Blue Collar Diamond + tries Carnival Freedom

[BillOh]

I decided to add one more post to this thread.  I've been following Carnival Freedom after we got off when it went to Spain for a new paint job and new funnel!  She is back in her home port right next to my last Royal Ship Mariner.  Goodbye to this thread. 

 

 

[NoShoes2]

On 9/24/2023 at 5:14 PM, BillOh said:

We let nature wake us up for Day 2’s drive from Charolette to Orlando.  We were about 8 hours of driving with nothing on the agenda but dinner with family set for the evening.

On this road trip we did get passed on the interstate by a helicopter!

A lot of people who knew we were making a road trip said WE HAVE TO STOP AT BUCEES on the way. One is opening here in Ohio next year, so we decided to check it out and see what the hype is about. It was a fun precruise excursion!

 

We did get just a little rain on the trip down, but we made it to Orlando and visited family Thursday.   After that it was a quick pre cruise trip to nearby Playa Linda beach for a wonderful beach day. The weather was great, but the seas were rough making a very wavy, but fun beach day.

 

From there it was on to the Radisson at Port Canaveral, it is our favorite hotel for cruising from PC because of its shuttle and I love that pool! Check in was efficient and we verified our parking and we got to our room in time for our next pre cruise tradition while in PC -  Pre cruise dinner and ship watching at Fishlips!  I love sitting up there eating and drinking while watching the ships leave the day before us.  Independence of the Seas, Mariner of the  Seas (our last ship) and Disney Wish all departed while we watched.  This is another favorite tradition when sailing from PC.

 

Fishlips is one of our favorite pre-cruise memories. Unfortunately, we've only had to opportunity once. We had a great time out on the back deck waving at the excited cruisers knowing that we would be them the next day!

 

[BillOh]

On 9/25/2023 at 9:26 AM, Tatka said:

We are now D+ for several years and since 2021 completely switched to Royal after sailing with 8 lines since 2003… Carnival is the only line we dropped after 3 honest tries (Liberty, Miracle, Glory), but it’s interesting to read you review. We are also big campers during summers! 

I may come back and ask about campgrounds in your area. Next year the Nationals for Dog agility trials is in the Boston area and my daughter will likely be competing with her dog and expressed interest in Camping there.

[BillOh]

On 9/28/2023 at 3:35 AM, perfect match said:

 

 

 

We’re on Wonder Sept 8, 2024 celebrating our anniversary.The roll calls for our recent cruises have been pretty nonexistent so I’m hoping our Wonder cruise will have a more active one. 
 

 

 

You might have to consider getting on that Fbook site 🙂   You know how much I loved cruise critic roll calls, but they are almost dead now with everyone posting "over there!"

[OCSC Mike]

10 minutes ago, BillOh said:

You might have to consider getting on that Fbook site 🙂   You know how much I loved cruise critic roll calls, but they are almost dead now with everyone posting "over there!"

 

Yep... and I can't stand the ones "over there." You know I like helping people and answering questions when I can but the amount of bad info, clutter, noise, repetitive questions... it's just too much for me.

 

I don't even have a FB account but I sign up for them with my wife's just for the heck of it. On the plus side, we did find a nice couple there to split a cab with when going to Nachi Cocom in Cozumel in October so for all that I hate about them, it saved me $10, woohoo! 🤣

[Mikew0805]

10 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Yep... and I can't stand the ones "over there." You know I like helping people and answering questions when I can but the amount of bad info, clutter, noise, repetitive questions... it's just too much for me.

 

This is constant! The wrong info, from folks who are completely confident in the answers... kills me. 🤣

[Tatka]

11 hours ago, BillOh said:

I may come back and ask about campgrounds in your area. Next year the Nationals for Dog agility trials is in the Boston area and my daughter will likely be competing with her dog and expressed interest in Camping there.

