Freedom review 9/5/10 - more info than you can stand!

Tony1865 · October 16, 2010

Happy Saturday! Gonna tinker with this report for a while before the ball games start. War Eagle!

We changed for dinner, and strolled around for a while before heading to the Welcome Aboard Show. You run across the most intriguing things on the Promenade:

The Welcome Aboard Show was a nice introduction to the Arcadia Theater (cavernous, good sight lines except for a few pillars, and had a nice Art Deco vibe).

Might as well tell you about our cruise director, Graham Seymour. I don't have a point of reference to compare him to other RCCL CD's, but I'm gonna give you my honest opinion ... this guy was incredible. Sometimes rave reviews smack of hysteria, but he was THAT good. Funny, charming, nimble of wit and tongue, and blessedly "cheese free." I never got the sense that he was forcing humor. And multitalented to boot. More on that later.

There were a couple of ariel acrobats performing, Arthur & Leticia, and they were fine, and a comedian, Dean Austin. Austin was just OK for me. I love good standup (and I like it when a comedian can be bawdy without being vulgar - there is a difference), and since this was a family show, Austin was well within the realm of appropriateness. Again, he was OK - not someone I'd stand in line to see, though.

Dinner next. You've already met our tablemates. Now, I would have loved to have taken photos of our meals, but Teresa thinks that food porn is the lamest form of photography anywhere, and it embarases the snot out of her. So, no food photos. Sorry.

I opted for prime rib. There is nothing worse than bad prime rib, and I thought, "If the Freedom can pull this off, we'll have a fine week." Well, my Vidalia onion tart was just super (I'm not sure if it was real Vidalia onions or just another variety of sweet onion ... I'm kinda thinking it was an imposter, but it was still good), and the prime rib was nicely cooked, just a little marbled without being fatty, and the baked potato was, well, a baked potato. It was more than acceptable, not the best I've ever had, but satisfying. Oh, yeah - had a spinach salad, too, which was a standard issue spinach salad. Dessert was a chocolate cherry cake - pretty much a black forest cake by my reckoning, with the Kirsch cream and all. I'd been wary of desserts from reading comments here on CC, but I had absolutely no problems with this one.

I can't remember the names of our servers. It's driving me crazy - I thought I'd jotted them down somewhere. Maybe Teresa will remember. But one was from the Philippines, the other from India, and they were absoultely superb. A good server can take an average meal and elevate it to something special. Our guys were great, and it took them no time to learn our names and come to understand our preferences.

Isn't this a pretty dining room?

... although I kept thinking about "The Phantom of the Opera" every time I looked at the chandelier.

Poorplaya · October 16, 2010

Still lovin this review, and I love the magazines they left in your stateroom, it wasn't planned for the two of them to be on the covers of those magazines right, lol ;)!!!!!!

Tony1865 · October 16, 2010

The rest of the evening was pretty quiet - we did take time to prowl around and see some areas of the ship we hadn't checked out yet. I liked Olive or Twist, and Pedro Dela Llana was a gifted guitarist. I caught him several times during the week.

I guess the Party Around the World Parade was the evening's signature event. I'm not sure how much the participants enjoyed it, but I got a kick out of seeing crewmembers from all the different disciplines on the ship strut about:

Cool, watching this "bridge" descend from the ceiling.

I see lots of questions about noise in Promenade rooms. It was a total non-issue for us. It wasn't dead silence, certainly - ships have subsonic thumps and bumps and hums most of the time anyway. But, as I've stated earlier, the Promenade activities didn't really add to the ambient noises that much - just a little bass thump from time to time. At least, not in our cabin.

Nighty-night. Sea day tomorrow.

Tony1865 · October 16, 2010

Just a word to the Disney Cruise Line fans who are following this and want comparisions -

I'll wrap up this review with some more comparisons, but just for the first day, and my initial impressions -some of which I've already shared - I'd say:

- Embarcation was easy on both lines. Disney makes more of a production of you coming on board, with a personal by-name greeting as you enter the atrium. Freedom, you just kind of wandered on board.

- Service in the MDR was pretty much the same, which is a good thing. The food in both is comparable, but as I stated earlier, the Windjammer, in size, traffic flow, and variety, is a clear winner. Food quality for comparable items is very similar. Honestly, we loved the Windjammer, but I never met a buffet I didn't like.

- Freedom is more "adult." While Disney does a superb job of sequestering kids from their elders, kids are still a huge focus. Freedom, not so much, but the kids I saw seemed to be having a blast.

- Purely subjective, here, but the decor on the Disney ships seems a little more refined and classic. Freedom is glitzy without being gaudy. They're both gorgeous products. Just loved all the polished woods, glass, and marble on the Freedom.

I'll compare entertainment offerings at the end of this review, which looks like will be completed in November ... of 2011.

