Freedom 9/2-9/9/07 review

[thelemalove93]

Freedom of the Seas- September 2- September 9, 2007

 

 

This will be a long review, but for such a large ship, what can you expect!

 

 

Pre-Cruise:

My husband and I left Chicago on Saturday September 1st and headed for Miami. We arrived 23 minutes early, which is always a good thing as it gave us some extra time to enjoy ourselves. I have to say though that my husband and I hate Miami International. We find it very congested and disorganized. For example, you get your luggage and then have to drag it upstairs to get transportation. Anyhow, we got our luggage and headed to the Hilton Miami airport via the shuttle that they offer. We were upgraded to a beautiful suite. Since we were tired, we ate dinner at the hotel which was fair, but since we knew great food awaited, it didn't really bother us. Since we did the pre-cruise package we got free breakfast in the morning and our transport to the pier was included.

 

 

 

 

Embarkation: We arrived at the pier at 12:30. This process was very slow, and to be honest I still saw people getting off of the ship which made me very nervous since our return flight was at 1:30 PM. Embarkation took an hour and a half. Our room was ready so we were able to put our stuff in the room right away. My understanding is that there was a suspicious bag and that the computers were down. I am not sure if this is true or not, but it was incredibly slow and took much longer than expected. Also, my favorite part of the embarkation process is the muster drill (just kidding of course). This was pushed back to 5:00 PM because of the embarkation problems and was awful. It was 90 degrees outside and they made me put the life jacket on from my room. They also made us keep it on while they announced a ton of stuff that wasn't related to the drill and also in other languages. There were people that had to be escorted out cause they almost passed out. They really need to find a better way for this drill to take place. This was a bad first impression of the trip.

 

 

The Ship: This ship is gorgeous. We really were quite impressed and definitely got our exercise walking around taking pics of everything. Some of our favorite things were Crypt as we loved the Gothic theme, the promenade which was so cute and really was a wonderful place to meet new people, the Solarium which was a wonderful escape from reality, the cigar club which my husband loved and the dining rooms which were gorgous. We only saw kids in the whirlpools once, and they were asked quickly to leave. The Solarium is just amazing. The water is a bit deep though, but they have platforms you can sit on your feet can touch the water. We loved the layout of the Arcadia theater and never had a problem getting a great seat. Also, the seats in the Arcadia were super comfy. Also, I rarely felt the ship moving. On the last night at about 1:30 a.m. the captain came on and stated that we were going to be heading into some rough weather. I had heard from several people that on the lower levels things were really bad. People put there life jackets on. I can say that I didn't feel a thing and my husband slept through the whole thing. The captain (who is great) did come back on and assure us at around 2:00 that everything was ok. For the most part we wouldn't change a thing, but there are some things that we did find that could be improved on the ship itself. First were the elevators. They were really, really slow. And it seemed like most of the time only one or two per set were working. When we did get one they tended to be overcrowded. It just was a pain. We were on the 8th floor so we did walk quite a bit up to the solarium and down to the promenade. But going to the Arcadia was a pain. Also, we would have loved to have seen a grill were you could get made to order burgers and a deli for fresh sandwiches. We had this on Carnival and it was definitely missed.

 

 

Our room: We had promenade room 8621. We really loved it. It was very quite and we didn't hear any outside noise. Also, the bed was WAY comfortable. We want one for the house. The down comforter was amazing and soft. The hair dryer was a bit hard to find. It is in the top drawer of the desk which actually was great cause I could sit down and dry my hair. There was plenty of storage for items in the bathroom and in the desk area. We kept all of our suite cases under the bed. The safe was quite large as well. I do wish that they would have provided a few more amenities (shavers, tooth paste, etc). But we got by just fine. The one downfall is that the shower is tiny. If you drop your soap, you almost have to become an acrobat to pick it up. It also was a bit tricky to figure out (you have to hold down the red button past a point for hot water to come out). We would do this type of room again.

