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Freedom OTS 11/11/17 8 Nights, Modified Western Caribbean


twangster

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28 minutes ago, Sweety said:

So excited. I just brought a wide fisheye lens. Come on January cruise.

My fisheye is a 12mm and it takes some experimenting how and when to use it.  For example in the center the fisheye distortion is minimal while in the corners its more extreme.  Keeping the camera level pointing straight out while shooting at the ocean yields a level ocean while tilting up or down creates a bending ocean.  Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't.  I found a Photoshop filter called "Hemi Fisheye" that can 'de-fish' a photo which I've used in some shots.  I'm tempted to go for a full circular fisheye but for now I'm learning with my 12mm.

My 14mm is non-fisheye.  I wasn't going to bring it but glad I did.  I've gone back to it a couple times.  

I'm really digging these UWA lens.  You can get so much in the shot.

Humidity was pretty high in Cozumel and once again I've got condensation drops on my sensor.  I didn't bring my sensor cleaning kit so I'm having to manually cleanup my shots.  Kicking myself for being in a hurry.  Next time I'll bring my sensor cleaning kit with me.  This has happened on other cruises and I should have known better.  My fault.

 

1 hour ago, JLMoran said:

@twangster, do you use a circular polarizing lens or a neutral density filter when taking your outdoor shots, or just bare lens? Your skies and the ocean are so sharp and clear, no reflections or glare or anything!

The 16-35mm I purchased allows filters and one of those I carry is a CPL.  I used that in Cozumel to eliminate the reflection off the water and get the colors to pop.  16mm with 77mm filters is the widest lens I've seen that accepts conventional filters which is exactly why I acquired it.  I plan to use it in Northstar on Anthem - so many pictures I've seen have the reflection of the glass in them and I'm hoping to avoid that with my CPL (or at least minimize it).

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47 minutes ago, twangster said:

My fisheye is a 12mm and it takes some experimenting how and when to use it.  For example in the center the fisheye distortion is minimal while in the corners its more extreme.  Keeping the camera level pointing straight out while shooting at the ocean yields a level ocean while tilting up or down creates a bending ocean.  Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't.  I found a Photoshop filter called "Hemi Fisheye" that can 'de-fish' a photo which I've used in some shots.  I'm tempted to go for a full circular fisheye but for now I'm learning with my 12mm.

My 14mm is non-fisheye.  I wasn't going to bring it but glad I did.  I've gone back to it a couple times.  

I'm really digging these UWA lens.  You can get so much in the shot.

Humidity was pretty high in Cozumel and once again I've got condensation drops on my sensor.  I didn't bring my sensor cleaning kit so I'm having to manually cleanup my shots.  Kicking myself for being in a hurry.  Next time I'll bring my sensor cleaning kit with me.  This has happened on other cruises and I should have known better.  My fault.

 

The 16-35mm I purchased allows filters and one of those I carry is a CPL.  I used that in Cozumel to eliminate the reflection off the water and get the colors to pop.  16mm with 77mm filters is the widest lens I've seen that accepts conventional filters which is exactly why I acquired it.  I plan to use it in Northstar on Anthem - so many pictures I've seen have the reflection of the glass in them and I'm hoping to avoid that with my CPL (or at least minimize it).

Thank you. You have inspire me to take pictures. Brilliance, Empress, Navigator, Anthem and Grandeur watch out.

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@twangster RC should pay you commission! After looking at these pics for the last few days, and having never sailed Freedom class myself, I just booked a cruise on Indy! Figured it would be very similar since they are sister ships and Indy will have the slides and trampoline park by the time we sail her. I have to say, your pics had a lot to do with the decision making! Thanks! Even my husband who never knows the where, what, how, and when is asking, "So, what pics did Twangster post today?" ??Thanks for taking the time to do this blog! 

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5 minutes ago, Matt said:

@twangster Evidently all 3 Freedom class ships are in port today.  Might be a great photo, if you can somehow find a vantage point of all of them in one shot!

We are lonely in Ocho Rios.  Marinetraffic.com has Liberty in Falmouth and Independence  in Montego Bay.

