PRebecca

Freedom of the Seas September 23rd, 2022

I called, am getting refunded, scheduled test with 2 hour result. 
🛳   🏝 all is well, lots of alternate options near me 

I called, am getting refunded, scheduled test with 2 hour result. 
🛳   🏝 all is well, lots of alternate options near me 

I called, am getting refunded, scheduled test with 2 hour result. 
🛳   🏝 all is well, lots of alternate options near me 

We rented a Casita on Oasis last month and found it very convenient to have a spot on the deck for the day.  Cold waters in a cooler and drink attendant was great.
I'd suggest paying attention to where your Casita is in relation to the smoking area.
I vape so we chose to be near the smoking section, suite deck and bar.  I mention the smoking area not because it was offensive on the open windy deck but to be aware if that type of nearness is an issue 😊
We had zero complaints. Loved it really 🙂
 

We rented a Casita on Oasis last month and found it very convenient to have a spot on the deck for the day.  Cold waters in a cooler and drink attendant was great.
I'd suggest paying attention to where your Casita is in relation to the smoking area.
I vape so we chose to be near the smoking section, suite deck and bar.  I mention the smoking area not because it was offensive on the open windy deck but to be aware if that type of nearness is an issue 😊
We had zero complaints. Loved it really 🙂
 

Anyone have this happen? There's the normal sticker QR code I'm used to seeing and another sticker on top that says Rev 2 with expiry 1/28/23. I've taken probably 6 or 8 of these tests and first this has happened.  I'll give them (Optum, who I purchased from I guess?) a call when they open but was hoping to hear if this has happened to anyone else who happens to know how to rectify. I realize this is doubtful but this is where I go for cruise questions 😁
I've made an appointment at CVS but would prefer to test at-home.
 
 

We always buy the Key. For us the difference in cost between the Key and just WIFI make it worth it, especially now that ships are sailing at higher capacities. We really love many of the features…priority boarding, Chops Grill Lunch on boarding day, reserved seats for shows, special times for activities (my kids like that), and one of the best features in on disembarkation day. A really nice sit down breakfast, then escorted off the ship past all the people waiting in line…Nice! 

Not all of us need flights! I live in vancouver and am embarking and returning to van. No flights just a 30 min drive. Cheapest all inclusive ever. 

Being a first-time cruiser I thought I would give my impression of the experience we had sailing on the Mariner of the Seas 19 – 23 April. 
Boarding the ship at Port Canaveral:  I was very impressed; this was a well-oiled machine.  Drive up, drop off your bags, hand the nice man some money, and go to park.  The only issue I had was with some guy named Wade (not sure if he worked for RC or for the port).  Wade thought himself a drill sergeant barking orders to people, “Stop talking, get in line”.  Rude!!  The process of checking in and getting on the boat was very simple and moved along quickly.  Once on the boat is where our inexperience kicked in.  What do we do, how do we get our room keys?  There is no one to tell you how it all works.  We eventually figured it out after asking a few people, but I felt this is something that could have been explained prior to boarding.
Once on board we explored the ship to see where everything  was located and how to get around.  It was during this time that we overheard other passengers discussing that our ports of call had changed.  Instead of being at sea on the first day, we were now going to Freeport.  We later found out that this was due to a maintenance issue, but again, this was not communicated very well to the passengers.
Day one at Freeport:  Why are we here!!  There is nothing in Freeport.  A fenced in area with a pretend straw market.  It was also during this time that we were hit by another ship while tied up to the dock.  The whole boat rocked!  Luckily it was high up on the rear of the ship.
Day two at Coco Cay:  We had a blast, what a wonderful place.  Very relaxing without a care in the world.  The blue waters were amazing.
Day three Nassau:  Loved it, lots to do and see.
Day four, coming home:  Getting off of the ship was as easy as getting on, very smooth process.
 
Overall impression:  Our spacious balcony room was very nice and had plenty of room.  Our porter did not disappoint either.  Big thank you to Orlando!!
We loved exploring the ship, especially at night when there was hardly anyone up on deck.  It was almost as if we had the place to ourselves. 
We ate in the main dining room twice.  The first night it seemed that they were having some “coordination” issues.  Overall the food was very good, but we were not impressed by the prime rib.  Cut was very thin and dry.  Not at all what I expected. 
If you’re a morning person (I am) you will enjoy being on deck as the sun comes up.  Magical!  Not to mention breakfast in the Windjammer. 
It was a wonderful experience, and the entire Mariner of the Seas crew were awesome.  Thank you all!

