Just off Freedom...W. Caribbean 4/5-4/11

[AnnieB925]

Well crap. I thought I was just feeling tired and sad from the cruise being over but nope.....101.5 fever. Uh oh.

 

Take care of yourself. Hope it passes quickly.

[joanne59]

....it helped to hear from folks that were recently on the ship. We have not been on Carnival since 2001 and are loyal to Royal, except we are kinda getting bored with the same ships year after year. That being said, the prices on Carnival are pulling us towards re-introducing ourselves to the line that got us hooked to begin with. Living in FL helps out with the cost--no airfare is a big bonus. We have family vacations during most of the year, our son is getting married up in Michigan, so an October 24 8 night cruise on Freedom is what we came up with as our only cruise of 2009. I was concerned when I read that smoking is allowed all over the ship. Could this be true? We are not smokers, and avoid those areas if possible, please let me know if you found the smoke offensive. We don't gamble, so the casino smokers wont affect us.

[jbroons]

....it helped to hear from folks that were recently on the ship. We have not been on Carnival since 2001 and are loyal to Royal, except we are kinda getting bored with the same ships year after year. That being said, the prices on Carnival are pulling us towards re-introducing ourselves to the line that got us hooked to begin with. Living in FL helps out with the cost--no airfare is a big bonus. We have family vacations during most of the year, our son is getting married up in Michigan, so an October 24 8 night cruise on Freedom is what we came up with as our only cruise of 2009. I was concerned when I read that smoking is allowed all over the ship. Could this be true? We are not smokers, and avoid those areas if possible, please let me know if you found the smoke offensive. We don't gamble, so the casino smokers wont affect us.

 

Thanks for reading Joanne!! Other than the casino, the only place on Freedom that I saw smoking was portside Lido by the bar/pool/big screen. I didn't see people smoking all over the ship....just in those two places. At the aft adult pool, for example, there were no smokers whatsoever.

[AnnieB925]

Hi Joanne,

We started out on Royal and loved it. At the time Royal was "the" cruise line for a more elegant experience and Carnival was for the party animals. Much has since changed. All I can say is that Carnival consistently exceeds our expectations and we are repeat customers because of that.

 

We do lots of land vacations on top of our cruising, so we are seasoned travellers. Carnvial will not disappoint you. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how nice it is and how the line has worked to overcome the "party line" reputation.

 

The Freedom is an awesome ship and will surely exceed your expectations. Don't worry about the smoking....you'll find it only in the casinos and at the aft deck. Also, unfortunately on the balconies, and that smell can drift over:confused:, but hopefully there will be a good breeze to take it out to sea!

 

....it helped to hear from folks that were recently on the ship. We have not been on Carnival since 2001 and are loyal to Royal, except we are kinda getting bored with the same ships year after year. That being said, the prices on Carnival are pulling us towards re-introducing ourselves to the line that got us hooked to begin with. Living in FL helps out with the cost--no airfare is a big bonus. We have family vacations during most of the year, our son is getting married up in Michigan, so an October 24 8 night cruise on Freedom is what we came up with as our only cruise of 2009. I was concerned when I read that smoking is allowed all over the ship. Could this be true? We are not smokers, and avoid those areas if possible, please let me know if you found the smoke offensive. We don't gamble, so the casino smokers wont affect us.

[jbroons]

Hi Joanne,

We started out on Royal and loved it. At the time Royal was "the" cruise line for a more elegant experience and Carnival was for the party animals. Much has since changed. All I can say is that Carnival consistently exceeds our expectations and we are repeat customers because of that.

 

We do lots of land vacations on top of our cruising, so we are seasoned travellers. Carnvial will not disappoint you. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how nice it is and how the line has worked to overcome the "party line" reputation.

 

The Freedom is an awesome ship and will surely exceed your expectations. Don't worry about the smoking....you'll find it only in the casinos and at the aft deck. Also, unfortunately on the balconies, and that smell can drift over:confused:, but hopefully there will be a good breeze to take it out to sea!