 

 

The staff: The staff was amazing. Becky the cruise director must be on speed because I really don't know where she gets her energy. She is everywhere and really seems to love the ship (hello love...). She is really full of energy and even has some surprises throughout the week. One thing we noticed is that a staff member would never go by without saying hello to us. Our room attendant was amazing and did a great job of keeping our room cleaned. We loved the towel animals he left! He also noticed that we loved the beach towels and gave us extra. Now, I hate to write this part, but I must. Our dining room team was the worst I have had in four cruises. We had Fellicisima and Edmund and then the head waitress was Marianne. Basically, my complaint is that the service in our area was slow and not very personable. Other tables would be on dessert and we would be on soup. It wasn't just us because we asked other people in the area and they also felt the same way. I did state my concerns to the head waitress but nothing really changed. It often would take 20-30 minutes to get a lemonade even though we said on the first night to just bring one out every night. I know it is hard, and it may have had to do with the kitchen, but it got kinda old after a while. Also things that other waiters did we didn't see (getting fresh ground pepper for example). I know these are small things, but they are part of the experience. I also felt that they weren't very personable. They asked us for our names on day one, and I am still wondering why since they never used them.

 

 

 

 

The food: The windjammer was great for breakfast. They had eggs made to order, pancakes, waffles, and pretty much anything you could think of. They also had some interesting items such as fried rice. We ate there almost every day for breakfast. Lunch was just alright. It is a buffet and it didn't change much from day to day. I also didn't care for the soups much, but that is my opinion. I just felt that this was one area they could improve on. We only ate at the windjammer once for dinner and it was pretty good. I didn't find it to be overly crowded, but there were a few times I struggled to find a seat for 2 people. The dining room food was quite good. My favorites were the prime rib (and I am picky about my prime rib), the vadalia onion tart, the turkey dinner and the dessert sampler. Now the one thing I would change is less fish and port since it seemed to dominate the menu and I don't eat either. With a ship this size, I understand the variety though. The dining room was also great for breakfast. I loved the French toast. It was cooked perfectly and was covered with cinnamon and sugar. We also had the privilege of eating at Chops one night. This I can honestly say is worth every penny. It is $25 per person. I had one of the best steaks I have ever had. I am from Chicago and have eaten at Ruth's Chris, Smith and Wollensky's and Morton's and this is up there with all of them. I ordered the 10 oz. Filet, my husband had a the New York strip. I love how they brought out different sauces. I had the Bearnaise sauce and the red wine reduction and they both were wonderful. We had the creamed spinach which was quite good, mushrooms and garlic mashed potatoes. They brought enough for us to share so it was perfect. I also loved the french onion soup which was HUGE. The best part though was the dessert. I had a chocolate mud pie and it was the best dessert I have ever had. It was between a fudge cake, chocolate mouse and cheesecake. I can't even explain it, but it was amazing. The service was also amazing. This was the highlight of our dining experience. We also went to Johnny Rockets and it was quite good, but not any different than the Johnny Rocket's in Chicago. Also there is cafe promenade which was the best. 24 hours of sandwiches, cookies, cakes, and treats is amazing. You also can get tea, hot chocolate (that you have to make) and coffee for free. A lot of people don't realize that it is free and are hesitant...but it is. The only thing you would pay for are specialty coffees. We had a latte which was good one night.

 

 

The Entertainment: We missed the opening show just because we got caught up in the pool after the muster drill. We did see the Marquee show, freedom ice, Once upon a Time (the on board musical), and the farewell show and were impressed with all of them. The quality of these shows was top-notch. They also had two comedians, but I am now convinced that all they talk about are how small the showers are, the amount of food, and how slow the elevators are. It kinda gets old after a while. There were tons of activities. The flow rider is a total rush and if I can do it anyone can. The karaoke booths are fun as well. I played bingo once but it is quite expensive ($35 a shot). We loved the promenade parades, and my suggestion is to get there early and get a seat at cafe promenade. It worked out really well.

 

 

The ports: Labadee was a really fun beach day. We both got burned so make sure to wear a lot of sun screen. We went to Dragon's breath which was pretty secluded but rocky. The water was perfect and it was nice that they served lunch on the island. We didn't get off at Ochos Rios because I have been there before and didn't care for it and my husband wanted one extra day on the boat. The caymans were fun. We did the reef and wreck snorkel and had a fun time. This tour though is quite short and we almost didn't make it back to the boat on time. In Cozumel we did the unlimited beach snorkel. This was great! We saw a puffer fish, a sting ray, 2 eels, and a ton of fish. My husband didn't like the fact that we had to follow someone but it didn't bother me. They are really pushy in Cozumel and to be honest all of the shops are kinda the same after a while. Overall I prefer the eastern Caribbean, but we definitely enjoyed ourselves.

