Freedom to be a Diamond Plus Queen!!!! FR 4/17/23-4/21/23

[WAAAYTOOO]

That lunch looks pretty good !!

[Ampurp85]

The room doesn't look as dated as I thought it would......but everything looks new compared to Grandeur .

There was nothing on my room door to say it was cleaned.....and sadly it wasn't. I have tons of crumbs and rubber bands on the floor. Plus the cooler was full of the previous persons stuff. I called housekeeping and they came right away. They promise to come and do a deep cleaning this evening, I used my clorox wipes to wipe everything down like I always do. My room is in a weird little corner but I am steps from the theater and casino.

So my BFF is obsessed with the housewives and got me into housewives girl trip, during the show two of them mentioned their book. So that's what I have downloaded to my kindle,  Leah's and Porsha's. I am toggling between the two. I thought after that lunch I would want to nap but instead I unpacked and decided to get my second diamond drink and read at Schooners.

I know some people were talking about the "catching thrills" and "sleeping off adventures " magnet being gone but they are on here. Also I got 2 bottles of water for being diamond and there is no QR code for my room attendant.

[Sweety]

Freedom is one of my favorite ships. 

[ckruetze]

4 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

Now I decided to post a picture of my scandalous legs and me and my brother from the Oasis cruise.

Ok, I'm in the wrong forum, this must be the female section. As a man I'm not sure what is or could be wrong with that leg. But I'm a smart man so I would never argue with a woman about her looks.

[FireFishII]

Girlfriend, you have nothing on scandalous legs!  I got both of your thighs covered.  LOL!  

I love how you have coordinated your hair, glasses, and neck pillow.  I guess you were not kidding about loving the color purple.  I am thinking of coloring a strip of hair a funky color.  But I can't decide which part of my hair (my hair is fairly short) and which color.  I am thinking of flames - red into orange into yellow.  I would keep the color for the summer before going back to my unnatural (aka colored) brown.  

Nice lunch - good choice with the chocolate martini. Good luck at the casino. 

Your brother is handsome but too young for me.   I guess I can say I am not a cougar.   

@ckruetze - smart man!

 

[asquared17]

that couch is alarming me but i am otherwise pleased with your room and consumption of second diamond drink. 

HAPPY SAILAWAY MY FRIEND!!!!!

[Lovetocruise2002]

5 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

Now I decided to post a picture of my scandalous legs and me and my brother from the Oasis cruise.

Yay! Now I will recognize another face on the Icon inaugural! You are coming on that one right?

And Happy cruise day and sail away! Some unfortunate ones (me) were stuck at work and just caught up now. lol

[She Sails Away]

Great pictures of you and your brother! And the food!

 

love Freedom--but I guess I forgot about the little phone booth showers.

 

Those shorts look comfy. No scandal as far as I can tell!

 

They have an ice skating show there, right? I love those. 

[Yesiamthere6]

Yo turn to have the fun!  Hope you win at the casino. Speaking of the casino, is it on the smaller side?  
 

 

[Ampurp85]

Whoo!!!!!! I had a sweet nap and woke up at a little before 7pm. Took a shower and headed to the casino. Freedom has a nice size casino like Navigator. I had to settle for my third favorite machine as it was popping. I did however earn 200 pt already and my goal is to get a balcony for an Allure sailing to add on to the end of my Mariner and Wonder sailings in Jan.

@Lovetocruise2002 I was doing Icons inaugural but my brother agreed to sail and he wanted Wonder so I moved it. I'm hoping to sail with you guys on something soon.

@She Sails Away Yes, it needs no reservation but I am doing the matinee on day 3.

Either everyone is late or my table 923 is only me. Either way I should be able to eat quick and head back to my job. Staff has been amazing and friendly.

Oooooh scandal already. This couple booked a cruise and the husband invited the other "poly" part and the wife didn't know. She sat in the casino chain smoking worrying about her looks. I tried to tell her good things but to be honest I saw the other two women and.......I would have felt uncomfortable and unattractive.

