‘But Who’s Running Canada?!’ - Freedom of the Seas March 13 2016 Review

[absolutonrox]

Subscribed! Sailing on her in October, can't wait! Not from Canada, but a HUGE hockey fan. So that makes me honorary Canadian, right??? :D

[tamtot]

Love your writing style. And that you have a daughter named Jelly. I'm in for the great read!

 

 

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

[TNcrzr4life]

Sailing April 17 for the first time in Freedom class. Can't wait to hear and see more[emoji3]

[fairymum]

I wasn't on the cruise but are you talking about audience participation during Billy Idol's "Mony Mony"? We have always done the sing along, not sure how I ever learned it or where it came from and cannot repeat it here for obvious reasons :). I did just find this link which has some info. http://ajournalofmusicalthings.com/where-did-the-special-lyrics-in-billy-idols-version-of-mony-mony-come-from/

 

 

Thank you Myself and my husband had never heard it before it was hilarious [emoji23]

[CanadaCathi]

Just read the 1st page but I'm in! Fellow Canadian - I was on your cruise too. (I think we Canucks basically took over the ship:))

 

I also just reported here that we converted from Dis to the Royal-side. Can't wait to read more - I'll be wearing the stretchy pants for a few weeks. That cruise food was soooo good!

 

 

I just saw your other post, and this is how I feel as well. If I'm going to pay half the money but still have great service, fun things to do, a bigger room with a balcony, good food, and my kid is still going to have a blast - ummmm yeah!

[CanadaCathi]

Subscribed! Sailing on her in October, can't wait! Not from Canada, but a HUGE hockey fan. So that makes me honorary Canadian, right??? :D

 

 

As long as you don't say 'Red Wings'.

It's funny because people assume as a Canadian I'm a Leafs fan, but I lived in NC for 18 years and watched the Hurricanes grow into a great team. And more importantly, was a volunteer so got to see a game when they won the cup FOR FREE. Press box seat. Hockey is just much more accessible there; I couldn't get anywhere near a Leafs game here. So I'm a diehard lifelong Caniac as a result.

[CanadaCathi]

MaddyandMax, Virtopia, and the rest of my fellow locals, nice to 'see' you!

The first day at sea I was on the pool deck and started talking to the woman beside me - she was from Pickering. Then I got in the pool and the couple beside me were from Haliburton. It was hilarious.

I did meet a handful of Americans and they represented very well, especially my Kansas City dinner friends and quite a few folks from Denver.

[Miryam1234]

Following!

I am nowhere near Canada, but as that seems to be the perfect answer here to any question, I'll say CANADA!

 

Enjoying your writing style, and looking forward for more. Thanks.

[beej]

Comfy jammys, cuppa, and waiting for the next installment. WOOHOO, I'm sailin with Cathi

[tlatrice]

Ok, it sounds like we're ready to go. Remember, if you brought snacks, you have to share with the group.

 

I was actually eating when I read this and just fell out laughing!!!! :p:D

[DrD]

MaddyandMax, Virtopia, and the rest of my fellow locals, nice to 'see' you!

The first day at sea I was on the pool deck and started talking to the woman beside me - she was from Pickering. Then I got in the pool and the couple beside me were from Haliburton. It was hilarious.

I did meet a handful of Americans and they represented very well, especially my Kansas City dinner friends and quite a few folks from Denver.

 

Yes, folks from Denver are usually very nice. One of many reasons I love living here.

[wolfganghowell]

Wait...what? Where'd you go? Come back - we need MORE INTEL! This sounds like it's going to be a great virtual cruise.

[CanadaCathi]

We left home after I’d finished work on a Friday to stay at a cheap Park/Sleep/Fly type place across from Pearson International in Toronto, the Airport Rd Comfort Inn. It’s become much sketchier the past few years, so that was our last stay there. Zero sleep. Don’t stay there, local friends. The woman who manages it is very sweet, but there is no elevator and it’s aging none too gracefully. Like, the toilet didn’t flush. That ain’t graceful.

