We're back and I'm ready to give a review of our trip on the Freedom. The ship is everything they are promising you. Very comfortable and spacious, in spite of having 3,000 people on board and almost 2,000 crew. However, there are a few drawbacks. On our ship we had 1/3 (about 1,000) of the people that were Oriental, from Canada. They traveled in a group and were some of the rudest people that I have ever encountered. Every time we lined up for dinner or an off shore excursion they jumped the line. Each time you entered or exited an elevator they pushed ahead and actually shoved people aside. Not sure why, some of the Oriental people I met were very nice. For example, there was a gentleman that helped me open my door while I was carrying breakfast on a tray from the Lido deck. I thought I could handle it, but he was right, I couldn't. Nice man. A couple sitting at an adjoining table from Indonesia complained about the same thing. He couldn't understand it either. However, the crew is wonderful, so special and they do their best which is more than you can ever expect. Our steward, Agnes, is a special lady and works very hard to insure that you are comfortable. I believe she did sleep under our bed because our cabin was always ready for us to enjoy. Ice bucket was always full, bed made every day when we went to breakfast, and so helpful about things you need to know like laundry, etc. Dinner was ok - good but not great. Beef was tough, chicken stringy. Trust your waiter to steer you in the right direction. Appetizers were stingy. It would be good if they could be used as an entrEe, but if you order Maine mussels there will be four, and they are very, very little. Lobster is not Maine lobster even though it is described as Maine lobster. It is definitely Rock Lobster, and not too good. Deserts were wonderful, especially the chocolate melting cake. I think we gained 5 lbs just eating that. As for entertainment, well it was spotty. Some nights good, some nights not so good. There was a comedian that bombed, people actually walked out within 10 minutes. No named headliners, just dancers and singers that performed a couple of times. It would have been nice if they had a few different singers performing instead of the same old two - one male, one female. The highlight of the trip was talent night when one of the "ladies" responded to the cruise director and knocked him down and pretended to have sex. She rumpled his clothing, he actually lost a shoe, broke his suspenders and his pants dropped a bit. It was funny to watch and I'll bet they show the video over and over. It should be a classic in the archives.

Now for what you really want to know. We left Orlando and flew to Dulles, Washington DC. From there to Frankfurt on Lufthansa, and then on to Rome. Stayed at a hotel in Rome for a night and then to the ship the next day. No two ways about it, it is a long, long trip, especially economy class. However, Lufthansa is a classy airline. The seats are skimpy but they treat you very, very well. We watched our crew load and there were 4 to 6 people for each section. Food was good, and free drinks even better. Jet lag is a problem and the extra day helped. We were not ready to start having a vacation until we had than extra day. Rome is about 90 min. to the port. Boarding went very smoothly. These people know how to move crowds (must have learned from Disney). Your wait on line is minimal and then it is on to the ramp, naturally a picture taking moment, and then to your cabin. Next thing you know, your steward is there introducing him/herself and then you explore. The Lido deck is open and lunch is being served There is no entertainment the first night, nor is there any criteria regarding dress in the restaurant. Everyone is tired, luggage may be late, and so rules are lax. The ship is hard to get around until you understand. The Posh restaurant is on deck 3 and the lounge is also on deck 3. However, to get from the restaurant to the lounge you have to go up to deck 5, proceed through the casino, and the shops and then take the stairs or elevator down to deck 3. If you think about it, well it is a business.

We set sail on time from Civitavecchia and traveled to Naples. Our tour was the Amalfi Coast by boat & Sorrento. We asked for a wake up call and room service because the tour was for 7:15 gathering and 7:45 depart. We stumbled around and got in line, they gave us a sticker ( blue 1) and we sat down in the lounge. They called our number, we walked down the stairs to deck 0, checked out, Had our photo op, got on the bus and started off. We were still very tired and suffering from jet lag, but it didn't take long to get into the spirit of things. Great tour, great guide. Lunch was at a local restaurant and was excellent. We didn't get back to the ship until after 5:00, and we were tired but it was worth it. Beautiful, beautiful country. Next day we were at sea, so rest was the order of the day. Read more