Freedom of the Seas - A family review 2/8/2015

[njmomof2]

For future reference this class of ships has balcony/interior connecting cabin on the aft 9th deck.... I have wanted to try them since 2011 sigh....looking forward to living vicariously through your family until I can book and finally start planning our next cruise (hopefully June 2015)

 

So the OP isn't confused, that combo is double/double. So it would not work with a family of 6.

 

But for most families of 4, it's a great option.

[FunX5]

I can't wait to read the rest of your review! We're also a homeschool family that will be going on Freedom soon!

[CaribbeanCrush]

Looking forward to the rest of your review. We love the Freedom, planning a December cruise.

[DutchCruiseFan]

Very Nice, keep up the good work!!

[Madsofa]

Folowing along, we cruised on Freedom in 2012. Getting ready for Oasis in March.

[jewel825]

Looking forward to hearing how your cruise is going when you return back to Florida. Nice "meeting" your family online. Have a fantastic time. We will be on the Freedom in April and can hardly wait!

[ryano]

Thanks for your review :) Even though you are on a different itinerary than i will be, I will certainly be following along! 62 more days and I will be there!

[clochette]

great review so far I can't wait to read more.

[mchin]

Subscribed. Look forward to your review. We are booked on Freedom again next year.

[BLAMBKY]

So the OP isn't confused, that combo is double/double. So it would not work with a family of 6.

 

But for most families of 4, it's a great option.

 

Good catch, I had not even thought of the number part. :o

[wilmingtech]

Hey All - Not neglecting you. We just got back on ship from being in St. Thomas. Its been an amazing time so far and just way too much to just dump all right here while in port for another hour. Kids are writing a bit too for there homeschool.

 

Ship seems to be making good time for running on 2 engines. Left Coco Cay 3 hours early and arrived in St. Thomas an hour early while fighting some fierce winds last night.

 

As of right now we have an on time departure scheduled from St. Martin tomorrow at 5pm.

 

The ship has a very noticeable vibration in the stern. If you have a room in the aft area of the ship you will definitely notice....at least until the engine issue is remedied.

 

I did win 30 minutes of free WiFi at the meet and greet so I'll try to upload some more on the next sea day.

 

-Sean

[bobmacliberty]

Can't believe that I'm saying this but...

 

Enjoy your cruise with your family. Don't worry about us. You'll have lots of time when the cruise is done to re-live it by sharing all of the details with us. Just make sure that you take lots of pictures to share. :)

[mrs.cog]

Hope you are having a wonderful cruise. Looking forward to your review.

[Mrsmud]

We are sailing on Feb 22 and would like to know if your drinks made it to your room. It would be nice to check them so I dont have to carry them around.

Also would like more info on the vibration. We are towards the back of the ship on 9th floor. Wondering how bad the vibration is.

Have the sees been rough?

[countrymama28]

We aren't sailing on Freedom until next February, but this will be my first time on a ship of her size (my largest ship to date is the Radiance) I struggle badly with motion sickness (spent the better part of my last Carribbean cruise on the Legend laying in bed) and I'd love to know how the Freedom handles rougher waters. We'll be mid-ship on deck 8. I'm really hoping it's a better experience for me! I'm excited to read more of your review!:D

[wilmingtech]

We are finally back and its been a whirlwind of craziness since we got off the ship. Mostly due to life stuff that hasnt gone as planned and was mostly unexpected. Its almost been a comedy of craziness but Ill spare you all the details and atick to the review.

 

1st to answer some questions...

Will you please keep your eyes open and let me know what you see about carrying soda or water on through security. We cruise soon on FOS and never had problems at the old terminal but I heard this new terminal was a bit picky with not allowing. Also, regular scanner or full scans like the airports.

 

I would really appreciate it.

No problem. We checked soda and wine and had to go to the naughty room to pick up our checked bag. It had 2 bottles of wine in it and a case of soda cans and some other things we did not need right away.

 

We also hand carried through security 2 bottles of wine and someone else traveling in a different room with us (who was obviously in our group) also carried 2 bottles of wine and redbull through security. No one asked any questions or asked to look in our bags. Dont think security even cared about the wine or soda we hand carried.

 

I will say that the porters probably wont take a case of water or soda unless packed and may ask about wine packed in bags. The first porter asked us about the one very heavy backpack with wine and soda in it and said he wouldnt take the wine as a checked bag. Said it could break, make a mess and security would confiscate. So we dropped everything else off and kept the bag with us until about an hour later when we came back with just the one heavy backpack and checked it and was never asked about it the second time we checked it.

 

We kind of laughed at that as we pulled up in a conversion van with 7 people in it, quickly dropped a single heavy backpack and then sped off....we wondered if the 2nd porter was ever nervous about what was in the backpack....

[wilmingtech]

Loving your review! But, as someone who grew up in the area, Cocoa Beach is hardly a "run down beach town." I agree there are a lot of hotels that are aging, but Cocoa Beach by and large is a community full of people that live and breathe life into the surrounding area. It is not driven by tourism like every other port you'll visit, nor does it depend on the port for survival. I believe the area you are referring to is Cape Canaveral. Best Western isn't the best hotel in the area, so I can see how it would give you the impression that it isn't the beautiful community that it is.

 

Can't wait to see your ship review! Happy sailing!

