sample BLOG

We boarded the Carnival Freedom on Feb 28, 2009 at about 1:30 PM. (The ship was scheduled to leave at 4 PM.) The boat didn't actually leave until 5 PM because there were a gaggle of passengers whose plane was late in arriving. (If you buy a flight + cruise package, they'll wait for you.) Boarding was easy. We flashed our so-called "Fun Pass" (which I had downloaded and printed before we left). We flashed our passports, we left our check-in luggage with porters ... then we entered and had lunch at one of the buffets. We'd filled a plastic water bottle with rum and stuck it in the check-in luggage. Don't tell nobody, 'cause that ain't allowed. There was round-the-clock juices available in the buffet ... to make clever rum-and-something drinks. One can bring a bottle of wine on board or a few soft drinks ... but no liquor! We're each given a plastic "sail and sign" card. It's the key to our room and all "extras" are charged to the card ... like beer, soft drinks, duty-free purchases etc.. In a couple of hours our luggage appeared in the hall, in front of our cabin. Shortly after embarking, there was "muster". Some say "mustard", but that's available on the Lido deck burger stand. Instructions were given over loudspeakers and everybody gathered on deck 3 with life jackets (which were in the cabins). Then we were given instructions on what to do if'n the boat sank. (Life boats, stacked alongside, each held 125 guests.) Each morning we got a "newsletter" delivered to our room, the Caper. It had a list of all the things that'd happen that day ... as well as buffet and dining hours and other info. Though we had asked for early dining (that'd be 6 PM), we got late dining (at 8:15 PM) - in the Posh restaurant. After a few evenings there, we just ate at one of the buffets: breakfast, lunch and dinner. (There were SO MANY places to eat!) Besides, it was a pain to change from shorts to long pants (for dining) then back to shorts again. Each evening (after dinner) there was a show in the Victoriana Theatre. (When we ate at the buffet we went to the earlier show.) Before each show there was bingo! ($10 per card or $20 for three cards. Prizes up to $5000.) Our room steward, Ozzie, did magic tricks with towels. He also left three chocolate wafers each day and cleaned up the room several times a day! He'd also lower Gerry's bunk bed each evening and raise it each morning ... where it vanished into the ceiling. You don't realize how HUGE the ship is ... unless you stand on the dock and stare! It's a village-on-the-sea. Though the Posh was really neat, dinner was too late so we didn't eat there very often: (Did I already mention that?) Our waiter, Nyeoman, was from Bali and hadn't seen his wife in months. (His "tour" was six months.) His son was learning math and when Heidi told him I was a math prof, he said his son would e-mail questions. (I ain't got none yet.) For us, most things happened on the Lido Deck: A couple of buffets, two hamburger stands, stir fry, 24-hour pizzeria and self-serve ice cream, great deli sandwiches, a few pools, a water slide, a HUGE TV screen (with evening movies), occasional musical entertainment ... and (most important) an area where I could puff my pipe. On deck 3 there was a bar. It was quiet, lots of confortable chairs and a piano player. That's where we read our paperbacks. It seemed we were always eating !! At every port there were beautiful vistas, jewels to buy and entertainers to reward. and taxis waiting to take you around the island and sunsets. (Miraculously, these seem to happen every night.) One also notes a political stripe from time to time: When we leave the ship, at each port, our "sail and sign" plastic card is swiped through a machine. It counts the number of passengers who leave. It's swiped again when we return to ship. If the numbers don't agree, somebody will be left ashore! The cruise director notes that, should we be too late in returning, we'll have a beautiful view of the ship ... sailing away. We always stood on deck 3 to watch those returning. It was quite amazing how many were "just in time". Deck 3 had a looong walking path, both port and starboard, where some of us would do our morning exercises. I rarely did these 'cause ... uh ... I had a broken something ... Although one can buy excursions on board (charging our plastic card), one can also get cheaper tours on land. Whenever there was a mountain in sight, Gerry climbed it!! On Nassau, Heidi and I took a 1 1/2 hour bus ride about the island for $2.50. My excuse for doing very little walking was ... uh ... a broken leg sore ankle genetic malfunction: Except for a half day of rain and a half day of choppy seas, the weather was beeyutiful! The staff was courteous and friendly, the ship was immaculate ... the staff were constantly cleaning, polishing, clearing trays, sweeping etc. etc. Sometimes, ocean spray would reach the Lido deck and the stainless steel railings & posts had to be cleaned of salt! There were so many places to eat one never got tired of the various culinary presentations ... and coffee was availabe around the clock. That was good for me 'cause I was puffing and sipping and admiring the view on Lido ... at 5 AM, when it was deserted. Because it was cheeeep, we had an inside cabin with that extra bunk bed that dropped from the ceiling, for Gerry ... or have I mentioned that already? Aah, but next time, we really need to get a room with a balcony. It'd be nice to sit there, quietly puffing my pipe, and watch the Oh ... did I mention that room service is free? Except, of course, for a tip. After eight days we re-arrive back in Ft. Lauderdale (March 8), check into the Day's Inn again ... then fly back to Buffalo next morning. Our La Quinta shuttle takes us to our car ... and we drive home after a really great cruise. Then Heidi picks up Suzie & Sandy (who were staying with Lori & Jay ... and their dogs, Louie and Jack): The first thing Suzie did was to pee on our luggage! Then it seemed to take a day to recover! ---------------------------------------------------- There's a youtube video here: Click!