 

Debarkation: This was a pretty smooth process. Basically we got through the line and down to our luggage in about 15 minutes. They seperate the luggage carosels by the color of your tag. This is much better than having your luggage dumped in a room as I have experienced on prior cruises. I personally think that for a ship this large there should be a carosel for each color. Regardless we got our luggage in about 20 minutes time and were on our way to the airport via the transfers which was convenient. We arrived at the airport and were at our gate by 11:30. I just wish the Miami airport had more dining and shopping option. It is a pretty boring and unorganized airport. I did try the valet service and it was pretty good. The only thing I would reccomend is that you check in at your gate to make sure you have your seats. We went to get on the plane and our seats had been assigned to someone else because they stated that we never checked in. We were on a very full flight and they released to use two seats that had been locked. Had those not been there we would have been delayed even further. We did get our luggage in Chicago though so that was a plus. I would give this service a B and would use it again.

 

 

Overall: This is one killer boat and we had a great time. The staff is wonderful and we really enjoyed ourselves. We would go back but next time we are going to do a smaller cruise for a change of pace. If you have the chance to go on the freedom- do it. You won't regret it.

[wrp96]

The embarkation delay was caused by a passenger disembarking the previous cruise. They had a belt buckle that looked like a hand grenade in their luggage which was being scanned by the TSA and it set off alarms. The terminal had to be evacuated while they checked it out.

[It'sRC4ME]

Thanks for your review. We're sailing October 21st. Thanks especially for the info about your deck 8 promenade cabin, since that's where we'll be. Could you easily see down into the Promenade from the cabin?

[thelemalove93]

We were able to do plenty of people watching from the promenade. I will admit though for the parades you are better to go to the main floor just cause it is hard to hear from the inside of the room.

 

 

Thanks for your review. We're sailing October 21st. Thanks especially for the info about your deck 8 promenade cabin' date=' since that's where we'll be. Could you easily see down into the Promenade from the cabin?[/quote']

[wolfcathorse]

was your Capt still Captain Erik?

[oakleys]

thanks for the review

[thelemalove93]

Yes, it is still Capt. Erik which made my husband happy cause his name is Eric. The man looks like Steven Spielburg but did a great job :)

 

was your Capt still Captain Erik?

[cot427]

Thanks for the review. We will be on the Freedom Oct 7, and it will be here before you know it. The only part of your cruise I don't want to expirience is the embarkation delay.

[kittymom65]

Excellent review!

Thanks for posting

[new2cruise1]

Great review! We were on the Aug 26 - Sept. 2nd - and they closed the terminal because of what we thought was a bomb threat - but not understand that it was a belt buckle that looked like a hand grenade.

 

There also was some fight by some guy and he actually got arrested. Has anyone heard anymore of that?

 

BTW, did you guys have the MIDNIGHT BUFFET???

[thelemalove93]

We did have the midnight buffet, but it was the night we went to Chops and the thought of more food was more than we could handle. From what I could see the buffet food was just ok. I loved the fruit carvings and ice sculptures though :)

 

 

quote=new2cruise1;11581233]Great review! We were on the Aug 26 - Sept. 2nd - and they closed the terminal because of what we thought was a bomb threat - but not understand that it was a belt buckle that looked like a hand grenade.

 

There also was some fight by some guy and he actually got arrested. Has anyone heard anymore of that?

 

BTW, did you guys have the MIDNIGHT BUFFET???

[kel99]

Thanks for the review, we leave on the Freedom on Sunday Sept 16th and are doing the same route.

Did you look at the menu for Portifino's? What were the formal nights?

 

Thanks very much.

 

Kelly

[willysgrandma]

Great review! We were on the ship with you and met at the Meet & Mingle.

 

What I found interesting was the Bingo Dingo said at the M & M that RCCL DOES read what we write on the boards.

 

We were told by several employees on the ship that an unattanded package was found in the Promenade and that is what caused the delay. Funny how the stories are disseminated - wonder which story is true.

 

After sailing Princess last year and really not liking the food too much, we felt the food in FOS was fantastic. I didn't have anything I didn't like.

 

We ate at Chops and Portofino - we liked Chops much better. The filet mignon was out of this world. We thought Portofino would be like the Italian Restaurant on the Crown Princess where you just order your main course and they bring you everything else, but it wasn't - you ordered an appetizer, soup, salad, etc. We had the mini-sampler in Portofino and it was out of this world.

 

All the desserts were great on the ship - two of four of us are diabetic and there was plenty of sugar free desserts that were enjoed.

 

And yes, Becky is great! Does you know the name of the song they play before she comes on stage?