 

Anyhow, after a night of no sleep the grumpy mama was up at 4:45a to get the shuttle so we could go through customs with plenty of time to spare, and then off to Orlando! We had a layover in Atlanta that was long enough to fulfill our Chick-Fil-A and sweet tea requirements, and everything was smooth and on time. From MCO we had booked the Cocoa Beach shuttle, which is what the Radisson recommended; I believe it was just under $60 for the two of us. The driver pointed out interesting landmarks and provided us with entertaining facts during the drive to the hotel.

 

We got checked in to the scenic Radisson Resort at the Port and immediately changed into suits (bathing, not business) and hit the poolside Tiki Bar for some frozen refreshments, then spent some time enjoying the grotto. It was GORGEOUS. Like, I almost didn’t want to leave. And I promised Jelly that next year we’d come back, and we’d stay TWO nights. Because I like making expensive promises, apparently.

 

 

The beds were comfy, there was a nice sized fridge, I loved the tiled shower (but note, no bathtub for a young’un), and there were lots of pool areas.

 

 

For dinner Yelp had told me our best bet was Thai Thai right across the street, and it was perfect. Jelly ate so much sushi that they felt sorry for me and snuck her a few free pieces (girlfriend loves her some shrimp and crab). I recommend the ‘Monkey Brains’ concoction.

 

The next morning, well-rested from a very quiet and peaceful sleep, we sampled the somewhat skimpy breakfast bar (the omelet station saved them, that and the plentiful sweet tea), got packed up and checked out, and waded out into the chaos that was the shuttle to port. There were approximately 1482 people with the same idea, and not a great deal of organization, so our name got skipped over and we waited 45 minutes before finally getting a ride. Next time I’d arrange separate transportation I think; the earliest their shuttles depart is 10:30a, and they were behind schedule immediately.

 

But, finally, we arrived at Port and saw our ship waiting for us!

[CanadaCathi]

So finally, at long last, we were at port. The line to check in looked long, but we spent only about 10 minutes in it; to get in the doors, at least.

 

Then we were in a REALLY long line to check in, but it moved quickly and there were a lot of people watching opportunities, and I’m one of those who likes to start up conversations with strangers, so I was entertained. It took us about 30-40 minutes to get to the desk, and then we were on our way to board with Seapass cards in hand!

 

If you’re use to cruising with Disney, don’t expect any fancy welcome or anyone shouting out your name like you’re Lady Gaga. We had some initial confusion and overwhelmed-ness, so we just sat down in the first lounge we saw for 5 minutes to get our bearings. Once we determined the general direction of the traffic we checked out the Promenade, where Jelly immediately slammed down her first of many Sorrento’s slices. I’m not a pizza fan to begin with, and took my first and only bite out of one of her pieces. It reminded me of a place we went to in college, which is to say that free was overpriced. But small children, teenagers, and the mildly inebriated seemed to enjoy it, and I had some pesto pasta salad and a selection of cold cuts (a very nice prosciutto and some salami), so I was fine. Really, I was too excited to be hungry, and I knew I’d get plenty of eating done later.

 

Checking in to our room my immediate reaction was ‘bigger’. Like, even the hallways seemed wider than on the Magic. The room was definitely bigger, and the balcony was wonderful.

 

 

The Magic had a split bathroom which some people like, but it made me very claustrophobic, whereas I loved the bathroom on Freedom, where my knees weren’t bashing into things and my stuff wasn’t rolling around on open shelves. There was a small closed vanity to the left of the mirror- make sure to look for it, it’s not obvious. The only downside was that the one outlet was only shaver-friendly, my little nightlight didn’t work in it. And again, shower only – no tub for the littles. It had a hand-held adjustable head, and the design was such that you set the temperature with one knob, and there was a separate on/off, which I liked. I had remembered to grab our much nicer mini shampoo/conditioner/soap from the Radisson and stretched those out as long as I could before having to use the ship shampoo, which at least didn’t smell clinical. And yes, there’s one of the bathing suit hanger thingies that pulls out across the top of the shower.

 

The room was set up with both beds together initially – I made the kid sleep on the couch the first night to see if she could deal with that, but then I felt like a bad mom so had the beds pulled apart. There have been a LOT of debates on this forum about the comfort of the beds, and foam toppers, and egg crates, and sleep number systems, and god only knows what. All I know is, by the end of the day I fell into that bed and slept like a baby. There was a thin fabric mattress pad on our beds but really, I didn’t care. Eat, drink, sun, sleeeeeeeeeeep.