So because my room was dirty the head of housekeeping offered me a 20%FCC but it's a casino comp so I wonder how that will work? Ship seems full, I had a few prime drinks and plan to stock my cooler with extras, so far I don't miss anything in regards to refreshment or soda package.

[asquared17]

1 hour ago, Ampurp85 said:

Oooooh scandal already.

HERE FOR THIS!!!

good dinner choices; i hope your tablemates are no shows for the remainder of the cruise and you can read and eat in peace.

[SweetPea]

OMG, you're on the ship! Yeah!!

Love the pics, and you have the absolute best people watching stories between the plane and polys! People watching is my favorite bloodsport!!!!!

I feel like you should come with us when we have a Symphony ATS next year. 

[Ampurp85]

1 hour ago, SweetPea said:

OMG, you're on the ship! Yeah!!

Love the pics, and you have the absolute best people watching stories between the plane and polys! People watching is my favorite bloodsport!!!!!

I feel like you should come with us when we have a Symphony ATS next year. 

I'm deciding between a Jan and March Symphony

[Ampurp85]

Day one continued.....

I have to say the food in the MDR on Freedom was really good.....maybe traditional dining gets hotter, better food. I ordered the steak and my server brought me the bolognese as well. She served it maybe two bites into the steak, which was a perfect medium. But the pasta was so good and al dente, I only ate a little of the steak and all the pasta. Dessert was royal cheesecake and she brought ne ice cream to go with it. I think they changed it because it was actually sweet. Drinks from the bar came fast as well.

My takeaway is with the exception of maybe two tables, they pretty much sat everyone with their own parties. Also late seating isn't too popular. But my waitstaff were amazing. I hit the casino. It's not friendly to anyone. Considering it's 1 point for every $5, I'm down $900 but I earned 680pts already. I'm hoping tomorrow is a better day.

I ended up drinking a lot in the casino so I'm only 2/4 on diamond drinks and didn't make it to the DL yet. In fact I have only been to Giovanni's, the MDR and the casino, I popped in the theater but late dining made it hard to catch the welcome show.

I did listen to the piano player at Schooners for a bit. Sadly, my room hasn'tbeen touched. I was promised services after 7pm and left the "out catching thrills" magnet. Only to return with it still on the door. I did have the letter with my 20% FCC......so........

Tomorrow is PDCC.

[asquared17]

omg. i hope your room gets a thorough cleaning today!!!

the beach bum in me hopes you have a good time at PDCC but the realist in me knows you will probably be in the casino. either way, i hope today is a good day!!!

[SweetPea]

Are we putting on over/under on when the room is cleaned?!

Hoping it's already been done and i don't have to start taking bets!

 

[DDaley]

For a split second I saw the shape and thought “what kind of strange crispy fish are they serving in the MDR?” haha

Hope you’re having a Perfect Day™!

[VACruiser]

@Ampurp85 "Oooooh scandal already. This couple booked a cruise, and the husband invited the other "poly" part and the wife didn't know. She sat in the casino chain smoking worrying about her looks. I tried to tell her good things but to be honest I saw the other two women and.......I would have felt uncomfortable and unattractive."

Wait wait wait - I can't get past this that quickly.  I was reading along with your blog and having a fun time and then what, wait, what did she say - are you telling me that a married guy, or just an adventurous soul, brought two other women on a cruise with him and his wife?  I can't imagine how that would turn out?  And, we need pictures of all three of them...haha...not really but...what in the world. 

Hey honey, I'm taking you on a wonderful vacation and I'm bringing two other women with us  - all I'd hear is a smack from whatever is in her hands at the moment. 

I bet I can go on 5 cruises a year and never get this level of dirt. 

 

[jbrinkm]

20 minutes ago, VACruiser said:

Wait wait wait - I can't get past this that quickly.  Are you telling me that a married guy, or just an adventurous soul, brought two other women on a cruise with him and his wife?  I can't imagine how that would turn out?  And, we need pictures of all three of them...haha...not really but...what in the world.  Hey honey, I'm taking you on a wonderful vacation and I'm bringing two other women with us  - all I'd hear is a smack from whatever is in her hands at the moment. 

