Splendid Things in Life : Carnival Freedom

Part One – First Time Cruisers- by Deb Jennings

Stephanie — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:38:00 GMT

Our best friends, die-hard Carnival Cruise fans, had been trying for years to convince my husband and I to join them on a cruise. Although the idea was enticing, we had our reservations. Our idea of a fun vacation always involved immersing ourselves in the places we visited for several days: getting lost in wandering side streets, sampling the local cuisine and visiting sights on our own. Plus, I have to admit I was a bit afraid of getting seasick, and my husband, Sean, isn’t a big fan of crowds.

Still, the idea of being pampered for a week on an ocean-going vessel (we live in landlocked Colorado) sounded alluring. When our friends approached us with an absolutely unbelievable deal on a 12-day European cruise – courtesy of their previous cruiser status and their wonderful Carnival travel agent, Lorelei – we had to say yes!

Our cruise on the brand new Carnival Freedom was scheduled to depart April 7, 2007 – just in time for Sean’s 39th birthday (lucky guy!). Our itinerary featured three days at sea, and eight days on shore visiting Italy, Greece and Turkey. Before the cruise, I visited Carnival’s web site to read about all the shore excursions; we even booked our tours online, a much-appreciated convenience for one such as myself who prefers to get everything organized up front.

We had booked cabins with verandahs. Just before the cruise, however, we got a call from our friends saying that someone else had needed our adjoining rooms so we had all been upgraded to suites! Of course, such good fortune is probably a rare occurrence, but we took it as a good omen for our first cruise.

We flew into Rome, but spent the night before the cruise in Civitavecchia where the Freedom was docked. We could see the signature smoke stack of the ship from quite a distance. I couldn’t believe how large the ship was, and I was even more amazed when we boarded. Sean and I walked around with our chins on the floor, snapping photos of the glitzy decor, the pools, the deck and, of course, our fancy cabin (our friends warned us that we would get spoiled having a suite, and they were right!).

The stewards had unlocked the divider between our balconies, so we joined our friends outside to begin what was to become an evening ritual – pizza, brews, fresh air and gorgeous views with good friends. What could be better than that?

Part 6- Until Next Time

Stephanie — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:29:00 GMT

Back on the ship for our At Sea return day, I played a round of mini golf (the course wraps around the funnel on the topmost deck), took a swim in one of the pools, relaxed in the Jacuzzi-style tubs, enjoyed a showing of “Jaws” on the big Lido Deck screen (that was a curious choice of film), ate some terrific pizza, slurped some soft-serve ice cream, took a nap in my cabin on that oh-so-comfortable bed, dreamed about Mariola…Oh, sorry. I got a little carried away there.

Suffice it to say that the Carnival Freedom had everything and more than I would ever want or need on a cruise, and presented it in a stately and grand fashion that was simultaneously inspiring, energizing, relaxing, and fun as heck. For me, it truly was an experience of a lifetime. Thankfully, I still have a lot of life left to go. I suppose it could be argued that, since this was my first cruise, I’d want and expect even more the next time. True. But I have every faith in Carnival to come through for me…when next I sail on one of the Fun Ships!

Part 5- Destinations

Stephanie — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:11:00 GMT

My stroll about Key West on the first full day of the cruise was very enjoyable. That little town at the southernmost point of the continental US would seem like a great place to settle. That is, if it weren’t for the hurricanes. Most of Key West near dock is blatantly touristy. But there is still plenty to see and do. The weather for this day, and really for the whole cruise, was perfect. Humidity levels were actually down a bit from normal, so I was always quite comfortable while out and about.

While at sea on the way to Cozumel, I got a call in my cabin informing me that the shore excursion I had booked for our day there was cancelled. Evidently, I was the only one signed up for it. In retrospect, I’m glad it happened that way. Because what my work buddies and I ended up doing was cabbing down to Chankanaab National Park, renting some snorkel gear and jumping in the water. Another first for me! I can now state, unequivocally, that snorkeling in warm, glass clear water that is teaming with beautiful tropical fish is a gas! Too bad there wasn’t more time for that.

