All Things Freedom of the Seas!

[Feelin' Nauti']

Yes stern is good on this ship. I've read that people really have lots of problems trying to get an elevator. They're ways very crowded. Stern elevators will be less crowded. Besides, in the stern, you're only one elevator ride away from all the restaurants and the buffet! :D

:D

Hopefully the pool and bar as well. :o:p

[Needvacationbad]

I really enjoy wine tasteing. Do they do that on FOS?

[Muushka]

I really enjoy wine tasteing. Do they do that on FOS?

Oh, me too! I hope so :D

[jagsfan]

Does anyone have a good review of Chops? All I seem to read lately are posts from unhappy people. I don't know what the problems are, but would like to.

[Pichu21]

Does anyone have a good review of Chops? All I seem to read lately are posts from unhappy people. I don't know what the problems are, but would like to.

 

We ate at Chops on the Oasis and the food was delicious. The filet mignon is a must when going to Chops. It's so soft and tender! The best piece of meat I have ever tasted in my life! I don't know if the negative comments are about Chops on the Freedom but on the Oasis, it was top notch. Highly recommended.

[navychica]

Has anyone done the SCUBA class on board? I'd like to get an idea of price and availability. Also, in pictures, it looks like there are bar stools in the forward end of the solarium pool; do they actually use that as a bar?

[sj25]

I highlighted 1700, it's both side & that's a support bar in the middle that looks like a partition, but it's not. it's probably a little shady in there during the day, but you'll get sun as the sun goes down assuming the aft faces the sunset.

 

Thanks this photo was just perfect I was looking for one of 9704 we've done the one on the 8th floor on the Mariner that said obstructed view so was wondering what it was like thanks.

WE go out on the 9th of Oct and can't wait!:)

[closecruiser]

Went to Chops on the Navigator in April and the filet was not good, it had no flavor at all. We have eaten at chops on the Freedom and it was excellent, we will be sailing on the Freedom again this Sunday and we are going to try it again with our fingers crossed.

[MikeNJ1109]

Went to Chops on the Navigator in April and the filet was not good, it had no flavor at all. We have eaten at chops on the Freedom and it was excellent, we will be sailing on the Freedom again this Sunday and we are going to try it again with our fingers crossed.

 

As with any restaurant -- land based or at sea -- things can be hit or miss. While our experience with the specialty restaurants on board have been good, it's always possible to have an off day. That's why if we had a single bad experience, we'd probably try again once more.

 

Michael and Silke

[vital1]

Subscribing since we are booked for May 6, 2011!!!

[BND]

We ate in Chops on Enchantment in July and the filet was very good. We enjoyed the meal. We're doing Chops on Freedom in 3 weeks because my DH prefers it over Portofino. We'll be on Explorer in Nov '12 so I'll get to do Portofino then.

Edited September 27, 2011 by BND

[ChitownGus]

Booking Family Ocean View 8500....any reviews?

[KG1924]

Has anyone done the SCUBA class on board? I'd like to get an idea of price and availability. Also, in pictures, it looks like there are bar stools in the forward end of the solarium pool; do they actually use that as a bar?

 

Can't help you too much with the SCUBA, but we did meet a great couple that was doing it. I believe they spent somewhere around $250-$300 for it and the actual dive was in Cozumel (western itinerary) I will say, it took up a lot of their vacation time (in their opinion) While they were happy they did it, they said they would've done it before the trip just so they didn't feel like they had to do so much on vacation. This may have been because we had 4 ports and they had something planned for every port. Again, this is not first hand opinions here, just what one couple we met had said.

 

As far as the Solarium pool, yes there are stools and a "bar" in the pool. But it's not a bar that you can buy drinks at. Servers did come around quite frequently and will serve you in the water. We spent quite a bit of time there and we would just buy a bucket of beer and pour them in to frosted mugs that the bar tender at the solarium bar will provide for you (no glass in the pool for obvious reasons) Just a word of caution-the pool is VERY deep, especially on one side of the bar. I believe it was 7+ feet in the deepest part and then goes down to about 5 feet. Now I'm 5'1", so this is may be a bigger issue for me than others, but I will say that those bar stools were a hot commodity because you couldn't really just stand in the pool at that end. It's a great, quiet pool but gets a little louder in the late afternoon after everyone has been sitting at the "bar" getting drunk!! :p

[karajeboo]

Also booked 1700 for June 24,2012. 1700 is my favorite cabin. Larger cabin and balcony, not as narrow, no structure in front of you and it almost has a little private entrance.

As of this posting 1400 is still available for this sailing.

 

I just booked 1700 for 2013 - do you have any pics of this cabin? I've seen some of 1400 (and I know 1700 is just flipped) but I still want to see actual photos of 1700. SO SO SO excited about this cabin!!!

[Lionesss]

Just wondered if there will be a lot of repairs when The Freedom arrives at Port?