 

OK Annie...your turn...pictures??!!;)

[AnnieB925]

http://s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj46/Bonnie925_photos/Freedom/?action=view&current=IMG_2770.jpg

[Tee Tee]

Great review Jbroons and Annie! I can never read enough about the Freedom! Can't wait to write my own!! Tee Tee, we are also on Freedom Oct. 24th......join our roll call if you haven't already. (I haven't been on it for a while, due to shopping for an Alaskan cruise.) Anyway, we too are taking Southwest. I was getting a little nervous about waiting until June 23rd for the new schedule, so we went ahead and booked for our flight going down. And will book coming back home, when the new schedule comes out. It was suggested by fellow CC posters, to do it that way, because its easier to change one flight or another if you have too, where your whole reservation doesn't have to get messed up. One ways use to be NOT the way to go in the past, due to their high cost (which was ridiculous), but now I think it will be the right thing to do....if Southwest doesn't have a good flight schedule coming back, then we'll just go with another airline. Hope this helps!!

 

Thanks Elsplace2

Sorry I didn't respond earlier been keeping up with this thread but I must have just overlooked your post. Anyway I have done what you did as well and booked with Soutwest for my departing flight. Like you said it would be easy enough to change later on. Are you and your family coming in early? I will get there late Wednesday night as I would love to hang out in Fort Lauderdale and it was a great price. I have been lurking on the roll call but been a little apprhensive to join since I am booked through a singles cruise and hadn't noticed anyone else who was. Didn't know how that usually worked. Let me know what you think. Thanks for the advice

Laticha

[jbroons]

http://s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj46/Bonnie925_photos/Freedom/?action=view&current=IMG_2770.jpg

 

 

Thanks Annie!!

 

Hey Meg...how are you feeling?? We need your review...and the youtube video as well!! Hope you're better.

[jbroons]

Are you OK Meg....just think about Freedom. She'll take care of you.

[tiggerman101]

Thanks Elsplace2

Sorry I didn't respond earlier been keeping up with this thread but I must have just overlooked your post. Anyway I have done what you did as well and booked with Soutwest for my departing flight. Like you said it would be easy enough to change later on. Are you and your family coming in early? I will get there late Wednesday night as I would love to hang out in Fort Lauderdale and it was a great price. I have been lurking on the roll call but been a little apprhensive to join since I am booked through a singles cruise and hadn't noticed anyone else who was. Didn't know how that usually worked. Let me know what you think. Thanks for the advice

Laticha

 

Stop lurking and join the roll call with us. What can be bad about knowing even more people on the cruise? Just come to the board and share in your plans, etc. A roll call thread is an opportunity to share your excitement for the trip with others who are going through the same thing. Lord knows that our friends, family, co workers, etc don't want to hear about it all the time. However, people on the roll call DO want to hear all about it.

[jbroons]

Well crap. I thought I was just feeling tired and sad from the cruise being over but nope.....101.5 fever. Uh oh.

 

Hey 98.6 it's good to have you back again...Oh 98.6 you saved me......Remember that one Meg??!!

 

Hope that you are feeling better!!

[newbieMom]

John you are too cute. thanks for being concerned ;) I'm completely fine now, just a busy busy weekend. I think it's so funny that I thought I was taking it really hard that our cruise was over, when actually I was just sick...probably from lack of sleep. I believed Todd W. when he said we could sleep at home, LOL!

I have all of my pictures loaded for the slide show, just have to add music. I hope nobody is disappointed though, it's not a ton of Freedom pics, but mainly just us having fun with Freedom in the background and on the misc. islands.

[Tee Tee]

Stop lurking and join the roll call with us. What can be bad about knowing even more people on the cruise? Just come to the board and share in your plans, etc. A roll call thread is an opportunity to share your excitement for the trip with others who are going through the same thing. Lord knows that our friends, family, co workers, etc don't want to hear about it all the time. However, people on the roll call DO want to hear all about it.

 

Ok Tiggerman you're right. I just didn't notice any others from the singles cruise posting and didn't know the portocol. But you're right the more the merrier and I plan on having an awesome time and making some really good friends. I am heading over to join the roll call right now.

Thanks Laticha

[jbroons]

John you are too cute. thanks for being concerned ;) I'm completely fine now, just a busy busy weekend. I think it's so funny that I thought I was taking it really hard that our cruise was over, when actually I was just sick...probably from lack of sleep. I believed Todd W. when he said we could sleep at home, LOL!

I have all of my pictures loaded for the slide show, just have to add music. I hope nobody is disappointed though, it's not a ton of Freedom pics, but mainly just us having fun with Freedom in the background and on the misc. islands.

 

Rroarrr 98.6...glad that you are well Meg!