My interpretation was that this couple is involved in a polyamorous, 4 person relationship on land, but the wife thought it would just be the two of them on this cruise. And then was unpleasantly surprised...

[VACruiser]

20 minutes ago, jbrinkm said:

My interpretation was that this couple is involved in a polyamorous, 4 person relationship on land, but the wife thought it would just be the two of them on this cruise. And then was unpleasantly surprised...

could be but I'm still intrigued by the whole situation as a Poly couple. Maybe I'm too old to understand all of this activity...I go bed too early on cruises. 

[jbrinkm]

Sorry you don't have the QR code @Ampurp85! Maybe it was a pilot program on Allure - I haven't seen any other reports of one on another ship.

[Ampurp85]

Day 2 PDCC

To answer about the poly couple. The dirt is they have a poly relationship that includes another couple but they are allowed to "entertain" others. Well he invites the new girls. Two stacked Latin beauties. This was their first meeting. Yes it was a lot.

I left my room at 8:45 and went to the casino. I knew ELF was in my future so no breakfast. My favorite machine was open and I actually had great luck. I wish I would have taken a photo of my big wins. I ended last night with 680 points. By 1pm I had 2,012 and my total was only $1200 spent but that netted me a 4night Allure sailing in which interiors are double the price.

My room hasn't been touched and I am heading to guest services after lunch. It is two rooms occupied in my little corner so maybe the steward is forgetting we are there.

[Ampurp85]

We are docked with Liberty, she is perty. The wind is high, cool and the water is choppy so I don't think people had a perfect day. Lots of people returning to the ship said water was cool and as usual the helium balloon was down. I'm gonna take a lap and then read in the DL because they have that wonderful outside area.

ELF only had chicken and pork so I got one taco and went to the WJ for a burger and fries. Tomorrow I will treat myself to either JR or Playmakers for lunch. I used my diamond day of internet and then paid the rate for 3 days which was 80.97. Prime gets me 30% off making it 56.68 and technically $14 a day. Which at its cheapest was $17.99. Since I earned my D+ status I will have 2 days. There is no top tier party scheduled. Crew members said over half the guest are first time cruisers.

[FireFishII]

47 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

My room hasn't been touched and I am heading to guest services after lunch. It is two rooms occupied in my little corner so maybe the steward is forgetting we are there.

 

Now I usually would have LOTS of patience. Coming to a room not cleaned on embarkation day would not bother me.  But to sleep in the room and still have no cleaning would.  You beat your ... that I would be standing in line at guest services. Of course, my husband would not even wait until morning. He would have been down at guest service right after dinner demanding a cleaning.  Ah, if this happened to us and you were on the cruise, you would have so much news to report to this group about that crazy couple.  

I hope you get a clean room soon!!!

[SweetPea]

Ok, I'm taking bets on when her stateroom gets cleaned. 

 

Over/Under is set at 1900 ET today.

(That's 7pm ET for the non 24 hour clock peeps )

 

[Xaa]

Under

[FloatyBoaty]

I think I would have hunted down the floor supervisor by now and pitched a fit. I get so upset when I see the floor supervisors coming down hard on the stateroom attendants (and I have seen that in two of my most recent cruises) instead of offering support. I'm sure we all have stories of what nightmare messes we've seen through open stateroom doors. I know it's the job the attendant signed on for, but holy crap, sometimes I just want to see the floor supervisor take off their jacket and help out. Or maybe they do and I just have never seen it...

[Ampurp85]

So my cabin was serviced but I have yet to meet my steward. I can see this leading to less tips. I will still tip but I normally tip something upfront to get daily ice service. Also the room was freshened as opposed to cleaned. The crumbs and rubber bands are still on the floor. 