 

TomAceEsq - I spent many years on cocoa beach surfing the pier and surrounding areas. My first daughter was born here and we lived in rockledge for a while when we first got married. So I know Cocoa Beach well. I dont mean run down beach town in a derogatory way...especially to the people that live there as it is a great community. But with the giant behomoth of a building sitting empty on the northbound side (they are finally tearing it down) The rustys/fischers/bernard surf all closed down with a pawn shop next door and the hole in the wall beach bar across the street along with the lack of nice areas to walk around (compared to St. Petersburg, Sarasota, New Smyrna and St. Augustine in Florida and certainly nothing like any of the smaller beach towns on the west coast such as Ventura and Monterey and Santa Cruz) I would say in that Cocoa Beach is lacking.

 

They have done a nice job with the pier though. It is well maintained and has very nice showers, restaurants and entertainment.

 

-Sean

[wilmingtech]

We are sailing on Feb 22 and would like to know if your drinks made it to your room. It would be nice to check them so I dont have to carry them around.

Also would like more info on the vibration. We are towards the back of the ship on 9th floor. Wondering how bad the vibration is.

Have the sees been rough?

 

You can feel the vibration all through the aft end of the ship. From the dining room on the 3rd floor up to the sports deck up on 13. Its less prominent the higher you go. It feels like a massaging chair on low (I joked we had massaging chairs in the dining room) and by the 2nd night I didnt really notice it as it just droned on in the background.

 

I dont think it would be too much of a bother unless you are very sensitive to noises and vibrations when you sleep. I think it would lull me to sleep if I was back there.

 

-Sean

[wilmingtech]

We aren't sailing on Freedom until next February, but this will be my first time on a ship of her size (my largest ship to date is the Radiance) I struggle badly with motion sickness (spent the better part of my last Carribbean cruise on the Legend laying in bed) and I'd love to know how the Freedom handles rougher waters. We'll be mid-ship on deck 8. I'm really hoping it's a better experience for me! I'm excited to read more of your review!:D

 

On our way south we roll through the tail end of the big low that rolled off the Carolina coast. There was a bit of rain, thunderstorms and wind (about 30-40 mph) The seas were choppy but maybe 3-5 feet. You could feel it but it wouldnt keep you from walking straight.

 

On the 1st sea day on the way back we had a big clean rolling ground swell of maybe 7-10 foot waves. The ship really moved on this day. Initially the swell was hitting the ship dead on and the bow would rise up and come back down. It was pretty awesome.

 

We are an adventurous family so we really enjoyed the swell. My wife and I sat out on the bow at night and just let the adrenaline flow as we were lifted up and the wind would stop and then the wind would blow up over you as the bow came back down into the ocean.

 

Two of my kids felt a little under the weather the next morning but they each took a dramamine and by noon they were fine.

 

The second sea day the swell was smaller but came in at an angle so you could feel the ship roll side to side.

 

One thing I love about this ship is being able to sit on the bow. Its awesome that this area is open to the public. I suggest a daily walk around the 4th deck outside. Its a nice complete circle of the ship.

 

We did meet one person who was on her 3rd cruise and she gets seasick all the time but says if she takes bonnie starting the day before and regularly each day then she doesnt det sick at all.

 

Also the crew we spoke with all said this is highly unusual to have waves at all in the Caribbean. They say the seas are usually much smaller and unnoticed.

 

-Sean

[breezy_carol]

Also would like more info on the vibration. We are towards the back of the ship on 9th floor. Wondering how bad the vibration is.

Have the sees been rough?

I was on my first cruise and it was on the Freedom this past October, before drydock. I did not know how I would handle the motion. I was fine with the ocean motion, no seasickness. But, I really felt the vibration, especially on the bed. (Don't get any ideas. ;)) We were midship/aft on deck 8. Cabin 8660. It took me a day or two to get used to it.

[Choozin Croozin]

Just following along. Thank you for posting.

[ampc007]

I hope OP you are coming back to tell us more :) I have a few questions but we aren't sailing until sept.

[#55worktoplay]

Just came upon your review and have it completed to the end so far...

 

It is a good review I do hope you come back.

 

Being RV'ers although not full time I saw your luggage and sat and wondered now where would I ever put all that luggage in our RV I don't have to worry know we are not a family of 6 so it wouldn't be so much.

 

Enjoying your review and can't wait to hear how you all liked the ship and how the kids enjoyed (or not) the kids clubs that they were in.

 

My husband too is gluten free and he got his pizza fix each day on the Liberty of the Seas. They cooked it fresh every time he went in they would tell him to go back in 15 and fresh would be waiting. He loved it and he loved that the head waiter would come to see him each night in the dining room to discuss the next nights meals with him. It was really nice that they actually seemed to care and the food was all good we never went hungry that's for sure.

 

Well hope your everyday life hasn't taken you away from finishing this off.

 

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

[wilmingtech]

Hello Everyone -

 

Sorry that I have not finished up this review yet.....it is coming. I had previously contracted to work an event 2 days after this cruise. While on the ship I had my phone stolen and then when we got back our motorcoach which had been in the shop for 2 weeks getting some repairs done was not finished. So I had about 48 hours to scramble to figure out accommodations for the family while I was out of town and at the same time get me a phone. On top of that I've worked 120+ hours while at this event so I haven't had a whole lot of free time. I fly back tomorrow and have already asked the kids to put together some feedback while I was gone. So hopefully if all goes well Ill get this wrapped up in the next week.

 

-Sean

[ampc007]

No worries sorry that all happened! Was your phone stolen out of your room? Looking forward to the review since we have kids similar in ages.

 

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