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

[Tony1865]

Love the review.....keep it up.

 

Feb will our 1st time on any ship other then DCL Wonder- 4 times.

 

FOS looks beautiful and much bigger......we just got used to all the "hidden" places on the Wonder.

 

Looking forward to all the new places to explore.

 

I *think* that before the week was out I had at least peeked in most of the public venues on the FOS. But I love the Wonder and Magic, and you're right ... the Freedom dwarfs both of them.

 

We really, really enjoyed Freedom-ice.com. I guess what impressed me the most (and, granted, growing up in southeast Alabama, there wasn't just a whole lot of ice skating I was exposed to) was how they were able to perform so well on a limited stage. The theme of the show, best I could figure, was "freedom" (duh) and how it was expressed in different cultures and musical styles:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony1865]

Love the review.....keep it up.

 

Feb will our 1st time on any ship other then DCL Wonder- 4 times.

 

FOS looks beautiful and much bigger......we just got used to all the "hidden" places on the Wonder.

 

Looking forward to all the new places to explore.

 

I *think* that before the week was out I had at least peeked in most of the public venues on the FOS. But I love the Wonder and Magic, and you're right ... the Freedom dwarfs both of them.

 

We really, really enjoyed Freedom-ice.com. I guess what impressed me the most (and, granted, growing up in southeast Alabama, there wasn't just a whole lot of ice skating I was exposed to) was how they were able to perform so well on a limited stage. The theme of the show, best I could figure, was "freedom" (duh) and how it was expressed in different cultures and musical styles:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony1865]

So this was formal night. I'll editorialize just a bit before getting on with the chronology.

 

There has been a lot of bandwidth expended on just exactly what formal nights on RCCL are all about, and I sure don't want to fan any flames. Here's my very personal take, and you're not expected to embrace or reject it.

 

I feel like being a passenger on a cruise ship is sort of like being a character in a play. For us, it was an opportunity to put aside the trappings of everyday work life and play a role that is nostalgic and exciting at the same time. The Freedom of the Seas is one of the grandest stages ever created, and even now I pause thinking about how fortunate Teresa and I are to have been part of such a glorious event. There was a time when decorum and civility were more universal virtues, especially for passengers during the glory days of transatlantic travel, and to recapture those times is personally very appealing to me.

 

I know that flies in the face of wanting to be an individual, to do my/our own thing, to not be bound by some externally imposed archaic rules.

 

But to dress just a little nicer for dinner, for me, shows respect for the occasion and my fellow passengers, to be part of something grander than myself. I remember as a kid pretending to be a cowboy, or policeman, or astronaut, and it was so much fun to wear a costume at Halloween and, in later years, at costume parties. Dressing for formal night just isn't that far removed, for me. At its heart, it's just playing dress-up once more.

 

So I wore a charcoal gray suit, Teresa wore a spiffy dress, and I felt fine. I sure wasn't trying to impress anyone. And that night, I saw a lot more tuxedos than I would've have thought, plenty of suits, plenty of sports coats with open collared shirts, plenty of nice polos and khakis, and many examples of everything else. Of note was a Marine in his impeccable dress blues, a couple of kilts, and one gentleman who was dressed like Little Lord Fauntleroy. And, of course, lots of much more informal casual wear.

 

And it was all perfectly acceptable. Ancient script says to "judge not, lest ye be judged," and while I'm pretty sure this wasn't referring to suggested dress, the sentiment still fits.

 

In the end, it is your vacation, you paid handsomely for it, and I encourage folks to do what their conscience dictates and not stress over their decision. I do think that it is appropriate to follow RCCL's "suggestions" (and whether or not those guidelines are enforced is another discussion for another time), but they are just that - suggestions.

 

Life is way, way too short to get one's knickers in a wad over something that, in the grand scheme of things, just isn't that big of a deal. It's not like someone is talking about your mama.

 

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programme.:)

[birdylady]

But to dress just a little nicer for dinner, for me, shows respect for the occasion and my fellow passengers, to be part of something grander than myself. I remember as a kid pretending to be a cowboy, or policeman, or astronaut, and it was so much fun to wear a costume at Halloween and, in later years, at costume parties. Dressing for formal night just isn't that far removed, for me. At its heart, it's just playing dress-up once more.

