Freedom of the Seas Cruise March 9th-16th; A cruise of firsts

[LizzieandLuke]

Your review made me very excited for our August Freedom Cruise and most importantly informed!

 

I think yours was the first review I ever read that mentions Jade. I always thought it was a specialty restaurant too. The way I understand it, it is attached to the Wind Jammer but it own separate entity - I am assuming it is still a buffet. Does it have all kinds of Asian food? Are you seated separately from the rest of the Wind Jammer for both lunch and dinner? My daughter loves Chinese food (at the least the American version) and think this is great!

 

Thanks!

[tdmullins]

Your review made me very excited for our August Freedom Cruise and most importantly informed!

 

I think yours was the first review I ever read that mentions Jade. I always thought it was a specialty restaurant too. The way I understand it, it is attached to the Wind Jammer but it own separate entity - I am assuming it is still a buffet. Does it have all kinds of Asian food? Are you seated separately from the rest of the Wind Jammer for both lunch and dinner? My daughter loves Chinese food (at the least the American version) and think this is great!

 

Thanks!

 

It is separate, but it is easy to think it is part of Windjammer if you don't pay attention. Like I did. I was in the mindset that once you passed the greeter and the hand sanitizer stations that the windjammer started. But it actually starts right past the first buffet station, which is Jade. The seating is separate.

 

This is Jade in the picture, the Windjammer starts right after the buffet pictured on the left.

 

 

I guess that answers the buffet question too..lol. The have a different Asian selection each night, including a soup. We really enjoyed it. Let me know if I answer any other questions.

[tdmullins]

I have enjoyed your review very much :D one of the best. Thanks for sharing,.

 

Thank you! That means a lot to me!

[tdmullins]

We sat and discussed our week. Here is Tony reflecting on our vacation.

 

 

Doesn't look like he could cry? Well I wanted to, because I did NOT want to get off the next day.

 

From there we headed back to the room to finish up our packing and setting our suitcases outside the door. Before dinner, I had done most of my packing. I also had filled out one of my WOW envelopes and put in a extra tip for Supri. He had been very good to me and I thought he deserved a little extra. I just gave it to him as we left for dinner since he was in the hallway when we left. As a matter of fact it seemed like he was always in the hallway when I left the room.

 

So with the luggage all packed and waiting to go to their home for the night. We headed out and walked around one more time.

 

I shot a video of walking from our room to the Promenade. I ususally love being midship but this time I kinda wish I had went more aft. Our cabin was pretty well located midways of the promenade. So that meant no matter where we wanted to go on the Promenade we had to walk all the way to the elevators/stairs. We thought if we had picked a room closer to one end or the other we would be able to do a "quick" jaunt to either Sorrento's or Promenade Cafe. The way it worked out we weren't close enough to anything for a quick trip to anywhere.

 

This video should also give you an idea of how big the Freedom of the Seas is.

 

[YOUTUBE]iN6CpGLywX4[/YOUTUBE]

 

 

I also shot this video while riding the elevators facing inside with a view of the Promenade.

 

[YOUTUBE]81VYhjYqWZ4[/YOUTUBE]

 

After our last trip around the ship we headed back to our cabin. I set the alarm for 7am because we had number 5 luggage tags and they were scheduled to depart at 7:45.

[tdmullins]

We got up at 7, got ready, grabbed the stuff we hadn't packed in our luggage, and then headed down to the Arcadia per the instructions left in our room. The room finders turn into "call " boards. It will list what numbers have been called already. I had my items all ready, (passport, seapass, and customs form) so we stood in front of the room finder in front the the theatre and waited for our number to be called.

 

 

This was handy, because we could hear what was being said in the theatre but also see the board. We didnt have to wait too long before #5 was called.

 

Now here is a warning for those who think they are going to go before your number is called. On your way out we were asked no less than four times what our number was. At the first gentleman we encountered a guy in front of us answered #10. He was promptly seated and told he would have to wait. We were actually then stopped by the last lady. I heard the couple in front of us say #5, in which she replied "your number has not been called yet." She turned to us and asked, we said #5. And the look on her face was one of frustration. I explained to her that both the staff in the theatre and the boards called #5. She got on her radio and found out that she was wrong and let us go through. We got into the luggage turnstile area just as our luggage was going by. But we were not close enough to grab it and I could not get around people fast enough to get it. So we had to wait for it to come back around. It only took about 5 minutes to come back around but of course it felt like a half an hour. And of course I stood there and complained to Tony that if the lady had not detained us we would have been there when the luggage came through the first time....lol. Customs had two lines going and was very quick. Once it was our turn to show passports and turn in our customs forms, the officer looked at us and said.."Hey the Mullinses from Pikeville!" I was confused. Come to find out he was from our hometown area! Such a small world, really.

