Freedom Review: 10/28/12 by FunInTheSun1964

[funinthesun1964]

Enjoying your review and your wonderful photo's.

 

Thanks!

[funinthesun1964]

I forgot to add something: One night after dinner, I went to guest services desk to ask where Funship Freddy was :o DH could not believe that I this! He told me that he hoped they thought I was asking for a grandchild :rolleyes: Anyway, the person working at the desk called someone on the phone, hung up, and told me that Funship Freddy would be in the 70s disco Friday at 7pm. I made a mental note of that and moved on. I didn't care if DH made fun of me.

[funinthesun1964]

We got up for breakfast and decided to go to the buffet. We had booked an excursion the previous day for The Plantation/Dolphin Cove, so we were looking forward to that.

 

We sat down to eat near a window; and unfortunately, the sky was looking dark to one side. I made a comment that I hoped those clouds were going the opposite direction of where we were headed.

 

Here are pictures that I took through the window:

 

 

haha, you can see a cup of coffee through the reflection of the window.

[funinthesun1964]

Not looking too promising the later it gets:

 

 

[funinthesun1964]

After we eat, we go back to collect the things we want to take along for the day, get ready and head out to the port to meet our group.

 

 

As you can see, the weather is not great and it is starting to rain. We find a carnival employee who is directing everyone where to meet for which tour, and she tells that the we can get a refund for the tour if we would like, since it is raining. Our choice. We talked about it. I wasn't sure if it would eventually clear, or rain all day. I knew I would be upset with myself if I chose not to take the tour and it did quit raining. I wondered what we would do on the ship if it rained. Trivia games? What would do all day anyway? So, in the end we decided to go ahead and go and hope for the best.

 

We were directed to a bus that was nearly full already. We were seated in the back. It was not a large bus. We had a nice size group.

 

We were off to the plantation first.

 

We all went to a covered area, attached to a gift shop on one side, and I'm not sure what was on the other. We stood around this carport-like area, waiting for the tour to begin. This is looking out of the back of this area

 

 

antique coffee grinder:

 

 

Here's our ride coming:

 

 

Nice weather huh?

 

[pensgirl17]

I also was on this cruise. I really enjoyed it and really liked the Halloween party. I do agree that they are pushy when it comes to wanting you to buy drinks.

[funinthesun1964]

While we were in the waiting area, I met a young man who was working for the tour company. He couldn't have been any older than 20. He had a nice camera and he said that he was going to take pictures of people along the tour. Needless to say, he didn't take many pictures because of the horrible weather. He was a very nice person though, and offered us a cup of coffee while we were waiting. I spotted a couple of parakeets and asked him their names. He told me the one I was talking to was named "Pretty". I talked to Pretty and she actually came next to the cage and leaned against it so I could pet her!! One employee told me that she doesn't like most people so I must be very special. haha, I'm known as the animal whisperer, that's all.

 

Here is Pretty:

 

 

The young man actually asked me if I wanted to take her back home with me! LOL!

 

Finally, we get into our nice ride. It has a cover! Yippee! We have a crazy tour guide. Very funny, made us laugh quite a few times.

 

 

We see all different types of plants and trees throughout the tour:

 

 

 

 

[funinthesun1964]

I also was on this cruise. I really enjoyed it and really liked the Halloween party. I do agree that they are pushy when it comes to wanting you to buy drinks.

 

Rio was especially pushy :eek: I Made was nice though!

 

I think out of the 6 cruises I have been on, this was one were the Lido deck servers were the most pushy.

 

Glad you enjoyed the cruise and the Halloween Party!

[SMSACE6]

I did this same tour in Ocho Rios! Brings back nice memories. We had a stand up comic also for a tour guide. ( not the same one though, ours looked just like Chris Rock! ) :D

 

Im really enjoying your review! thanks again for sharing!:)

[funinthesun1964]

Scenery

 

 

 

 

 

 

[funinthesun1964]

I did this same tour in Ocho Rios! Brings back nice memories. We had a stand up comic also for a tour guide. ( not the same one though, ours looked just like Chris Rock! ) :D

 

Im really enjoying your review! thanks again for sharing!:)

 

You are welcome :-) Glad you are enjoying!

[funinthesun1964]

OK, does anyone know why some pictures are coming out smaller than the others? I am copying and pasting directly from Facebook as I have been doing all along and this hasn't happened before :confused::confused::confused:

Sorry!!

[funinthesun1964]

So some of the above pictures were taken because we stopped for a while. Rum punch was provided. It was still raining, but it had lessened somewhat. The young man I was talking about earlier with the camera, I think the one picture he took was here. Poor kid. He sat beside me on the ride, by the way. I made a new friend. Well, actually two. The bird and him. :)

 

 

 

 

Pineapples:

 

 

 

[funinthesun1964]

We then came by a man demonstrating and cutting some fruits. We all had a taste of coconut, and then some water which came from the coconut, which is claimed to be better than ******. LOL. That's what we were told. (of course he wanted tip $$ too)

 

 

 

[Kfoot]

I will be on this ship in another 20 days. I am totally enjoying your reviews. I especially love the Halloween costumes and the way they decorate the ship. Now that just give me an idea that the next cruise I take should be around that time. Never thought about it before.

