Carnival Freedom cruise ship review

Rosie Shelley and her daughter Hannah enjoy their first cruise experience as they review Carnival Freedom in the Caribbean

Old Man Bay, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. Image Credit: Robert Harding Picture Library Ltd / Alamy

Our catamaran powered its way along the Mexican coastline, the spray from the water a welcome relief in the heat, and in the distance a small island, lined with row upon row of lush green palm trees, began to emerge. As we drew nearer I spotted the line of hammocks in the water, the sun loungers on the beach and the white sands; and I seriously contemplated a permanent move to this gorgeous private island.

To add to the excitement our guide, Alejandro, mentioned the supervised children’s play area with trampolines, basketball, games and crafts that meant my 11-year-old daughter Hannah would also be occupied should we decide to make Passion Island our home forever.

Except that five days into our very first cruise Hannah had settled into life on board Carnival Freedom. She’d become so used to our daily games of mini golf, basketball and ping-pong, plus the pools and the arcade games, that I doubted she’d want to spend much time away from the ship she had started calling our ‘cruise home’.

Travelling as a mother-daughter duo, we took a six-day trip around the Western Caribbean, leaving from Fort Lauderdale and calling at ports in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Mexico. My concerns that there wouldn’t be enough on board to keep my internet-obsessed child occupied were completely unfounded. As well as the sports activities there was Camp Ocean, the superbly run kids’ club, where she made friends, played video games and board games, which meant I could relax a little.

Carnival Freedom

On the day we first set sail Hannah wrote in her diary that “there are happy faces everywhere”, which perfectly sums up the atmosphere on board from the moment we arrived to the sound of live carnival music and guests dancing in the lobby, to the moment we stepped off the ship at the end of our adventure.

Carnival Freedom quickly became our home away from home. Our balcony stateroom was spacious and immaculately maintained by our room steward Basuki, his fabulous towel art creations a definite highlight of each day.

The balcony was the main attraction; the perfect spot to sit in and relax at the end of the day, when it’s so dark you can’t see where the sky ends and the sea begins and all you hear is the sound of the ocean. It was also the ideal place to watch the ship arriving into a new part of the world each morning.

Arriving into our first port of call, Falmouth, Jamaica, we stood together on the balcony, mesmerised by the whole experience, as Hannah noted down the colours of the Jamaican flag to report back to her friends at school.

Signpost in Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. Image Credit: James Schwabel / Alamy

From the port we took a short 15-minute drive to Good Hope Estate, a former sugar plantation in the hills above Falmouth, on the edge of the Martha Brae River. Set in more than 2,000 acres of lush Jamaican countryside and located 600m above sea level, it offers a welcoming breeze which helps take the edge off the heat and humidity that hits you the moment you arrive.

The attraction of this excursion was the variety of activities available, from dune buggy riding and river tubing to visiting the tropical birds in the aviary and relaxing by the pool. You can even take a thrilling zip wire ride through the rainforest, which I almost did until I heard the screams of others flying overhead and thought better of it.

Hannah enjoyed the children’s play area complete with swings, slide and mini challenge course, and we were both impressed with the guided tour of the Great House with its original orange cedar floorboards, rare mahogany furniture and unique grave room (which really is a grave inside a house). Built in 1755 it is steeped in history, all explained to us by our guide as we travelled round, and it offers stunning views over the whole plantation.

Also not to be missed is the opportunity to take a horse and carriage ride around the plantation where you’ll visit an ancient factory and water wheel while learning more about the history of the estate. The highlight for Hannah was that one of the horses, Duke, appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean, which meant she could tell all her friends that she had stroked a celebrity.

For others the attraction of Jamaica is the opportunity to swim with dolphins, and many of our fellow guests chose more water-based excursions. We saved the sea and sand for our next port of call, Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands, and it didn’t disappoint.

Our destination was the Caribbean paradise of Tiki Beach, part of Seven Mile beach. The sand, the colour of pale vanilla, sinks between your feet and the sea is so clear you can see the seabed. We stood knee-deep in water, watching tiny multi-coloured tropical fish swimming around our feet. Hannah later announced she’d caught her first fish and drew a small crowd as she showed off her catch in her red bucket. I was grateful our fellow travellers reacted with so much enthusiasm given the fish was only the size of a thumbnail.

The area is perfect for water sports, and for an extra $10 to $180 you can hire a kayak, try parasailing or go scuba diving – popular with the teenagers in our party. You can also hire snorkelling equipment by the hour although the on-site shop here also sells various water sports gear with prices starting at around $5.

Scuba diver in Mexico, Cozumel. Image Credit: Carlos Villoch – MagicSea.com / Alamy

On the bus back to the ship we became caught up in a tropical storm. As the staff on board welcomed us back with a warm towel for each guest, it really did feel like coming home and I knew I’d miss them and the ship at the end of our stay. They were exceptional and their infectious enthusiasm added to the positive, happy vibe on board.

Evenings were spent enjoying the onboard entertainment and in the various restaurants. You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to food and I’m sure there’s an unwritten rule that you have to taste it all.

We loved the complimentary Chic restaurant, perfect for us because it had a comprehensive children’s menu. Hannah worked her way through it during the cruise, while I did the same with the dessert menu, because they’re all calorie-free when you’re at sea – I read that somewhere. I can recommend the warm chocolate melting middle with vanilla ice cream. From the main courses, the Indian vegetarian with fresh vegetables, lentils and basmati rice is simply delicious.

For a $35 cover charge you can dine in speciality restaurant the Sun King Steakhouse. It offers steak and seafood dishes and an extensive wine list with amazing staff. It’s perfect for a quiet, romantic evening, with seating overlooking the ocean. I had the broiled rosemary-infused chicken served on pan seared potato and mushroom mash, but make sure you leave room for the divine cheesecake with hazelnut biscuit.

Carnival Freedom Blue Iguana Bar

At night, we were regulars at the Victoriana theatre where an eight-strong dance team delivered slick, energetic performances each evening to the packed auditorium. Despite a lot of the music dating back to the 1980s, before Hannah’s time, she loved the shows and on the last day, this slightly shy girl even joined the dancers on stage for a conga.

Our final port of call was Cozumel, Mexico, and that glorious private island (reached by catamaran) where I could see myself living happily on a diet of coconuts and sea air. While I relaxed on the beach, Hannah spent the afternoon painting, playing basketball and marbles. This is the child who claimed she couldn’t live without the internet.

Returning to Carnival Freedom for the last time it struck me that the variety of excursions available at each port, together with the onboard activities, dining options and entertainment, means you can shape your cruise how you want it. For Hannah there was even more: the chance to visit several countries in a short space of time without endless car journeys, to experience new cultures, to make friends and to grow in confidence.

As a family new to cruising, we’re now totally hooked. I can’t see us wanting to choose any other type of holiday for many years to come. Already we’re plotting how we can travel the globe and experience the world, one cruise holiday at a time.

GETTING THERE
A six-night cruise on Carnival Conquest departing 25 October 2015, sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and calling at Ocho Rios (Jamaica), Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico starts from £389pp, cruise only. For more information or bookings go to carnival.com.

Visit Rosie Shelley’s blog, Rosie Scribble, here.