First time cruiser on Freedom - Any tips?

[rianasydney]

Hi everyone! I'm going on my first ever cruise on Feb 18th to the Eastern Caribbean on Freedom of the Seas. Was wondering if anyone can give me tips on what to expect on this ship, if anyone knows kind of what the weather is typically in February (I'm quite worried about sea sickness and the boat rocking, it freaks me out a little!), any cool activity ideas for the ports (San Juan, Labadee, St Kitts & St Marteen). Any tips would be appreciated!!

[Clarea]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

This is a good start for info about Freedom:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/royal-caribbean/freedom

[WyoWestCouple]

Couldn't have chose a better ship IMHO. She is an amazing ship also one that has very little rocking or movement (weather pending). My wife is very leery of the ships movement as our first cruise together was on a much smaller vessel. In the 7 days we spent on her in April my wife felt none. Freedom is nearly 1/4 mile in length and is smooth as silk. Cant speak to the currents and weather in February sorry. You will without question LOVE her. Have Fun. P.S. St. Marteen is a great Island the people are welcoming and very friendly, our favorite island. Guava berry coladas :eek: not to be missed. Never been to St. Kitts yet so cant speak to that one.

[rianasydney]

Bob, thank you for that link! I'll definitely check it out!

 

Couldn't have chose a better ship IMHO. She is an amazing ship also one that has very little rocking or movement (weather pending). My wife is very leery of the ships movement as our first cruise together was on a much smaller vessel. In the 7 days we spent on her in April my wife felt none. Freedom is nearly 1/4 mile in length and is smooth as silk. Cant speak to the currents and weather in February sorry. You will without question LOVE her. Have Fun. P.S. St. Marteen is a great Island the people are welcoming and very friendly, our favorite island. Guava berry coladas :eek: not to be missed. Never been to St. Kitts yet so cant speak to that one.

 

Awesome! That makes me feel a lot better. I guess weather can change anyway so who really knows what it'll be like! I'm extremely excited for St Marteen - probably the most excited! Although I've never been anywhere in the Caribbean so no doubt I'll enjoy all the ports! Thanks so much for your insight :)

[cb at sea]

It's SUMMER in your ports year round....no worries once you're there! The weather from and back to your 'home" port can vary....

[rianasydney]

It's SUMMER in your ports year round....no worries once you're there! The weather from and back to your 'home" port can vary....

 

Good point! We live in NYC but are leaving out of Fort Lauderdale, definitely better weather than NYC that's for sure!

[BillOh]

Good point! We live in NYC but are leaving out of Fort Lauderdale, definitely better weather than NYC that's for sure!

 

My favorite tip for first time cruisers on one of my favorite ships is, relax have a good time, don't worry about doing everything on one cruise. They let you come back again!

[baileybrad]

Look at Trip Advisor and on these boards for reviews of Bernard's Tours in StMarteen. It is a great excursion.

 

Love the Solarium area on this ship. You will probably have the illusionist, Drew Thomas one night for entertainment....really good. Ice skating show is outstanding. Arrive early and sit at the end of the arena in the 1st couple of rows (instead of on one side)...great for viewing.

Edited January 30, 2017 by baileybrad

[rianasydney]

My favorite tip for first time cruisers on one of my favorite ships is, relax have a good time, don't worry about doing everything on one cruise. They let you come back again!

 

That's a great tip! Thanks! Reading through and seeing everything that you can do on the ship it seems like there's so much to do, so little time!

 

Baileybrad: Thanks for that - I'll look them up :) What exactly is in the solarium area on the ship?

[baileybrad]

That's a great tip! Thanks! Reading through and seeing everything that you can do on the ship it seems like there's so much to do, so little time!

 

Baileybrad: Thanks for that - I'll look them up :) What exactly is in the solarium area on the ship?

 

The Solarium has a pool, bar, and padded loungers. It is somewhat less crazy than the main pool area. I believe the age restriction on the FOS 16 and older allowed.

 

Have a great trip!

[rianasydney]

The Solarium has a pool, bar, and padded loungers. It is somewhat less crazy than the main pool area. I believe the age restriction on the FOS 16 and older allowed.

 

Have a great trip!

 

Oh wow, that sounds awesome! Thanks for the tip! :)

[ckrobyn]

See you onboard!

Have you joined the roll call for our sailing? :D

[rianasydney]

See you onboard!

Have you joined the roll call for our sailing? :D

 

Woohooo! Not long to go now! Nope - what is roll call? I literally just found this website this morning so I have some catching up to do! Haha

[movierunner]

Watching, thanks for the question from another 1st. timer.

[rianasydney]

Watching, thanks for the question from another 1st. timer.

 

Awesome! I hope you have a great time on your first cruise 😄 What ship will you be traveling on?

[LilBlackDress]

Woohooo! Not long to go now! Nope - what is roll call? I literally just found this website this morning so I have some catching up to do! Haha

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!!