Next: The Final Review

Part 4: Activities

Stephanie — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:43:00 GMT

Activities aboard the ship were first-class, well-organized, and in many cases riotous fun! I can’t remember the last time I laughed as hard as I did during the Hairy Chest Contest on the Lido Deck. The stage shows in the evenings were eye-popping extravaganzas that either had me rockin’ out, tearing up, or cheering wildly. I was amazed at the level of production and talent these shows exhibited. The acts that were playing in the other lounges and bars around the ship provided top-notch entertainment, too. When was the last time you heard a Beatles cover band made up of four Vietnamese men who sounded on stage just like the original recordings?! Well, I just did. And I managed to get a picture with them, too.

Cruise Director Todd Wittmer was a hoot, as was Assistant Cruise Director Noortje. The way those two verbally sparred with each other during their live morning and afternoon shows was something everyone talked about. I’m sure that I saw Todd just about everywhere on the ship, at all hours. His seemingly boundless energy and good spirits seeped through into just about everything going on during the cruise. I think he did a great job.

As an aside, I should say that the general notion that I had for the duration of the cruise was to use my new iPod touch in conjunction with the ship-wide Wi-Fi facilities to regularly update my Twitter page with whatever I happened to be doing at the time. Twitter.com is a relatively new “microblog” Web site that is rapidly gaining popularity with the social networking crowd. I thought it would be another unique first to “twitter” from the ship, and keep all the landlubbers following my posts (including my family) up to date with what was going on. Unfortunately, the technical obstacle that thwarted my ability to do this was the unusually short inactivity time-out on the Wi-Fi login sessions. I had to log in to bring up the Twitter site (since the iPod doesn’t have facilities to type something offline and then copy and paste it into an online form), and if it took me more than about 90 seconds to type what I had to say, I found myself logged off by the time I had a short sentence or two to post. That meant discarding what I had typed in order to log back in. Consequently, my posts were fewer and farther between, and much more abbreviated than I had wished. I’ll go on record as stating that I think someone at Carnival should re-evaluate the time-out duration for the shipboard Wi-Fi sessions. Having the ability to connect to the world from just about any location on the ship is terrific. But it’s not always feasible, or possible, to indicate activity to the system with every minute. OK, off the soapbox.

Next: Part 5- Destinations

Part 3- Dining

Stephanie — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:48:00 GMT

That night, and every night throughout the cruise, our group gathered at three reserved tables on the upper level of The Posh Restaurant, a lavishly decorated dining room that looked and felt like some of the best eating establishments I’ve ever sat down at back in San Diego. The nightly menu choices were sumptuous, the food positively distinctive and delectable, and the service first-rate. It was the highlight of each evening to sit down with the fine people in our group and revel in the meal and the chatter.

It’s at this point that I really must break from the narrative for a moment and invest a few choice words on behalf of one particular member of the wait staff in The Posh. Our server, Mariola, quickly became an essential component of the fullest possible enjoyment of my dining experience, and in fact my entire experience cruising on the Carnival Freedom. She was an absolute angel, and I couldn’t help falling for her. I carefully watched most of the staff on our level of the restaurant, and it was crystal clear to me that Mariola cared more deeply about the passengers she was serving, and that all of our expectations were surpassed. One night, I decided to order not one, but two of the Warm Chocolate Melting Cakes for dessert. The following evening, as she reached my seat to take my dessert order, she asked me first if I wanted two Warm Chocolate Melting Cakes again. I looked up at her, and she was showing me the cutest little knowing grin I think I have ever seen. Her service was friendly, personalized, genuine, and thorough. Of course I’d be lying if I said her breathtaking beauty didn’t have anything to do with my complete satisfaction. Mariola warmed my heart, dazzled me with her charm and professionalism, and gave me something very personal to remember. In turn, I gave her a very generous tip after the final night’s dinner. Mariola, if you’re reading this, thank you so very much. You’re the best. If I ever sail on the Carnival Freedom again, I will insist that I am seated at a table you are serving.

Next: Part 4- Activities

A Splendid Review: Part 2- Finally Onboard

Stephanie — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 01:48:00 GMT

We had managed to board a little early, and that meant our cabins weren’t going to be ready for another hour. So we picked up some drinks at the Millennium Atrium bar and took a long stroll throughout the ship. We got our bearings, noting what we found on each deck, and put the whole phenomenal picture together. What an amazing feat of design and engineering! Every little detail so finely crafted. The Carnival Freedom, being such a new ship, was so smart and sparkling clean in every area we visited. I could swear it even had that New Ship Smell.