ChaylaT · October 16, 2010

Loving your review! I am a past Carnival cruiser and loved it! I do want to try the FOS SO badly but we have no plans at this point so I lurk and dream. Your pictures are great! Thank you for letting me live through your experience!

LBumb · October 16, 2010

freedom rules

pharmD1 · October 16, 2010

Tony -

I am really enjoying your review. We are cruising on FOS in June...first time RCCL cruisers! We also have a promenade cabin on the 7th deck, connecting with our kids promenade cabin. Can you tell me what stateroom you had?

Ander026 · October 16, 2010

Toni,

Fantastic review. The next 2 weeks cannot go fast enough when I go on the Freedom on 10/31. I will be bring my Dad (mid 60's) with me and it will be his first on the Freedom and first RCCL. He last sailed on the MS Ryndam of Holland America. Hopefully he will like the Freedom

Looking foreward to the continuing review

The following is a pic of the Freedom from Jetty Park

jackretired · October 17, 2010

the World Parade

What time is the Parade?

Play by FoxSaver®

jackretired · October 17, 2010

Welcome Aboard Show

What time is the show? Do they do it twice?

Play by FoxSaver®

pikester · October 17, 2010

Hi Tony,

I love the review. Thanks for the memories. My Husband I went on the FOS last year. We were on deck 2 midship and we had more than enough room. We had such a great time that we are doing it again next year.

We considered other cruise lines and checked out Carnival and NCL and by doing some reserch I found out that they allow smoking in the cabins :eek:.

We will be sailing on Aug. 28th 2011. Any thoughts on the cabin that has been assigned to us on deck 8 and is toward the front of the ship?

2012 will be the first time sailing on DCL. My daughter and myself will be

going on the "DREAM" and all the men folk (both DH's and 2 grandsons) will be staying home :D.

I hope all the rest of you folks that are cruising soon have a great time.

I can't wait to read more of your review. Great pictures. I can actually say that I have been there, done that. :)

Chat soon

momneedsrest · October 17, 2010

Tony-

I am loving this review. I will be sailing On Freedom w/DH(50), DS (age 25) & DD(21) on 7/24/11 and am convinced that I have chosen the best cruise for the family to celebrate their milestone b-days since following your stellar review. I have been a bit worried about the whole MDR table mates thing, but now not so much.:D Thank you for sharing your cruise!

Tony1865 · October 17, 2010

We were in 7329. I think it was an adjoining room ... honestly, I don't recall, but you might check some deck plans for details.

The Welcome Aboard Show was at 7:30 p.m., and the parade was at 10:45 p.m. There was only one Welcome Aboard Show, and the theater wasn't anywhere near full. Our second seating dinner was sandwiched between the two, which worked fine. We've always done 2nd seating - my thinking is that I wanted to give myself time to make sure we're back from shore excursions to get ready for dinner. We typically eat much earlier than that on land, but it does give a great excuse for some serious snacking early in the evening.

Tomorrow is an at-sea day, which is wonderfully lazy. And ... formal night ... and I'm gonna give you my opinion on formal, like it or not. ;) Just one guy's opinion, and yours doesn't have to be the same as mine for us to remain friends.

1dergirl · October 17, 2010

Tomorrow is an at-sea day, which is wonderfully lazy. And ... formal night ... and I'm gonna give you my opinion on formal, like it or not. ;) Just one guy's opinion, and yours doesn't have to be the same as mine for us to remain friends.

I love it. Wonderful review.

mplusj · October 17, 2010

I was on the same sailing last month. Very nice reading the review, can't believe it's already more than a month since I've been back. It was a great vacation.

loverofpv · October 17, 2010

What a wonderful review!!!! And....the writing is amazing! Can't wait to read more!!!!:)

jackretired · October 17, 2010

More, please more.

P.S.

Thanks for the times. My special dining reservation would have not allowed us to see the show. I have cancelled them so we will see the show.

lynninsc · October 17, 2010

Loving your review...can't wait for more!!

Tony1865 · October 17, 2010

DAY 2 - At Sea

I love sea days. They can be textbook examples of idleness. My vacationing style, unfortunately for my wife is "Let's see how much we can see and do in one day." Translated, that means that I want to get out there, as the saying goes. But a sea day sort of forces me to settle in. Granted, I can sit around and vegetate with the best of 'em ... but that's only at work, not on vacation.

First order of business was getting tickets for the ice show, Freedom-ice.com. A table was set up on the Royal Promenade, and I slapped on some clothes and went down to get our tickets. I am one of that breed that must be one of the most despised of all mankind - a morning person. So while Teresa pulled the pillow over her head, I was out and about. The line looked horrific at first glance, but it took no time.

