Carnival Freedom Cruise Review 1/25-2/2/2014

[Bhakti]

4 out of 5 stars.

 

For the Freedom (my 5th different ship with Carnival)

 

Pros:

(4) Great Port of Calls (San Juan, St. Mateen, St. Thomas and Grand Turks)

No Tendering, ships pull right up to the port

Excellent Service Overall (My liquor bought on port was lost(by staff) and was later found...thank you)

Great Shows/Entertainment

Lot's of Bingo

Super Fast Embarkment and Dis-embarkment

Just one would expect from the typical Carnival Cruise

Friendly service

 

Cons:

- Anytime dining- LONGER wait than usual (10-20 minute) versus other Carnival Ships. My dining time ranged from 7pm-9pm.

-Finding the Posh dining room for brunch required a treasure map with dotted lines; very difficult to find.

-Anytime seating is akward and not as structured as other Carnival Lines. For examples seating tables for (2) were placed in unsuitable areas such as the middle of the dining hall. Moreover, tables for (2) were almost shoulder to shoulder with other seating tables. Carnival staff should rethink this. I don't want to talk to others or make new friends;just my lovely wife.

-(3) separate times, there was a 15 minute wait between starter, main course and dessert. One time, dessert was never brought. Unusual for Carnival.

-Bathroom toilet stinks of sewer gas, albeit the rooms were VERY clean, there could not do anything about it and as the cruise went on the smell got unbearable.

-Tea time was meager versus other cruises. Only once go-around and not a lot of choices. Nothing exotics like other Carnival cruises. Asked for coffee, never got it.

-Lots of people falling in every port because of cobble stone walkway. Watch you step.

 

Still overall excellent would have given a 5 out of 5, but there is always room for improvements.

 

I did not choose any excursions offered by Carnival since I prefer to find the same activities on shore for next to nothing or 1/2 the price and just as excellent service.

 

Tips:

Grand Turks- Beach is near the ship, just get off and go. Free beach chairs and Umbrella. Go to Maragrettaville and get a HUGE one for $25 dollars and head on down to the beach. There is a quite side and a populated side of the beach. The quiet side has a lot of stone of it, but it still swimmable, can take good pictures or just relax there under the coconut trees. $10 for a coconut...LOL

 

St. Marteen- Excellent!! Walk to the beach right off the ship. Chair rental is $4. Shopping superb. Guavaberry Colada is a must try. Bought (5) bottles to take back since I took the time share tour and choose this as my gift. 2nd time on island and have done the horse back riding/snorkeling etc. One store have the legitimate cigars, fakes are easy to spot.

 

St. Thomas- $8 to Coki beach. $4 for beach chair. Food/drinks are served for price. You can go to Megan Bay but will be move expensive since most cabs will go to Coki beach because of the location of the ship dock.

 

San Juan- $20 to the beach. Ok shopping. $3 for a coconut. Super cheap liquor.

 

If you smoke cigarettes, 3 cartoons for $75, like I said it is easy to spot the fake cigars if you have the knowledge.

[Dare2Believe]

4 out of 5 stars.

 

For the Freedom (my 5th different ship with Carnival)

 

Pros:

(4) Great Port of Calls (San Juan, St. Mateen, St. Thomas and Grand Turks)

No Tendering, ships pull right up to the port

Excellent Service Overall (My liquor bought on port was lost(by staff) and was later found...thank you)

Great Shows/Entertainment

Lot's of Bingo

Super Fast Embarkment and Dis-embarkment

Just one would expect from the typical Carnival Cruise

Friendly service

 

Cons:

- Anytime dining- LONGER wait than usual (10-20 minute) versus other Carnival Ships. My dining time ranged from 7pm-9pm.

-Finding the Posh dining room for brunch required a treasure map with dotted lines; very difficult to find.

-Anytime seating is akward and not as structured as other Carnival Lines. For examples seating tables for (2) were placed in unsuitable areas such as the middle of the dining hall. Moreover, tables for (2) were almost shoulder to shoulder with other seating tables. Carnival staff should rethink this. I don't want to talk to others or make new friends;just my lovely wife.

-(3) separate times, there was a 15 minute wait between starter, main course and dessert. One time, dessert was never brought. Unusual for Carnival.

-Bathroom toilet stinks of sewer gas, albeit the rooms were VERY clean, there could not do anything about it and as the cruise went on the smell got unbearable.

-Tea time was meager versus other cruises. Only once go-around and not a lot of choices. Nothing exotics like other Carnival cruises. Asked for coffee, never got it.

-Lots of people falling in every port because of cobble stone walkway. Watch you step.

 

Still overall excellent would have given a 5 out of 5, but there is always room for improvements.

 

I did not choose any excursions offered by Carnival since I prefer to find the same activities on shore for next to nothing or 1/2 the price and just as excellent service.