Day 0   I live near Nashville, and usually fly out of there, but after checking commuter fares, I found a cheaper option through Silver Airways out of Huntsville, AL, so that's what I booked. I arrived at Orlando International at 6:30 pm, and after waiting for 45 minutes in the line for the car rental, I was on my way to the Country Inn and Suites in Coco Beach. I typically rent from one car rental brand that had an office on Astronaut Blvd, but it closed due to the pandemic, and it only left one other practical option, which I used. I made a stop for dinner at Grills before checking in.   Day 1   After a good night's sleep, I returned my car to the rental office and walked ten minutes back to the Country Inn and Suites where I caught the shuttle to Port Canaveral. I originally booked that hotel because there is a walking path across the street that takes you into the port area. I chose not to walk because it was a cloudless sky, and I broke a sweat walking back to the hotel from the car rental office.   My check-in time at the cruise terminal was 11:00 am, so I took the earliest shuttle, dropped my luggage with a porter and walked next door to Grills (again) for breakfast and a pre-cruise beer.   I paid the bar tender at 10:50 and walked to the terminal. The check-in process was smooth. They screened you for all of the documentation including passport vaccination card, negative Covid test ( I took the emed antigen test) and boarding pass. I went through security quickly and checked in immediately. Just as I completed that process, they announced general boarding, and I was on board at 11:19 am. Including the walk from Grills, it took twenty-nine minutes.   They had not started emuster, so I settled in for a beer at Playmakers while I waited. I completed emuster a little after noon and walked around the ship a bit. I had been on Freedom before, so everything was very familiar.   I booked early dinner at Izumi, and it was wonderful. I had the beef tenderloin. Since I had the Unlimited Dining Package, I had another reservation for dinner at 9:00 pm, but I was still too full to consider more food, and passed on it. I was a little tired, so I went to my cabin and unpacked and went to bed so that I was rested for the next day.   Day 2   I had a reservation for Scuba at 8:30 am at Coco Cay, so I got up to watch the sunrise and went to the Windjammer for breakfast. The scuba shack is on the beach near the souvenir stands to the left. The dive team did everything including setting up my buoyancy and breathing equipment as well as provided a 3 mm "shortie" westsuit which I was glad for because, some floating jellyfish stingers found their way to the exposed skin on my lower legs. I am still feeling it.   They took us to the dive site by towing us to the reef with a jetski. Once we all had assembled, Jumi, the instructor/guide signaled for us to descend. We went down to 35' which is not very deep, but there were lots of fish and a fairly decent reef. He took us by a sunken anchor, propeller plane engine and several features along the reef. We saw a large sea turtle, several rays, a couple of puffer fish, a parrott fish, lots of yellow tail snappers and an octopus near the end of the dive surprisingly close to the beach where we emerged amidst snorkelers and people on rafts. I felt like the creature from the black lagoon emerging in the middle of them.   The dive was fairly strenuous in that there was a lot of current which we had to fight in the shallows. That was fine, because it set me up for a great nap after lunch. For lunch, I had the crispy chicken sandwich marinara style and a chocolate chip cookie. I move to South Beach afterward, and commenced a blissful nap. By 2:00 pm, I got up and returned to the ship for another nap prior to trivia (I won it in geography -- yay!) and my dinner at Giovannis. I had the Veal Ossubuca, and it was ok, but not my kind of thing. I thought about ordering the steak I keep hearing about but didn't since I was booked at Chops the next day.   Day 3   I slept in until about 7:50 am, and went to the Main Dining Room for breakfast as we approached Nassau. I had a nice conversation with an older couple at an adjacent table, and then I went out to take some pictures of the ships around us. We were docked by Mariner which was next to Enchantment. On the other side was a Carnival ship.   A few weeks prior to the cruise, I booked a day pass at Margaritaville which recently opened next to the British Colonial Hilton. I had seen a cruise vlog that visited there, so I wanted to check it out for myself. I entered and walked around the hotel and grounds and then went to the 4th floor to the adult infinity pool. It provided a great view of the water and ships in port. I ordered a Kalik beer for $8 and a fish sandwich for $25. I noticed Junkanoo Beach next door was selling Kalik 3 for $10 while I was up there. There is no entry fee for that beach, so the next time I go to Nassau, that's where I will head. I am not sure I would do anything else in Nassau except maybe tour the chocolate factory and rum distillery. That port doesn't have a lot of appeal to me right now. Maybe when the construction, which cause a lot of people stress getting back into the port area is complete, that will change.   