Freedom of the Seas

Whew...we made it!! I've tried to upload pictures, but for some reason the wireless connection here on the ship won't let me. I'll try again later. (Yay -- success!!) Anyway, Robin’s boss hired a limo bus to drive 22 of us down to Miami. It was so luxurious! I didn’t think there would be enough seating for everyone, but there was absolutely more than enough room. Somebody brought two enormous jugs of Bloody Mary’s with your choice of garnishes; celery, olives, or big dill pickle spears (never heard of that one before!), and another person brought dozens of yummy bagels from Panera Bread. The ride took about three hours, but we scarcely noticed.

Once we arrived at the port in Miami, I could not believe how gigantic the ship was – like a floating city! It took about an hour to check in and get to our stateroom, which is really roomy. Robin objected to the fact they gave us a double bed (how can they tell the lesbians from the sisters??) so we had them split the bed into two twins. We cruised along the pool level, which was already packed and the party was well underway despite the fact the ship hadn’t even left the dock yet.

We got a quick bite to eat at the buffet (small dish of pasta for me, and chicken parm for Robin), then we had to return to our state rooms to prepare for the evacuation muster. Sheer torture!! The life vests are designed to choke the life out of you (here's a really flattering picture of me, beginning to panic as the life is choked out of me) and I felt so claustrophobic in it! So we were all herded down to the fourth deck where we had to find our muster station and then stand there for twenty minutes while the sun beat down on us, trying to breath in these awful contraptions. I swear, if I ended up in the ocean, I think I’d rather make a swim for it on my own than be trapped in that thing!! It was so hot…a man two rows over collapsed, but they still wouldn’t let us take the things off. I think it’s the crew’s way of exacting revenge on the passengers. Then they go back to their own little staterooms and laugh about it.

Dinner was fabulous – three soaring levels of gold and crystal and white linen and each table has four waiters, each with his or her own specific purpose. I had shrimp ravioli in a creamy sherry lobster sauce. Robin had Atlantic Cod but didn’t like it and ordered the ravioli. The guy next to her ordered TWO plates of prime rib!! I couldn’t believe it. We went to bed early, around 9:30 and outside a storm is brewing. The skies are flashing with lightning and we can hear huge claps of thunder. I stepped out onto the balcony and it was really windy. I could have stayed out there forever, but was too scared of the lightning.