Newbie questions????????

[motherchic]

We are looking at booking the Freedom this June. Our first carnival cruise.

1) Are we allowed to bring any wine or liquor aboard?

2) Are there soda cards or specialty coffee cards available? Cost?

3) I see there is a pool spa. Are we allowed to use it? or is it only if you purchase a spa treatment

4) In regards to the main dining room. Do we request early or late seating? Is there any time dining?

5) Is there a drink of the day available that is a cheaper price?

Thank you so much,

Any other hints or tips I would so appreciate.

Nadine

[5waldos]

We are looking at booking the Freedom this June. Our first carnival cruise.

1) Are we allowed to bring any wine or liquor aboard?

 

Yes- one 750 ml bottle of wine per adult. No liquor. But others will most likely discuss this.

 

2) Are there soda cards or specialty coffee cards available? Cost?

 

Yes there are soda cards. They are about $6 a day or something. Buy on board after leaving port so there is no additional tax. Coffee cards no certain- I have heard yes and no.

 

I don't know about your other questions.

 

Any other hints or tips I would so appreciate.

 

There are many many threads about this- I'd look at some of them- they go for hundreds of posts and cover just about everything.

 

 

Now if I don't include something it thinks I am not making an answer!

[CruiseLover824]

We are looking at booking the Freedom this June. Our first carnival cruise.

1) Are we allowed to bring any wine or liquor aboard?

2) Are there soda cards or specialty coffee cards available? Cost?

3) I see there is a pool spa. Are we allowed to use it? or is it only if you purchase a spa treatment

4) In regards to the main dining room. Do we request early or late seating? Is there any time dining?

5) Is there a drink of the day available that is a cheaper price?

Thank you so much,

Any other hints or tips I would so appreciate.

Nadine

 

 

1. You are not supposed to bring liquor with you. I believe you may bring a bottle of wine---but there is a corkage fee for the waiters to uncork for you

2. There are Fountain Cards available. It costs like $6 or $7 a day. My card was almost $50 when I bought it on the Freedom last year. I didn't drink near enough soda to pay for card. Only one person is supposed to use it. No coffee card that I know of. Free coffee at lido buffet. Specialty coffee available at a cost.

3. Can't help you here....unless you mean hot tubs. There are 5 on the lido deck.

 

4. We usually request late seating so that we can enjoy our time in the ports. This allows time for getting ready without feeling rushed. When I sailed on Freedom, 'any-time dining' was not available unless you just ate at the buffets, grill, or pizza places.

5. There was a drink of the day each day. You could get it in the special souvenir glass---around $8.95 + gratuity, or in a regular glass for less. I think it was a little cheaper. Very tasty too!!

 

 

Hope this helps a little:D

[firefly333]

You can buy specialty coffee. You can also get either capachino or espresso free with any meal in the dining room. I usually have it after dinner. I heard you can get it for breakfast or lunch too.

 

On port days we had some really good special prices, better than the doh. $3.75 for mimosas for 2 hours. they have specials on bloody marys, mimi's etc in the morning hours, for I think $4.25 or $4.75

[Rochmom]

For our first cruise, we booked the late dinner seating, thinking that we would not want to rush back from port. If traveling without kids, this makes a lot of sense. However, our dds (14 & 12) discovered that many of the "cool" Circle C activities started during the late dinner hour, so they had to choose between the fun stuff, and dinner as a family. We compromised and dropped them off at the activities every other night, after we sat with them in the Lido buffet while they ate, then DH and I went to the dining room.

 

For this year's trip we requested early dining so that we could eat together. But, some of of port days end early anyway, so we don't have to worry about rushing.

 

Soda cards were a savings for me, since we don't drink much alcohol, and I didn't want to exist on water for the whole trip. I'm not sure it's a value for the rest of the family, but I drink a LOT of soda.

[Eeyore_Lover]

If you drink 2 or 3 sodas a day, I would get a soda card. As an adult who doesn't drink alcohol, I definitely get my money's worth out of it. Much easier than dragging out your S&S card in the Dining Room every night! Once they know you have a fountain card and your beverage of choice, your bar person will usually bring it over as soon as they see you at the table.