The sisters are all over Jamaica at the moment.   

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1 hour ago, twangster said:

Eventually to San Juan

We have flown in and out of SJ for cruises a couple of times and we don't anymore. The SJ airport is a real pain in the a**, the cost of flying and the baggage weight restrictions is why. We prefer to drive to Florida and board the cruise ship there since we usually do B2Bs or a cruise no less than 10 days.:27_sunglasses:

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Just now, rjac said:

We have flown in and out of SJ for cruises a couple of times and we don't anymore. The SJ airport is a real pain in the a**, the cost of flying and the baggage weight restrictions is why. We prefer to drive to Florida and board the cruise ship there since we usually do B2Bs or a cruise no less than 10 days.:27_sunglasses:

San Juan does tend to cost more to fly into but for a 7 nighter to the Southern Caribbean it's your only choice.  For those than can do longer cruises sometimes you can reach the Southern Caribbean ( including the ABC islands) from FL.

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1 minute ago, rjac said:

We have flown in and out of SJ for cruises a couple of times and we don't anymore. The SJ airport is a real pain in the a**, the cost of flying and the baggage weight restrictions is why. We prefer to drive to Florida and board the cruise ship there since we usually do B2Bs or a cruise no less than 10 days.:27_sunglasses:

I totally agree. We try to avoid SJ for the same reasons, especially the baggage weight restrictions lol.

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21 minutes ago, twangster said:

We are lonely in Ocho Rios.  Marinetraffic.com has Liberty in Falmouth and Independence  in Montego Bay.

The sisters are all over Jamaica at the moment.   

Ah, yes I see that now.  Thanks for clarification!

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  • Matt featured this topic

Day 6 - Ocho Rios Jamaica, Hot! Hot! Hot!

I awoke to find us at the pier in Ocho Rios.  It's been a few years since I've been here (on a lesser cruise line) but I have to admit I think I like it better here compared to Falmouth.  I was able to leave the port area and despite frequent offers for taxis and other items, I never felt uneasy, everyone was polite.  I understand the desire to do business with us, they are just trying to support their families like ourselves and it was handled quite well today by the locals here.

Earlier I talked about using a Circular Polarizing filter or CPL.  Like polarizing sunglass, it reduces the glare caused sunlight reflecting or bouncing off things such as water.  Here is the difference it makes:

With CPL:

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Without CPL:

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Great port to get some shippy shots:

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Very close to the port area, right outside the gates is a little collection of shops and bars called Island Village.  The Margaritavile has a sandy beach.

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A 10-15 minute walk into town will get you more shopping areas, duty free places and bars.

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Third time to Jamaica this year so no excursion.  After a little self-exploring and some beverages I headed back to the ship but I put my wide angle lens on as I headed back.

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One area I haven't done justice to on the ship is the solarium.  I like the combination of covered and open areas kid free.  I love kids, have some of my own, but I also like to escape the little angels at times.

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Hmmm - just heard a bravo, bravo, bravo call over the PA.  They were doing safety drills earlier today several hours ago, so I'm assuming its part of that on-going training effort.

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4 hours ago, twangster said:

San Juan does tend to cost more to fly into but for a 7 nighter to the Southern Caribbean it's your only choice.  For those than can do longer cruises sometimes you can reach the Southern Caribbean ( including the ABC islands) from FL.

That's why we did adventure out of San juan... to do the 7 nighter in southern.   However,  the long flight rtc makes it so we can only do a summer trip,  not spring break so im not thinking we will get there any time soon.   Jane

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5 hours ago, twangster said:

Let's see, so far I've cost @Sweety a new lens and @Sabrinaklai a new cruise.  Not bad for a few days work...  :4_joy:

Another one from me, booking Freedom from San Juan! LOL @twangster your blog and photos were awesome.  It seems you really liked this ship and your details make it even better to get to know the ship. A Huge thank you!!!

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Brief delay leaving Ocho Rios tonight.  That Bravo call earlier was for a minor bilge overflow.  Protocol requires reporting ANY spills and they had to wait for local authorities to inspect the clean up effort and release the ship.  That complete, we are underway for Labadee and I need to get ready for our 2nd formal night. 