Safe travels.

[flapbreaker]

Just wondered if there will be a lot of repairs when The Freedom arrives at Port?

Safe travels.

 

Why would it need repairs?

[BND]

Just wondered if there will be a lot of repairs when The Freedom arrives at Port?

Safe travels.

 

Repairs have reportedly been done. No delay in embarkation according to someone on our m&m thread. Water damage and some other minor breakage. All easily fixed.

 

FYI, Freedom took on some rough weather leaving PC last Sunday. Water damage to some cabins and kids areas and some broken balcony dividers as well as breakage in promenade liquor store.

[flapbreaker]

Repairs have reportedly been done. No delay in embarkation according to someone on our m&m thread. Water damage and some other minor breakage. All easily fixed.

 

FYI, Freedom took on some rough weather leaving PC last Sunday. Water damage to some cabins and kids areas and some broken balcony dividers as well as breakage in promenade liquor store.

 

Oh, wow. We leave tomorrow on her. Have been at Disney for last 4 days and kind of out of the loop. Glad to here that we shouldn't see any delays. That must of been some rough seas to cause damage on upper decks.

[ruggerhugger]

We will be going on our first RCI cruise in Feb. '12, so excited, can't wait.

DH wants to know if there is a burger or hot dog stand, open near the pool area? I saw that Johnny Rockets was available, but, he wants just a burger to go, not a sit down restaurant. And is peanut butter available on the buffet line for breakfast?

Thanks

Edited October 21, 2011 by ruggerhugger
grammar

[lori450]

Yes there is peanut butter. It's in those little individual packets. The buffet is open and he can go inside and get a burger and fries from the buffet and bring it back out to the pool. It isn't fresh from the grill, but it's do-able.

[3happyferrets]

Took me a week to read this whole thing but it was worth it! I'm booked in 6342 which I think is a good cabin. So excited but have to wait until April 29:(

[retdon]

Just off FOS western yesterday. This was the 3rd cruise on FOS for us, senior couple. Dissappointed that some of the service standards have slipped. MTD was not cooperative in seating our group of 20 until we really raised a fuss about it. Same for main dinning room for a group lunch.

 

Don't know if it is because of a different Captain or what has happened. Last 2 cruises on FOS everything was excellent this time it sure was different. We waited one day until almost 2pm to have our cabin cleaned, told our attendant was in training. Another day it was not cleaned until almost 12 noon. By this time the staff were falling all over themselves to say "We are so sorry". We got chocolate covered strawberries, slippers and note from the head of housekeeping then a phone call.

 

Dinning room staff was top notch as was food quality. We did miss Grand Caymen due to bad weather. I like sea days so it was fine with us. We have been to all the ports and cruise mostly for the ship.

 

We did enjoy the cruise even with the problems, who can't be cruising and not like it................. especially with good friends.

[flapbreaker]

We too just got off the FOS on Sunday. We have cruised on RCI twice before back in the 90's. From my point of view everything has improved since then. I don't have any complaints. Also, If I was traveling with 20 people I certainly wouldn't expect them to be able to accomodate a group seating in the windjammer. Now they should be able to arrange something in the MDR. Our waiter was only on her second week but was fantastic and much loved. Even though we had MTD we had the same table and waiter but this might of been because we chose a similar time each night. I guess the only thing I could comment on was that some of the bar tenders especially in the arcadia theater had a "cold" personality. Wish the bar tenders didn't automatically get tipped. The runners were always pleasant.

 

One disappointment had to do with the "artisan" shopping area at Labadee. I incorrectly assumed that the shopping experience would have been more controlled being a privately owned location. Wrong. If you shop in the building you can browse without hassle but if you venture into the artisan area watch out. They put mexico to shame when it comes to aggressive selling. I had my 8 year old son and they would start putting necklaces on him and start carving his name in products we didn't want. I have a hard time saying no, I feel bad if I don't look at their stuff but I finally had to just leave. I would of loved to browse but it was like being attacked my mosquito's.

 

At Foulmouth we didn't leave the shopping "compound" but found this to be a pleasant shopping experience and I enjoyed buying from the vendors there.

 

In playa del Carmen we did the secret river experience (the real name is Rio Secreto). There were only 5 of us from the FOS that did this and it was worth every penny. It's not cheap but it's not often you get to something like this. My son found a large tarantula there too which provided much excitement.

[junebug10]

does anyone knows who the entertainer for jan 15 2012???do u have to pay for hambugers or onion rings at johnny rockets??

[Dett]

does anyone knows who the entertainer for jan 15 2012???do u have to pay for hambugers or onion rings at johnny rockets??

 

Not sure if he will be on in January but magician Drew Thomas has been on Freedom for a while.

 

Come on over and join our meet and mingle roll call for Jan. 15.

 

Johnnie Rockets has a cover charge. Not sure if you can buy individual items.

Edited October 25, 2011 by Dett