Dinner was at Chops, and being a creature of habit, I had a small filet with the awesome mushroom soup and a glass of wine. I was still full from the fish sandwich earlier.   Day 4   The last day of the cruise was at sea, so I went back to the Main Dining Room for breakfast and then went to the sports deck to watch the private flow rider lessons. I didn't have a desire to try the flow rider until that time, so when they opened it up for boogie boarding, I got in line. It was fun! I was able to get up to my knees and do some turns, and my confidence for doing more grew. I expect to take a lesson next time I have the opportunity, so I will see if I can stay on my feet one day. After a couple of flow rider sessions and a few trips down the Perfect Storm, I went back to my room, showered and grabbed a coffee while I talked to a fellow passenger who sat near me. I chose not to eat lunch so I could enjoy my final dinner at Izumi hibachi again that evening. I chose the NY steak and subbed the tiger shrimp. It was delicious as always.   Day 5   Disembarking went as expected, however it seemed like a lot more people wanted to get off the ship early than I remember from previous cruises. It didn't take long once the line started moving, and I was walking to the GoPort shuttle bus within a few minutes after the seamless facial recognition customs check, which I think is a little creepy, but was glad to be done with it. I grabbed the last seat on the shuttle, and enjoyed the trip back to Orlando airport as the bus driver narrated the trip. He mentioned that the Brightline train service is scheduled to expand from Miami, Ft Lauderdale and West Palm all the way up to Orlando airport by late December, and that it was slightly ahead of schedule. After our last cruise, the 2019 President's Cruise on Symphony, we took the Brightline up to Ft Lauderdale from Miami, and were VERY impressed. I think the options this service will provide when the expansion in Orlando is done will take a lot of pressure off of the airports and provide more and better options to get to the three major cruise ports on the east coast. The service will eventually expand to Tampa. I am really looking forward to it.     Ratings   eMuster -- very easy and convenient. It was difficult to understand everything the crew member at my station was saying, however, and I think that is something that could be improved by making more consistent. I rate it 4 out of 5 Stateroom -- my second inside stateroom, and I really enjoyed it. It was located aft on deck 6 accessible from an unmarked door to the corridor next to the stairwell. There was a curtain in front of the bed which blocked out the light that made its way through a crack in the doorway. It was pitch black in there and made for great sleep. The light switch was right at my head in case I needed to get up during the night. 5 out of 5 (especially for a solo traveler) UDP -- too much food. I will only do up to three nights of specialty dining on future cruises. I missed the Main Dining Room experience (4 out of 5 -- too much food) Izumi Hibachi -- nights 1 and 4 -- I regret not getting sushi -- 5 out of 5 Giovanni's - night 2 -- did not love my menu selection -- great service -- 4 out of 5 Chops -- night 3 -- I usually go to Chops on RC cruises and always love it. Too full to enjoy the experience, so I rushed it. 4 out of 5 Stateroom Attendant -- the best stateroom attendant I have had on any cruise. Great guy, thorough, quick, willing to talk, but not too much (5 out of 5) Solo Cruising -- it was as expected. I missed cruising with my wife or one of my kids and pretty much stayed to myself most of the time. I did what I wanted when I wanted and didn't think anything of it. I would do it again, especially for the double C&A points (4 out of 5) Excursions -- In Coco Cay, SCUBA was fun, however, I would like for Royal to expand it to a two tank boat diving option. I was wiped out after dealing with the current at the end during the shallow part over the reef headed back to the beach. In Nassau, Margaritavile was ok. The food and beverage was expensive and not up to expectations. I am simply going to Junkanoo next time if I get off the ship. Coco Cay (4 out of 5); Nassau (3 out of 5 -- I won't do it again) Activities -- the flow rider and water slides were a blast. Independence Dunes for putt putt was fun, and I like the location at the front over the panoramic ocean view rooms. (5 out of 5) Entertainment -- I really enjoyed the Schooner Bar and various options in the Star lounge featuring the cast from Grease and the Independence of the Seas band/orchestra. Grease was presented "in concert" and was not the full production, which I was a little disappointed about. (4 out of 5)   Pics                               This brought back memories. This couple was in my first ever stateroom on a Royal Caribbean cruise.      

