First, let me start by offering a bit of our background. My hubby and I are 42 and 35 respectively and have 3 very small children who we left home with grandparents. We were ready for rest and relaxation to say the least! This was his 5th cruise and my 4th.  I booked this trip in Sept. 2008, so there was a lot of anticipation leading up to the day of sailing. Overall, we had a great time but it did not live up to the experience I had been hoping for.

EMBARKATION: We only live 2 ½ hours from Pt. Canaveral, so we left at 8:30 am and arrived just before 11 am. From the time we parked our car to stepping foot on the ship was a mere 15 minutes. The parking fees at the port are a bit much at $10 per day.

SHIP: The ship is defiantly BIG. Having sailed on the Mariner a few years ago, I was already somewhat familiar with the Freedom's layout, amenities, etc..I must confess that I prefer the Mariner of the Seas.  I cannot really put my finger on it, but it the FOS just did not have the "oomph" that I was expecting. I liked the aesthetics of the casino and the overall dEcor better on the MOS. I know it seems like a really trivial issue, but I like what I like. Read more