Carnival Freedom Review
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My first time sailing from Galveston, I've sailed only from Florida previously. The Texas/Oklahoma crowd was friendly, fun, and laid back. The ship catered to the audience with plenty of country music throughout the week.
We flew in to Hobby airport the day before, staying at the Springhill Suites location 5 minutes away, which was a good choice for the night.
Galveston Shuttle and Limo company came to pick us up promptly at 10am with a large comfy van. There were 9 of us, 6 on their first cruise. When I was arranging this holiday for us all, I deliberately chose Carnival for a positive and budget-friendly entry into cruising. With the size of our party, using this company saved us $7 per person each way over using Carnival's transportation. This transportation company was a find- I recommend them.
Cabin Review
Premium Vista Balcony
Layout makes the cabin seem larger than it is. The balcony is awesome. I recommend this deck because it's sandwiched between 2 decks with no public rooms. I am seriously spoiled now.
Port Reviews
Montego Bay
Blue Mountain Coffee is the best in the world. Jamaica is a poor country though, this is where you take an excursion if you don't know where you're going.
Cozumel
We went into town to do some shopping. You have to bargain aggressively- everything is marked way up. The sea is the prettiest in the entire Caribbean, with clear water that goes to green then a brilliant aqua and finally the shades of darker blue.
Galveston
We just boarded the ship here. If I had more time, I'd love to explore the history. This was the largest city in Texas until the hurricane wiped in out in the early 1900's.
Grand Cayman (Georgetown)
Pretty island. It's a tender port...the ships anchor in the bay and you take a small boat to the dock. There's excellent shopping here. It's the place to swim and snorkel. Avoid seeing "Hell." It's just some rocks.