Carnival Freedom Review
Rating by category
Additional details
We drove from our home in central Alabama to Ft Lauderdale on Friday. A tip here: Unless you absolutely must take the Florida turnpike, stay or get on the interstate! We encountered fairly heavy traffic on the turnpike (coming and going), in addition to outrageous gas and other prices at the service plazas. As soon as we could exit to the interstate, we did. Traffic moved faster, and there were no limited access exits, etc.
Ft. Lauderdale: After reading a number of reviews from cruisers who opted to stay at exclusive or high dollar hotels for the night before their cruise, I'd like to offer an alternative. I've always stayed at Holiday Inns, Hampton Inns, Courtyard by Marriott, etc., when we traveled until I took a 7000 mile motorcycle trip around the western half of the country over a period of 18 days last summer. A friend suggested we stay at Motel 6. I'd never given them much thought, other than old Tom telling us in the commercials that "We'll leave the light on for you".
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Motel 6 has been busy quietly upgrading their properties with new laminate flooring, new vanities and furniture, corner showers, flat screen tv, and most, if not all, have pools. No blow dryers, but some properties have mini-fridges and Wi-Fi. They all have laundry facilities, and the coffee is ready at 6:00 AM in the lobby every morning!
Cabin Review
Balcony
Stateroom 8336. Port side, just aft of mid ship. Just say NO! This cabin is right under the lido deck eating area, and there is a constant shifting of chairs and tables from morning to night! In the middle of the night, while not quite so bothersome, they are moved about as the crew cleans. And to add what past reviewers have said, there are always crew people cleaning - passageways, stairways, railings, tables, chairs, floors - everywhere on the ship! Our balcony was cleaned from the outside both while we were in St Thomas AND Tortola!
Stateroom tip: Before you commit to your stateroom, check the deck plans CAREFULLY. Look at what's above and below you; how far you are from the elevators, knowing that if you have to enter your dining room from the forward end, that your cabin and nearest elevator aren't at the aft end, where you'll have to go around or up and over and down to get to the hostess desk! Lido deck staterooms are good I've read a number of reviews where folks have said they have very little noise from the Lido deck itself, but they're near the forward elevators (which take you right down to all the decks).