$1000-1500 if you want all the photos and maybe 1 large one
I believe it is $800 just for all digital copies of everything they take.
Done it on Anthem twice 😉
We got these during the first pro session we did back in 2019

How was vote held? Ya/Nay on the pool deck? 
I would have gone ashore. Albeit after many other passengers went first. I mean a cartel member can only carry so many bullets and a cruise ship holds lots of people. Cozumel is not to be missed.

Are you sure this was an actual extra charge? Royal charges all cards used to secure onboard accounts with a pre-authorization amount. Sometimes this pre-authorization amount takes 7-10 business days to fall off.  My credit card statement usually has 3-4 pending charges that show up even after the final charge actually posts.

The one with the $500 trade-in value will be your annual free prime cruise. That one can be used on any cruise that sails within the years' timeframe. Unlike some other free interiors, balconies, etc. that must be used within a specified timeframe and itinerary. However, I have discovered that you can use the money off and free specialized ones on already booked sailing as long as they aren't past final payment. 

I failed to provide a 'please'.  Pardon. And thank you! 
 

but I get 1 a year that has a $500 cash trade-in value. Once in a while a random $250 one. Those are the good ones.  You can apply them to any cabin, any cruise... as long as it's within the expiration date.
 
Thanks for this, another tidbit I missed in my brief search. Thank you, I'll spend some time digging into the rules and FAQs.
Big help as always,  here on the boards!! Yall are the best

We're planning to book with NextCruise and then move it over to MEI since we don't currently have a TA.  From everything I've been reading, MEI is definitely the way to go. 

Lessons Learned
I am going to add a list of my lessons learned here so you do not have to read through all my random postings you do not care about.
Don't forget toothpaste or hair conditioner.  This lesson cost me $8 for toothpaste and $15 for hair conditioner Don't leave any kind of medication at home.  I left my over-the-counter allergy medicine at home and found out they no longer carry it on the ship.  If you need any kind of medicine, aspirin, binadrill ... you have to talk to the doctor on the ship and get it from them.  They want to test you for Covid before treating you sniffles for setting in the casino and getting a snoot full of cigarette smoke. Ocean View on a Trans-Atlantic does not do much good.  The window stays wet and gets dirty after two days so it is not usable.  Lucky they gave it to me with a free upgrade. You don't have to eat every meal and have 4 or 5 courses.  I am doing great with No Bread, no appetizer and no desert. You can take desert back to your room.  I do not want to stuff at dinner so if there is a desert that looks really good I get it to go.  I take it to the cabin and have it for a snack before bed. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I am very sorry... I am writing this for my enjoyment.  If you want to follow that would be OK and you might enjoy it also... just do not expect too much.  I am going on the Vision of the Seas on Friday April 29, 2022.  We are doing a 14-day Trans-Atlantic Cruise going through the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean and ending up in Barcelona.   I have been trying to pack for the last 3 days but my dog, Jupiter, is making it very hard.  Every time he sees the suitcase he gets upset and shows me he is mad at me.  Jupiter remembers the suitcase and knows it means I will be gone for a longer time, and he does not like that.  The younger dog, Pluto, does not remember the suitcase or does not care.  For now, I just have to get everything ready and will pull out the suitcase tomorrow night and pack everything at once.  So, to end up tonight I will post something about me.
Introduction:
Name:  Michael, Mike, Traveling Mike, Dad, Coach. Age: 61 … Still trying to figure out if I am old enough for the adults table at Thanksgiving Hometown:  Fresno California … Hopefully soon I can same I am from the world traveling.  Traveling With:  Solo... I have been a single father for 24 years traveling with my son and now he stays at home and works so my traveling partner is myself now. Occupation:  I spent 16 years driving truck, went back to school and now I drive a Computer (computer programmer for a school district) Spare Time:  I coach water polo.  I coach elementary kids and high school varsity Cruising Experience:  as close as I can figure I have been on 20 cruises (5 with 1st wife, 12 with my son & 5 solo) (5 Disney, 6 Carnival, 2 RCL, 4 NCL, 3 Princes, 2 Celebrity) I know this is not much but don't worry I will be like a bad penny and my posts will keep showing up here.

Thanks everyone for their input, it’s been much appreciated!  I have previously only cruised in an inside room so know this experience is going to be mind blowing! Lol.
This is my wife’s first ever cruise, she’s going to think this will a the norm 🤦‍♂️
 
Lots of great advice already, thanks so much 😊

I agree that room service from the MDR is a wonderful suites' perk....just be aware that the GS does not have an inside dining table.  If you order room service you will either have to eat at the "bar" standing up, eat at the coffee table or go outside and eat on the balcony furniture (which may or may not have a regular sized table).  I've done all three so you CAN do it, it's just not as convenient and/or romantic as having a nice, comfortable place to sit and eat.
IMO the best suites perk for non-O/Q class ships is the suites' breakfast (usually in Chops but may be in Giovanni's).  It's also lovely to be able to pop into the Suites' Lounge at any time of the day, and get a nice cup of coffee.  Reserved seating at the entertainment venues (if they are doing that again, these days) is also a nice perk b/c you don't have to arrive waaay early to get a seat.  Just remember to get there at least 15 minutes before the show starts b/c they will open up the reserved section to non-suites shortly after that.
Enjoy the Sweet Life.  Congratulations on the awesome upgrade !