We have a nice great state campgrounds

 

Cape Cod: both are not far from the ocean

 

https://www.mass.gov/locations/shawme-crowell-state-forest

https://www.mass.gov/locations/nickerson-state-park

 

Right on the ocean 

https://www.mass.gov/locations/horseneck-beach-state-reservation

https://www.mass.gov/locations/salisbury-beach-state-reservation
 

Reservations need to be done via https://www.reserveamerica.com/ prior arrival 

 

 

[BillOh]

11 hours ago, Mikew0805 said:

This is constant! The wrong info, from folks who are completely confident in the answers... kills me. 🤣

Your point definitely has merit, but I go into roll calls for community and sharing, not so much question asking. On both platforms there are lots of people who can't just scroll by.  I can get the bettter questions and answers here, but the roll calls, which probably made up 66% of my posts are dead here. I do still come here for the Q&A as well as industry news/sharing.

[OCSC Mike]

12 hours ago, Mikew0805 said:

This is constant! The wrong info, from folks who are completely confident in the answers... kills me. 🤣

 

Yep... and if you cruise with any regularity, you know what's coming in advance. My favorite example...

 

I cruise almost exclusively out of PC and most are standard 7N cruises (either eastern or western with PDCC). For quite a while, these cruises have gone to CocoCay on day 2, so the first formal night is night 3 (sea day). I swear every single time someone posts that formal night will be night 2 (with the confidence you mentioned) b/c it commonly is... just not when you go to PDCC on day 2. Then it gets closer to the cruise and the app updates and people freak out b/c they made dinner plans based on the bad info.

[BillOh]

I'm at the point of my next cruise where I am looking at what ships are in port with me.  When sailing out of Port Canaveral we usually go to Fishlips the afternoon before and watch the ships in port that day sail by.  I just saw Carnival Freedom will depart that day so I will get to see her in all her new glory (paint job and funnel replaced)   

[BillOh]

On 1/31/2024 at 10:52 AM, OCSC Mike said:

 

Ywe did find a nice couple there to split a cab with when going to Nachi Cocom in Cozumel in October so for all that I hate about them, it saved me $10, woohoo! 🤣

Great.   I haven't been to Nachi since 2015, I'll look forward to seeing how well it survived covid and hopefully still in a nice place.

 

[OCSC Mike]

16 minutes ago, BillOh said:

Great.   I haven't been to Nachi since 2015, I'll look forward to seeing how well it survived covid and hopefully still in a nice place.

 

Just one man's opinion but I did not care for it. The peacefulness was great and we split a palapa with that couple we met as close to the water as we could get... but the drinks were terrible and food wasn't great either. The frozen drinks were icy and tasteless so I switched to margaritas which were weak but fine. The food was so-so. If the food/drink isn't super important, I'm sure you'll have a fine time.

 

We're trying Paradise Beach this summer b/c the food (unlimited, not 4-courses) and drinks have gotten very good reviews lately. It's obviously not as quiet as Nachi so we splurged on a daybed. There's also a 10% off promo code from that other blog site you've posted at.

 

I'm sure you've noticed, food is important to me, lol.

[Jaynay]

I was searching for something else when I stumbled on your cruise review. I've read some of your other reviews and just wanted to say how much I enjoy them!

[BillOh]

7 hours ago, Jaynay said:

I was searching for something else when I stumbled on your cruise review. I've read some of your other reviews and just wanted to say how much I enjoy them!

Thanks. 

[Arzeena]

@BillOh

I just came across this review and it was great!

I read that you have driven from Columbus Ohio to PC several times(?). What is the best way to do that? Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[BillOh]

1 hour ago, Arzeena said:

@BillOh

I just came across this review and it was great!

I read that you have driven from Columbus Ohio to PC several times(?). What is the best way to do that? Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

We have two routes, one via I77/I26/I95 through WV, VA, NC, SC and into Florida.  The other route goes I71 to I75 into Florida, and sometimes I-10 over to I95 that goes through KY, TN, GA, and into Florida.  The Eastern route is a few miles shorter, but Frequently the day before I'll look at weather and pick one or other. Its about a 14 hour drive.  Frequently we stop on the way down in either Savannah GA, or Valosta GA (I-75) and then finish the last 4 hours or so the next day, but more often on the drive back we get right off the ship and into the car and usually home around 1-2am the next day.     Most often I to the I-75 route home as the WVA turnpike is rough when you have already driven 10-12 hours and if the weather is back, its a tough last 200 miles.