Carnival Freedom Review May 26-June 1

[GAMOM4]

This was our 9th cruise. We purchased Faster To The Fun ....the best $49.95 we have spent on a cruise ... In my opinion it was 100% worth it!

 

We were on Lido deck 9294 ... The very last cabin before you walk out on lido deck...balcony cabin and we loved it!

 

 

We only ate in the MDR 2 times the entire cruise ...we ate brunch the first sea day so we could get our free drink...it was extremely slow we thought ...all I got was a Bloody Mary and an omelette my husband had the steak and eggs and a margarita....we didn't think it was worth going back for. We ate in there the first formal night and STARTED to get up and leave it was SO slow.....we didn't even stay for dessert (so didn't have the warm melting chocolate cake even once!)

 

 

We had fish and chips the first day , ate at the steakhouse the first night (it was wonderful) , I had room service once, the deli twice , Mongolian wok once, tandoor once, pizza once, and the buffet the rest of the time ( did the taste bar once also....there was a lack of desserts most of the time it seems to me...the food was all ok ... I am not a big foodie so really don't care one way or the other. My husband loves to eat (not picky though) and he loved the buffet.

 

 

The ship was in good condition ...they were constantly cleaning just like on every cruise we have been on. There were drink servers everywhere ...so people that had a hard time finding one wasn't on the freedom this week.

 

 

First time impression was good...the lido deck is different ...kind if split up with the hot tubs in the middle...the Internet cafe was in an odd place I thought ...on the 4th floor and not the easiest to get to. Spent alot of time at the lobby bar because it sold draft bud light.

 

 

We stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites - which I had booked the Stay and Park option on-line. The hotel was really nice and you could leave your car parked there for 21 days .... of course we only needed 7. They provided a shuttle to and from the port but you had to pay for it. We had a friend that was going to drop us off Sunday morning so we just purchased the shuttle back - and they charged us $20.00 - it was cheaper than a taxi I guess. Our friend took us the Hard Rock Complex that Saturday night and it was an experience in itself....we have been to the Hard Rock Cafe many times in different cities - but this was so different. It had so many restaurants and things to do - if you are ever in Ft. Lauderdale and have the time it is a nice place to stop at.

 

 

We got to the port between 10:30 and 11:00 and literally was able to walk right in....I will say that they checked our 2 wine bottles so closely to be sure that they were factory sealed and we had 6 20 oz cokes and they checked them even though they were all still in plastic. Everyone that was coming through when we did they were carrying their stuff over to a table and checking it....I knew with only 2 people that they couldn't continue like that...and sure enough we talked to people that came through a little later and they said they didn't even question theirs at all or anyone else that they were seeing. We went and got our sign and sail activated and then we had to wait a few minutes before they started boarding people....we got to board after wedding parties and diamond and platinum....

 

 

It was nice to be on the ship so quick and be able to go straight to our cabin. They were just completing the room when we got there. Our bags arrived a few minutes later and we unpacked...we got all this done before 11:45 and was eating fish and fries. We had so much time before the ship ever set sail that first day to be able to explore the ship and to try and learn our way around. The cabin itself was in the perfect spot - on the lido deck #9294.... we were the last cabin before you walk out on the lido deck ... it is wonderful having a balcony!

The first night we went to the steakhouse and it was wonderful! We also spent a little time down in the lobby at the bar. We went to bed early that night.....the next morning we had the Pub Crawl booked through Carnival for Key West...we have been to Key West several times and this was the 2nd time that I had booked the Pub Crawl...the last time I canceled it before we cruised. We got off the ship that morning and walked down Duval and then walked to the Southern Most Point..no way to get a good picture there were LOTS of people in line....we had been there several times before...so we headed back to be sure we made it back to the ship to begin our excursion.... it was GREAT! There were lots of people there and we ended up being divided up into 3 groups...we were put with Phil ... he was a wonderful group leader.... we went to 5 bars after we received our t-shirt. This is a tour that I would recommend 100% .... we went to 5 bars that we had never stopped at before and probably never would have. We had the drink special at all of them and you had the opportunity to purchase more if you wanted to. It was just me and my husband...but we never felt left out from the others in the group...and don't worry about being to old....there were people of all ages...and you won't feel out of place. The weather was great in Key West and that is good because as we were watching the news the next day it was flooding on Duval Street.