 

We also rarely felt the ship moving but on that last night, I almost rolled off the bed when the ship tilted. The stuff we had on the bathroom vanity all fell off on the floor and I could hear things falling in the room above ours. And we also heard people screaming in the hall (were were in a hump room on deck 8). I woke my husband, who is an old Navy man and he said "It's a 5 degree roll - go back to sleep" - yeah, right! I kept waiting to feel the ship go back down, but it didn't for at least 5 or 6 minutes until the Captain steered into the wind. When he came on at 2 AM and made the first announcement, I said to my husband that the people who didn't speak English on the ship were still going to be terrified (and since Americans were in the minority on this sailing, there were a LOT of them). I knew he was going to have to come back on again with the interpeter to repeat it in other languages.

 

 

Ann, what color were your disembarkation tags? Ours were beige and we were on line for 40 minutes waiting to get off the ship after they made the second call for our colors. They finally opened a second line to get off the ship. But finding our bags was s snap - that was the best system EVER with those conveyor belts.

 

I can't believe you wrote your review so fast! I have been doing laundry all day and thinking about doing a review - I'll get to it with pics by the end of the week.

[thelemalove93]

Thanks for the review, we leave on the Freedom on Sunday Sept 16th and are doing the same route.

Did you look at the menu for Portifino's? What were the formal nights?

 

Thanks very much.

 

Kelly

 

Portofino's just wasn't for me, but take a look when you get on if you have a chance or you could probably post it and someone will have the menu. Formal nights were Monday and Thursday.

 

I hope you have a great cruise...I am so jealous right now.

[thelemalove93]

We had yellow and we got in line before they called the next number. We were in no hurry so it really didn't bother us. Sorry that you felt it on the last night. I guess I was lucky cause I really didn't feel anything.

 

 

Great review! We were on the ship with you and met at the Meet & Mingle.

 

What I found interesting was the Bingo Dingo said at the M & M that RCCL DOES read what we write on the boards.

 

We were told by several employees on the ship that an unattanded package was found in the Promenade and that is what caused the delay. Funny how the stories are disseminated - wonder which story is true.

 

After sailing Princess last year and really not liking the food too much, we felt the food in FOS was fantastic. I didn't have anything I didn't like.

 

We ate at Chops and Portofino - we liked Chops much better. The filet mignon was out of this world. We thought Portofino would be like the Italian Restaurant on the Crown Princess where you just order your main course and they bring you everything else, but it wasn't - you ordered an appetizer, soup, salad, etc. We had the mini-sampler in Portofino and it was out of this world.

 

All the desserts were great on the ship - two of four of us are diabetic and there was plenty of sugar free desserts that were enjoed.

 

And yes, Becky is great! Does you know the name of the song they play before she comes on stage?

 

We also rarely felt the ship moving but on that last night, I almost rolled off the bed when the ship tilted. The stuff we had on the bathroom vanity all fell off on the floor and I could hear things falling in the room above ours. And we also heard people screaming in the hall (were were in a hump room on deck 8). I woke my husband, who is an old Navy man and he said "It's a 5 degree roll - go back to sleep" - yeah, right! I kept waiting to feel the ship go back down, but it didn't for at least 5 or 6 minutes until the Captain steered into the wind. When he came on at 2 AM and made the first announcement, I said to my husband that the people who didn't speak English on the ship were still going to be terrified (and since Americans were in the minority on this sailing, there were a LOT of them). I knew he was going to have to come back on again with the interpeter to repeat it in other languages.

 

 

Ann, what color were your disembarkation tags? Ours were beige and we were on line for 40 minutes waiting to get off the ship after they made the second call for our colors. They finally opened a second line to get off the ship. But finding our bags was s snap - that was the best system EVER with those conveyor belts.

 

I can't believe you wrote your review so fast! I have been doing laundry all day and thinking about doing a review - I'll get to it with pics by the end of the week.

[willysgrandma]

Okay, beige was called before yellow and that was when they opened two lines to disembark (of course, after we waited!). That was probably why you got through so quick.

 

It was a great cruise and it was nice to meet you.

[thelemalove93]

Hi- I actually found the menu for portofinos and chops. If you would like me to mail it you via snail mail I can. Let me know :)

 

 

Portofino's just wasn't for me, but take a look when you get on if you have a chance or you could probably post it and someone will have the menu. Formal nights were Monday and Thursday.

 

I hope you have a great cruise...I am so jealous right now.