Freedom of the Seas Review

4.0 / 5.0
2,408 reviews

Freedom of the Seas-April 10-17, 2011

Review for the Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Freedom of the Seas
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dlfortmyers
6-10 Cruises • Age 60s

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Sail Date: Apr 2011
Cabin: Junior Suite

Embarkation..although the line was long when we arrived at 11:45AM, we got on with no problem. We were able to be advanced to the front of the room check in line because we had a suite..no other perks with the suite, which was a bit disappointing.The ship itself is magnificent. The Promenade is everything and more..the fitness center is first class, and the spa was very nice (and no pushy sales schtick at the end..she started to try to sell me products, and I politely said no at the very beginning, and she stopped..very nice!)The wine bar concept was great..the wine selection was a bit disappointing..average wines were overpriced, but they did carry some premium wines-caymus, for example, was $90/bottle..the cigar lounge concept was also something i was looking forward to, but again, disappointing..no promotion, very limited cigar selection, and seldom used. It was nice having the big screen TV to myself.Sorrento's was average.pizza either got rave reviews or was so so. Coffee bar was very nice, as wells as ben and jerry's and the cupcake cupboard. Shops (jewelry, logo merchandise, and general store) were very good..great prices on booze too. buy your alcohol on the last day and you can take it to your room, otherwise it will be delivered sometime on the last day ifyou buy before.Junior suite was magnificent...walk in closet and roomy bathroom, with a tub/shower..just an overall perfect place. stateroom attendant Joseph was nothing short of spectacular.casino was typical. photographers were available, but weren't swarming over you all the time, which was nice.windjammers-on a scale of one to ten..a 6. food was average, buns were usually stale. breakfast was usually very good, but lunch/dinner were average. nothing special. even the desserts lacked that something special. waitstaff was attentive, but the beverage servers were always talking amongst themselves and had to wait on them for refills..unacceptable.main dining..waiter was great! asst waiter was talkative and 75% of the time got the orders mixed up between my wife and i..no biggie, we just switched plates, but it was a nuisance and something we never encountered before. Pork, beef and chicken were the tastiest and most tender I've ever had on a cruise ship..the seafood (lobster and shrimp) were disappointing..small and fishy tasting. we were assigned the 8:30 seating, but went there on the first day and were able to get the 6pm seating..worked out great for us.chops..must go..without a doubt..shrimp cocktail and other appetizers were fantastic, meat was tender and perfectly cooked, and the family style sides were out of this world.cococay was phenomenal..best private island experience ever..spread out, plenty of chairs, beautiful water, lots to do. bring cash ifyou want to buy items from the island merchants..we were a bit confused on that one.bar staff and activities were very good..trivia games were fun. drinks were very very good and reasonably priced..drink of the day was 8.99 which included a very nice souvenir glass.biggest disappointment? don't be fooled by the "reserving of chairs (pool and theatre) is strictly prohibited. it was rampant and not enforced by the staff. we arrived for the magic show 20 minutes ahead of showtime and couldn't get two seats together because people were "holding them". we didn't push it to cause a scene, but did complain once to the staff. they asked where..we told them go down any aisle, and you'll see coats, cameras, bags, etc. on seats with no occupants. same with the pool..they claim if you're out of your lounge chair for more than 30 minutes you'll find your belongings at the towel check out area..again, not enforced.cruise director was absolutely marvelous..funny funny guy, and his morning tv show was excellent. the comedian was very good (john mendozza). delisco, a singer/entertainer was good. the ship's band was very good, but the singers were laughable. only two were any good. they did a "mother goose meets rent" production..very poorly done. the stage and backdrops were fantastic though.flowrider was a must do..the rock climbing wall was intimidating, so i didn't do it. miniature golf and basketball/volleyball area very good.johnny rockets was a blast..again, stale buns, but the waitstaff danced to songs playing on the jukebox..great break from windjammers. karaoke was a blast to watch..champagne bar was a great relaxing area, as well as the english pub.overall, very good experience, but could have improved in certain areas.

Cabin Review

Junior Suite

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