 

 

Key West always has been and continues to be my absolute favorite port of call! We got back on the ship and felt like we had enjoyed our day...been to places we hadn't been to before and hadn't wasted our money!

 

 

Tuesday was a sea day so we decided to go to brunch so we could use our free drink coupons.....in December we were on the Fascination and it was the first time we had been on a cruise with a coupon and everyone waited until the last day ... so we knew better this time and decided to go the first sea day.

 

 

We spent the day just exploring the ship. It started raining on Tuesday. Tuesday night was Elegant night and we got dressed and this was the only night we went to the MDR. We got there at 5:45 with the Anytime Dining. People were dressed in all kinds of styles..from really dressy to nice casual. I had the flat iron steak and my husband had the flat iron steak and the lobster and shrimp. He was looking forward to having the Warm Melting Chocolate Cake but they were just so extremely slow that we just got up and left.

 

 

We did see alot of kids in the hot tubs....not on the serenity deck but at the other hot tubs....we also never saw a child in the pool at the back of the ship. It was nice that they have the retractable top on the back of the ship so when it was raining people were still able to hang out back there. We went back there a couple of times because the pizza was back of the ship. It actually seemed warmer back there than it did out on the lido deck to me.

 

 

They had a mini coffee bar on the lido deck .... that was nice that we didn't have to go all the way down to the Promenade deck to purchase some....of course this is the only cruise that we have only been to the coffee bar one time...and that was to try a Mexican Coffee....and it was really good!

 

 

Not one time did we have trouble finding somewhere to sit on the ship...I am not talking about the lounge chairs...because they stayed full when it wasn't raining...not really with people but with people's stuff......I think that is a problem that there is no way to solve...because people mean that they are going to save themselves or their family a chair even if they aren't going to use it. But as for tables with chairs I heard several people comment on how easy it was to find one on this ship.

 

 

The absolutely only way you are going to get bacon on the ship is to get them to give it to you....I don't know if bacon is that expensive or if it is just the favorite thing that everyone wants. The morning of debarkation they were giving 5 pieces or more at a time - but the other days people were having to say a few more.

 

Wednesday was Grand Cayman day - this was our first time in Grand Cayman and we were a little worried about the misting rain but it was really no problem at all. We went down to guest services and they escorted us down to the front of the tender line...when we got over to Grand Cayman we walked right through the port area up to where the buses and all were parked and asked for Grand Cayman Safari - the man pointed him out to us. We were in a safari looking jeep - I had read so many wonderful reviews on trip advisor about this excursion and we knew we wanted something that didn't involve the water. We are so happy that we chose this one!

 

 

Our tour guide was named Mike (the big Kahuna) he told us that we were the only 2 scheduled for the tour that day. I was glad that the jeep had a cover on the back. He told us all about the island of Grand Cayman and our first stop was at St. Pedro's Castle ... I was a little concerned that this may be something not interesting when he said we would be watching about a 20 minute video on the history of Grand Cayman....but I was so wrong!

 

There were a few other tour vans there and we all went into this theater that kind of looked like a cave...the video was very interesting and had many special effects like running water and misting water and thunder. After we saw the video we went out to look at the actual house and surroundings. Mike told us all about everything we were looking at....I noticed that some of the other people that were there in big groups didn't have anyone telling them all about it and some of them were listening to Mike.

 

After we left there we went to the Botanical Gardens - since it had been raining some alot of the flowers were blooming that Mike said weren't blooming just a few days before. He knew all the places to look and try and find the blue iquanas (not that I like iquanas of any kind.....) but I think that he thought that part of what we wanted to see and he was suppose to show us was them. There were alot of people there with fancy cameras taking pictures of all the beautiful trees and flowers and surroundings. Mike shared lots of information about the gardens and the different things growing there.

 

He took us to see the blow holes at one of the beaches.

 

He called ahead of time to order either fish or chicken (and he said both were good but that he recommended the fish) so we both ordered the fish. We at a local place called Vivene's it is at a woman's house and we were able to sit outside overlooking the ocean and eat. The food was very good and definitely not something you would get in a regular restaurant.