 

Now, here’s where the Disney cruisers might get a teensy bit upset. The room was not perfect. There were some nicks and scuffs on the bathroom sink and underneath it. Inside the little vanity some paint was peeling. One of our sheets had a small tear in it. These are all things that you would NOT experience on a Disney ship, but were things that did not bother me in the slightest. I figure there is going to be some wear and tear, and as long as it’s clean, I can cope. Around day 4 or 5 maintenance painted our balcony railing while we were in port and it was a little tacky (like, sticky, not déclassé) the rest of the cruise, but it looked very nice and definitely needed it. Hey, it gets beaten up by salt water and wind and sun and storms all the time, that’s fair. I did not at any time notice anything ‘messy’ or dirty on the ship; the few times we used public bathrooms they were spotless and again, the stalls MUCH bigger than the Disney ship. Public areas like the dining rooms (and the galley!) were spotless.

 

Ok, I immediately take that back about not noticing anything messy. By late afternoon the pool area decks were a disaster. People who had left drink cups and food garbage under patio chairs rather than walking the 10 feet to hand them to someone or throw them away – tsk tsk. Straws blew into the pools; kids skidded in melted cocktails. Disney definitely stayed on top of the cleanup better, and had better lifeguards. At least it wasn’t like my hilariously terrible Carnival cruise where there were beer bottles in the hot tubs most nights (and yes, I know there are some very nice Carnival cruises, I’m not bashing, I got what I paid for, which was like $600, so I should shut my yap). But I definitely noticed the difference between the Magic pool areas, where the lifeguards were plentiful and attentive, and the Freedom pools, where they were noticeably absent. There were a few dudes hanging out at random times blowing whistles at kids in the H2O zone, but not always. I’ve got a Jellyfish who’s had years of lessons and summers at her grandparent’s cottage, and I watch my kid, so I wasn’t bothered by this, I was more annoyed by the detritus.

 

But in summary regarding the room; Jelly and I definitely never felt like we were tripping over each other or on top of each other, and I felt like there was plenty of storage (little cabinets on either side of the desk mirror, shelving in the closet, ample room under the bed for even my big suitcase). We were right around the corner from the elevators, starboard aft on deck 8, and liked the location. There were NO problems or issues with noise at all, and only the very gentlest of movement (definitely felt it more on Magic). So for the room – Freedom +1.

[BillOh]

From MCO we had booked the Cocoa Beach shuttle, which is what the Radisson recommended; I believe it was just under $60 for the two of us. The driver pointed out interesting landmarks and provided us with entertaining facts during the drive to the hotel.!

 

I will chime in just long enough to agree here. I booked the Radisson and they recommended this shuttle, I think it was $50 for the 2 of us last year, but it was a good experience, professionally handled and convenient. We also enjoyed the Raddison, its pool and its shuttle to the port.

[Virtopia]

Jelly is too cute and the welcome picture is classic! LOL enjoying this review so far.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Virtopia

[wdwluvin]

I think we share the same brain! Definitely the same opinions on everything so far-cabin layout (why do DCL fans love those split baths so much!!?), minor wear and tear, pool area, etc.

Loving your review! You should copy and paste it over on the Dis board and see what happens! :D:eek:

[JessyCruises]

You should copy and paste it over on the Dis board and see what happens! :D:eek:

 

 

Let me know if you do, I want to watch the feathers ruffle!

[Beachiekeen]

I will probably never go on this ship but I am enjoying this review anyway! Keep it coming!

[PCWalton1]

Cathi,

Thank you so much for taking the time to post your cruise review. Looking forward to the next installment. :)

[CanadaCathi]

Look, y'all know hardcore Disney fans are CRAZY, I'm not messing with that crowd! I participated in the mass hysteria known as 'Fish Extenders' on my Disney cruise, and that was about the nuttiest group of people I've ever been involved with. Very nice people, for the most part - but really, REALLY into Disney. I was happy I didn't have a whole suitcase filled with little gifts on this trip!

