Liberty of the Seas, 26 Sept 2024: Semi-Live or Not ... Times-a-changing, perhaps. Return to RCL after 10+ years

[mking8288]

Let's take a ride and look around 

 

 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Let's take a ride and look around 

 

 

 

 

 

[JIMESOPUS]

looking back at you

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

Windjammer lunch, after stopping at our muster station and stateroom, was ready, then elevator down to go up to Deck 11.

 

Is this buffet food? I've never seen anything so delectable in the Garden Cafe...though I'm not sure I agree with corn in gravy! 

[mking8288]

@cruiseny4life That's from Windjammer, embarkation lunch 

 

[mking8288]

Finally got my prepaid eSim working onboard, maritime network with satellite data access. 

 

 

Chilling out upstairs in the buffet, after dinner.

[Another_Critic]

1 minute ago, mking8288 said:

Finally got my prepaid eSim working onboard, maritime network with satellite data access. 

 

You may have mention before, but what is your eSIM provider and plan?

[mking8288]

We set sail a few minutes earlier than 4 PM and were heading toward the VZ Bridge, currently on a NEh eading across mid Long Island. 

 

 

 

 

[RCTransatlanticLover]

On 9/23/2024 at 3:01 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

Keep in mind Liberty has not been upgraded like Freedom and Independence, so currently I think most people will agree she is number three of the three Freedom class ships. However, she is still a great ship…I just won’t cruise on her on weekends in the Fall due to no Playmaker’s. 

I sailed on the Liberty seven years ago on a Western Caribbean cruise out of Galveston, TX and I thought she was a great ship as well. I’ll be sailing on the Independence in Fall 2025, so it’ll be interesting to see how they compare. 

Edited yesterday at 12:20 AM by RCTransatlanticLover

[mking8288]

Tonight's welcome abroad dinner menu, almost feel like doing specialty restaurant ... Prime rib, medium - looking at Cagney's on NCL 

 

 

We have our assigned table for 6, Deck 3 in an exclusive corner, elevated area. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 12:29 AM by mking8288

[Another_Critic]

9 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Tonight's welcome abroad dinner menu, almost feel like doing specialty restaurant ... Prime rib, medium - looking at Cagney's on NCL 

 

 

I had the prime rib on Symphony earlier this month ... it was TERRIBLE!!!

 

It seems to get worse each time I order it.  Hopefully the prime rib is better sourced from Italy (for my upcoming Odyssey TA sailing). 🤞

[mking8288]

Checking out the Promenade on Deck 5 ...

 

 

 

This is for a friend 😁 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

43 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

You may have mention before, but what is your eSIM provider and plan?

This ... prepaid, 3GB data and good for 15 days, it's on LTE signal with my Google Fi, T-Mobile sim turned off on the Galaxy S24, posting now in our stateroom & WiFi is off, no chance of using Voom. 

 

 

At some point during this cruise, I will take on Voom with Starlink for a spin as well to compare.  Discussions & review later.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

10 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

This ... prepaid, 3GB data and good for 15 days, it's on LTE signal with my Google Fi, T-Mobile sim turned off on the Galaxy S24, posting now in our stateroom & WiFi is off, no chance of using Voom. 

 

Looking forward to using that eSim next month on the ship. Would be a game changer.

 

[bunzini]

Following as my sister and BIL are on this cruise.  Fun to follow along!  Thank you

[mking8288]

Mrs unpacked and 24" spinner fit under the bed. All of our special requests taken care of ... housekeeping is once a day only, with a choice of morning or afternoon - we opted for morning (before noon)  Connecting doors between the 2 cabins unlocked & open for us, done ✅ 

 

Room's mini safe is small, like NCL but in open bolt position and locked, request in & waiting for maintenance to reset it, reported via our steward ... most likely won't get to it until tomorrow. 

 

Requested an extension cable, ✅ 

 

 

[mking8288]

Samsung TV that swivel, switchable to HDMI 2 as input source ... 😱 OMG

 

 

Stay tuned 😺 for additional "findings" 

 

Edited yesterday at 01:32 AM by mking8288

[mking8288]

29 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Looking forward to using that eSim next month on the ship. Would be a game changer.

 

3 GB and paid $56 USD with 20% Visa Signature Card discount, not bad for light to moderate, non-streaming use over LTE. 

 

 

We'll chat later 'bout this 😉

[mking8288]

Breakfast in bed in the morning ? 

 

[mking8288]

Freestyle Dailies ... oops. Cruise Compass (Daily Programme with Cunard)

 

 

 

 

 

[mking8288]

Earlier photos at Cape Liberty while I was busy, off to park the car ... 

 

 

This is vastly improved since we last sailed out of here in 2012, organized and well staffed and flow nicely. 

 

 

 

 

Up we go towards the gangway, elevator for accessible pax

 

 

 

Our muster station here 

Edited yesterday at 02:57 AM by mking8288

[Another_Critic]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

 

3 GB and paid $56 USD with 20% Visa Signature Card discount

I was wondering if the 20% Visa Signature discount was off the base price ($69.99) or the reduced price ($59.49).  Looks like it's off the base price.

[mking8288]

Photos from 1 of our 2 Promenade Inside that sleeps 2, cozy but well laid out. Color scheme typical in those days.  Simple system to signal DND and no key card needed to power on the room's electrical.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bath is similarly sized like our Cunard balcony last month, sliding shower door preferred over the vinyl curtain.

 

 

 

 

Old habits, it's a good thing that I am not doing a test run on Joint Commissions,  Environments of Care inspection of Care facilities ... deduct 2 points, look closely.  It's an inexpensive & easy maintenance item to replace ... sprouting a leak. 😆 LOL 

 

[mking8288]

TV has a number of channels, useful & deliver news & weather, navigation stats & bridge cam ... although resolution is at most 720 dpi, maybe just 480.  Both Cunard and Royal walking all over NCL in this area, a bigger screen would be great and Cunard gets the thumbs up with larger monitor in size, wall mounted, but tempered proof (can't mess with it)

 

 

Edited yesterday at 03:40 AM by mking8288

[mking8288]

Late night speed results ... I can watch YouTube with this, but burn 3GB data easily & quickly - then will need to top up. 

 

 

 

Tethering w hotspot enabled, slower as it should, but not blocked, from Google Pixel 7 Pro

 

 

Going to call it for the evening, Station Zebra signing off until breakfast as we maintain 20 kts easterly toward Beantown 😁

Edited yesterday at 04:02 AM by mking8288