Freedom of the seas May 2015

[finnola1984]

My boyfriend and I booked our first cruise and will be going on it the 10th May 2015, Freedom of the Seas, port canaveral, Haiti, Jamica, Grand caymen and Mexico. Ive done some research and was just wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks to make our cruise the best it can be? Thank you :)

[paul929207]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Just relax and don't sweat the small stuff. Have a wonderful cruise

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

You may be interested in joining your Roll Call to see what others on your cruise on doing -- at this link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2047016

[finnola1984]

Thats great, wasnt sure where to go to get spefic info :)

[cb at sea]

Just remember, it's a VACATION, not a marathon, or some "secret society" with "must dos"...just make sure to bring the proper ID's, and enough money to do the things you like! There rest will all fall into place!

[finnola1984]

i understand that lol ofcourse we want to chill and enjoy but its a big holiday and costing alot of money inclu flights etc (flights alone are €900 each) and seeing as its our first cruise i dont want to be clueless and id like to be aware of what is on offer or must do's etc. ;)

[paul929207]

Each evening you will get a schedule for the following day delivered to your cabin. Go over it to see what is offered and make tentative plans for it.

[finnola1984]

Oh i didnt realise that, thats great! Thanks Paul :)

[jhen]

So excited for you-we are going in August.

[serene56]

My boyfriend and I booked our first cruise and will be going on it the 10th May 2015, Freedom of the Seas, port canaveral, Haiti, Jamica, Grand caymen and Mexico. Ive done some research and was just wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks to make our cruise the best it can be? Thank you :)

 

head to the port of calls boards and look at each port

Grand cayman== swimming with the sting rays with a side trip to the beach

Look up Nativewayssports.

 

here is the link to the boards

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5

 

we are booked on the Freedom but must wait til April 2016

Edited March 30, 2015 by serene56

[George C]

My boyfriend and I booked our first cruise and will be going on it the 10th May 2015, Freedom of the Seas, port canaveral, Haiti, Jamica, Grand caymen and Mexico. Ive done some research and was just wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks to make our cruise the best it can be? Thank you :)

 

You will have a blast, do not miss String Ray City in Cayman, swimming is not needed you will be in 3 to 4 ft of water , I have done this several times and will do it again in 4 weeks on RCCL. Just relax great thing about a cruise is you can do as little or as much as you want. I would do at least 1 specialty restaurant depending on your taste on the cruise. Also join the "meet and greet" for your cruise so you can talk to others that will be on your cruise.

[beachclubgirl]

We did this exact cruise last year! You'll have a blast!

 

A few things that we really liked:

*Sting Ray City in Grand Caymen- We booked through Captain Marvins (not through RC). It was so much fun and we snorkeled at two different spots in addition to the stingrays.

 

*Dunns River Falls in Jamaica was a really fun adventure. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but I ended up loving it. We booked that excursion through RC because it is a drive from the port.

 

*Make a reservation for the ice show before you leave. It's a good show and a nice way to cool down for a little bit.

 

I hope you have a great trip!

[ulkowski]

My boyfriend and I booked our first cruise and will be going on it the 10th May 2015, Freedom of the Seas, port canaveral, Haiti, Jamica, Grand caymen and Mexico. Ive done some research and was just wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks to make our cruise the best it can be? Thank you :)

 

Welcome to cruising! There is so much to do on the Freedom and with these ports of call.

- Labadee: do the zip line

- Jamaica: must do the Dunn's River Falls. You can also check out Courtney Taylor Tours to do the Blue Hole and tubing adventure.

- Grand Cayman: swim with the stingrays! My wife and I did this as a combined tour through Fat Fish Adventures. Got a great tour of the back bay on jetskis.

- Cozumel: we prefer a quiet, private beach atmosphere. Check out Nachi Cocom. Otherwise, the excursions range from shopping to tours to bar-hopping.

Bottom line: check the prices for excursions offered through the ship and offered by company's in each port. Just make sure you are not late returning to the ship.

 

On the boat as someone previously mentioned, check out the daily (or next days) schedule. This is called the Cruise Compass. It is helpful to bring a highlighter to mark the activities you might want to attend.

- Consider bringing a power strip as the outlets are limited in each cabin.

- If you are big drinkers, consider buying a drink package.

- If you enjoy Italian food or a great steak, consider reserving a specialty restaurant on the day of departure. There is a discounted cost.

- Check in with your sailings Rollcall on Cruise Critic and sign up for the Meet & Mingle party. This is a great way to meet your fellow cruisers.

- Consider room service for breakfast as the Windjammer buffet can be crowded.

- If you plan to cruise again, consider the purchase of an "open booking" for your next cruise.

 

Honestly, there is too much to list in a single post. The best information is typically gleaned from your fellow cruisers. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. We will be on the Freedom on the May 24th sailing.

 

Hope this helps.

-Mike

[milsha28]

My boyfriend and I will be on the same cruise as you and it's our first cruise as well! Definitely join the roll call, we finally have enough people to do a meet and greet. Hopefully we see you there!

Edited April 2, 2015 by milsha28

[griffy116]

Ship: Don't miss the Ice Show or Quest (can't tell you what it is..it's adult only, but loads of laughs). Don't miss the parade or the 60's or 70's shows in the Promenade. Get there early to get a good spot to watch (try the Promenade Cafe or the pub). Check your daily Compass, which will be left in your cabin each evening to find out what's going on around the ship and what time the ship leaves.

 

Grand Cayman: Sting Ray City, Turtle Farm, Submarine ride, City of Hell, Rum Cakes. There is more than you can see or do in one day. Go to the excursions offered by RCI to see what is available.

 

Cozumel: Swimming with the Dolphins can be combined with the ruins or beach time.

 

Jamaica: If your port is Falmouth, you'll have a long drive if you go to Dunns River Falls. This is the one port where I would, for sure, book through the cruise line. They will provide transportation there and back and make sure you get back to the ship on time.

 

When on an excursion or on shore, carry a watch. Don't use your phone as it will adjust to shore time. Always set your watch to ship's time as that's when the ship will leave...with or without you. Carry the Compass with you when on shore as it has the emergency information for the ship's phone numbers should an emergency occur.

 

Check your roll call and you'll find others on this same cruise with you and you'll be able to share ideas and questions about everything from shore excursions to tips.

 

Enjoy. It's a WONDERFUL ship. We will be on it for the third time in June.