 

There is a lot of information to be found here!

 

Roll call is a group of people sailing on the same cruise with you. You can find yours here You will learn a lot about activities on board or excursions from the people in your Roll Call.

 

Sign up for the Meet & Mingle here to meet the people in your Roll Call in person.

 

Again any questions feel free to ask :)

[goldgirl2]

I'll be sailing with you! I have not been on FOS but I've been on both her sister ships. Be prepared to be addicted to cruising[emoji4] Read as much as you can on cruise critic. Read the trip reports. The information on here is priceless.

[HillBilly Bob]

Hi everyone! I'm going on my first ever cruise on Feb 18th

 

 

Freedom of the Seas was wonderful 01/07/17 but we did miss Labadee due to rough seas. It was quite the storm....the Captain said it was the worst he had endured. They had to close all the open air decks due to high winds. We had fun. Sailed on to OSJ and had more time there...which I loved.

 

My tip!! if you are new to cruising....don't flush wet ones. Pack what you expect to take and then remove half....you won't need it. Formal nights are not what they used to be....it's not a "prom night" event any longer.

 

Other than that...enjoy!! Don't miss the Ice Show....book a night at Chops but the rest of the "up charge" restaurants I could take or leave. Enjoy and Bon Voyage!

[rianasydney]

Freedom of the Seas was wonderful 01/07/17 but we did miss Labadee due to rough seas. It was quite the storm....the Captain said it was the worst he had endured. They had to close all the open air decks due to high winds. We had fun. Sailed on to OSJ and had more time there...which I loved.

 

My tip!! if you are new to cruising....don't flush wet ones. Pack what you expect to take and then remove half....you won't need it. Formal nights are not what they used to be....it's not a "prom night" event any longer.

 

Other than that...enjoy!! Don't miss the Ice Show....book a night at Chops but the rest of the "up charge" restaurants I could take or leave. Enjoy and Bon Voyage!

 

Oh no that totally sucks! Let me ask you, how much does the ship move in a storm like that? I'm pretty scared of the side to side rocking motion so I'm really hoping we don't get caught in any big waves!!

 

Thanks for the advice, I've heard good things about Chops so I'll definitely book a night there.

[movierunner]

Awesome! I hope you have a great time on your first cruise 😄 What ship will you be traveling on?

 

We will be on FOS

[goldgirl2]

I disagree about formal night. Dress up if you want! You will not be the only one in formal attire. My DH always rents a tux from the ship. It is always hanging in our closet when we arrive. Very convenient. I too was very worried about sea sickness and rocking my first cruise. Of course, we had a terrible storm the first night! It was not horrible. I felt fine. I had ginger chews with me and I was very popular among those that were not not feeling good. I was told the ginger worked better then what the ships Dr was passing out.

[pjack61]

My wife and I will be on this cruise as well! Our first on FOS. We have sailed on Allure and Oasis which are similar in size to FOS. I can tell you that even in moderate high seas, we felt no movement on those 2 ships, just amazing!

Couple of port stop recommendations: Labadee, get off early and go to Columbus cove on the far right as you get off the ship, its the best area for beach and relax.

St Maarten, the best excursion we have ever done (8 cruises) was Captain Bob's island tour and snorkle. It is an all day excursion for around $125 per person and includes excellent lunch and unlimited beer/ soda. Sailing around St Maarten on a speedboat and getting to incredible snorkle and beach stops was just incredible!

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147347-d2083816-Reviews-Soualiga_Destinations_Boat_Tours-Philipsburg_Sint_Maarten_St_Maarten_St_Martin.html

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[KeywestK]

If you are very concerned about seasickness, be prepared with some seasickness meds (Rx and/or OTC) to have on hand, just in case. Check with your primary care provider for guidance, as even OTC meds can have side effects, and they can interact negatively with meds you are already taking.

 

If you are doing My Time Dining, you can pre-reserve your dining times in advance online, or do it when you get on the ship. Be aware that the entertainment on the ship is geared around traditional early or late dinner seating times.

 

Try not to stress over anything....after all, it's a vacation. No one can do it all, or see it all, especially on their first cruise. Go with an open mind and roll with it. You chose a lovely ship that has a lot to offer.

 

Have a great cruise!:cool:

[MOcruiserman]

Enjoy your first cruise!

 

You'll love the wonderful service. Everyone will be super nice to you. Your steward will clean your room every day and give you a towel animal in the evening. Your waiters will be at your beck and call. You can order anything you want from the menu - even two entrees. The buffet will be extensive - if you don't like one item, get a different one. The ship will have lots of fun activities, a show in the theater every evening. The Solarium is my favorite place to relax, read, look at the ocean, swim in the pool, relax in the hot tub.

 

You won't like constantly being asked to buy extra items - beverage packages, specialty restaurants, photos, jewelry, clothing, excursions. But you can always say no thank you and after a while you just tune it out.