What a great way of thinking about it. :D

 

In the end, it is your vacation, you paid handsomely for it, and I encourage folks to do what their conscience dictates and not stress over their decision. I do think that it is appropriate to follow RCCL's "suggestions" (and whether or not those guidelines are enforced is another discussion for another time), but they are just that - suggestions.

Again, another great way of thinking about it.

 

I think you very eloquently describe me and my hubby (in order) of how we feel about formal night. And I give hubby the leeway to dress the way he prefers as it is his vacation. Luckily he always has respect for what is 'appropriate' so he finds a comfortable 'middle'.

 

Keep the review coming.

 

Erika

[Tony1865]

More fun stuff - the Captain's Welcome Aboard Reception. The Freedom of the Seas Orchestra were in fine form:

 

 

Dancing on the Royal Promenade, and there's a fine lookin' Marine in the center. Our son is a former Marine, serving active duty in Iraq, Liberia, etc., from 2001 - 2005. Semper Fi!:

 

 

And Captain Tor Isak Olsen. Very competent guy, I'm guessing. He was actually pretty folksy, with sort of a "one of the guys" demeanor, at least with passengers. That's a glare off plexiglas on his jacket, not some celestial spirit being:

 

 

I always enjoyed his announcements over the shipwide P.A. They were always the same, though: "Imurfy duh flordy morf an profey do whofa e loofa murdy." I'm glad nothing serious ever happened on board - the P.A. left a lot to be desired.

 

And some more important folk - executive chef, chief engineer, hotel director, and, third from right, the chief medical officer. Guys, just keeping it real here (and yeah, I can be shallow), she was really, really pretty. I thought I might drop by and get her to check me for a hangnail or something:

 

 

Dinnertime! I don't know who told our servers that it was our anniversary, but we had a little cake delivered with appropriate pomp by our head waiter (again, whose name escapes me). I'd already put a dent in my chocolate souffle, but what harm could two desserts cause?:

 

 

I had escargot that night - I always encourage folks to try them if they never have. I think dunking a piece of bread in those wonderful garlicky, buttery juices is as much fun as noshing on the critter itself. I also had a grilled seafood brochette - a skewer of monkfish, scallops, and shrimp, with a potato and cauliflower hash. I was a little wary - scallops, overcooked, can be like little tennis balls - but these were quite good. Oh, and a caesar salad - why have three courses when you can have four? Our servers did a great job of timing everything, too. They were pros.

 

Any questions? Comments? Snide remarks?

[north29]

Tony you must be a travel writer or a travel show wanna be LOL, I really enjoyed your wit, humor, and perceptions of cruising. I especially like the Formal night "new" insights, or perhaps putting it in better words than I have seen before. All this and you live in Mississippi not UCLA(upper corner of lower Alabama) LOL

 

Great read,

 

By the way one of our Friends is a TA and she gets some cruises for free or next to nothing, anyway she received a Disney cruise for Port Canaveral, and she said, that Disney is great for and if you have kids, but for the price difference(?) RC is much better.

 

PS: Some of the people over on the HAL board should read the Dress Code thoughts for formal night.

[birdylady]

I always enjoyed his announcements over the shipwide P.A. They were always the same, though: "Imurfy duh flordy morf an profey do whofa e loofa murdy." I'm glad nothing serious ever happened on board - the P.A. left a lot to be desired.

 

OMG! I almost pee'd myself laughing so hard. You have a knack for writing.

Thanx,

Erika

[Tony1865]

Tony you must be a travel writer or a travel show wanna be LOL, I really enjoyed your wit, humor, and perceptions of cruising. I especially like the Formal night "new" insights, or perhaps putting it in better words than I have seen before. All this and you live in Mississippi not UCLA(upper corner of lower Alabama) LOL

 

Great read,

 

By the way one of our Friends is a TA and she gets some cruises for free or next to nothing, anyway she received a Disney cruise for Port Canaveral, and she said, that Disney is great for and if you have kids, but for the price difference(?) RC is much better.

 

PS: Some of the people over on the HAL board should read the Dress Code thoughts for formal night.

 

Haw! I am originally from Alabama (I guess the LCLA ... the lower corner). There IS a difference between Mississippi and Alabama, although I'm guessing the subtlety of that difference might be vague to folks north of the Mason-Dixon line. I'm American by birth, but Southern by the Grace of God!

 

Surprisingly, many folks in Mississippi read, and some of us even write: William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, John Grisham, Willie Morris, Tennessee Williams come to mind ... it's pretty fertile ground for scribblers down here. I'm not a travel writer or wannabe host, but I do write some ...

