

 

Is there a size limitation for carry-ons? I am tempted to not deal with the porters and just roll on two large suitcases one for my wife and another one for my wife and the space I get left over.

 

In addition I'll probably have a laptop bag, camera bag, and my wife's purse. Can you put your carry-ons anywhere until your room is ready? We plan on getting there early because I get excited and that is what I do.

[sunshine022]

The way I understand it, Cozumel is in the CST time zone, AND they don't "spring forward" until April 4, so right now there is a 2 hour difference. It's 3:15 pm in Miami right now, so in Cozumel it's 1:15 pm.

 

So YES, it will be ridiculously early when you arrive in Cozumel, assuming the times you're reading are from RCCL. They refer to Miami/ship time. If you read an outside web site that offers excursions from independent guides, they might be referring to local time.

 

Didn't you say you're going to Nochi Cocum? I would just go whenever it's convenient for you, even if it's early. They cater to cruisers and I'm sure they're well aware of what time your ship arrives.

 

PS: I still hate you for going on my ship when I'll be here working :D

 

Yes, Nachi Cocum for us... the 5th time we've gone there. I LOVE IT!!! I'm sure we'll head for Nachi once we can get off the ship. I just try to wait until at least 10am before getting drunk for the day! :p

[Badlands99]

Badlands99 you are a wealth of knowledge.

 

Will you tell that to my wife? I try to tell her that I know everything but she remains unconvinced, and her eye-rolling is well practiced :D

 

Is there a size limitation for carry-ons? I am tempted to not deal with the porters and just roll on two large suitcases one for my wife and another one for my wife and the space I get left over.

 

In addition I'll probably have a laptop bag, camera bag, and my wife's purse. Can you put your carry-ons anywhere until your room is ready? We plan on getting there early because I get excited and that is what I do.

 

I have not by-passed the porters with luggage, but I may try it next time. I have read here on CC that the x-ray machines for the carry on luggage are capable of scanning really large suitcases, so that's not an obstacle really.

 

I think the primary issue is whether or not you have access to your stateroom when you board. If you board early and your room is not yet available to you, you may be stuck dragging around your luggage for a while, because there really is nowhere for you to stash your stuff in the mean time, unless you want to try to find some out-of-the-way place like the theater or something and just hope nobody messes with it.

 

Now, having said that, here's what we did on our recent cruise... Based on a chat I had with a nice couple that was behind us in line for boarding, we just went right straight to the room and put our stuff in there, even though it was early and the rooms were technically blocked off to passengers. This was around 11:30. They have those big doors to the corridors closed to keep people out, but we just opened it up and went in. Our attendant was in our room and I thought "Uh oh. We're busted" but he said "No no, come on in. No worries." And he seemed glad to have an opportunity to have his little chat with us that they do and get it out of the way early.

 

So if you don't mind trying that, you might get away with hauling your stuff on board yourself without having to babysit your luggage until the afternoon.

[Badlands99]

I just try to wait until at least 10am before getting drunk for the day! :p

 

<-------- Kneels before you in reverence of your heroic self control :D

[judie43]

Wow,wine,iron and now I find out you are busting through closed doors...what a rebel !!!

By the way...we will be on "your" ship on Sunday.

Let me say again...I read your entire review,lmao a few times,and really got even more excited about the ship.

[ummgood]

Will you tell that to my wife? I try to tell her that I know everything but she remains unconvinced, and her eye-rolling is well practiced :D

 

What I have found is if you just keep believing in yourself your wife gets practice at her eye rolling and it becomes somewhat of a sport. My wife and I have friends that are basically the same as us (husband is crazy and wife rolls her eyes at him). When we get together me and the other husband make stupid jokes all night long while the spouses roll their eyes. You would think they weren't having a good time but they always want to go out over and over again and it is the same thing on repeat. So I think it fulfills some need they have to roll their eyes. Maybe they'll have it in the Olympics with curling someday? The only thing I am having trouble with is it a summer or winter thing?

 

Anyway I think my wife married me so she would have a reason to roll her eyes or she would go crazy without that stimulus.

 

 

I have not by-passed the porters with luggage, but I may try it next time. I have read here on CC that the x-ray machines for the carry on luggage are capable of scanning really large suitcases, so that's not an obstacle really.

 

I think the primary issue is whether or not you have access to your stateroom when you board. If you board early and your room is not yet available to you, you may be stuck dragging around your luggage for a while, because there really is nowhere for you to stash your stuff in the mean time, unless you want to try to find some out-of-the-way place like the theater or something and just hope nobody messes with it.