 

After we left there he took us to CAYBREW ( a local brewery ) and we sampled the different beers they make. We told Mike that we were worried about having to wait in a long line to get back on a tender and so he took us back to the ship.

 

This was an excursion that I recommend 100% - he told us all through the tour that anything we wanted to go and do or see that he would take us because since it was just the two of us we could pretty well customize to what we wanted.

 

The tender line really moved fast and we were actually able to get on the first one that was heading back to the ship.

Thursday we were in Ocho Rios - this was a port that I was not looking forward to at all. It was drizzling rain that morning so we were in no hurry to get off the ship. The walk from the ship to the port area is a long really nice one and the views are beautiful from the ship. When we walked out of the port area we just kind of stayed behind a group of people and kept walking. There was razor wire around parts of the port (that is always a comforting feeling isn't it?) people were hanging signs over the fence and trying to get you to let them take you somewhere. There were lots of police presence everywhere...I am not sure how much safer that really makes you feel though. We thought we would just walk and maybe try going to Margarittavile but once we got to the street corner everyone crossed over and so did we and there was a really nice row of shops. There were people standing on the sidewalk in front of the shops (they said they weren't allowed to go up where the shops were) trying to get you to let them take you anywhere.

After walking through a couple of the shops we walked back down on the side walk and a woman stopped us and then a man - we told him we weren't interested and that we were probably just going to walk back to the ship - he kept telling us that he could give us a good deal and take us where ever we wanted to go - we had decided beforehand that we were not going to get in the vehicle with anyone....but something about this man made us feel kind of comfortable - we asked him what he charged...he told us to step over to the side and we could discuss it - he said that he would take us anywhere we wanted to go for $85.00 ... that was cheaper than the original tour we had planned if hadn't been raining. We thought about it a minute or two and told him o.k. - he handed me his cell phone and some papers and told me to hold them while he went and got his vehicle .. I thought well he must trust me to hand me his phone .. he had a very nice van .. than name on the paperwork he had was Luciano's Tours .. once we got in the vehicle he told us that he could get in trouble for taking us for $85.00 and would it be o.k to charge $100 ... we should have said no but we said o.k. The man did make us feel 100% comfortable and safe the entire time - I will give him that much. He took us to a place called Oceans on the Ridge so we could look out over the ocean and see the cruise ship. He kept asking us were we happy.

Jamaica was amazing in the fact that they are SO many people that just jump in front of your vehicle - dressed like trees or on stilts or doing flips .. anything for money...we would have probably been scared if we weren't with Luciano ... everyone knew him by name. He took us riding through Fern Gully and explained everything along the way - he kept telling us if we saw anything we wanted to buy to let him know. He drove us up to a spice lady who was selling stuff and she showed us how some spices were grown - we paid $2.00 for a bag of cloves and nutmeg. The Fern Gully is gorgeous! Luciano talked alot about his country and alot about his religion and his church. We picked up a deacon in his church from one place (he asked us before he let him in if we cared). We dropped him off at a big tent where there was going to be a revivial. He then took us to see Dunn's River Falls...now the way we saw it was we stopped beside the road and we got out ... we climbed up on a huge round sewer pipe looking thing (I can't think of what they are called) and carefull walked along it and then there was a hole in the fence and we peeked through the hole and could see the poeple and hear them climbing the falls. We had told him that we didn't want to climb the falls and didn't want to pay to get in ... some young guy came up out of nowhere .... asked us if we were having fun and asked me if I wanted him to take some pictures for me .. and he jumped up on something and leaned over the fence and took several pictures. Of course before I knew it my husband hand done took two necklaces from him and we had to pay him for the necklaces and to take the pictures. Luciano had to know that the boy was going to be there and he did warn us in advance that if anyone tried to sell us anything and we didn't want it to tell them no. Guess my husband didn't think of it quick enough.

