mom2mybugs

I called my ta because the wow sale seemed a bit better. I had only paid the deposit. She said that it was 300 better but only 100 instead of 200 obc. So I saved 200 dollars and didn't change my room or anything! Yeah! Jane

Hi...we are doing a 7 day adventure of the seas cruise in august to st. Thomas, st. Kitts, aruba and curacao. We will do an excursion to st johns and trunk bay. Im wondering though on the other 3 islands if it is worth it to do excursions, or if the beaches are easily accessible by taxi or walking. Are the taxis easy to find and cost effective? We'd love to save 100 bucks a day for a beach trip. Also are there any really good beaches on any of these islands you would recommend?

Ok, so im getting the drink pkg too for freedom in march. When i was on vision last year, i didn't see a lot of drink menus anywhere. Do they have them out floating around? Or should you ask the bartender? I tend to the tried and trues because i just don't think of new ones! Hey also...prob. won't do many angry orchards this trip since i have the drink pkg, but when i go in august im not getting the pkg. Last time i cruised i bought the soft cooler that you could get fill with beer or cider for a cheaper prce. Do they still offer that?

Do the lines get really long? Ugh...hadn't thought of that! Jane

Thanks! My youngest will drink diet coke so she can fill up wherever, but my oldest wants the flavored waters! Windjammer is close enough to the pool area! I will be drinking yummy rum drinks so if they are happy, I will be happy! Sure wish adventure had one...I get the supply issue but would be nice in august!

Just wondering how many freestyle machines there are and where they are located. ..i know they have one outside sorrentos on the promenade.

Quick question. ..do you need tender tickets like you do in other ports like belize or do you just get in line? I have a teen im going to register a program for and my oldest and i are just hanging on the beach. Jane

New question...I have looked at the past compasses and all the days are switched up! Does anyone have a recent order of menues on freedom eastern caribbean...formal days seem to stay 2 and 6 (and are always saffron and jasmine). Mojo seems to always be day one, but pimiento, shitaki, basil and pomodoro all seem to switch around. I know...fwp...but half the fun is planning and I'm trying to figure out the specialty dinner thing! Also trying to figure out adventure, but that seems more consistent. Jane

Thanks so much matt!

What about on adventure out of san juan? Since the sailaway time isso late, can you still get there early and use the boat all day?

Hi everyone, I am cruising on Freedom in March (and maybe Adventure in August!) and I'm trying to figure out dining. On Freedom, my daughter and I are going to do Sabor either on night 3 or night 7, but we aren't sure which would be better....is there a way to find the menus/order for our eastern caribbean cruise? I'm sure it is the same as past ones, but not sure where to find them. The same goes for Adventure--we will do the specialty italian on one of the nights, but would like to book ahead of time. Anybody have any opinion on my time dining for adventure? It seems like there is often a wait in my time, and the staff is all over the place. 6 seems too early, but 830 is late. Does 830 interfere with sailaway and the shows? Just kind of looking for some ideas and input! Thanks, Jane

my 13 year old daughter vetoed orient beach....she doesn't want to see anyone topless lol! When you get a taxi and its for 2 hours or the day or whatever, that means they will wait for you? Or is it better to let them go because there are always taxis available? I'm kind of confused on the "taxi tour" vs getting dropped off somewhere, and what makes more sense! jane

We are looking at the 7 day adventure out of san juan, and it is 350 total for both of us. jane

Awesome! Can't wait to show this to my very excited almost 13 year old! Jane

Hi! Another question! I am trying to finally get my husband on a cruise for my 3rd cruise. I am looking at adventure out of san juan on august 6. My first question is do people find it cheaper to go through a travel agent (my last two were through aaa) and thus book earlier (I would book in a week or two so 5 months before the trip) or onboard a ship (I sail freedom on march 19]. Just wondering will the price keep going up as we get closer and would it be more than onboard credits I would get booking onboard. My second question is about adventure rooms. We won't be able to afford an outside stateroom. Is it worth it to pay the extra 350 for an interior promenade room? Does it give you a lot more light and make the tiny room less small or should we use that money on drinks lol? Thanks for the help!

Thanks! Any opinions on shopping and restaurants french vs dutch side)? That might sway us since I think orient just sounds prettier and the dutch beaches more convenient?

Thanks matt! Jane

Hello, We are booked in a deluxe balcony room on freedom. Its a bigger room than we had in vision (ocean view no balcony). We had no trouble at all with the twin beds being apart. What im wondering is how this freedom room works with the beds apart. Is it hard to get around the beds to get to the balcony? Im traveling with my daughters, so we could push the beds together if it makes the room function better. Thanks...any comments would be awesome! Jane

Hey all, We really stretched the budget with this freedom cruise, so we are planning on being low key with the cococay and st thomas excursions. However, st maarten has a gazillion things to do. Does anyone have any opinions on what is good to do, or if there is a good beach to simply taxi to (and what is a good taxi price?)

Thanks everyone! We are really looking forward to this second cruise!

Yeah I'm back! Last year we took our first spring break cruise on Vision (my 2 girls, my son and me since hubby had to work). This year the girls (19 + 13) and I are cruising again on freedom of the sea. Royal has already bumped our deluxe ocean view to a balcony ...so thrilled! My question is how different did people find their experience on a small vs big ship. Was everything more crowded on the bigger one, or were the people spread out enough? Did you spend more time on the boat because there was more to do and sea days were too crowded? Were the restaurants and seatings more crowded or less because more restaurants? Just wondering about the differences and id love any opinions or advice on freedom. Is there anything I have to know? Oh yeah, and it was a huge bummer to my kids that vision didn't have a freestyle machine. Does freedom have one and is that included with the soda pkg? Thanks in advance...I used to love reading the blog and I got out of the habit...so excited to be back and cruising in less than 2 months! Jane

Glad you are in good shape matt! The passport is in my hot little hands! Now my biggest dilemma is which drink to have first or whether to do park café or windjammer when we board!

Ok, after 3 more calls and an additional 70 dollars, it looks like my passport is completed and ready for ups to pick it up and mail it. I should have it with about 4 days to spare! Another related question...I already have my st sail documents and checked in with my birth certificate and id. I can change whatever until March 16. Can I go online and enter in a passport number? Will I have to reprint anything?

Hello! We sail in two weeks on vision of the seas and my kids are ready to go. The passport people, however, held onto my passport application for a month before telling me my photo wasn't ok. They have a new photo and hopefully it will come in time, but I'm in a panic! If I sail with just a license and birth certificate, will I be able to leave the ship in roatan, beluze and mexico?

Hi everyone! I'm Jane from Illinois and I can't wait to go on my very first cruise on March 21 on vision. I'm taking my 3 kids (18, 15 & 12) without my husband whose spring break vacation is the following week. We have been learning so much reading the boards (though I still have a million questions!). We decided on a longer cruise on an older boat, rather than shorter (and more expensive) on a newer one. I'm hoping there is enough for my kids to do. Me,I'm happy to lay on a deck chair in the sun (if I can find one not saved lol)!