[jbroons]

bump

[AnnieB925]

Glad you're better NewbieMom. Would love to see your pics when you get them put together. Have a good weekend.

 

John you are too cute. thanks for being concerned ;) I'm completely fine now, just a busy busy weekend. I think it's so funny that I thought I was taking it really hard that our cruise was over, when actually I was just sick...probably from lack of sleep. I believed Todd W. when he said we could sleep at home, LOL!

I have all of my pictures loaded for the slide show, just have to add music. I hope nobody is disappointed though, it's not a ton of Freedom pics, but mainly just us having fun with Freedom in the background and on the misc. islands.

[sewer]

;)Hi....Thanks for a great review, we are going on the Freedom 11/21/09... I just got back from the Inspiration and I agreed about the singing waiter in the dining room, is very annoying while you are eating......

[sewer]

:) We have 2 balconies and one inside for the kids. Thanks again for great review. Love all about your girls...They sound like great kids.....We are taking the 8 days cruise from Ft. Lauderdale 11/21/09, Pto, Limon, Colon and 3 days at sea, great itinerary

[Debster2Cruz]

John, just wanted to share my news. I booked that Thanksgiving week cruise on the Splendor with all 3 of my grown children to celebrate the youngest 21st birthday. I decided to pay for all of them to go on the cruise since we have not done a family vacation since they were little and it is so hard to get all the kids together at one time when they are older. They are all in for this one. So I am booked on the Splendor for November and next April. WhooooHooooo!

[newbieMom]

OK Guys, AKA John & Bonnie, here's the photo montage of our cruise. It's really long, so if you're going to watch it I suggest making yourself a tropical drink and getting comfy;) Also, the first two songs are kind of annoying, but I couldn't help using them since they fit so perfectly! By the time you finish you will be so sick of seeing me and my family that you will never post to me again, but you asked for it so here it is :)

http://www.vimeo.com/4888988

*the video will take a minute or so to load, and be sure to move the curser off to the side after it starts. !,000 bonus points to anyone that can watch the whole thing.....it's really long, and probably really boring if your not in our family...don't say you weren't warned ;)

[jbroons]

;)Hi....Thanks for a great review, we are going on the Freedom 11/21/09... I just got back from the Inspiration and I agreed about the singing waiter in the dining room, is very annoying while you are eating......

 

I know...we actually felt BAD for them. And all the people eating dinner are saying "go, go, go, go, go,....". We thought it very strange.

 

How was Inspiration??

[jbroons]

:) We have 2 balconies and one inside for the kids. Thanks again for great review. Love all about your girls...They sound like great kids.....We are taking the 8 days cruise from Ft. Lauderdale 11/21/09, Pto, Limon, Colon and 3 days at sea, great itinerary

 

Thank you about the girls...they are great and I love them very much.

 

And that is a GREAT itinerary!!

[jbroons]

John, just wanted to share my news. I booked that Thanksgiving week cruise on the Splendor with all 3 of my grown children to celebrate the youngest 21st birthday. I decided to pay for all of them to go on the cruise since we have not done a family vacation since they were little and it is so hard to get all the kids together at one time when they are older. They are all in for this one. So I am booked on the Splendor for November and next April. WhooooHooooo!

 

That's fantastic Debbie.......You are a great mom! Have a wonderful cruise!!

[jbroons]

OK Guys, AKA John & Bonnie, here's the photo montage of our cruise. It's really long, so if you're going to watch it I suggest making yourself a tropical drink and getting comfy;) Also, the first two songs are kind of annoying, but I couldn't help using them since they fit so perfectly! By the time you finish you will be so sick of seeing me and my family that you will never post to me again, but you asked for it so here it is :)

http://www.vimeo.com/4888988

*the video will take a minute or so to load, and be sure to move the curser off to the side after it starts. !,000 bonus points to anyone that can watch the whole thing.....it's really long, and probably really boring if your not in our family...don't say you weren't warned ;)

 

BORING??.....I don't think so!! That was GREAT....wish I could do/make something like that Meg!

 

The picture of your daughter sitting in the window & looking out to sea made me tear-up...so beautiful. Thank you so much!!

 

PS I get the bonus points!! Also, your prettier than Meg R.

[jbroons]

Meg....did you get wet on the back of the boat on the way to the stingrays? My girls said that it was cold...can you believe that??!!

 

What a beautiful family....I think that your kids might grow to be tall;)