My Freedom Cruise Part 1

We started off this trip uneventful enough, in fact it seemed as if things were going too smooth. The bags were packed, all the arrangements were made and despite cruising during the peak of hurricane season the weather was favorable. Although I wouldn’t vocalize my thoughts, deep inside I was thinking this could be the smoothest cruise yet.

Friday morning we woke up filled with that sense of joy you can only feel on Christmas, Birthdays and when you are leaving for a cruise. I cooked breakfast to start off the day and finished up some last minute preparations (nothing big, just setting my Tivo). We were taking a late flight so there was no need to rush. So, when the time came we packed up the car and headed to BWI to start our trip.

Traffic was favorable and although I had never flown out of BWI before the trip was a breeze partly because we had already test-driven it a couple of weeks ago. We drop off the car and take the shuttle over to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Check-in was a breeze and before you know it, we are boarding our plane to Fort Lauderdale.

Once we landed the first hurdle was cleared, once we picked up our bags it was time to take a taxi to the hotel.  Upon exiting the airport taxi cabs were plentiful and about 30 seconds we were on our way to the hotel (15 dollar trip).  The hotel I selected for our pre-cruise stay was the Embassy Suites. I had never stayed there before but had read numerous reviews on the place. The rooms were clean, the location was great and the price was right, to me it was a no-brainer.  Another plus was the full buffet style breakfast that was to be offered in the morning.

I’ve found over the years that a good nights sleep and a good breakfast is a winning combination for embarkation day.  Well, one out of two isn’t bad.  The beds were comfortable which was a pleasant suprise (I usually toss and turn in hotels) but the breakfast left alot to be desired.  Actually, thats putting it mildly, in my opinion it was close to inedible.  The eggs were cold, and the bacon looked as if it were boiled in grease.  The only saving grace was the fruit, which was fine so I loaded up on it.  After eating enough canteloupe to feed a small African village it was back to the room to gather our belongings.  I always like to arrive at the cruise terminal early, yet another reason why I try to fly in early every chance I get.

Related posts:

1. Should I Book a Pre-Cruise Stay?
2. Back From My August 15th Carnival Freedom Cruise

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