The Carnival Freedom (8-day Eastern Caribbean) was fantastic. The ports we visited were also great, and being able to visit 5 ports in 8 days was unbelievable. Everyone was surprised that we packed so much in our 8-day trip.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Food in the formal dining room was superb, and definitely gourmet, with a wide-ranging menu every night. The buffets and casual restaurants were not anything special, except for the occasional event like the "all chocolate buffet", which was heavenly.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
There was always something to do on the ship. We're not big gamblers, so the 24 hour casino, and the (at least) 3 bingo games a day were lost on us. But fun contests and trivia sessions by the pool (Hairiest Chest contest, Belly Flop contest, etc.)were entertaining.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Carnival employees are the BEST. Always willing to assist, day or night.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
A little tricky to navigate for some (I get confused/turned-around in shopping malls, etc, so this was no surprise), the decor was a little strange. VERY Clean and accessible.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Our Stateroom (we stayed in an exterior balcony room) was well appointed with furniture, had ample storage how suitcases, and had a nice little bathroom. The mattress, though pretty hard, was surprisingly comfy. Everything was kept VERY clean and dust free, our room was cleaned about 3 times per day (which was AMAZING).
I would recommend seeing the BVI by water as well. Tons of small islands, coral reefs, to explore. Locals are very polite. Shopping in port is fun as well, although a little touristy.
Bahamas are up-and-coming with resorts, celebrity homes, etc. Fun to learn about the local culture from tour guides, although skip the ones that try to ambush you in the Port terminal (they can get aggressive.) Be sure to try Linda's conch fritters in the Terminal building, they are deep-fried and delicious.
We arrived in the evening, so we didn't see much. In Old San Juan, you can find historic forts and their current government buildings. In New San Juan (across the bridge), you can find hotels/casinos/nightlife.
Absolutely gorgeous. We took a 45 minute ferry ride to St. John, and enjoyed a flavor of the islands. We also went para-sailing, and got a birds eye view of everything. That was MAGICAL.
ANTIGUA, WEST INDIES. We did not enjoy this port. As soon as you disembark, you are attacked by "tour guides" and taxi drivers who very aggressively try to get you to hire them. Nothing special about the shopping in port. VERY touristy, not authentic.
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