Freedom of the Seas 10/15/2006 C&A Member Cruise
Flew out of CLE at 6:30AM but we didn't take off til 7AM, then the joke of ATL with Delta taxiing for a gate & the connecting flight was late so we landed in MIA at Noon. Got a taxi with a great female driver who took side streets to the dock. She stated she has carried hundreds already & we see a line of 15 deep folks from the front door all the way back to Carnival's terminal. As we are getting out of the taxi & our luggage out of the rear a great porter states "Hi Diamond Members" and takes our luggage and points to a long dark navy blue walkway with big doors under it & we are to go in those doors. Inside a security officer sees our pins & greets us also, and tells us to have a seat til immigration is done with debarking passengers. Another couple for England joins us with their 7 year old son. Then we are told to go up the escalator to the counter at the top, so we did & gave the gal our Set Sail paperwork & RCCL VISA card, got our key cards & onto Freedom for our first cruise on her. She is one magnificent ship. No way to do her justice trying to describe her, you have to be there to truly appreciate her.
So we hate buffets so no windjammer for us, so we hit 9 on the elevator & down to 9228 at 1PM (5th balcony from front on starboard side) & we are greeted by Ester our steward. One great lady from S Africa with a great sense of humor. She hands us 2 greeting cards for RCCL Gear & Gifts stating 2 bottles of wine from our TA are there but they are not. Ester will check where they went. We see the bed, with dark green shams behind the white down pillows, white duvet which is actually 2 top sheets sewn together with a quilt inside. Then a dark green runner going along the bottom of the bed.