{"id":281,"date":"2015-02-06T02:47:48","date_gmt":"2015-02-06T02:47:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awaywego-origin.carnival.com\/?p=281"},"modified":"2017-10-05T15:12:33","modified_gmt":"2017-10-05T15:12:33","slug":"not-hidden-gems-carnival-freedom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carnival.com\/awaywego\/cruising-fun\/onboard-activities\/not-hidden-gems-carnival-freedom","title":{"rendered":"(Not So) Hidden Gems on Carnival Freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019re taking your first cruise or your tenth on Carnival Cruise Lines<\/a>, there\u2019s never a lack of things to do. I have found that my family gets into a bit of a routine when we\u2019re cruising, which leads us to many of the same activities and dining experiences from one vacation to the next. It\u2019s obvious that we like what we like, but I figured it would be interesting to find out some of the lesser known, or easily passed by \u201chidden gems\u201d while onboard Carnival Freedom<\/a> earlier this year. Here\u00a0are a few of my favorites.<\/p>\n

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Free bottle of wine on first night, steakhouse<\/strong> \u2013 My husband and I ALWAYS dine at the Steakhouse<\/a> at least one night on a Carnival cruise. This is a tradition that we have no intention of giving up\u2014it\u2019s hands down the best meal of the\u00a0entire vacation! But did you know that if you book the Steakhouse for the very first night of your cruise you receive a complimentary bottle of wine? This little fact completely escaped me until I noticed a sign for it while boarding. I did a little digging and this little gem of an offer is available on all of Carnival\u2019s ships!<\/p>\n

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Tea on sea day<\/strong> \u2013 Another feature that is not exclusive to Carnival Freedom, but often goes unnoticed is tea on sea days. This complimentary tea service takes place at 3:00pm in the dining room and includes a choice of hot tea, small sandwiches, scones and other desserts. My daughter and I like to enjoy this hour together at least once per cruise. Sometimes we have such a busy schedule that I completely forget about it until the last minute, but, thankfully, reservations aren\u2019t required and it\u2019s perfectly acceptable to walk in a few minutes late.<\/p>\n

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Fish N’ Chips<\/strong> \u2013 If you\u2019re not looking for it, you can easily miss the Fish N’ Chips<\/a> kiosk on Carnival Freedom. Or, at least I did until the second-half of our cruise–now I won\u2019t forget it! The station is located on Deck 10 and is accessible by a staircase (or an elevator) near the buffet on the Lido deck. Besides serving the obvious, fresh seafood salad, ceviche and vegetable fritters are offered during lunch hours. This area is usually very quiet because it seems not many people know about it (I secretly want to keep it that way!).<\/p>\n

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25-cent Jawbreakers at Cherry on Top<\/strong> \u2014 If you have a kid, Cherry on Top<\/a> will be a must-stop on your Carnival Fun Ship 2.0<\/a> cruise. Even I am lured in by the pretty colors and lights!\u00a0Cherry on Top offers a wide assortment of candy and other gifts that make great souvenirs for friends and family back home (we\u2019re particularly fond of the Sour Gummy Funnels<\/a>!). This is also where you order wine packages, cakes and flowers for special occasions on board. My daughter actually discovered that right outside Cherry on Top is a giant gumball machine with 25-cent jawbreakers! Now she brings along a few extra quarters on each cruise to use in the machine. The shop is nice enough to give her a little baggy to store them in so she doesn\u2019t have to indulge right away. I\u2019ve found that this is an inexpensive way to satisfy her desire to spend money at the shop–though somehow we still bring an extra goodie or two home with us!<\/p>\n

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Breakfast Burritos at BlueIguana Cantina<\/strong> \u2014 If you\u2019re a late sleeper, or a fan of breakfast room service, like me, you could totally miss the breakfast burritos at BlueIguana Cantina<\/a>. But, I promise you, they are worth leaving the stateroom for! Similar to the lunchtime \u201cdesign your own burrito\u201d set-up, you can choose all of your favorite breakfast fillings, including eggs, bacon, sausage and potatoes, and have them stuffed in a made-to-order, fresh burrito. The cool part is you can have these wrapped up, to-go style, to eat anywhere on the ship\u2014whether that\u2019s your stateroom balcony, a quiet area with an ocean view or poolside.<\/p>\n

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Plan a getaway<\/h2>\n

This post was created as part of my collaboration with Carnival Cruise Lines<\/a>. As always, all of the opinions, thoughts, and ideas in this post are my own.<\/em><\/p>\n

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