The ships normally has a sea day on day 6 but with our modified itinerary we were in port today.  I learned on the All Access Tour on Harmony that the kitchen begins prepping food based on menus and forecasts days ahead of time.  Thawing things like beef and lobster tails and since the kitchen runs on a very precise schedule to minimize waste I don't imagine its very easy to switch up the routine for the kitchen so our 2nd formal night is on a port day.

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I will confess that the only camera I shoot with nowadays is my iPhone (currently a 6s Plus; was planning to buy at least the 8 Plus this year if not the X, but circumstances have blocked me). That said, I’m absolutely investing in an Olloclip and/or Moment lens set for it with a CPL and telephoto (as the lens on the 6s Plus is already pretty wide-angle at 28 mm and a 56mm adapter is kind of a must-have with it for any kind of decent close-up shots).

So congrats, @twangster, you’ve cost TWO people new lenses. ?

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Formal Dinner #2

I had the Prime Rib AND the Lobster Tail.

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This is one of the best prime rib MDR formal night dinners I've had.  My mouth is watering thinking about it 2 hours later... and yes that is how I ordered my prime rib.  Perfect.  Service from Adrin and his assistant Kresmir very good but a close second to Grandeur overall.  Time to step it up boys!

After off to Vintages to watch @Matt's periscope.  While others bragged about sitting by fire-pits at home watching, I sat by the fire in Vintages.  Ok, it was an LED candle, but close enough.

 

On 11/16/2017 at 2:04 PM, Boston Babe said:

Another one from me, booking Freedom from San Juan! LOL @twangster your blog and photos were awesome.  It seems you really liked this ship and your details make it even better to get to know the ship. A Huge thank you!!!

On 11/16/2017 at 5:39 PM, JLMoran said:

I will confess that the only camera I shoot with nowadays is my iPhone (currently a 6s Plus; was planning to buy at least the 8 Plus this year if not the X, but circumstances have blocked me). That said, I’m absolutely investing in an Olloclip and/or Moment lens set for it with a CPL and telephoto (as the lens on the 6s Plus is already pretty wide-angle at 28 mm and a 56mm adapter is kind of a must-have with it for any kind of decent close-up shots).

So congrats, @twangster, you’ve cost TWO people new lenses. ?

So the count is up to 2 lens, a filter and two cruises.  And there are two more days to go!  I feel like this is a telethon...  "Call Now!"

@JLMoran - I went through a phase like that too, still take many photos with my iPhone.  My "other camera" is an iPhone 7 plus.  The best camera is the one you have with you.  

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10 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

I will confess that the only camera I shoot with nowadays is my iPhone (currently a 6s Plus; was planning to buy at least the 8 Plus this year if not the X, but circumstances have blocked me). That said, I’m absolutely investing in an Olloclip and/or Moment lens set for it with a CPL and telephoto (as the lens on the 6s Plus is already pretty wide-angle at 28 mm and a 56mm adapter is kind of a must-have with it for any kind of decent close-up shots).

Uhhh, perhaps you should just framble the portistan while the cool is barking. That way you won't have to worry about photochromic inversions, vignetting nor CPL transgressions. It can happen you know.  :51_scream:

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21 minutes ago, twangster said:

So the count is up to 2 lens, a filter and two cruises.  And there are two more days to go!  I feel like this is a telethon...  "Call Now!"

@JLMoran - I went through a phase like that too, still take many photos with my iPhone.  My "other camera" is an iPhone 7 plus.  The best camera is the one you have with you.  

@twangster hear the calling? You need to pitch something to RC?  Maybe you can be the next Super Mario and make a living out of it?? ?

At least I know I'll be safe in a week when you sail Anthem.  I'm already booked on that one. Phew!  The credit card bill is getting high this month...

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4 hours ago, Boston Babe said:

Another one from me, booking Freedom from San Juan! LOL @twangster your blog and photos were awesome.  It seems you really liked this ship and your details make it even better to get to know the ship. A Huge thank you!!!