I took the cash I won and put some aside for tips and then paid some on my balance. I was at guest services anyway. My safe doesn't work and I didn't want to carry that much around. I plan to go to Marquee at 7:45. I spent an hour in the DL but I'm heading back soon for happy hour.

So funny story, at least to me. I was playing on my favorite machine all day and there was this guy who kept coming and sitting next to me. He clearly was tispy ar 11am and eventually drunk. The first time he patted my leg, I was uncomfortable.  But every time he came he hit big, $280 on one spin, 300 the next. So he started coming back and he kept mentioning his son. He kept touching more and more of me and it kept catching me off guard. The last time he brought his son, whom he introduced as Cameron, and the son said is she for me or.....you and mom. I choose to ignore that statement but the son proceeded to stare holes in me. Thankfully I had made my goal but I was going to play for leisure but I left. On my way from the DL I stopped in the casino and they were there. The son said "I like busty women" and then walked away. There was three vintage women next to me and they started laughing.......cuz he could have been talking to any of us.

 

[jbrinkm]

18 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

So funny story, at least to me. I was playing on my favorite machine all day and there was this guy who kept coming and sitting next to me. He clearly was tispy ar 11am and eventually drunk. The first time he patted my leg, I was uncomfortable.  But every time he came he hit big, $280 on one spin, 300 the next. So he started coming back and he kept mentioning his son. He kept touching more and more of me and it kept catching me off guard. The last time he brought his son, whom he introduced as Cameron, and the son said is she for me or.....you and mom. I choose to ignore that statement but the son proceeded to stare holes in me. Thankfully I had made my goal but I was going to play for leisure but I left. On my way from the DL I stopped in the casino and they were there. The son said "I like busty women" and then walked away. There was three vintage women next to me and they started laughing.......cuz he could have been talking to any of us.

This is nuts! You clearly have more patience than I would have!!! "is she for"???? I would have gone OFF. We learn in Kindergarten to keep our hands to ourselves. 

[Ampurp85]

The touching was my leg, then two impromptu shoulder rubs,  then a back rub and a leg squeeze when he hit big. He did mention his wife but I have yet to see her.

Oh but a feel good story of 3 best friends playing the same machine hit the bonus rounds together and won two, three and four hundred in that order from left to right. There was a tiny crowd cheering them on, they said the winnings will go to feed some hungry mouths.......aka strippers.

[asquared17]

oh i am going to GO OFF 

38 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

The last time he brought his son, whom he introduced as Cameron, and the son said is she for me or.....you and mom

FIRST OF ALL, S H E HAS A NAME. 

secondly, WHAT THE FRESH HECKFIRE????

third — how do you constantly get found by swingers?! and i am not saying this in a place of casting stones at anyone’s life choices, just — hOW?! 

i think it’s because you have a kind and warm spirit and people are just drawn to you. 

this doesn’t make that behavior okay though. those dudes should be counting their blessings that this fiery italian hurricane is not on the sailing with you because it would not end well for them!!

[asquared17]

i had calmed down to reply that i was glad your room was “freshened” — but disturbed that it had not been cleaned — and then i re-read where you and the son had a run in again near the DL and i got up in arms all over.

hopefully dinner is drama free and peaceful for you. 

[SweetPea]

Freshened but not cleaned ... I'm calling the Over/Under still in play. 

[Ampurp85]

Ooooooh DL has my favorite treat. Pigs in blanket and........The fruity pebbles rice krispies.....also I got delicious chocolate chip cookies from Cafe promenade. We are sailing away and Liberty seems to be following us.

The lack of people who don't wash hands or use sanitizer is astounding. The worse part is they genuinely seem aggrieved when asked to.

But @asquared17 I have been told my face is too friendly and it puts others at ease. Which is why people try me. I also have a defense mechanism that means I just smiled through everything.

I know I forgot to mention this but I didn't bring my laptop. I was forced not to. Since a nice chunk of us were cruising this week, we hustled hard the previous two weeks to get as much done and avoid working. If I had brought it I would have worked during the down time and then others would have gotten notice and felt some type of way.