When the time came, we split up and headed for our cabins. Jeff and Mac had a balcony stateroom on Deck 6, while I had an ocean view stateroom on Deck 1 (that’s basically the difference between a VP and a Web Developer, folks!). I was pleasantly surprised at the spaciousness of my cabin. It did not at all feel cramped like the pictures I had seen led me to assume. There was ample room to walk and lounge about, and everything was neat and tidy. The bathroom was squeaky clean, well-appointed, and stocked with everything anyone might need. I noted that there was absolutely no way I was going to run out of drawer or closet space—there was plenty of that to go around. And then, there was the bed. Oh, the bed! I lowered myself onto it and almost immediately drifted off. That was one comfortable bed. But, as much as I wanted to slumber for a bit more, it was about time to push out, so I headed back up to a high deck and watched from the stern a stunning Miami sunset sail-away. The Carnival Fascination was right on our tail, which only added to the fascination of the view. The Miami skyline pulled away, and Key West beckoned.

Next: Part 3 - Dining

A Splendid Guest Review

Stephanie — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 21:18:00 GMT

Welcome to the first ever guest blogger post on the Splendid Things in Life! Christopher Watson from San Diego, CA was kind enough to share his cruise tale with us. This was his first cruise ever, so he had tons of splendid moments to share. His first post explains how he arrived to the Port of Miami for the Carnival Freedom's US inaugural sailing. A few other posts with his reviews of destinations, onboard activities and more will follow in the next few days. If you have any questions for Christopher or me, please post away!

And stay tuned for next week's guest blogger, Lauren Serrano. Lauren, a Carnival Cruise Lines employee, and her family (grandparents, parents, aunt, uncle and sister) will be celebrating her grandparent’s anniversary onboard the Carnival Spirit. I can't wait to find out how much grandma enjoys the waterslide!

And now: Christopher Watson's First Cruise Review

Part 1- Oh, the Anticipation

Life is replete with firsts, and I’ve always been one to relish The First of anything. If I haven’t done it before, and I’m doing it for the first time—whatever that may be—it’s very special to me. I remember it, and can recall any detail of it to anyone who wants to hear about it. So it is with my very first ocean cruise. What a fantastic, memorable experience it was!

My employment anniversary with America’s Vacation Center was approaching and it was right around then that my boss and the Marketing VP pulled me aside and presented me with an offer to cruise on the Carnival Freedom when it sailed from Miami to Key West and Cozumel on its US debut in November. Of course I jumped at the opportunity. I had been waiting for a good excuse to get out on my first cruise, and this was the perfect one. I felt extremely fortunate to have been invited to join our group on this very special first.

Jeff Anderson and I hopped on a train from San Diego to Los Angeles, where I had arranged for my brother to pick us up and take us to the airport. Once there, we met up with Jeff’s brother-in-law Mac (his guest for the cruise), and flew to Miami the day prior to the sailing date. I had just completed the Marriott Hotel Excellence program and arranged for my Fam-Tastic certificates to be faxed to the hotel so that I could get the low special rate for that night. After breakfast, we shuttled over to what I was to learn is the NEW Carnival cruise terminal. Docked alongside, was the Carnival Freedom. Most definitely the largest floating vessel I have ever laid eyes on; the trademark red-white-and-blue funnel towering above the terminal’s modern roofline. We dropped our bags off right where the shuttle van parked, and went through security (which was really quite a walk in the park compared to what we had gone through back at the airport in L.A.).

The terminal was bright and shiny, as were all of the Carnival personnel. With Fun Passes in hand, we were whisked right through the boarding process with absolutely no hassle. While waiting for my travel companions, I started snapping some pictures of the interior of the terminal. Almost immediately, I had a very congenial woman from Carnival security sidle up next to me, softly whispering, “You’re not supposed to be doing that, sir.” I thanked her for reminding me, and put the camera right back into my carry-on. On the way out to the boarding ramp, we stopped to have our photo taken against a Caribbean backdrop. With a quick flash of my passport, and a swipe of my Sail & Sign card, we stepped onto the ship and into the ornate atrium lobby. With a big fat grin plastered across my face, I started soaking it all up. I was really here!

Next: Part 2- Finally Onboard