Carnival Freedom

Why is Carnival #1? This pictures show why is my favorite cruise line.Is all about people. Personal touch. This slide show is only for pictures of the ship but I think I will keep posting from the different ports of calls.I hope I dont bore anyone with my pictures I love them, they are my treasure, my souvenirs. This trip was full of things that made it more personal not only on the ship, but also staying in the house of an italian family and seeing again some special people we meet the first time, it ment a lot and all this made it more difficult coming back to our routine.

How it all started my love for cruises and everything Italian

My senior year at High school 1983.My senior trip was going to be on the famous at that time legendary for the fun it was, Carla Costa.I wasnt going because my family didnt have the money to pay for it.The scandalous sum of $ 550 (I think).We were 5 children and my father’s salary working for Social Security Administration wasnt enough for everything it was for paying 5 children private school and at that time that was enough. At that time I worked (since I turned 16) at a local supermarket called Pueblo but only in the weekends, studies were the most important thing so my parent didnt like for us to work on weekdays.So I decided I wanted to go so I started working more and saving almost everything to go on my first trip ever!!!!!.
I remember the date June 11 1983, the start of my traveling life.I was in a cabin with 2 of my best friends and we had the best of times. Opened the door of a new world for me never been out of PR for anything.The ship, ohhh I remember how simple it was back then, two main lounges one at the front show lounge one floor and the disco at the back.In the way from one to another a small shop, a small casino nothing much.But how much fun we had! At nights there was only one place to go the disco and we dance every kind of music even the tarantella and everyone was the there even the captain.That ship was very special because at that the time almost all crew members were italian even the cabin stewards and that means a very personal service, excelente!! Our cabin steward Franco took care of us 3 girls like a father all week.He was always available for us. In the mornings as we woke up we will go to his station and there we had our orange juice and pastries.If we were late he would wake us up with our juice.At the dining room down on a hole with no windows we made friends with almost all the waiters ours and not. It was always a celebration when we came in.When we left the ship we were hook for lifeon cruising and italians. That ship had a heart,It was alive not only a hollow piece of steel.We left many friends behind.Almost 6 years later I manage to get my husband on a cruise for the first time. We were newlyweds and didnt have much money but this was a bargain 2 for one sale on the Amerikanis.After that he became such a fan that it been very difficult for me to convince him to take a vacation other than a cruise. Now due to the fact that we live in PR and for many years I was a stay home mom and my husband had his own business we have been able to take many cruises at incredible prices.My last one was 30 mostly sailing from San Juan, Fort Lauderdale and Miami with Carnival, Costa, RCCl, Norwegian, Cunard,Celebrity, Princess and the no longer Regency and Chandris. We had the idea of quantity better than quality and we enjoy our cruises even if they were to the same places almost all the time. But that idea changed with our first cruise to the Med and to my beautiful Italy.That change all of our perspectives now is quality not quantity. I prefer to save the money for something new even if it takes more time.My Med cruises and how everything change after the first one that is another story.