Breakfast at the Windjammer. This is standard breakfast fare, but plenty of it. I appreciated the omelet station, where they'd also prepare fresh eggs for you, and once and a while a fried egg over easy just hits the spot. The scrambled eggs on the line had kind of a yellow, curdled look, and I steered clear.

BUT - I was introduced to black pudding. You Brits are probably already smiling; you know what it is. I had no idea. It looked kind of like a sausage patty. So I got a couple, musing aloud about what this might be, and a helpful Scotsman who heard my mumbling said, "You don't want to know." But I got to the table, took a bite, and it was tasty enough ... had that pork-y, protein-y taste, like any number of other breakfast meats. When I went up to the buffet again, I asked one of the attendants about what I'd just eaten. Oooo-kaaaaayy. It was still pretty good, but some of my enthusiasm had been tempered.

Just for the record - pancakes were dry and leathery unless you managed to snag 'em just as they came out. About a pound of butter and a gallon of syrup helped.

Otherwise, everything else seemed very fresh and yummy. Oddly enough, the busier the Windjammer, the better the food, just because it was replenished more frequently. I love a big breakfast, and was content. Even the grits - of which I fancy myself a conisseur - were good once I worked on 'em with salt, pepper, and butter. Not many folks other than my mama can get grits right rigtht out of the pot.

Up on deck, it was plenty windy:

And golfing was its own unique challenge, what with the wind catching the ball. Actually, it was a tough little course:

bob123 · October 18, 2010

Glad you liked the blood sausage, er- black pudding. Tasty stuff. Being of German descent, I grew up on the stuff. Maple syrup helps, but then maple syrup helps just about everything except your waistline.

Try a Yellow Bird, Tony. It's a Caribbean drink made with dark and white rum, Galiano, orange juice, and lime juice. The bartenders should be familiar with it. If not, give them this:

1 oz dark rum

1 oz white rum

1/4 oz Galliano

1 1/4 oz orange juice

1/2 oz lime juice

It's one of those umbrella drinks. After drinking one of these, the umbrella usually finds its way into my hair. In your case, maybe behind your ear?:p

bob123

JD26 · October 18, 2010

Tony, Thanks for the great review. We are going January 23, 2011. It can not come fast enough for me. One question for you, what time did you go down to the promenade to pick up the tickets for the ice show? I wanted to find out how early I need to get up in the morning. :)

Tony1865 · October 18, 2010

Tony, Thanks for the great review. We are going January 23, 2011. It can not come fast enough for me. One question for you, what time did you go down to the promenade to pick up the tickets for the ice show? I wanted to find out how early I need to get up in the morning. :)

I think I got there right at 8. A lot of passengers aren't willing to make that early-rising sacrifice to assure themselves of tickets, but it was easy enough.

We mostly just goofed off this morning. I didn't find out until too late to get in on the progressive trivia game, which I regret. I did play some trivia during the week. See, I'm a veritable fountain of useless knowledge, so trivia is my gig.

For funsies, while Teresa languished by the pool, I did take time out to check out the little demo, "The Love For Cooking," presented by executive Chef Wim Van Der Pas, held in the bar in the Windjammer. He and his folks prepared a couple of entrees from Chops and Portofino. Alas, no samples. I'm such a Food Network geek, this appealed to me greatly:

That lovely artwork in the foreground is a seafood skewer featured at Portofino (hey, I sneaked in some food porn after all!):

And lunch was in the MDR (which magically transforms itself into something called "Brasserie 30 Lunch.") Once I realized that we wouldn't be eating out of a petite woman's undergarment, I was a little more open to the experience.

We sat with three other couples, all very genteel folks, save for one fellow who was pretty much about himself, his Porche, his investments, his plethora of cruising experinces, his vacation home, etc. His wife mostly just glared at him, which I found secretly funny.

Coolest thing about lunch, which has a fixed menu, is the "tutti salad," which has been spoken about in depth on CC. But I found that going through a simple square buffet setup, picking salad greens, proteins (chicken, seafood, beef, etc.) and all sorts of other toppings, then having a chef toss it in your choice of dressings made for a fun experience. I had a soup and some fresh bread along with it, and it was delightful. This was the only time we had lunch in the MDR, not because it was unpleasant, but just because the Windjammer had more variety, and I've already admitted how I feel about buffets.

Had a MAJOR lazy afternoon, spent languishing at poolside in a shady spot. I'd raided the ship's library - what a peaceful little sanctuary! - and picked up a couple of books to peruse. I finally had found my rythm, and was able just to settle in and relax.

We did enjoy the poolside ice carving demo:

And watching rock climbers:

...and NO, I didn't attempt the Wall. One, I don't do heights very well, and two, as tight as the climbing harness was, I couldn't see myself getting strapped into that thing. I have a fairly competent baritone voice, and I didn't want to have to change over to soprano.

Tony1865 · October 18, 2010