 

And, yep, there is no question in my mind that Disney comes at a premium price. As I've stated, I'm an unapologetic Disney fanatic, but there are many more similarities between RCCL and DCL than there are differences. They are both excellent products. Biggest difference, of course, is that Disney has no casino, a disappointment to those who like to go down to the sea in chips.

 

I peeked over on the HAL boards. Oooh, testy, isn't it? :D

[Tony1865]

Gonna wrap this day ... I have some legitimate work to do. Bummer.

 

The production show was tonight - Once Upon a Time. I loved the big, splashy musical programming that Freedom offered. I learned that this was this particular cast's last week on board the Freedom before their contract ended; a brand new cast took over at the end of the week. So, kudos to the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers - the old group went out with a bang, and the new group, which you'll meet at week's end, came out like they had something to prove.

 

Cute plot, this one ... classic fairy tales set to contemporary music:

 

 

Thus endeth the sea day. Labadee tomorrow! Land ho!

[lacruiser]

I feel like being a passenger on a cruise ship is sort of like being a character in a play. For us, it was an opportunity to put aside the trappings of everyday work life and play a role that is nostalgic and exciting at the same time. The Freedom of the Seas is one of the grandest stages ever created, and even now I pause thinking about how fortunate Teresa and I are to have been part of such a glorious event. There was a time when decorum and civility were more universal virtues, especially for passengers during the glory days of transatlantic travel, and to recapture those times is personally very appealing to me.

 

I know that flies in the face of wanting to be an individual, to do my/our own thing, to not be bound by some externally imposed archaic rules.

 

But to dress just a little nicer for dinner, for me, shows respect for the occasion and my fellow passengers, to be part of something grander than myself. I remember as a kid pretending to be a cowboy, or policeman, or astronaut, and it was so much fun to wear a costume at Halloween and, in later years, at costume parties. Dressing for formal night just isn't that far removed, for me. At its heart, it's just playing dress-up once more.

 

Yes, yes, YES!! My thoughts exactly -- only yours were so much more clearly articulated! Great post...thanks and keep it coming.

[Tony1865]

I hope you don't mind indulging me for just a moment.

 

What is it about the seas? From the icy north Atlantic to the vast expanses of the Pacific; to the breadth of the Indian Ocean and the polar Artic; to the warmth of our own Caribbean and Gulf, the seas were a mystery to the ancients. I think the seas hold a mystery to me, even today.

 

It's hard to find moments of pure solitude while on board a cruise ship. Sometimes, though, you're able to make your own quiet place. One more thought about the preceding sea day, before we dock at Labadee.

 

I woke up early, quietly dressed, and crept out on deck. There were only a handful of people around, each wrapped in private moments. There was no land in sight. I pulled up a deck chair to the rail and gazed toward the horizon. The wake of our ship churned the water and offered up a muted roar.

 

Here, I thought, is balm for all the worry and bustle of the world. It may be true for all mariners. Certainly it is true - for me, anyway - on this most perfect of ships, on a perfect morning. Even though the Freedom stretched and throbbed and pressed forward, I was struck by the vastness around me ... no matter how large the vessel, the sea is always larger.

 

I was reminded of the old French fisherman's prayer ... "Dear God, protect me. The sea is so big and my boat is so small."

 

The sun had just crested the horizon:

 

 

What a sweet epiphany I experienced. I felt as though this sunrise was just for me.

 

I caught myself singing under my breath (and being thankful no one else was around). It was an old hymn, which I found especially poignant this early dawn:

 

Eternal Father, strong to save,

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,

Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep

Its own appointed limits keep;

Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,

For those in peril on the sea!

 

I went back to the cabin. Teresa was still asleep. A busy day was ahead. But I felt that this moment, this precious time alone (ok, I don't think I was totally alone) was the reason I was fortunate enough to participate in this cruise.

 

I trust you find your special moment, too, and that it is transcendent as mine.

[cruise orlando]

Amen brother

[jlk82]

It appears that I need to make a decision...FOS or Disney Dream or Fantasy. The Dream only does 4 night itineraries. The Fantasy does 7 night but is $$$. It'll be myself, my DH and my DD who'll be 5. I noticed the FOS has an H20 deck which I know she'd love. Dh is just worried that she won't have nearly as much fun as she would on Disney. This is going to be a tough decision.

