|
7 Seas Cruise News Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
| << September14, 2008 - 7 Seas Cruise News |
October14, 2008 - 7 Seas Cruise News >> |
|
Greetings, Cruise Fans, When Pat & I first sailed the Freedom of the Seas, some of you may recall that I wrote a brief review of the ship. Well after a week onboard, I have a lot more to say! And let me begin by saying, ?It?s all good.? Yes, the Freedom is still huge?the biggest cruise experience out there, for now anyway. But in spite of it size, Royal Caribbean has managed to give the ship a soul?and a bend- over-backward-sense of service with a genuine smile. Freedom is the friendliest ship on the high seas. Even the captain has a personality. He?s warm and human, just like everyone else on board. No, I didn?t meet them all. Pat did have conversations with the Captain, the Cruise Director and the head of Human Resources onboard and, to a man, they were outstanding at their jobs. But beyond that, they were intensely real, warm and caring people. And although you might never encounter any of them in person, you will meet many of the others, and in the long run, they are the people who make or break the entire cruise experience, right? In the beautiful, three-level dining room, we had a little table for two (#551) on deck 5. Here we were served by Carolina, with her dark Romanian eyes and her wonderful pronunciation of ?asparagus,? which sounded like ?asp-par-a-goose.? Her able assistance for our voyage was Olena Fan?a newcomer who was so attuned to her guests that she was telepathic. Think ?iced tea,? and she ran with the pitcher; think ?Diet Coke,? and it materialized before you. Olena is Ukranian- Vietnamese and she will be 24 this coming week. I could have brought that one home with me! Supervising our corner of the dining room was Marianne from the Philippines?a beautiful girl with wit and spirit who inspired rather than ordered her staff. We were so impressed! This level of intuitive service continued throughout the ship. In the Windjammer Caf?, tables sparkled as quickly as they were deserted by diners, and the waiters and assistants who staffed the Windjammer were there to serve. What can I bring you? Would you like something else to drink? Nothing perfunctory about the questions either?these young men and women were sincere. Likewise in the ship?s 24-hour Promenade Caf?, where smiles came with everything on the menu. As I said last time, the design of the Freedom is excellent?and deceptive. With two banks of elevators?forward and aft?you never feel the immense size of the vessel until you walk the distance on Deck 11 or 12. Then, as you move from the Windjammer (aft) to the H2O Zone pool, past the waterfall to the sports pools and outdoor stage, to the Solarium pool with the adjacent cantilevered party-size hot tubs extending out over the sea, and then to the enormous gym (forward)?then you have a sense of how relentlessly HUGE this ship is. It doesn?t feel that big. You can get a pool chair. You can get to the buffet in the Windjammer (?tho you may have to search awhile to find a chair and table). You can feast on a Johnny Rockets? burger, take in a great ice show, watch 14 singers and dancers in major productions, win or lose in the casino (we did both, of course), hang out in the wine bar, champagne bar, pub, Latin night club or piano bar. You can browse an entire street of shops?jewelry, logowear, casual apparel, ice cream, cosmetics and perfume, liquor and cigarettes, and costume jewelry and handbags. You might find a real sale ( overstocked paperback books for $2 each) like I did, or you can stop off for a cappuccino or a piece of crumb cake and coffee or slice of pizza while you?re shopping. You can pose for a portrait, get a massage, get a haircut or shave, and save a bit on a new camera. And if you have the energy, you can ride the Flowrider on a surf board or boogie board, climb a really big rock wall, play miniature golf, bingo or basketball, go ice skating or shop for a shore excursion. If you?re bored, you can watch Turner Classic movies, new releases, CBS re-runs or old Ozzie & Harriet episodes in your room. You can take a yoga, spinning or Pilates class for only $10?a far cry from the daily use fee that some at-sea gyms charge. ($40 a day we?ve heard on the Queens!) Of course, you can just meander around the vessel and see how truly lovely it is. It?s a beautiful ship. Made even better by virtual of the smiling, happy, eager-to-serve staff and crew. Ports are good, too. San Juan is fun for all. Arriving at 3 p.m. limits some activities?like the rain forest or beaches. On the other hand, you can walk right off the pier to the Sheraton casino or just up the hill to a cute plaza in front of the Starbucks where craft vendors set up under lights. Pat and I took a cab to Ashford Street to the Marriott to see their casino, then strolled the three blocks to the casino at the Radisson. A $10 cab ride took us back to the ship in time for dinner at Johnny Rocket?s. In St. Thomas, we left the ship early and took a cab to Red Hook where we caught the ferry (hourly) to Cruz Bay, St. John. If you haven?t been to St. John, it?s a beautiful alternative to St. Thomas. Cabs will take you around the island or to visit the National Park. Or you can just wander around Cruz Bay and have a cold one at JJ?s Texas Coast Caf? ( tell Tarn we said ?hi?). Our third port was St. Maarten/St. Martin. Having done the crowded Dutch side of the island so often, we took a cab to Marigot on the French side and spent a hot day in the market, in some of the shops and along the waterfront. Although I didn?t get a chance to visit Lipstick, the very intriguing cosmetics shop, I did do some cosmetic pricing in a shiny new drug store. The dollar is really in the doldrums! You don?t feel it in other dollar-based places (like San Juan and St. Thomas/St. John) but, oh brother, when you look at a Euro-priced product like a good Roc cream or a Lancaster bronzer, ouch! We had a nice lunch at La Bar de La Mer on the waterfront (good burger and a lovely croque monsieur) and while not a bargain, it seemed quite reasonable compared with burgers on St. Barth?s!! So, without question, I recommend Royal Caribbean?s Freedom of the Seas. Even our inside cabin wasn?t bad. The new bedding system that RCCL is touting features a very heavy duvet. We coped with the weight of the thing by keeping the cabin at about 50 degrees F. Bathroom was adequate with the standard RCCL ?sanitation tube? shower and our steward kept it sparkling. Those of you who?ve read my reviews before are probably wondering when I?m going to say, ?But?? since I can always find something to pick on. But this time, I can?t. Oh, I?ll tell you that RCCL is ?experimenting? with a 10-ounce strip steak in the dining room for an additional $14.95, but it is sure to be short-lived. The strip steak on Saturday night?s menu was a standard menu item?and it was superb! So was the lobster and the variety of desserts including the warm chocolate cake (order it with vanilla ice cream) or the sugar-free chocolate-mint cake. Overall, food was better than it has been on RCCL in ages! But it still didn?t quite match up with that over-the-top, personable service. No ?buts.? Just a fabulous voyage! Until next time, give Pat a call and let him put you on the Freedom. You?ll love it! 1-866- 424-1090. Smooth sailing, Teri |
|
| << September14, 2008 - 7 Seas Cruise News |
October14, 2008 - 7 Seas Cruise News >> |
|
7 Seas Cruise News Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
|
Archives powered by Zinester's Mailing List Service
Details on 7 Seas Cruise News |
Browse for more newsletters at Zinester's Ezine Directory
Managed by Zinester's Mailing List Management |