Carnival Freedom 2017 7-Day Caribbean Cruise Review
Day 5 Part 1             July 12, 2017                        Roatan, Honduras      
Scheduled Arrival:   8:00AM                   Scheduled Departure:   6:00PM                                       
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Early Morning Towel Animal Surprise From The Housekeeping Department:
​              Before breakfast, I walked by the Lido Deck main pool area. The Carnival Freedom's Lido Deck (9) main pool area was lined with a variety of different towel animals. The edges of the pool area as well as the pool's surrounding deck chairs each had a towel animal. I have seen this same surprise on other Carnival ships, but the Carnival Freedom's housekeeping staff seemed to put more towel animals out compared to some of the cruises I have seen this on. Unfortunately, the towel animals did not last long because right after we docked in Roatan it began to pour. The towel animals essentially became soggy wet towels. Due to the rain, I have a feeling many late risers missing seeing this by the pool. Here are some pictures of the towel animals by the pool:

Towel Animals Surrounding The Lido Deck Main Pool

Towel Animal

Towel Animal

Towel Animals In The Deck Chairs

Towel Animal

Towel Animal

Poolside Towel Animals

Waterslide Landing & Pool On Deck 10

Looking Down At The Towel Animals From Deck 10

Watching The Carnival Freedom's Roatan Arrival:
​                  After enjoying breakfast at the Freedom Restaurant, I headed up to the Panorama Deck (10) to watch our ship dock. Before getting near land our ship turned around and began sailing in backwards. I stayed around the back of Deck 10 because it had the best view of where we were going. 

Waves Approaching The Shoreline

Darker Clouds In The Distance

Getting Close To The Mahogany Bay Cruise Center Area

                    As we got closer to docking, I began to see some of the sights we were planning on visiting during our day in Roatan. The "Magical Flying Beach Chair" (essentially a chair lift) was easily spotable from the ship as well as a beach area that is located very close to where our ship was docking. 

Beach Area That Is Very Close To Where We Docked

Able To See The Magical Flying Beach Chairs (very small in picture)

The Pier - Able To Accommodate Two Cruise Ships

Looking At The Other Side Of The Harbor

Zoomed In View Of The Shops & Buildings At The Cruise Complex

                   The Mahogany Bay Cruise Center's complex has a shop area that cruisers must walk through in order to get off the pier. However, unlike Cozumel, this shopping area has spacious walkways and is easier to get through. Getting through the shops took no more than about 2 minutes. 

View Of The Shops & Buildings At The Cruise Complex

Shops We Had To Walk Through To Leave The Pier

The Half Of the Pier Where The Carnival Freedom Docked

Flying Beach Chairs In The Background

View Of The Shops & Buildings Located Around The Cruise Complex

                  As we began to get closer to being fully docked, some dark clouds were showing in the distance. I thought the rain was going to miss us, but I was wrong. 

Getting Closer To Being Docked

Small Structure On Our Pier

Very Back Of The Pier

                    After enjoying us sail in from the back of Deck 10, I walked to the very front of Deck 10 to have a look. I was planning on watching the Carnival Magic dock. When I got to the front of Deck 10 the Carnival Magic was in the process of turning around so it could sail in backwards too. However, I did not get to stay outside long because it started sprinkling and then began pouring. Due to not wanting to ruin my camera I went inside. 

Carnival Magic Sailing To Dock At Roatan Too

View From Deck 10 Of Our Ship & The Shops

Front Of The Carnival Freedom

                        I still wanted to look outside so I walked down the Lobby Deck (3) and stepped outside. The side outside areas on Deck 3 are almost covered because the lifeboats are directly above to block precipitation. I found a dry area and was able to see out. By this time, the rain was heavy outside. There were a few other people outside also watching our Roatan arrival from this covered dry area. 

View Of The Rain From Deck 3

Carnival Magic In The Distance - View From Deck 3

Looking Down At The Pier From Deck 3

                         After a few minutes of standing outside, I got bored and decided to sit in the bottom of the atrium for a while. I watched some maintenance get done to some of the atrium's seats. About 10 minutes passed before I went back outside and the weather was completely different! The rain had stopped and the sun was shining. The Carnival Freedom's mid-ship gangway was still being secured and was not yet open for cruisers to use. The front gangway was already open and people were getting off.

Front Gangway Already Open - People Getting Off

Mid-Ship Gangway Being Secured

Deck 3

Getting Off The Carnival Freedom To Go Ashore Into Roatan:
​                        Getting off the Carnival Freedom to go ashore into Roatan was a quick and easy process. Even though we had just docked, many cruisers were still either asleep or eating at the Lido buffet. In order to get off we had to get our Sail & Sign cards scanned by shipboard security. The Fun Finds shopping desk had crew members handing out shopping maps and coupons by the gangway. After getting our Sail & Sign cards scanned we got on the gangway and only had to wait about 30 seconds due to the ship's photographers wanting to take pictures. We got our picture taken and were free to head down the pier within a minute. 

Deck 0 Elevator Area

Signage With Time & Policy Reminders

Storage On Deck 0

                        As I walked down the pier, I took some pictures of the Carnival Freedom and Carnival Magic. Near the front of the Carnival Freedom, a small raft was in the water and crew members were painting the Carnival Freedom's front. 

On The Pier - Looking Towards Ship's Back

Carnival Magic & Carnival Freedom

Raft With Crew Members Painting

Front Of The Carnival Freedom

Looking At An Old Shipwreck On The Other Side Of the Harbor

Carnival Magic

Entrance To The Pier Shops

                  In order to officially exit the pier, we had to walk through some shops. These shops were spacious and much easier to get through than Cozumel. The aisles were wide and allowed for a large flow of people to get through quickly. 
                   After walking through these shops, we were back outside. We walked along a path that was gradually inclined upwards and curving at a slight angle. On each side of this path, there were several trees, bushes, and other forms of vegetation. Once we made our way up this inclined path, we were on level elevation and several shops & bars were around. 