 

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.

[charliegirlac]

I hope you don't mind indulging me for just a moment.

 

What is it about the seas? From the icy north Atlantic to the vast expanses of the Pacific; to the breadth of the Indian Ocean and the polar Artic; to the warmth of our own Caribbean and Gulf, the seas were a mystery to the ancients. I think the seas hold a mystery to me, even today.

 

It's hard to find moments of pure solitude while on board a cruise ship. Sometimes, though, you're able to make your own quiet place. One more thought about the preceding sea day, before we dock at Labadee.

 

I woke up early, quietly dressed, and crept out on deck. There were only a handful of people around, each wrapped in private moments. There was no land in sight. I pulled up a deck chair to the rail and gazed toward the horizon. The wake of our ship churned the water and offered up a muted roar.

 

Here, I thought, is balm for all the worry and bustle of the world. It may be true for all mariners. Certainly it is true - for me, anyway - on this most perfect of ships, on a perfect morning. Even though the Freedom stretched and throbbed and pressed forward, I was struck by the vastness around me ... no matter how large the vessel, the sea is always larger.

 

I was reminded of the old French fisherman's prayer ... "Dear God, protect me. The sea is so big and my boat is so small."

 

The sun had just crested the horizon:

 

 

What a sweet epiphany I experienced. I felt as though this sunrise was just for me.

 

I caught myself singing under my breath (and being thankful no one else was around). It was an old hymn, which I found especially poignant this early dawn:

 

Eternal Father, strong to save,

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,

Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep

Its own appointed limits keep;

Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,

For those in peril on the sea!

 

I went back to the cabin. Teresa was still asleep. A busy day was ahead. But I felt that this moment, this precious time alone (ok, I don't think I was totally alone) was the reason I was fortunate enough to participate in this cruise.

 

I trust you find your special moment, too, and that it is transcendent as mine.

 

Just beautiful...

[goouchjac]

I hope you don't mind indulging me for just a moment.

 

What is it about the seas? From the icy north Atlantic to the vast expanses of the Pacific; to the breadth of the Indian Ocean and the polar Artic; to the warmth of our own Caribbean and Gulf, the seas were a mystery to the ancients. I think the seas hold a mystery to me, even today.

 

It's hard to find moments of pure solitude while on board a cruise ship. Sometimes, though, you're able to make your own quiet place. One more thought about the preceding sea day, before we dock at Labadee.

 

I woke up early, quietly dressed, and crept out on deck. There were only a handful of people around, each wrapped in private moments. There was no land in sight. I pulled up a deck chair to the rail and gazed toward the horizon. The wake of our ship churned the water and offered up a muted roar.

 

Here, I thought, is balm for all the worry and bustle of the world. It may be true for all mariners. Certainly it is true - for me, anyway - on this most perfect of ships, on a perfect morning. Even though the Freedom stretched and throbbed and pressed forward, I was struck by the vastness around me ... no matter how large the vessel, the sea is always larger.

 

I was reminded of the old French fisherman's prayer ... "Dear God, protect me. The sea is so big and my boat is so small."

 

The sun had just crested the horizon:

 

 

What a sweet epiphany I experienced. I felt as though this sunrise was just for me.

 

I caught myself singing under my breath (and being thankful no one else was around). It was an old hymn, which I found especially poignant this early dawn:

 

Eternal Father, strong to save,

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,

Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep

Its own appointed limits keep;

Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,

For those in peril on the sea!

 

I went back to the cabin. Teresa was still asleep. A busy day was ahead. But I felt that this moment, this precious time alone (ok, I don't think I was totally alone) was the reason I was fortunate enough to participate in this cruise.

 

I trust you find your special moment, too, and that it is transcendent as mine

 

This is really beautiful,, I often get up early and go up on deck to have some peaceful moments and watch the sun come up,,,nothing better to clear your mind and thank God for all we have...:)

[Tony1865]

It appears that I need to make a decision...FOS or Disney Dream or Fantasy. The Dream only does 4 night itineraries. The Fantasy does 7 night but is $$$. It'll be myself, my DH and my DD who'll be 5. I noticed the FOS has an H20 deck which I know she'd love. Dh is just worried that she won't have nearly as much fun as she would on Disney. This is going to be a tough decision.

 

I guess the biggest question you'd need to resolve is: "Are we Disney folks?" And with a 5-year-old DD, she'd sure fit right in with that Disney demographic.