 

I left Tony with the luggage and I went for the van. I snapped this picture on my way. I just had to turn around and say goodbye one more time.

 

 

We were on the road by 9am! We were so excited because that meant we would be home way before midnight!

 

So we turned on our cell phones and started working immediately. We answered emails, messages and calls all the way home. With a couple of stops to find Wi-fi! WELCOME HOME!!! Tony snapped this photo of me while eating some breakfast at Cracker Barrel.

 

 

I was so sick of that phone by the time I got home!

 

 

And BTW..midnight was just a dream. We pretty well crawled through South Carolina with traffic stopped at times. Here we are sitting in the parking lot know as I95.

 

 

We actually got home closer to 1am. Three hours longer than it should have taken!

 

 

 

Hope everyone has enjoyed the review. I have all of the cruise compasses and plan on scanning them tomorrow and posting those. If anyone has any questions on anything I did not mention or didnt explain very good, please ask away!!!

 

Good night and thanks for sailing with The Boss Lady!

Edited April 5, 2014 by tdmullins

[shelbylook]

Thank you so much for the fabulous review. Again, I'm so sorry our paths didn't cross. We are going to book the same cruise for next March 8th. We all really enjoyed the Freedom. Why not join us??? Itinerary is a little different (St Thomas instead of San Juan) but in our opinion it's a good thing.

 

I hope we can keep in touch. That young man we've talked about is in Vegas now getting ready for a particular awards show. ;)

 

Cathy

[tdmullins]

Thank you so much for the fabulous review. Again, I'm so sorry our paths didn't cross. We are going to book the same cruise for next March 8th. We all really enjoyed the Freedom. Why not join us??? Itinerary is a little different (St Thomas instead of San Juan) but in our opinion it's a good thing.

 

I hope we can keep in touch. That young man we've talked about is in Vegas now getting ready for a particular awards show. ;)

 

Cathy

 

I know I am sad we did not get to meet too! Is he getting to play? I am going to try to watch because I have friends out there playing the show. (They are with Justin Moore)

 

We talked about doing this ship again, and St Maartin because we didnt get to really see the island this time. St Thomas would be an added bonus since I have not been there yet. And...March 9th will be around our window. But of course you know how the music industry is and I will have to wait to make sure no concerts schedule for that week. But I will for sure keep my eye on it. Maybe go ahead and book if some good offer or sale pops up. I can always move it if I catch it in time.

 

We have to finally meet! LOL

[Beacher123]

Is the Windjammer dimmed with lights, tablecloths, etc. like Jade is at dinner? I love Chinese food, my dh not so much. Is it feasible for me to do Jade and him to do the regular buffet, but eat together in Jade?

 

We are cruising on FOS on May 11 to the Western Caribbean. :)

[tdmullins]

Is the Windjammer dimmed with lights, tablecloths, etc. like Jade is at dinner? I love Chinese food, my dh not so much. Is it feasible for me to do Jade and him to do the regular buffet, but eat together in Jade?

 

We are cruising on FOS on May 11 to the Western Caribbean. :)

 

Totally!! Most nights after getting our selections in Jade we would check out the other selections in the Windjammer. We basically ate from both places. They always had a different "culture" each night. I slacked and didn't get any pictures of this. I also enjoyed getting a salad every night at dinner, which is basically the next buffet section past Jade. This is where your nightly bread and cheese selection would be too.

 

It's all basically right there together so its very easy to get a variety and sit in the Jade area or the Windjammer area. BTW the soda machines are located right there in Jade also.

[oncruisecontrol]

We went to Studio B around 8:15 for the 9pm show. Which was a good thing because the line got long fast! They did scan our seapass and told anyone without reservations to step to the side and wait to see if there would be any spots available.

 

The show started out slow to me. My thinking at that point was “eh, this is ok. But I am not really impressed.” But then it kicked up a notch. The special guests Slava & Katya wowed the crowd. She changed outfits no less than 10 times I think. They were awesome.

 

 

Here are some more pictures from the show.

 

 

 

Yes, that pirate has three legs.

 

Thanks for your wonderful review. I just took my first cruise on RCI back in January on Liberty of the Seas. And I must say that I was extremely impressed by the ice skating show. I did not expect to see so many difficult jumps on such small ice and on a cruise ship, no less. I mean, these skaters were doing double Axel, triple toe loop, triple Salchow along with difficult lifts and pair spins. The music was wonderful as well. Some of my favorites were used such as Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera, Borodin's Polovetsian Dances from "Prince Igor", and an Asian themed number with vocals to the music of Gustav Holst's "Jupiter" from The Planets. The photos you post here of the show seem to be different numbers than what were performed by the skaters in the show on the Liberty. Do you remember what some of the music was in the show?