Day 3 - Puerto Costa Maya
 
Today was an early day, so we had an early order of Starbucks and breakfast delivered before we had to depart at 815 for our excursion. We did the Mexican Salsa Experience and Beach Break. We had Sunil bring us down to the gangway, so much smoother! Made our way to ships time and take a short bus ride. The salsa experience was great! We made guacamole and a few different types of salsa, one was very spicy, my favourite, and the other had no spice, my wife loved that one. Then we got to try two different aged tequilas, one 12 year and the other 18 year, both were very smooth! Then we tried a strawberry tequila, WAY to sweet for me. After this it was on to the Salsa dancing! We had fun trying to keep up pace with the dancers, but ultimately bowed out, as my coordination is not the best. After this we walked over to the beach, it was such a nice day! Laid in a beach chair for awhile watching the waves hit the shore, swung in their giant swinging chairs and had some much needed water. I even found a geocache down the road!
 
When we got back to the port, we pretty much walked straight back to the ship as we've been there before and everything is so pricey there... We had Sunil order us some food from Coastal Kitchen, Curry Chicken, Cesar salad, tortellini, flan and an apple pie dessert. Everything was soo good! Some of our party did a Tandem bike excursion to a cenote, but it definitely was not a cenote, more like a regular pool, and they did not like the food at all, they were very sad.
 
Before dinner we did a Star Wars trivia and Name that Tune 90s Edition. We thought we were pretty knowledgeable in Star Wars, but we didn't do very well, compared to others, same with the Name that Tune. Off to dinner at Chops!
 
We were greated by Sunil at Chops who walked with us to our table. After some chat, he vanished like the genie he is. We all ordered different things. For appetizers I tried the Crab Cakes, Bacon and Shrimp cocktail, very good! The cocktail had just the right amount of horseradish. For would I tried the Mushroom Soup, Lobster Bisque and the Goat cheese salad. My favourite was definitely the mushroom soup! For theain course, I ordered the Filet, rare, and Lobster. Both were amazing, filet was very tender, lobster was cooked perfectly. We got all the sides, our favourite was the creamed spinach and the cheese tator tots. The Mac and cheese was not very good at all. Tried the red velvet cake and the warm chocolate cake. Both were good, but the Star was the warm chocolate cake.
 
Luckily, we weren't rushed as we had ample time between dinner and the show. We saw Ron Lucas the ventriloquist, his show was very funny. My wife's mom LOVES ventriloquists. Afterwards we had a charcuterie board and some strawberries brought up for a late night snack.

I prop my up against whatever is on the kitchen table. The napkin holder's been my go to  🙂

Day 2 - At Sea
 
We woke up to having our morning Starbucks order of a Venti Iced Chai and a Grande Iced Toasted Vanilla Oat milk. Gonna miss have Starbucks delivered in the mornings after the cruise. We had a late start, so wrongfully decided to join the rest of our crew at Windjammer. There was a ridiculously long line, so we asked Sunil about it, he was like WINDJAMMER?! Where is that? I had to promise him we would never go back. After a very long line, we finally got breakfast.
 
Afterwards, we got some drinks at Playmakers, and asked about the Draft playing on Thursday, no straight answer. Hopefully they show it! Did some exploring, then played a friend in a friendly game of mini golf. Luckily, I beat him by a few strokes, both of us didn't play very well. Right as we finished my wife texted me and said she got a last seat at Izumi Sushi, the waiter called Sunil and he came running over to say Hi. Ordered some sushi, karaage, gyoza and ramen, everything was great! My wife loved the Japanese Strawberry Milk drink, so much that I asked Sunil about having some delivered later, and magically a pitcher of it arrived to our room right as they reopened later. That was a good pre-dinner drink. We did a Pub trivia and won! Also did a pool volleyball competition, did not win that...
 
We got to have formal night at 150 Central Park! It was an amazing experience. But we were a little rushed since we were going to see 1977 that night, what an amazing show! We're seated in the second row by Sunil. 
 
After the show we were greater in our room by an Izumi Sushi feast we had put in earlier, SOOO good. Then our standing order of campfire cookies. 
 
It was a great day, definitely noticed the cruise ship being much much closer to capacity. But having our genie has really helped. Need to hide our ducks!

Allure will be after her time in Galveston.  Not near future exactly.