 

We are definitely Disney folks ... we're tentatively planning on doing an Eastern Caribbean on the Magic next fall. And we've done the same 4-night itenerary that the Dream will be doing. Actually, looking toward sailing in the fall, our question was "do we cruise the Dream for the ship or the Magic for the ports?"

 

And there is the issue of money - which, I can assure you, IS an issue at our house. We're firmly entrenched in the middle class, and keep our bills paid, but we are discretionary with discretionary income. Cruising just gives us a terrific bang for our vacationing buck, but it's more of a treat for us than an annual (or even more frequent) event. However, with RCCL coming to New Orleans - our closest port - some quickie trips might be in the offering, and we might even sample NCL and (gasp!) Carnival at some point, too, since they're close by.

 

I wish I could give you wiser cousel. I'm about to have a hissy wanting to sail one of Disney's newer ships. But they darn sure charge premium prices, and again, being heretical here, there are some areas where I have to give the nod to RCCL, or Freedom at least.

 

But there's something about Mickey and Co. that money just can't buy for me... :)

 

ETA: There are a couple of threads on the Disney boards on CC that make some comparisions, too.

[cruisin' 4 fun]

It appears that I need to make a decision...FOS or Disney Dream or Fantasy. The Dream only does 4 night itineraries. The Fantasy does 7 night but is $$$. It'll be myself, my DH and my DD who'll be 5. I noticed the FOS has an H20 deck which I know she'd love. Dh is just worried that she won't have nearly as much fun as she would on Disney. This is going to be a tough decision.

 

So I may be in the minority as this is a RCCL thread but if your DD is 5 and you can afford it. I would do the Fantasy in a heartbeat. We did Disney on our honeymoon, no kids, and then when the kids (2 Girls) were 7 and 5. Also have done 4 RCCl cruises with 1 more in Dec. At 5y/o they still believe in the magic and I will never forget that cruise. Disney does such a good job with the kids. And the kids are only into the Disney magic for such a short time. Now I will say I don't know how the kids programs are on RCCL. Hope to find out next year when the kids will be 11 and 9 as they are now done with Disney. Now do we do the Freedom or Oasis/Allure. I'm not sure I really helped in your decision or made it worse, but whatever you chose there will be quality family time and memories you won't ever forget.

[Bug'sMom]

In regards to the Disney / FOS comparison, we sailed Disney with our son when we was 4, 5, and 6 yrs old. (Due to a job layoff, we didn't cruise when he was 7). When we decided that we could cruise again (May of this year), he was now 8 yrs old. We decided to try the Freedom of the Seas since he is more active and a little less inclined to hug the Disney characters. He was not sure that he wanted to try something besides Disney (all he had known up to this point. We had sailed RCCL and Celebrity before he was born). In a nutshell, he LOVED the Freedom of the Seas but he still remembers and loves Disney as well. (We are booked on the Magic for next November and on the FOS for this Nov). I would sail Disney while the "magic" is still amazing to them. Five is a great age to do that. Before you know it, she will be older and not as captivated by the wonder of Disney. At least you know you can't go wrong with either choice!

 

Kathy

 

P.S. If you are interested, you can search my past posts and find the review that I did when we got home from the Freedom of the Seas in May. I mostly compared it with our experience with Disney.

[cmoor052]

Tony, thank you for the great insight and amazing play by play. Your sunrise photo and thoughts reminded me of the reflective moments I had shipboard when I was stationed aboard a submarine. There was always something serene about looking out upon the vast ocean and feeling the waves strike the hull. Thanks for the memories. Keep up the commentary, it's excellent.

 

Also, as a soon to be 1st time cruiser, I was wondering if you could provide comments on how this cruise compared to your first. And finally, would you reccommend freedom to a 1st timer who's wife is slightly nervous about cruising? (sea sickness and whatnot).

[sunnydaygirl]

I've enjoyed reading your review so much, and many of the comments as well. I'm happy to report that as of tonight, my friends and daughters are booked on Freedom for 8/28/11. Celebrating 3 birthdays will be so much fun. And since I'm looking forward to ice show, was glad to learn about the early ticket line. Could you just get two, or could you have picked up enough for a party of 11? Our cabins are on deck 2, I know it's a low deck but figured it would be easy to get off at ports of call? Glad to hear about food(always a interest) and wondered if you checked out the On Air Club? Our TA is taking care of finding out past cruiser #. I wish I was cruising sooner, haven't been on RCCL since 2004 on Grandeur of Seas. Happy to be retuning.