 

And to everyone - you're welcome! Just my way of paying it back to all those who share questions and thoughts on this forum. I found it super helpful when I was doing my planning.

 

Next installment should be up after my first dozen or so conference calls today...

[fairymum]

I definitely noticed the lack of clean up round the pool I knocked my drink over and literally begged for someone to help I ended up getting paper towels from the rest room, I have only been on Royal Caribbean ships and I've never experienced this before

[scgssny]

Awesome review! Can't wait for more....

 

Enjoying your style!

[cruzin Phillis]

Ok, it sounds like we're ready to go. Remember, if you brought snacks, you have to share with the group.

 

Sooooo starting at the beginning; I booked the cruise last May via a travel agent. I’m going to be honest here, I don’t think the TA did much for me, so I’m not using one for our next cruise. I’m pretty type-A and compulsive about planning, which to be fair doesn’t leave much for a TA to do in the first place. She basically confirmed the rate/room I’d already found, gave me $50 OBC, and that’s the last I heard from her other than to collect the final payment last December, and then not again until the week of the cruise! I was able to book my own flights and figure out the airport/port transfers ok on my own so no big deal, but I had used a different TA for the Disney cruise and that one was much more engaged and helpful. So, there you go, my two cents on that.

 

I booked a March departure date that lined up with Jelly’s March Break – this is why there were so many friendly Canucks on board. When we were checking in, the agent asked if we’d left anyone behind to take care of the country, there were so many of us on board. How many? Well, during the illusionist performance the woman who sat down in the seat directly in front of me in the theater (the theater which was filled with hundreds of people, mind you) was a teacher from my daughter’s school. Crazy, right?! Every time I turned around, there was someone else who lived like, less than 10 miles from me. Translated to Canadian, that's 16.09344 kilometers. Anyhow, that’s how I decided on our dates.

 

Starting the Vacation Early

 

I asked the internet which hotel I should book that was more than just a bed and a roof, and the internet told me to stay at the Radisson Resort at the Port. Now, this is not a cheap place to stay, but if you want to start your relaxin’ in advance, I highly recommend it. I would never, ever, EVER fly in the day of a cruise – I’ve seen those people in the airport, wailing and begging and pleading as they missed their connections and their ships. I don’t want to be those people. You don’t want to be those people. Traveling in March from Northern Ontario, you just can’t be positive what the weather is going to throw at you. More on my love for the Radisson later.

 

Do What You Can In Advance

 

Have you ever seen the lines at Guest Services the first day of a cruise? Don’t be in that line. Being in that line means less time out in the sun, waving at all the sad people left behind on land. Do as much as you can in advance so that you’ve got less to worry about when you get aboard. Book your excursions, make your dining reservations, all that good stuff. I know there are some things you have to wait to do, like if you're just drenched in extra money and want to book some crazy exclusive expensive cabana that is in short supply. But I made all our specialty dining reservations, purchased our drink packages (yes, I’ll cover drinkies later), booked excursions, completed our paperwork/waivers, and made our MDR MyTime reservations (5:45p, I’ve got a kid) before setting foot on the big boat.

 

A note on the Chef’s Table reservation – this was not initially available to schedule when dining first opened up, it popped up a few weeks later. Just an FYI. And yes, the Chef’s Table was in the Windjammer, which was a little weird, but it was still a lovely event that I’m glad I did once. You get a galley tour as part of it (to be completed on a different day), which was interesting. And – you guessed it – I’ll talk more about it later. And I have pictures of all the food/wines, so eat before you read that one.

 

I don't think I'm going to take up your time with advice on what to pack, there are only about a gazillion posts and websites with checklists that range from the sensible to the astoundingly insane. I usually take two suitcases because I hate to be without, and I include things like a trillion types of suntan lotion and a popup hamper, but you do what works for you. I take advantage of the midpoint laundry service; on this cruise it was $30 on Wednesday to fill a small bag with stuff, and we got it returned late afternoon on Friday.

 

Coming up next - departure!

I feel the same way. I never used a TA to book my cruise. I like going through the planning and booking phase.

[cruzin Phillis]

Love how you start your review!! Humor and Pics!!! Make me want to change from being a Texan to a Canadian!!!:p