[GAMOM4]

Loving your review and pictures! Especially the ones in Ocho Rios..we have never been and are trying to decide on something that doesn't include the falls....trying to stay away from pushy people also!

[NS-Cruiser]

Loving your review and pictures! Especially the ones in Ocho Rios..we have never been and are trying to decide on something that doesn't include the falls....trying to stay away from pushy people also!

 

If you want to stay away from "pushy people" in Ocho Rios, you better just stay on the ship....

 

Or practice this line... "No Mon, I don't want your (whatever they are selling)"

[jay49307]

Thanks for the awesome review. This will be the 1st cruise for my wife and I. Can't wait until Dec. 9th

[SMSACE6]

Loving your review and pictures! Especially the ones in Ocho Rios..we have never been and are trying to decide on something that doesn't include the falls....trying to stay away from pushy people also!

 

I took this same tour a few years ago, and did not encounter any pushy vendors or agressiveness anywhere. Just, there were numerous occasions where one had the "oppotunity" to tip the various local people encountered along the tour. Was not a problem for us, as we went with a good supply of dollar bills. We did enjoy this tour, and Im so glad that I took it, rather than stay on board the ship, as we saw beautiful scenery, and had a most enjoyable day in Ocho Rios.:)

[Brandykat2012]

Hey Brenda -- Met you at the meet and greet then never saw you for the rest of the cruise. Loving your review and photos. I thought Jamaica was beautiful and wish we could have seen it with a little sunshine. Your photo of the rain truly shows how bad it was pouring that day. We were climbing Dunns River Falls and even though you know you're going to get wet, it's different when you're getting wet from the feet up vs. the head down!

 

I actually danced with Funship Freddie at the captain/crew meet and greet. And it's in the video so of course we had to buy it.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review!

 

Tina (the one who works for the utility company)

[funinthesun1964]

I will be on this ship in another 20 days. I am totally enjoying your reviews. I especially love the Halloween costumes and the way they decorate the ship. Now that just give me an idea that the next cruise I take should be around that time. Never thought about it before.

 

Thanks, glad you are enjoying. The Halloween party was different, this was the first time I cruised that week. Very interesting!

[funinthesun1964]

Loving your review and pictures! Especially the ones in Ocho Rios..we have never been and are trying to decide on something that doesn't include the falls....trying to stay away from pushy people also!

 

LOL some of the most pushy people were on the ship, pushing drinks!

 

I would suggest going through Carnival for an excursion in Ocho Rios. We did not have a problem with any pushy people during this excursion. People did want tipped, but that is true anywhere. One person at Dolphin Cove asked me if I wanted my hair braided, and I said, no thanks, and it was done.

[funinthesun1964]

I took this same tour a few years ago, and did not encounter any pushy vendors or agressiveness anywhere. Just, there were numerous occasions where one had the "oppotunity" to tip the various local people encountered along the tour. Was not a problem for us, as we went with a good supply of dollar bills. We did enjoy this tour, and Im so glad that I took it, rather than stay on board the ship, as we saw beautiful scenery, and had a most enjoyable day in Ocho Rios.:)

 

Exactly, this is what happened with us. Took lots of small bills and tipped but we were not harassed on this excursion.

[funinthesun1964]

Hey Brenda -- Met you at the meet and greet then never saw you for the rest of the cruise. Loving your review and photos. I thought Jamaica was beautiful and wish we could have seen it with a little sunshine. Your photo of the rain truly shows how bad it was pouring that day. We were climbing Dunns River Falls and even though you know you're going to get wet, it's different when you're getting wet from the feet up vs. the head down!

 

I actually danced with Funship Freddie at the captain/crew meet and greet. And it's in the video so of course we had to buy it.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review!

 

Tina (the one who works for the utility company)

 

 

Hi Tina! Isn't that funny how you meet someone, and then never see them the remainder of the cruise, and then other people you see over and over again!

 

Where and when was this captain/crew meet and greet? I'm always in the wrong place at the wrong time when it comes to seeing Funship Freddie! Next time I will inquire at Guest Services at the BEGINNING of the cruise. I really expected to see him at the sailaway party, but he was MIA.

 

Greet meeting you and maybe we'll see you on another cruise!

[funinthesun1964]

We saw some animals, as we passed by on our ride, I attempted to get some photos

 

 

 

 

Fruit trees and the tour guide gave us a sample!

 

There is a house on the premises that was built by the owner. Churchill came to visit and planted a tree in the front of the house.