[Debitoo]

Thanks Terri for the great review! That video showed that you really had a long walk to the promenade! What cabin # were you in?

[tdmullins]

Thanks Terri for the great review! That video showed that you really had a long walk to the promenade! What cabin # were you in?

 

Thanks! I was in cabin #9280

[tdmullins]

Thanks for your wonderful review. I just took my first cruise on RCI back in January on Liberty of the Seas. And I must say that I was extremely impressed by the ice skating show. I did not expect to see so many difficult jumps on such small ice and on a cruise ship, no less. I mean, these skaters were doing double Axel, triple toe loop, triple Salchow along with difficult lifts and pair spins. The music was wonderful as well. Some of my favorites were used such as Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera, Borodin's Polovetsian Dances from "Prince Igor", and an Asian themed number with vocals to the music of Gustav Holst's "Jupiter" from The Planets. The photos you post here of the show seem to be different numbers than what were performed by the skaters in the show on the Liberty. Do you remember what some of the music was in the show?

 

Unfortunately I can not remember one song that was played during this show. I wish now that I had made some notes regarding that. Well, I can remember one...the Age of Aquarius. Only because They started the show with a 70's montage.

[thebooth]

Really enjoyed this review.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[oncruisecontrol]

Unfortunately I can not remember one song that was played during this show. I wish now that I had made some notes regarding that. Well, I can remember one...the Age of Aquarius. Only because They started the show with a 70's montage.

Thanks for the reply. Now that I think of it, they did do a couple of rock numbers in the show on Liberty, one of which was "Pinball Wizard" by The Who.

[itsalexduhhh]

I will be going on my first (and many more in the future) on Freedom in August. After reading your review makes me wish it was August already eeeek I can't wait!!

 

 

-Alex

[tdmullins]

I will be going on my first (and many more in the future) on Freedom in August. After reading your review makes me wish it was August already eeeek I can't wait!!

 

 

-Alex

 

Thanks! You are going to love this ship!

[tdmullins]

Here is a few pictures that didn't make it into the review, but thought I would share with you.

 

The chapel. It is the only thing on deck 15, and you must walk up stairs located near Olive & Twist. It's very neat and I could imagine how nice it would be to get married there.

 

 

 

I meant to come back with my GoPro and get a panoramic view of it, but never made it back.

 

The fruit basket brought to our room. In which the poor guy knocked over a drink when setting it down. (Notice the napkin in the floor trying to soak it up)

 

 

I am not sure if this is just a suite perk or if all cabins get it. But it's nice to have for snacks.

 

The Micheal Kors store.

 

 

I love these little daily reminders. But warning to do start changing them around 10:30 at night so it can be a little confusing..lol

 

 

 

Notice this garbage can?

 

 

It became a little game between Supri and myself. I would come in and move it beside the dressing table area. It was more convenient for me there. He would clean and move it back. This went on twice a day..until I finally won around the 5th day...lol.

[beshears]

TDmullins, thank you for letting me know that the Solarium is free. I knew it was for adults, but thought we had to pay to use that area.

[beshears]

I believe this "Jade" is on the FOTS? If that is the case, is Jade a paying restaurant,or a buffet, or what?

[At Sea 4Ever]

I believe this "Jade" is on the FOTS? If that is the case, is Jade a paying restaurant,or a buffet, or what?

 

 

Jade is a complimentary station in the windjammer.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[tdmullins]

I believe this "Jade" is on the FOTS? If that is the case, is Jade a paying restaurant,or a buffet, or what?

 

Yes, this was the Freedom of the seas. And it is a complimentary buffet located in the Windjammer area.

[iuki]

First of all I love Starbucks! And it looks like someone already answered about the board. Yes, its a place where people post notices. I didn't read any posted tho, so I am not sure what all was being posted this cruise.

 

No there is no charge for the Solarium, its just a kid free area.

 

The welcome back party is just for returning cruisers, so your friend would not be able to if this is her first Royal Caribbean Cruise. I did not get to go to it but I am pretty sure they serve cocktails.

 

I hope I answered your questions. Let me know if I can help in any other way.

 

Is the solarium pool heated? Going on the same cruise as beshears.

[Choozin Croozin]

Is there still a coffee and tea station in cafe' promenade serving Seattles best or is a purchase coffee only?

[Clarea]

Is there still a coffee and tea station in cafe' promenade serving Seattles best or is a purchase coffee only?

Still a complimentary coffee and tea station.