Other than being able to access the desktop version of some sites. I don't really miss it.

In regards to Leah McSweeney's book, she is annoying. I feel like she blames everyone for everything. Good thing I have some slutty Immortals after dark books by Kresley Cole to keep me entertained.

[asquared17]

20 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

The lack of people who don't wash hands or use sanitizer is astounding. The worse part is they genuinely seem aggrieved when asked to.

this kills me softly. it takes… twenty seconds… to wash your hands. IF YOU DO IT RIGHT. but i’d rather people do it WRONG than not wash at all

me @ humanity: at least use the purell for the love of god!!!

ahem. 

23 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

I have been told my face is too friendly and it puts others at ease. Which is why people try me. I also have a defense mechanism that means I just smiled through everything.

okay, that’s IT!! we need to cruise together!!

i have no poker face. i am friendly - so friendly - until there is some overstepping. then, there is no mistaking that an overstep has occurred my defense mechanism in that situation varies but i like to be Aggressively Pleasant until i can make a break for it. 

i’m so happy you were able to leave your laptop behind, especially after working so hard to get your work squared away. hopefully once the cabin gets sorted, and people stop infringing on your good nature, you can actually RELAX. 

love the towel animal and i forgot how beautiful the diamond lounge was on those ships aka not in the dungeon as they are on oasis class what a beautiful view and pleasant space. 

now i’m going to scour my booklist to see if i have any worth recommending to you

[WAAAYTOOO]

I love those Fruity Pebbles rice krispy treats !  I haven’t seen them in a long time.

[melmar02]

1 hour ago, Ampurp85 said:

I also have a defense mechanism that means I just smiled through everything.

The nerve of some people! I think my defense mechanism would have been the heel of my hand meeting the bridge of his nose. 

[Ampurp85]

I very much attempted Marquee and after five minutes I left. Unlike MTD, late traditional dining does not open early. Yesterday I thought I was late at 8:15 and today I got there at 8:25. In both instances they opened the doors at 8:30. An Indian couple followed me to table 923.....then they sat down. I said hi and they ignored me. So while my table indeed has other guest, they are apparently ghost.

Tonight was Caribbean night and I would avoid this one as nothing stands out to me. I decided to be adventurous: I got the coconut shrimp sans sauce, the pesto tagliatelle, the jerk pork chops and the pineapple cake. The menu says crispy coconut jumbo shrimp ......you can see in the photo, they are not. The pasta list parm, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms.....but had tons of onions. I dislike onions.......a lot. So the pasta was a bust. The pork chop was spicy but good, tender enough to cut with my butter knife. That pineapple sunshine cake is in a tie for best new dessert. Dinner included weird dancing by the waitstaff and then the participation of all the guest....I don't dance especially to the Macarena.

I then played for fun at the casino. No one cares about the no smoking in the non-smoking section, table games have been popping. Father/son came up behind me while I was getting bar service. They gave me their room number and said I can join them for dinner any night.

Since I made my goal, I give myself a hard limit to play with for fun. It's $60/day. I literally played a whole bunch of times on that $60 today and when I cashed out, I had .13 extra cent. I did my departure options today. It says they offer a transfer to FLL for $30. But the flight has to be after 1pm. My flight is at 12:30 but they charged me for it. I spent over $70 with the tip on a Lyft, so that's a good option if they honor it.

Tomorrow is a sea day. According to staff this sailing is not to capacity. They said they were told it was a few shy of two thousand guest. It doesn't feel full to me either, I see tons of empty elevators.

 

[CanHardlyWait]

I still cannot get past the not getting a proper clean. Crumbs, ruber bands, etc. No. Say something yet again. That's just not right. Enjoy the rest. Fun reading. (Except for the cleaning issues) LOL.

[SweetPea]

If they get to say that's Jumbo Shrimp, I get to say I'm 25 years old and 120 pounds.