Anyway....that was an experience...now the only thing we really didn't want to do was shop..but Luciano told us that he was going to take us to their "mall" and it was safe...he took us there and walked us into a jewelry shop and I really am not one that is into jewelry. We looked in the shop and then we walked next door and introduced us to his friend who was going to take good care of us while he ran an errand. She was really nice and not pushy at all and the store had lots of good things in it but not one single thing had a price on it (I don't like that) I asked her how much stuff was but she said to pick out what we wanted and that she would give us a price on everything - well that is kind of hard to do - anyway we got a shot glass, two pack of Blue Mountain Coffee - some Jamacian Rum Coffee Creamer - a t-shirt for my grandbaby and a pair of sunglasses that my husband honestly thought were real - and the cost was $84.00 so I didn't think that was bad. The coffee is Blue Mountain Jablum coffee ....it doesn't taste that good to me but I may not be making it right. I just tried it for the first time yesterday. After we paid for things lots of buses were pulling in and dropping people off.

My husband thought that we were getting a "special tour" but come to find out later on the cruise we found out that almost anyone that just got a taxi and went somewhere went to the same places basically....and one woman said her group of 8 people only paid 8 a person ...but I guess for us feeling safe the entire time and until we found out otherwise we really thought we had gotten a good deal for a private tour for 2 so I am not complaining.

He drove us back to the port and asked if he wanted to stop and the liquor store there and we said no and then he warned us before we got out that if we didn't want people to really try to sell us stuff to not stop and walk straight to the ship...of course someone yelled out to us and we stopped and I didn't think we were going to get away - I mean person after person started calling us and then Louciano came around the side of the van (he hadn't left yet) and got us and said now you need to go back to the ship and we did.

 

I was expecting the absolute worse in Jamaica - so I was pleasantly surprised..I said it is always easier to get better if you expect the worse - now if you expect the best somewhere it is easy to be disappointed. The ship was really late leaving port because of a medical emergency.

The last day was sea day and it was one of the only days since the very first one that the sun was shining. We went up to one of the hammocks on the serenity deck for a while. Now this is really super nice. We basically just spent the day watching the water and walking around taking pictures. It is always so sad to have pack up your stuff to head back to the real world. We went back to the cabin and packed up our stuff and then went out and sat and watched the rest of some movie on the big theater screen.

 

Since we were FTTF we were able to disembark quickly that morning after we had breakfast. After we went through customs we were able to find the shuttle bus that would carry us back to our hotel. The trip to the hotel was very quick - and then after we got all of our stuff out of the shuttle my husband walked back over the back of it carrying a backpack with most all of our souveniers (other than the coffee and t-shirts) and a box with two bottles of Sheridan we had bought on the ship for a friend and his new pair of sunglasses...and he set them up in the back corner of the shuttle while he got the suitcase..and then forgot it there.....we discovered this an hour or two later. We contacted the shuttle company many times but like they told us....their responsibility isn't to babysit luggage it is to get the people from one point to another and they did that. I told them that I agreed 100% but that I thought for sure that the driver would have turned in the back pack and even described everything in it. But lesson learned......

 

Even with rainy weather the cruise was great! We hated for it to end and to return to the real world.

　

　

　

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

　

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

　

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

　

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[navybaby1113]

Thanks for the review. We just booked ourselves on the Freedom for January. Looking forward to sailing on her again.

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

　

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GAMOM4]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kato27]

Hi

it's great that u had a Great time regardless of the weather. We will be going on the Freedom for the 1st time this January! After going twice on the Pride and Nassau, it will be interesting to cruise on a different ship and place.

Thanks for the Pictures:)

[GAMOM4]

I don't know what in the world happened with my review...I bet I worked on it for 2 1/2 straight hours.....I had all the pictures ... then it wouldn't let me post but 6 at a time and then when I tried deleting them....anyway you see how much blank space there is and how some are vertical and some are horizontal....good grief.........I'm not even sure if they are all there but I am sure that there are more than you probably want to see;)

[rlyans]

A great story in ocho rios. Sounded like a real adventure. We are leaving Sunday on the Freedom. We are really excited. We are looking to find someone to take us to the Blue Hole in Ocho Rios. We will see what how it goes. Fun to read your review but it show up small with large empty spaces. But thanks for you review...

[GAMOM4]

I had a really hard time getting this cruise review to do right...and then I couldn't get the pictures in the right place....and then after I did they all had to be taken out and put in 6 at a time ...I am glad that you were able to read it because I started just to delete it .... can't wait to read about your trip to Ocho Rios .... and if you get some of the coffee let me know how you like it...I can't decide if we just got the wrong kind of coffee or if we just don't know how to make it right :)