 

Tips:

Grand Turks- Beach is near the ship, just get off and go. Free beach chairs and Umbrella. Go to Maragrettaville and get a HUGE one for $25 dollars and head on down to the beach. There is a quite side and a populated side of the beach. The quiet side has a lot of stone of it, but it still swimmable, can take good pictures or just relax there under the coconut trees. $10 for a coconut...LOL

 

St. Marteen- Excellent!! Walk to the beach right off the ship. Chair rental is $4. Shopping superb. Guavaberry Colada is a must try. Bought (5) bottles to take back since I took the time share tour and choose this as my gift. 2nd time on island and have done the horse back riding/snorkeling etc. One store have the legitimate cigars, fakes are easy to spot.

 

St. Thomas- $8 to Coki beach. $4 for beach chair. Food/drinks are served for price. You can go to Megan Bay but will be move expensive since most cabs will go to Coki beach because of the location of the ship dock.

 

San Juan- $20 to the beach. Ok shopping. $3 for a coconut. Super cheap liquor.

 

If you smoke cigarettes, 3 cartoons for $75, like I said it is easy to spot the fake cigars if you have the knowledge.

 

It sounds like you had a very nice time! We loved the Freedom. I do agree with you about the tea time..it was nice and relaxing, but I felt the offerings could have been a little better. Never been to tea time on other lines, but I can see how it could be improved.

[Joie]

Nice to hear....we will be on in a few weeks.

Hoping that the 4 of us can get a booth for dinner.....much easier than a table 3" from another table.

[Butterbean1000]

Leaving on the Freedom Saturday. So very excited.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[Engineerstar]

Thank Bhakti for all the info. Sooooo sorry for the sewer issue:<( Impressed you could overcome it.

If you don't mind me asking, "Which cabin# did ya'll have and was it at least quiet around it?"

[ColKlink]

Do you have any copies of the fun times that you can post?

[riclop]

4 out of 5 stars.

 

For the Freedom (my 5th different ship with Carnival)

 

Pros:

(4) Great Port of Calls (San Juan, St. Mateen, St. Thomas and Grand Turks)

No Tendering, ships pull right up to the port

Excellent Service Overall (My liquor bought on port was lost(by staff) and was later found...thank you)

Great Shows/Entertainment

Lot's of Bingo

Super Fast Embarkment and Dis-embarkment

Just one would expect from the typical Carnival Cruise

Friendly service

 

Cons:

- Anytime dining- LONGER wait than usual (10-20 minute) versus other Carnival Ships. My dining time ranged from 7pm-9pm.

-Finding the Posh dining room for brunch required a treasure map with dotted lines; very difficult to find.

-Anytime seating is akward and not as structured as other Carnival Lines. For examples seating tables for (2) were placed in unsuitable areas such as the middle of the dining hall. Moreover, tables for (2) were almost shoulder to shoulder with other seating tables. Carnival staff should rethink this. I don't want to talk to others or make new friends;just my lovely wife.

-(3) separate times, there was a 15 minute wait between starter, main course and dessert. One time, dessert was never brought. Unusual for Carnival.

-Bathroom toilet stinks of sewer gas, albeit the rooms were VERY clean, there could not do anything about it and as the cruise went on the smell got unbearable.

-Tea time was meager versus other cruises. Only once go-around and not a lot of choices. Nothing exotics like other Carnival cruises. Asked for coffee, never got it.

-Lots of people falling in every port because of cobble stone walkway. Watch you step.

 

Still overall excellent would have given a 5 out of 5, but there is always room for improvements.

 

I did not choose any excursions offered by Carnival since I prefer to find the same activities on shore for next to nothing or 1/2 the price and just as excellent service.

 

Tips:

Grand Turks- Beach is near the ship, just get off and go. Free beach chairs and Umbrella. Go to Maragrettaville and get a HUGE one for $25 dollars and head on down to the beach. There is a quite side and a populated side of the beach. The quiet side has a lot of stone of it, but it still swimmable, can take good pictures or just relax there under the coconut trees. $10 for a coconut...LOL

 

St. Marteen- Excellent!! Walk to the beach right off the ship. Chair rental is $4. Shopping superb. Guavaberry Colada is a must try. Bought (5) bottles to take back since I took the time share tour and choose this as my gift. 2nd time on island and have done the horse back riding/snorkeling etc. One store have the legitimate cigars, fakes are easy to spot.

 

St. Thomas- $8 to Coki beach. $4 for beach chair. Food/drinks are served for price. You can go to Megan Bay but will be move expensive since most cabs will go to Coki beach because of the location of the ship dock.

 

San Juan- $20 to the beach. Ok shopping. $3 for a coconut. Super cheap liquor.

 

If you smoke cigarettes, 3 cartoons for $75, like I said it is easy to spot the fake cigars if you have the knowledge.

Thanks for your thoughts.