Chipotle

I finally got a chance to try some taco at Chipotle for the very first time in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I ordered Barbacoa tacos with guacamole and my husband got a monster burrito. Damn, they were so delicious! I wish Hawaii could open Chipotle right now! Honestly, Chipotle is much better than Taco Bell. Period. Chipotle rocks!

Souvenirs

I collected the souvenirs from Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama Canal. I am planning to put them all in the display when I buy a house in the near future.

Arriving Fort Lauderdale, Florida

At about 5:30 a.m., my husband woke me up and told me to take a look at the window. In surprise, I saw the lights on the buildings and that cruise, and they were so beautiful! We were supposed to arrive at about 7 a.m., but we arrived early. And we had a nice breakfast especially a salmon before leaving the stateroom and relaxing at the Victorian Lounge until our group number was called up for our next turn to get off the ship.

Our Interpreters

Our interpreters, Selena and Deb, did a great job on a 8-day cruise and the shore excursions! Thank you, Selena and Deb :)

Cruise Luggage Tags

Before the debarkation day, a steward brought the luggage tickets to the staterooms. First choice, if we wanted the faculty to pick up our bags between 8 p.m. and midnight before the debarkation day, then we had to attach the number tags to our bags. Second choice, if we decide to carry our luggage with us on the debarkation day, we had to find our specific time to get off the ship. We ended up going with our first choice. We put our bags outside the stateroom so the stewards would pick them up before midnight. After getting off the ship at about 9:30 a.m. the next morning, it was not hard to look for 19 and locate our bags in the baggage claim. Each group at different times departed throughout the morning. The last time to clear the ship was about 10-10:30 a.m.

Towel Animals Demonstration

Cruise ship stewards demonstrated how to decorate the cabins each evening with towel animals. It was not easy to make some towel animals when I thought I saw the stewards making these animals easy! It was fun though!

Free Sushi

Food on this ship either complimentary sushi or tapas served at cocktail hour in the sushi bar. You can get more sushi as much as you like if you are still in a hungry mood!

Peace And Calm

Somewhere near the west of Cuba, I saw soft and blue ocean out there at sea. It somehow inspired me and made me smile. It is like a symbol of peace and calm at the right time. Nice and smooth.

Servers Dance

Soon after finishing our delicious supper, my husband and I had a brief chat with our interpreters. They said that a speaker announced all the servers were going to dance tonight. It kind of surprised us because I've never seen any servers dancing like that in a restaurant! To award a best server, all the servers who put their costumes on had to dance better. What inspired me was the servers wanted us the guests to dance with them and have a ball!

Triple Birthdays

Dreamtrips announced that three people have the same birthdays. They got a birthday gift as a cocktail shot. Happy Birthday!

Free Seafood Appetzers

The Fish and Chips Restaurant offers free seafood appetizers on the Lido deck. At first, I thought I saw a huge tuna sushi (on the left photo), but I soon realized it was a watermelon with a blackened ahi tuna topped. I also grabbed a bowl of the squid/octopus salad. These appetizers were so good!

Photo Gallery

View the beautiful photos at a photo gallery on the Promenade deck. They have a wide range of the backgrounds with different themes. All the new photos coming from embarkation, elegant dinners to entertainment are added to the display every day. Each section shows all the photos on Day 1 Embarkation, Day 2 Casual Dinners, Day 3 Elegant Dinners and so on. To find your picture(s), match a section number with your number card that a photographer will give you.

Thanksgiving Dinner

Carnival Freedom offers turkey, pumpkin pie and other delicious courses at dinner on Thanksgiving. Yes, it was absolutely free since the fee I paid for a 8-day cruise covered everything except the gratuity, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, spa carnival, some events, and one restaurant. A pumpkin pie tasted like a bit of jello, but I liked it! Overall, our food was excellent!

Carnival Freedom Rescues The Locals At Sea

While a man was craving ice, a few of people flocked to the side and searched for a local boat out there and more people followed. The ship stopped, and I was a bit worried about what's going on. I called the guest services and asked why we stopped for. They briefly explained that they had to provide the locals food, medical and fuel due to lack of fuel. The rescue crew came back and forth with the needs for almost one hour. Finally, a boat started the engine up and slowly moved. I checked the ship information on TV. We were located just a few miles away from Honduras. Maybe they returned home nearby. Whew! Give kudos to our ship for their help.

Towel Animals In The Stateroom

After dining, my husband and I went to our stateroom and got surprised by the towel animals on our bed. A steward/stewardess made different towel animals such as a monkey hangs from below the window sill, elephant, pig, and more on our bed every night. Sometimes they put our sunglasses on these towel animals. How cute!

Bon Voyage Gifts For My Husband

A stewardess brought a pink T-shirt and other souvenirs from the Bon Voyage Department. She thought they were for my birthday, but I told her that was for my husband. She apologized and went back to get a gray T-shirt quickly and came back along with two photo gifts. The reason why my husband got those gifts alternatively was because our stateroom was not decorated yet on the embarkation day. The Bon Voyage Department claimed it might not be available on that day, so they sent the gifts instead. Nice!

FUNTIMES Itinerary

We got this detailed itinerary for the next day's events and dining menus. A steward/stewardess mailed a new brochure to the stateroom every night.

Celebrating my husband's birthday

I booked a reservation early in my cruise, as availability was limited. On the embarkation day, I treated my husband on his birthday at the Sun King Restaurant on Panorama Deck for $30 each; that fee included the tip, all courses from appetizers to dessert and a bottle of wine. It is considered the best dining experience aboard the Carnival Freedom. Golden antique mirrors and century chandeliers adorn this glittering homage to the Sun King, whose statue marks our entrance. Our server arrived with a tray that showcased the meat cuts and seafood available. Cuisine selections include prime porterhouse steaks, NY Strip, filet mignon, lamb chop, and prime rib. All are served with impeccable service, presentation and flavorful sauces. We were offered a selection of savory breads, with a nice choice of three butters - paprika, herb and truffle. Overall, the restaurant's service is highly professional and European in styling.

Our server gave us a bottle of wine, Merlot. It was delicious. After finishing our supper, we forgot to bring it with us. Following the next day, a steward came to our stateroom with a bottle of wine attaching a note for my husband. He told us that we forgot to take it home, so we took it and drank it up in a week. What a great service!

Beautiful Sunset

Entering the balcony stateroom, I suddenly got inspired by a beautiful sunset on a balcony out there! I had a chance to take a picture of my husband and myself at the right time.

Beach Wedding

After departing from the port in a few minutes later, I saw a lovey-dovey wedding on the beach. It was so beautiful! Congratulations :)