 

Thanks again for all the time you've taken from your job to post here for all of us wanting info on this cruise ship. This is a great travel journal for your memoirs. I always think I'll do it and then don't.:cool: Happy Cruising.

[Tony1865]

I've enjoyed reading your review so much, and many of the comments as well. I'm happy to report that as of tonight, my friends and daughters are booked on Freedom for 8/28/11. Celebrating 3 birthdays will be so much fun. And since I'm looking forward to ice show, was glad to learn about the early ticket line. Could you just get two, or could you have picked up enough for a party of 11? Our cabins are on deck 2, I know it's a low deck but figured it would be easy to get off at ports of call? Glad to hear about food(always a interest) and wondered if you checked out the On Air Club? Our TA is taking care of finding out past cruiser #. I wish I was cruising sooner, haven't been on RCCL since 2004 on Grandeur of Seas. Happy to be retuning.

 

Thanks again for all the time you've taken from your job to post here for all of us wanting info on this cruise ship. This is a great travel journal for your memoirs. I always think I'll do it and then don't.:cool: Happy Cruising.

 

I'm not sure about how many tickets you could pick up, but I did see one guy pick up five. They're free, of course ... I don't see what difference it would make to the folks manning the tables, but you might want to ask at guest services first the day before.

 

I did peek into the On Air Club a couple of times, but didn't linger. It's really a pleasant, laid-back, quirky little venue. Talent is hit or miss, naturally, but I did hear one guy that was pretty amazing.

[Tony1865]

Tony, thank you for the great insight and amazing play by play. Your sunrise photo and thoughts reminded me of the reflective moments I had shipboard when I was stationed aboard a submarine. There was always something serene about looking out upon the vast ocean and feeling the waves strike the hull. Thanks for the memories. Keep up the commentary, it's excellent.

 

Also, as a soon to be 1st time cruiser, I was wondering if you could provide comments on how this cruise compared to your first. And finally, would you reccommend freedom to a 1st timer who's wife is slightly nervous about cruising? (sea sickness and whatnot).

 

My first cruise was when I was 14, back when the earth's crust was still cooling, on board the NCL Starward (which is still in service with a Greek line - can't remember which one). It was amazing.

 

To get a little more current, my first adult cruise was on the Disney Magic in 2000. I love the Disney ships and the whole Disney vibe, as I've stated, but the Freedom is signifcantly larger than the current Disney ships. Bigger isn't necessarily better - it's just bigger. Honestly, I think the total experience between that cruise and the most recent one were quite comparable. Because of the size, you could make the case that there is more to do on the Freedom, with the rock climbing wall, FlowRider, ice rink, boxing ring, etc. If you compare apples to apples, though, the products are a lot alike.

 

I love 'em both.

 

Regarding your wife - we cruised right in the heart of hurricane season, on the week that historically sees more tropical activity than any other week of the year. I kept an eye on the weather obsessively the weeks leading up to our trip. And there was a lot of activity prior to and during our cruise - it just wasn't anywhere near us. So we only felt the slightest of movement one night. There are so many good seasickness remedies available now, I think it'd have to get pretty nasty for anyone to worry. DW is prone to seasickness, but she was comfortable the whole time - and she'd packed a pharmacy's worth of meds.

 

My boss is the kind of guy who frets over the most random things, like a chunk of ice falling off a plane's wing and hitting him. So he had questions for me about rogue waves, terrorist attacks, etc. He worries because he worries. But for any first-timer, the Freedom would be a great experience.

[sailingawaysoon]

Hi Tony,

 

Great review. We just love the Freedom. I am hoping that we will get to take another cruise on her next year, but I am thoroughly enjoying your pictures and review and your writing is great also!

[cmoor052]

Tony,

 

Thanks for the reply, now get back to work and continue with your review. It's like waiting for a sequel to come out. :)

[silkie70]

Tony...

As stated before...THANK YOU for this wonder review!!!

 

I believe this is the most informative and entertaining one I have read. I have laughed out loud several times!!!

 

You truly have an awesome, gifted talent!!!

 

Thanks for sharing!!!

 

Ellen

 

The only downfall to reading your review, is that we don't sail on the Freedom until March...reading this has made me even MORE ANXIOUS!!!