 

Now, having said that, here's what we did on our recent cruise... Based on a chat I had with a nice couple that was behind us in line for boarding, we just went right straight to the room and put our stuff in there, even though it was early and the rooms were technically blocked off to passengers. This was around 11:30. They have those big doors to the corridors closed to keep people out, but we just opened it up and went in. Our attendant was in our room and I thought "Uh oh. We're busted" but he said "No no, come on in. No worries." And he seemed glad to have an opportunity to have his little chat with us that they do and get it out of the way early.

 

So if you don't mind trying that, you might get away with hauling your stuff on board yourself without having to babysit your luggage until the afternoon.

 

Thanks I'll have to debate that some more in detail before we go. I wouldn't want to have to lug around the luggage all day. I threw my back out on my wife's luggage in the past and don't want that repeating itself. Thanks for the help!

[constable145]

This was the first time I've seen these things on a ship...

 

 

 

 

My initial reaction was "hey look, a touchscreen!" and I poked it a couple of times, but I soon realized I had no real use for these devices. And based on my observations during the week, nobody else had any use for them either. I guess most people are like me, in that after you've walked around the ship for an hour, you don't really need help finding your destinations.

 

As long as they have those guides/maps labeled "forward, port" and "aft, starboard" etc. on every deck near the stairs, that's all anyone needs to get around.

 

So, it was a nice thought RCCL, but these things have very little utility. Maybe you could modify them to dispense hot buttered popcorn, then people would start using them.

 

 

Great reivew Badlands- and awesome photos. I was on the FOS last year but it has been a good refresher for me. We are sailing on the LOS in August.

 

Anyway,thanks.

 

p.s. I gotta ask- are you a Springsteen fan?

[RadioRay]

This was the first time I've seen these things on a ship...

 

 

 

As long as they have those guides/maps labeled "forward, port" and "aft, starboard" etc. on every deck near the stairs, that's all anyone needs to get around.

 

These screens would be really useful if they would let me see a live view of where I touch. Want to know if there's a long queue for Flow Rider? Let me touch there and let me see the crowds. Could save a lot of walking. You know they already have the cameras. Add some software development time, a network connection and it would be easy.

 

Keep the reviews and comments coming. You remind me of Dave Berry. Very entertaining and I'm not just saying that.

 

Ray

[RadioRay]

I wish I could be there with you guys on your cruise so your DS13 and I could slaughter some zombies together. With good dual-player teamwork (and a fist full of dollars), the zombie uprising can be defeated.

 

Really? I thought the Zombies (also known as the walking dead) usually frequented the Alaskan cruise routes :D

[Badlands99]

Wow,wine,iron and now I find out you are busting through closed doors...what a rebel !!!

By the way...we will be on "your" ship on Sunday.

Let me say again...I read your entire review,lmao a few times,and really got even more excited about the ship.

 

Less than 48 hours for you now! What a good feeling that is.

And yes, you don't want to get mixed up with a guy like me.

I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel.

Bonus points if you can name that movie!

 

I gotta ask- are you a Springsteen fan?

 

Hmm. Not really much of a Springsteen fan, no. Not since I was 15 and had Born In The USA on vinyl (yes, I'm that much of a geezer). But now you've got me trying to figure out what I said that made you think of The Boss.

[constable145]

Less than 48 hours for you now! What a good feeling that is.

And yes, you don't want to get mixed up with a guy like me.

I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel.

Bonus points if you can name that movie!

 

 

 

Hmm. Not really much of a Springsteen fan, no. Not since I was 15 and had Born In The USA on vinyl (yes, I'm that much of a geezer). But now you've got me trying to figure out what I said that made you think of The Boss.

 

[Badlands99]

These screens would be really useful if they would let me see a live view of where I touch. Want to know if there's a long queue for Flow Rider? Let me touch there and let me see the crowds. Could save a lot of walking. You know they already have the cameras. Add some software development time, a network connection and it would be easy.

 

Keep the reviews and comments coming. You remind me of Dave Berry. Very entertaining and I'm not just saying that.

 

Ray

 

That's a great idea for the interactive displays. I would actually use it if they did that.

 

And THANKS for the Dave Barry comment. I haven't read his stuff since I stopped reading my local newspaper a few years ago, but I've always enjoyed his humor. It's just the right amount of juvenile for my tastes.

 

Really? I thought the Zombies (also known as the walking dead) usually frequented the Alaskan cruise routes :D

 

This is precisely why I have never been on an Alaskan cruise without my shotgun.

[Guest]

Shotguns on a cruise?????

Where??? When???

Sign me up please.:D