Walking Along The Curvy Path

Letters That Say "Mahogany Bay Roatan"

Carnival Freedom's Funnel Behind The Trees

Large Spacious Open Area

Looking At A Bar Area

Props Outside Of The Bar

Another Look At The Props Around The Bar

Carnival Magic's Funnel In The Background

Looking Back At The Bar Area & Carnival Freedom

Magical Flying Beach Chairs:
                     Instead of doing a shore excursion in Roatan, we wanted to ride on the Magical Flying Beach Chairs. These chairs are a part of the Mahogany Bay Cruise Center and are very similar to a ski lift. The chairs take cruisers to and from a beach area. All day passes were available for $14.00. There was virtually no line at this time of the morning to buy tickets. After paying, we were given pink wristbands that signified we had paid. 
                      After paying and receiving our wristbands, we were directed by a staff member to the area to get on. This area had mist blowing which felt great. 

Sign Announcing $14.00 All Day Ride Pass

Ticket Building For The Magical Flying Beach Chair

Entrance To Get On The Magical Flying Beach Chairs

                        When we were next to get on a chair, staff members told us exactly were to stand. There were some footprints on the ground to help people know exactly where they needed to stand. As our chair approached we were given instructions on getting on. When our chair reached a certain place, the staff members told us to sit and they quickly moved the lap bar to secure us. The chair did not stop for us to get on, but later in the day when we rode again the staff members did stop the ride for people that could not get on or off as fast. 

Our Chair Getting Closer

Our Chair Almost Ready For Us To Board

Vegetation Below - View As We Went Up

                      Once we were up in the air, I was able to see the Carnival Freedom and Carnival Magic. During the ride we were able to look down at the cruise complex and walking pathways. 

View Of The Carnival Freedom

Looking Down At One Of The Nature Trails

Chair Going In The Opposite Direction

Looking Down At A Small Street Below

View Of Water In The Distance

Looking Down At A Path That Goes To The Beach

                     As our ride continued we began to move over water. While we were over water our chair began to descend. This meant we were almost at the other side. From this area I was able to clearly see the Carnival Magic, but I was not able to the see the Carnival Freedom. 

Carnival Magic's Front

Path Below That Leads To The Beach

Small Islands In The Distance

Approaching The Other Side Of The Water

Looking Below At The Shoreline

Beach Chairs Going The Opposite Way

View As We Went Down

Carnival Magic

Almost At The Ground Level...

                    When we got to the other side, we asked the staff members if we could stay on the ride to go back to the other side. They said yes and did not try to unsecure our lapbar. They asked us to raise our feet for safety reasons until the chair was going back up. We did as they said and within a few minutes were climbing back into the air. 

View Of A Chair About To Go Up

Going Back Up - View From Our Chair

Looking At The Carnival Magic & Carnival Freedom

                      The ride back seemed to take longer due to the chairs being stopped for people getting on. When the staff members have to stop the ride for one chair's occupants to get on this means all chairs have to stop moving. There were several times we were stopped in the middle of the ride, but eventually we made it back to the other side. 

Looking Below At The Treeline

Starting To Descend

Carnival Freedom - View As We Descended

                       Getting off the tram was easier than getting on. A staff member undid our lap bar when we got on the ground and he told us when to get up. He used his hands to slow the chair down and keep it from hitting the backs of our legs when we got off. 

Walking To The Mahogany Beach Area:
                    Another part of the Mahogany Bay Cruise Center is a beach area. This is the same beach area that people can take the chairs to. For people that don't want to pay for the chair lift, there is a path that is walkable. We decided to walk over to the beach. As we walked, there was a Nature Trail that veered off away from the main path that cruisers could take. We did not take the nature trail, but looking back we should have checked it out. 

Back On The Ground

Nature Trail - We Did Not Take This Path

Sign With Nature Trail Rules

                        When we got near the beach's official entrance, a port security guard was looking at everyone's Sail & Sign cards. This process did not take long. We were able to see people riding the chairs above. 

Walking Along The Main Path

Looking Up At The Flying Beach Chairs

Sign With Equipment Rental Prices

Exploring The Mahogany Bay Beach Area:
                      We walked around the beach to take a look around. There were many people already at the beach using beach chairs and playing in the nice blue water. Shops, bars, and restaurants were all located within a close proximity to the beach. Here are some pictures I took as I walked around the beach area: 

Equipment For Rental Along The Shoreline

A Pathway Near The Beach - Did Not Take It

A Peek At The Carnival Magic's Front

Stairs That Lead Up To A Bar

Walking Along A Path That Runs Parallel With The Beach

Beach Area

Tables Under Big Umbrellas

Palm Trees - There were several around the beach!

Carnival Magic & Carnival Freedom

Zoomed In View Of The Carnival Freedom

Beach Area

Beach Area

Gift Shop Near The Beach

Palm Tree

Beach With Good View Of The Carnival Magic

Riding The Flying Beach Chairs Back To The Mahogany Bay Cruise Center Area: 
                         Although we walked to the beach, we decided to use our all day riding pass to go back. There were no people in line in front of us to get on the chairs. The ride back did not take long. 

Looking At The Harbor

Sign Below - View From The Flying Beach Chair

Looking Below At The Main Path

Carnival Freedom

Area With Parked Cars

Fountain Area Near The Center Of All The Shops

                           Since it was too early to head back to the ship for lunch, we decided to walk around the cruise complex, look in shops, and see what else was near the ship. Day 5 Part 2 will show many more Roatan pictures and the areas that are close to the ship!

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