And you're laughing at me!  Look who else got sucked into another!  No better feeling that booking a new cruise.  Almost as exciting as embarkation day!

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15 minutes ago, twangster said:

I went through a phase like that too, still take many photos with my iPhone.  My "other camera" is an iPhone 7 plus.  The best camera is the one you have with you. 

For me, an iPhone has been my only camera for years and not just a phase. Only so many items I can spend over $1,000 on before the Chancellor of the Exchequer starts banging on my door. ?

Heres what I already have bought to bring with me as accessories for my phone:

- ShoulderPod hand grip / tripod mount

- UltraPod folding mini tripod

- Camalapse 360° time lapse mount

- Rigiet 3-axis powered gimbal

And still planning to get a Gorillapod Magnetic XL flexible tripod, plus an Olloclip Telephoto & CPL lens kit OR Moment telephoto lens and some kind of CPL I can attach to it; for whatever reason, Moment doesn’t sell a CPL! ?

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50 minutes ago, twangster said:

Formal Dinner #2

I had the Prime Rib AND the Lobster Tail.

This is one of the best prime rib MDR formal night dinners I've had.  My mouth is watering thinking about it 2 hours later... and yes that is how I ordered my prime rib.  Perfect.  Service from Adrin and his assistant Kresmir very good but a close second to Grandeur overall.  Time to step it up boys!

After off to Vintages to watch @Matt's periscope.  While others bragged about sitting by fire-pits at home watching, I sat by the fire in Vintages.  Ok, it was an LED candle, but close enough.

Freedom Day 6 Dinner - 2.jpg

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So the count is up to 2 lens, a filter and two cruises.  And there are two more days to go!  I feel like this is a telethon...  "Call Now!"

@JLMoran - I went through a phase like that too, still take many photos with my iPhone.  My "other camera" is an iPhone 7 plus.  The best camera is the one you have with you.  

November 21, I will be booking two short cruises on Navigator and Marnier. So your count is 6 cruises, 1 filter and 2 lens.

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2 hours ago, CGTLH said:

Add me to the mix. Forgot how much a CPL impacts things (brand of choice?).

Lots of good ones.  Honestly we are not shooting cover magazine shots that will be blown up on billboards in major cities so start with something with good reviews that doesn't break the bank.

Same for lens.  I'm using Rokinon aka Samyang for 12mm and 14mm.  Great price point for hobbyists like me.  Pictures speak for themselves.  I could go for the 14-24mm Nikkor at $1,895 but that is the price of a cruise and a cruise will always win that battle.

November 21, I will be booking two short cruises on Navigator and Marnier. So your count is 6 cruises, 1 filter and 2 lens.

Only counts if your share your pictures :1_grinning:

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Here are my pictures from this evening.

We start with sail away from Ocho Rios just as the sun was going down.  The helipad is a popular place for sail aways and tonight was no exception.

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I've said it before, but I need to say it again.  Royal Caribbean ships are beautiful by day but equally so at night. 

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Mini-golfers still golfing away...

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How about the solarium at night?  Pretty cool...

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I was hoping to visit the helipad after dark to try to capture some night sky and star shots.  I've done night sky photography before but always questioned if you could do so from a moving ship.  The helipad seemed like a nice dark spot to try but alas, it was gated off tonight.  So I headed aft and tried from there.  Not great, but better than I expected with the ship's motion.

The white blob bottom left is the propeller wake.  Once the Milky Way heads back to our side of the equator I may try this again if I can find a dark spot on a ship on a some future cruise. 

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Back to the ship, shuffle board anyone? I was actually lying on the deck for this shot.  Perspective is important with Ultra Wide Angle lens especially fisheye.

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Isaac's Dining Room Entrance

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Elevator bank looking towards Boleros

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Lastly, the show tonight was "Two Funny Guys - Mario & Daniel".  Very funny.  Well done.  I arrived late and slipped in the back.  I had my UWA lens on - so much for seeing Mario & Danial in this picture, but still very funny.

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