Freedom of the Seas - Western Caribbean CruiseFirst off, a
BIG thank you goes out to Robb and Elissa. Your tireless planning and consideration for everyone in the group was greatly appreciated!! As cruise virgins, we couldn't have picked a better one to start out on, and we're glad to have shared it with you all. And by the way, we're hooked now!
The only tough thing about a group that large is that when you're meeting many of them for the first time in person, you wish you could spend more time and get to know everyone a bit more. Unfortunately we only got to see some of you several times in passing, but it was certainly a pleasure meeting you!
As for the cruise itself, where does one begin? I grew up near the beach and spent a lot of time working on and around yachts, so the ocean is nothing new to me. Still, this ship blew us both away. It's honestly pretty tough to put it all into words. There's simply
always something to do on board. You name it, from the activities, to the gym, the Promenade, the sports deck, the pools, the bars, the ice rink, the theater, the casino, etc. etc.......if you couldn't keep yourself busy, then you probably just don't have a pulse.
Oh, and that's not even mentioning the food. I hope you all appreciate this report, because it's a bit painful to go through the pics and remind myself of sitting in the Windjammer or Sorrento's, instead of here at my desk.
Besides the friends we'd get to meet, the ports of call, and the great excursions we had lined up, there was a bonus "mission" of sorts for me. I'm a Jimmy Buffett fan, and I make no apologies for it.
It's a product of my environment growing up, and it's the music I love. Because of that, it was pretty enticing to try and log a handful of Margaritaville "credits" along the way. In total, there was a distinct possibility of four, with a slim chance of it being five - Orlando, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and two in Montego Bay...one of which was a small location at the neighboring airport.
I've obviously been to Margaritaville at Universal City Walk many times, but it can still be checked off this time too since I had a drink there before HHN.
So anyway, with all that established, let's cast off and sail towards our first destination....Labadee, Haiti! After the "sail away" meet in the TPR suite, we relaxed a bit and got ready for our first group dinner that evening. Following that, I think we basically just roamed around the ship and got accustomed to our surroundings. Was this also the night Adam secured his legacy as "Finish that verse" champ? If so, I expect to see the gold medal again, Adam.
The next day was a day at sea. I'll take that opportunity to show some random shots from around the ship. Enjoy.
Stay tuned.
